Tonight we are spending our last night in Memphis as Memphians. Quite honestly it is a sad time for us. Memphis has been more than kind to us for the past five years and five months.
Sure we're not truly 'Memphians' by birth, but we have lived here for all but one year of our 6 years and five months of marriage. So it has largely been our life together. In fact on our recent trip to Jamaica, when people asked us 'where are you from?', for the first time, both Jason and I were able to respond, 'Memphis' without the usual stammering, stuttering or awkward side glances to each other. Strange how that happens right as we are preparing to leave.
As I have shed tears of sadness over leaving our home and life here, I also remember similar goodbyes I have said in Australia, Canada and Japan. And I am reminded how richly God blesses us wherever we go through relationships. And this is not going to be our last transition or time for painful goodbyes. I pray that in those times, I can remember that it only feels so bitter because we tasted what was so sweet.
I plan to reflect more on our time here. But I just wanted one last chance to blog from home before we crossed the Mississippi tomorrow.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
28 weeks and other news
Here I am at around 28 weeks . . .
To mark 29 weeks this week, I will semi-retire myself. I finish up working in the Memphis office of Carlson Wagonlit Travel. Until we leave the US in October, I will continue to manage files and existing clients and will be an outside sales agent. This is a win-win situation for both parties.
To mark 30 weeks, we will finish day two of our drive to our new home in Austin, Texas. For four months, we will serve with the Round Rock church of Christ before they send us to begin working in Wollongong, Australia.
I truly didn't plan on having such dramatic 'week markers' at this point in our pregnancy!
Austin will be a new life for us in many ways. We will have a new focus as we transition to full time ministry. We look forward to the opportunities that will present themselves. We'll have a new circle of friends. We'll have a new amount of down time to spend with each other. In addition to interning with the Round Rock church of Christ, we will also continue to fundraise. If you haven't visited in a while, check out www.aussiemission.com
To mark 29 weeks this week, I will semi-retire myself. I finish up working in the Memphis office of Carlson Wagonlit Travel. Until we leave the US in October, I will continue to manage files and existing clients and will be an outside sales agent. This is a win-win situation for both parties.
To mark 30 weeks, we will finish day two of our drive to our new home in Austin, Texas. For four months, we will serve with the Round Rock church of Christ before they send us to begin working in Wollongong, Australia.
I truly didn't plan on having such dramatic 'week markers' at this point in our pregnancy!
Austin will be a new life for us in many ways. We will have a new focus as we transition to full time ministry. We look forward to the opportunities that will present themselves. We'll have a new circle of friends. We'll have a new amount of down time to spend with each other. In addition to interning with the Round Rock church of Christ, we will also continue to fundraise. If you haven't visited in a while, check out www.aussiemission.com
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Placenta Previa Update
Well for the entire world wide web - here is an update on the position of our baby's placenta. (its really her organ afterall!)
A follow-up ultrasound today showed that the previa is no longer complete, but partial. We're looking at the positive side of this - it HAS moved some. From my understanding, a partial previa slightly lowers the risk of complications, and slightly increases our chances of having a natural birth. At this point, however, we must still prepare for both possibilities - natural birth or c-section. So, we wait.
I have an appointment scheduled with an OB in Austin who comes highly recommended. We look forward to meeting him. In the back of our minds we still hope to use the Birthing Center. But we both feel a lot of peace as we wait, and are confident that we will be in good hands either way.
And today I fell a little deeper in love with our daughter. We so enjoyed watching her perform for us. Her little mouth was opening and closing, she sucked her thumb and was chomping on her foot throughout the procedure. You'll laugh that we asked 'is she still a girl?' Of course, we know that would not have 'changed' but with all the girl stuff we have, I had this nagging fear that maybe they had made a mistake. Thankfully, yes, she is 'still' a girl.
And here she is -- foot in mouth:
We love this picture.
As we learn more, we will share with you. In the meantime, we thank you for your continued prayers for a healthy third trimester, for our baby's development and growth, for the big life changes we are making in the next couple of weeks and months, and for our hearts as we prepare to become parents.
A follow-up ultrasound today showed that the previa is no longer complete, but partial. We're looking at the positive side of this - it HAS moved some. From my understanding, a partial previa slightly lowers the risk of complications, and slightly increases our chances of having a natural birth. At this point, however, we must still prepare for both possibilities - natural birth or c-section. So, we wait.
I have an appointment scheduled with an OB in Austin who comes highly recommended. We look forward to meeting him. In the back of our minds we still hope to use the Birthing Center. But we both feel a lot of peace as we wait, and are confident that we will be in good hands either way.
And today I fell a little deeper in love with our daughter. We so enjoyed watching her perform for us. Her little mouth was opening and closing, she sucked her thumb and was chomping on her foot throughout the procedure. You'll laugh that we asked 'is she still a girl?' Of course, we know that would not have 'changed' but with all the girl stuff we have, I had this nagging fear that maybe they had made a mistake. Thankfully, yes, she is 'still' a girl.
And here she is -- foot in mouth:
We love this picture.
As we learn more, we will share with you. In the meantime, we thank you for your continued prayers for a healthy third trimester, for our baby's development and growth, for the big life changes we are making in the next couple of weeks and months, and for our hearts as we prepare to become parents.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Missions Interest Group
Over the past 5 and a bit years, we have enjoyed meeting with friends in Memphis who share a passion for missions. We've enjoyed sitting a the feet of many seasoned missionaries. We have seen several come and go. We have friends we met at these nights who are now serving God in Bolivia, Italy, PNG, Cambodia, within the United States, and other places I am sure to be forgetting. Others are in different stages of preparing for missions -- team formation, fundraising, vision casting. Soon we will have friends in even more corners of the world - Rwanda, Angola, Togo, Peru . . . perhaps New Zealand and Asia.
For the last MIG of this school year, Ileene and Evertt Huffard prepared an awesome Arabic feast. And feast we did! We enjoyed a great time of sharing, prayer and fellowship after the meal.
We will miss our times with people like this. I believe that God has used these times to shape us and lead us on our journey towards Wollongong, Australia. And I am confident that He will continue to allow these people to encourage us even when we are scattered throughout the world. God is good!
For the last MIG of this school year, Ileene and Evertt Huffard prepared an awesome Arabic feast. And feast we did! We enjoyed a great time of sharing, prayer and fellowship after the meal.
We will miss our times with people like this. I believe that God has used these times to shape us and lead us on our journey towards Wollongong, Australia. And I am confident that He will continue to allow these people to encourage us even when we are scattered throughout the world. God is good!
Friday, May 09, 2008
Park Avenue Baby Shower
We were showered with love and gifts for our baby girl again on Sunday. Park Avenue threw a wonderful baby shower for us. We are so blessed by the love and generosity of so many people. And what amazes me is the outpouring of love for us and our child that they will soon send on our way to Texas and then Australia.
We have many adorable outfits . . . perhaps we can outnumber diaper changes with outfit changes! Maybe not, but it could be a close call.
Wow ! ! !
The more baby stuff we accumulate, the more we anticipate her arrival. At the same time though, we realize that this is a truly special (and short) time where her place is to grow within me. Her arrival will be here before we know it.
Our life is extremely busy right now. Our days are literally packed full between work, fundraising, meeting with people for the last time, packing, cleaning etc. We did manage to reclaim our living room from the books and boxes. It might just be for a short time but it sure looks a lot better than it did.
We have many adorable outfits . . . perhaps we can outnumber diaper changes with outfit changes! Maybe not, but it could be a close call.
Wow ! ! !
The more baby stuff we accumulate, the more we anticipate her arrival. At the same time though, we realize that this is a truly special (and short) time where her place is to grow within me. Her arrival will be here before we know it.
Our life is extremely busy right now. Our days are literally packed full between work, fundraising, meeting with people for the last time, packing, cleaning etc. We did manage to reclaim our living room from the books and boxes. It might just be for a short time but it sure looks a lot better than it did.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Missions Resource Network Annual Dinner
On April 18th, our team joined three other mission teams, MRN staff and supporters in Dallas for the annual MRN benefit dinner. Jason's family also drove from Abilene to have lunch with us. We enjoyed our time together, and our time with our team mates, and meeting other people in the same preparation process as we are in right now.
God continues to encourage us through many people.
Here is a picture of our team taken that evening.
God continues to encourage us through many people.
Here is a picture of our team taken that evening.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Showered with love
Pregnancy is full of surreal moments for me. Mostly in the fact that this is actually happening to US. It was surreal when staring at three positive pregnancy tests, and surreal during the weeks that I KNEW a life was growing within me, but there was no physical evidence (well . . . aside from gagging and sleeping!)
Surreal to create a baby registry, to buy baby clothes, to play with names, to see her ultrasound picture on our refrigerator every day. Surreal to be startled by my profile in a mirror! Surreal but wonderful.
Tonight my co-workers showered us with love, blessings and gifts for our baby girl. I am overwhelmed by their excitement and generosity. It was surreal being the guest of honour at a baby shower!
These girls deserve extra credit. They're sharing the office bathroom, and putting up with not one, but TWO pregnant gals in the office!
Surreal to create a baby registry, to buy baby clothes, to play with names, to see her ultrasound picture on our refrigerator every day. Surreal to be startled by my profile in a mirror! Surreal but wonderful.
Tonight my co-workers showered us with love, blessings and gifts for our baby girl. I am overwhelmed by their excitement and generosity. It was surreal being the guest of honour at a baby shower!
These girls deserve extra credit. They're sharing the office bathroom, and putting up with not one, but TWO pregnant gals in the office!
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