Graduation

Yes...Lance graduated this weekend. It was a rich weekend...full of happiness, friends, family and yes, a few tears. The day itself was a day to sit back and reflect on the last four years. I remember how scared we were when we came here and how unsure we were of how things would work out. I did not have a job, Lance was returning to school, Jordan missed her family and friends in Illinois. It was a rough first year. But then, almost as if unexpectedly, this became home. I thank God that the uncertainty didn't last long. He was faithful in taking care of us and bringing us into a community of a new sort of "family". This family came from all over the nation...and world!

So, I sat back and remembered the last four years and they will remain a truly spiritual, rich, and wonderful time in my life. The friends we have made here will be a part of us forever. The lessons we have learned are priceless. The growth we have had is unmeasurable. I am thankful for the opportunity we had in being a seminary family. And as our dear president put it...now we must move on.

I am very thankful that both sets of parents were able to make the trip to be part of our special weekend. It was a special time to spend with them!!

So, congratulations to my sweet husband, Lance. This degree is quite an accomplishment!! It has been a great four years!!

It is finished....

that is the theme at our house tonight. At least, that is what Lance is posting!! Lance attended his last seminary class tonight. They talked about fasting and the blessings that followed. Sounds like he has had a fruitful semester!! How long will it take to sink in that there are no more papers waiting to be written, no books waiting to be read, no projects to do?

It is the continuation of the lasts at our house. I had my last event with Spouse?Family Ministries on Monday night. I graduated!! :) Jordan will have her last art class tomorrow. It will be a sad day for her. And we plunge onward...

Four years

Started packing up to move to Florida. It all went well...until I found a poem Jordan wrote about meeting her friend Abbey. And it dawned on me all of a sudden that we are packing up four years of memories. Four years of our life into boxes to start over again. Jordan was 9 when we moved here...such a little girl and now she is a 13 year old...a teenager. Four years of meeting new friends and making this our home. Four years of growth, laughter, tears and life. Four years...it seemed like such a long time when we came and yet it went so fast!!

A snapshot of our new home....

We went to visit the Navarre and Pensacola areas this weekend to get some stuff done for my work down there and to see our house!! The weather did not cooperate at all--no swimming in the ocean for us! Lots of rain, overcast skies, wind and cool temperatures. Like always...we still had a great time...it's Florida after all!!

Our house is going to be wonderful! It is really big and has been mostly updated. Not at all what you think of when you envision a parsonage. Storage is going to be tricky, but we will just get creative. We may decorate the family room with our bikes! :)

In general, the area is very nice and I think we'll settle in quite nicely. Although, leaving Kentucky is not going to be easy. While watching the derby from a sports bar in Ft. Walton Beach, Jordan & I both cried during the singing of "My Old Kentucky Home". God is good and faithful and He is already taking care of details before I even ask. I know He is ahead of us in this move. He will guard our hearts and make the move be as easy as possible. I know that He has a friend (or 2) waiting for Jordan that we haven't even met yet. As for now, we'll walk through this time in joy and sorrow...laughing...and at times...crying.

The BIG announcement...

We've known for awhile, but have had to wait to announce:

Lance got appointed to St. Paul UMC in Gulf Breeze, Florida and we will be living in Navarre, Florida. Our house is located just 3.96 miles from Navarre Beach!!

So far....

I'm feeling optomistic this procedure worked. Had the ERCP yesterday and so far no sign of pancreatitis. I'm past the biggest risk for it, but still have to introduce real food into my body, which will happen later today.

The doctor found that the sphincter at the end of my bile duct (the Sphincter of Oddi) was really tight. Normal pressure is 40 and mine came in at an average of 65!!! When they put the dye in my bile duct it didn't even drain. He said he put a big cut into it to release it. So...that was the problem!!! I have a stint in my pancreatic duct to prevent pancreatitis and will have an x-ray in 2 weeks to see if it has fallen out (that is what it is supposed to do). If it doesn't fall out, they'll do an endoscope to take it out. (I'm hoping we don't have to do that.)

So, having bile backing up into my system was making me rather sick...go figure. The first GI doc I saw was reluctant to believe this was the problem and wanted to write it off as IBS. I'm glad I pushed for another doctor...a doctor I now trust more. I'm thankful that this new doctor listened and acted on my symptoms.

So...soup for lunch, ease back into "real" food over the next couple of days and my life should return to normal. Well...as normal as it can be. Watch for updates...we are moving soon!! :)

Happy Easter!!

We are enjoying a balmy 75 degree day...perfect for celebrating Easter!! We began our day joining a family that is dear to us in the baptism of their two beautiful children. We will enjoy Easter lunch with Paulo, Ju and the girls a little later. It's a great day to celebrate what our God has done for us!! Happy Easter---He Has Risen Indeed!!