Getting settled....

We've been unpacking since the movers left yesterday. The kitchen is unpacked and the living room is basically set up. So, the main part of the house is looking like home. We found a riding lawn mower for less than we budgeted and a washing machine for really cheap (as long as it looks good when we go see it tomorrow!).

We found out that there is some interesting wildlife here: a rattlesnake has been spotted in our yard, bears nearby and we have a resident rat in the bushes in the front yard. The frogs serenade us daily and we were greeted by a lizard when we got home tonight. Needless to say, life in Florida will not be dull!!

At night, at least every other night so far, we've heard machine guns and canons going off during special ops training at the Air Force Base. Sounds like fireworks!!

Jordan is doing really well. She talks to her friends or chats with them on the computer every day. She was laughing with some of the church members tonight and was excited to be asked to be in a play they are planning for Christmas!! It is good to hear her looking forward to "normal" Jordan activities!!!!

All in all, things are going well. I wish I could wave a magic wand and have all of the boxes unpacked, but slowly it is getting done. Hope to be completely settled in soon!!

We're here!!

We've made it to Florida safe and sound. Leaving KY was so hard, especially for Jordan. She's been crying on and off all day. I'm praying for a friend for her to emerge quickly!! All 3 of us miss our KY friends already!!! We've even been in touch with them on our way down here!

On a much happier note, we could see the ocean as we pulled into town!! SO BEAUTIFUL!! I really can't believe we live here...near the ocean. We usually vacation in Florida and then go home, but now home is here. CRAZY!! It feels good to be here, but I'm ready to get the house set up and make it feel like home.

By the way, we're having breakfast on the beach tomorrow morning!

All packed up...

Well, that's about it. Our chapter here is about to close. The house is packed up...actually we got done at 3pm today...ahead of schedule. That was a nice feeling!! We enjoyed an evening with friends without the loom of packing hanging over our heads. The moving truck comes tomorrow and then we'll leave on Saturday or Sunday, depending on when our stuff will be delivered next week.

It's wierd to think we'll end this week in Kentucky and begin next week in Florida. The next time I go to church, my husband will be the pastor.

I am so thankful to the friends that have fed us, prayed over us and loved us this week (this week and the last 4 years!!) I am excited that my mom and sister are coming to help and to send us off on the next phase of our journey!! I am ready to go and sad to leave all at the same time. I am ready to stop living out of boxes and get our new home settled.

The next post will hopefully be from our new home or somewhere along the way...

A family of 18,000

At least that's how many Christian family members joined together in worship this past weekend at our annual Ichthus festival at the edge of town. Lance & I were blessed to assist in prayer ministry, praying with others in need and those accepting Christ for the first time. It is a humbling experience to be in this ministry with such trusting people that have never met us before.

Saturday is the night for Communion and the hush over the crowd of 18,000 makes it such a Holy moment. After we hand out the Communion cups to this large crowd, we partake of this sacrament together...all of us: young people, older people, those from all walks of life. Then, hands joined, we join in union in saying the Lord's Prayer. It is beautiful!! It can almost not be described in words. Lance said it is a glimpse of what heaven must be like and I think he is right. I hope we have the chance to come back to Ichthus again some day!!

Wish I could bottle it up...

Today I am wishing I could bottle up the things I will miss about the little ones I work with here: the giggles, the smiles...the hugs. I wish I could take them with me for times when I miss them and wonder how they are doing.

I feel so completely blessed to have been a part of these children's lives, if even for a short time. As I have driven around this week thinking about some of these precious babes, I have felt so humbled by the experiences I have had. I have watched several of them sit on their own, crawl and take first steps. I've cried with their moms and prayed for them in times of illness. Their families have allowed me to come into their homes and invade their personal space. They opened their lives to the possibility of someone to help and along the way became part of my heart.

I will not forget these precious little ones, those smiles, those giggles or those hugs. I know there are more little ones awaiting my arrival when we move. There will be more first steps and moments to cherish, but today I feel sad because today I have to say goodbye. To those families that have stepped into my heart, you are truly amazing!!!

Pastor's wife?

We are at Annual Conference and have been completely immersed into this world of Pastor/Pastor's Wife. Lance is busy with meetings, commissioning, being voted on yet again and I am the wife. It's kindof a wierd place to be. I am not the seminary spouse, not the working spouse...I am the "GUEST". HUH? Am I not the one who has worked for 4 years to put this man through seminary to get us here? The guest. No coming forward with him, no praying over him...I get to stand at my seat and support him as he is commissioned. It's a bit lonely.

Not sure what life will look like when we get to our new home and Lance takes his job in the church. Not sure how I will fit into this new role. I can say that everyone we have met in our new area have been so nice!! Much like our current home. That will make our transition much easier!!

On a side note...our Bishop took a few moments to pray for those affected in the Gulf. Since our church is in the Gulf, we were most appreciative of this!! Our prayer is for God to direct us in how to help those in our church heal from this tragedy. As for now...we'll just pray...HARD!!!

Tonight Lance will get commissioned in the robe I made for him. I sewed it from scratch!!! As I stitched it together I prayed for this man, my husband, that will wear this robe to bless the bread, to marry, maybe to baptize and to bury. So after tonight, he will be a Pastor in the eyes of the Methodist Church and I guess that makes me the Pastor's wife.

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!!