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Current Journal
Journal Archive

July 29, 2008
Today we decided that MIcah needed a day to rest in the airconditioning, so I kept him home while Ryan went and helped build a house with a team that's here, and then they went and got 40 new (much needed) matresses for the teams to sleep on that some to the Training center. Tonight Ryan stayed home with Micah while I went to Bible study with some girls in James Cistern. Right now one of the interns, Julie, is leading it, but when she leaves I'll take over teaching it. She is doing a great job. There were about 9 girls there tonight, and they all seemed very interested the whole time. I hope to get to know them all better and be able to do the Bible Study and hopefully some one-on-one discipleship too. I also got to walk along the beach for about 5 minutes today by the training center. That's my favorite spot on earth I think. I have spent so much time in the last 7 years having conversations with God on that beach. It was good, even if only for 5 minutes, to walk along and talk to God again.

Michah is learning to sit up on his own! He's almost got it! He sat with me and watched a movie today, he loves watching TV!

- Emily

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July 28, 2008
Micah is doing much better. We have had several people ask how he's doing. Thanks for your prayers! It's scary when he's sick, especially here where there's no pediatricians, and right now he seems like his tummy his hurting him. For the most part he's feeling better though and he even sent in the ocean yesterday for the first time! He had fun in his floaty. It was very cute! We went to church yesterday morning. I always enjoy going to church here. And it's nice too to get to sleep in on Sunday! For the last 3 years we have woken up at 6:00 to go to church, and now we don't have to get up until 10:00. There are so many wonderful people here that I hope to get to know better and build relationships with! It's different having a baby. It's good in that it draws people to us naturally, but it's harder because MIcah takes up a lot of time. I have to find the balance and learn more I think.

Micah has gone 8 hours at night between feedings for the past two nights, which has been really nice. He's talking so very much now! And still kicking away too! the poor little guy gets so sweaty here and I have to constantly be sure he's hydrated enough. He's doing good so far though.
Today we had a busy day. We went into Governor's Harbor to get things straightened out with customs and try to get an extension and get our residency fingured out. We still may have to leave the island while they process our residency application, but we're praying that we can stay here. We also did lots of other errands today including filling up the gas tank for $70. So expensive!
Well, so far the Lord has been blessing us and He's teaching us a lot already. We're figuring out how to live on the island and our place in the ministry.

- Emily

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July 25, 2008
This morning was pretty scary for us. Micah was not feeling well and he was throwing up ad coughing and he had diarrea and he was so very pale. We were scared and didn't know what to do. He got better though as the day progressed. All we can do is trust the Lord to take care of him. We're glad he's feeling better. Our friends Paul, Jessica, and Colby left today. It was good to see them if only for a few days. And I got to go around and visit some friends today and catch up too. The sunset was beautiful tonight. The Lord always puts reminders like that of His Faithfulness when we need it.

- Emily

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July 24, 2008
We're home! we got up this morning and a man from Florida that was a friend of a friend gave us a lift to drop off our car and drive to the airport. Our flight was a little late and bumpy, and Micah pooped all over Ryan and his bag, but we made it safely to Eleuthera! It sure is good to be back! It's fun to see friends again and catch up. Let me tell you though, why anyone would want to go on vacation here is beyond me, it's soooo hot and I forgot how much I sweat here! I was dripping with sweat the whole day. It is beautiful though. The Lord gave us a good day to fly. I think it may be harder than I had expected to live here. It's just sinking in that we're not going back. It's not a comfortable place to live here. I think the Lord has A LOT to teach me. Micah is having a little trouble adjusting to the heat, and pray for him because the van we're driving doesn't have seat belts that work right. He is such a little trooper.

It's good to be back. I am very excited for all that the Lord has in store for us. It will be hard at times, and I already miss our home in Dallas, but we know this is where God wants us.
We were thinking today, God gave us everything we were hoping. we wanted to have a baby towards the end of seminary and we were hoping to have our baby be at least three months before we moved to Eleuthera. Micah was born the last day of Ryan's classes, and yesterday Micah turned three months old. The Lord has given us more than we asked for!

- Emily

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July 23, 2008
Today was a rough day, especially for Ryan, but we got through it and the Lord once again provided everything we needed. We went to the shipping yard today to put all of our stuff on a container, and Ryan and two other guys put all of our stuff into a 20 foot container only to find out at the very end that our stuff wouldn't fit into it! so they had to take it all out and put it into a bigger one! Then when we went in search of a U-Haul place, we couldn't find one, and it was the one time I forgot my cell phone, and when we finally found a place, Ryan went somewhere else and I didn't know where he was! It was crazy, and just not a very good day. But, the good news is that everything got done, and even though we didn't get to Eleuthera today like we had planned, t all worked out. the Lord even gave us a free place to stay again at our friends house, and things ended up not costing as much as we had planned, so another praise!

- Emily

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July 22, 2008
We made it to Fort Lauderdale! Hooray! Poor Bitty had a little more trouble in the car today, but not too bad. I think he just was so tired of beeing in the car! It's good to be here finally. we're staying with our friend tonight and tomorrow we'll move everything into a big container and get a plain ticket to Eleuthera! Praise the Lord for a safe trip!

- Emily

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July 21, 2008
Another long day of driving from Pensicola to Ocala. Micah did good again. We're staying in a fancy, but cheap hotel tonight and we went to Fazzoli's for dinner!

- Emily

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July 20, 2008
We drove from Shreeveport to Pensicola today. Micah did so very good! He's so good! He only cried when he was hungry. It was a long day of driving, but I like staying in hotels.

- Emily

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July 19, 2008
Moving Day
The last few weeks have been the most stressful ever! We have been shopping, packing, saying goodbyes, finishing up work, going to appointments, getting multiple errands ran, and much more getting ready for our bg move. It has been a hard few weeks. Ryan and I have both been stretched. The Lord has been so very good though and He has helped us make it through the chaos.

Today we moved out of our first home we ever lived in as a married couple (not counting Ryan's roommate's house=)

It was a busy day! As of yesterday we had nobody to help us move, but the Lord pulled through again and provided lots of help for us today. We hired a cleaning lady, which was a great blessing, and our friends, the Martins, and some wonderful Swiss Tower friends helpe us move. We started at 8:00 thismorning and our living room was FULL of boxes. We got them all moved before our time limit, and we finished with pizza for lunch. Our WONDERFUL neighbor Jackie watched the baby for us today and yesterday, which was a huge blessing. When we finished everything and got checked out we got in the U-Haul and the car and drove away. We are in Shreveport tonight. It's sad to be gone, but exciting to be starting the new chapter of our life. The Lord has taken such good care of us and He has made everything go smoothly and get done in time. He has been more than faithful!

Oh, and if Roger s reading this, we're sorry we didn't get to say goodbye! We'll miss you and Matt and Sukey have a gift to give you from us when he gets back =)

- Emily

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July 18, 2008
Today Micah got his secong shots. It was very sad again. He's not doing very well today. He's not feeling too good and he didn't smile until late tonight. Poor thing! And, he's 16.5 pounds! A little chunkToday was a busy day of packing for us! I think we're ready for tomorrow!

- Emily

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July 17, 2008
Tonight we said goodbye to our small group. It was very sad. We love them all so very much and it was hard to say goodbye. We are praying that we will be able to see them again soon. We're hoping they come visit us! the Lord has a way of bringing together friends. We had a pool party tonight and Micah went swiming for the first time! He cried at first but then when we held him really tight he got a little better and stopped crying, but he was a little nervous the whole time looking around. He's such a good little baby!

- Emily

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July 7, 2008
Today we drove back to Anchorage from Sheep Mountain! THe cabin was great, but I froze all night! It sure was a pretty view though from the cabin even in the rain! There were mountains all around, and on the way home there was a big glacier again. We have just had the most wonderful trip around Alaska with our friends! And on the way back there was a moose that was in the middle of the street and went into someone's yard in a neighborhood! This one had antlers too!
Micah had fun today. He just talked and talked and talked! I think he discovered his voice! And I would sing to him, and he would start singing with me for the whole song! It was so very fun!

- Emily

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July 6, 2008
I got up today at 4:00 to feed the baby and couldn't go back to sleep for a while, so I watched a few bunnies outside the window hopping around. It was fun! I got a little more sleep eventually, then we all woke up and had breakfast at the cabin. Erica made bacon and eggs for breakfast! Then we packed up all our things and started out for our 4 mile hike back. We didn't see any bears! Hooray! Praise Jesus! I was practicing my line just incase I saw one..."OK, everyone stay calm, Jesse and Ryan, get your guns out, Erica, take a picture, and everyone get really big and make lots of noise..." I'm glad i didn't have to say my line. God took good care of us!

And, we found a place to get tires so we could drive back which is another praise. Then we headed for Sheep Mountain Lodge where they saved us dinner because we got there late. Then, it was hot tub time! Hooray! What a good day again! we had beautiful weather for our hike, then it rained the rest of the day. I like the rain too. Alaska is even beautiful in the rain!

- Emily

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July 5, 2008
Right now we're at the Frederick's cabin which is 4 miles out in the Alaska wilderness! We backpacked out here with Micah who had a wonderful time on the hike! He was looking around the whole time having fun! I have to admit, I was pretty sacred of hiking out here with all the bears around, but the Lord took care of us! We did see a Lynx from the cabin when we got here, which was really cool!

Also, on the way to the cabin today, we got a flat tire in the middle of nowhere! Ryan and Jesse got everything out of the trunk and changed the tire. It was an adventure all right!

- Emily

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July 4, 2008
Today Bitty discovered his feet! He stared at his feet the whole time in the car! He was just so amazed by them, and you could tell he was trying to bend over enough to put them in his mouth. It was very cute! We were still at the Sleepy Moose today and we wen to Alaska Land, which is now called Pioneer Park and Erica and I rode the train around and we all walked around to all the shops. Then we went to the North Pole! That's right! The North Pole! Micah even got to meet the real Santa and Mrs. Claus and the Reindeer! It was very fun!

- Emily

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July 3, 2008
Today we saw a moose! Actually, we saw 2! There was a mommy and baby. We drove today from Anchorage to fairbanks and we got to see Mt. McKinley and Danali National Park. It was a long drive but it was beautiful! I prayed that we would see a moose! I'm amazed that the Lord cares about even little prayers like seeing a moose. We had beautiful weather again today too!

- Emily

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July 2, 2008
Today we went fishing! Jesse, Ryan, Bitty, and I went and we got a boat and went out into a lake for a while. it was very fun! Bitty got a little life jacket to wear....very cute! The guys caught a few little fish, but nothing big. They had fun though. Tonight we went out for Thai Food, which Ryan and i had never had before. It was good!

- Emily

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July 1, 2008
Today we rested, which was nice. Erica worked, and the rest of us hung out around the house and took some walks. It was nice to have some rest. Micah has been eating the last few nights every 2-3 hours, which wears me out!

- Emily