The Final Leg

We have almost made it!

 

Rob is on his flight over the Atlantic and will land in DC at 8:00am tomorrow morning!  Do you think I am going to get any sleep tonight?  I sure hope so.  I was up from 3:00- 5:00 last night because I knew Rob was driving in to Nairobi.  If you haven't heard, there was a Supreme Court ruling regarding the recent presidential elections.  So...I was a little worried.  Again, I imagined Rob and Bret being kidnapped by some angry protester.  I was searching the web to see if there were any riots going on, reading my Bible and praying.  God continually whispered to me, "I got this."  Just like he has the past 11 days.  Just like he is saying now about his flight home.

 

I know this trip was life changing for Rob, which will in turn affect our entire family.  I also know that I have a new dependency on the Lord I didn't 2 weeks ago.  This has been a great journey for me as well.  I have done my best to share on this blog, but it can be very difficult to express.  I am so excited to talk with Rob and hear all about what God has done and is doing.  I feel like this is not the final leg of this journey, but the beginning of something amazing for our family!

So...may the journey continue.

Emotions

***Disclaimer***The purpose of this post is not to sound like I am having a pity party or to make you think I am curled up in the fetal position on my bed in tears.  It is an effort to journal the real struggles and journey of Rob's trip from my point of view and what I am dealing with.  Keep that in mind as you read further.  (And Rob, if you read this...well don't...but if you do, don't feel guilty.  This is part of our journey!)***

The last two days have been emotional.  Let's be honest...we are getting in the home stretch of this trip.  We have been separated for 9 days now and it is wearing on the kids and I.  And I do not doubt that Satan is trying to distract me from what the Lord is teaching me.  I keep reminding myself that the Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever.  So the same God that got me through days 1 &2 is right here to get me through days 10-12!

I have all these thoughts in my head that I am trying to pray through and sort out. 

...How do I help Rob process everything from this side of it?
...How do we transition back into our everyday life, without going back to the way things were before?
...What do we after all this?
...How can I help these kids?  My kids? the kids in Africa?
...When do I get to go?

Those are just a few things.  As I think through them that is when the emotions rise up. 

I am exhausted!  I have not slept well AT ALL.  I wake several times a night and have a hard time going back to sleep.  I am trying to be patient with the kids (which has actually been way better than normal.  That is a whole nother post...maybe tomorrow.)  I am doing my best to help them sort through emotions they don't understand.  Carys cried today when she got home because she was hot during gym.  Seriously!  The girl is sensitive, but that is not normal.  And she has cried everyday because of something silly like that.  Now you and I know that is because she misses her Daddy, but she doesn't have the means to express that.  Broderick goes into modes of complete happiness to complete anger.  This isn't always totally out of character for him, either, but the frequency of them is completely abnormal.  So all that is going on, while I have all these thoughts, and I am talking to Rob everyday and hearing about all this exciting stuff he is doing and all the sweet kids at Fiwagoh, which I absolutely love.  But, it is all kind of a recipe for a hurricane!

Unless I...

Stop

Breathe

Pray

If I do those things, the emotions subside and the Lord is there to help me through. 
Just like he was yesterday.

Celebrating Lainey Louise

Have I mentioned my sister is pregnant?  With a girl?  I am sure I have. 

Her due date is quickly approaching.  May 9th to be exact.

This past Sunday was her baby shower.  It was so much fun and full of cute girly things.

Thanks to Pinterest we had a great theme...

Berries and Baby.

 

We did a yogurt bar which was very fun.  My mom made these granola cups that were awesome!

Do you see those flowers?  They have strawberries in them!  Too cute!

 

 

My sister's mother in law made these adorable favors!  Look at the cute pinwheels for the little girls!

Darling!

 

 

Sisters. Aunts. Cousins.

 

Carys is so excited for Lainey to be born.  She also requested that they have matching outfits for each day!  Can you tell she was having a blast.  She was such a good helper!

 

Not to much longer until Little Lainey Louise will be here for all of us to hold and kiss.

Today, I survived.

The phone rang at midnight last night and I jumped up from a dead sleep.  I expected it to be Rob.  What I did not expect was what he said, "Hi hun.  I don't want you to worry but..."  Did he remember who he was calling?  Worry is what I do.  He continued, "We are on our way to Kenya and we got a flat tire.  The driver only has a spare and we have to make it 2 hours on the spare.  So I really need you to pray."  So, I texted Diana and then began to pray and read my Bible for the next two hours.  I was so worried.  I kept picturing Rob and Bret stranded on the side of a Uganda road either dying of dehydration or a wild animal eating them alive.  Yup...worst case scenario.  That is where I go.  I drifted off to sleep somewhere around 2 something.  Woke up about 3 or 4, after a very bizarre dream, and began to pray and read again.  Drifted back to sleep sometime to be awoken again by my phone buzzing around 6 am.  This time it was good news from Diana, "Just got a text from Bret and they have met up with Daniel our driver and Pastor Benson and are now in Kenya."   Come to find out she hadn't recieved my orginal text but kept waking through the night with an urge to pray.  Then she finally got up at 5:00am and find out why that was.  I feel like she was waking up to pray as I was drifting into sleep.  Hallelujah!  I praised the Lord a little and went to sleep until around 7 when Broderick came into my room to wake me up so we could get ready for school.  What he didn't know was that school was cancelled the night before due to snow.  So without even opening my eyes I said, "Go back to bed, school is closed."  I drifted in and out of sleep until about 8:30. 

What I am saying, is this...I slept for roughly 3-4 hours last night.  I was a walking zombie today.  Pretty much it was an anything goes kind of day!  Thankfully my friend Carrie, who is a teacher had a snow day to so we went and hung out with them for awhile.  Then we had plans to go to Diana's for dinner, which was perfect! The funniest thing was, I showed up wearing my Equip1 shirt and she had hers on too.  (Equip1 is their non profit organization that Rob and Bret are currently in Africa for.)  So, naturally I had to get a picture of us. 

  This woman...oh this woman.  I can't even begin to tell you how special she is to me.  When I worked at our church in the children's department she was the director.  My kids were very small and everyday I came into church she was able to talk me off of whatever ledge I was on that day.  And know to be part of their African journey and them be a part of ours is serioulsy so awesome.  I have always considered her to be my mentor.  Her daughter, Liz, is our babysitter (the best there is) and now our husbands are forming a forever bond.  They are such a great family.  I was so happy to spend the evening with them.  We could seriously talk for days.  Days...no lie!

All that to say that when I woke up this morning I honestly thought, "Okay, today is the day I will reach the end of my rope."  But just like the days before, the Lord knew exactly what I would need and provided.  Because that is the kind of God He is.

Burning Bush or Music

We've been watching the Bible series on the History channel with the kids.  Have you?  It is great. 

The kids keep asking why God spoke to people with a burning bush or angels and he doesn't anymore.  This is a hard question to answer.  And just because he hasn't spoken to us that way doesn't mean he doesn't do it anymore. 

Well, this morning I was driving, listening to music, and honestly...I was having church.  Yup, just me.  It was awesome.  As I was driving this song came on.  I turned it up and soaked it in.  The words are true.  I would not have made it this far without Him.  (In  my life or the past couple of days.)

He has used music speak to me today.  He has also used many of you to encourage me.  (I know I keep saying this, but it is true.)  Right after the song was over, I got a text from my brother in law.  He was just checking in and wanted to see if I needed anything.  You want to hear the crazy thing?  I was driving to his work to meet my Dad.  You see, I was working for my Dad today and was leaving my car at Justin's work and my Dad was picking me up there.  I was driving on the highway and couldn't remember how to get to his work.  I literally laughed out loud when I got the text.  I called him and asked what exit to get off.  I was thinking, "Are you kidding me?  God do you care that much about me and where I am driving that I would get a text from the one person that could help me the best to see if I needed anything?" 

The answer is an emphatic YES!  He does care that much.  I know this may sound hokey to some of you, but I believe this with every fiber of my being.  I believe that God does this sort of thing everyday for each of us.  The question is, are we looking and listening for it? 
It may not be a burning bush, but he is speaking.

Update from Africa:  I am sure many of you saw my picture on Facebook.  If not, the kids got to "eat breakfast" with Rob.  While they ate we skyped with him.  It was great!  The kids loved it.  He took us around the house he is staying at.  (Technology is crazy!)  It was so fun to see.  We even got to say Hi to Bret and see the Carroll's dog.  The kids thought that was funny.  He also told me he ate greens and liked them.  Now if you know anything about my husband you know he does not like vegetables, so the fact that he liked them is a miracle.  I told him he needs to bring the recipe home!
Tomorrow is a travel day for Rob and Bret so keep them in your prayers.  And thanks for praying.  They were able to get rest last night, have a low key day today, and are sleeping now. 

Sometimes it only takes one word

Me: Hello
Rob: Hello
Me:  How are you!?
Rob: Exhausted.  (pause) Can you hear me?
Me: Yes

Then the call ended. 

That was all it took...all I needed. 

I knew 3 things in that moment
1. Rob was fine.
2. I was ecstatic.
3. God's work was about to begin.

He tried to call me back several times, but had no luck.  He did send me a quick email.

A few hours later I was able to talk to Diana, Bret's wife, and she filled me in on more details.  She confirmed they were very tired, but they were heading to bed.  She also confirmed they got all their luggage which is great!  Diana asked Bret How Rob was doing and he said, "He is taking it all in."  I can't wait to find out what that means!

Today was not bad at all for me.  I was able to sleep pretty well last night and I worked most of the day today.  Got to keep busy, ya know.  Not sleeping yesterday has caught up to me so I am looking forward to going to bed.  I have had some great friends checking in on me, which has been such an encouragement and blessing so, thank you. 

Again,  keep the prayers coming.  I can feel God's grace and strength. I know it is Him, because I could not do it otherwise.

...and he's off.

Today was the BIG day. 

Rob set off for his journey to Africa.

We woke up early, 2:00 am to be exact.

Drove to the airport and he and Bret got on the plane.

It wasn't to hard to say good-bye this morning.  It was harder watching him say good-bye to the kids and even harder getting the text from DC that said, "Boarded.  I love you deeply."  That one brought some tears.  Something about him flying over the ocean for 12 hours is a little un-nerving.  However, I have felt your prayers.  Several times throughout the day God has used things to remind me He's got this!  So, thank you for your prayers, letters, texts and words.

I am so excited to see what God is going to do in our lives.  (I am also excited to get notification that Rob is on African soil!)  Keep the prayers coming and I will keep you updated.  You can also visit this blog for updates.

Thankful Thursday

The day is getting closer...

Africa is in our reach now.

I keep waiting to have a "freak out" moment, but it is not coming.  And let me just tell you...that is nothing short of a miracle.  There is a lot I could be freaking out about and every time I think to myself, "Why am I not freaking out?"  I feel an overwhelming peace from the Lord.  I know this trip is totally in His plan for our family.  For many reasons, one of them being my sense of peace.  It may seem crazy, but I am a very paranoid, anxious person.  I worry and get freaked about many things.  But I really am not. 

Rob's mantra (if you will) has been the a Chris Tomlin song called Whom Shall I Fear.  One of the main lyrics is,
I know who goes before me.
I know who stands behind.
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side.

Part of my peace comes from that very lyric.  God has already gone before Rob and before me in this journey.  He is already preparing the way.  Isn't that exciting!

Today I am thankful that the

Lord goes before us!

The Bible Group

Have you watched the first episode of The Bible on the History channel?

It is FANTASTIC! 

We DVR'd it on Sunday and watched it tonight with the kids.  It was spectacle!  I was fighting back tears the entire time.  Why, you ask?  Because I believe this.  It is my history.  It is why I am who I am today.  It is one thing to watch a  movie that is made up.  But to watch something you believe with every fiber of your being, that you have read about many times, is a completely different thing.  He you didn't watch the first episode, I would highly recommend starting this Sunday.

The funny thing about this...

After we were done, Broderick asked me if him and Carys could read their Bible's together and then talk about what they read before bed.  Of course, I said yes.  (Could I really say no!)  They laid in Carys' bed and read for about 15 minutes then we told them it was time to rap it up.  I could hear them talking for a few minutes, then I heard Broderick say, "The Bible Group is now over." (Hilarious, right!?)  So, apparently, my children have a Bible group!