Pikchures from Camp 2009

Camp staff on the last day---need I say more???

The "game" of keep-away in the lake that has lasted for the last, oh-so-many years

Water-balloon toss at the Wacky Water Olympics night

More Wacky Water Olympics---they have to fill up a trashcan with water--but the trashcan has a bunch of holes in it

Gettin' ready for Bible Study...

Shelley, Stephanie, and Erin---three of our great staff people...just hanging out and laughing in some very scarce free time!

cute, great kids

The "Wolf-pack"---it's a LONG story :-)

Would it be camp without a cookout?

My amazing small group---they were so much fun, and pulled off an awesome worship service on Friday night!

The whole bunch---well, minus one of our staff, but it's almost the whole camp--it was a great week!

Yes, we are still here on the planet...and still waiting..

Hi everybody!

I am truly sorry that it has been so long since I have posted--a LOT has happened in the past few weeks, and I will try to cut through all the fluff and bring you up to speed.

First, adoption news: Tula is a no-go. MOE there is basically dragging their heels, and told S that it might be a year before they referred anyone. Agency decided to "unregister" us and pull our dossier. Right now, with the Moscow MOE on vacation for the next couple of weeks, we're in "holding" pattern again to see what might happen there, and what, perhaps, our other options are. So, we wait. Some more.

The trip to Maine was really fun--but there was not much of what I expected, which was relaxing and sitting on the beach. It was more "let's show you as much as we can while we're here" so we were walking, shopping, touring, and driving (and eating) a LOT. Oh, and yes, Joy, the trees were amazingly tall. The whole place just has an "old" look to it--like the trees have been there forever. It was a blast, but I was wiped out when I headed home.

All last week, we were at church camp. As always, it was just pretty darn amazing. 70 + kids (jr and sr high) all focused on breaking down the barriers between ourselves and each other, and also between ourselves and God. I won't kid you--they can be pretty squirrely at times, but when they put themselves out there and really talked about their relationships with God, it made all the dealing with squirrely stuff worthwhile. It also helped make all of the "waiting" bearable--and helped me remember that God is good, and His timing is far more wiser than my own.

There you have it folks--I've tried to be short, sweet, and to the point on this one. I'll write more later when my laundry is caught up and I don't feel like I'm so scattered. Hope that all of you are having a great and blessed summer

Greetings from Maine!

First of all, my thanks to all of you...I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate all of your prayers, your encouragement, and your friendship. It is an incredible feeling to have all of you out there, rooting for us. I'm thinking that I don't have words to express how very lucky (well, really blessed) I feel to have all of you in my life.

I am now, in Maine, but I am REALLY tired. But in a good way. So this will be short tonight. I promise to post more later.

I arrived last night, and was met very promptly by my friend Kenn (who had been waiting, because the plane was late--a weather delay). He whisked me off to a yummy dinner (Sorry, Jenny Craig--but it's vacation!) and then, after talking and talking and driving, we crashed.

Today we journeyed into Salem, where we went through the House of the Seven Gables and visited a "witch store" (where they basically had things like Tarot cards and herbs--but no eye of newt or icky things like that). Then we ventured on into Boston where we ate (again) and then walked around and window shopped and then wondered through the Public Gardens, Boston Common and the very cool graveyard where Paul Revere is buried. Lots of funny/silly stories about the very expensive store with basically over-"bedazzeled" clothes and finding (eventually) Paul Revere's tombstone...let's just say we had a good day seeing things that were new to me, revisited for Kenn, and talking about all the people that we have dated/grew up with.

Also had a very "freaky/odd" moment when I was taking a picture of the church that Steve and I went to on the day after our wedding (we went to Boston on our honeymoon) and he called me at the same time that I was sending him the picture on my phone. That was too bizarre...but fun.

Tonight we hung out at home, and watched "Confessions of a Shopaholic." Tomorrow I get to see more of Maine.

Much love to all

Prayers, please...

Just an update. I haven't posted in awhile because there just hasn't been anything to post. And, honestly, I haven't known exactly what to say.

Things in Tula are not all they should be (most of you who have been following that have probably guessed that much). MOE official is back from vacation, but there has been little communication with our agency. S is apparently going to try to get an appointment with them in the next couple of weeks, but C is discouraged with the lack of action and response there. Our "remotely possible" referral has been adopted by a Russian family. I find that I'm not upset by this--I'm glad that she has someone to love her now, and glad that a connection was made there. We didn't really let ourselves even get hopes up about her, and with things not going as they should there, I am glad that God has found her family.

I know that I have no control over this part--and I know that God does. I know that all things work in HIS time and that they work out right. I'm just really tired of waiting right now. I guess that I would ask for prayers for patience, and that we have the wisdom and the clarity to listen to whatever it is that God neeeds us to do in all this. In the meantime, my beloved husband is trying to write the curriculum for church camp--and it's all about God and making "breakthroughs." I find myself smiling and shaking my head in wonder at this one. My ladies Bible Study has also been doing a short study on "Walking By Faith"---so, yeah, I know that God is right here--there's too much evidence that He is. I'm just tired and a bit sad, is all.

Having said all that---I'm running away next week. I scheduled this trip about a month or so ago, but I realize that the timing here is also pretty perfect--I need a distraction. My good friend since the 6th grade, Kenn, lives in South Maine, not all that far from Boston. I got cheap cheap tickets to fly into Boston, and we're going to just "have fun" next week. Steve will have quiet time to work on the curriculum and I will have some great time away with a friend who makes me laugh.

Thanks to all of you. Even when I'm not posting, I'm reading all that you write. Thank you for your friendship, your love, and your prayers. You are all so very important to me...

All Quiet on the Tula Front

No news out of Tula. The head of the MOE is reportedly back from vacation, but nothing is happening.

This is getting old.

Bleah.

Really and Truly---I'm still here, but there's still no news from Tula

Hi everybody!

Thanks for all of the good wishes. We just still don't have any news from Tula. Apparently the head of the MOE is on vacation following the May holidays, and may not be back at work until sometime in June. (Nice vacation!)

That is not to say that nothing is going on here. We're ok, and mostly resigned to the "God's time" part of this for the moment. Our Sarah graduated from college a couple of weekends ago with honors (Magna Cum), and also (thank you, God) has a job. She's going to be the dietician for the WIC program. That's her with proud papa above---by the way, will somebody be kind enough to explain to me how to get the photos to show up anyplace but at the top of your post? Do you have to post the photos first, and then type? I can't get the photo to cut and paste once it's posted here on the screen! Sarah is off now with her roommate on a backpacking trip through Europe--fun! Makes me a bit jealous!

Last weekend we made the journey down to Little Rock to the Riverfest (fun! They had corndogs, alligator, funnel cakes, and Kris Allen sno-cones--red, white and blue!) We went especially to see the B-52's. They can still do an amazing concert! They sang "(Little) Rock Lobster" for their second encore. It was such fun, but we were TIRED the next day.

Right now, I'm working on doing all those things I said I would do when school was over. Mostly, that's clean and purge my house (and Kristine, there is WAY too much to take pictures of!) Most of my winter clothes, books to discard/repurpose, etc are on the dining room table ready to be moved someplace else. My office already looks better, but there's still a LOT to do. I'm determined, though---I'm going to make a huge dent in the chaos and extra "stuff"! I've got a bunch of Russian history books that are duplicates of ones that I already have (part of the joy of being a teacher is that you get "free copies" of books if you assign them for a class). If anyone is interested, I'll let you know. Perhaps I will post of picture of them, once they're all assembled.

The other BIG news is that I started on the Jenny Craig program around May 5. As of this last week, I have lost a total of 8 pounds. I am very happy about this, since it is something that I have control over--with Russia being out of my hands right now, it is good to have a "focus" that I can work on. Plus, I really need to lose some serious weight.

That's what's up for now---I'm sure that I've missed some details, but that's the important stuff. Thanks, all of you, for hanging with me--please pray that once the Tula MOE is back in business that we get moving soon!

Much love!

I know No-think...

Yep, that about says it all. No news. And according to C, we probably won't have any news now until after the May holidays in Russia. Bleah. I don't even want to think about it, because it makes me depressed. But I did want to share with all of you who have been waiting to hear something.

I wish that I had more interesting or exciting stuff to share, but I don't. The best news of the week has been that I finallly caught up with my classes last night, and as of last night, I have everything graded. That means a whole weekend with no grading hanging over my head! Yahoo! After this weekend, I have only one more assignment to write and 3 sets of papers to grade--then I'm done for the semester.

Dad is continuing to do well---my sis and Brad and I made the journey last Friday to visit, and he's up and walking and can even do stairs (slowly). They think he's making amazing progress. He's frustrated because he can't heal immediately. Hm...impatience. Wonder if that's where mine comes from??

Much love to all of you---and Happy May!

Update on Dad

Thanks to all of you for your prayers for my Dad. Mom called about noon and said that the surgery was over and that the doctor was very pleased with how well things had gone. It helped so much that the doctor and my dad are good friends, and we knew he was being very well taken care of.

Dad called a few minutes ago, and I got to talk with him. He was zonky, but good. I asked him if he had eaten anything, and he said he was ready to send out for pizza and beer. That's a very good sign!

Hmm....now I'm hungry.....

Much love!

Those who wait upon the Lord...

Hi guys!

The news is: there's no news. We were registered in Tula, but things are quiet right now. According to C, there is no word on how quickly or when things will happen. So, we wait. But at least now we're "really waiting" and not "waiting to wait."

Last night my Bible Study group watched our weekly installment of Beth Moore's study of the book of Esther. She talked about "time"--and it was, not to be "punny," incredibly timely. She talked about knowing when it's time to do something, knowing when it is not time to do something, and understanding that it is all God's time. She ended with an idea that has been sticking with me this morning; that when we wait upon an event or upon a person to act, that wait can take forever, and it can drain us of all our strength. But, when we "wait upon the Lord" to act, the book of Isaiah tells us that our strength will be renewed. It's all a matter of perspective. When we know that it's all God's time, and that God is acting to bring all things right in His time, then we should be excited about seeing what happens, and anticipate the completing of all things in the "right time". I'm trying to let God move that idea from my head to my heart this week.

Some other good stuff has happened this week. I got to see my Dad yesterday (and my sister, too) at my nephew's track meet--he ran the 1 mile, and did an awesome job (just under 6 minutes--good for a 7th grader). I got to spend a great afternoon in the car Monday driving Jeremiah back to the airport in St Louis for his flight home to Buffalo, and just have time to laugh and catch up with him. I got my hair cut shorter in StL, and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel for this semester. So while there have been some stresses, I've also seen God move in some amazing ways this week in my life and the lives of other people.

A quick prayer request for all of you: my Dad is having one of his knees replaced on Monday. Could you keep him, and my Mom in your prayers? I'd appreciate it muchly!

Hope that you all have an amazing weekend!

It's time for an update: Maundy Thursday and Good Friday

First of all, thank you for all of the laughter that resulted from the suicidal "LUV" turkey. I am happy to report that my dear beloved little car (Betty-Lou, the Blue Subaru) should be home from the body shop tomorrow. Thanks also to our good friend Brad, who loaned us a vehicle so that I could get back and forth the past few days. Easter week in a pastor's family is really full of responsibilities for the pastor, and it was nice to be able to drive myself to my orthodontist appointment yesterday, among other places that I needed to go.

The big ortho news: I now have braces on the bottom teeth, too. They hurt. Advil has become my good friend for the past two days. It feels as if my molars are trying to migrate to the front of my mouth. The good news is that the orthodontist told me that the upper teeth are where they're supposed to be, and that I'm progressing nicely. Yay braces! (Wait...did I just type that?? Must be the drugs!)

I suppose that I should really be good and give you all the adoption update. I received an email from C this morning--we are officially registered--in Tula. YAY! This is way farther than we have ever been in this process (a year ago we were waiting in line behind about 9 families just to be registered in Izhevsk). They have no idea how fast things will go now, but it is a big step for us. Thank you to all of you for your prayers; we really feel that God has led us to this region, and are trying very hard to be as patient as possible. Well, trying some to be as patient as possible.

Other news: I finally caught up on grading about 5:00 on Friday last week. I had been behind for about a month and a half, so it was nice to be able to go to bed and not have anything that I still needed to grade. I have a set of papers I need to do this afternoon, but I'm hopeful that I'll get them done quickly. I have discovered that I have wicked senioritis this semester; I just am tired with teaching online, and trying to fit a normal semester's amount of work into about 1/3 the normal time. I am SO ready to be back in a real classroom.

Finally, if you have a chance to go, please go see the "United" tour of concerts with Michael W. Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman. We saw them in Springfield last week, and they were amazing. Some amazing worship music (they played for over 3 hours!), testimony from both men, and a huge emphasis on the Chapmans' "Show Hope" ministry to orphans. It was just exactly what both of us needed to hear, especially with Easter week coming up and with us


having just made the decision to pursue Tula as a region. God is good!

My best wishes to all of you for a blessed Easter week--