43 days left

Another sunny day! Now there is a phrase I am going to miss. We are a week into this year’s semester program. It’s a small group of seven students but they are excited and taking each step of the program with an open mind… at least so far. We had our first bible study with them last night here at our house; we are taking the first five weeks of the program to study the book of James. We talked about verses 2-18 where James talks about trials. Josh used this particular section from chapter one to encourage the students as they walk through the trials of being in a different culture – studying, limited freedom, living with a host family, not being able to fully communicate or fully be known. This study was the perfect way to begin.

 

Josh and I love this program for the reason that we really get to know the students. We are really intentional with our time and do our best to invest ourselves fully into each activity. So 4 times a week we offer to go running with anyone who wants too. So far four girls have come along with us. Sunday afternoons we play ultimate Frisbee with SI staff, semester students, and other people from other ministries here in town. Monday evenings we have over for dinner one pair of students. Tuesday evenings we have bible study at our house. Thursday evening (only for the first 5 weeks) we have everyone over again and we each share our life story (testimony). Then Saturdays we have all day excursions. Throughout their time here sometimes we’ll have everyone over for games, food, and movies on Friday evenings. It’s so much fun getting to know each student, we love it!

 

We are doing our best to stay engaged and to fully give of ourselves but I’ll be transparent… it is so hard. We are approaching the end and what’s next is on my mind. Seeing family, finding a house, Thanksgiving, winter in Seattle, football on Sunday’s, finding a new church once we move to Bremerton, creating a new schedule for our new lives, ice cream, cheese, and milk… all these things occupy my mind.

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow Julia will be 3 months old! It seems like the time is flying by, and she just keeps getting bigger and bigger! Today I got her to laugh for the first time… it was so precious. She is such an amazing gift from God. I am so excited to see who she becomes and how she loves the Lord. Right now she is rolling up onto her side... but not quite all the way over. She chews on her fist, or whatever else she can bring to her mouth, all day long. While she still loves wiggle time she has taken on a new favorite activity of grabbing her toes. She stares at them as she tries to bring them to her mouth all the while making fun little noises. Lastly she has developed a habbit... a habbit that keeps me from getting much sleep. Around 4am she begins to stir and she lifts both her feet high in the air that then slams them down on the bed. Then she tosses a little and makes fussy noises and then repeats this whole show. So 4am has become snuggle time with mom and dad in bed.

 

Tonight we have the night off which we're pretty excited about - the past several days have been really tiring, so tonight should be a really great relaxing evening.

 

Have a great evening yourselves!