OK, I don't know if it was fatigue, hormones, or just raw emotion...but I broke down and cried in front of the Inter-coutry adoption matching committee! This board of professionals: a psychologist, doctor, lawyer and ICAB director were all obviously a little disturbed at my outburst. MJ's case had been presented and discussed at length and I was ok. Once Nori's picture was put up on the presentation board, I just lost it. I think they thought I was upset because they had a split vote on MJ's prospective family...they have no clue how this one little girl has affected my life! I'm thankful for a sovereign God whom I can trust these babies' lives to. He is all-knowing and all-powerful...HE knows what the future holds for each of these children. HE knows what's best, and has a plan for their lives. I can trust that the families who take these babies away from us will love them even more than I ever could, and that God's will has been done!

Puke on a Page

Oh, how I wish I could make myself sit down for a few minutes and journal all the important things when they happen. Then, I could have these neat little themed entries, instead of "puke on a page"! But...then I wouldn't be me, would I?

So, let's do it paragraph by paragraph...God is good, as always. He's been using things all around me lately to draw me closer to Him...both good and bad! He uses His Word, relationships, and just the wooing of His Holy Spirit to speak to my heart, and I'm SO thankful...even when it's painful, I know it's for my good!

Being Father's Day...I'm reminded of the godly father that I am so blessed to have. Since my father's salvation in 1974, God has used him in many lives (not just his own children's) to model Jesus Christ. My dad is a true servant of God. He is humble, loving, forgiving, kind, faithful, generous, selfless, strong. Through all the drama that his children have put him through, he showed unconditional love and the forgiveness of a godly father. Though ridiculed and abandoned...he has been unfaltering in his faith and held steadfast to the Word of God (not man!). I'm also thankful to see those same seeds growing in my husband. John's not the same man I married 21 years ago...PRAISE THE LORD!!! He's become a man after God's own heart, and I'm so thankful that God gave him to me to be my rock!

Friday marked the 6th month anniversary of the loss of my sister, Amy. I miss her. We weren't always close...but it's the good times I remember. It's her laugh, her musical talent and her beauty that are stuck in my mind. Maybe God was merciful to spare her another day on this earth in her weary mind and troubled soul. Regardless, I know God can use this tragedy for His good. My prayers are that Olivia, Samuel and Emma will grow up to know a God who loves them unconditionally, and who can be trusted with their lives. May God continue to comfort my parents, who will never stop mourning the loss of their child. May He continue to strengthen my brother and teach him so that he can continue to teach and guide others, and may He call to my baby sister as a sweet, gentle Shepherd calls to his lost sheep.

Our family (the dwindled party of 4) was able to take a little summer vacation last week. We had saved some of our tax return money to go to the island of Bohol. It was SO relaxing and wonderful!!! We took a bus to Manila last Sunday, spent the night at a budget hotel, then flew to Bohol on Monday. Through online research (it's what I do!) we chose to stay at the Linaw Beach Resort, and I'm SO thankful that we did! It was very secluded...almost as if we were the only people there! God gave us beautiful weather, and a great time of rest. Brock was sick all day Monday (the consequences of EATING at a budget hotel!), so we just lounged around the resort. Thankfully, he was better by Tuesday morning. Through a little persuasion, I was able to convince the whole family to go snorkeling with me on Tuesday, and they all loved it!!! It was like "Finding Nemo" live! The little boat took us out to a secluded reef, about 30 minutes from the resort, and gave us all the time we wanted to swim around and view God's awesome underwater creations! We saw neon blue fish, HUGE starfish, blue starfish, eels, silver fish, flying fish, clown fish, fish I can't name...but I know I saw them all on "Finding Nemo"! It was SO COOL!!! That afternoon, we visited the Bohol Bee Farm for lunch and walked along the beach that evening, enjoying the beautiful sunset. Wednesday, we took a day-tour of all the "must see" places in Bohol. We saw the tarsiers (the world's smallest primate), the Chocolate Hills, the world's largest python in captivity, the Hinadagan cave, the butterfly sanctuary...honestly, it was all a little boring! On Thursday, we opted to go to the Island Mall and watch "The Karate Kid" and "Toy Story 3" while eating at one of the famous seafood places on the island. Both movies were well worth the time and money (movies here are only about $2 a pop)! We had a lot of time to swim, relax and just have uninterrupted family time all week. On Friday, we flew back to Manila, visited the enormous Mall of Asia, spent the night at the same budget hotel (hold the food-poisoning, please), then brought a bus home on Saturday. It was a much-needed break that I thank God for...now to hit the ground running!

S.H.I.P. admitted 2 new little girls on Saturday before I left for the week! The father had abandoned the family, the mom had been admitted to the psych ward at the local government hospital, and the 2 sisters (roughly 1 year and 2 1/2 years old) needed immediate temporary shelter. It's been a rough week for them. Charlene (the 2 year old) is having trouble adjusting to her new surroundings, and Chara (the baby) is very clingy, and possibly a bit under-developed. Hopefully, we can reach out to this mom and help her to be reunited with her babies soon! S.H.I.P. is continuing to become something much bigger than us...it always has been, but as we grow accustomed to the stage we're in, it seems the Lord gives us a little nudge into expansion. This week, Jovi (the social worker) and I will take a bus to Manila in order to choose families for 3 of our babies...M.J., Kimmie, and Nori. My heart breaks already at the thought of letting these 3 precious babies go! I jokingly call M.J. our "mascot". We've had him since he was 2 weeks old...he's so much fun, and happy...but takes the most "pathetic" pictures! Kimmie was named after me, we got her at birth in July of 2008...and Nori has been John's sweetheart since we got her a year ago. We had been praying about adopting Nori, but hadn't received complete peace about it yet...it will be excruciating to let her go! We currently have 15 children and 3 staff living at the facility and depending on God to use us to supply their needs! God has given us a new shuttle vehicle, has provided for us to send 8 kids to a Christian A.C.E. school, and has met every need and most of the "wants" that we've had for S.H.I.P. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Integrity Bible Fellowship is another thriving ministry that God has graciously allowed us to be a part of. Just when we think we're not accomplishing anything, and wonder if we should just quit and go "home"...God opens our eyes to the work He has chosen for us to do here. A few weeks ago, one of the young ladies gave her life to the Lord, and we were able to baptize 2 people at a church nearby. There's a little "karaoke bar" across the street from our house...been there ever since we moved here 5 years ago. Almost every night, we lay in bed and wait for the excruciating crooning to stop so we can sleep. Many nights, we're awakened by drunks in the street outside...sometimes fighting, or even hitting our gate. One day, as John was driving past for probably the thousandth time...God's still, small voice said..."wouldn't that be a nice place for a church". WHAT?!? Since the notion wouldn't go away, John approached the owner a few days later about renting the building. He told him that the current tenants had just signed another years lease. No problem, must not have been God after all! A few days later, the owner approached John and told him that the tenants were willing to leave as long as he returned their security deposit, and that the community would welcome a church in it's place! He wanted 15,000 pesos a month for rent (roughly $325). Since we're currently only paying 2,000/month (about $43), we knew that was too high. God had given us both peace about 10,000/month ($215/month). We offered him 10,000/month, paying a year in advance, taking on the necessary work at our own expense (and it needs LOTS of work!!!) and asked for a 3 year contract. He said "No", we said, "ok, thanks for your time!" Within 2 days, he texted John and said he was willing to accept our offer! WOW...so now, instead of driving 20 minutes across town to meet in a member's basement, we will soon be working hard to make the little karaoke bar on the corner across the street into a beacon of God's light in our community. We're SO excited...20 0f our church members already come from this area, and we have to transport them every week. This will make the church more convenient for them and allow us to hold more worship services, prayer meetings and Bible studies. God is good!!!

Oh, and my best friend here (who is also the center head at SHIP) had her baby a surprising 3 weeks early!!! Wasn't ready for that one!!! Thankfully she's healthy...mommy and baby are doing great, and she's beautiful!

Well, for any of you who are still with me...thanks for caring enough to drudge on to the end! I tend to bottle things up for a while before I spill them out, which makes it more like "puke on a page" than an intelligible blog! Maybe when I grow up, I'll be better organized! ; )

What's Important in Life?

As the days pass quickly by, I watch my children grow, my body age, and the people that I love pass away. The brevity of life and the things that matter most are becoming more evident to me daily. The Holy Spirit has convicted me that the time is short, and that I need to concern myself with the "needful" things. For that reason, and for the reason that I've seen more harm done in the last month than good done in the last 3 years...I've decided to take a little break from facebook. Honestly, no one cares what I ate for dinner, how much housecleaning I'm facing, what cultural difficulties have plagued my day....or the mood I'm in at the moment. It's been nice to catch up with old friends, but facebook has become a self-promoting forum of gossip and criticism in many ways. The lines have been crossed, and my spirit has been burdened because of it. I in NO way suggest that anyone else should abandon facebook...this is a personal decision. I hope that my true friends will stay in touch with me...and I pray that the body of Christ will continue to come together and encourage one another.

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

Hello...Anybody Home?!?

Well, I stumbled across this seriously neglected blog today and realized something...it's mine! I knew this would happen, it's my modus operandi! It's a strong symptom of my self-proclaimed "frustrated perfectionism"! All or nothing is generally my motto in everything...relationships, diet/exercise, work...and now blogging! It seems that I require myself to have wonderful things to say and to be able to give great, lengthy oracles in order to blog. Oh well, this little blog will change none of that, I'm sure...but I figured after 7 months of neglect, I could at least drop in and let you all know I'm still alive!

Father, Forgive Me...

"This is the day that the Lord hath made, I WILL REJOICE and BE GLAD in it!" I've realized that for the last week, I've focused on making sure everyone was aware of what we were "weathering" here (literally). I've highlighted the rain and winds and lack of sunshine. I've bordered on complaining!

I'm sorry. I'm thankful for a dry, warm house. I'm blessed with a fireplace and a husband who builds us a fire when it's cold and damp inside. Despite the winds, our electricity, internet and cable have only gone out for brief periods of time! I've had a chance to rest up, to read more and to bond with my husband and children. I've had a great excuse not to schedule any unnecessary meetings. Our pantry and freezer have plenty of food, and the coffee pot is ready at a moments notice. We don't live in a flood plain, nor are we in danger of landslides. Our vehicle keeps us from having to wait in the rain for public transportation and get soaked from walking in the rain. God is good, ALL the time...even in the storms. Why He's so good to me, I will never understand!

Many are truly hurting in this time. People all over the world have lost everything they had and people that they love in storms, tsunamis, earthquakes, war. Christians in some countries are being physically tortured for their faith in Christ. Father, forgive me for whining about a few days of rain!

This was supposed to post about 2 weeks ago...but I couldn't get my pictures to post like I wanted, so it's been sitting in my drafts ever since...I will post it now...


So, I had posted a status on facebook about going to the market, and that I missed the convenience of Wal-Mart sometimes. I TAKE IT BACK!!! I love the market! Let me break it down for you:

*1 bunch GARDENIAS: $ .21 (yes, that's twenty-one cents!)
*2 dozen CALA LILIES: $ .42 (YES, forty-two cents!)
*10 BIRDS OF PARADISE: $2.11
*3 AFRICAN DAISIES: $1.89 (I splurged a little on these!)
*6.5 pounds of wonderfully fruity, tasty bananas: $2.53
*12 pounds of fresh fuji apples: $6.32
*1 medium sized watermelon: $2.53
*1 large, prepped pineapple: $ .95
*4.5 pounds sweet, ripe mangoes: $3.37
*2 stalks celery (though small): $ .48
*4 ears of corn: $1.26
*1 pound fresh spinach: $ .95
*1 pound fresh romaine: $ .95
*2.2 pounds of tomatoes: $1.26
*9 pounds potatoes: $4.20
*2 large heads of cabbage: $1.26
*2 green peppers: $ .42
*5 pounds fresh carrots (think Bugs Bunny sized): $2.95
*2 pounds cucumbers: $ .42

Considering all these fruits, vegetables and flowers are fresh from the garden, beautiful AND delicious, you just can't beat it! Not to mention that the day was beautiful (a sunny 70+), the culture immersion is rich, and I had the joy of blessing a former orphanage client with some income by hiring him to carry my bags.

Now, Before you judge me for that, consider this...there are almost as many "carriers" in the market as there are vendors. They wait all day for someone to hire them so they can take home a dollar or two to help feed their family. Michael is a smart, strong, honest, Christian young man that I can help by paying him about $2.50 (a half days wage!) for carrying my fruits and vegetables for about an hour. It helps him, and definitely helps me!!! A white lady in the market has dollar signs stamped on her forehead, and I'm sure I still pay more than the locals, because I won't generally bargain much...but it really helps to have someone I trust with me who can tell me if the price is fair or not!

Anyway, thank you, LORD for the beautiful Baguio City market!

Rainy Days, Mondays...and the big 4-0

As I headed through traffic this morning to renew my seriously expired Filipino driver's license, the joy and excitement I felt caught me quite off-guard! After all, I'm turning 40 today, wasn't I supposed to be depressed or something? And yet, I felt so free and full of life! Never mind that I would spend the next several hours going from office to office, tediously accomplishing one step at a time in order to have my license renewed...I was going to be with one of my best friends! After the LTO (land transportation office), we were planning to have lunch and then she was treating me to a massage at a wonderful place near our home.
I got to thinking...I love rainy days and Mondays, why would turning 40 get me down? Christmas day is depressing, Saturdays frustrate me...give me a rainy Monday or December 26th any time! I'm sure someone could name my psychological disfunction, maybe even prescribe medicine for it; however, I feel like I have a new lease on life...like I'm a grown up now, and I'm ready to accomplish something! I have a new energy and my heart is revived. 40's? Bring it on!!!
Anyway, the day held no disappointments for me. Getting my driver's license renewed: 2 hours and $20. Lunch for two at O Mai Khan mongolian buffet: $13. Three hours at the spa (to include whirlpool, sauna, body scrub, massage, manicure, pedicure and showers): $50 (for 2 people!!!) A surprise birthday cake at SHIP and getting to be with some of the people I love most on this blessed day: priceless!

Let us go into the house of the Lord!

I was a little put off this morning as I followed up on my facebook posts, and sensed what seemed to be such a lack of reverence for the Lord's house. People were more concerned about "rocking the river", outings with friends and family, school work, and catching up on sleep (which I'm sure was lost doing something to benefit themselves and not in service to their Creator) than they were about gathering to worship with other believers.

I'm not a theologian, and not even very smart, so I won't argue the keeping of the Sabbath (when it is, what it is, how Old Testament law translates into New Testament freedom, etc...). But, I know that setting aside time to gather with other believers for corporate worship, exhortation and spiritual guidance is impertent to every believer! I know this not only from God's word, but from personal experience. I'm sure most of you have heard the example of how a burning log removed from a fire will eventually die down and grow cold on its own. I know from experience the truth of that as it relates to a Christian's life.

Shortly after our marriage, John and I (relishing the new-found freedom we had) began missing a church service now and then for things we felt were important for us to do. Little by little, the things of our local church slipped further and further down our list of priorities, until one day, we rarely even went to church at all. We thought we could still nurture our own relationship with God, but we couldn't. We grew colder and colder until sin began to slip in and we excused that also. Those 7-8 years became very dark times for us. We experienced great hardship and loss, and have the scars to prove it. We need the teaching of the church, the fellowship of other believers, and the corporate worship to keep us burning strong. It gives us accountability and encourages faithfulness. It's important!!!

Hebrews 10:23-25 says, "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

For the sake of your own personal relationship with Jesus Christ, for the sake of those watching and learning from you, for the faithfulness of God to us every moment of every day...reconsider your priorities, is HE worth it?

No Thanks, I'd Rather Starve

My heart is still heavy this morning for two boys I met in town yesterday. Brian (who claims to be 12, but looks and acts more like he's only about 8!) approached me begging on the main street downtown. This is a common, daily occurrence; and something you generally learn to ignore. Now, for those of you who have never experienced that, lest you think I'm being hard, I should explain that many of these children are working for someone. They do NOT receive the money they collect, but a small meal or a few pesos for their work. A few pesos is usually just enough for them to buy "glue" to sniff, which keeps them high enough to not face their reality.

This time was different for me. Brian was very dirty, his clothes were torn, he had no shoes on his feet. When I asked him where his mother was, he indicated she was in another province. I bought him a hot dog and used a local man to learn more about him. He has been sleeping in an abandoned building in town with some other boys, and is truly homeless and neglected. I asked if he would like to have a bed, good food, and go to school. As we spoke, his companion (a boy truly of 12 or 13) joined us. To my surprise, he asked me if I was Mrs. Piet and if I were talking about S.H.I.P. Foundation. I said "yes, how do you know about us?" It seems he is friends of another young man whom we tried to help, but who also preferred street life and ran away from our facility. (come to find out, he has a reputation for this in town, and even has a family in town, but wants the freedom of the streets)

Jericho (the older boy) convinced Brian that he should go with us to S.H.I.P., so both boys accompanied me on the rest of my errands. We bought Brian some flip-flops, then headed to S.H.I.P. where our social worker interviewed them both. They had some food, a shower, got a set of clean clothes, and were all smiles within the hour.

Upon interviewing them, we found out that Jericho has a grandmother nearby, and that Brian misses his mom. So Jovi (our social worker) planned to accompany them both to their respective homes. Since Brian's home is about 1 1/2 hours away, they proceeded to the bus station. On the way, he told Jovi how his dad is an alcoholic and that the last time he ran away his mother beat him so bad that his back hurt for several weeks. Jovi's plan was to make an assessment of the parents when they reached Brian's home before leaving him there. Once they got to town, Brian told Jovi that he needed to get a few things from his "quarters", so he went in and Jovi waited outside the building. After he didn't return for several minutes, she went in and asked around, only to find out that he had slipped out a small opening in the back of the building.

We were so sad that for whatever reason, he chose not to let us help him. Some of these kids have been through so much, and have even dealt with the system so much that they trust no one. Maybe he lied about his family's whereabouts, maybe he's scared to go home, maybe he just doesn't want to be told what to do. The truth is, some of them would rather have the freedom of street life, than to be disciplined...even if that means living without food and love.

Deep in my soul I know there has to be a way to reach these boys before it's too late. Your prayers keep us going, keep us focused, supply our needs and bring us wisdom. I will look for Brian every time I go to town, and I will try to convince him to give us a chance to show him true love.

I John 3:18 "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."

Spiritual Warfare

I had a feeling I wouldn't be very good at keeping up with this regularly. There just never seems to be enough hours in a day to do it all! Three weeks here holds enough activity for three months, so I really need to work on keeping things a little more current!

SHIP moved into their new house...and this week we will move back into our old house! To try to make a long (though interesting) story short, the "administrator" of the subdivision was upset that we did not rent the house SHE showed us (therefore, she didn't receive any commission), so she decided she didn't want us living in the subdivision! Though she has no legal leg to stand on, she has "physical" power over the guards and board of directors, and has harassed us continuously since we moved in. She has gone so far as to not allow our moving trucks in, and to make us open the gate on our own (the guards are supposed to do it). The staff and children feel like they're living in a prison, and there is such an oppression there, that we have decided to just leave. Though we've done nothing wrong, and could file a legal case against her, the Lord keeps bringing to mind the verses of how Jesus was beaten, afflicted, and yet "he opened not his mouth".

On a personal note, just about the whole family (except Brock) had the flu 2 weeks ago. Thinking it could have been the H1N1, it spread fast, hit hard and we still have lingering symptoms...but who knows! The kids at the home seemed to pass it around after I started it, but I think everyone is on the mend now.

David (our oldest son) has decided NOT to go into the Air Force. That was quite a shock to us, and very disappointing. He's been set on this decision for several months now, and there's a million reasons why we believe it's the right choice for him; but he's 18 now...you know, the magical age when they suddenly know it all and have it all under control?!? He doesn't want to leave home (or his girlfriend) right now, so he's decided to go to the community college. I hope and pray that God has His way in his life, it's SO hard to non-parent from 8,000 miles away!!!

Luke...well, please pray for Luke! He's gone through some VERY difficult things in the last few weeks. He's had two very close friends suffer serious injuries. One of his best friends from childhood almost died in his presence last week, he lost his job (supposedly due to lack of business), and many other things are discouraging him right now. I know he's making some poor choices, and I fear for him...but we're at a loss for what to do. It's SO hard to parent from 8,000 miles away!!!

Well, I could go on and on about the 40 year old alcoholic who was living with us, the issues we've had with workers, issues with some of our teenage girls here, thievery, scandal...blah, blah, blah...but I won't bore you!

Ephesians 6:12 says, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

I believe we're in a great spiritual battle. We are being accosted on every side, and some days it's hard to "just keep swimming". Please keep our family in your prayers that God will give us strength and wisdom. Please pray for protection for our children!

Living in the Moment

It's hard to write a blog about "living in the moment" when I can't! Too many moments pass too quickly, and too many things consume my mind at one time! Imagine being consumed with what is actually going on in your life right now. Not what happened yesterday, or may happen tomorrow; not what's going on somewhere else with someone else...but actually soaking in the moment that God has given you right now. Our stress level would be lower and I believe our memories would be better if we were actually focusing on the moment. I find myself meeting new people, shaking their hand, repeating their name and greeting them warmly...only to walk away and realize I probably wouldn't recognize them again if I ran into them in the store, much less know their name! Why? because as I'm "meeting" them, my mind is in a thousand different places, and I'm not really focused on what's at hand!

As I'm reading a book, I realize that my mind is on so many other things that I haven't even comprehended what I just read. In a relaxing moment, instead of soaking in the peaceful surroundings, I'm concerning myself with all the things that I need to be doing.

Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Things that are "true" must be real...not things that we fear, or things that we plan. Yes, we need to be prepared for the things that we know are going to happen; but I believe most of us need more balance. This is a problem for me, and I'm trying to train myself to focus a little more on the moment that God has given me.

Week "end" review

Wednesday brought about more change...an unexpected, "indefinite" house guest!  John is fervently and aggressively trying to disciple a new believer who is still struggling with severe alcoholism.  He has finally hit rock bottom...not a penny in his pocket, no true friends, and no place to sleep.  Those things are actually blessings in disguise, he just doesn't realize it yet.  He is a man who has been given amazing opportunities in life, met countless high-profile people, has traveled the world...but has NOTHING to show for it.  He has drank away his money, his relationships and his life.  He knows he needs God, and has believed unto salvation...but that doesn't make the cravings go away!  So, he's basically all but handcuffed to John and has been sober for 4 days now!  Please pray fervently for God to give him the victory over his flesh!  I've never seen anyone have to fight so hard!

Last year, shortly before we left, John had signed him and the 2 oldest boys up for a year's membership at a little gym nearby in order to get them out of the house and supplement their home-schooling P.E. curriculum.  When we then decided to leave, the gym graciously (and against policy) agreed to freeze all the memberships.  When John returned this week to activate his membership again, and tell them that the boys had not returned with us, they then asked him who would be using their memberships?!?  (the non-transferable ones!)  SO, guess who just joined the gym?  yippee?  I actually just prefer to walk...but with rainy season starting so early, and my ever-tugging busy schedule, I really have difficulty setting that time aside.  The older I get, the more I realize the need to be intentionally active for my health!

Thursday afternoon we had a very informative meeting with a lawyer whom we just met regarding the adoption process.  3 of our little ones have cases in the court, and because of a change in the law, we are petitioning the court to withdraw their cases and handle them according to the new law (which is supposed to expedite them!).  I feel such confidence that she really knows her stuff, and hopefully she can help us expedite the adoption of our babies in the future.  Of course, that's with mixed emotions!   You can't help but fall in love with these babies; but we know that ultimately they are best served in a home of their own, so we try our best to get them placed in good families as soon as possible!  

Friday evening, our best friends here, James and Jing took our family (of 5 now, remember!) out for dinner. We had such a nice time!  Afterwards we came back to our house for dessert and coffee and played some games. It's probably the most fun I've had since we've been back!  I can't wait 'til the kitchen is done and we can start having guests over more often!

"This is the day that the Lord hath made; I will rejoice and be glad in it."  My next post is about living in the moment!

Wednesday...the one day during the week that some of us missionary moms try to take time out to minister to our OWN kids!  Since the boys school is still on summer break, and the Filipino schools are already in session, it's been very relaxing to take all the kids to the pool about once a week!  We pack a picnic lunch, pile into vans, and take off down the mountain for the day.  It's about 45 minutes away, but worth the ride.  The scenery is beautiful, the weather's been perfect, and the kids love it!  

For those of you who have followed the progress of our kiddos in the home, we took Jev for a BERA (brainstem evoked response....something or other)test on Monday.  It basically sent a sound wave into the ear to see if there was any ability for the brain to hear sound.  We were a little disappointed to find that he truly is completely deaf, and can not be assisted with hearing aids.  We will now focus more on getting him more tutoring so that he can learn his sign language better.  I know God has a plan for this little guy...he is so lovable and charismatic!  

You know, I still haven't really decided what I want this blog to be.  I don't know if I should just jabber on about the events of my day...or try to be profoundly wise or spiritually enlightening or what!  Guess It'll just be whatever it turns out to be!

Sometimes a week's happenings seem to be enough to fill a month!  I guess that's why it feels like we've been back in the Philippines for 6 months instead of 5 weeks!  I feel stretched so thin sometimes that I can't even think a complete sane thought...much less accomplish anything worthwhile!  

Our house is still such a mess!  When we left for the US last year, we packed our house as if we were moving out, stored everything, and sub-rented our house to another missionary family.  When we returned, we had to unpack everything and put it all away as if we had just moved in.  Within the week, John informed me that the kitchen was going to be remodeled (meaning, concrete walls demolished, cabinets torn out, new cabinets built from scratch...AT my house...and eventually re-tiling the whole main level of the house!)  SO...we moved all the appliances out of the kitchen (fridge is in the dining room, stove is out in the garage), re-packed all the dishes and food that had just found it's home, and basically destroyed any bit of organization I had found.  In addition...6 of our boxes arrived from the States!  3 1/2 weeks later...still no kitchen!  We are cooking in the garage and running back and forth (usually in the rain) to the house, since the kitchen is blocked off.  Hopefully the kitchen will be done in 7-10 days and the floors won't take more than a week!  The house is so dusty that my teeth grit and I can't wear my contacts!  I'm really not complaining...just giving an account!  In the end, I'm going to have a beautiful, large kitchen!  Yeah!!!

The Lord sustained S.H.I.P. in amazing ways while we were gone.  The staff in place kept things running quite efficiently, while other missionary volunteers were able to stand in the gap physically, spiritually and financially.  That being said...there was still a LOT of things to be caught up on when we returned!  So much of the administrative work has fallen behind, and just "little things" like the upkeep of the house, inventory of things, keeping the kids schedules structured, etc, etc.    It's frustrating to me to find puzzles missing pieces, broken toys and destroyed game boxes.  I cringe when the kids are dressed like street urchins, when I KNOW that we have sent a sufficient amount of nice clothes...but those are just the things that are going to happen when a house is unmanaged for a while.  It's kind of like when mom's gone for a few days.  Dad can usually keep things running and looking good on the surface...but when you open the dishwasher and look under the bed...the truth comes out!  

As many of you know, we have found a bigger house for S.H.I.P.  The caretaker informed us on Friday that we can move in whenever we're ready...we are NOT ready!  Before we can move, we have to install some safety measures...gates, fences, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, emergency lights...along with getting some high chairs, changing tables and desks made.  We need to paint the old toddler bunk beds that were given to us, find some material to make curtains, and pack, pack, pack!!!  The staff and kids are SO excited to move, but these things take time!!!

After such a busy week with "others" last week (including an unexpected live-in guest), we decided that Saturday was going to be a family day!  We took the boys to our old faithful fun spot only to find that it had been leveled!  (only in the Philippines!)  After asking around, we found that all the fun had moved to the park in the center of town...a place we generally avoid, especially on the weekends!  BUT, a promise is a promise, so we went to town.  We were pleasantly surprised that not only was the day beautiful, but the park wasn't overly crowded and there was a nice new little "fun spot".  We played "bump cars", Brock and I roller skated, we paddled a couple of little boats around the man-made "lake", then had McDonald's for lunch.  It was a really great day!  When we got home, John studied for his message on Sunday and I worked on the Sunday School lesson and music program.  We had dinner at some friends house Saturday evening, which was a real treat since the cooking is such a pain right now!  

     

      Sunday services were nice, I actually got to attend the service and a volunteer from the local seminary took over the Sunday School.  All the babies had colds, so they stayed home and I didn't have to supervise nursery either!  Sunday afternoon was peaceful and relaxing!  

Well, for those of you whom I have NOT lost yet...I'm sure that's more than enough for one post!  Hopefully I will eventually learn to post a little at a time and keep you all up on the things that really matter!  

The First...

Well, I started a blog on wordpress, but found it a little involved and difficult to navigate...though I like the look much better!  Anyway, since I'm at the beginning, and I see so many people using blogspot, I thought I'd try it out instead...or also, we'll see!