The next couple of weeks should be pivotal in deciding our future this coming fall. I would really like to go to seminary and become a missionary church planting pastor. We ask you to pray for wisdom, direction, scholarships, and our standing with Mission To The World as we hope to continue with them while in seminary. We should hear from MTW soon about staying with them, and the applications for scholarships will be turned in as soon as we hear from MTW. Pray that God would bless our hearts with faith during this time and that we would trust in Him.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5-6
I forgot to mention in Martha’s ten month post about her kisses! She gives the sweetest, open-mouthed, drooly kisses and they are truly a pleasure to receive. Just ask her little friends (who are pictured later in this post).
Also, since I posted, she has been saying “Mama Mama” a lot more and I think she may know who I am 
Noa said “Dada” first so this could be huge, people. I will keep you posted…
On to the friends:
Rebecca Dingle, Sarah Pfeil, and I holding our babies
Martha is blessed to have lots of other babies around that are her age, and these two other MKs on our team who are very special to her. Calvin, sweet “Calvin-boy” is only 11 days younger and Martha has eyes for only him Seriously, though, these two love each other; they get excited when the other comes into the room, and crawl up to the other and maul them with kisses and scratches and LOVE. It’s the cutest and we are so thankful for this special guy.
Stand By Me
Peek-a-boo!
Alee, happy and easy-going Alee, is not even 2 months younger but certainly keeps up with these other two. She is always smiling and so chill… even when Martha tries to lavish her with the same tough-love that she and Calvin share. She takes it like a champ and just keeps on smiling…
Cute girly girls in their pink pjs on superbowl Monday morning (remember, we are 14 hours ahead of the EST). They have the hook-up because their daddies like to watch sports together on their days off. We hop out of bed and head over to the Dingles' in our pjs and have such fun relaxing mornings playing and watching and eating yummy breakfast together.
Martha begging, Alee sharing. My Goodness! they are getting so big!
We are really really excited that we will have Lydia Smith, from our home church in VA staying with us for the next several months while she serves on the team here. Lydia is an amazing girl, from an awesome family, and we are thrilled to get to know her better and see what God will do in her and through her in her time here.
Lydia came for about 10 days for CPI in November of 2007. Here’s a photo of us with the team from our church (Lydia is standing to the left of Eric).
I am not quite sure what Eric is doing in this photo...
Ah man, I really miss these guys! I wish they were all coming back to live with us with Lydia…
Anyway, would you all join us in praying for her as she is flying even now and will be here shortly? Pray that her time here would be fruitful personally and for God’s work in Japan. Pray that God would lead her for the future as she has college ahead of her after this. Pray that God would give her good friends, and that he would use us in even a small way to be a comfort to her as I am sure she will miss her big, fun family. And pray for her parents as they have just sent their oldest across the world for several months. I can imagine that must be hard but exhilarating (you know, being excited for her and for how God has led her and been faithful to them as parents). Thank you!
I am sure you will hear a lot about Lydia on here from now on. We’ve been working on her room this last week (the room that used to be our “office/throw-everything-that-doesn’t-have-a-place-room”) so Noa has been showing everyone who comes over “Leeeya’s” room. I know we will all love having her around!
