Updates on our family

Blogging has not come easily to me during this season but I feel like writing again so I am beginning to share my thoughts again and try to keep a record of the things God has done for us!

We went to Disney again in January and had a wonderful time:

Since my last post many things have changed...Chelsea decided to complete her studies online.  Caleb received a wonderful position as a part-time teller at our local bank.

We had the wonderful opportunity to help my sister with her two daughters while she pursued a domestic adoption in Kentucky...baby Molly was a miracle from the Lord!

Caleb graduated from high school!  I now have two homeschooling kids who have finished well and it makes my heart happy!  He will continue his college studies online with the goal of pastoral ministry.

We hosted a little girl with cerebral palsy from China for a few weeks this summer.  We called her Hope..

Hope taught us all how to love and give.  We pray that she will be able to find her forever family and are thankful for the time she spent with us and the strength God gave us to take care of her and her needs.

We were able to visit with family and friends on the East Coast and were thankful for times to laugh together.

 God has been so good and faithful to us.  He has watched over our family, opened doors only He could for ways to help and be involved in the lives of others, sustained us when we were too weak to go on and continues to be our daily bread.

A new year, a new start

Somehow the end of 2013 became a blur of activity and healing in our lives and I temporarily shut down my blog for a time while we regrouped.

In April Cam had open heart surgery following by some complications but he eventually began to return to his normal self in the summer after many many months of illness.  Today he can play in the snow and jump on trampolines.  We are so forever thankful to God for healing him!

Chelsea went to South Africa on a missions trip for 24 days.  She enjoyed the culture and the opportunities for ministry in local churches and orphanages.

We enjoyed a visit to PA and NY and stopped in at Baptist Bible College for a brief visit in October.  Caleb started online college classes in addition to his sister and plans to graduate this year from high school.

Chels and Christian at BBC

Our family started doing a weekly family song time (usually indoors with Chels playing piano, Caleb on guitar and Christian on African drum) and adding Bible verses and discussion to our daily mealtimes at dinner, led by Dad so that has been a blessing for all of us.

We have all learned alot through the Refiner's fire in 2013 and have grown closer to God and realized more fully our utter dependence on Him in every area.   We ended the year with an ABC list of thankfulness that was really fun for all of the kids.  Our hearts praised God for His love, His healing and His protection this year.  We look forward to the new year of growing and learning more about Him....seasons are changing in our lives...Chelsea is preparing to go away to college to complete her degree and Caleb is applying for staffing positions at Christian camps many hours away.  Our family is planning a trip to Disney soon realizing that the time of us all being together is slowly coming to an end.  God is good and we love Him and trust Him for our future...we look back on this difficult season with thankfulness for what He did in our lives in teaching us His presence was all we needed. 

Christmas 2013