Prayer Request

Well, we've told our family and I know that our secret won't be a secret much longer, so I just wanted to make it official...

Zeke's going to be a big brother!! I'm 9 weeks along, due the end of January. We're super excited! Our parents are thrilled that this baby will be born in America and not in Africa!!

Please pray for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Since our miscarriage last year, we're a little nervous this go round. Thank you for your prayers. Until next time...

Time with Papa...

So, we've been here a few days now. Zeke is thoroughly enjoying his time with his grandparents. He's also loving his Nana's swimming pool. He's been in there 2 of the 3 nights that we've been home. My Papa is doing okay. Just really weak. I'm still Praising the Lord that He provided the opportunity to come home. I wanted to share a few of the pictures that have been taken since we got home...

Zeke playing in Papa's power chair.

Zeke and Papa on the workhorse.

Zeke and Aunt Julie on the workhorse.

Zeke, his Papa, and his great Grand Pa.

Me and Papa

Zeke and his Aunt Heidi

Zeke and Papa Hubert (my mom's dad) playing. I wish you could see the huge grin on Zeke's face.

Until next time...

Abundantly Blessed

So, I really don't know where to begin with this post. I guess I should start out by telling all you faithful blog readers that 1) this post should probably be 2 or 3 posts, so it may get a little long...in other words, I'm apologizing (warning you) now. 2) I'm writing this post from my mom's kitchen table...yes, you read that right...my mom's kitchen table...in America!!

First, the beginning...several months ago my dear Papa Jim (my dad's dad) was diagnosed with brain cancer. Due to the location of the tumors they were unable to operate. They did do a round of radiation and he did GREAT! The doctors said he had a good 3-5 years left. Then he got pneumonia and got put in the hospital. He was released from the hospital on a Friday afternoon. However, by the time my grandma got him home, he was so weak he couldn't get out of the car, they immediately turned around and went back to the hospital, he was admitted to ICU with pneumonia again. This time he also got a NASTY case of thrush from all the antibiotics. Finally, he was better, just really, really weak. They sent him to a nursing home for rehabilitation. He was set to come home and that morning woke up with a fever...not going home. A couple of days later, he fell and broke some ribs. Then, he got put in the hospital again with pneumonia. At this time, our family finds out the doctors told him the last time that they could not cure the pneumonia, only treat it. This time, his body responded to the antibiotics but we are told, eventually, he won't respond. He decides, he doesn't want to be anywhere but home, so he is released and hospice started coming in. Then, we are told, he has a 0% chance of being here at the end of the year. So, after much prayer, Arnett and I decided that Zeke and I should go home and see him. Arnett decided not to come home with us. After months of hating Mali, he's finally reached a place of contentment...Thank you Father for that!!

So, God provided the time away from the field for Zeke and I to come. He also provided plane tickets purchased using frequent flyer miles...Thanks Dad!!! I was a nervous wreck about traveling that far with a 2 year old by myself. My layover in Atlanta was only an hour and a half and if you've never traveled internationally that is not near enough time to get through customs and make it to your next plane. I was really anxious about this particular leg of our journey. But God, He's so good to us!! Let me just tell you exactly how well our trip went....

First leg: Bamako to Paris. 5 1/2 hour flight. Take off time: 10:45 pm. So, the trip started off late. We didn't leave Bamako until 12:30am (almost 2 hours late). My layover in Paris was only supposed to be 3 hours, so I was instantly a little bit more nervous about this leg than before! Zeke slept about 3 hours on this flight and did SO well. Thank you Lord!! We landed in Paris about an 1 1/2 hours before my next plane is leaving. For some reason, instead of parking us at the terminal, the pilot stops the plane in the middle of Timbuktu!! We have to exit the plane using steps pushed to the plane, not through the hallway thingy. Then, we board a bus and take a 15-20 minute bus ride to the terminal. My nervousness at this point is even higher. I keep telling myself...God is in control. I get to the terminal, find out what gate our flight is leaving from and head that direction. We make it through security (you have to go back through when in Paris). Thankfully, they have "travelers with children" lines, so we got through really fast. I stopped to buy a bottle of water. Made it to our gate and immediately boarded the plane. It worked out perfectly!! I was a little nervous that I'd have to chase Zeke all around the airport but God took care of that!!

Second leg: Paris to Atlanta. 9 1/2 hour flight. Zeke did so good on this flight too. He slept 4 or more hours!! We got several comments on how good he was. Thank you Father!!! Then, God, in all his awesomeness got the plane there an HOUR early. My layover went from 1 1/2 hours to 2 1/2 hours!! When I got off the plane, we headed straight for customs. They have this ridiculously long line that you have to snake your way through. Of course, it's all the way to the back of where you enter the long snake maze. I thought, "Well, Praise the Lord I have extra time!" However, I was still a little nervous. Then, as I'm making my way through the long snake, I was right at the edge of the snake, near where you enter. The custom's agent says, "We've opened up the lines on the other side." So, I was able to duck under the ropes and was 4th or 5th in line on the other side. We made it through customs in 15 minutes or so!! Praise God!! We got our bag really quickly (you have to claim your bag after customs and they do periodic checks on them) and we weren't called for a bag check!!! We then made it to our gate with over an hour before take off time!! I was able to buy a milkshake and some water and let Zeke run around some!! Praise the Lord!!

Third leg: Atlanta to Jacksonville. 46 minute flight. Now, at this point, Zeke and I had been traveling 22 hours, but my little man is a trooper!! He did so well on that flight. Praise the Lord!!

So, I just have to Praise the Lord!! He was with us the entire time and we couldn't have done it without Him!!! Lord, Thank you again for always providing and looking out for us!!! You are truly wonderful!!

Please pray for our time here. That we'd have a good visit with my papa and other family. Pray for Arnett as he is in Mali. Pray that he would be able to have a lot of good visits with our African friends. Until next time...

Rainy Season is here!!

So, rainy season is starting up around here!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!! Just yesterday, we got an AMAZING rain!! It cooled things off at least 20 degrees!!! When it's 100+ outside, that's a huge difference!!! Of course, our little fish aka Zeke was loving the rain. Finally, we couldn't keep him in the house any longer...

Our roof is flat (as are most of the roofs here in Mali) so they have drain pipes on them that allow the water to run off. You can't really see it but Zeke found the running water and decided he would play in it. Which is what he's doing in the picture below.

Until next time...

Is it time??

I honestly don't know where to begin or exactly how to write what I am feeling. At the moment I just feel, "sigh", I don't even know how to describe it.I guess before I try to write this post, I must confess I have no clue where it's going to go, so be forewarned! This post may make absolutely no sense!! I just feel the need to write and express my feelings.

Our time here is quickly approaching the finish line! Six months ago I probably would have cried just thinking about leaving. In fact, just 5 short months ago we were getting ready to leave America to come back. I was so ready for that day! Ready to come back and get on with our life here in Mali. But today, my feelings are totally opposite of what they were 5 months ago. I'm thinking to myself..."less than 150 days left!" "Is it time to go yet?" "Can we leave today?" I'm ready to get on with the next chapter in our lives, even though we don't exactly know what that looks like yet. I feel called to be a stay at home mom, something that I am so looking forward to! Our tentative plan is to go back to Florida and Arnett will resume farming. Where we live and all those other details have yet to be worked out. I do know that God could change our plans though, send us to the uttermost parts of the Earth if that's His path for us. I do desire to be obedient to His leading, whatever that may be. But honestly, right now, I'm tired of being a missionary! I don't want to go outside our house to do ministry. I just want to stay at home and be with my baby. I want my ministry to be to him! I guess I'm trying to jump ahead to what God has next for me before His timing. I hate that I'm doing this but it's the truth. I really want to do what God wants me to do but on days like today, my flesh and inner-self tend to be speaking a lot louder than that still small voice. Maybe it's because we've had a rough month or so. Zeke has been sick at least 3 times. I feel like we're in the doctors office every other week. Maybe it's because my papa is in the hospital. Praise God, he's doing much better but on Friday, it didn't look so good. I was trying to decide whether or not to go home and see him. I just don't know, I just want to know, "is it time?"

For those of you reading this, will you please remember me in your time with the Father. I really do want to finish our time here strong. To look back and know that I ran a good race and finished strong. However, on days like today, I wonder why I even bother! Until next time...