December 19 - Pray For Congo

The girls have their countdown-to-Christmas paper chains up. However, as I sit here tonight in Alabama, my mind is counting down the hours till tomorrow in Congo. Monday, December 19, marks the end of the current president’s second term. Elections have been postponed and there is great concern about the future. Please pray with us tonight, tomorrow, and beyond. Pray for wisdom for all involved. Pray that no lives would be lost in the process. Pray that Christ would shine forth as the true hope for Congo. 

 

Snow and First Dates

We are spending this week in Elizabethton, Tennessee, where I (Joey) did my flight and maintenance training. Last night we shared about MAF’s ministry in Congo with the church that I attended when I was in flight school. Today, we are taking a family day.

After breakfast, we loaded the kids in the car and headed up to Roan Mountain. We had seen a picture the day before that showed snow at Carver’s Gap. We figured this was our best chance for the kids to see snow during our time in the States. Most of the snow had melted, but we found a little patch of snow next to the parking lot. The girls had a blast throwing snowballs and building a little snowman. Levi had fun too, but he was not a fan of having wet, cold hands.

After a good half hour of playing, we headed back down the mountain for lunch at Betty’s Burger Hut. Actually now it is just called “The Burger Hut,” but it was Betty’s when I lived here. They have good burgers and THE BEST strawberry milkshakes ever! Betty’s is directly across the street from the airport where I did my training. It is also part of my first date with Kathleen. She came to Elizabethton to visit me in April 2003. On that date she accompanied me on a training flight. Then we picked up lunch at Betty’s and ate in the park in town near the covered bridge.

Fun times today remembering fun times from before!

Seven Years

Seven years ago today we landed in Africa. So much has happened in our lives since then. Thousands of hours of getting to use flight skills to be God’s hands and feet. Friends made. Good-byes said. Three precious children. Challenges faced. Prayers answered. Tears shed. Laughter. So many blessings. So many heart aches. Just no way to recap it all.

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” ~1 Thessalonians 5:18

South Sudan

Originally I was going to write about the fact that Joey just had his 28^th night away from home this year. Kind of a funny fact (28 in 28 weeks)/prayer request kind of post. However, his back to back overnights this week happened to be in Juba, South Sudan. He returned home Friday. The same day that fighting broke out in that city.

“South Sudan ‘back to war,’ says VP Riek Machar’s Spokesman” http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36758013

South Sudan is our neighbor to the north. I am so thankful Joey is home safely. However, your prayers would be greatly beneficial at this time. For peace, protection, wisdom, and the clear presence of God in this situation.

Dads and Daughters

I will have no picture of it, but my heart will. I can see them out the front window. Dorothy in her jean skirt and favorite white-and-purple-striped top. Her curly ponytail bobbing about as she talks. She is sitting on the porch steps of the empty building next door. Joey sits beside her. He’s drinking a coke and she’s eating crackers. He shares the last swig with her. The sky is overcast. A storm is brewing behind them. But for this moment the cool breeze only serves to carry the slight murmur of their voices across the yard warming my heart. 

Happy Fathers' Day, Joey, Dad, and Pops. Words cannot express how thankful I am for all of you.

Mommy's Monday

Last week I thought I’d keep track of our day. You know, a typical Monday. Then I didn’t post it because it wasn’t “typical.” However, this week Monday was also “non-typical.” Which brought to mind that although we have a regular routine in our house, most days hold some aspect of surprise. An unexpected visitor, a sick neighbor, cranky kids, or weather changes that affect laundry and flight schedules. So, here is a peek at a typical Monday!

6:05am Don’t exactly know when the alarm went off. Joey had shut it off and was already up. This is when I rolled out of bed. Cooked up a pot of oatmeal and packed Joey’s lunch.

6:35am Girls started calling “Daddy!” right about now. This starts the flurry of dressing, saying good-bye to Joey, changing Levi, and getting everyone started on breakfast. While the kids eat I began pulling the house together. We usually try and take Sunday off of almost all chores so there is laundry to be picked up, dishes to put away, water bottles to be filled, toys to be put away, laundry to be folded, etc. Joey called before he took off to let me know he had another flight added to his day so he would be back 2 hours later than expected. We all stopped breakfast to wave as Joey’s plane took off.

8:15am Levi is done eating and down playing. Hannah is getting hair and teeth brushed. Dorothy is still finishing breakfast as I gather our stuff for grocery shopping.

8:40am Running late. Levi needs a change and I end up putting him down for an early nap due to excessive grumpiness. The girls and I pull on our boots and dash up to the market to buy fresh produce for the week.

9:00am I finish helping with hair and teeth when we get back and start a load of laundry. The girls decide to play doggy and kitty in their room. I wash up all the veggies.  

9:30am Ahhhh. I sit down and have a bowl of oatmeal and check the news online, writing a couple emails as well.

10:00am Sweep the house, finish picking-up, and hang laundry. Dorothy and Hannah come with me outside. They stay to color with chalk and play ball while I enjoy watching from the kitchen while I cut up veggies for dinner tonight. I also put the rest of the washed veggies away in the fridge.

10:45am Levi wakes up. I change him and process (rinse by hand and add to the long term soak bucket) all the diapers from yesterday.

11:10am I help Levi get his shoes on to join his sisters outside. I organize the dishes in preparation for washing them later.

11:45am As I start making sandwiches for lunch, Joey calls. There is a medical evacuation flight at the end of the day and he won’t make it back home tonight. Can I pack him an overnight bag? Right then, one of the other wives arrives to run the bag out to our other plane that will be meeting up with Joey later in the day. The kids are all coming in at this direct moment as well!

12:30pm The house is calm again. Joey’s bag is on its way, kids are eating avocado sandwiches and bananas, and we are reading another chapter of Little House on the Prairie.

1:15pm I help the girls pick out books and settle down for their rest hour, clean up lunch dishes, make my own sandwich, change Levi and put him down for a nap. I read while I eat then head outside to take down the dry laundry off the line.

2:15pm I draft an email and work on a blog post while the girls color and cut next to me. Levi is still fighting sleep.

3:00pm I go ahead and get Levi up even though he never did fall asleep. The girls eat their popsicles while I explain their project for the afternoon which included markers and stickers. They are thrilled! I wash the dishes.

4:00pm Start pizza dough.

5:00pm We are in the home stretch. I’m missing Joey, but we clean up toys, get the pizza in the oven and start watching Princess Diaries 2.

5:30pm The lack of sleep is killing Levi and I am feeding him random things as we wait for the pizza to finish cooking.

5:45pm Pizza is ready!

6:00pm Get Levi into bed and he crashes.

6:30pm Girls get changed into their nightgowns and talk with Joey on the phone, then pile on the couch for family devotions.

7:00pm Both girls ask to sleep with me since Joey is gone. Not going to happen. We settle for falling asleep in mom and dad’s room. I tuck them in and clean up dinner stuff.

7:10pm No big surprise, but the girls could not keep quiet and so got moved back into their own beds. I decide to work on emails.

7:30pm Friend calls and she comes over for tea. We talk for 2 hours.

9:53pm Quick email check…nothing from Joey. Sometimes he has great internet and phone connectivity from Uganda and sometimes it all doesn’t work. :)

12:30am So, I sleep poorly when Joey is away. I ended up putting it off and watching a movie. Will probably regret it in the morning, but…

2:00am Lights out.