Re-Adjustment

Where do I start?  I have had "Write Blog" on my To Do list for so long, it's probably permanently etched there!  First of all, we moved - YAY!!!!!  We have been in our new home for a little over 6 weeks and we love it :)  Although we never saw inside of it before the day we moved, it is exactly what we have been longing for in a family home.  It has 5 bedrooms so the boys have their OWN rooms and we also have an office for Ryan and a guest room (we would LOVE to use it often so let us know if you'll be in town!)  It has a basement family room for the boys and a HUGE backyard with a covered patio - important in this rainy climate :)  And, best of all, it was in our price range!  Have I said that God is good!?!?  He is :)

The church is also doing really well.  It's summer and sunny so many people are away on the weekends but we have at least two new couples that have been attending fairly regularly.  This church likes "events" and we have had plenty of them these last few weeks.  We had the first baptism in the church (Praise the Lord!), potluck for the the Father's and Graduates, Rootbeer Floats for Memorial Day, and a children's Fourth of July parade (with decorated bikes and trikes).  It's been fun getting to know the church family better.  We are hoping to start small groups and adult Sunday School soon and are praying for more families with children :)

Now that we are finally "settled in", we are all feeling the effects of cultural shock pretty strongly.  It's something we knew we would experience, but it doesn't make it any less difficult.  Ryan and I are struggling with fitting back into a culture that should be our "home" culture - but we have changed.  The boys are struggling to fit into something they have never known for an extended period of time - and it's hard.  It's bringing us closer together as a family and closer to Christ as we fight together the feelings of sadness, anger, frustration, and lack of control.  We are all learning more about trusting in the only One we can as we navigate school differences, language differences, and feelings of "homesickness" for our other countries.

Having said all that, we are content in our lives here and excited about what God has in store for us!  Please pray for schooling for the boys (we are in discussions with the school about getting them into the appropriate grades), a job for me (I have several applications in), and Ryan's work at the church (he will also start his college classes again next month).

The boys have birthdays next week and will be 9 and 7!  Hard to believe how much has been packed into their short lives so far :)  Please pray for their adjustment, for God to provide special friends for them, and for Him to surround them with His protection as they enter a new phase of their lives.  We love and appreciate each of you!!