Wrestling

Cookie was finally found about 30 minutes before Dara woke up. She got to her new home and hid behind the washing machine for awhile. You can't tell me animals don't know when something is about to happen. Abby has been a nervous wreck for the past couple of days. Part of our couch is already gone, we're moving our bed frames to storage tomorrow, and all pans and plates (except paper) are packed up. What's not to be anxious about?

Thank you for your prayers for Dara. She held up so well yesterday.

I'm trying to post a video to YouTube of Joel and Dade's final wrestling match. It has taken over 30 minutes to load it so I'm thinking it won't work for a video of our home in Uganda unless someone can teach me how to make the file smaller. We'll see...enjoy (I hope)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr81me1QNzE

It's kind of blurry. I'm not sure if it's the quality of my camera or the size of the file or what. I really am open to learning from someone.

Wasting Time

Wasting time is what I'm doing right now. Joel and Dade are hauling to and rearranging things in the storage shed. Dara's asleep after a long sleep over last night. She's been asleep for about 2 1/2 hours now - it must have been some sleep over. Cookie (the cat) is in hiding. She knows she is supposed to move today and I think she's stowed away under the house. Hopefully she'll come out about the time Dara wakes up. Please pray for Dara as this is pretty tough for her to be giving away her cat.

Abby (the dog) is following me around the house with an air of distress about her. She has a couple of weeks left with us yet.

Oh! I gotta go - Joel just called and he's on his way back to the house after they get an oreo shake from Jack-in-the-box for Dade. I guess I'll resume packing which isn't really all that fun. Oh well, such is life. Thank you for all of your prayers. I think I'm handling things much better these last few days. God is so faithful to help us out of the slumps!

30!

My stomach has been in knots all day. I asked myself, "why?" and then I realized my body is reacting to the nervousness more than my mind is. We leave this great country in 30 days and we move from the only home our kids have ever known in 7. I really shouldn't even be sitting down to write this, but my mind has to take time to absorb it all. (Should we get Joel to turn off the counter now?)

On my last day of work, one of the nurses kept saying, "Jill, this is the last 9 o'clock med you'll give. Jill, this is the last time you'll take lunch. Jill, this is the last time you'll help me turn a patient." I thought she was just out to torture me, but lately I've found myself doing the same...I have 3 more times to put out the trash, one more time to mow the yard, this is the last time I'll wash these sheets, etc. No wonder my stomach is all upset! I know we're about to go on an exciting adventure, but right now it's hard to see beyond the leaving. Please pray that I will stay on task and won't drive everyone crazy with the way I process my thoughts and that I'll help Dara, Dade, and Joel as they process their own feelings. I want God to be glorified in all of this for it's all about Him! Thanks.

HEB party

Well, I just got home from my Going-Away party with my HEB friends (it's really called Texas Health Hurst Euless Bedford Hospital - but that's too long). The water was too cold for me but the kids had fun. Terri even had games and, with the hope for a prize in their minds, she also had the kids' attention. Dara tried her first hot dog probably since she was 3 (and that may be stretching it - it might be 2). I told her it would be better with ketchup, but she tried it cold and plain and the picture shows her feelings well. Please pray that God will help her adjust to food in Africa.
Bernice gave me an African outfit from Liberia. Thanks for sharing with me!

It was a good time of food,fun, and visiting.
Thanks everyone for coming...I will miss you!

p.s. my gardenias are blooming and smell beautiful - just in time for the open house we had today. Please pray God will sell our house soon - thanks.

Action packers

Robin had asked to see a picture of the "action packer" that we'll be using to move. We each get one, but items are distributed based upon weight not person. I'm making very specific lists for each one to hopefully help if we get "picked" going through customs.

This is the outside (duh!) :)

And an empty inside (duh again!)

At the time of this picture this particular packer was holding two of Dara's school subjects (which will be approximately one third to one half of the allotted weight), a marble toy for Dade, pencil boxes, one large conditioner, and my lesson planner. The packer is closed now and has a deflated soccer ball, some other toys for the kids, a few other toletries and a blanket. I really shouldn't complain about the size of the container - afterall we will be pulling them around airports in about 40 days or so (I'm sure I'll be thankful then that they're no bigger than they are!).


This last picture is just another one from my in-laws flower bed. I love taking pictures of flowers but rarely do anything with them (other than use them as backgrounds for my computer). Enjoy.