Our last few weeks in the U.S.

We will be flying to the Philippines on January 28th. It takes 30+ hours with 4 stops. We will then arrive on our island and drive to Malaybalay. Our house is being prepared for us before we get there (by our Filipino missionary friends) and we are very excited to settle in to our home after all the traveling for the past several months. It reminds me of Jesus when he says, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." (Luke 9:58). When we arrived in Wichita the girls started screaming with excitement when they realized we were here. It was strange not to drive back to our house and see everything the way it used to be. It was a little sad too, but its all part of the journey. We are giving up the things we know and this causes some suffering. But suffering is also a sign of love. Jesus suffered for us because He loves us so much. So our family can suffer too for the love of Him. And we have seen that He truly provides all that we need and gives back a hundredfold.

We have a few more weeks to visit with family and friends and hopefully do a little fundraising. All of our money comes from generous donations. It has been a lesson of trust to see yet again that God will provide our needs. And already He is doing this in the Philippines. We can see His hand working to find homes for our missionary families. As I posted a while back the hardest part of being a missionary is leaving behind family and friends. We are SO blessed by our family and friends and we love you all SO MUCH! Sometimes it feels like it could break my heart, but I give it all over to Jesus and He helps me through it.

We have been having a wonderful time in San Diego and now Wichita. Here are some highlights from our tip so far.

A visit with Blair's Dad to the LaJolla Scripps Aquarium.

The ocean was so beautiful!!!

We visited the Newman Center (where Donovan & I met and were married).

Donovan and the girls hiked the mountain to the C with Mary (our great friend and Catherine's Godmother). I was sick in bed so I missed it. They had a blast and Grace made it all the way up!

You have to look VERY closely at the top of the mountain and you will see the yellow C 

(towards the middle).

"Falling" off the C!

Mary & Catherine

At Coronado Beach

So beautiful! I love the ocean!