Anna's blog

This morning started bright and early for James and the boys. East Side Baptist Church was having their monthly men's prayer breakfast and they were planning to attend. At 6:45 AM James rolled out of bed and I got the three boys up at 7:15. They left at about 7:40 and Gaelin and Elizabeth woke up shortly thereafter. I tried to get those two still tired little ones to go back to sleep. Then I gave up and got them in bed with me and we snuggled for a little bit. That didn't work either, so a little while later we were all up. I let them watch a video for a little bit and then we ate breakfast.

Today it seemed hotter here than it has been. It is probably because it was much more humid. When the boys got home they all went back outside and started to play, with frequent trips in and out for drinks. I was able to get a little school work from Friday gone over with James and John. Then I got their lesson plans made out for Monday.

We all ate leftovers from the hay ride meal last night for lunch today up at the classroom building. It was fun to sit around and visit with everyone again. Our boys are loving having kids their age with whom to play. James even played soccer with some kids and didn't do too badly, either! The kids ended up taking naps and it rained for a little while this afternoon.

Tonight all my men had haircuts. It is always nice to have that job done so I don't have to do it again for several weeks. Gaelin hates sitting for them but he is one of the ones who needs them the most. They were so dirty from playing outside that it left dirt caked between my fingers after I was done! Yuck! It must have been from the hay ride last night with all the flying dust and them sitting right in it's path. But it was still gross! It's a good thing it was bath night!

Today we had our first "real" class since arriving. It was also the first time I was able to get the kid's school work organized for them to go to class and not just play all morning. They did pretty well. Now I just have to help them with a few things that they didn't really understand and then get things ready for next week.

Our class was Phonetics. We learned the various points of articulation, articulators, and manner of articulation. It was a LOT of information thrown at us very quickly but it helped me understand some things. We'll be back at it again on Monday.

Tonight they had a meal for us and a hay ride sponsored by the church - East Side Baptist Church in Bowie. It was a lot of fun! It was hot in the beginning. We were out in the tabernacle and some of the men in the church grilled meat and the ladies brought in all the rest of the fixings. The boys were able to rip and tear with the other missionary kids around the property.

After we ate and sat for a little bit, and just as the sun was beginning to set, we loaded up on the wagon and set out. James and I were sitting on the edge with our feet dangling down. Most everyone else were sitting up on the hay bales. We drove along on the gravel roads in the area. Once we got out on some real road. Gaelin was sitting on my lap and let me tell you I hung on tight! A couple times cars passed going the other way and it sort of felt like my feet just might get scraped off. But there was more room than it looked and we made it through safely. It was totally dark when we got back. They had ice cream for us. Then we visited a little and took our weary bodies off to bed. The kids had NO trouble going to sleep tonight and I don't think I will either!

We slept a bit better last night. The kids seemed to be coming down with something before we left. But once we got here, Elizabeth's and Gaelin's allergies went crazy. In the middle of the night Elizabeth woke me up crying. She said she had an earache. I couldn't find the pain medicine! So I gave her a drink, vitamin C and snuggles. She went to sleep again but woke up VERY early this morning. I gave her her allergy medicine and not long afterward her ear began to drain. Poor thing! If she can just get good naps for a while it will help!

The water ran out for my shower this morning again. I must be showering about the same time as a bunch of other people! Guess I need to get up earlier! Thankfully it wasn't off long and it didn't mess anything up. It helped that I was ready for it, too!

Tonight we went to Walmart again to get the groceries that we need and pillows! As we were getting ready to leave we noticed that there was a man here from the church we'll be attending while here that had brought his horses for folks to ride! Our kids have been asking if they would get to ride horses while we were down here and sure enough, right away they did. Even James and Gaelin got a turn. It was so great! They were very excited about it. This man brings his horses around for the missionary kids to ride so I expect we'll get another chance for a ride. 

We didn't sleep much last night. We left our pillows at home for people to use who are staying in our house while we're gone. They are king sized for our bed and we're sleeping in a queen size here so we figured they wouldn't fit. So last night James and I used travel pillows. Hah! The kids use them and don't complain but they just don't support an adult head and neck. Then, when we took our emergency trip to Walmart last night we forgot pillows. Thank God for coffee!

The water supply has, apparently been an issue down here. This morning I got in the shower and started getting clean. I had just put the conditioner in when there was suddenly no water! No big deal. I could wash myself without water. However rinsing was going to be a slight issue very soon! So I finished up all I could without water and tried the water again. By then a slight trickle was coming out. It was enough to rinse the soap off. By the time that was done, enough was coming out (cold water, mind you! Thankfully it is summer and hot!) to rinse the conditioner out of my hair. Ah, some more GMT!

This afternoon, after class, we tackled the pile of containers in the livingroom. We've pretty much got everything put away and cleaned like we need it to be. James rearranged the furniture in the livingroom so we could fit some of the things we brought. I also was able to wash some things that needed it in the bathroom and make it feel like we live here. We encountered some mouse droppings as we cleaned up so we could be in for some surprises come winter! 

We're in Texas at language school. Saturday we picked up the truck and began loading it. Yes, truck. Sigh. Who knew we could have that much stuff to take with us. It was actually the smallest truck that U-Haul rents out so it wasn't that bad. Sunday night was James' ordination service (I'm married to an ordained minister!) and Monday we got up bright and early to take off for Texas. But we had to finish loading first. So, after much ado, running errands and all the fuss and bother of it, including my brothers coming over and helping us get the last of the things in, we finally set out.

It was raining. It hasn't rained in weeks in St. Louis and it rained off and on all day when we were finishing packing and leaving. Not to mention the fact that we got stuck in traffic on our way out of town. Gaelin was exhausted and needed a nap but refused to sleep. James was driving the truck and I was following with the van. No sooner were we out on the road than I glanced back and noticed that Gaelin had climbed out of his carseat! Ethan was sitting in the back and he helped me by getting Gaelin back in his chair and buckling him in. 5 min. later he was out again. So Ethan got him in again. After 45 min. of this, Ethan was in tears and so was I. We finally stopped for a potty break and James dealt with Gaelin appropriately. Then, on the next stretch of driving he finally fell asleep. Later in the evening, after we stopped for gas and to eat he started doing it again. So I started pulling over and dealing with him every time. It took longer but I think he got the hint because it improved dramatically after that!

When we got here, everyone was already here. A lot of the other missionary men helped James unload the truck. In only a few minutes we had everything unloaded and stacked in the livingroom of the house in which we're living. Then began the awesome and overwhelming job of finding the things we needed to sleep that night - primarily bedding for the beds. We'd used a lot of the bedding as packing buffer for breakable things, or as fill for containers that weren't quite full. So it was spread through many of the boxes. Mrs. Cobb was so gracious and fixed supper for us! It was a blessing to have "real" food!

Class began Wednesday morning bright and early, so we also had to find clothes. We had most everything we needed for that but breakfast was quite the challenge. We took an emergency trip to town to Walmart to get the things we needed and then turned the truck back in at the same time. Then it was home and to bed.

Today I picked up a hitch hiker. It was the first time I've ever done anything like that before. I had to make a trip to Sam's to return some meat we got there that was bad. As I drove up to the entrance ramp a lady was sitting by the ramp with her thumb out. The rule for me (given me by my husband and my father before him) was to NOT pick up any hitch hikers. So my first instinct was to drive on past. But the Holy Spirit very distinctly impressed me that I needed to stop and pick her up. I started to go ahead and drive by, but the burden to pick her up was so great that I pulled over and did so. It was one of those times where you know He isn't speaking to you audibly but it feels like He is just to make sure you hear Him.

As I stopped I prayed and asked God for boldness to witness to her. My plan was, since I had a captive audience to witness to her the whole time she was in my car.

I got out and helped her load her things and then we started off. She only wanted me to take her as far as I was already going, but as I drove God impressed me to go further. I asked her where she needed to go and she told me that if she could get to I-70 it would be a big help. So I took her there. We talked the whole time. God gave me great liberty. She brought up spiritual things and I was able to boldly speak truth and give her the gospel not once but twice! She tried to explain her beliefs but I could tell she is very confused.

As she got out I gave her some money for food down the road since she had just eaten. I also gave her some sunscreen that "just happened" to be in the car. She is a very fair skinned red head and already had a terrible sunburn. Then I gave her a tract and told her that it explained what I'd already told her.

So, if you think about it, pray for Priscilla. Pray that God will continue to put people in her path that will show her God's love and the truth and that she will get saved. She really wants to understand the truth but Satan is doing all he can to blind her mind. We prayed together several times and she asked God to show her the truth. I prayed for her that God would honor that prayer. I believe God put me in her path because she has prayed for that very thing in the past.

 Sometimes it is so humbling to get a little tiny glimpse of God's great big picture. It's even more humbling to be part of it. When God moves in a life, nothing can stand in His way!

It is such a wonderful feeling to figure out a solution to a problem that has been bugging you! It probably seems like a little thing and kind of stupid but not having the ability to do laundry if I need to really bothers me. Tuesday this week I got all the laundry done. Wednesday morning Ethan woke up wet and he had gotten James wet as well. :sigh: No big deal, right? We were going to a prophet's chamber and I just was hoping they would have laundry facilities. But they didn't. For some reason that really bothered me. I hardly slept at all on Wednesday night and the thing that kept going through my mind was how we were going to get it done since James was going to be busy all day Thursday and Saturday and we didn't know where to find a laundromat. Other things were wandering around in my head, too. I guess anything seems logical and worth worrying about at 3:30 AM. The same problem hardly feels like anything at 9 AM! 

 How ironic is it that I'm going to be a missionary in Africa and I've never even done laundry in a sink or bathtub? In fact, the idea never even occurred to me at 3:30 AM or at 9 AM. It wasn't until early this afternoon that I even got the idea!

So now, as I type this, the first "load" is in the sink. All the filthy things that got wet will be as clean as I can get them by "washing" them in the sink and then hanging them out in the sun to dry. Thank God for our nice sunny, warm day - the first in over a week! Not only that, but I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself for even giving it a try. I'm thankful that God helped me get the idea in the first place! Not to mention the fact that this is some more GMT (good missionary training).

I need to go check on my children and my laundry. I'm ever so grateful for a God who gives creative ideas!

Let's say you are aged 5 years and younger and are staying in yet another place away from home without your toys, books and things to do and are bored. What would you do? For my kids it was easy. They played restaurant! We've been on the road for the last little bit and have stayed in 5 different places in the last 5 days so it has been stressful. James and I were busily getting ready to go to our next meeting and they were busily looking for things to do. I noticed that suddenly things seemed very organized. The table in the room was covered with Ethan's special blanket for a tablecloth. James had a piece of paper and was taking orders. "What would you like to drink?" he asked. They went around the table where everyone else was sitting. Soda was the general consensus, though one of them wanted apple juice. (This is kind of funny since they don't get soda very often - only a few times in the year!). He carefully "wrote" this down and then went and got each person's water bottle and set it in front of them. Then he wanted to know how old they were - a common question we get when we go to restaurants since some of them are the right age to still eat for free! Ethan declared himself to be the ripe old age of 7. John said that Elizabeth was his girlfriend and they were both 10. Guess its time to have a talk with them about dating! Finally, he wanted their orders. Ethan wanted pizza and tacos and other things. They all wanted brownies and ice cream. Elizabeth wanted chocolate cake and ice cream and John wanted tacos and brownies. Actually, the majority of their orders were dessert foods!

God is so concerned with everything that goes on in our life - even the little things. To be very truthful, the last week of getting ready for this trip that we're on right now had been stressful for me. It seemed like there was so much to do. That, and the fact that we were leaving our house again for the first time since it had been broken into. I was nervous about leaving, longing for a modicum of normalcy and just very very tired. Frankly, I had a bad attitude. So I got my attitude fixed, got everything pulled together and we left. Travel was good. The weather was supposed to be terrible but we didn't have any problems with it. Saturday as we neared our destination, James called the pastor to find out where we were supposed to be for the night. He had gotten us into a very nice hotel in Ocean City, MD. Because it was the off season we were able to be in an ocean side room with a balcony! (of course it was in the 20's that night with quite a breeze so we didn't spend much time outside enjoying it!). Sunday morning we got up and thoroughly enjoyed the sunrise over the ocean. If I'd have stayed home like I wanted I would have completely missed this!

One of our meetings was in Flagstaff, Arizona. We were staying only a few miles south of that city so we were within an hour or two drive of the Grand Canyon. Both James and I had always wanted to visit the Grand Canyon so we made the trip there as a family. It was a beautiful, sunny day, hardly a cloud in the sky. We left later than we'd planned but made good time so it was late morning, early afternoon when we got there. Suddenly, there it was! Dad told me about visiting it when he was a teenager but honestly, unless you've seen it yourself you can't comprehend the magnitude of it. It is truly one of the most beautiful things in God's creation that we get to enjoy!