T minus days...

It feels surreal... in 2 days our life will have a major change... who knows what the future will hold? Maybe it feels surreal because I am currently in the reality of trying to figure out how to transport all our stuff from point A to point B... strange questions come up... like "should we wait to transport the fridge until we have power?" or maybe we should just ask the neighbor to plug our fridge into their power until we get ours? It's hard to know what to get rid of and what to keep.... who knows if we will need it later or not?
The other hard part is just the hard reality of how difficult the next few months will be... July will be me going back and forth to Davao for my shifts... gathering the last odds/ends from the house as I go... doing grocery runs, etc... while Joe sets up the house there... (with all the kids of course). Then in August Tonia, Joziah and I fly to Oregon for me to take the NARM (midwifery board exam), then to Oklahoma to visit my sister for a few weeks before hopefully heading back here in September.... then the clinic set up will begin in earnest!
Joe's only been gone 2 days on this trip and already I'm thinking this arrangement stinks! I know we've done it before (when we both took trips to Africa for extended times)... but I still think it stinks! Forgive the whining... I just wish that there was an 'easy' answer... but I know that good things in life certainly don't come easy! Your prayers are coveted as we head off on this unknown journey into whatever God has in store for our family.

Washing machine

no... no trouble with our wash machine... I'm just pretty sure that my life is currently a wash machine... or maybe that's a dryer?... I'll go with washing machine since I'm currently soaked from being out in the torrential down pour...
Here's the deal... I am a driven, focused type of person... I love adventure, unexpected, etc, etc... but one can only take sooo much of being here, there, and everywhere ya know?! Currently my house is a maze of half packed boxes, lists are piling up of 'things to do', we are running around getting this and that for the clinic in Kihan, then for the jeep, then I go to work, still trying to figure out ways to entertain children (and keep them out of the boxes), figure out how to live half here and half in Kihan when we barely have enough clothes for here, figure out when to transfer all our stuff, when to transfer animals, work, work again, go to all these last minute 'get togethers' and goodbye things... Phew... All of these things are good, all are 'needed' and I'm pretty much wishing at the moment that someone would give me... I dunno.. what's a good medicine to prevent a panic attack... oh yeah... G-O-D... definitely need to get me more of that!! Prayer could help too... if you would be so inclined... Thanks!

Oh to be a pearl

Pearls are big here... they sell them pretty much everywhere... but I was reading a thought or two the other night about pearls... They grow in slimy nasty oysters... the only reason they form and are so beautiful is the irritation of the sand inside the oyster.
Last night as we headed to bed completely, utterly exhausted for the umpteenth time this month... I woke up around midnight hot (we had forgotten to turn on the fan)... I was thinking about how irritated I've become... so tired of all the little 'frustrations' that stand between us and our 'goal'... how often do we miss that these little irritations in life are really God making us into pearls... so when we do reach the ultimate goal... we are refined and beautiful... Hmmm.. the trick is to learn how to embrace the irritations and not be ahem... irritated by them! Of course... easier said then done.... Yesterday leaving for church was a classic example... we were running late (no big deal... everything starts late in the Philippines!)... but then kids were supposed to wait by the gate so we could help them across the 'bridge' to the car... by the time we got together the water bottles (a must for the HOT church we go to)... and the snacks, etc.... we got out there to find a couple kids with no shoes on, a kid who had forgotten his stuff, another who had stepped in poo, another riding a bike around... etc...etc... it just goes on and on... the whole way to church I had to just pray to NOT be irritated!! It worked... because had we been focused on our 'goal' or getting to church, finishing, eating, etc... we would have missed God's word for us, his purpose for us that day... at church there were a couple kids who had boils on their faces... we were able to stay and chat with the moms/caregivers about what to do and how to care for them... one mom chose for us to lance the boil, drain it, and then apply a dressing... so off to the pharmacy with an extra 8 people in our rig (besides our own 9)... then to our house to clean her up a bit (one had burst at one point and the pus had caused her hair to stick mercilissly to her other two boils)... Joe gently cleansed her face (she was SO brave), then with him already in position, he lanced them and had the tough task of squeezing the nasty, green, thick pussy infection out... (this one didn't smell tooo bad)... we then applied a 'wet' dressing and gave them a pack of guaze and vaseline to continue to keep the wound open so it would drain. The caregiver for the girl was just crying with thankfullness as she had been trying her best to care for them but was just at a loss. Pray for her as she heals and that this will be it for the boils... they are sooo painful!
Anyway... today my goal is to embrace my 'irritations', whether it be kids, husband, myself, patients, supervisors, etc... and just let God use it to refine me into what he wants....
Now that I've said that... we're having oatmeal for breakfast... ugh... my faavvorritee... not... :P

Just to make things interesting...

This is what lies just outside our front gate...

See the green gate on the right... that's ours... try moving your furniture over that! And this is the end result... they don't have to build you back a driveway... should make for an interesting time moving.. :( We're praying our landlord decides to build a new driveway and quick!

SO Stinking BLESSED!

I am humbled... and almost at a loss for words... (which anybody who knows me knows that doesn't happen often)... Forgive me if I ramble... I am still overwhelmingly blessed! I am sitting here eating peanut m&m's and drinking mocha cafe international... but that's not why I'm blessed... I am sitting in front of a table chock FULL of fun little goodies from the states... but that isn't why I'm blessed...

In my childhood I can remember going with my mom to the church and putting together 'care packages' for college students/missionaries, etc... I never in a million years understood what that means to people away from 'home'...

Today we got a box... this box... from pretty much complete strangers... Many months ago we had the privelage of meeting a couple of people from Grace church that had basically built Grace medical Clinic (we even named the clinic after them!)... We accompanied Stan and Joan out to Kihan for an afternoon and just had a chance to visit... Joan was fun to chat with and learn a bit of history and this and that from (she is a teacher)... Anyway... when she got home her women's bible study group decided to bless us with a taste of home... a little of this... little of that... lots of random variety... It was like Christmas... but mostly we cried... see we've had a rough week... we're tired, we're doing this all on our own.... or at least at times it feels that way... of course there is God... but sometimes I whine and tell God that's all well and good... but could he possibly pack my house for me? (Just being honest here)... we all hit those times of just plain tired, frustrated and wanting to... something!... I asked God in my prayer time just a day or two ago if he could please show me that someone... anyone... still cared on the other side of the world... and boy did He ever!!! (maybe next time I really will ask him to pack my house... ) :)

Our God is amazing... and ladies in Glendora, CA... You ROCK! You have my prayers and my gratitude! Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts!

Jenn

"Catch up"

Ok... I decided after looking through my pictures that it was time for an update!! So get yourself a cup of coffee and sit a spell... :)

First and most importantly... I graduated!!!

My amazing family who helped make it possible! (They even got awards and gift certificates for their sacrifice!)

And of course I couldn't have done it without this handsome baldy!!! Thanks love!!

Early in June we went to what was supposed to be 'culture night' at this outdoor place in Davao... unfortunately it wasn't culture night, but we enjoyed the band anyway... and of course we enjoyed the evening with friends from Peace Builders... It was Amy's birthday and so we celebrated with a very Filipino dinner and fun with other staff from peace builders...

Joe and Jeremy enjoying the 'groove' music... LOL

'Ames'... Nurse Practitioner and friend extrordinaire! LOL... (In case she's reading)... ;)

Ok... because I promised Joziah I would post a picture of his really cool rocket he built... he was pretty proud... so here it is... actually Joziah took the pics... he's become quite the photographer... but thank goodness for digital because he fills up my card!

Our street has been closed for the city to install new sewers (for which we are thankful the next people who rent will get to enjoy)... the neighborhood kids have all come knocking down our gate wanting to play... so all the kids have enjoyed riding bikes with no traffic! Looking forward to Kihan for the bike riding to be sure!!

This is Levi and his kitties... he LOVES his kitties... in fact he was just sitting here next to me trying to get the kitty to 'behave' and sit nice next to him... I don't understand WHY it runs away... :P

We have had several trips to Kihan lately... it's a looong day of driving in the hot sun... bumps of the road... big bumps of the river crossing... but we have enjoyed it and are building great friendhips in the process!

The older 4 took an extra trip to Kihan for their Bushudo Kai stuff... the instructor and a team from the US came and did a demo out there... they all had great fun and the kids enjoyed getting to perform their learned skills.

On another trip our friends Amber and Kevin w/ their 3 kids came out and we had a real 'American' camp out... even splurging for hot dogs and marshmallows.... unfortunately the chocoloate bars were completely melted... :( But... they still had fun!

The kids found these things on some plants and all the kids started 'decorating' themselves... even getting the adults involved... I shudder to think if all these peircings were real!

A couple midwives from Mercy came with us out there... it was a joy to have them come and I have so valued their input and advice in our move to Kihan! Thanks Els and Sus!

On our last trip school had actually started... 700 kids/ 12 teachers... a very small school! Actually we plan on enrolling Tyler and Meghan for the 2 hrs a day their age group goes... they will still do homeschool, but it will give them more cultural experience and they will pick up the language quick! We've already been asked to teach enlish at the school... since neither of us are teachers... we're not even sure where to begin!!

And FINALLY!!!... The saga of our JEEP! Here it is almost done...

Here it is... we had it extended about 14" and it was jacked up, new gears, etc... etc... Joe could tell you... all I know is... it's made to romp in the bukid!!!

We took it out to Kihan for the first trial run... knowing that the 4 wheel drive was a little messed up still... it made it great! It was a bit more of a bumpy ride then our jeepney on the highway (due to the big off road tires)... but handled amazing in the river...

Ahem... the problem came when we came OUT of Kihan... by the grace of God we happened to be in Alabel (the nearest city) when suddenly all our gears went out... we coasted into the gas station (amazingly)... Joe checked underneath and shudderred to think what could have happened... the axle was sliding out from the tire... we were sooo blessed we weren't out in the middle of nowhere... or driving fast down the highway!!! Also our friend Toto who owns a jeep lived just down the street from where we broke down... he got a mechanic there quick quick (who actually knew what he was doing) and they put a temp fix on it to get us to Davao... Toto fed us dinner and then we were off! We arrived just before midnight on the day of graduation! Talk about a very tired next day!!! But... we are so thankful for God's mercy and Grace!

On a final note... The day of our jeep incident... Dr Sam was in his own accident... with the motorcycle... he was clipped by a big 6 wheeler truck and went flipping several times (still attached to the motorcycle)... he has a HUGE hematoma on his upper leg/thigh/butt that has around 3 litres of blood in it... and he rebroke his collar bone from his accident 2months ago... so is awaiting being stable enough for surgery on that... please keep him in your prayers as his wife is in the states and they are in the middle of transferring houses currently! Honeslty...when he told what happened...he should be dead... but obviously God is not done yet! Keep on praying for our safety and protection! God bless!!! Jenn

Where's the relief?

You know.. when you're done w/ school there is supposed to be a reprieve... I'm still waiting!!! Between the final, trips to Kihan, breaking down (that's another story), barely making it for graduation, and now Meghan's birthday... another trip planned this weekend... supposed to be studying.... I'm out of breath!!! The kids are dog tired, I'm beat, Joe's exhausted... But God gives us strength for the day... for that we are thankful!!!! Will post pics and stories soon!!!
Jenn

And it all comes down to this...

So... after 2 years of studying... we're cramming our brains full for the past few days.... trying not to shake our heads for fear that all that 'info' might fall out! :) It has to stick till tomorrow at 1... when we start what we are told is a 4 hour test of our 'knowledge'.... phew... The 'normal' stuff is easy for us to remember... we do it daily... what's harder for us is the stuff that we don't deal with on a day to day basis... especially when certain tests are run during pregnancy (because we don't run them here)... thankfully I can usually remember test time frames since I've been through them a few times in my life! LOL! But there is lots... LOTS more... So... say a prayer for all of us girls taking our final tomorrow... and continue to keep us in your prayers for the NARM (the certification test we will take in August)!
We'll let you know how it goes!
Jenn