thoughts from the deep recesses

I'm so all over this... It totally made me cry this morning in church.

So I'm home. After 31 hours of travel (the first 8 of which were spent in first class because of my lost luggage) I made it back to Spokane at 10:00 Tuesday night. Frankly, I'm a little overwhelmed. And not sure how to tell the story I hold in my heart. So be patient with me. I need to find a way to settle into the pace here again. And I need to pray about telling the right stories. And I want to stop feeling like I want to go crawl in a hole. I kind of feel lost - like I don't belong here. Or there. So bear with me. It was an incredible trip. Really and truly. And I wish there was a way to take you there with me. In time, I believe I'll have the words to tell the stories. Let's wait until after this holiday weekend... and then I'll do my best to begin to tell you. Happy Thanksgiving, my dear friends. We have so much to be thankful for, dont' we? Smooch you all.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Got this from Cathy today! Hi all - just a minute tonight to send off a quickie - there IS internet here in Banta, but it's very unreliable and of course dependant on the generator working - which is even MORE unreliable... so this is the first chance I've had to get on... I cannot even begin to tell you all I've seen and experienced. It's been the most amazing trip. God is so good to allow me this chance. I am overwhelmed by all the things I am learning and experiencing. I think it will take me quite some time to process it all once I get home. But I am enjoying myself SO very much. Tejan is great. We have had lots of opportunities to be together... this afternoon we were able to visit during the afternoon soccer tournaments - we talked quite a bit about his transition back and how that's been for him. He was honest and open with me and I felt like I was able to encourage him that our relationship will not end with each goodbye we have to say. I am so eager t...

This is Asia reporting on Wednesday 11/19 for those of you interested. Cathy landed safely at 7:00pm Sierra Leone time. She called me from a borrowed cell phone - was only allowed 1 minute - to tell me she was fine. Huge prayer is needed however as the airlines LOST her bags. She only has the clothes she traveled in and one change in her carry-on! Please pray that she does not get stressed out and that everyone there pitches in and helps take care of her needs. The next flight in from London arrives on Friday evening but there is no guarantee that her bags will be sent to her in Banta. Thank you for your prayers, I know that she appreciates it and knows that you are all thinking of her during this time. What does she say at the end of these things.... oh yeah, smooches friends!

Tuesday 11/18 6:00 am pacific time - Depart Spokane Wednesday 11/19 7:00 pm Arrive at Freetown airport - escorted to hotel - spend night in Freetown Thursday 11/20 8:30 am Depart Freetown for Banta by car 2:30 pm Arrive in Banta 3:00 Welcome ceremony 3:30 Tour of the project 4:30 - 6:00 Baptism (100 people!) 6:00 - 8:00 Dinner and orientation 8:00 - 10:00 Symposium for women (an overnight women's 'retreat' for 100 women from the 15 local churches - I will be speaking on disciplining children - PRAY!) 10:00 Bed Friday 11/21 8:00 am Breakfast and devotions 9:00 - 11:00 Women's conference (worship, devotion, keynote speaker, Q & A and a demonstration on soap making - I get to simply be a participant in this) 11:00 Tour of Ngoulala Village 12:00 - 2:00 Lunch and team meeting 2:00 - 5:00 Banta schools annual speech day and prize giving ceremony - 1,000 + school children and their parents 5:00 - 7:00 Dinner 7:00 - 9:00 Team building 9:00 Bed Saturday 11/22 8:00 Breakfast...

I'm leaving for Africa in about 28 hours. And then I'll spend about 28 hours getting there. God's been waking me up early for about four days... I've been praying that my jet lag would be minimal - and I think God's trying to answer that prayer by waking me up every day. This morning I woke up at 1:30 - which is 9:30 am in Sierra Leone... I'm planning to go to bed around 5:00 tonight and get up early again tomorrow... and I'm setting my watch (which I need to buy today because I never wear one) to S.L. time as soon as I get up in the morning and praying that I can set my internal clock that way... Craziness. I've been a bit of a basket case the last few days. Crying while driving down the road. Forgetting things. Distracted. It's sort of freaky. But to be expected, I suppose. After all, I'm going to Africa . Ashley (our photographer) dropped off our family pictures the other day (I got a 20 x 30 canvas of my favorite shot) and gave me an awesome...

I sent this email to my supporters and wanted to include it here for those of you whose email addresses I do not have... you have all supported me so much in this journey - it is only fitting to share this on the blog. "Dear friends, I wanted to take some time to write to all of you who have shared interest, offered prayers and donated funds for my trip to Sierra Leone. I will be leaving Tuesday, November 18th. The first flight (Spokane to Seattle) leaves at 6:00 am. My arrival time in Sierra Leone will be 10:45 am pacific time (6:45 pm Sierra Leone time) on Wednesday the 19th. Yes - that's 28 hours of straight travel time. I only have about 7 hours of total layover time in three different airports - so a full 21 hours will be in the air. I covet your prayers for good rest as we travel. Because of circumstances beyond my control, the length of time we get to stay in Sierra Leone has been shortened to only five days. A huge concern for me is that I can avoid jet lag as much as ...

This sweet girl turned twelve yesterday. We spent her birthday in Leavenworth, as we have the last five years. She's such a blessing to me. I am amazed at how many times lately I've found myself in a conversation with her that is much more friend to friend than mother to daughter. Sure, she still definitely needs me to be her mom. But I see her maturing to a point where she is starting to take on the qualities of a good woman friend. A couple of times lately, she's listened to my concerns over something and been moved to tears for me... there's an empathy there I just don't get from my boys. Or from Asia, for that matter. I'm so glad I have her. Happy Birthday, sweet Savannah.

Savannah got her braces this week. She won't let me anywhere near her with a camera yet.. she really doesn't like the way they look. I'm not pushing it. But let me tell you, she looks adorable with them on. Her teeth are really sore and we're having to cut all her food up really small... but it seems to be a little better this morning. Poor baby. I will be in Africa in two weeks. Can you even believe it? I'm feeling like there are probably all sorts of things I should be doing, but I don't know what they are. Weird. I'm simply dying to see T. Asia's travel schedule is completely over the top. He's in the middle of a stint where he'll sleep in his own bed two nights in 16 days. Nuts. I miss him. I'm missing blogging lately. Maybe that means I'll start doing it again soon. I went back and read last November's posts and it made me really want to get back in the groove. We'll see. I'm off to Target this morning to buy birthda...

Asia and I flew down to Santa Barbara for the weekend to celebrate the marriage of his father, Warren. Warren is 70. His wife died 2 1/2 years ago after a 14 year battle with cancer. Last year, Warren sorted through hundreds of women on E-Harmony and found a sweet, sweet woman named Mary. And yesterday, they were married. It was such a celebration. To see how God brought them together and how blessed they are to have found each other... it was an amazing picture of God's goodness to us. And if anyone thinks that life at 70 is less exciting than life at say, 20, or 30, or 40, I challenge you to consider this couple - who will no doubt continue to serve God together for all their remaining years. They're not slowing down any time soon. We are simply head over heels in love with Mary. And her family. Now, we get to add foster-step-sisters-in-law to the already interesting and unusual mix of people we call family around here. Because we really, really love Mary's daughter...