Life really has been up and down emotionally for me lately. Yesterday I got notes from some of my kids about their new english teacher and how they missed me and it really hit that I'm gone. I really miss teaching. Yes, I am enjoying being home but it's starting to get lonely.

Then, we had a visit to make with a family and had some awesome fellowship time and encouragemnt. I really felt an opportunity to connect and also to understand where they were coming from. There was also the potenital for not only some discipleship but the possibilty of a good friendship as well.

The other amazing thing God has dropped in Kevin's lap is the opportunity to have a part in the funeral of a well known man in the community. He is catholic but lived beside the church and our people had a great testimony with the family and so they asked Kevin to be a part of the funeral! It just blows our minds. Kevin has only visited the family 1 other time before the man passed away but they said our church has done more for them then theirs. So, there is an opportunity to minister to the community and share God with them!

God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think. I have to cling to this because I woke up this morning feeling homesick again and yet I see what God is doing around us.

So, here's the story of our Thanksgiving adventures. This year we headed out to see Kevin's sister Yvonne and her family who live in Port Huron, MI (above Detriot). Her husband, Jason, is a Captian of the Coast Guard unit in Detroit and they have 3 kids - Rachel (9), Nolan (4) and Jenna (20 months). We had so much fun being able to play with them. Nolan loves Uncle Kevin because Uncle Kevin loves Star Wars too...so he would greet us each morning but bouncing on us!



We traveled out on Tuesday and on Wednesday were able to meet up with our good friends Ty and Kelly at Starbucks outside Detriot. We were also able to get a little Christmas shopping done too!!

As we were walking around the mall Jason called with a question. He was part of a group that CBS had come and help tape a segment. They were presenting the iron man trophy at the Lions/Dolphins game on Thanksgiving Day and they wanted to Coast Guard to bring it in sort of Survivor style (so if you watched the game...my brother in law was one of the ones that delivered it). So, anyways...as a thank you, they gave him tickets to the game. He ended up getting 6 tickets and we were able to go with the kids to the game! The coolest part is that we had seats up in the box section. They were right in front of the private boxes, were nice and padded, and had a better food area! It was really cool! It was my first ever pro football game and though I am not a huge fan of the teams it was fun to go!



On the way back we were able to stop in Syracuse and meet my family for dinner! It was a fun trip but it's nice to be home!

My husband spoke a great message today about Thanksgiving but as usual he did not take the normal route...instead he talked about how thankfulness comes from contentment. This was a real challange to me. Am I really content with what God has given me. I feel as if I fail in that regard...I wish for my house to finally be painted and decorated exactly how I want it, I want to have a family and be a mom...there is a lot of things I want but it comes back to I...Kevin took us to Phil. 4 and challanged us that contentment comes from finding sufficiency in Christ...How can I not be content with the All Sufficient God as my Abba Father...and yet I am...I am challanged to change my perspective!

I can't decide if my life is a comedy or a tragedy most of the time. I am definitely a feeler. So much so that I end up feeling the hurt and stress that those around me feel. Right now Kevin is stressed out of his mind with school work and it definitely affects me. On top of that I am trying to keep busy so that I don't drop into a fetal position and cry. I do like being here but I miss people. I miss my kids and my family. On top of that with Kevin so tense and me so sensitive, we are constantly in communcation struggles...

However there are a few comical additions to my life. I have offically deflowered the house and in stating this my husband likes to comment about he did that to me. And I do see some similiarities...it's a lot of work for a very little result, it's messy, and it feels like only one person is doing most of the work. I know...this is a wrong vein to go down but I just needed it. I was stripping down the wall paper and for some odd reason thinking about this...at least I had a good laugh.

So, I have spent my first week home getting settled and starting to work on improving the look of our dated house. I deflowered the walls of wallpaper border and then we were able to get the dining room painted and I love how it turned out!









Kevin also discovered hardwood floors under the carpet in the living room. We have the paint for it...a dark khaki...and I think it's gonna look awesome. Hopefully we will be able to get it painted next week.









This is the view from our little back deck...I am so thankful that God has allowed us to live up here in the beauty of his creation!

Well...I have definitely had some firsts these last few days. Today was my first Pastors and Wives fellowship. It was fun to meet some other pastor's wives in the area...they were such an encouragement! Sunday was my first Sunday night service at the church. I learned that they have food and stick around to chat afterwards which was really nice. I actually made a pumpkin cake and they all liked it (I am not always the most confident in my baking skills). Tomorrow will be my first prayer meeting and I guess I go with the ladies and lead their prayer time even though all of them are older than me. It was also my first time being car sick as we traveled around the area. We took a bunch of winding roads and I had not eaten lunch so needless to say not so much fun...but I made it home without mishap. The weird thing is I am the one with the iron stomach in the car...I can read in the car and it doesn't bother me at all...it was weird. So, I am sure this is some of many firsts. I think the hardest one was waking up on Monday and realizing school had started without me there...sad. But, though I really miss everyone I am really excited to see how God is going to use us here!

Arrived at Brant Lake Friday night after a tearful suprise send off by my kids. VERY happy to see my husband (2 weeks is way too long to be away)!!!!!!! Now it's the gradual process of settling in. It was fun to see everyone at church and listen to my wonderful husband speak. I know the next few weeks will be an adjustment. It is just nice to be home and at Kevin's side again. I keep looking around me thinking...I can't believe God is letting me live in such a beautiful place! We have such a cute little quaint church and sweet people to get to know!

So, I am definitely experiencing a very odd point in my life...the last two weeks while I finish up teaching I have been living with my parents again. It is not exactly like high school but it still is sort of weird. Mom likes having company for anything so I am the companion. There is a sense of not having a lot of privacy unless you retreat to your room and then you feel like you are being rebellious. Mom falls asleep on the couch and Dad in the chair watching TV. And then there is the classic clothing comments as I get ready for school in the morning. On top of that I feel obligated to help with chores and keep busy because I'm back home. It's just soooo weird!