Clive Euans our new “Brussel’s Sprout”

 

Last shot of what it was like to just be four of us before heading to the hospital.

 

 

  

The long wait begins…what will he look like?

 

  

Here come our girls to cheer Mommy up on Monday night the evening the Doctors stopped labor to try again the next day.

 

 

  

He was definitely worth the wait (or weight 8lbs 13oz).

 

  

Clive meets Eleri for the first time…love at first sight!

 

  

Clive with his other Mommy. He couldn’t have a bigger fan!

 

  

Eleri and Adley with their brand new babies. Eleri named her’s Clive Emeth!

 

  

Dad giving lots of love to his three kids! Clive had better be a Buckeye fan or we are in trouble. (Go Bucks!!!!)

 

  

Clive ready to go home and join this crazy family.

 

  

Welcome home Clive!

The Baby’s Arriving!

I am still slightly shell shocked and in awe that this pregnancy is almost over.  Where have the past 38 weeks gone?  The Dr. set up my induction appointment for this Monday.  We were getting anxious to meet this little one but now with a date looming and knowing what labor can hold, I must admit that it brings some anxiety along with the joy of meeting our little boy.  David asked me tonight if nesting has kicked in because I was working frantically on laundry and house cleaning.  I wish I could say that was the case, but it was more out of knowing what the next 2 months will hold…sleepless nights, toddlers to feed and chase around, need I say more?  

I was reminded tonight by several things that has helped bring inner peace that comes from being at one with God.  In Isaiah 53:3-4 it reads “He was…a man of suffering who knew what sickness was…yet He Himself bore our sicknesses and He carried our pains…”  This is comforting for me to know that even in the pain of labor, Jesus is wanting to carry my pain and identifies with me in the moment of suffering.  Also, when David took his teaching job this fall, I was filled with worry wondering how I’d manage the girls by myself being pregnant and not having much energy.  I look back on the past month and am amazed by God’s grace that has been present each day giving strength and wisdom even with David not being here.  Funny how things look so bleak when you go there without God in the picture.

So, Monday is the big day.  Pray for us and we can’t wait to upload some pictures of our little guy when he arrives.

Rain Deprived

I love the rain.  In fact WE love the rain.  It started in college after David and I met.  Most all our important or special moments together included rain like the day he proposed at a park and the day we got married.  I began to see rain as a visual picture of God raining His love down on us.  A symbol that we were not forgotten but instead very special in His eyes.

This summer was hard.  Lots of changes, lots of uncertainties loomed in the distance.  On top of that, we’ve had a bit of a drought so there’s been little rain.  I didn’t realize how much I missed that until this past week when I reached the end of a tough day and discovered to my dismay that our oven was not working.  This was of course right after I had mixed up a batch of pumpkin bread.  So, at 9 pm I called our neighbors to see if they would bake the bread for us.  I stepped outside feeling dejected and discouraged with a tear rolling down my cheek.  Then it began!  One drop after another falling from the sky.  I had forgotten but He hadn’t.  He LOVED me and it was visual and tangible to me in that moment.  What a difference a rainstorm can make.  Sorry to those of you who don’t like rain but I say:  Let it rain on down!

p.s.  The pumpkin bread was amazing!  If anyone wants the recipe let me know.

Quote of the Day

From our 3 year old Eleri this morning at breakfast:

“Mommy, Jesus lives in our tummies and he’s in yours taking good care of baby!”

Summer in Review

 

Eleri sailing with dear friends of ours

Want some olives? Adley

Eleri saying goodbye to her good friend Addi

Celebrating the 4th by listening to the Navy band live!...lots of memories

Hiking in the woods with mom

 

 

Camping at Smith Mountain Lake

 

Eleri enjoying lots of time by the water and learning how to swim!

Little prayers, Big answers

We are a week down now with David at his new job teaching high schoolers Bible.  God has been faithful and although the hours are long as he writes curriculum, I see that he is enjoying the challenge and joy of shaping young minds for Christ.  It has been an adjustment for the whole family to have dad gone for 12 hours a day, but God is giving us more strength than we could have imagined.  David was thankful when his prayer for a good nights sleep has been answered nightly in spite of the stress of each day and the uncertainty of the next.

As you all know, the countdown for our little one arriving continues.  We have been praying about what to do for a vehicle wondering if we’ll be able to fit 3 car seats in our Subaru station wagon.  At the same time we didn’t want to buy something that would require a loan since we know that we will only be here for a short time before launching to Brussels.  Without our knowledge, God was already working out the problem.  Some friends and supporters of ours had just purchased a new vehicle and wanted to get rid of their mini-van when God put it on their heart to offer it to us at half price.  Not only are we getting something we never dreamed was possible to afford, but we are acquiring it at just the right time, a month away from baby 3 arriving!!  This left us in speechless amazement.

For those of you who are housewives, you’ll appreciate this next answered prayer story.  We have tried for years to find a sweeper that does a good job sweeping the hard wood floors in our house.  All the sweepers we’ve had have either broken down, not done what they’re supposed to, and the latest one wouldn’t hold a charge.  David was content to sweep the floors with a broom and dust pan, but with my asthma and the fact that we DO live in the 21st century, I was praying for a different solution.  He agreed last week that we could invest in another sweeper so for the first time I read all the consumer reports on which one to get etc., so that this would be the LAST time we’d have to buy one.  Anyways, with the expenses of starting school I knew we’d have to wait until sometime in Sept. to even think of buying one, but I was praying for patience in the meantime.  Two nights ago I went over to a friend’s house who was moving to pick up some of the food and cleaning supplies that they needed to get rid of.  Along with the food she loaded a SWEEPER into our car.  SOOO, we finally have one that works great and for the first time in a month I can walk around in my bare feet without picking up all kinds of crumbs!

Does God answer little prayers?  We sure think so and hope that this is proof enough for you.  Of course if you need more stories we could talk about how God has provided a new wardrobe for David, a crib for the baby’s room, school supplies for the girls…but we’ll save them for another day.

Name that Boy!!

Ok.  So the countdown has begun.  We are 10 weeks away from the due date and we cannot decide on a name for our baby boy, so now’s your chance to help us out.  Send us a comment and there may be something in this for the winner.

Too many blessings?

In case we forget, please remind us.

When meeting with friends last week we were asked what our biggest faith  challenge was.  Without hesitation our reply was believing that God could get us to Brussels.  It’s not that we don’t want to go or that we don’t believe God has called us there, it just feels like the obstacles are impossible.  A lot of it centers around finances and the ability to raise the staggering amount needed to live in a European city much like New York City, but in one where the dollar is increasingly worth less and less.  We left our meeting last week praying that God would increase our faith and show us His power.

Almost a week later God showed up in lots of unexpected ways.

Today we received a substantial financial gift that got our attention reminding us that God does own the cattle on a thousand hills and all the money in the world is His to distribute how He wills.

On Sunday a couple told us that they wish to join our support team after God has laid it on their hearts to give to us.

Two family members sent gift cards, money and clothes in the mail to help David with his teaching wardrobe that needs updating.

Today I passed my gestational diabetes test after failing the one hour last week.

There are many more things to add to our list of blessings, but tonight we sat at the dinner table not only humbled but honored to know that God has not forgotten us or the mission He’s called us to.  Last night I read from Job and this is the song of my heart tonight.

“I know that You can do anything and no plan of Yours can be thwarted…Surely I spoke about things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know…I had heard rumors about You but now my eyes have seen You.  Therefore I take back my words, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:2-6).

Long Time No Write

 

David and Eleri cooling off at one of our rest stops home from Charlotte.

I can’t believe that this much time has passed since our concert and the the last journal entry.  A lot has happened since June and I wanted to fill you in.

 

Right after the concert an amazing thing happened that could only be God working.  David was supposed to leave for 2 weeks to complete seminary classes in Charlotte.  I was going to stay here with the girls but at the last minute, the people he was to stay with asked him to bring the entire family.  So we all packed up in four hours and off we went on the biggest adventure of a lifetime.  The people we were to stay with were total strangers but by the end of the two weeks we believe we had found lifetime friends.  Dave and Leslie live on 10 acres of land so everyday we had walks to the creek exploring God’s nature and the amazing wildlife such as deer and all kinds of birds and rabbits.  They had chickens so we were privleged to eat fresh eggs each morning along with goodies from their garden.  It was a much needed break for us all.  Our cell phones didn’t work unless we walked up the long lane and the internet was down for the first week so we felt like we were at a resort and came back rested and ready for what we knew would be a crazy summer and fall.

It had become apparent a few months back that David needed to find a job since we were not bringing in enough support to sustain our internship salary.  At that time we were not sure how God was going to provide and as usual it came in a very unexpected way.  One of our good friends decided to move closer to family and in doing that opened up a Bible teaching position at Norfolk Christian.  David’s schooling has concentrated in the exact areas that the classes at the high school cover and he has a passion to teach others how to defend the faith and to know what one believes.  After applying a few weeks before the concert, we left it in God’s hands.  It was while we were in Charlotte that he got the call to set up an interview.  So, as God would have it, we feel blessed to say that he was offered the Job last week!  We will still be doing a part time internship at the church and living on some support to help supplement the salary from the school so all your financial support will still be needed in order to continue both jobs.  Our prayer is that more than we need will come in so we can begin to save up the funds for our one time moving expenses and the three month salary that we are required to have saved up before we can launch to Brussels.

So, as you can see, this fall will look very different for us.  We are excited about the possibility of connecting with lots of new people and churches through this new job opportunity along with continuing to grow our leadership and ministry skills.  God has been so faithful and we feel honored to be a part of building His kingdom.  We ask for your prayers as we adjust to this new schedule and the demands of working more hours along with a new baby coming in Sept.  In the meantime, I promise to keep you updated more frequently.  Thanks for coming back!

 

adley enjoying the time away from home.

Reflections

So for those of you who have been dying to know how last night went, we wanted to share our thoughts and moments with you.  Thank you for praying and supporting us in SO MANY amazing ways.  We counted at least 30 people who volunteered to help make the concert such a success.  God was faithful once again and kept us all healthy and full of energy throughout the day.  The evening was one of the most amazing nights of our lives.  It was a dream come true to share our hearts through our music so having the opportunity to do that on a beautiful stage with a Steinway grand piano was truly beyond our wildest imaginations.  We will hopefully have an audio live recording so if any of you would like a copy please let us know and when we get it we would be happy to pass that on to you.  For now, the results are in God’s hands.  We would love to be given the opportunity to do something like this again in many different places and for many new people.  We believe that it is crucial for everyone to know not only the spiritual condition of Europe, but how God is working and moving.  “A movement has begun, momentum is building.  For the mission, for the passion and all for Christ.”  Christian Asssociates International