Wow a lot has happened since the last published blog post. I was often writing in the evenings. But recently my hands have been full with a wide awake, usually happy, baby at night. I have also been plagued with new baby brain fog! But he is sleeping more now and that is getting a bit better. Also, boy have the last few months been emotional for me, exaggerated by post baby hormones.

 

Well my husband wrote out Elijah’s amazing birth story. I am still so thankful and humbly amazed by our God. I still find myself staring at his beautiful face and being reminded that we serve a God of miracles and that nothing is impossible for God inside His will. It’s also a good reminder for me as we start a new phase in our journey.

 

I am excited to announce that we are moving to Bergenfield, New Jersey! After things had calmed down following Elijah’s birth and I had some weeks to heal we candidated at Calvary Lutheran in Bergenfield. We got a chance to see the church, the parsonage, the town, and meet the wonderful people in the church. A bit after we visisted they extended us a call and we have accepted it. The whole process has been covered in prayer by the church and us and quite a few others. We feel this is where God is calling us and we are excited about this new adventure and chance to serve the Lord there.

 

It’s very far from the immediate family, the opposite coast, actually. There will be a lot of things for me to get used to, like driving! I’m not the most assertive driver, but I have been told if you are not aggressive you will get nowhere! Hopefully you will not see me in my van stuck on the road getting nowhere! Ha! And honestly I’m sure there will be a lot of differences that I won’t even know about until I experience them. There always is when you move to a new area.

 

They boys are very excited. After all they will be living 15 min from New York City and that is where the Ninja Turtles live, so that is just the best. I have tried to convince them that the Ninja Turtles don’t actually exist, but Asher will just give me his half smile and say “Sure, mom…” with the knowing look on his face that I just don’t know what I’m talking about.

 

One of the hard things we had to do last month was say good bye to our dog Kiaser. He was our 12 year old Rat Terrier. Daniel and I got him right after we were first married, and he has been on a lot of journeys with us and little Silas was quite attached to him. But he was having too many health issues and we had to say good bye. I’m thankful for the humor that my boys bring into some of the hard times. We were sitting at the dinner table and the boys launched into pets and tried to leverage Kiaser’s death into getting a turtle. And then Caleb pleads “Or at least a fish!!”

 

Now we are in the throws of the end of the Seminary school year. Daniel has four more weeks of school and then he graduates! I can hardly believe we are almost done. I’m kind of in denial actually… I have a lot to do, and I don’t have enough hours in the day. It will be so bitter sweet being done here. We are excited to get into ministry and settle down for a while. But it will be hard to leave this time and the good friends we have made here.

 

We leave at the end of May for Washington. Where I will be till late July, Daniel will be there for about two weeks and then he flies to Alaska to do the commercial Salmon fishing with his dad and a few siblings. After Daniel gets back we will start making our trek across the country.

 

I am trying to just enjoy this last time here without getting overwhelmed by the things that need to get done. I am also looking forward to getting some down time in Washington and enjoying spending time with family and friends there.

 

I would appreciate all the prayers I can get as we prepare to move, Daniel goes to Alaska and then we will be getting started in a new place, also we will be logging countless hours in a van with 5 children under the age of 7!!

 

Psalm 67

¹ May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—^[b]
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.

³ May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
⁴ May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
⁵ May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.

⁶ The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
⁷ May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.