It is already September and I can't believe it! These last weeks have flown by faster than usual around here.
Going to the ReachGlobal Europe conference August 11-17 was a huge highlight as we felt so much like God was working in our lives and through us. What a great time of encouragement with others.
Matt turned 17 on the 17th making it his Golden birthday. We celebrated early, however, so that we wouldn't be traveling on his birthday. What a special young man God has given us! We are excited to watch him listening to God and growing in his faith, even as there are some tough things going on around him. Pray that He would continue to have a vibrant relationship with Jesus! He is a senior this year! Love you, son!
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| Dora, Nate, Hannah, Amy |
Sending Tom and Amy to the US was especially hard as we were saying goodbye to Amy until Christmas when we plan on spending her vacation together. Tom will be gone a total of a month helping Amy get settled in, visiting family, friends, supporters and supporting churches. He has been really busy racking miles up on a borrowed van. Pray for Amy as she adjusts to so many new things and settles in to classes. She is studying Global Studies and Politics with a minor in French. WHEW! I have cried my fair share, or more, but have found that I don't cry all day every day...just sometimes. What a blessing our kids are to have around so I know Amy is blessing others.
Hannah is a high school freshman this year. She is settling into the routine at the Christian International School of Prague and doing well. She really misses having Amy around to talk to as well as to borrow her clothes! Hannah has passed me up in height, growing about an inch in the last 6 weeks! Hannah is joining a high school girls Bible Study and has quite a few friends. Pray that she would be protected as she travels around Prague and that she would continue to grow in her relationship to Jesus.
Rachel is 12 years old and we are starting 6th grade with her. She is in Becker Academy this year and I love having her hard working self around! We started today and her dad is bringing the rest of the curriculum we need for the year, so to say we are into the routine isn't true. Rachel has sacrificed her room and space to our "adopted" daughter, Amy D who is living with us until her parents raise the support they need to return to the Czech Republic. Amy D is sleeping in Rachel's room and Rachel is sleeping on Amy's bed which has been moved into Hannah and Nate's room. Just a few changes around here!
Can you believe that this guy is 5 and in Kindergarten this year? He is SO excited for his dad to come home, not only for the "bad dad"* night he gets to have, but also because he is bringing Sing, Spell, Read and Write for him to fill in the gaps on his learning to read. We started school today and he is already proving to excel at math as well as art and reading. What fun to have this guy around!
*"bad dad" is what Amy used to call Tom when he would let her do some usually unthought of fun thing, like just have dessert for supper. She would say, "You are a BAD dad!" (shriek, shriek, giggle, giggle) The tradition continues to this day with Nate being the one who LOVES it the most, although the others don't complain!
Tom flies to the Czech Republic on Friday/Saturday. Please pray for safe flights, easy connection in London and that all the luggage arrives, too! Pray for Amy, too, as this will be a hard day for her as her last representative of home leaves.
