Florida beach house!

We have been in the US for...let's see...I need to check the calendar, um...one day shy of 2 weeks.  We have only changed location once!  We arrived and spent two nights with my parents.  Then we moved to "the beach house" that is located right by Clearwater Beach.  We have enjoyed the time on the beach, shelling, swimming, sitting in air-conditioning, an and just being.

Rachel

Sunset walk

Amy

We have spoken in a church service (3 minutes), shared in an ABF (Sunday School), and sharing with a small group.  This week brings another opportunity to share in my parent's ABF and with another small group as well as spending time with the associate pastor at Clearwater Community Church.

As I write this, Tom, Matt and Hannah are driving south from Indiana.  They spent last night in Ringgold, GA and hope to get here tonight.  Amy just completed a one hour run and is showering.  Nate is watching a kids' show on PBS and Rachel is enjoying sleeping in.

We move locations tomorrow to a different condo, still in FL.  We are so grateful for the generous people who are allowing us to stay in their homes.

We are looking forward to celebrating some occasions with my parents:  Matt's graduation, Rachel's birthday, Nate's birthday, our anniversary and just being together.  What fun to be near enough to spend time visiting parents.  Here are some pictures of visits with my parents.

visa update

I realized, after a friend wrote and asked, that I forgot to post here about our visas.  I posted on Facebook, but not here!  We were called in to the office last week and picked up our visas with no problems and a cheaper price than quoted as Hannah turned 15 after the start validity date of our last application making her the children's price, not the adult price of a 15 year old! Bonus!  Thanks for praying and praising with us!

Today is July 4!  We thought we would be in the States enjoying this holiday with friends and family, however, we are here in Czech and hope to enjoy it here with family and friends. 

Today is our last full day at home until we return on 27 September.  We are mostly packed, but need to get all the things in the Rubbermaid containers that double as suitcases for our family.  We are getting excited to see family, but I am feeling a mixture of sadness, nostalgia and just plain tiredness as well as excitement!

There are many changes in our circle of friends this year with 5 close friends/families moving on to other places in the world.  This effects our life here greatly.  Nathanael is experiencing his first real loss as our neighbors are moving on.  This Hungarian/British couple and their boys have become like a second home to Nate.  He climbs through the fence (we opened it so they could use our trampoline and we can use their pool) and visits them.  During the school year he watched the clock and knew what time the boys would be home from school so he could invite them to play with him or he could invite himself to their house!  Additionally, we watched the others' children when parents had to pop out to the store or out for coffee or whatever.

We went to their house, like proper guests, using the front door instead of climbing through the fence, and spent three lovely hours with them at their goodbye party.  For Nathanael  especially, however for all of us really, this was a lovely time and so important.

We say so many goodbyes and hello's in this international life and it can really get tiring and wearing.  Would you pray for us as we are experiencing much of this right now?

On the UP side...I get to hug my AMY in two days!!!!!!  She hasn't been gone from here long, but I still look forward to seeing her.  I also get to see my Mom and Don, which I haven't done for almost two years!!!!  Then, from there, there are MANY special people to see and spend time with.  Pray that we would present at each meeting  and with each person.

We all fly to London tomorrow night where we will stay at a hotel overnight.  The next morning, Matt and Hannah will fly from Heathrow to Minneapolis where they will be picked up by dear friends who will keep them until they attend a re-entry gathering.  From there they will catch a bus to Chicago and a train to Indiana.  Tom will be flying to Ohio from Florida and picking up a van we can use while in the US then he will drive to IN and pick up M and H and drive down to Florida again.  WHEW!  Pray for all the pieces of THAT!

Tom, Rachel, Nate and myself fly out of Gatwick straight to Florida where we will be greeted by my parents and Amy. 

Please pray:
     1) that we would pack all that is necessary and nothing more for this trip.
     2)  that we would be protected in all our travels.
     3) that we would continue to spend time in prayer and Bible reading to keep centered and focused.
     4) for good "goodbye's" and "hello's"
     5) that we would return fully supported at the end of September.
     6) that we would share clearly what God has done and continues to do here in the Czech Republic
         and Europe among the Roma.

Last night with Amy for two weeks!

Amy and her friend Joana on the trampoline this morning.

Hannah, Amy, Matt and Nate on the trampoline tonight.

Goodnight kisses!

My Wii players: Rachel, Matt, Amy and Hannah

Just some pictures from our last day with Amy here at home until Christmas.  We have LOVED all being together these last weeks and look forward to seeing each other in Florida again!

cHaNgEs

I know that life is always full of change and especially mine! :)

But, this is the latest to take the cake for us!

We found out on the 13th, just three days before we were to fly to the UK/US, that we received our visas!  Now, this is good news.  Amazing news!  Miraculous news, really!  We have received a two year, non work permit visa without having to buy Czech health insurance, which would cost in addition to our US health insurance!  And we received it after waiting only 2 1/2 months!  We have friends who are still waiting one year out!

But, this is also stress inducing because of all the details that have to be changed quickly in order to not lose our airline tickets ($$$) and changes to many visits, travels etc. that we had spent time working on before our trip.

It is also smile inducing as Matt gets extra time with friends, extra time to organize and think through details for next year.  Extra time to sort and pack.  We, also, have time to breathe after me making many cakes, graduating my second child and packing and sorting in a hurry.  I may even get to clean the house before the people coming to stay at our house while we are gone arrive.  THEY are thankful for that, too!

Here are some things that have come together and continue to bless us as we see God's fingerprints all over this situation:
     We have two places to stay in Florida, our start destination, for FREE!
     My parents (Dora's) are loaning us their car for the first week we are there instead of us needing to
          rent a  van...more ($) savings!
     Amy will be leaving on Wednesday (20.6.) in order to stay with my parents and look for a job.
          Pray for a good job for Amy as well as safety in her transferring from Heathrow to Gatwick
           and training to Worthing to stay with my step-sister and her family and her safe flights.
     Matt and Hannah will be flying out with Tom and I and the rest of us to Heathrow where we will
           all spend the night.  Matt and Hannah will fly out from Heathrow through Chicago and on to 
           Minneapolis in order to be there for re-entry.  Pray for safety and a good re-entry experience for                   them!
Please pray as we reschedule church visits, picking up our rental van from Fort Wayne, IN and driving
           it down to Florida (Tom who will pick up Matt and Hannah in Indiana and head south).
Please pray for details of doctor visits and preschool starting and other things to settle at our home
           here in Pruhonice before leaving the Czech Republic.

I will try to post more as things come together!

Here are a few graduation pictures for you to enjoy!

Graduation!!!

Matthew Thomas Becker




We are proud of Matt as he graduates from the Christian International School of Prague tomorrow night.  He has worked hard and excelled in academics, as a student leader and generally fun/ny guy!  We look forward to all that God has in store for and through you in life, Matt!

Next year Matt will be in Thailand serving with ReachGlobal (our mission) for a 10 month time period.  He is gathering prayer and financial support for the next year.  He will also be applying to colleges this summer looking for a delayed admittance.  All your prayers for Matt are appreciated.

Graduation is tomorrow night, June 14, 2012 at the International Church of Prague at 7:00 p.m.

mostly May happenings

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  Here are some pictures from May.  Matt took the picture of me one morning during a promised walk together in the woods in the park near our house. 

Friends from college days visited.  Here is one of several pictures with them.  I have some cool ones taken from a tower downtown Prague.

Also in May, Matt, Amy and Tom took part in the Prague Marathon, running 10K each in the relay part of the marathon.  They all ran well in their first timed official race.

Tom waving

Matt handing off the baton

Amy running

I am so proud of my family!  On top of good exercise, we were able to raise over $1500 for the Salvation Army and their work with the homeless in Prague!

I also was hired to make two very special cakes.  The first was for the worship leader at the International Church of Prague. 

The second was for the senior pastor a the same church whose official farewell service was today.  These families will be missed for sure!

Well, this is many words and pictures as well.  I think I'd better stop here!