our graduate

well, it's official. we now have a preschool graduate.

sam had his graduation ceremony today - complete with paper graduation cap. it was fun and he was really proud of his accomplishment. ruthie cheered him on as he got his little diploma. (of course it's in chinese and we have no idea what it really says. maybe sam will translate for us. :-) )

hope you enjoy the photos. one is of sam and ruthie before school. the other is sam with his diploma.

bryan

The countdown

A week from Wed. we are going to load our whole lives up into a truck and move it to a storage barn. It is a bit surreal to know that it is just over a week away. If you would please lift up our family in the next several days. It is emotional to say the least. The days are filled with good-byes, giving away belongs, and desperately trying to find closure. We are trying to be healthy in crying our tears as well as looking forward with anticipation. In some moments we experience the full range of all those emotions.

For example this weekend we visited Croswell. It was fun to share with my home ch where we are going and what we will be doing. The excitement builds as we share the Father's vision with others. It was great to reconnect with so many childhood friends and know that they are supportive of our family. The next day we worked on getting the storage barn ready for our stuff, which was on the other end of the emotions.

We are doing stuff to help with all the emotions. Mom took the kids to "build a bear" where they each picked a stuffed animal to make. They stuffed it with lots of hugs and kisses from Nana so when they need one in China they just need to give their new bears a hug. I was amazed how Ruthie latched on to the bear and told Nana that would help her when she is lonely.

Here is a photo of the two newest members of the family...super dog and pink bear bear! (yes, pink bear bear is wearing a bright purple tutu. Nana let her pick exactly what she wanted as you can tell!)

tammy

It's not about us

We were blessed by a couple from ch--ch who asked to take us out to eat. We enjoyed steak and sweet potatoes without any expectation of was to come. Half way through the meal they slid a check our way. "We pr@yed about the amount and feel like this is what He would have us give." I was struck by the tears in the eyes of the husband. There was such great joy in their giving...a deep sense of calling and purpose.

We opened the check and basically came unglued. $3000.00. The exact amount we had been asking the Father for. The exact amount that we needed before we could purchase plane tickets and set a departure date. Just to add a bit more to the miracle...the check was postdated two weeks earlier. HE had laid the amount on their hearts even before they knew the amount needed. Amazing.

I sometimes struggle with fund raising. At one time it made me feel like I was always living life with my hand out. The Father challenged my thinking about a year ago. The work in China is His, not ours. If I don't share with others how they can be a part of that work I am selfishly holding back what could be a huge blessing in their lives. This couple was a perfect example of that. They were blessed to know that He had spoken so clearly to them and that they were able to be a part of what He is doing. The work in China is just as much theirs as it is ours. It takes a team and we appreciate everyone who gives, pr@ys and serves on that team with us.

Soooo....PG! We are on our way. Plane tickets will be purchased next week.

by Tammy

95%

just wanted to say that He continues to surprise us!

we're now at around 95% funding. we're getting close to being able to set an official departure date and buy tickets. thanks for lifting us up to the father. we're grateful for your partnership and His grace.

travel schedule

we thought we'd post our travel schedule. a lot of people have been asking what we'll be be up to between now and late july. as you can see, we'll be doing the nomadic traveling thing.

we're looking forward to hitting the road because we'll get to see many of you over the next month.


june 8 | move out of our house in lansing

june 10-21 | Intervarsity LINK orientation in madison, WI

june 24-30 | bethlehem campmeeting in fl

june 27 evening | gateway baptist ch--ch in blountstown, fl

july 1 morning | rivertown community ch--ch in blountstown, fl

july 1 evening | blountstown umc in blountstown, fl

july 6-7 | lexington, ky


if you would like to keep in touch with us during our travels, feel free to email us or call our cell phone. we'll be posting on the blog right up until we leave. we'll try to do so as we can during our travels.

Sunday Musings

We recently have been going through a series of teachings Sunday mornings entitled "imprint" which have spurred much thinking. I really do want my life to make an impression on those around me and I often find myself struggling to make that a reality. As I sat and listened to the core values of our community being presented again...it hit me. It is not my job to make an impression. It is my job to have my values in line so that He can make the impression. That takes so much of the pressure off. Okay, it doesn't take all the pressure off. But it does help.

I find myself getting my values mixed up so easily without even realizing it. I cry out over having to purge my life of stuff...but what do I want to value more - things or souls. Even more, what example do I want to give the kids.

My pr@yer for today is for Him to help me get my values in order.

So those are my musings of the day. I need to stop making it all about me and make it all about having Him in the right place in my life. (Hey that almost could be a song.)

For the record, our Sunday morning community is going to be one of the things we miss the most as we move away from Lansing.

by tammy

more about packing

I (Tammy) haven't wanted to post in the last couple of days, because to be honest all I can think about is packing. And a daily post about the progress (or lack there of) that I am making in my packing strategy just doesn't seem very interesting...even to me and I am living it!

We are making a bit of progress, but it just doesn't look like it. I keep telling myself that it always looks messier before it gets packed. Right?!

The kids are trying to pitch in and help. Most of the time Roo helps by taking stuff out of the boxes. But hey, she is trying! Sam went through his closet with me yesterday. He worked hard at trying on clothes and picking which ones to take with us. He then started talking about the games and puzzles on the shelves. Just as if it were natural he told me which ones he wanted to give away and which he would sell and which he wanted to take. After the conversation, I realized it probably is a way bigger deal to me to give away their toys. Then he blew me out of the water.

"mommy, in my trunk I don't think I want to take my toys. I want to leave room for Ruthie's favorite cinderella doll, a pack of daddy's favorite root beer and some of your favorite candy."

I am trying to learn from my generous sweet boy and pack accordingly!

Birthday pics

Thought you would enjoy a few photos from the birthday celebration with Tam's family. The last one is of Ruthie telling you that she is three!

Our Birthday girl!

Miss Sylvia Ruth turned three today. I really can't believe that my baby is three. I have heard people say that time flies, but I really did not understand that statement until I had kids. It feels like I blink and they change and I am afraid if I turn around they will be gone.

Just so you can see how much she has changed this year I am posting a photo from today and one from her birthday last year. She really is such a big girl!

very interesting article

if you're wondering about some of the struggles being faced in china today, you will want to read this article. it's from today's new york times. click here to read it.

i can't comment now, but we have seen the struggles expresses in this article in interactions with students both here and in china.

this is one of the things we are lifting up as we study there.

our house: an update on the sale

the sale of the house moves forward. our realtor called yesterday and the property inspection is now scheduled for monday. after this, things should be finalized within a couple of weeks. then we should be able to chose a close date for the sale.

as things progress we'll keep the blog up to date.

thanks for your pr@yers.

Our new boy!

Tammy's younger sister gave birth to Nehemiah Earl last week on Saturday. Baby and mom are doing great. We really enjoyed visiting them today and getting to know the new boy in the family! As you can see Ruthie was LOVING Nehemiah. What three year old girl wouldn't love a live doll! Sam also is great with little ones. He picked out a blanket to give the new baby and then proceeded to "teach" him how to suck on the tag. (Sam still loves his blanket and tag at bedtime! But you didn't hear that from me! :))

I forgot how little babies start out. And I forget how big Ruthie is. Actually she is huge, but I guess there should be a difference between a one week old and an almost three year old. She will always be my baby.

just because they are cute!

Sale Pending

So....that is our big news. Two weeks after the sign was in the yard we have had an offer that we accepted! The sale is in process pending the house inspection within the next ten days. The realtor sat at our table this morning drinking coffee as we signed a million papers. He said that he couldn't believe that the house sold this quick at such a good price. "you better keep rubbing the rabbit foot or whatever it is you guys do." We laughed knowing that the sale of the house really was due to a higher power, not a rabbit foot! It is such a great confirmation that we are supposed to move to China. Thanks to everyone who lifted up the sale of the house.

So....the next phase has begun. We are now going to be packing the house up and packing up the trunks we are shipping to China. We have orientation the first week of June so our goal is to have everything cleared out of the house then. Can anyone say whirlwind?! It will be crazy, so keep us in your thoughts. Here is the plan...

May - pack, pack, pack
June - orientation (WI), Bethlehem Camp (FL)
July - Florida, Michigan, leave for China the last week.

It will be here before we know it! China here we come!

the weather in xining

for those of you interested in what the weather is like where we'll be in china, you might find this site interesting.

http://english.wunderground.com/global/stations/52866.html?bannertypeclick=infoboxtr

this will give you the temperature, the forcast, the elevation and other details.

enjoy.

the journey home: from blountstown to atlanta

today we started the journey home. we left my parent's house in blountstown this morning and headed to atlanta. we've had a full afternoon and evening visiting with friends and attending the sunday evening service at norcross umc. it's been busy but great!

we had the chance to hang out with one of tammy's good friends from asbury that she hadn't seen in years. they live here in atlanta and it just happens to be a short distance from the church. (which, for those of you familiar with traffic in atlanta, is a very good thing.) and as i write we're waiting to meet with one of my old friends from asbury. he and his wife work at a church not far from where we're staying. it's been almost a year since we've last seen them and we're looking forward to it.

we had a blast at church tonight. it was the kids musical and it was really good. our kids loved it. ruthie kept trying to sing along and mimic the hand motions the kids were doing with the song. it was histerical. it was good to see the missions pastor and they even announced that we were there - including annoucing our move.

so tomorrow really early, we'll leave for home. ruthie can't wait. we just found out that tammy's sister michelle had her baby and roo is convinced that uncle matt and aunt michelle need her help taking care of him. :-)

More Florida Fun

Catching frogs, riding the four wheeler, visiting a local playground have all been the Florida fun of the day. (Oh we did speak tonight and have a lunch meeting in there, but who is counting?!)

snow sand

After a swing through Flordia like this, there is one statement that gets me frustrated more than any other..."how was your vacation?" IT IS NOT A VACATION! Speaking 5 times in 10 days and countless meetings is not what i usually would choose in order to achieve rest and relaxation.

But this time...I must say our time in Florida has been more vacation than we ever could have imagined. The community that we spoke for on Sunday provided housing for us starting on Saturday until Monday. We had no idea we were walking into an amazing beach front condo! It was amazing and such a blessing to our family. Have I used the word "AMAZING" yet? Well it was! We were able to make great memories, rest by the ocean, and really feel like we had been on vacation! The kids had a blast. Ruthie called the beach "snow sand" and she couldn't get enough of it. Sam was busy trying to catch sandpipers and collecting shells. I couldn't believe how long they would chase the waves up and down. Hours of fun is all I have to say!

Hope you enjoy the pics from our time there. Thanks again Woodlawn UMC. You blessed us beyond measure!