Christmas 2009 Family Picture

What is a real man called to do?

Keeping up with His plans.

We received a call tonight from Laurel with God's Waiting Children. Little 10-year old Ilona will not be able to come this summer. She is being adopted! I had a mixed emotions when I found out, but I know it is for the best.



This is a good thing for Ilona. Rather than just visiting a family for a month, she is joining a family for life. Please pray for Ilona and her new family.



We were informed that we will still be able to host. Nine-year old Dasha will be coming (Lord willing) for the summer.


Please be praying for Dasha that she stays healthy and that her paperwork is completed quickly. We want to show her Christ's love.





Our house still has not sold. Again, God has a plan and we desire to be in the center of of His plan, no matter where it takes us. Our listing will end on June 30. It could certainly sell by then, but it is not looking good. Please pray that we will have a peace about the house selling or not selling.

Step by Step

So our house had sold, but then the buyers backed out. So still waiting. I am not a patient person, so God is teaching my how to be one. The listing for our house will expire the end of this month. We will probably let it expire, rather than extending it. It'll stay off the market for at least a few weeks to let us relax and not stress about keeping the house looking like six little boys do not live in it.

Speaking of six little boys, the Lord put it on our hearts a few months ago to look into hosting an orphan from the Ukraine. I had met the pastor who helped put this together a year or so ago through flying. Then Sheri got connected to the group that arranges the hosting through her home school network. Funny how things work that way ;)


Anyway, we put in our application to host. If all works out, we will be hosting 10 year old Ilona.

She has two sisters that as far as we know are not being hosted this summer. It will be very interesting to see how God works all this out.

Please pray that our boys accept Ilona as a sister for the summer and that we can share the love of Christ with her. The Lord has always provided what we have needed, and we continue to pray and look forward to His provision as we will be paying all the expenses to bring Ilona over.

God has a perfect plan. What that is, I do not know. Sheri and I will just take each step in the direction that He calls us to go. Step by step.

A sobering message. We in the US need to hear this.

A sad but hopefull song

Keeping our eyes on the goal

Our house has not sold yet, but we are moving forward with learning how to garden. In order to be able to have the option to move our garden with us in the event out house sells, we planted most of the garden in containers.

We purchased some plastic barrel halfs (very cheap) and then bought some good planting soil from a local nursery (Sierra View nursery in Clovis). We do not have a truck, and do not yet have a trailer or hitch to pull with the van, so we got creative and put the barrell halfs in the back of the van and shoveled the dirt into the barrels. Getting them out was fun :).

We drilled drain holes in the bottom of each barrel and put weed fabric in the bottom to keep the dirt from falling through the holes. Not sure if this is the best way to do it. Guess we'll know soon.

We purchased some plants already started as we did not start from seed when we should have. We ended up planting tomatoes, red leaf lettuce, strawberries, peppers, and zuccini. We also did plant some seeds: carrots, radishes, parsley and cilantro.

The kids enjoyed playing with the dirt. Some of them "planted" themselves in the tree.




We'll keep learning all we can. I have already assisted a few salads from the leaf lettuce we planted (it grows fast). Whether we plant more here at our current house, or get to plant at a new house, really does not matter. We'll just keep doing what we feel called to do.