Back in Germany

Oh where should I start? So much to write about.

The O'Neil family came to visit us in Colorado in October. We had a wonderful few days, actually much too short for my taste. We showed them a little bit of Colorado, mainly the mountains, indian cliffdwellings and did some hiking. It was great, and we all were sad to see them leave.

Jason put in his retirement package. Next year August we are done with the military. It looks like we will move back to Missouri. To say exactly move to Springfield. I look forward to be with our friends and church again, but I have also heartache to leave my wonderful friend and niece Sina and her family!!!!! God knows, and HE is good as always!

On another note, my mom arrived in October to stay with us till March. 2 weeks ago, my cousin Andrea called us to let us know that her mom, my aunt Hilde (mom's sister) got killed by a car. It was terrible. We decided to fly to Germany for the funeral and to be with my cousin Andrea. We arrived here on the 7. of Dec., the funeral was on the next day. It was a very sad time.

Leeanna and Tommy stayed at Sina's, Jason had to work, which left my mom, Timothy and me to fly. Last year in Nov. we had to bury my dad, this year in Dec. my aunt Hilde. It made me realize how important it is to keep friendships up, to spend time with friends and loved ones. Because there will be a time when you realize what was really important in life. It should be our Creator, our family, friends, lost souls and then the rest. We should never put aside a chance to witness, a chance to share our faith and hope. And yet, how often do we put the Lord first? Just something to think about.

We will be flying back home on the 19. of Dec, next week. Can't wait to see the rest of my family again.

Whoever reads this pray for wisdom and guidance, please. Pray for the ones I got to witness here in Germany. Catholicism is so strong here, and the people are so blinded. I am so sad for them.

Well, it is time to go to bed. It will be great to look at places to live. Good Night!

Looks like I am getting better in keeping up with my blog. I just read Carie's blog, which included a letter from Sam. He is in Mexico helping a church in their ministry. Please pray for them, for their safety and their missions work down in Mexico. Their family is very dear to my family and me.

Jason told us yesterday that his retirement may come up as soon as June next year. It is a little scary, but we know that God is in control. Now the question is: Where does God want us to live and serve? I wished again that HE would write letters or emails. We do want HIS perfect will. I like Colorado because I am close to Sina, my niece, but I also like Missouri because of our friends and church. Well, I trust that God will show Jason the way. Guess it will also depend on where he can find a good job.

Back from Family Camp

Here are the friends at Family Camp, during the service, front row: Hannah Means, Ashlynne, Libby, Leeanna and Tabby.
What a difference in size: Jackson, only 2 weeks older than Timothy
A visit at the Cliff Dwellings in Colorado Springs.
We are saying good-bye to Camp Pomme de Terre
Grandma Bev at out camp ground in Iowa.

We are back from Family camp in Missouri, back from our vacation. We had a wonderful time with our "old" Church family. As a matter of fact I got saved on the only Sunday we worshipped with Calvary. Well, maybe I was saved before (which I still think I was), but every time I heard about the rapture I thought, what if ... I will be left behind? It scared me. So I asked the Lord to guide me. I went to the altar to pray and had a feeling I need to talk with somebody. Pastor Merrick directed me to a lady who didn't know my past. We talked for quite a while, and finally I asked the Lord to forgive me and save me. Even if I was saved already, now I know without a shadow of a doubt where I will spend eternity.

Tommy and Leeanna were in Texas to spend their summer visitation with their dad. Jason picked them up in Arkansas on Saturday. It was great to see them again. The following Monday we drove all together to Camp Pommes De Terre. It was wonderful to see old friends again. The Means came also, and I enjoyed so much seeing them, visiting and catching up. They still have a special place in my heart.

The preaching was great, as a matter of fact, the Lord spoke to me (and also to many others, Leeanna included) on the last night of camp, Thursday night. It was about having a duty as a Christian. How much witnessing are we doing? Do we put faces to the "great and small, standing before the Great White Throne"? The ones spending eternity in hell? We need to go out and talk to everybody we come in contact with.

But the best of all happened on Wednesday night, the 6. of July. Tommy got saved. He thought he got saved when he was 5 years old, but had doubts. That night he felt a tug on his heart, and he made it right with Jesus. I rejoice with him!

After camp we spent a weekend with Brother O'Neil and his family in Springfield, MO. We had a wonderful time of fellowship, just like we had with the French family the weekend before and the Lawhons. Brother O'Neil showed us around. It is a beautiful countryside. We felt like buying land and moving there. But we will see, what the Lord has in store for us. We took Leeanna and Tommy back to spend 3 more weeks with their dad on Saturday.

After that Jason, Timothy and I went on to Iowa to see his mom. She is in a nursing home and not very happy. We had Sina and Ben's pop-up camper and stayed on a nice camp ground. The weather was nice, not too hot.

We are back in Colorado now, weather has been great, sunny, but rain every evening. The only thing growing is still only the weeds in our yard. LOL. We need to do some landscaping.

We will pick Leeanna and Tommy up on Saturday and then spend a week with Sina and her family, before she is having her baby.

OK, that is all for now. I will try to attach a few photos. Have a wonderful weekend!

A Cup of Coffee and a Piece of Cake

It is awesome what our "German afternoon coffee and cake" can do: Last week, during my daily coffee and cake time I got a call from a wonderful friend of mine. Actually it was her husband (with her by his side) trying to call my cellphone. I didn't recognize the phone number and was also on the phone with my mom in Germany, so I didn't bother answering. After this "person" tried to call again, I was wondering. When finished talking to my mom I checked my voicemail, just to find out, it was Sam Means calling, telling me that they are having a piece of cake and coffee and thought about us.

For the ones of you who don't know about the Means Family: We have found each other in Lawton, Oklahoma, where our families were stationed, in a Fundamental Independent Baptist Church (in my opinion best place to find good friends). Our friendship was, best way to describe it, wonderful!!!!! Tommy and Samuel Means were only two month apart in age, Leeanna and Hannah were about the same age as well. The kids loved each other. Well, Carie and I.... I would say we did too. Our hubby's liked each other (I think). LOL.

Anyway, the Means Family moved on after (I guess) about 2 or 3 years. Our kids really missed them (not to mention I missing my best friend). Carie and I both home schooled, loved to talk, loved the Wildlife refuge, and loved to drink coffee with some cake.

Now they moved on to higher calling: They became Missionaries to Mexico. I am blessed to call them my friends, and I am so proud of them how they manage their lives (not to mention their diet), but I surely would like to have them closer (just being a little selfish).

Carie was my inspiration with a lot of things: the love to have more children, the desire to have a home birth ( has not happen yet), healthier living as far as eating habits and sharing my coffee and cake with a wonderful friend. We just clicked, I would say.

Well, after I listened to Sam's (Carie's husband) voice mail, I wanted to kick myself. But instead I called them back (they are in Mexico). We found each other on Skype (got to love Skype), chatted and laughed for quite a while, and then let the kids talk with each other. Oh, how wonderful it was to see and talk to them again. My prayers are with each one of my Means' Friends. What a cup of coffee and cake can do!

Here are a few news: My husband is going to the field, again, and the kids and I are off to Loveland for spring break to visit Sina and her family. We will also look at a new family member, a Indian Ringneck Parrot. Yep, I am doing it again. Another bird. This time he will not fly away. We are excited, especially Tommy, Timothy and I. Leeanna acts cool about it, no wonder she is a teenager. LOL. The best teen I have ever seen, I want to add. I love my kiddos.

She got her braces on a couple of weeks ago. After 3 days of pain she felt like a human again. Poor girl, but also a brave one.

We have adjusted to Colorado, but still missing Missouri, our church there and of course my friends. I would love to be able to visit them on a regular base. But if God willing we are planning on going to camp in July with some of Calvary's people.

My mom is doing well, thank you all for the prayers. I will end now and wish every one a good night.

Photos

A walk in the Rocky Mountains!
My mom (Oma)!

A visit in Cripple Creek, an old Goldmine town up in the mountains.
My dad's last birthday, 75 years old! What a wonderful man!!!!

Back in the regular Army!

Finally another post! It seems like I don't have time to keep this up, but every now and then I remember to write a little something. Jason is in the field for 3 weeks, then he will be home for a few days, and after that he has to go to Texas for school. It is never easy for us to be separated, but I am grateful as long as he will not deploy. God has really blessed us in so many ways. The kids are doing great. We are tired of school, can't wait for spring break. Timothy is a little gentleman, he likes to hold open doors for everybody, and says Thanks and please and excuse me. Got to love his age!

We have settled in ok, just to have another move coming up. Our landlord (Jason's friend) will be back in August, and we will have to find another house. We would all love to live in the country, already tired of city life. Jason is planning to retire after his 20 years, which would be May of 2012. We have no idea of where we would like to live after that. He would like to go back to Missouri, but we will see what God has in mind for us. I will try to attach a few photos. My mom was with us for several weeks. She has made it back ok just to find a water damage and some broken tiles in her house. I feel for her, now such a stress and no husband to support her. I hope and pray that she will be back soon. We really enjoyed her company. Well, time to quit and attach photos! If you read my post leave a comment. Thanks!

It has been a long time since I wrote anything. Let me think what has happened...

My dad died unexpected. He was taken to the hospital on November 12. and died on Sunday November 14. Sina, I and our children were able to fly out on Saturday and made it to see my dad Sunday afternoon, 2 hours before he died. He was in a coma, and I prayed so hard that he could hear me asking him to accept Jesus as his savior. I wanted him to wake up and talk to me. It was terrible to see him lying like that. When he died I had peace, but was sad, so sad. I hope that he heard me and is now with our Lord in Heaven.

We stayed with my mom for 4 weeks to get everything settled. His funeral was almost 2 weeks later, because he was crimated. The kids got to see him one more time before, it was peaceful, he looked like he was asleep, but they cried and were sad to see him like that. It was necessary though, because they were not allowed to go to the hospital to see him.

My mom came to stay with us 2 days after we left Germany. We hope she will gain enough strength here to face her life at home without "Opa". She stays busy with the kids, especially Timothy loves to have her around. She is wonderful, a big help and a great teacher for my little one. He learned to count to 15 in German, knows a german song "Kommt ein Vogel geflogen" and so much more. He also knows the names of the trains in "Thomas the train."

We finally joined the church "Lighthouse Baptist Church". It is a good church, we still miss our old one in Missouri.

Oh, Sina is pregnant and so is Andrea, my cousin. Do I want another baby? Yes, but I trust God. So, now it is time to end and go to bed. I hope my next post will be soon.