Mexico?!?

By now, many of you have heard the news...we're headed to Mexico. Some of you may be a little surprised, but most of you have probably just been wondering when. Well, now is crunch time! But let me take you back about a year, and explain where the journey began...

Okay, maybe I won't go all the way back to the beginning, because that would be too much to tell. But let's go back to August of 2010. Clay and I were invited to attend a Missions Expo in San Francisco to learn more about where the IMB (International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention) was headed. After an amazing time there, we felt that was exactly where God was leading us.

The months after the Expo were filled with "hurry up, and wait." We had lots of paperwork (tons, as Clay puts it), medical exams, and more to complete...and then wait. In the spring, we decided that we should put our house on the market so that when the time came, we wouldn't be burdened with the task of selling a house. Within a month, we had an acceptable offer on the house! And we had the blessing of moving to a rental house that Clay's parents own. I have to add that baby Matthew was born just 2 weeks after moving in to the rental! Just imagine adding a fourth child to the family while moving to a 2 bedroom/1 bathroom home! The big kids love the small home though, because the three of them get to share one bedroom! (Whew! Glad they took it so well!) And, Grammy and Grandpa's house is just on the other side of the pasture! What a blessing for our kids! (and for me!)

Through the summer, we were left to wait til the end of July when the Board of Trustees voted on our family. We just learned last Thursday, July 28th that we were approved for appointment by the Board. Wow! Although we had been planning for that moment for almost a full year, it was amazing to actually hear the news! And now, the reality of that decision is still setting in.

What's next? Where do we go from here? On September 10th, we fly to Orlando where we will attend an appointment service on September 14th. In mid-October we report to FPO (Field Personnel Orientation) in Virginia. At this point, we are planning on driving from Idaho. By doing so, we will have our own vehicle while at FPO to run errands or enjoy some family time off campus.  We also hope to make some stops to visit friends and family on the trip across the country as time allows! So much is still unanswered on what everything will look like.

And of course, the big question, when do we leave the country? Again, we don't know anything specific yet, but we think we'll be in Mexico by the first of the year! Whew...only 5 months til January 1st! 

Please be praying for us as we try to tie up the loose ends here...we have a house full of things that we can't take with us when we go...and we have to sort through it all! A pile to sell in the next garage sale, a pile to take with us, a pile that we might take with us, a pile to put in storage indefintely, and of course the garbage can!

Pray for our children, that they will be flexible through all of the changes.