Just a quick update and asking for prayer

So...time flies on...with our new schedule the weeks seem to go by quickly. We as a family are still working out the kinks of this new schedule and how tings work for us, but we move forward trusting in God to lead us and guide us.

Today was kind of a rough day. All three kids were tired and school was the last thing on their minds. Usually Ethan gets started early and is done quickly and waiting on me to do our group things. Today however, he was dragging. He was still up last night when I got home from Bible Study at 9:30 PM. He was reading and wanted to finish his book! (SOmetimes he is so much like me!) So I told him he had to sleep in until 8:00 am this morning to make up for staying up late.

I think he'd love to sleep in, but one thing about where we live and the life we live is that we are close with our neighbors...and living literally close means practically being a part of everything they do....even if that means they get up at 5:00 am...Ethan's window faces our neighbors house and he rarely sleeps in because of all the morning noises.

Most people are early risers here because they want to get their work done early before it gets really hot. They take a long break in the afternoon and often head back to work in the cooler afternoon and work until dark.

So i prayed he'd be able to sleep in this morning - and he was able to. But he woke up still tired. I knew it was going to be one of those days...

It didn't take long before I saw it coming. He sat down to do his math and watched his video and thoguht he understood thigns. Then he sat down to do it and had no idea....I had not checked the last two lessons yet and so I sat down to check them...trying to ignore the grumblings I was hearing from him. Well, he just broke down.

For the first time since we've lived here, he asked to go back 'home' to the States. It broke my heart. He has always considered here 'home.' So we began to talk and he opened up (Praise You Jesus, that he does open up to me!).  It is just a tough time in his life now...entering what I guess is...puberty?!?!?! (Oh my! Can it really be happening already?) He is having to make tough choices about friends, learning about the cost of following Christ, and just trying to figure it all out right now...and I think he feels really out of place for the first time in his life.

He has always been a kid who goes with the flow, not worried about much, and just fit in wherever he went. That is mostly still all true, except for the first time ever, he really does not have a true close friend here. He is beginning to understand how different he is from the boys he has hung around with in our neighborhood (not different in looks or language or skin color...different because he chooses to follow Jesus). He has friends but they are all older than him, and some have distanced themselves since starting junior high, which is hard for him as well.

We pray for his purity and for his heart and mind to be guarded every day.

But it is still a tough time for him. Tonight, even though we have PFK, I stayed home with the girls and him, mae spaghetti and garlic bread, we watched a movie and I made popcorn, and Matt went and he and Victor and Sarah and Michaela held down the fort.

Sometimes, something has to give and we've decided it will never be our kids. They are too precious to waste opportunities like tonight.

So, if you are close with us and know Ethan - would you pray for him in these days? He'd really appreciate it...and so would his momma :)

The girls have been pretty sad this week, too. Our cat has gone missing...we haven't seen her in about two weeks. She came back to eat one day and left again and has never came back. They are both pretty dad...and we are too, actually. We've had her since we moved to CR...

Tonight Audrey asked me: "Mommy, if Gatita is dead, will you get me a new kitty?"

How am I gonna say no to that?

I am studying through the Lord's Prayer with the women of calvary chapel...what the Lord is doing is a mighty work in these ladies, including me. I have witnessed the Holy Spirit in ways I have never in all 12 years of being a Christian...and it is awesome! I am so thankful for this study and these ladies. I never could have imagined the friendship I have with so many of them. I am so thankful to be here in these days!

Well, just a little bit about what is going on...

Be blessed...