Daniel 4:35

The last few days of our transition here in Korea have been difficult for me… On our last days in the hotel the kids grew restless, my patience grew thin, and my relationship with Mike grew tension. The space was beginning to cave in on my personal space and the kids were invading everyone’s personal hearing space in the rooms beside and below us.. With the limited area, I could feel the attacks coming from all around.. I felt pressure to make decisions, determine volume control, and entertain the masses in a 500 square foot area.. My vision about what I thought it would be like was fading farther and farther from reality, as we sat waiting in a small hotel room! I read the Word when I could a word in edgewise, and prayed for strength… I thought the season of my pain was in missing my friends, but I was quickly brought to reality that my real test of the season was in my trust for the Almighty.. Mike went to work, organized paperwork needed to move from point a to point b and we sat waiting; waiting for Lily to wake up, waiting for lunch time, waiting for Mike to get home…. Waiting! Life was on hold… Or so I thought… As we got everything situated for housing, Mike organized for temporary furniture to be delivered to our new place…. They told us we were on the waiting list for everything but beds.. I thought to myself … “You have got to be kidding me! You bring my whole family out here and you don’t even have a stinking couch for me to sit on!” (For those who know me, I am sure you can picture me saying these things with a faint “huh” at the end!) I was livid! I was angry! I was restless! I deserved a couch! Well, I thought I deserved a couch until God reminded me of the scripture in Daniel. “All the people of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the power of heaven and the people of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him : “What have you done.” Daniel 4:35 I am deserving of NOTHING! I, little princess, do not even deserve a bed… IT’S NOT MINE! NONE of it is… It’s all HIS! He gives it to me… And here I sat, pouting! Complaining about not having a couch, but he gave me a bed! Instead of rejoicing in the fact that I would have a place to lay my head, I complained! “ Could it be your arrogance that makes you think God owes you an explanation” –Crazy Love by Francis Chan. It was sheer arrogance that left me wanting an explanation, left me feeling like I deserved something. And yet in the midst of my tantrum, God taught me something amazing…. He taught me to be still. "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 4:10... You know what the funny part is… they delivered our stuff yesterday, and there was a couch… Not only a couch, but 2 lounge chairs, brand new (fresh out of the boxes) LG front load washer and dryers, coffee table, dressers, and night stands! When I was throwing my tantrum, God was shaking His mighty head and wondering when I was going to figure out His greatness! The word of the day is trust! Again, I ask Him to forgive me for my lack of faith, for God calls me to trust Him, even if it is about a place to sit!


Here are a few pictures of God's provision... I just had to take some pictures of how they bring the furniture in.. They brought a lift and brought it all through the window of Lily's room!!
I hope you enjoy!

Michael and Lily in the tub..... They made a HUGE mess with the water, but they had a great time!!

Sweet Kayden ready for bed... I just love this smile....

Starting to move the furniture in...

Through the window it comes!

Our living room with the temporary furniture.. Very roomy!!!

Our new dryer!

Our new washer... Military isnt treating us so bad!! :)

The kitchen... Clean!! YEEAH!!!

For those who have been waiting to see pictures of our new home... Here they are..
This is our new home....

Our new kitchen...

The hallway leading to the kids bedrooms....

And for those who believed all that, I must say, " I love you," for you are gullible.. Here are the pictures to our REAL place... They are a little more up to par for this California mom..

This will be our bedroom..

The boys room... The desk will be removed...

The wall of closets in our room.. I LOVE the closets....

The door to our master bathroom!

The master bathroom with separate vanity area...

The kitchen...

Lily's room....

Guest bathroom....

Guest Shower....

Living room view to kitchen...

Living room to Patio...

The keypad to get into our home... They don't use keys....

Our new front door...

The keypad front door leads to small mud room with floor to ceiling closets.. a nice place to catch jackets and shoes... This is the door that separates the two rooms..... Kayden loves to slide them open!

Proverbs 31:28“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”

I love this verse; it reminds me of my 3 best friends back home in Alabama.. They are great mothers, great friends, great wives… great at all they do! They are what I miss most about Alabama… I loved the church and I loved my home but the church is just bricks and my home is where my family is, so for me it is those friends that have a left a large void in my heart… God placed each one of them in my lives for a reason, and looking back I know that it was to lift and encourage my walk with the Lord… Today as I wander this new country without them, I draw closer to Him….. Jeremiah 29:11 “ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” His plans are great, His reasons I cannot understand, but that is why He is God and I am man… I trust you, Lord, lead me closer to you!

On an awesome side note….. On Friday we meet the Fichter’s , Jeff and Jeanette… They have two little ones… Today, we all went to Sapgyoho… A beautiful place to do some shopping and buy fresh seafood… The kids had such a great time and the natives just had a hay day with our children….. One elderly woman picked up little Michael and just swung him around.. They loved to stare at the kids and some even took pictures.. It was so fun! There was a huge play area for the children, an amusement park, and shopping areas.. We all had a great time! I hope you can all get a small piece of what our life in Korea will be like… Enjoy!! Love to all!!

At the fresh market in Sapgyoho.. The kids loved all the fresh fish, crabs, octopus, and clams

A squid trying to escape...

The family at the pier... Michael was hiding....

Kayden on the ship playground...

Michael being silly!! Ahooy!

Sweet Lily, loved the breeze.. Mike took her for a little bird watching..

Such a sweet angel.. Loving her alone time with daddy!

Me and Lily relaxing....

The boys posing for a picture....

A Korean women who just loved the kids... She asked to hold Lily and to take a picture with her... Lily is going to have to get used to the paparazzi!!

Some of the best Popsicles.....

Yummmooooo...

Cheese!

Jeanette and Maddie posing with the popsicles..

She had melon and loved it...

This little boy kept coming up to Michael and wanting to play.. they just kept yelling funny things at each other in their own languages... They were so cute!

Mike just had to try their fried bugs... We think they might be a form of a flea... yucko!!! Go testosterone!

Some of the funny construction signs that are on the side of the road!!

Yet another!

The merchants walk around and give samples of what they are selling.. The came and cut fresh fruit for all of us... Lily just loved the pineapple....

We got the kids a slush and Michael couldn't wait to get to the bottom of his.. he tipped it over and splat... All over his face.. He was bummed, but Jeannette and Maddie came to the rescue with a refill.. Thanks guys!

In front of the store....

Poor Lily was spent by the time we headed home.. Sweet girl, not happy!

A view from the car on the way home.. The rice patties on the side of the road!!

The vendors were on the main highway selling food in the middle of the street.. if you want something you just stop by them and they take your order and serve you in the middle of the road... Crazy!!

Believe it or not, this is a fake person.. They have mannequins that sit at the side of the road and wave caution lights... That is an ingenious idea....

Mike's new beater... His 1993 Hyundai Galloper... He loves it... it seats 9 people.. they boys think it is the coolest car ever... Mike is happy.. bought it for 1500.00 dollars... Just something to get around Korea in... Soon our van will arrive from overseas...

Camp Humphrey’s bound…

This morning was bright and the air was fresh after yesterdays fog. The family woke after a long nights rest, got ourselves dressed, fed, caffeinated (of course) and begin the long tedious journey of loading 18 bags and making the short trek across the street to where the bus loads. Today was the day! The day we travel from Yongsan to Humphrey’s. Mike has been stationed at Camp Humphrey’s, so for us, this will be where we call home for the next 4 years. The bus arrived late and the kids waited ever so patiently at the stop with no entertainment. I say patiently, but for those who know my children, patiently accompanies 40 “ when is the bus going to be here?” followed by “ I have to go pee!” and the ever so exciting “ Its taking a long time!” None the less, we pushed on! The bus was close to empty, which gave our family plenty of room to stretch and breathe. Kayden relaxed and played his DS, Michael played his gameboy with daddy, and Lily napped the entire hour and fifteen minute hike! We arrived and were immediately greeted by 2 men in Mike’s unit. Each brought their car, one brought his car seats, and we loaded on up… 18 bags, 5 Stafford’s, and 2 soldiers who know what its like to be displaced… They toured us around the base, showed us where the schools were located, pointed out the Starbucks (and necessity like air,) got us situated in the hotel, took us for lunch, and even helped Mike get papers for housing. Talk about service. They have been a huge answer to prayer. Just yesterday, I wore myself sick wondering if people would be hospitable, warm, encouraging; and fresh off the bus, we are greeted by smiles of hope! Smiles to calm an anxious mom, a fearful newcomer, and a stressed out wife. I sit now, in the hotel room with 3 napping children, worn out by a hard day of shuffling from one place to the next. I am sure they will wake soon and be ready to take on this new adventure, but for now I breathe; I take a moment to just relish in all the God is doing… Once again, God has shown himself faithful! Even after His perfect track record, I worried!?! How easily I forget how big He is, how perfect His plans are for me, and how involved in my life He chooses to be. He amazes me. I simply amaze myself, too. Not for the same reasons though. I amaze myself at how quickly I turn to my fleshly desires and worry or stress… After all God has revealed to me, I still fall, stumble, and crack… I know this process will never be perfected, I just pray that I draw closer to Him through all of this.


1 Peter 1:6-7 "In this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire- may be proven genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. "

Lord, refine me….