SIX Months! What?!

SIX months! What?! Only six months? How did that happen? Soon we will leave Texas and move the majority of our family to Kenya. To me it feels like February is coming so fast! If you think about it, 2 of the 6 months left are holiday months which means they will fly by. Plus, between now and February we have 7 birthdays to celebrate; no that's not a typo, we have SEVEN birthday's coming up. :)

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. Psalm 127:3-5

We have secured the land! It isn't fully purchased because we are still waiting to close on the house in Garland, but we have made a down payment securing the 7 acres for Mercy Children's Home. Also bricks are being handmade we have sent $100 to get started...I can't even imagine how many bricks we will need total, but it is neat knowing that someone 9,000 miles away is working on parts of our new home. Something else really neat about it is that someone in our new community will have a good wage for several months making the bricks that will be used to build MCH! This is real! it is really happening! Obviously I know that, but sometimes I can't believe this is my life and I get to live it. Lives are going to change because Jesus is in this and He's in the business of changing lives.

Pictured: Left and top, bricks being handmade. Bottom, the land we are purchasing located next to AFM Mercy School in Kaya, Kenya.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Oh and designing an orphanage...who wants to help with that for MCH? By design I mean the actual structure. I have a very basic design/thought/layout, but every time I look at the paper I try and move or add a room and then I'm back to a mess! Basically, we need 2 large boys rooms, 2 large girls rooms, a bathroom for each (multiple toilets and showers), a room for Jeff and I (bed/bath, sitting area), kitchen, guest room/office and a family room. The family room will need to be pretty big. I'm envisioning Bible studies, eating, reading/learning and game-playing happening here. Feel free to send me your ideas, I'm open to suggestions and ideas, whatever you have send it my way!

A very rough draft of Mercy Children's Home ;)

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. Psalm 127:1

We still have some funds to raise. David Shelton is working on getting a page set up so y'all can see exactly where we are and where we need to be. We are wanting to do a couple of fundraising events between now and February as well. We are tossing around different ideas...maybe a craft fair, garage sale, t-shirts and or maybe some direct sales. Again if you have any ideas get them to us and watch Facebook for Jeff or myself to set up an event.

I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! Isaiah 65:24

We still need passports for everyone, a social security card for 1 and plane tickets for all. Have I mentioned that I've never even booked a flight much less 9 of them, to another country? This is exciting and a little nerve-racking all at the same time. I think the hardest of all these will be the social security card...I'm not even 100% sure this child has one and of course the SS office can't even tell me over the phone if she has a SS# or not. Therefore leaving me clueless as to what paperwork I need to bring. I think I'll wait until around nap-time to go and take all kids ;). I'm totally being sarcastic, I will probably leave most of the kids at home and try and get it taken care of quickly.

Sounds kinda of panicky, huh? Nah...I'm actually pretty laid back about it. I've always been a down-to-the-wire kind of girl. You know the one who has a major project due tomorrow and it just got started 10 hours before it's due? That's me. For Caitie's first craft fair (she's a master crocheter) she and I were up until 3am making a banner for her booth and we had to get up at 7am to get there and set up. Some people call that crazy, but she and I made a lot of great memories during that time and her banner rocked considering neither of us had ever made one before. Something about me knowing it has to be done by tomorrow doesn't allow me to second guess myself so much so I just do it and make whatever happens work. I fully believe the night before our flight for our new journey I will be up packing my bag...everyone else's will have been triple checked and mine will be thrown together last minute. That is just how I roll and for the most part it seems to work for me.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 ESV