Evans day turned out swell. Not only did we get to hang out a lot but we were able to purchase things needed for our move.

So the next few days I will be packing. It’s here! Packing for Belize, not for a trip, but to stay, for good. I’ve been enjoying every minute of life in the USA. Yes, I am eating whatever I want knowing that the food will be so different, and knowing that I will have a low point in Belize and crave McDonalds or a snickers bar, or oreo’s that are crunchy and not “damp” from the humidity.

Well, I have to go and get to packing because time is wasting and running out.

Yesterday went fairly well. Not too thrilled about the dentist trip but it had to get done. We found out that to take four bags on the plane with me to Belize, it would cost $575, so we are moving to plan B (shipping stuff to my mom and putting items on the trailer). I just would like to say that I do not think what the airlines are doing with luggage fees is right, that’s all I have to say on that. We are running out of room, and fast!

One HUGE blessing from yesterday was that I found a 4 star hotel on priceline, for my layover on the 11th, for a very small amount. I thought that I would just take a chance and name my own price. I put in a ridiculously low number for a four star hotel and they accepted. Not only that, but it’ my favorite hotel, The Westin. They have what they call “Heavenly Beds”, it’s like sleeping on a cloud. So my last night in the USA will be spent on a wonderful bed. THANK YOU GOD FOR THAT BLESSING.

Evan is one of my housemates, but she is not just a housemate, she is my friend and mentor. I love her dearly. Today, we are spending the day together. I have to get some items for Belize and she is going to come along. We’ll also are doing lunch and a movie. Wow, “doing lunch and movie” will be a thing of the past soon. Life is going to change drastically. I pray that we can adjust well.

With a couple of breaks here and there the “day of thanks” lasted from 10am to 4pm and from 7:30 pm to 11pm. There are a lot of people to thank. I am grateful to have that many.

Today I go to the dentist and then I come home and we will be removing boxes from our storage unit and decide again what stays unit a later date, and what goes. Such a hard decision at times, and yet, it’s only stuff. But at least we are down to the stuff that is necessary. Time to get going.

Each day from here on out is reserved for a specific thing. This enables me to stay organized. Today is a day to write thank-you notes, and lots of them! Evangeline is at the sitters for the whole week from 8-4. Glad to be able to get some things done, but she will be missed.

Yesterday, we were commissioned by the church. It was pure joy. We plan on devoting a whole blog to it in the very near future. Off to write “Thank-you’s”.

I wrote that title thinking it might be the most appropriate words for what we are doing at this point. John is getting the trailer all fixed up. Get this, we needed parts of the trailer welded and as John was painting it he looked up, and across the street was a welding truck. He asked the guy if he could come over and weld our trailer, and he did! At less than half the price! Talk about God’s provision. Stanley “the guide” is flying in on the 17th and he and John will be leaving on the 18th. I gave away the last of my shoes **boo-hoo**. I only have one pair of high-heals left. I mostly kept them as a remembrance of things past and the fact that they are my favorite pair .

Right now I can feel my heart processing a wealth of emotions. I “well” up a lot lately just thinking about things. I know God is beside me comforting me. Fears and anxieties spring up, I know this is “normal” for a missionary lady but it’s a lot to process at the same time I’m preparing to move to a different country. Two weeks ago, if you told me that we were going to be leaving on the 10th of February I would have said “That’s too late!” now I’m leaving on the 11th and my heart is crying “That’s too soon!”. Again, feelings that are said to be “normal” for me to have right now. Some of the fears that I have are not rational, and I know that. I am glad to have a loving Father who allows me to process this stuff and trust Him to make it work out. I know He will.

We are overwhelmed with everything that has transpired in the last week. Please pray for God’s wisdom and strength as the next 11 days zoom by for us.

Today we purchased me and my mom’s tickets to Belize. Yay! I will be leaving on Feb. 11th and have a layover in Atlanta for the evening. Then in the morning, I meet up with my mom who is coming from Baltimore. From there, we will leave for Belize arriving around noon on the 12th. Whew! We will stay in the city for the evening, then, connect with Basil and pick up a team that is coming and head out to the base.

John will be leaving Jan. 16th or 17th via Jeep with Stanley. So much to do at this point! Ahhhhhh!!!

Thank you to Mike Snyder for getting our flights booked. He did an awesome job.

We have the “green light”! AMEN! We are going to be in Belize by the middle of February. PRAISE THE LORD, PRAISE THE LORD, PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!!!!!!! Please lift up a prayer of thanksgiving for us. We are definitely thanking God here.

So what’s next? First, we have to set a solid date, we are hoping to purchase tickets tomorrow. We are thinking John will leave on the 17th and have a pretty good idea as to when I will be leaving but are not sure. Second, we have to decide exactly what will travel with John because we have to make up a manifest and send it in to the Mexican border so they will be prepared for John and Stanley (Guide from Belize who will be driving with John to Belize). I’ll have to have John write a blog on Stanley’s instructions for driving through Mexico to get to Belize it’s really interesting. Third, we have to decide what to get and what to hold off on. Money is tight and so we have to only purchase what we absolutely need and can’t get in Belize (which is a lot, LOL).

I found child care for Evangeline for free, thank you to a close friend of ours. She is a gem of a person. I want you all to know, that a fellow missionary couple gave us the last funds we needed to get to Belize. If was a significant amount and we are humbled. It’s truly a testament to how passionate missionaries are about missions, they are willing to put forth all they have to see another go. We love you guys! You know who you are.

Stay tuned we will be posting a lot in the next few weeks. Please continue to pray for us. We love you!

We appreciate everyone’s patience with us as we try to patiently wait approval to go to Belize. I am so sorry that the promised meter on the start-up costs has not shown up. The fact is, the start-up costs fluctuate every day, it’s even difficult for us to keep track of! Without going into all the detail on how it works, just know that we are very close. I mean VERY close.

Right now, we are waiting to get the approval to purchase our plane tickets. This can happen Monday or it can happen two weeks from now, we don’t know. Please be in prayer that this will happen sooner rather than later. You see, we have a delicate situation that requires strategic planning. Here is the deal: my mom, Sally, is accompanying Evangeline and I to Belize since John will be driving. We have to work out plans with her and decide whether it is best for her to come to AZ or leave from MD. The aforementioned is contingent on when John can get his guide/driver, Stanley, here to the US from Belize. it would also help if we were there to help Basil with the next team that comes in on the 13th of Feb. Also, there is packing the trailer and jeep, deciding how many suitcases to take, and last minute purchases. We are doing what we can now, but some items will have to get done the last week before we leave. I also have to find daycare for Evangeline for the week before we leave, I would love to say that I can handle packing to move to another country and a baby/toddler at the same time, but I can’t. I am not super mom and do not pretend to be. So please, please pray that we will be able to book our tickets soon so we have a solid date.

Meanwhile, we are doing everything that we can now to be prepared to leave. We are also enjoying our last days with Mike, Evan, and Racheal Murnighan (the family we are living with). They have adopted us and we them, they are family in our hearts and we know the feeling is mutual. Are you crying yet Evan? I’m tearing up a bit **sniff** **sniff**. Don’t get me started on our families back home. I did not cry in saying goodbye to my family because it was not real at that point. I’ll write the day my mom steps on the plane to go back to the US and tell you how I feel then. I don’t even want to think about how much I will miss my siblings. Boohoooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, enough crying, START PRAYING.

Last week we made a very brief trip to MD. River of Life Church invited us to speak at their missions emphasis Sunday. We could not pass up the opportunity to speak at a church or to see my parents. We had a blessed time.

For some time now we have been thinking that Evangeline would walk. While in MD we worked with her but could only get a few steps out of her. Today I put her down and she took about ten steps. It was so COOL. She brings us great joy during this stressful and uncertain time. Below is a video of her walking. All we need is $5,000 more to make it to Belize. Please continue to pray.

Please be in prayer for Vera. One of the railings on the porch on the mission base failed and she fell this morning (about 10 ft). She fractured several bones in her foot. Please be in prayer for her as she’s scheduled for surgery in Belize tomorrow morning.

Basil is the only other staff right now, and there’s a team there, so that makes things very difficult logistically. I’m not sure if he’s able to be with her in Belize City for the surgery.

We’ll update as we know more.

UPDATE: Just talked to Basil. He said that the surgery went well. She’s been released but is on strong pain meds. They put three screws and a plate in to her left foot. Recovery time will take a couple months, so we’re hoping to get down there to relieve some of the work load ASAP. She’ll be in Belize City recovering for a little while. Please continue to pray for her. Also that the fall did not further injure her neck.