. . . a glimpse into my heart.

We've been home for over a week. Thailand seems so distant a memory now and I feel like its almost just a dream that I will carry with me in my heart but not something that I truly experienced. I loved Thailand. I felt at home there right away. This isn't something I have experienced in every foreign country I have visited. It's a hard thing to explain. I didn't feel this way in Ethiopia which seems weird since it was my sons homeland and culture. I loved Ethiopia and would love going back someday but it wasn't home. But Thailand was different. Dave and I both felt it. I actually felt so comfortable that I found myself forgetting that I was the foreigner and looked very different from the locals. I feel strongly God will take us back someday and I can't wait. My heart leaps within me as I think about it! We met two women who are with the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Thailand. One is originally from Washington state but has been a missionary in Thailan...

So, I googled my name yesterday and found my old Live Journal . My last entry was January 1st 2006. I blogged fairly regularly for a whole year. It's so interesting to read about that year of our life. I started the blog right after I had my surgery on my right elbow and was out of work for awhile. I was just getting into watching Season 1 of 24. Dave went to Seattle for his buddy's wedding and Nicki Loomis and Melissa Cramer (now Meyer) kept me company. We blogged about our fun adventures living in Dubuque and what newly wed life was like. I look back with such fondness although when I read some of my entries, I remember some of the very difficult things we went through. We had a wonderful, solid marriage but we went through a lot together. The blog begins in IA with Dave attending Emmaus Bible College. Dave graduated, we moved all our belongings to CO, we moved into my parents basement, we spent the summer at camp on Whidbey Island as Staff Directors for our 2nd summer in a r...

We've been here at Yakima Alliance Church for 5 weeks (that's from Dave's first day in the office up until now). Things are going wonderfully! We love the youth and the leaders and are feeling so cared for in the church body and truly feel like a part of a family. But I am not sure where my place is yet. Dave and I both know I am just as called to Youth ministry as he is but he's the one who's being paid and has expectations placed on him. I'm kind of on my own as far as what I want to be doing. At River of Life in CO I only ever worked with the high school group. I always felt a connection with the girls in that age group and it came naturally to me. Now, 8 years after we first jumped into youth min as a couple and 4 years after our start at ROL we are both feeling like we have a ministry to leaders in the ministry. There are some young ladies here who are working with the high school and jr. high who might benefit from my experience and guidance. I only want t...