Sickness,

sickness, and more sickness. Okay, for being fairly healthy all winter we kind of got hit hard this week...Steve and I, and Ethan, Tyler, Kailee, and Alyssum all got hit with a fever, headache, body aches, and then a nasty cold! I think we are finely on the mend although Kailee and I are still coughing like crazy, but at least we aren't aching all over any more. God seemed to give the Germain family grace this time around because only Jenn got sick and none of the kids got it at all!! We just need to continue to pray that they don't get it after leaving here.

I don't feel like I've done much the last couple weeks except hold down the fort at home while Joe and Jenn packed and finished up getting ready to move. It has been a time filled with the ups and downs of emotions...sad that our best friends are leaving and yet excited for them and where God is taking them. Sometimes though I just wish I could be going too! The kids seem to all be doing fine...we've had several talks about the changes that are about to happen and they are all fully aware. In their play they pretend that they are all flying to the Philippines and we hear them talk about either not wanting to move or wishing we were all moving together. But despite the upcoming BIG change they have been having so much fun together...making the most of their last weeks together...saying they only have 7 more days to play a certain game or so many more days to do this or that together. Our house will be strangely quiet with only 6 kids...who would have ever thought I would be saying that...not me!! Anyone looking for a place to stay!?

We take off on Tuesday morning to drive to Anchorage...to do some last minute shopping, and then we fly out early Wednesday morning. Please pray for Joe, Jenn, and the kids, and I as we travel, and then for Steve with the kids at home. God will sustain us through this time of change and we are excited to see what He has in store for us next.

Even the small things...

As most of you know I will be traveling to the Philippines with our friends, Joe and Jennifer, to help them with kids and anything else as they move to Davao for Jennifer to go to midwifery school. I was able to easily purchase my China Airlines ticket online and at a discount compared to purchasing from a travel agent, but I was having trouble getting my Philippine Air ticket online for the connecting flight to Davao. So finally last week I was able to purchase a ticket by phone and PAL emailed my itinerary to me. PAL had two different flights leaving at the same time, and I ended up on the one opposite Joe and Jenn. No big deal, I figured we would end up in Davao at the same time or I could possibly change the ticket when I checked in, but I decided to give PAL a call just to see if I could possibly change the ticket so I wouldn't have to mess with it in Manila.

I really wasn't worried about it, but I just had to laugh when I called PAL...they had already changed my ticket to the correct flight because they said I needed to be on the other flight!! It was as though God was saying, "I have it all taken care of before you even knew it!" I am continually amazed at God's loving care and guidance in our lives. Sometimes it just takes looking for those things that seem insignificant, but realizing that our Heavenly Father cares about every detail of our lives.

Dress-up time...

Okay, so maybe we have a goofy family, but why is it that the boys like to dress up in tutus and the girls dress like cowboys?!? Tyler and Adams are trying their best to be cute little ballerina's...not sure if they would be too graceful, but it got lots of laughs!




Alyssum is trying so hard to be the tough cowboy, but she just can't look mean even when she tries!! She always has a smile on her face!

Happy Easter!

Today was a full day of Easter celebrations and traditions. Well, I guess it actually started with yesterday and coloring Easter eggs...how about 6 dozen eggs!? When you've got 12 kids coloring eggs you gotta do a few dozen...that's okay we shouldn't have any problem eating them all! Then this morning the men of the church cooked and served breakfast for everyone, so Steve and Joe left early to cook eggs and pancakes. Jenn and I got kids ready for church and were there for breakfast before 9am! We all ate a yummy breakfast!! It is always so much fun to see everyone dressed up for Easter...but for some reason spring dresses and sandals just don't go with snow and mud! Oh well, we just know that spring is coming soon!

Church was full this morning and there was an awesome celebration worship service followed by a powerful message. After church we went to Opa and Oma's house for lunch and birthday celebrations for Alyssum and Opa. As we were walking up the pathway to leave Alyssum reminded us what spring in Alaska looks like...she sank up over her ankles in a sinkhole that had not been there previously!! Needless to say her her white tights and sandals weren't white anymore!!

We had a great day of celebrating our Risen Savior!!

Happy Birthday Alyssum

...she is 5!! Can't believe my baby girl is 5 already...seems like it wasn't that long ago that we brought home our cute little Korean baby!! She's still our cute little Korean, maybe not so little anymore and certainly not a baby anymore...she's going to be in Kindergarten next year. Alyssum requested that she get to go out to lunch with her daddy for her birthday, and she informed me that I was not going, it was only going to be daddy and her!! So on Monday he took her to the Chinese restaurant for lunch, but since it is owned by Koreans there is also some Korean food as well. When she came home she told me that she got to eat the food that she liked so much as a baby...seaweed and rice and kimchi. She is getting to the age now where she wants to hear all about her country. I don't think she completely understands it all, but she enjoys talking about it.

Happy Birthday to our dear sweet Alyssum!

A Tribute...

...to my Grandma...Edith Fay Engebretsen. My grandma went to her forever home with Jesus on Friday March 30.

WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE
There is coming a day when no heartache shall come-No more clouds in the sky, no more tears to dim the eye. All is peace forever more on that happy golden shore. What a day, glorious day that will be!

What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see, And I look upon His face-the One who saved me by His grace. When He takes me by the hand and leads me thro' the promised land, What a day, glorious day that will be!

There'll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bears, No more sickness, no pain, no more parting over there. And forever I will be with the One who died for me. What a day, glorious day that will be!

My grandma has entered that place, no more pain or sickness and she is forever with her Savior whom she loved dearly! I will miss my grandma, but what a day that must have been to see her Savior face to face! I long for that day when I too will enter His presence.

I have so many memories of the time spent with my grandma and grandpa. One memory in particular is when I was six years old and we were living in our mobile home over on their homestead property while grandma and grandpa lived across the bridge in the homestead house. I was in kindergarten at Chapman Elementary school in Anchor Point and usually rode the bus home. I don't remember there ever being another time when my mom was not home when I arrived on the bus, except for once. I came home to a quiet house, but knew I could call my grandma on the CB radio to let her know I was there. I had never used the CB radio before, but had watched my parents use it lots of times. I think I was probably rather frantic and crying as I attempted to let my grandma know I was home alone, but in my frantic state I didn't think about turning up the volume so that I could hear my grandma's response! She quickly got in her car and came over to get me, but by that time she had met up with my mom on the bridge who was also on her way home! I was never so happy to see my mom and grandma as I was then. I don't think I was alone for more than about 10 minutes, but if felt like an eternity to a six year old little girl! My grandma and I have laughed at this memory so many times over the years!

I have fond memories of going to grandma's house in the afternoon and eating cookies for a snack...I guess that's how I got the nickname Cookie Monster. Thankfully the name didn't stick as I grew older! I remember enjoying the rides in grandma's car with the buttons to make the windows go up and down and to lock the doors!! What excitement for a young girl! Grandpa and grandma often took us out to lunch after church at Anchor River Inn, my mom and dad will probably say it wasn't very often, but to a child's mind it was often and very special!

As I grew older and became more involved with Youth Group and school activities I didn't get to spend as much time with grandma, but the summer of 1993 before I got married I got an opportunity to spend some quality time with my grandma. That summer she had her first stroke while driving and her truck landed in the Anchor River. Thankfully she wasn't hurt, but she really needed someone to stay with her while grandpa was out fishing. So I moved in with grandma and spent part of the summer with her.

My grandma's love for Jesus and the delight she took in serving Him is a such a rich heritage from the Lord!