Love at First Sight

Paul's parents were so sweet and flew all the way to Jordan in order to assist us with moving home. Well, I really think they came to meet our little Jordan Kate, but we definitely were thankful they came, whatever the reason may have been :) Micah couldn't have been more excited to see his Granddaddy and Lottie, and had so much to tell them. They came about a week before we flew back to the States, and what a fun week it was! We love you Lottie and Granddaddy!!

Here are a few pictures from early on in their visit...

I do believe it was "love at first sight"...

Birthdays and Pedicures

I was blessed to get to celebrate two of my friend's birthdays the week before we moved. It was so great to spend some quality time girl time with these special friends. They encourage me in my walk with the Lord, love me for who I am, and inspire me to be more like Jesus. I'm so thankful God allowed our paths to cross while living overseas.

Jordan even got to sit and experience her first pedicure-well, in Yancee's arms :)

Off to lunch...

Last Bits of Touring

While our friends were in town, we decided to do some last minute touring before moving back. Even though we had seen all of these sites before, it is always fun to go back again as you appreciate things differently the second time around. And who knows when and if we will ever get to return!?! It was a little more difficult having two little ones tag along-especially in the extreme HEAT near the Dead Sea. However, they did great and it was a fun to tour around with friends.

Jesus' Baptismal site-(We actually didn't go in to see this site. We drove our friends there and just waited outside in the parking lot while they toured. )

The Citadel.

Out to dinner.

Taking a float in the Dead Sea.

Cookie-Cookie

I love having a little helper to make cookies with :) Wouldn't have it any other way...

The PAPPAS

We were blessed to have our good friends, the Pappalardo's, come to visit us for a week. We had a lot of fun catching up and taking them around Jordan. It was a much needed visit for all of us, and we really appreciate their wisdom and friendship!

Jenn and Chris

A HUGE calzone.

Pizza for Paul, of course :)

While we were eating our ice cream, some Arab men pulled up in their car while playing music. Micah started dancing to it, and the men loved it, so for the next half an hour they just sat there and played different songs while Micah entertained us all.

Jordan did what she does best...snooze away!

Our Next Steps

We move back to the States in two weeks. Ahhh...so many emotions are running through our heads these days. It is bittersweet leaving, but I think we both are ready. We wouldn't trade these past two years for anything as they have strengthened our faith, marriage/family, and taught me so much about myself. Before I moved overseas, I would say I was very independent. But now, as a woman living in this land, I have felt a certain dependence on Paul like never before. Our friendship and marriage has been strengthened beyond measure and I am so thankful for the time we have had together during this stage of our life.

I have been humbled over and over again, and have been stretched completely out of my comfort zone on numerous occasions. I have been homesick, scared, fearful, and discouraged. But I've also been thankful, encouraged, and joyful. I have learned to love God's people all over the world, even when I don't want to. I'm thankful that I now know how to pray for them better. We have had our ups and downs, joys and trials. Work has been slow at times and we've had to sit and wait on the Lord. We never would have guessed that we would have lived in two different continents during our two years overseas, but God had much different plans for us. Oh the journey it has been...and to think we are about to leave it all behind.

Once we move back to the States, I know it will be easy to get in the swing of things, busyness of life, and eventually many of memories will fade away. There are certain people and memories that I know will last forever. I hope that we will continue to be fervent in our prayers for these people.

We are excited to announce that Paul just officially accepted a job in Birmingham, ALABAMA! Of course, I would have loved to live near family, but I truly feel like the Lord placed this job on Paul's heart and it will be a perfect fit for him. I am excited to see Paul serve in a different type of role and to see the Lord use him for His glory. And I must say that Alabama is much closer than Kenya and Jordan :) I have always loved Birmingham, as it reminds me a lot of my hometown, Louisville, KY. The people are friendly and it seems like it will be a great place to raise a family. Plus, there is some great shopping there (priorities, right!?! haha).

The movie "Sweet Home Alabama" came on TV the other night and Paul and I just looked at each other and smiled. We think it will take some time to get used to the thick Southern accents but we are definitely looking forward to some Southern hospitality!

We leave Jordan July 28th and will be with family and friends for about a month and a half before making our big move in mid-Sept. Please be praying for our final days here as well as our transition back to the States. SWEET HOME ALABAMA here we come :)

D.O.C.T.O.R.

We have been trying to get our final doctor visits in before moving back to the States. JK had her 2 month checkup this past week with Dr. Angie and is looking good. She weighed 10.5 lbs (50th percentile) and was 23 inches long. With the 2 month checkup came lovely shots-not fun, but Jordan was a trooper. She continues to be such a happy, easy, and healthy baby-for which we are so grateful. We have been blessed to have wonderful medical care here in Jordan and are praising the Lord that we all remained relatively healthy over these past two years (only 2 1/2 weeks to go!). God is good :)

Dr. Angie and Jordan