Lord! You've Given more than I knew you would!

having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.” 1 Peter 1:23

My sweet sweet family-friends, I love you all so very much! Thank you for thinking of me and for sending all the loving Birthday greetings!

Now about that latest adventure: Bethany drove us through the desert on Friday, all the way to the sea! We spent the afternoon with Anja and some of her fam, walking around this little German town in Africa. So cute! We stopped in at a cozy little shop and enjoyed hot cocoas with whipped cream to warm us from the wet breeze of the Atlantic. Then, just before going to Walvis Bay for sushi and calamari steak, we caught sight of the sunset on the sea! Amazing right? And that was not even my Birthday yet! But you know....I consider it to have been my Birthday weekend. Because who wants a Birthday to just last a day?!

Now, Let me just tell you how good a King I live for! Let me just tell you how over the top the gifts of the Father of Lights really are! He is the loving Husband who woke me on Saturday morning to tell me he was soo excited for this new day with me! He is the Lover of my soul who warmed my heart while I lay in the little bed of my tiny little (and oh so frigidly cold) bungalow by the sea.

First, I opened my one treasured gift from my dear friend Lauren. LAUREN! I enjoyed a hot rooibos in the glass tea holder from China-you are my thoughtful friend whom I love immensely. Thank you! Second, Bethany and I found a little bakery to shut out the chill of the misty morning before heading to breakfast in a little oasis in the desert. Anja had another baby shower there and we enjoyed green grass and palm trees surrounding the dessert.

After we finished, Anja’s sis-in-law, Esther, took Bethany and I on a private airplane ride to Cape Cross! We ate lunch, drank coffees and appletizers, and walked along the beach collecting seashells. The view from the plane was astounding!- Never ending sea to one side and never ending sand dunes to the other. It was so easy from way up there to imagine the God who formed me...to believe that He had thought of me before all of the earth to shape. I looked down to see where the waves met the earth, and houses were not so far inland. And I recognized the power of God who says to the waves, “this far. You may come this far, and no further.” In the silence of His majesty He speaks to me in His way...

We got back to Swakopmund by evening and picked up a tasty tasty pizza and went to Anja’s families holiday flat and watched old Audrey Hepburn movies. Just then I had that small hidden ache of homesickness, missing all of you! But I was cheered up when Anja’s young sister in law brought me her teddy bear and a piece of chocolate for the Birthday girl. And Anja’s mom made homemade chocolate sauce that we ate poured over vanilla ice cream (that tasted like marshmallows). It was so nice being together in that little room and feeling a bit of normalcy as I know it. You know?

Sunday was brilliant as well. We visited a little church full of life and love. Did a little bit of shopping and then found the mighty sand dunes. Boy was it sandy! Really, the wind was blowing that sand everywhere! But it was sure fun to run up and down those things! Where else does desert meet ocean? When we went back to the flat we had a really sweet time of prayer for our next month and for the kids and house parents. So that was our trip as told from the shell of a nut by the sea.

It feels like coming home to come back to the Haven. The kids are all back, except for two(please pray for their safe arrival.) Two ladies in their late 60’s arrived from Germany today. They are so full of life and really great from what I can tell so far. I think they are just what I hoped for. Already so full of wisdom. Rosie said to me: So you’re 25 and no husband. When you get back you need to find a good working man. Not just a good looking man, but a working one. Looks fade, but the mind and heart will be lasting. The vase can be so lovely, but inside all cracked and grimy.....and then she says, I guess I did learn something from my mom!” But really, I think they are going to be great for the kids. They are here until mid-November!

Wow, this is the longest update I’ve given yet. Starting tomorrow I will be busy as ever with all the catching up to do after a weekend away and all the kids back now!

P.S. I cannot believe one thing: my own two sisters do not know when I get back to KC! Welp girlies, I am back on October 10^th. So, I hope you are both there when I get there, that would make me verrrry happy indeed!