Steve and Jenny Valentine

This is a long post. But many of you have asked about the story of Milo's arrival. So I wanted to take time to write it out, details and all. But  for those who don't want to read the entire story with all the details, feel free to scroll through and just look at the pictures! A lot of you were shocked to hear of his arrival...so were we! (After all, we were still 25 days out from his due date when he made his appearance). I had just gone to my 36 week checkup two days prior, all was healthy and well with baby and with me and there were no signs of early labor. At that appointment, the doctor said that I was 1 cm dilated, but honesty I knew I could be at that for several weeks before seeing any progress to labor. I had a long list of nesting projects I had been slowly working on and was hoping to finish before Milo’s arrival.  Thursday morning rolled around, I realized I was beginning to show signs of possible labor nearing, but still wasn’t too alarmed just yet, after all...

August 9th was a hot day in Florida (what day wasn't this past Summer/Fall?) and also happens to be the day of one of my closest friend's birthday (I'm so sorry we left on your birthday!) I remember that day like it was yesterday. We spent the morning at church, saying goodbye to friends and what we considered our family. We went home to put kids down for naps and finalize our packing for the trip overseas. I was even still selling items and having people pick them up at our home that afternoon before we headed off to the airport! Our friends arrived late afternoon and pick us (and all our belongings) up...two vans and a car loaded with people and items...we were off. That was an odd car ride to the airport (many mixed emotions swirling through my mind) and I wish I had had been able to be in all the other vehicles to chat with our sweet friends each one last time face to face. We got to airport, unloaded everything and plopped it all on the outside sidewalk in carts, hugge...

Welcome to the chaos of our life in transition! As I sit in a quiet small apartment right now, a few things are going through my mind: 1. I'm thankful for a "permanent" place to stay after a few long months of travel with three small children. Lord Willing, the next move we make will be to Poland! 2. When am I going to finish unpacking all the mess? I mean, you saw the picture above right?! (Sigh) 3. Thank you Lord for a few quiet moments while children nap! 4. A song. None But Jesus to be more specific. If you're not familiar with this song, here are the lyrics (really, I recommend that you Google it and listen): In the quiet, in the stillness I know that you are God In the secret of your presence I know there I am restored When you call I won't refuse Each new day, again I'll choose There is no one else for me None but Jesus Crucified to set me free Now I live to bring Him praise In the chaos, in confusion I know you're sovereign...

I have had the thought, "this {raising support} would be easier if we didn't have three small littles underfoot"...but then I hear Karis from the other room singing, " Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, oh for grace to trust Him more ".  What a great reminder, yes 'tis so Sweet to trust in Jesus! Her sweet little voice just singing away, all Glory to God, and my heart once again is reminded to be thankful. To trust Jesus in this entire process of raising support. To lean on the only One who is capable to sustain us, provide for us and give us the grace to {continue} to trust Him more. If I didn't have Karis, Isaac and Olivia around, I might possibly miss out on some pretty good lessons the Lord is teaching me. We read them devotional stories from a great children's book, Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing and just recently I read them the story about the mustard seed (as mentioned in the Bible in Luke 17). The words in the devotional pierced my heart.....

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend a missions conference at a church in the North East. I was invited to come as a representative of the organization that I work for and to meet with people who were interested in serving cross-culturally. I was excited to attend the event as I find great joy in seeing God raise up his people to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth. As I arrived at the church on the first evening of the event I was handed a schedule that highlighted the weekend’s events.  On the docket for the weekend were times of prayer and fellowship, a short film, and guest speakers who would address the topic of sharing your faith in a Middle Eastern context. There was one item in particular that stood out as I combed through the schedule, a time in which the men would visit with a prominent religious leader of from another religious background. I was excited for this opportunity and had no idea what to expect. The following day, when it came time fo...

Steve left for a work trip last week and returned Monday afternoon. This is the first trip he's gone on since Olivia's birth were I've had to manage things here by myself. (His first two post Olivia business trips, I had family in town to help with the kiddos). I was a little hesitant about him leaving, but I knew we would be fine. I'm pretty used to him traveling by this point with his job and although it's never been "easy" it has become "easier" over time. The number one question or statement I hear when Steve travels is, "How do you do it?" Or "I don't know how you do it!" And I get it, I understand why people say this...it seems hard, lonely and frustrating. Yes. Yes. And Yes! But I learned early on in his travels that it doesn't help to focus on the difficulty, to have a negative outlook or bad attitude because it greatly affects how I parent and handle things while he is away.  So I choose to avoid...

What's that smell? Oh yea, it's the spit up on my shirt...the shirt that I was planning on changing but got sidetracked in doing so because my son came running around the corner at lightening speed yelling out "POO AGAIN!" And while standing, cooking dinner tonight, baby asleep on me in the carrier, I begin to wonder what's that awful smell!  Does the meal I'm preparing smell that bad?!  Oh wait, it's my nasty shirt, which is impossible now to change and kinda pointless because my day is closer to the end (meaning bedtime for the kiddos) than it was when said spit up actually occurred. And honestly I can't even remember if I brushed my teeth this morning because every time it crossed my mind, my breath tasted of coffee!  Sooo, did I brush my teeth and drink more coffee or did I forget to brush them and this was my "first cup of coffee" breath smell going on? But my breath smells like coffee, it could be worse right?! ------------------...