MONDAY - 7 AUGUST - DAY FIVE
I'm not sure why this feels like such a LONG day - but it does.
The day began early with Stacia and I up here in the business center. {g} Then we headed for the guest laundry room and the breakfast bar.
I had a great talk with the parents of Nick, a MC student. They had riden a train out from Iowa and said it was cheaper than driving. Jamin thinks we need to check into this for the girls - but Mike is fairly set with the plan for the girls to drive home and then back at this point.
We had planned to swim all day. The children decided this would be better than touring the museum. Everyone wanted a DOWN day! However...the pool is STILL not fixed. Now at 9:30 p.m. I see they have begun to fill it again. We did spend some time in the spa. We were given PERMISSION to do this but still a grumpy old man complained to the manager about us being in the spa. PEOPLE!
We went to a park and played. At one point Stacia was in a kiddy swing, Jared and Jamin were pushing her from front and back and Josiah was standing to the side. Mike and I laughed at the way Stacia was smiling at them and keeping their full attention on HER....and then a little boy from the playground came over and tried to push her....and Jamin told her "I've got this". We joked about big brothers chasing the boys off and she is only 1. She'll be one on the day we get back to TX if all goes according to plan.
We talked with both my parents today. Dad is still in rehab and a bit discouraged with how much time it is taking him to recover. He's in a wheelchair and not allowed to put more than 30 lbs of weight on his leg...they are saying this will be for months this time. Please continue to pray for him - I think for quick healing from this surgery but also for a zeal and zest in his spirit.
We picked Krista up after lunch. She said goodbye to her host parents. We went to Barnes and Noble. Jamin had gift cards and we don't have a B/N in town. He picked up a Tolkein series....something about middle earth... I think. I picked up a CD radio show series - mysteries....we are armed for the trip.
We had dinner at Bre's host home. Both girls were blessed with wonderful folks to spend the year with. It was very hard for Bre to say goodbye. We enjoyed sitting around and talking about the year and such. Dan even asked Josiah enough questions for us to hear some of the new directions HE is considering for next year. Hmmm....never know how deep those still waters are running. LOL
Stacia fell asleep on the way home. Since the girls were both out until 4 a.m. last night....and since they are so tired....we've decided not to leave until 6 a.m. tomorrow. We don't have a terribly long drive....that should give us time to stop for breakfast somewhere and to stop at Wheat Montana.
Time for bed....
Monday, August 07, 2006
SUNDAY - AUGUST 6TH - DAY FOUR CONT.
We have been enjoying meeting the girls' friends. To continue with Sunday....
The graduation was moving. Frankly, it gives one great hope for this generation. It began with the MC worship team. Bre sang in that as well. The worship was authentic. Loud - but real. :::snort::: Certainly not louder than our student band at the contemporary service on base. I'm getting such an excitement about this generation - interacting with the students on base and now these MC students. Bre also was one of the "up front" spots in a human video they did.
MC is all about challenging students to go beyond their comfort levels. Krista, due to her dyslexia and speech problems, has always shied away from the spotlight. We were surprised to hear that she'd been told on Saturday that they wanted her to give her testimony about what God had done in her life this year. She was near the end of the program. It was awesome to be able to witness the change in her demeanor. She was poised - her voice was strong and sure....clearly enunciated and no stuttering at all. She got up to speak and kids began yelling, "Krista" and "Go Krista". She read from a "Dear God" letter she had written and from her journal. By this point in the service (which lasted two hours) I was in the back with Stacia. The other young Mom back there with me said, "Wow - she's very authentic and transparent isn't she? She's laying it all out there". She shared how she was lacking joy and drained when she began MC....and how she was having a hard time trusting God for various things due to some incidents the last few years. One of them had to do with family. She shared how impossible it seemed to trust God with us and that she was sure that He was going to allow one of us to die. "Afterall You've allowed loved babies in our family to die". By this time I was tearing up - as were several others. She stopped to control her emotions and several of the students began to shout encouragment to her. It was MOVING to see the support and love they have developed for each other. They certainly weren't a team 10 months ago. LOL She went on that now she has learned that she can trust a loving God with her family and the lives of her family. This is huge for Krista and will be put to the test as Mike deploys in a few weeks. When she was done the place was filled with clapping and THEN Josiah stood up.....and all the other children and Mike stood up. I can't even explain how amazing it was to watch the boys give their sister a Standing Ovation - and it moved quite a few others as well.
Now to brag a bit: Out of the 16 students; 4 graduated with "diplomas of excellence". Bre and Krista both earned one. Krista WOULD have graduated as the valedictorian but she told us she bombed the WRITTEN Scripture test....over 300 verses. She mixed some words up (quite common with dyslexia) and wrote things like "all" instead of "every". They grade hard. {g} Her other grades were so good that she was still able to earn the diploma of excellence and Bre graduated with the top honors.
The girls went out to Lance's home for a final time together. There are only 5 of the students coming back for Second year. We'll meet them tomorrow afternoon. Mike suggested they spend the night at the hotel with us tomorrow so that we can get our 4:30 a.m. start out of here. Poor Bre. She seemed to stagger when hearing this - the poor girl earned THIRTEEN Barbara clubs this year. Simply put this means she's LATE to classes. She stays up until 2 a.m. - always has - and then is dragging in the a.m. If you are late you earn a "Barbara club" and you get to come in early and clean with Barbara, the church janitor. She was tops in earned Barbara clubs as well.
As we were walking back to the hotel, all sorts of cars/trucks with flashing lights and sirens went past. Zander was on Mike's back. His eyes got huge and he said, "Oopsey, We're in VERY BIG TROUBLE, now!" :::snort::::
Back at the hotel we discovered that the pool was being drained. It seems that one of the lights had broken and glass was everywhere. They hoped to have it fixed by midnight. We were glad we were nowhere near the hotel when this happened.
Not sure what we are doing Monday.....
We have been enjoying meeting the girls' friends. To continue with Sunday....
The graduation was moving. Frankly, it gives one great hope for this generation. It began with the MC worship team. Bre sang in that as well. The worship was authentic. Loud - but real. :::snort::: Certainly not louder than our student band at the contemporary service on base. I'm getting such an excitement about this generation - interacting with the students on base and now these MC students. Bre also was one of the "up front" spots in a human video they did.
MC is all about challenging students to go beyond their comfort levels. Krista, due to her dyslexia and speech problems, has always shied away from the spotlight. We were surprised to hear that she'd been told on Saturday that they wanted her to give her testimony about what God had done in her life this year. She was near the end of the program. It was awesome to be able to witness the change in her demeanor. She was poised - her voice was strong and sure....clearly enunciated and no stuttering at all. She got up to speak and kids began yelling, "Krista" and "Go Krista". She read from a "Dear God" letter she had written and from her journal. By this point in the service (which lasted two hours) I was in the back with Stacia. The other young Mom back there with me said, "Wow - she's very authentic and transparent isn't she? She's laying it all out there". She shared how she was lacking joy and drained when she began MC....and how she was having a hard time trusting God for various things due to some incidents the last few years. One of them had to do with family. She shared how impossible it seemed to trust God with us and that she was sure that He was going to allow one of us to die. "Afterall You've allowed loved babies in our family to die". By this time I was tearing up - as were several others. She stopped to control her emotions and several of the students began to shout encouragment to her. It was MOVING to see the support and love they have developed for each other. They certainly weren't a team 10 months ago. LOL She went on that now she has learned that she can trust a loving God with her family and the lives of her family. This is huge for Krista and will be put to the test as Mike deploys in a few weeks. When she was done the place was filled with clapping and THEN Josiah stood up.....and all the other children and Mike stood up. I can't even explain how amazing it was to watch the boys give their sister a Standing Ovation - and it moved quite a few others as well.
Now to brag a bit: Out of the 16 students; 4 graduated with "diplomas of excellence". Bre and Krista both earned one. Krista WOULD have graduated as the valedictorian but she told us she bombed the WRITTEN Scripture test....over 300 verses. She mixed some words up (quite common with dyslexia) and wrote things like "all" instead of "every". They grade hard. {g} Her other grades were so good that she was still able to earn the diploma of excellence and Bre graduated with the top honors.
The girls went out to Lance's home for a final time together. There are only 5 of the students coming back for Second year. We'll meet them tomorrow afternoon. Mike suggested they spend the night at the hotel with us tomorrow so that we can get our 4:30 a.m. start out of here. Poor Bre. She seemed to stagger when hearing this - the poor girl earned THIRTEEN Barbara clubs this year. Simply put this means she's LATE to classes. She stays up until 2 a.m. - always has - and then is dragging in the a.m. If you are late you earn a "Barbara club" and you get to come in early and clean with Barbara, the church janitor. She was tops in earned Barbara clubs as well.
As we were walking back to the hotel, all sorts of cars/trucks with flashing lights and sirens went past. Zander was on Mike's back. His eyes got huge and he said, "Oopsey, We're in VERY BIG TROUBLE, now!" :::snort::::
Back at the hotel we discovered that the pool was being drained. It seems that one of the lights had broken and glass was everywhere. They hoped to have it fixed by midnight. We were glad we were nowhere near the hotel when this happened.
Not sure what we are doing Monday.....
SUNDAY - AUGUST 6th - DAY FOUR
The day began with us attending First Church of the Open Bible in Spokane, WA. This is the church that hosts the Master's Commission program that the girls have been attending. A highlight for us was watching Bre sing with the worship team in the service.
After church we headed over to the home of The Browns - Krista's host parents. They had invited us, Bre's host family and the family of the other girls who had been living with them. It was a fun time of meeting those who have spoke so powerfully into our children's lives.
Graduation was long - but very COOL.
STacia is fussing - I'll have to finish this later.
The day began with us attending First Church of the Open Bible in Spokane, WA. This is the church that hosts the Master's Commission program that the girls have been attending. A highlight for us was watching Bre sing with the worship team in the service.
After church we headed over to the home of The Browns - Krista's host parents. They had invited us, Bre's host family and the family of the other girls who had been living with them. It was a fun time of meeting those who have spoke so powerfully into our children's lives.
Graduation was long - but very COOL.
STacia is fussing - I'll have to finish this later.
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