The Making of M.O.M.

Happy New Year!

2010 was an amazing year for our family. I love looking back and seeing the highs and lows that were the journey of the last 365.

Just as we ended the year with a stomach virus, we also started 2010 with one as well. Nice to know.

I ate my words (and sort of kept them all at the same time) saying (in my pre-motherhood life) that I'd never drive a mini-van.

In span of 30 days....

My Grandmother had, survived and recovered completely from major open heart surgery...

We withstood the chaos of me being 8.5 months pregnant with my husband several states away all while prepping our house to sell...

And we OFFICIALLY adopted our daughter Olivia!

And all of that happened a mere month before my due date with our youngest, and 6th, child. Keep in mind, too, that at that point in our lives, all of our kids were ages 5 and younger. Whew!

God certainly proved Himself faithful in that season of our lives. Even while I lamented no activity with my cervix, God was busy moving in other areas. A few weeks later, we moved into our new (rental) house and our friends Overwhelmed me with an outpouring of their love and support.

While waiting on Baby #6 to arrive, we began to reveal to you all just how God had been working in our lives in the way of missions. From the Darkness of a uncertain season with God and from the Inital Cry of my heart, God began confirming in both Luke and I our calling to missions.

Finally, FINALLY at 42 weeks and 1 day Little Miss Ella Joy made her world debut.

God continued Calling Just Like Before as we began to feel, even stronger, our calling to missions. Even with questions, and doubts, AND FEARS.

We landed The Mothership and I still love it.

I admitted, and you all agreed, that Being A Mom Is Tough.

Lucas and Ashlee turned FOUR.

And a week later, Aaron turned TWO.

A month or so later, my shins went on strike after I ran my first (and so far only) 5k.

Then, my first baby, Elizabeth, turned SIX.

I realized my need for wax earplugs.

My friend GK sat her drink dangerously close to Ella AND our laptop and I, in turn, wrote The Hardest Post I've Ever Written.

After 4 years of staying land locked, we found out that Life's a Beach.

God showed me, again, why I don't believe in Coincidences. Only Providence.

Our sweet, dramatic and joyful Olivia turned TWO.

I was reminded that even during chaos, the Lord Binds Me Up and Gives Me Strength.

Aaron gave me his first scare with thinking he needed stitches...thanks to Lucas' help.

I tried my hand at being a Photographer and had the Judd's in my head for the entire next week.

We attended Africa Inland Mission's Candidate Week in New York, and were appointed as Members! (Official Missionaries!)

On our way there, we stopped and visited Washington D.C. and realized that Getting There Was Half the Battle.

We published our First Official Ministry Newsletter as AIM Missionaries and continue to wrestle and pray over a location.

We realized that Crazy Has Company and I officially gave up on Potty Training anyone else ever. Or at least for the next week.

Luke and I celebrated 8 years of marriage and we continue to marvel at how much the Lord chooses to bless us.

Wow. What a year. 2011 has some big, BIG shoes to fill.

Bring it on 2011. BRING.IT.ON.

I still have so much I want to blog about regarding the last week or so. I was suppose to be in Arkansas today, attending my great-uncle's funeral. I was scheduled to leave, with Ella, yesterday morning at 9am. Then Wednesday night, I got struck with the worst stomach virus I've ever had. I've not been that sick in years. (And I've had my fair share of stomach viruses.) It was gross.

I called the airline yesterday morning at 8am, told them about my illness, and, by the grace of God, they fully refunded my ticket. I was shocked. I just knew they'd make a big deal about it and keep at least half of my ticket price. Nope. Not one dime. 100% refunded. And it was a non-refundable, non-insured ticket. Thank you Lord!

Today Ella is running a fever. I continued nursing her through yesterday morning's bought with sickness, hoping the antibodies I was building would transfer to her. So far she's only got fever and no symptoms of a digestive virus. Everyone else seems to be fine as well, occasionally complaining of not feeling well.

Anyway, I STILL want to blog about

....Ella turning 9 months old (Which would require me going downstairs and getting the memory card out of the camera. And that's not happening right now.)

...It snowed here. On Christmas. Like a HUGE snow. So we had a White Christmas. And I took no pictures. Mom of the year. Award me. Now.

....Christmas (which, who wants to read a Christmas post more than a day or two after Christmas? So this one I'll probably just let go of. Or back date it so that I can have it on here for myself. Oh well...)

....A really good Das Not Funny! Friday. Seriously, they've said some hilarious things lately. Okay, only one good one that I can remember in my weakened, chicken broth sustained state. We were riding home, through the ice and snow, from eating Mexican food on Sunday night (because that's what every family wants the day after Christmas, right?) and we were listening to Two Weeks In Africa by Caedmon's Call. The first two lines go something like this...

"Johannesburg to Capetown,
the plane had barely touched down."

And Ashlee exclaimed from the back of the van, as only Ashlee can, "CAKE TOWN!! I LOVE CAKE!'

....Where we are with making a decision with our Ministry with Africa Inland Mission (you can read more about our journey up to this point by clicking HERE). We've finally narrowed it to two solid options. (And as you'll see, clearly this is what I continue this post about. Glad y'all helped me sort through my thoughts. Thanks.)

I think.

Since our time at Candidate Week we've had anywhere from 5-15 options available to us at any given time. As we'd mark some off the list, more would be presented for us to consider. We've known immediately, with some, that they were not good fits for us. (Me + Islands = NOTSOGOOD. I have a strong fear of the Ocean okay. I know it's unrealistic. You don't need to make fun of me. Living in a place surrounded by Ocean would give me daily panic attacks.)

Most of our options are....wait for it...wait for it.... CHURCH PLANTING.

I know. We are still shocked by these assignments since that's not where we ever imagined ourselves being. At the onset of this calling to Africa we really thought we'd be working with orphans. And maybe we still might be. But, primarily, my role will be in our home, still schooling our children and discipling whatever women the Lord leads into our home in the form of house help (And can I just tell you how incredibly excited I am about that? More on that in another post). Luke will be the one out "working." Though, I'm sure, our family will be involved in whatever ministry he works with.

At Candidate Week we decided that Luke working with Children wasn't a good fit. You see, my man is AWESOME with kids, but they suck the life out of him like a deer tick sucks blood. If he spent all day with young kids then came home to our young kids he'd be DONE and have nothing left.

So we then set our minds on Youth Ministry of some sort. I mean, afterall, we LOVE teenagers. However, most of those positions were for teaching in a Secondary school. Again, not assignments that would be a fit for Luke. Finally, after much prompting from his loving wife, we went into the Candidate Director's office and Luke described for him what he envisions us doing in Africa.

After Luke's explanation the Candidate Director said, "Well, that's basic Church Planting."

We were shocked. Us? Church planters? Umm..okay. But the more we dwell on it the more we realize it might be perfect. We love people. We love discipling people. We love meeting in small groups and living our lives along side other families. We love sharing joys and struggles and life and building relationships.

We are looking at one more option that is not really church planting but the ministry is very appealing to us, as are aspects of the location.

And that's where we are. Basically, I've turned the decision over to Luke. I am praying for him as he weighs the pros and cons of each area and prayerfully considers each ministry. This isn't easy for me since I want to yell at him, "JUST PICK A PLACE ALREADY!!"

But my very analytical husband is meticulously and methodically measuring out each assignment, location and how he could be best used. It's one thing I love and loathe about him. But I feel confident that from this point forward it's his choice as to where our family will be. He asks my opinion every few nights and I resist the urge to spew forth all my thoughts and simply answer his specific question.

Hopefully, we will know soon. And as soon as we know, you'll know.

If you've made it this far in the post, thanks for letting me think on paper. And thanks for praying for us as you feel led.

Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR! I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store for us. Nor for all of you, who are radically following the calling that Christ has placed on your lives, too. Isn't it fun? And I mean the kind of fun that makes your scream at the top of your lungs for the whole ride, then when you pull safely in the station you think, "Man. That was awesome. Let's do that again."

I'd not have it any other way.