I CAN'T BELIEVE I FORGOT

I can not believe I forgot to tell you that I got accepted to go on Operation Barnabas this summer!

If you want to know more or get emails to know what is going on and how to pray just let me know your email!

Mars

my life.

here are a few pictures updating you on my life since my trip. sorry these are out of order from when they happened!

1) after a long summer apart, the best friends reunite at Momentum. We spent a week worshiping God at Robert Morris Univ.

2) Bekah and I took her little brother and some of his friends t.ping for the first time... not bad if I do say so myself :)

3) At momentum we did a service project... we didn't know why we were there until we saw this sign. Thank you Matt for showing the excitement!

4) For Christmas we went on a cruise. It was amazing. We got to touch dolphins and so much more!

5) the kurtaneck's got a mac for Christmas and we spend a lot of time taking pictures on it :)
this one is in McDanold's after studing for math.

6) winter retreat '10. this is my "small" group and I love them!

7) Our boy's high school basketball team is heading to STATE this weekend! These are my basketball buddies :)

8) my cousin sent me flat stanley! Nick, Kat-rina and Bekah at lunch!

9) This past weekend was the annual dinner theater! this year's theme was "Hee Haw" and it was the best one yet... and yes, I still am babysitting for this crazy couple!

10) I was on the varsity soccer team for my school this year. This is the two teams after our homecoming parade!

11) Bekah, Haley and I spent a day in Winona Lake and took pictures... well, Bekah took pictures and Haley and I modeled.

12) Haley had a birthday party and we all dressed up and walked around Wal-mart. We then went to church to say hi to people during the church camp out.

13) Mink (a foreign exchange student from Thailand), Haley, Bekah and I spent a day in Ft. Wayne shopping. It was fun giving Mink the American shopping experience. (my hair is still done from our cruise).

14) Leah, Haley, Bekah and I before heading in to one of the football games... Theme: cowboys & indians.

that's it for now!

Independence Day

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
as I write this I can hear the neighbors fireworks go over. These past few days in Michigan with the famiy has showed me how much I have. My family is tight. We don't always get along. We don't always see eye to eye. But in the end we stick together. The kids in Asia have none of this. They have no family, at least biological. They do have a family in Christ. I am sooo happy I could share that with them. As we left phenom penh I struggled with maybe never seeing these kids again. But by the time we left Thailand God showed me that its ok. Its not GOODBYE. Its just SEE YA LATER. that was so great to tell them.
as we remember our freedom today keep in mind Asia's Hope. They love the prayer. They pray for you everyday.

back home

Well I made it back home safely today. thank you for all the prayer. I landed in Columbus after a long trip. I already miss the kids, the team, pretty much everything except the heat :) I can't wait to share stories with you. I am uploading some photos to facebook as we speak... or type or whatever.

Ready for some sleep! Night!

Coming home

Hello all. Just writing to tell you all that I am on my way home. In taiwan hanging out cause of a 6 hour layover. Everyone is a little on edge just with leaving the kids & seeing family and all. Pray that things end well & we have a safe trip. Should be home sometime saturday hopefully.
Last night it was really hard to leave the kids because I had this little girl that always CLUNG to me. Chanaporn (the little Thai girl) and I taught the kids how to make bracelets from the supplies that Kandice gave me. They loved it. I can't wait to get more supplies & send them so they can make bracelets & what not. To see there faces last night as they ate ice cream sandwiches made out of icecream & rolls & just had pure joy has been great. I would not change this summer for anything.
Pray that things with Asia's Hope would go well. They have been growing so much. They also are trying to grow mulberry trees at the widows farm. This will provide silk worms to make silk & bark to make paper. If they get enough money they would like to build an orphanage up there so the widows working up there can see their kids.
Can't wait to see everyone & tell stories. Keep praying for Asia's Hope, the kids, the workers/parents, interns, directors & anyone else involved. Our leaders, Adam & Jess, along with Renae, are staying in Cambodia & Thailand for another month. Keep praying for them as well.

oh & I swam in a waterfall yesterday. One of the most beautuful, fun things that we did :)

No Big Deal...

so this morning we rode elephants. It was a pretty sweet experience. We are soon off to the snake show. Things have been becoming normal around here. Such as riding in the back of a truck everywhere.
We also have learned how God shows things. It is a BIG deal so the title of this doesn't really work :) Sarah is better & back with us. Thanks for the prayer!
It is a LOT cooler here & actually wore my hair down today. It was nice!
Everyone is staying up late talking this week (which is good) but am now getting tired. Pray that we finish this week out strong.
Our team is very unique in the way we are ALL different. Its so cool staying up late with different people & hearing different ways God is working. I guess its showed me that I want to hear others stories now.
The kids here in Thailand are more reserved but we are working hard with them. We only get about 4 hours a day with them because school is in but its so cool to worship with them every night. Right now I am listening to Beth sing one of the songs they taught us... She has been singing it ALL day :)

Missing everyone. Hope things are going well.
*muah*

Prayer request...

Major prayer request... Sarah is sick. She stayed with missionary friends today & hopefully will be back to normal tomorrow.

Also, that we would be open to God's will & focus on him.

Tomorrow we go to the Silk farm & the umbrella factory. It should be fun!

Happy fathers day.

Miss everyone!