I call him Albert...'cause he's so contrary

Yesterday Scott and I had the opportunity to spend the afternoon with one of the most precious ladies I've ever known. I met Ms. Ione when I was working for Wesleyan Heights UMC as their youth director. I would give the children's sermons on Sunday morning during both services. Ms. Ione attended the 11am service. She would sit and smile real big at me while I was giving my sermons each Sunday. One day I was in my office and received a call from her asking if I could come over some time and she would give me some coaching on public speaking. ;) Scott and I went over to her condo one afternoon and stayed for several hours.

Ms. Ione also used to record readings of the Bible for the blind. The first time we went over to her place she showed us her room where she records. She had a huge Bible placed on a table with quite the impressive tape recorder infront of it. I can't remember what book she had read through but she'd gone a long way. Ione just now quit recording because her advisor told her they were recording on cds now and her equipment was a bit out of date. She's also a phenomenal writer. She has given me several of her books that she written, including her autobiography "Hayloft to Heaven" which she wrote and had published at age 84. One of my most cherished books from her is a short little book called "The Joy of Trusting." This book came along in my carry-on on every flight since my first one to Poland. Her words, experience, and trust in the Lord have always been a huge encouragement and comfort to me.

She told us of her teaching careers, how she taught ESL to Czech students, and she told us all about her travels which she began after the death of her husband. Her first trip was to: Hawaii, Austrailia, New Zealand, and Tahiti. She's been to Scotland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Norway.....and to London via the QE2 Concorde! She was about 70 years old when she began travelling the world. When she heard the news that we were moving to Poland to be missionaries she was delighted. We knew the world traveller that she was and how excited she was about our trip to Poland, so I created a special picture for her which is of us and our city in Poland. It now hangs on her wall.

We went to Ms. Ione's again yesterday. It was such a joy to see her; ALWAYS cheerful and full of joy. She was just a bright and bubbly as always. Ione told us how she felt very well except for a little pain in her knee when she walks. The doctors say that she can't have knee surgery now because of her age. She is still very capable of driving, but chooses not to incase she had to get out of her car in a hurry she didn't think she could manage. We sat and chatted for hours. Scott and I showed her pictures of Europe and of our students and she gleamed with joy and let out great "Oh"s and "Oh my stars!" every so often. Ms. Ione has a map of the world in her home with push-pins in all of the places she's travelled in her years. She let us put one in Poland and told us since she can't travel anymore, we're travelling for her. What an honor. :)

We love you Ms. Ione! You are a blessing from the Lord.

Ms. Ione is 91 years old today and just as lovely as she was in this picture. We showed her our pictures on her new laptop. It was a present to herself for her 90th birthday. As she was waiting for it to "warm up" yesterday before we could show her our pictures she made me smile with this comment: "I call him Albert...'cause he's so contrary."

Finally Home and Trying to Get it Together...

Again, I say "I'm sorry" to those of you who have kept up with our blog for two years...I could have at least written a "Hey! We're home!" but honestly, things have just been crazy. And strange.

We left our home in Poland on July 28th. Words cannot express the feelings and emotions that came with this staple event in our lives. The Sunday before we left I cried and cried and cried on my poor sister's shoulder during church. It's been a long time since I've cried that hard. I had just bottled up the emotions for months, working with the KBC Team, working an English camp, and then traveling with Kellie & Blake, plus trying to pack everything up. There just wasn't time for emotion. Saying goodbye to our students, to Elaine & Jason, Wojtek & Agnieszka...just heartbreaking. Packing up our home of two years...the longest we've ever lived somewhere as a married couple...in just a couple of days and a few suitcases...no words. Plus the ridiculous anxiety that came with getting back on a 9 hour flight...horrendous. Again...my poor sister, she was SO there for me. I don't think I could have made it without her.

Anyway, we finally made it home, slept in OUR bed for two nights and then drove to Chicago to pick up our 4 Polish youth who would stay with us for two weeks...(one for 4). We took these kids everywhere. Thanks to everyone who helped get them here, visited them, or provided us with tickets...you were a huge blessing! We've been taking the past two weeks to try to get some sort of "normal" life back together here and again...draining. Of course it's wonderful to be home and to be around family...but I think most people don't understand how difficult such a transition is. Our life as a married couple has been in Poland. We've lived on our own, we had a daily routine that we enjoyed and worked for us, we knew how to deal with daily tasks there...cleaning, buying groceries, paying bills, using telephones. Everything is different here. We're literally having to learn how to share a home with parents, use cell phones, buy "American" groceries, decide what kind of sponge to wash my dishes with! I know, it sounds ridiculous...but literally all seems knew and strange to us. Frankly, it's been tough. I know it's been forever since I've sent out a newsletter too and I had planned on sending out a final one and I still hope to, but it's just been the last thing I've wanted to do...to have to think of all of the things I left behind there, while I'm trying to move on here. I just haven't been up to it. But we hope you know how much we've appreciated your support and prayers.

And don't get me started on jobs! We're trying to figure out where the Lord wants us right now. I think I may have found something I can put my time and energy into. Please just keep us in your prayers as we keep seeking and trusting the Lord for guidance.

We will be leading campus ministry at Henderson Community College this year so that's one thing that we're really excited about. One thing we do know...the Lord has given us a heart for college students! We're so thankful that He's made it where we can spend this working with students where we're at, while still trying to save money for seminary.

We have two seminaries in mind right now...Grand Rapids Theological Seminary and Wheaton College outside of Chicago. We're hoping to go and visit both colleges in October. :)

Well, that's the update for now! It has been nice to be back on here and post a blog entry. It is familiar and I have missed it. I hope you've enjoyed it too!

Blessings!