It's Been Far Too Long.....

So much has happened since I have last posted. :)  If you remember my last post I was asking for donations for a double carseat/stroller combo.  Well, thanks to everyone that gave, we were able to raise enough money to purchase that for one of our teen moms at Oak House!  She was SO grateful for the gift and it was so fun to suprise her!  Brittany is such a special girl!  She was at GW for about 10 months and in January gave birth to 2 beautiful boys!  Those babies became her world and she is an amazing mom!  It's so fun to watch her be mommy to those boys.  This month Brittany successfully graduated the program and moved back home with mom!! WooHoo!! Brittany, keep doing what you're doing!  You're awesome and I miss you like crazy!

 On May 9th our sweet Paisley Grace turned 2!  I can hardly believe that my baby is 2 already.  Time just goes by so very fast!  We waited to celebrate with Dustin's family until our visit home over Memorial Day.  Erin made her an awesome rainbow cake and she loved every last bite!  She is just getting so big and talking more and more each day!

Then on June 4th we completed our last day as Houseparents at Gateway Woods.  After 5 years of houseparenting, we felt like God was telling us that our time at Gateway was coming to an end.  Back in January we accepted a position at The New Beginnings in Cape Coral, Florida!!  What a change it has been!  I miss GW, I miss Oak House, I miss our friends, I miss our church!  But I know that this is where God wants us and that excited me!  It has been different and hard to adjust to this new life.  We have been going, going, going and now we are kind of just going slow.  And that's ok....it's just different.  And we are a little over an hour from my parents house.  How wonderful is that!!  It's incredible!  

This has been our home for the last 5 years and we have grown so much here!  2 of our babies were born here, birthdays were celebrated, we had good times, we had hard times.  I wouldn't trade it for anything!  :)

I WILL NOT MISS THIS!!!!

But I am missing this girl SO very much!  I would consider her one of my very best friends. My hope is that one day 1200 miles won't separate us!!

This is where we call home now and it's starting to feel like home more and more each day!  Pray for us!  Pray for our kids!  We are excited to join a new mission field and try to reach out to moms that are hurting in the name of Jesus!  What an opportunity we have been given!  

An Opportunity to Serve

Hey everyone!

           

As you probably know, I work with pregnant teens at Gateway Woods. These girls are usually underprivileged and lacking in basic necessities needed to raise children. Other, less tangible things such as financial stability, food on the table, and unconditional love are often lacking as well.

Gateway is able to provide for their needs but many times these girls are thrown a baby shower due to generous families, foster parents, or caseworkers. Right now, one of our residents is expecting twins in February but there is no one able to provide anything for her.  She has done very well preparing for her kids through Gateway’s clothing room and rifling though resale shops but she is lacking some major things.

We would really like to offer her something to make the road ahead a little easier and we feel that she would benefit from a double car seat and stroller combo. The stroller we are looking at is a Graco  amounting to $334.95.

While we never wish to condone lifestyles that led to unplanned pregnancies, we are obligated as members of Christ’s Church to show these girls His mercy, love, and compassion. This certainly does not always mean a monetary gift but right now we would love to show these characteristics in a tangible way.

We entreat you to prayerfully consider donating for this resident and pray that her heart would continue to soften and be malleable in the Potter’s hands.

Thank you living out Mark 16:15 with us!