onward

mental checklist:

• house guests arranged
• keys delivered to neighbors
• sheets washed
• bags packed
• asher in sling

check.

it is hard to believe the day has come. and yet, this is what we have been waiting for for five years. i feel like it would take novels to write about how we got here, what it looks like while we are away, where our hearts are at. i think prayer will suffice:

• please pray for our team: we are thrilled to travel with dan, and jim and annette. all of them have such hearts for who will be spending our days with, as well as deep hearts that desire to see God move and show up and amaze. please pray for unity, for health, for communication between a very unique, and different, group than has ever travelled before.
• please pray for perspective: that we would faithfully seek God's perspective in EVERY situation - travel, health, sleep, days, time, opportunities with families we stay with, circumstances casey will be documenting, friendships we will make, expectations we need to die to.
• flexibility: we have very unique needs on this trip. a small toddler. health. rare and sometimes instant opportunities to catch on film. pray that we will take things as they come. that we will have no expectation of how things can, should or would go. that we will allow God to direct our paths, our thoughts, and our attitudes.
• sleep: this one is the most tangible, and felt, request. please pray specifically for asher that he would have peace and rest and calm. that he would supernaturally have the ability to sleep ANYWHERE and at anytime. and that, as his parents, casey and i will have creativity, huge amounts of patience and grace, and wisdom in how to help our little boy. what a gift that he gets to travel with us.
  
• and what a blessing that we get to do this as a family. as we take that blessing, may God supernaturally surpass the extra details that involves.

our primary mode of communication will be the blog, so, check back often. we will update as often as we can, which, we have no idea what that looks like right now. we will also be blogging here. thank you for your prayers. thank you for your support and encouragement and care. thank you for carrying us on the wings of your prayers. until tanzania, friends :)

thank you, gramma

casey and i made time to go to gramma (aka daubin) and bumpa's house this weekend for a quick farewell before we take off on our trip. sunnyside is restful for so many reasons, and we needed a little reprieve. along with resting, asher had his first official haircut. looking at the before pictures, i now completely agree it was time, and necessary. he does not wear long hair as well as his father. i even think he feels lighter :) so, thanks gramma. thanks for paying, thanks for providing distraction, and thanks for the touch ups after the wrestling match at the salon.

before

after

bounty

we return, along with our returned usb cord. thanks, mom and dad! i had to take a moment to record; i am absolutely giddy! promptly at noon, a nice young fellow delivered a huge box of fresh produce, thanks to the generosity of two great new friends. as i sit and look at the overflow of chard, turnips, pears, mushrooms and satsumas, i am quickly reminded of the abundance that God bestows on His kids. i feel as if casey and i are sitting smack in the middle of God's generous and overwhelming provision. it made me realize that i am not so quick with praise when jobs are in place and bills are easily met, and yet, we are no less in need of His provision. so, generous bestowers of the above bounty, thank you for not only filling our stomachs, thank you for joining in His provision for us.