Here We Go!

We are leaving in a few weeks to finally embark on our much anticipated journey.  Saying goodbye is not something I am good at.  If I had it my way, I would just go and not say anything.  Its nothing against anyone but just the way I prefer to do things.  We do have so many people that have stood by us in so many ways it has been great.  In some ways, we feel so independent leaving in a few weeks and in other ways I know that we could not do all this without everyone's support.  

Some of you might have seen on facebook the news about us being pregnant.  We are thanking God for giving us this incredible surprise.  I know most of you are like "Surprise, I think you knew what you were getting yourself into".   To make a long story short, with present conditions, we were told by doctors that we could not conceive.  The Lord is good!  In a lot of ways with being so accountable to everyone for our ministry, I am worried about what people will think.  Also since this time is such a transitional time for us that in some ways it looks like it is just something else to think about as we leave and live our lives in Italy.  It has been hard for me to struggle to not go into either one of those pitfalls.  

We trust that the Lord is sovereign.  He does not put on us more than we can handle.  He does all things well and He is more than enough for me like two great songs off a Chris Tomlin worship album that we have.  Sometimes it also bothers me that I have to fight for joy for this.  Even if I am 90% joyful I get angry at myself for being even 10% not.  We have to trust the Lord and I have to support my bride as number one.  Thanks everyone for your prayers during this time.  We are ready to do ministry in Italy, but now mindful of the life growing inside Amanda!

Visa Don't Leave Home Without It

In this past week, we made a trip to Miami and back to get drop off our visa paperwork!  Stuff is getting more and more real for us.  We have currently been in Orlando tying up loose ends before we are going to be primarily in Tampa the last 3 weeks that we are here in the United States to say bye to our familie

We went down on Monday after we picked up the paperwork from Crusade headquarters.  We got to have some quality time with the team leaders Dylan and Chevas Grace who as our first assignment we are leading the summer project team with.

Here is a picture of Dylan and Chevas.  Dylan was my bible study leader my first two years of college.

On Tuesday morning, we went to drop off our visa paperwork at the Italian Consulate.  We got there right when it opened and it took a total of ten minutes.  They did not even look at our passports as we dropped off the paperwork to see if we said we were!  

We had some extra time so we did a little sightseeing around Miami before we left.  Here are some pictures of the lighthouse and scenery on Key Biscayne.