Winter fun, snow and more snow

It has been so long since we've posted on the blog - I figured we should at least post some photos. Grace is flying through the air.
Mom picked a snowball fight with John, who gave her a whomping!
The kids were told, either clean your rooms or make a snowman - so they agreed to make a great one.

This one is a snow fort with a tunnel.

We are still plugging away in Illinois, with no dates for testing and with no immediate plans to go anywhere.

AIM video - and daily doings

December is finally here, and with it comes the cold weather. We've got the heat on now, and the radiators are fired up for whenever we need them.

As we wrap our minds around the word "missionaries" and what that means, we have two jobs...one is to prepare to go, and the other is to wait - for John's flying test, which is now unscheduled. The preparations include beginning to raise partners, as well as slowly letting go of all of our household goods. But, really, neither one can be wholeheartedly begun without the TE - that unscheduled one. God is sovereign over this, too. So while we are in a strange position, it is not without trust.

Day to day, things are good...
On Thursday, Mary sang in the teen choir at the big homeschool meeting, and Sarah and two friends played guitar and sang a Casting Crowns song. It was a pleasure to see all the families do their best for this meeting.

John and Mark got up in the wee hours this morning to volunteer at a wrestling tournament for beginners while the girls all remained in bed after watching Christmas movies on DVD late last night. Julie joined church choir rehearsal last night for the upcoming Christmas performance as "narrator # 2"; both teen girls sing in the church choir, and the performance on Dec 19th at Center Grove will be glorious!

We are trying to perfect our pizza making technique every Friday night. Last night's pizza was good!

Good News!

We're on a roll!

Nov 8th through 12th was Candidate week at Africa Inland Mission (AIM). We packed the tribe into the car and drove to Pearl River, New York to meet with the organization, and to seek direction from our Lord. Our kids looked forward to meeting other teens and kids on their way to overseas missions, too. We all were hoping that AIM would indeed be a good fit, and that we would be appointed as missionaries, and to make connections with other missionaries.
AIM is more than 100 years old, and has a broad ministry which we are excited about! AIM Air is a wonderful part of AIM, but it is so much more, too.
While the first few days were intense, we still found time to play and to get to know some of the other candidates and staff.


We had talks on health while in Africa, on travel, finances, leaving and grieving, African cultures, and many other things. We had conferences with a professional counselor, with the director of candidates, and with family needs specialist, and more. We saw videos about AIM, and watched movie clips to learn about conflict. We laughed and sang - and prayed together.

We were blessed to have a dynamic and enthusiastic crew working with our kids, as the kids each worked through their own own part in the call to Africa.

By the end of the week, we became family with AIM. Yes! We were appointed as missionaries with AIM!

It's been the end of several years work; the vision has stayed in focus. It is also the beginning of more years to come. Whatever the years bring us we know we are lifted up by your prayers and your ministry to us. We did not come to this point alone, but instead with a host of support and love in many ways.

We were initially thinking of getting to Africa within a very few short months, but we have revised that plan! Instead, we are giving ourselves more time....and will look to leave for Nairobi, Kenya in December of next year. Nairobi, Kenya is where the pilots with AIM live (at least for a term). And yes, Nairobi, Kenya is where Julie visited several years ago with CCTO!

Before we reached Pearl River to visit AIM, we had the great privilege to visit Tim and Katie in Connecticut! After several years, it was such a joy to see them! We stayed at Katie's parent's house, Buzz and Chris - and were treated like dear family. John met his namesake, Tim and Katie's son Tucker, and his new brother, Nathan. We didn't get many good pictures, but can you see the snow on the shrubs? Snow play day!
Beth (John's oldest sister) lives in NJ, so after Candidate Week, we got to spend a couple of days with her family, and with Dottie, too! It was great! We drove to Hoboken, NJ and took the ferry to NYC.

Here's John and Mark walking down the pier while we waited for the ferry.

Times Square and a soft pretzel.The next day was filled with family (thank you Beth for arranging it!):
And also with big kid toys:
Our time with Beth and Rich was very special to us. We are grateful for this time to really relax and have fun with them!

Here's a few snapshots of our few hours in Philadelphia, eating Philly Cheesesteaks,
at the Liberty Bell,
and inside Independence Hall.
Whew! What a great trip. What a great God we serve. It is by His power, and none other that we can make this step, or any other. To God be the glory, great things he is doing!

Julie

This week

This morning the gang got up early as usual and worked out at the gym before the rest of the day got underway. Boy, will we miss this YMCA when we have to leave! The girls and Julie got coffee drinks on the way home for our traditional Monday treat for working out all week the week before.

John left from the gym to Wings of Hope to work on planes today. He does that about twice a week. It has been great experience.

The kids and Julie are settling down into schoolwork for the day and the week. Julie is still behind in paperwork and grading after all the application work which needed to be done for the last several weeks, but there is light at the end of the tunnel! (love that Third Day song).
This photo is one of our many favorites from a photo session that our friend from church, Diana Frazier, took for us. She is a great photographer, and has given us the great gift of her services so we can have some formal photos to use in the next stages in the process.

John leaves tomorrow morning on his cross-country flight. He's been making lots of plans and really has no worries about the trip. Please pray for good work with his trainer in Michigan and a good meeting in North Carolina as well.

God seems to be pulling all these things together so well for us.

Is has been lots of hard work, but good and pleasant work too.

Did you get our most recent newsletter? We sent it out last night. If you didn't get it and want to, email us or call us and we'll put you on the list.

Blessings,
Julie

Updates from Illinois

Greetings to all who come to find out about our family journey!During the summer, we have been on the move. John finished his A & P training, and so the majority of our prep work was finished.

Formal application time began. Much prayer and conversation has taken place over the last couple of months, trying to figure out whether God wants us to continue to pursue our role with Mission Aviation Fellowship or Africa Inland Mission.
Until today, we have not known, but it has become clear that we should wholeheartedly pursue Africa Inland Mission (AIM) and so suspend our relationship with MAF. With both tears and conviction, we made the phone calls today and heaved a sigh of relief that we are able to be single minded with the next steps. MAF remains a wonderful organization, for which we would have been honored to be a part.
Now we continue with formal application with AIM Air and, coming soon in November, we will go to their Candidate Week in Pearl River, New York.

Please continue to pray for us. John still has an added couple of training requirement which have come up: a long cross-country flight and a "tail-wheel endorsement". Please pray for him in these things. We don't foresee problems, but we have indeed been under attack, spiritually, and know the Lord is in control, and that He wants us to pray. We cherish your prayers.

Here's some family news:

Our visit to California in March and April went beautifully. What a joy to see you all.

Upon return, we finished our homeschool year well, and then summer began with a bang: Center Grove's VBS was wonderful! They did a VBS published by the Go Fish Guys, and it involved bible translation and was not dumbed-down for kids. Julie loved leading the mission segment, and Mary and Sarah enjoyed being skit and music leaders. The younger two sure had a great experience participating in VBS.


Sarah has picked up the guitar bug. She can't seem to put it down. She is even playing it for the monthly nursing home services our church puts on. It sounds great.
The Miners came to visit, and we had such a great time of refreshment and fellowship with them...thanks for making the time to visit!!!
Sparklers are perfect for a summer evening.
Grace spent an evening subduing a bunch of Mammoth Sunflowers which had past their prime.
St. Louis has a fun water park and gardens right next to the Arch. The kids have spent several days down there.
Julie's mom came to visit in July and...we got to go see Chicago!!!!! John had to stay home and finish school, but the rest of us went. This one is from Millennium Park. We were there for one full day and two partial days and we saw so much. We even stepped out onto that Ledge that they have on the Sears Tower (now called Willis Tower). It is made of Plexiglass and you see right out onto the street as you stand above it.
Our two teens are enjoying being with other teens and hanging out for fun. We've gone to Six Flags lots of times, and the picture below is from Carlyle Lake, a day just for the teens.
Goodbye till next time.

Weeks Away!

Time is passing....
...and it seems like we just got here.
We can hardly believe we are just weeks away from the finish line with our training. Soon we have time to devote weeks in missionary organization evaluation and orientation. We seek the Lord's direction on this part of the process. He has abundantly provided for us so far.


Braving the hot and humid summer, the kids and Julie are thoroughly enjoying our first summer here. Last year we spent the summer in CA and John told us it was hot, but nice.
So far we've enjoyed fireflies which are amazing and magical, and many violent storms with lighting and thunder - awesome. St Louis Six Flags/Hurricane Harbor has been fun with friends, and we've loved bike rides on gorgeous bike trails, except for Mary with her knee - which we are working on.

Today, Mary and I got to visit with a precious friend from home, Paulette. What a joy to have a CCTO friend and missionary here in the area. Thank you, Lord, for the unexpected visit.
An expected and much cherished visit from Julie's mom was a few weeks ago, and we're looking forward to another one as soon as possible, right mom?

Please pray for us. We cherish your prayers.

** We desire first and foremost to be close to HIM. Pray for our daily walk with God, knowing that trials come, and Satan does not like our plans!

** Please pray for our kids, that they would be given all they need for this journey, and would come out of it blessed, and a blessing to others.

** Please pray for the decision-making process, with missionary organizations. We know God has plans for us, and we want to follow wherever that leads.

Thanks for thinking of us, and praying with us as we take flight!!!

No tickets yet, but....

The tribe is trying to head out to California from around the 13th of March. Mom and the kids will be able to stay for two or three weeks, while the student in the family has to get back to his Airframe and Powerplant training within a week.

Hoping to see everyone!