So much to be told in the past few days.

Hang on to your seats.

First of all - last time I wrote, Harrison was wearing shorts in that picture. Today I am really cold and I can't get a fire started in the fire place so I'm even colder. I'm going to have to go down and buy those special little fire logs - because me and this box of matches aren't good friends right now. Let's not think about the toxic fumes that will be spreading all through our house from the chemical soaked pressed wood log. It will start a fire under the pile of real logs we have and we will snuggle in front of that all day. I made arrangements with the "wood guy" to deliver a load to our house on Monday , all by myself today. I'm pretty darn proud of that fact.

Second of all - major shock and scurry - but last week, in a swirl of great news and answers to prayers - we decided to send Bill(y) off to Johannesburg for a month to pave the way for our someday coming. He is there already... I do hope he's sleeping right now after a long, long plane ride. We dropped him at the airport yesterday - along with a pile of our Grand Rapids family (who Harrison KNEW would be there even though I told him not to count on it). My eyes leaked the entire time we sat in the chairs waiting for him to go to his gate. I wasn't crying per-say. I wasn't sad. I just had these obnoxiously tear-filled eyes that kept overflowing and spilling down my cheeks... even as I was carrying on semi-normal conversations. Bah. We prayed, we hugged, we said goodbye. We came home, ate lunch, did school, I ran errands, we watched a movie, went to bed, woke up and my first thought was "poor Bill(y) is STILL on a plane." I haven't heard from him yet, but I know he is there now. Say a prayer for all of us, will you?

His plan in the next four weeks is to begin building relationships with volunteers and staff at Emthonjeni - shadowing Jeanetta, the director of the centers, learning what daily life is like in the community and in the offices - looking at housing options and trying to slim down our budget a bit.

Our hopes and dreams are to be there soon - although we are waiting on finances. God has been busy though and we are anticipating the day we can shout out "We are ready! Let's go!"

Things I've missed telling you while we've been busy planning and packing -

First, check out the sky that we got to sit under the other night. No photoshop work here - for real - I was just wishing that we were out hiking a mountain, or at the beach, instead of admiring God's painting from a parking lot. Do I have to repeat myself that I LOVE autumn in Michigan?

And I love cold weather foods... chili, homemade chicken soup with lots of veggie, Katie's macaroni and cheese, home made Cocoa-DiCocco (oh, yes, it is time!). Give me a warm blanket, a fire crackling, and comfort food. I'm all set. Speaking of warm blankets - does anyone have a sewing machine that isn't being used? Maybe I could borrow it for a while? I am more than half way done with two quilts, and my machine seems to have un-calibrated its self . The nice gentleman at the shop will fix it for more money than I have available right now. .. which doesn't do me, or my quilts, or my cold toes any good.

Mike wanted to know about Halloween -

I told you about the trunk or treat at the small town church. I told you about the little orange King James New Testaments they got in their bags .

Here are the pics - Harrison was "spider man" and Madyline was fantastically beautiful. I got hired to photograph a masquerade party on Saturday night- I might steal both of their costumes and incorporate them into one fabulous spider diva. In, uhm, jeans and black converse. Do you think that would be cool enough? I don't know what else to wear. I wish I still had my Ziggy Stardust jacket. Why, oh why did I give that away?

I'll let you know when I hear from Bill(y). He took the little camera and promised to send stories as he has them. I'll do the same from the home-front. Already God is loving on us... and so are you. Thanks.