Our Great Escape

We're still getting used to being back home. The camper is still parked in the drive way, chores still wait to be completed. Towels, sand, board wax, and shells show up in unexpected places in the house. The perfect vacation. Slow, easy, quiet, everything... just... slows... down. Sleeping in late, getting up for a short breakfast, laying back down until almost noon. Making it out to the beach, making driftwood lean-to's, watching the sea as it shows us its different moods. Every day, every minute was well spent and savored.

Natalie and I have been going to that part of the coast since before we married. In someways it's like coming home. We've seen it change, and change back. We've been there single, honeymooning, married, pregnant, with infant, with young girl, and pregnant again. Although what lies behind the bluff may change; new houses come, old restaurants pass on, landscape changes, it's that the line between land and sea has never changed that keeps bringing us back. We could sit there for hours and watch the division between land, sea, and sky as it changes colors and sounds throughout the day. We're looking forward to exploring it year after year with the friends and family that God has shared with us. Hope to see you there some day.

Wow...

If you can't tell, what Adia is holding is the first picture of her new brother or sister. It would take a lot more than this blog to really get to the depth of how big this news is for us. Although we had hoped to have another child some time, we had also resolved that it looked like that was not to be part of God's plan for us. And THEN, JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT HE'S DOING UP THERE, POWWWW! He really likes to keep us on our toes, I think he enjoys a few laughs while he's at it as well. We just sold all of our old baby stuff last year. Here's another kicker, the newbie's arrival date is set for one day off of Adia's birthday. Well, she always wanted to be a twin, maybe she'll at least have the same birthday. We promise to keep you all up to date.

Eugene '08

To Joe & Laura,

Thanks so much for the opportunity to be a part of this. You two are amazing people. We have prayed for years that God would see fit to allow you to see your ultimate goals become a reality. We have also prayed for years for safety, health , and that He would take care of you through all of these years of training. Many of our prayers were answered the way we hoped, others were not. We do know that He wants us to never stop hoping, to never give up on dreams. You two are such amazing examples of "never giving up".We can't tell you how special it was for us to be present with you at the trials. Our hearts were out there with you during each event, Natalie must have been one of the loudest fans present those two days. We loved being with you for this. It's nothing compared to what you have done for us over the years. We will never forget your kindness in maintaining a friendship over such large distances over so many years. We will especially never be able to repay you for your support when you had Natalie and Adia over with you in Arkansas. Your friendship helped see us out of the darkest time of our lives. You two are heroes to us, both of you. We have no idea what God has in store for you in this new day, but look forward to watching it all play out. Way to go Joe & Laura!