Chitter Chatter, what's the matter?

Wow. This summer is going by way too fast! It's already mid-July and I feel like summer just started!

Jesse has been spending time over on the Rez so I've been home alone with Lyddie a lot. We felt like this was a good idea so that he can make contacts and do some support raising while he's over there, since summer teams coming through from across the US afford a lot of new faces and churches that may be willing and interested in supporting us. We hit 50% of our support last week, which was a big milestone for us! That is halfway to our full income and a few new developments are in the works that may prove to be a big help in getting us into our work by our hopeful goal of October. We really have no idea if that's the Lord's plan, but that's what we're striving for, in part for practical reasons (because our lease is up then and we would love to just be able to pack up and move rather than paying the higher rent for month-to-month) and so that we could get settled in before the holidays roll around. We're just praying and waiting on the Lord's clear guidance for when to go and where to step next. I am learning to be ever so patient and I am also learning about the longsuffering patience of God with me when I'm IMpatient! I miss Jesse when he's gone and it makes me so appreciate his companionship as a friend when he is here.

Lyddie is almost crawling and will be 8 months later this week! I can't believe how fast time has flown and I am more in love with her every day. She is a sweet girl and really a good baby. Everyone talks and jokes about how she has red hair so she is and will continue to be a terror, and there are times that she's just a normal fussy baby, but most of the time I am so proud of her because she is just sweet. She is mesmerized by other people, and other people are mesmerized by her, so that works out well. I can't wait to see what new things she does every day.

My brother Andrew just returned home after nine months teaching English in Shanghai and it has been fun to have our whole family back together again, at least for a while before he leaves for China again in the fall. We have enjoyed watching him get to know Adelaide, since she was born after he left and he never got to meet her. I love watching my brothers get to know her and love on her. It's amazing the tenderness she brings out in them - and the goofiness! Their new role as uncles has opened up sides of their personality that I have never seen before. I guess that's what babies do!

Despite all the naysayers, I am still cloth diapering and still glad I am. Just sayin'.

With Jesse gone, I am torn about what to do in the evenings. Usually we watch a TV show together on Netflix or something and then climb into bed and read. But without him here, I can't decide what to do with all the options before me. Therefore, I post on my blog and then I think I will fall into bed with my book. But I think I will have some ice cream first, because how can I resist ice cream?

:)