Settling In!!!

An update is long overdue!!! Cultural Training ended and was great! We absolutely loved being there and with other people of like mind. We hope that through the time there we developed lasting friendships despite the miles that will separate us.

After coming home, we had two weeks to prepare to leave! It was a whirlwind! You don't realize how much there really is to do until the last minute, and then it is to late. Unfortunately, we did not have the time to spend with all of our friends that we had hoped for. Time was just to short.

NOW...We are in South East Asia and have started to settle in!

We have a house and have it just about furnished! Despite our language barrier and little help we have been able to find, purchase, and have delivered almost everything we need! It has been very comical at times. I won't lie and tell you that there have been a few frustrating moments in the midst too. To back track a little, the house that we are living in is not the first house we thought we would live in. We tried to rent two other houses, but neither of those worked out. I believe this was the house for us! It has a big back yard that provides ample space for the boys to pass football, practice soccer, pass baseball, and there is even a cemented part for a basketball goal! The boys really needed this and I believe that is why we are living here!

The kids have so well adjusting to their new living environment. We could not have asked for them to do any better! We are so proud of them! :) Tucker and Major have started school. They seem to like it, considering it's school!! They have small classes which makes it easy to make friends and get acclimated. Tucker is also on the junior high soccer team as well! He is anxious for the season to kick into gear! Ellie is volunteering in the elementary department of the school and is loving it! She has been able to help out with several different areas including PE for 3rd and 4th grades, math for 6th grade, assisting the 2nd grade teacher as well as the Kindergarten and 1st grade teachers! Needless to say, she stays busy!!!

Right now Billy and I have been focused on getting the house set up. Between buying furniture, appliances, dishes, cookware, and everything in between, to learning how to have water and gas tanks delivered, and walking everywhere we go...we stay busy! We hope that later in September to start language study.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers. The adjustment period is not over. We have already experienced getting news of sick family members back home, a nephew to be born tomorrow, and several other situations going on at home. With each of these situations, reality hits of how far away you are, and what you can't help with or be apart of. Yet, we know the purpose of being here and try to stay focused on the goal.