So much has happened since then: This year has been a bit of a whirlwind. Below I’ve bulleted what has happened in life since landing in the Philippines just 7 short months ago – or maybe it’s been long months. for sure they’ve been full months.

• I woke up on my 40th birthday in a foreign country. It was the first day of two wonderful months supporting and being with our family.
• We came home on June 9th. On June 8th a dear friend had a baby, another dear friend’s friend and co-worker was nearly killed in a freak jetski accident; on June 9th just hours after I landed in Alaska, yet another dear friend lost her son to murder.
• We made a room for Christine. She now has her OWN room for the first time (except the two months in the Philippines).
• Vince spent the summer working with my dad on the cabin. This means Christine and I had a TON of time. It’s been a wonderful connect with her since coming home to the States, her getting into her own space, and turning 13. Who would’ve thought?
• Vince turned 16. I can’t believe this. I don’t think my brain has accepted it yet.
• Christine turned 13. My baby is 13? how is this possible?!!!!
• A dear friend went to jail. Hard. Void. Excruciatingly painful on so many levels. No words to express, my brain is still not really grasping this.
• Making a room for Christine meant her space/corner of the world in our room was now empty. For the first time since graduating from high school, I have my own room. (not counting a few months here & there with my parents being gone and when we’ve traveled). In my own house, I have my own room?!
• So I moved my office into this corner. It’s crazy what all was in here – eventually I hope to share the process.
• Which made our living room HUGE. We love it! We can spread out and enjoy hanging out together.
• Vince is now the only one with a desk in the living room. This is the first time my office mess isn’t in the living room in… um, ever.
• Our house is now actually relatively clean *most* of the time. It is so much fun. My room/office/sewing area still needs to be finished up though.
• I refinished a dresser. Man! WHY didn’t I do that back 10 years ago when I got it & it was hideously ugly then?! Because I was intimidated by the idea and I needed it too much to risk messing it up. I’m learning to live differently. I didn’t need it, so there wasn’t risk. I let myself just go at it – not only did I love the process, I love the end product! I will eventually share it. Hopefully, sooner rather than later – why I’m speed fast forwarding to catch you up. 🙂
• I refinished/reupholstered a chair. Again, AFTER it sat ugly at my entry for two years {sigh}. I think I’m learning though. I’m slow, but thorough. I will get there – making art freely in life. If you haven’t, you should read Emily Freeman’s newest book, A million little ways. I’m so relishing that book right now. I also just recently read Jeff Goins’ book, In Between. The concept in these books fit together so well. I believe I’ve been in/still am in an in between space, but I’m learning to keep moving toward God in the process rather than freaking checking out.
• I made a kitchen table. (using the term ‘made’ very loosely) I actually really like what I have in the end. Which is good, considering we’ve lived without a table for a year now.
• Starting August 5th, Vince started to run Cross Country with one of the local high schools. Due to a new state law made effective on July 1st. Running with the team started daily practice. Whoa! Wow, that is a job in and of itself! He loved it. I loved seeing him enjoy it.
• Starting September 9th, I worked nights from 9pm-5:30pm on a temporary job. (first real employment in a year) A bit of income was nice – but, it’s been brutal to get caught up on life and get back into sleeping at night. I found out I VERY naturally stay up all night – never once had a problem with being tired….
• October 4th, job ended. Bittersweet. for obvious cash flow reasons.
• October 5th, Cross Country ended. Again, bittersweet. It was finally not going to be brutal to get him to practice each day.
• Somewhere in September we started school (at an abbreviated level). My kids are old enough to start, work on, and complete on their own. This really does happen! Amazing. All I’d hoped would play out is finally panning out after so many years of not doing things the way so many thought they should be done. This is reaffirming as a mom in a way I can’t express very well yet.
• Somewhere in there piano lessons started. Oh, to hear her play again. She was starting to teach herself songs by listening on YouTube, without ever having seen music or owning it. I had a hard time convincing her it might not be the best idea….in particular if you don’t know the person playing in the video is doing it right. She plays by ear way better than by reading notes. It is important to me she knows how to read music. She is starting to appreciate the value.
• Somewhere in there cello lessons started. Oh, how I love to hear the cello! {for Vince’s birthday gift we got tickets to PianoGuys – so very excited!} He is doing so well, learning Misty Mountains from The Hobbit {sigh}. LOVE that song. He’s even getting to play with another student now.
• Somewhere in there gymnastics started. We actually started back the end of July. She’s working so hard and doing so well.
• Somewhere in there youth group on two different nights started.
• Somewhere in there we started to plug into YoungLife & Campaigners. There went one to four nights/week depending on which week in the month. But don’t regret a moment of it. We are all involved in different areas.
• Somewhere in there we started going to a Connection Group with our church. This is as a family and is only once a month.
• I was going to start blogging again about three weeks ago. But my computer had different ideas, my first mac – the MacBook Pro I got for school four years ago had it’s first hiccup/froze/crashed/died won’t work. I believe the hard drive needs to be replaced. I actually haven’t had time/emotional energy to even think or try to do anything about it for two weeks now. I still haven’t even ordered a replacement hard drive. Thankfully, it’s my secondary computer and my stuff was all on this computer already — but I must say, I’m a bit paranoid now. This mac has already had the hard drive replaced. Anybody know good online storage options? I’d love to hear what you know and what works for macs.
• And then last week the typhoon in the Philippines. So many tears. So much pain. Mind numbing overwhelmed crazy. My brother is one of four NTMA pilots in the Philippines – the other families and some of the NTM missionary families were in areas ravaged by the storm. One of them housed over 100 people in their home during the storm. These are people I’ve spent time with (many years ago in Arizona), but they are more than just a name to us. Please again – I ask, if you are able. Give financially. I know there are lots of places to donate and in the end it is to basically help the same people – but if you don’t know who to trust. Or you want to go through a smaller organization for a more focused giving project, please visit the NTMA website and consider donating through them. I would consider it an honor if you chose to trust them because you trust me.
• Oh. and did I mention it’s a bit much, not-able-to-be-prepared-for, hard to readjust after two months in a foreign country, a missions trip? I didn’t allow enough space for this. Now I look back at my pictures to remind me we did in fact go. My heart has ached and grieved so much in the last week, if I could I’d go back in a heartbeat, especially to be able in helping do something. Even just to find the moms and sit with them. I wonder if this is normal or because I didn’t process their hardships (the ones I saw without ravaging, destructive, ruthless storms) after coming home.

My kids jumping in the sunset on one of the most northen beaches of the Philippines.

 So. ya….. It’s been a crazy, intense, great life since coming back to the United States – Alaska. I chose to be present with my kids this summer. To feel life.

I have, even when it hurt.

This heart was in the beach like this. I don’t know what the white is, the finger trace I’m envisioning was a Filipino child walking along the beach earlier in the morning before going out to go fishing? This was on a beach walk the day after Mother’s Day. The last full day in the tribe we got to go spend 3.5 days in. This was the morning after I was released from an extreme fear of water, in particular waves crashing over my head. Did I tell you? On Mother’s Day this year I played in the waves for hours, being tossed around and sucking so much salt water. and it was fun! I’ve played in the ocean waves once before, 25 years ago. I was in high school and was so very afraid. I did it anyway because I thought I should. I didn’t enjoy one moment. and I’ve had many nightmares because of the experience. I thought it would help me get over the fear of water. It didn’t. I can’t say the fear of water is gone – after all, the water there was warm. Here, it’s freezing! I still don’t know how to swim – but I relaxed and played in the water. For real played, as in enjoying it, for the first time in my life.

I have shared few pictures of the Philippines seven months ago, so now it’s time for a couple  cold, frosty Alaska pictures from this last week. After coming back we had an amazingly hot summer, then an incredibly long fall with warm weather! Until last week we hadn’t even really had frost – mom’s yellow pansies were still blooming on the deck. The sunrise is the first morning with frost.

The trees with the verse: the trees are my view from my bedroom/office window – what I watched change color and tone while waiting to hear from our family in the Philippines. While I shed many a tear. While I waited for news my brother had made it safely to Cebu and now the relief work will begin for him. The verse I’ve been clinging to.

I’ve broken this Psalm into three basic parts: what I WILL say, what my Heavenly Father WILL do, and WHY.

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The four NTMA pilots in the Philippines are together now and flying for relief. To aid the people of the ravaged and destroyed areas. If you are wondering where you can help, NTMA is there already, ready to do the work. The funds are needed. They have been approached by different organizations and the Philippine government, they don’t know who they will be flying for – but they are there with open hearts and willing hands. Praying for God’s wisdom on who to help. Where He will be most glorified in this.

Please continue to pray and if you are able, give financially.

My heart is aching with all the hurt, pain, and overwhelming devastation so many people are having to survive in right now. Having been in the Philippines recently really makes the pictures I see, the stories I hear, and my imaginations so much more real.

My family is safe. They are not unaffected, but totally safe. Their area was not physically affected by Typhoon Haiyan, they are north of Manila. However, my brother Zach left yesterday to take the helicopter to Cebu to help out in flying relief. He had to land due to weather while he was still north of Manila, but this morning (for them the 14th) he was able to get back in the air and landed safely in Cebu a couple hours ago.

Back in 2010, Zach had the opportunity to fly relief in Haiti, so this isn’t totally unfamiliar to him. Even though this is completely different, I imagine he will experience many of the same emotions, feelings, experiences — BUT, then he was totally removed from the situation. He was in Arizona at the time for their last bit of training before heading to the Philippines. Jane and the kids were still in the States, with family or accessible by family, not this time. This time, he’s been living in the country for 3-4 years now. Jane and the kids are a long way from blood family, but they do have their missionary family connections near.

He’ll see more, pick up more, understand the culture more.

This time: I know more. I see more in the pictures. I understand more. I’ve been there.

Even though I wasn’t there-there. I was in the Philippines. I saw how those up north and a bit in Manila and along the road between the two lived life. I realize this is probably as different as seeing how we live in the north, compared how life is lived in the south. But, I heard their language even though I couldn’t understand it. I “understand” their hunger a teensy bit more than if I hadn’t been there. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t possibly really understand their hunger. I was never starving while there. There was pretty much always food around me, whether I could eat it or not might have been a question. But it wasn’t life or death hunger – I could have eaten it and just felt sick, not felt the effects of dying because I didn’t have food.

Let me tell you a piece of info you may not know – I for sure didn’t know this before going to the Philippines:

I love rice. Rice is yummy. Especially brown rice. Rice is typically a side dish here.

Since going gluten free, rice is my friend. my staple. my fall back.

BUT rice does not keep you full. and you have to eat A LOT at each meal to feel full, then when it’s gone – it’s gone and you are left so incredibly hungry it’s hard to think straight (maybe this is just me, but I don’t think so. My kids commented how tired they were of the cycle in just two months). I was shocked more than once by how hungry I was for every meal. {I’m one who is content to skip a meal or two, sometimes even in a row. Not there. No way, I was too hungry for each meal to think of just not eating because I didn’t feel like it.} I often wondered how could the Filipinos work so hard all day long eating so much rice – and in blazing hot sun. I never got an answer. I can come up with a whole bunch of ideas and theories in my head, but that isn’t the point. The point right now is the thousands of people who were crushed by this storm. They have no food. Not even rice.

Here in America we say we have no food in our house, but most often that isn’t true. We have stores/stockpiles of food in our homes.

We don’t like that food.

There’s nothing to eat with that food.

or maybe, we just don’t want that food.

(not mentioning the obvious difference in house construction)

From all I observed, Filippino’s do not buy in bulk. They buy enough food for each day. We buy groceries in big chunks. Meaning you can’t just walk out carrying all your groceries and ride in a space meant for a 10 year old – with others. maybe only you. or maybe six others. with their groceries too.

What happens when they can’t get food each day? My heart and mind cringe at the thought. All the mothers and fathers not able to feed their babies and children, or their aging parents. Those who were already weakened before the storm hit. They thought this was just going to be like every other typhoon that blows through this time of year. It wasn’t.

So. If you didn’t visit the NTMA site I linked to earlier – please take the time now. First you’ll see a page with a blog entry. At the bottom of the page you’ll see a ‘Give to Typhoon Haiyan relief’ link in dark red. They’ve noted on the site if there are more funds than the project goal of $100K, they will give it to reputable organization our NTMA pilots know something about. Your financial support will help save lives.

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{Yes, that is water on either side of the cement. In another photo you can see the other side of the heli, on the cement, is a whole bunch of people standing there looking. I don’t know anything about this photo — other than it is not a very big spot to land!}

My brother is in a position where he is the last link – he is delivering food to areas so remote they’re not expecting or looking for help. In the bigger cities it seems there were too many safety concerns and the smaller crews weren’t allowed to land.

{The above photo shows the three NTMA aircraft – two small planes able to land on smaller strips, and the helicopter. What you can’t see is the heat & humidity. I’m guessing this isn’t a cool summer day.}

I’m not sure what all has gone on, but I do know there was an NTMA helicopter and their 2 small planes ready with willing NTMA pilots – they are partnered with MAF and maybe others. Zach has flown officials around to photograph and scope out damages, road accessibility and all kinds of other things they have to check out. He is now flying in supplies. Nearly four years ago in Haiti he said:

“I love what I’m doing. … no flying will ever be the same again.”

Since the days in Haiti when he wrote those notes, he finished his training and has been basically living in the Philippines ever since. He has had the opportunity to be used by God to get many people to medical care, bringing the missionaries their food, and any number of other life essential flights. He has never tired of his “job” – he sees it as a blessing, not a job. He is loving what he is doing. He is made for this work.

As I told you last week, he is flew the helicopter down to Cebu. I’m not sure where they are actually based right now – they moved around after scoping out the damage and seeing where the needs were. Here is the note he sent out this morning:

…I got to fly into several different places that have been overlooked as far as aid. It’s really interesting to watch people’s faces, at first they can’t figure what a helicopter is doing landing on their beach and then they see me taking bags off and they start to smile. You also can see that some people are completely shocked that someone actually cares they just stand there with a look of wonder. The most satisfying experience of this whole time so far is a guy that came up to me shook my hand but would not let go and stood there looking at me while his eyes filled with tears and he just said thank you over and over. That one moment was easily worth all the work of the past week. As I flew home I realized how unfair it is that I get to experience that just because I am the last link in a incredibly long chain of people that have made this happen. I wanted to share it in hopes that it is really encouraging to all the people that are working so hard but don’t get the privilege to see the end result. I’m grateful that God is allowing us the privilege of serving this way.

May I take the liberty to dissect this as I see it for a bit?

• More than a week later and there are areas still being overlooked for getting aid. This absolutely breaks my heart. All those moms and dads trying to answer questions of their little ones. I don’t doubt many are clinging to Jesus in this time, I’m praying they will be able to find a personal relationship with Him through this catastrophe. While so many believe there is a God and “plaster” God stuff all over their vehicles/businesses – it was a mix of lots of beliefs and mostly ruled by God being a good omen, not a personal relationship with Him.
• Some of these people have probably never seen a helicopter before. I’m totally guessing here – but that is the kind of remote area some of these places are.
• These are not people expecting help. They’re used to hardship and making the best of hard situations. It isn’t until they see my brother unloading supplies they start to realize what is going on.
• Some are so shocked by the help they aren’t able to express anything. “…they just stand there with a look of wonder.”

Even with all Zach has experienced and seen he says, “The most satisfying experience of this whole time so far is a guy that came up to me shook my hand but would not let go and stood there looking at me while his eyes filled with tears and he just said thank you over and over.”  I love my brother greatly, I am constantly praying for his health, safety, and wisdom. What brought tears overflowing this morning was this:

As I flew home I realized how unfair it is that I get to experience that just because I am the last link in a incredibly long chain of people that have made this happen. I wanted to share it in hopes that it is really encouraging to all the people that are working so hard but don’t get the privilege to see the end result. I’m grateful that God is allowing us the privilege of serving this way.

In the midst of being part of these huge answers to prayer, this serving like most will never experience – he thinks about it not being fair he gets to experience all the people’s thankfulness. So few working in the relief effort will see the quieter places with few workers. He does. and he realizes it is rare.

If you have given in prayer or financially (many small gifts make a big impact) to the relief in the Philippines – then, my brother is referring to you. He is doing what God made him to do, he is making living art, helping to show Christ’s love because someone cared enough to give a donation, or is continually praying for the health, safety, and wisdom of the relief workers. Please – continue to pray. There is still so much devastation.

{my brother with Philippine hills in the background. This helmet is amazing – it is so bright and gets so hot in the R44. I am happy he has this to help him be comfortable. He spends lots of hours in the heli bubble. His funny in the note said, “My biggest problem is sunburn and keeping the white sand out of the carpet of the helicopter.” 😀 Love his sense of humor in times when you just need to embrace life and all it is throwing at you.}

Right now, today, I am embracing the wonder of time on earth. Even with its hardships. I have been reading A million little ways by Emily Freeman, with the Bloom book club. Amazing. Mind boggling good.

While I think on the wonder of time on earth, I am praying. Lots. My family is spread thin right now – I have family in two locations in the Philippines, two locations in Alaska, actually two states too. My two brothers are flying in what I would call extreme opposites – one in remote areas of the Philippines in a helicopter, and one is up the highway flying in the Alaskan bush in a super cub; my two sisters-in-law are lovingly supporting their husbands (my brothers) in their dreams/livelihood, while being on their own with the kids; then my parents are in Texas. My dad has surgery in the morning (Wed, just a few hours from now); Lord willing, he’ll be released Thurs morning; then they fly to Juneau to pick up a vehicle and drive it home. If all goes well and is uneventful, they should be here next Tuesday. We are expecting, Lord willing, to have all of us (minus Zach & Jane in the Philippines) in one location for Thanksgiving. and Lord willing, next year ALL of us will be here for Thanksgiving. The wonder of time on earth. I am working on embracing God’s goodness. All these experiences ARE His goodness, His faithfulness. His good and unique design played out in each one of us.

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In my defense, I was a senior. they were middle school boys. enough said.

However, today, 20+ years later, it is a whole different ball game. I could not be more proud of them, their choices, the way they parent, the husbands they are. <– Let this be an encouragement to all  moms with children fighting, what seems like, endlessly. day after day. In addition, I am so appreciative of the uncles are been to my children. The father role model my children don’t get to experience first hand, but they do get to see lived out as an example. they do watch. and they are learning from my brothers, their uncles.

Here are some pictures of the extremes my brothers are living right now – none of these pictures are mine. The pictures of Zach are from a MAF missionary who flew with him this week to help get supplies unloaded and given to those in need. They are covering so much ground each day. If you are looking for a place to donate money to help those devastated by the typhoon, check out NTMA’s website for more information. As I said earlier in the week, my brother is getting to be the ‘last link’ in a long chain to get the much needed supplies to people – ongoing donations are a huge blessing. These are amazing photos! The other pictures are Matt’s, you can visit his blog to see more about his amazing life – in his own words.

My brother is the one with the helmet on unloading supplies. They pay close attention to the weight distribution in the heli, so small bags makes it much easier to pack, shift, and re-pack – and makes use of every square inch of the inside. This is how food stuff is packed for the missionaries too.

I love this picture of Zach with the bubble and the beach. You see him flying, and you see the surroundings too. Look at that amazing view (and the heartbreaking devastation)!

While he roasts and has to figure out how to keep cool while flying, Matt has to make sure he has survival gear for the cold. Can’t get much more extreme flying condidtions- I suspect the temps they were flying in this week were 100* apart, at the minimum. almost the whole time. This is assuming it was at least 80* outside for Zach at all times (a pretty safe assumption I think); I know Matt said on his blog, he was flying with the temps on the ground being -25*.

I’m assuming this is looking out of the helicopter, looking at one of the NTMA planes. That’s a WHOLE lot of water!!!

Here you see some bigger bags. It looks like Zach is getting more out of the helicopter yet (I can see his legs and body leaning in on other side), or maybe he’s preparing to take off again. If you remember, he said people weren’t sure what he was doing landing on their beach. I kind of thought he meant near, or around, their beaches. I didn’t realize he meant literally landing on white sand beaches. There are some amazing photos of their smiling faces, you can see their gratitude for the help. I’m not posting those though because they’re not my photos and you can see the faces so clearly.

Jump a few thousand miles north (5,000+), and now you see Matt’s view this week. Do you see the sun hitting the top of Denali/McKinley? Brrr! it makes me cold just looking at this photo.

This is what Matt spends his days flying in. This plane is basically a member of the family. I especially like it with its bush wheels on :-). This was actually taken 3 weeks ago. Everything is very white today. We had negative temps, rain, then snow in a matter of about 24 hours. Currently it is a balmy 23* and we have about 1.5ft of fresh, white snow. Winter has arrived.

{Also, update on dad. Surgery went well. It was NOT cancerous – praise the Lord! They are currently en route – he’s even well enough to be looking forward to his favorite coffee in the Seattle airport – to pick up their new-to-them truck and drive it home. They wont’ actually be driving for a couple days yet. A little bit of work has to be done first – but he found the wheel he needed on the way to the airport in Texas. :-)}

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Thanksgiving in the Philippines. Yes, Thanksgiving is traditionally thought of as an American holiday – however, any person in any culture can enjoy thanks giving. or giving thanks. or Thanksgiving.

My sister-in-law posted this on facebook today – they’re on Thanksgiving day in the Philippines:

We are all still plugging along! With 2 planes & 1 helicopter pretty much flying all the time, we’ve flown 160+ hours & hauled almost 44,000 lbs of cargo around! Our relief efforts are still focused on small islands surrounding Palawan & helping them get food & shelter until they can get back on their feet. 

Today is Thanksgiving here in the Philippines. Zach and Dave, the hand at the end of a long arm of support, will be the ones who get to see many thankful smiling faces as they deliver food to the people of these typhoon torn islands. 
…
Our hearts prayer is that one day these same people will be thanking the One who is truly deserving of their praise and know Him as their personal Savior.

Thanksgiving is an action, it is giving thanks. Stopping to be thankful and give God praise for the harvest of blessings and food provisions for the coming winter.

In the Philippines this year there is great thanks giving in many remote and hard hit areas.

I have wondered this year – in America, do we even remember why we have Thanksgiving? It doesn’t seem so. In stores we went from Halloween to Christmas. Thanksgiving was just grouped with fall and Halloween. I saw Thanksgiving stuff on clearance and Christmas out before Halloween! Really – lets all see the Black Friday ads 2 weeks before – or forget waiting for 5am on Friday the day AFTER giving thanks…let’s shop on Thanksgiving day?! or do Black Friday shopping before Thanksgiving? I just don’t get it.

Let’s remember Thanksgiving ISN’T about gluttony with food & Black Friday.

Amazing God note: In the last week someone named Dave, with MAF, has been flying with my brother (the same ‘Dave’ Jane referred to in the above note) – I’ve greatly appreciated the photos and being able to see Zach in action. I posted on Saturday morning about my brothers, the extreme differences they’re flying in right now, and shared pictures of both. Then on Saturday afternoon when I was finally reading emails from the day – I was reading through Grace Full Mama’s email and there was a picture I’d posted and looked at many times throughout the week…{enter several mind boggling moments as I tried to process her having the same photo I’d seen from my sister-in-law on facebook}. Get this, the “MAF guy” flying with my brother – is her husband! How crazy is that? Go read Dave’s account of Thanksgiving in the Philippines. You will get to see amazing smiles, I promise you won’t be sorry. Especially, if you have given or are able to give financially – go, see first hand pictures from those seeing the results.

All pictures taken and owned by Dave Forney. {I did get permission from Joy, once I knew whose pictures I’d “stolen”, and she assured me it was okay for me to keep them up and share these Philippine photos here.}

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Go:: I was ending a major first (international travel). Starting another major first (living internationally in the Philippines for two months). I finally got to hold these three for a moment. and oh, how my arms had been aching to hold these small peeps. (the three on right & my sister-in-law on far left)

We left Alaska at 2:30 in the morning, the morning of April 11th. Bright eyed. suitcases packed. ready.

We spent 7.5 hours in the Seattle airport. because I didn’t know you go through customs as you enter a country. not as you leave…. [for the record: 7 hours is a r.e.a.l.l.y l.o.n.g. layover at the beginning of a huge trip. we did everything we’ve ever wished to do in the SEA airport and were quite ready to get on with the trip before two hours were up….. ya, we had FIVE hours to go.]

We saw a glorious sunset in Tokyo. I enjoyed this sight right before we had to go thru security to get from one gate to the next and they took my brand new container of body butter. the one I bought on the “inside” of security in the SEA airport. the one I hadn’t even opened, let alone used. 🙁

Once thru security, we rushed on to our gate. we had a short layover, just over an hour. It was the first “strange” language we’d seen on signs. Japanese (I am assuming).

The first time I’ve EVER felt tall in public. 😀

I didn’t know how to buy a pack of gum. let alone a water bottle.

We were afraid to try the bathroom. but we had to before we finally left (it was fine – all was “normal”).

Our anxiety built to concern in trying to find the gate (ah…non-english signs were the norm. there were few & far between in the way of english signs). then we stood at our gate for over an extra hour and a half while two airline employees tried to get everyone in a straight line. but they couldn’t decide what row numbers should line up on which side (they kept flip flopping what they said – even though I couldn’t understand them, it was funny-or maybe it was sleep deprivation). We were in Tokyo an 1.5 longer than planned. I was starting to panic. I couldn’t call my brother to tell him we’d be late and we took off when we were supposed to be landing in Manila. We were tired. We had been traveling for almost 24 hours. (but not really because we skipped 17 hours ahead, then back to 16 hours.) but we’d flown for 3.5 hrs to get to SEA, then sat for 7.5 hrs in the airport, we left SEA at 2:15pm on Thurs (11th) and landed in Tokyo at 4:45pm on Friday (12th). so mentally trippy!

Then we got to Manila. my first step onto “for real” foreign soil. (I’ve traveled through Canada numerous times & spent a couple hours in Mexico once), but this was far, far away – not between two parts of the USA) ::Stop

[but I’ve started painting again. finally. I can’t stop now. I know this is Five Minute Friday, I’ll try to keep it shorter than it could be :-). I’ve been reliving “one year ago” all week. I can’t not continue the trip over re-cap. this was the beginning of a huge chapter of my story. one year ago.]

We got to Manila at 12:30am on Saturday the 13th. my first experience with customs. as a person, but responsible for three.  (not just a few people in our vehicle. in a line of vehicles) we were one in hundreds. in weird mixed-together lines. as Vince re-lived the year prior when he went over with a couple family-friends and at what point they were stopped and asked for a fee. a non-legitimate fee. then taken to another room to wait. until money was paid.

God is good. All the time. He is good.

we got two carts to put our luggage on. check. check.

all of our luggage made it to Manila. WHOOHOO! check. check. check. check. check.

we found the ramp and went to the right like we’d been told to. we managed to not lose the cart going down the hill ramp. we kept going. it didn’t look like a parking lot.

then all of a sudden it did look like a parking lot. a dark, not-enough-people around type of parking lot. we immediately turned around. yes, me – the obvious, lost, whitey turned around and pushed our carts against the flow to get back to where I thought we should be. I didn’t even try to blend in – just knew I wanted out of that space with my two children and way too much stuff. and quickly.

I couldn’t find my brother where I thought he said to meet him. If I had been less tired I think I probably would have been more worried. God knew. Vince remembered a phone just inside the door – instead of freaking out we calmly push our pile of luggage (the tipsy pile on the carts) in 80*+ temps (in our long pants & sweatshirts!) UP the long ramp. ya, that ramp. we tried to enter the airport and the guard stopped us with a hand up. He said “no”, we couldn’t go through that door. At that point I could feel the air-conditioning and realized how much more comfortable it was inside with my sweatshirt and long pants on. and the phone was so close. then I had to fight tears & panic.

However, he was a wonderfully kind guard. He knew more english than I knew filipino (good thing too! Thank you, Lord!!). I was able to express I needed to call my brother, that he wasn’t at the bottom of the ramp like we’d planned (remember – we left Tokyo when we were supposed to be landing in Manila, we were an 1.5 hr late). The guard pulled out his personal iPhone & let me call my brother (again, thank you Lord! it was familiar, I could figure out how to call). Zach was there, he just hadn’t seen us come down the ramp (or crossing to go back up). (Picture a “revolving” parking lot that kind of stills momentarily, sometimes it moves more, and some vehicles parked – it was so confusing to me. the constant motion and sea of people.)

FINALLY – after a year apart I got to hug my brother. We were there! We loaded up, went back to the mission guest house, and got “settled in”. We had 6 hours to shower and get re-packed (we left the bulk of our luggage in Manila to come up by bus – we had really cheap tickets so we could only have a carry-on.) for the next several days, all before breakfast and then it would be time to leave to go back to the airport to catch our flight to get the rest of the family. 

There were a few small hang-ups on the way back through security and actually getting on the plane to leave Manila – but that time Zach was with us. he knew what he was doing, and he had a phone that worked in the Philippines. The travels were all so worth it.

Much like the beginning of making a mess – to make something beautiful.

This is the fence, flowers, and the front of my brother’s house. and what I imagine it looks like today.

and the first sunset I saw in the Philippines. our first of many walks at sunset. 

so beautiful! if I try real hard when I remember I can hear the roosters. smell the dirt, carabow poo, flowers, other smells I can’t identify. feel the heat and humidity. 

This was the end of our first full day in the Philippines. the beginning strokes of a new painting. more chapters in my story. chapters I never thought God would share with me. I thought it was just dreaming.

He provided. every step of the way. He provided.

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As I look at life another year older. There is not one moment of that “crazy idea” trip to the Philippines I regret. I am so thankful God, our Heavenly Father, provided the way for us to go to visit.

to help family.

to support the mission.

to have the experience of a lifetime.

I am looking forward to learning more about how wild God is in His love for us. for me. Through lots of study and good reads over the last year I’m believing it more and more, but I still feel as if I’m just scratching the surface of understanding His ultimate love.

I hope you know you have a Heavenly Father wanting and waiting to love you. Do you know this already? If not, I urge you click on the link and believe the verse. It is just one verse, but it is a starting point to great wonders. Maybe you have known this in the past but it’s become increasingly hard to remember.

Remember it now. I’m reminding you.

We are at the start of a new week. Easter week. I’m not against the easter bunny & all the extra easter stuff. However, we don’t do all those things – simply because we don’t have the money for all the commercialism and it is NOT why we celebrate Easter. The real reason we have Easter is because Good Friday is remembering the day Jesus died on the cross for my sins. [your sins.] Jesus took the punishment of death for me. [for you.] because He loved me [you] that much. He rose again on the 3rd day, Easter Sunday, after conquering death and sin. Of course, the days of the week may not be right – because the timing is connected to when Passover is celebrated.

Did you know this is why we have Easter?

All you have to do is ask. Ask Jesus to be Lord of your life. Accept Jesus’ gift to cover your sins with His blood. It really is that simple.

The best thing you can do if you have asked Jesus to be Lord of your life, you’ve accepted His gift is to tell someone. If you don’t know who you can tell, feel free to email me (see the about page for my email address).

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