June/July Update and Upcoming Candidacy

Tomorrow we leave to go back to Nampa, Idaho for our five week Candidacy/training at the Mission Aviation Fellowship Headquarters. It is hard to believe that it's already time to go back! Candidacy will consist of two weeks of training/learning about the overseas programs in each country and at the end of this two weeks we will be assigned our country of service!!! We are so excited to finally know where God will have us serve. After this we will have one week of security training (which will also include hostage training), and then be followed by two weeks of partnership development training.

So what have we been up to since Callie was born? The last few weeks have been a whirlwind.....I think the word chaos describes it pretty well. Two days after we arrived home from the hospital, Blake came down with a 103 degree fever. He was diagnosed with strep throat and began antibiotics. Soon after that I had some post-partum complications and had to have an ultrasound and start antibiotics as well. At one point I could barely stand because of the pain.

Then Blake developed red spots that looked like hives all over his body. He was extremely fussy and between the strep and this issue, he was up several times in the night. Needless to say we weren't getting much sleep at night between the two babies! The rash occurred over the weekend and we ended up taking Blake to urgent care. The doctor wasn't sure what was causing the spots but speculated that it was a reaction called erythema multiforme, possibly from the strep infection or antibiotics. It is now gone and we are currently all healthy, praise God! Between everyone in the household, we were going to appointments almost every day for weeks! Thankfully my parents were here to help for much of that time. They were an absolute lifesaver.

In addition to the medical issues and transition from one to two kids, we have had an overwhelming amount to do in preparation for Candidacy. We have had to finish books and bible studies, get chest x-rays and tb tests, pack, clean, find a housesitter....the list seemed neverending.

However here we are, about to leave for most of the summer and we are so excited to start this adventure!

Here are some things you can be praying for:

• Pray for a safe and smooth trip to and from Nampa. It will be an eight hour drive.


• Please pray for energy and strength during the day and good sleep at night. The days will be long and exhausting as both of us will be in classes all day and we will be in a one bedroom apartment for the entire 5 weeks. Matt and I will likely put Blake in the bedroom since he is a light sleeper and we will have to be on a pull-out couch with Callie in the living room.


• Pray that Callie will do well in the classes with us and stay calm so that we can keep her with us.


• Pray for Blake, that he will do well with the babysitter and not feel neglected as we go off each day to the classes.


• Please pray for our country assignment and that God's hand would direct and guide the people making these decisions.

We look forward to updating you as to how things are going. Thank you all for your support, prayers, and encouragment!