The last couple of months have been extremely hectic. Since the end of May I have finished my exams and we have all been on holiday together, I have celebrated my 29th birthday and had a couple of preaching engagements.
The exams went well. I got asked all the questions I wanted and felt prepared for them, the only thing that might come up a bit short is my essay writing technique and an inability to recall quotations on the day. I just hope that I will get what I need in terms of grades to get me into Queens this September.
Our holiday was amazing. It was the first time that we have returned to Florida together since leaving there in March 2006. I never thought that I would be quite as emotional on my own return to the place. When we left in march 06, I was very focussed on what we were coming home for and very ready to be around family and old friends again and as a result, I never noticed how much I was missing it. However, when we returned this time I found that much of my own heart is still in Florida and realized just how much I miss living there.
We started out spending a few days in St Augustine with Ron, Jen and Kate and this was just a good time to relax and reconnect with them. We took Eva to the beach in her cute little sunsuit (see pictures - and it is okay to think she is wearing a deep sea diving wet suit!!!!) and had a wonderful time there. At first Eva did not like the water but she got more and more brave in her Daddy's arms and by the end of the day was sitting at the ocean's edge having the waves splash over her. Eva had obviously missed Kate because the two of them clicked together like they had been sisters all their lives - they both had immense fun on the beach splashing each other and playing with kate's beach toys.
Then it was back to Port St Lucie and for the next 2 1/2 weeks we spent time with some cherished friends. The Conant's had made the trip back from Georgia and it was very cool to see them on The Wednesday night at church. Asa and I rejoined the band in church and we had a bit of a jam with a few songs and it really was like we had never been away. Margaret and I were really blessed to stand as God parents for Trinity when she was baptized the following Sunday. Asa and I were able to get together again at the invitation of Gary Stannis to go fishing on his boat. We had an amazing time (in between me being violently sea sick!!!) and even caught a couple of fish. It was nice to get some good time with Asa and catch up with each other. I miss him a lot.
Others that we got to connect with were our American parents John and Renee, our close friends the Skinner's, the Szymczyk's (Sim-check's), the Fox's, Allan, the guys from youth and so many more - too many to mention specifically. I played golf a few times with Ron and his Dad which was also a lot of fun (if not a bit disgraceful in terms of my scores!!!) Mostly though, our trip was just a good time to relax and chill out as a family with our best friends Ron and Jen. The let us invade their lives completely for three weeks and never complained once - well not to us anyways!!! Since we lived in Florida, Ron and his Dad have been hard at work and they now have a big deck which we had a great time sitting and lying out on. Ron and Jen now also have a boat and we got out on the river a couple of times in Fort Pierce. Both times the water was so clear and the weather was perfect. Good times!!!!!
Since coming back life has not slowed down. Margaret was straight back into work and life very quickly has got back to normal. We had Stevie's surprise 30th birthday party at the end of June and then my 29th in the second week of July. For my birthday this year I got a bit of a treat in Florida in the form of a new guitar similar to the one we bought for Ron before leaving last year. I have been covetting it ever since we got it for him and now I have one of my own. It is a stunning, hand made Timberline 12 string guitar and it sounds beautiful. On my actual birthday Margaret got me a lovely couples picture frame with our pictures in it and an engraved personal message. It's very cool indeed.
One more thing I wanted to mention was Bailey Swager's mission trip. You might not know who Bailey is. She was in our youth group in Florida and has since decided that she wants to give up a year of her life to go on a missions trip. This September she will be going to Swaziland in Africa to work with an organization as a Christian Missionary. As her old Youth Pastor and her friends, Margaret and I are really proud of her and would love you to join us in praying for her and supporting her as she undertakes this big project in her life. Also if you want to support her in any other way i.e. financially, I am sure she would love that too. Bailey is a girl who in my humble opinion gets what it is to follow Jesus - she is giving of herself for others less fortunate in life than herself. In Scripture, Old and New Testaments, God constantly says that being one of his people means looking out for those that are in poverty and illness and grief in life. Bailey is getting that and that's cool. What is also cool is that she is not alone, lots of youth from our old church undertook missions trips this summer and took part in VBS. On top of this the adults in the church are getting it also that God's call is to 'go' and look out for those who need you. It is a very exciting time for mission at FUMC in Port St Lucie. You can check Bailey's journey out on www.baileyswager.myadventures.org
I think I have written enough for now, Eva needs bathed and dressed. I will add some pictures of our trip later.
Blessings
