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The aftermath

I don't think these pictures need much explanation, but I do want to say, it was one of the muddiest days of "mud season," along with a little snow.

Drawing to an end

I was packing up the last few items in our trailer when one of the young women helping us moved came up to me and asked timidly, "can we draw on your walls?" It took me a couple of seconds to figure out if she was asking what it sounded like and then a couple more seconds to remember that the house is just going to be torn down. After a long, perplexed pause, I said, "OF COURSE!" Here are some pictures of their "beautiful" artwork.

Ethan finally got to write on his bedroom walls

Ethans's artwork again

The Loss of Wisdom

A week and a half ago, John had all four of his wisdom teeth surgically removed. That was just a week after we moved and the timing couldn't have been more perfect.... or, not! The two bottom teeth were impacted and intertwined with his nerves, so the one was loose enough to just pull out but the other tooth was de-crowned, leaving the roots. He still has not regained all of the feeling in his lip and chin, but the dry socket is finally healing. Needless to say, John has been sleeping and living on the couch since April 2nd. Please be praying that the nerve damage would not be permanent and he would be able to eat soon!

Pictures from the move

John almost lost this mattress in the wind

Jess :)

Dan Murphy, the first domino to fall in our Redcloud shuffle

Movies kept the kids busy

Guilt

I feel as though my stuff is doomed. That anything I leave here is being left to its death. A really weird feeling to abandon it all here!

Last Night

I would love to share all that has been going on with us the last few days, but honestly, I don't have the time. However, I did want to give you a quick update. We did not know it, but we spent our last night in our home last night. The board said they don't want anyone to spend another night in their trailers. So we are staying at the Family Ministries Lodge tonight and everynight until we move into our new home. Which for us, should be only a few more days! YAY! We are excited but we just found out this evening and it has been a VERY long day for us. So we are about to grab our jammies, head over to the lodge and crash. I will update you more very soon! Please be praying for sufficient rest and strength for us as we are about to start a very crazy week.

Saying goodbye to a season

As long as we have been serving Camp Redcloud, John and Pat Sloan have served as our CEO/President. But to me, they have been more like our serogate parents/mentors/disciplers/family/serogate grandparents to Ethan/supporters/dear, precious friends. We love them so much, but their season at Redcloud is coming to an end. They will continue to stay involved and help in the summers; however, a couple of weeks ago, we spent 4 long days packing up their house to make room for another family. This has allowed the Burgesses to move out of their trailer (see previous post). It was a huge sacrifice on the Sloans part, but a very needed one. Camp now has a new CEO/President whom we are growing to know and love. The Jacksons are an answer to our prayers and, well, a new season, that God has placed before us. I am just having a hard time saying goodbye to the "Sloan Season." Why can't I have two seasons at once? The problem with calling it a season is seasons always come back around, usually every year. John and Pat will never fill their previous position as CEO at Camp, but I do hope they never stop filling the position they were to me and that I get to see that season every year! It has been such a sweet season with its storms and its sunny days. Thank you John and Pat!

Pat and I on Moving day (we labeled her shirt with a Hershey's Hugs paper that says, "hug me, hug me, hug me.... ")

The Main Issue, ...this year

You may recall the water main leak from last year. It took us weeks, if not a month or two, to find it. This winter, we started having the same issues again, much to John's dismay. He had just passed his "Small water system operators" class and was now the go-to guy for the water system. They looked close to the spot that broke last year, where they found and fixed the new leak in a couple of days! Praise God! He has been so good to us. Thank you for always praying for us and for the Camp.

The Rug!

We finally got the bear rug back! Until we move, he will remain in John's office. You will notice that it is folded in half to fit on the wall. This is because he measured 7' 6" square!

Exciting stuff!!!

The first family has moved out of their trailer! PRAISE GOD!! On Monday of this week, the demolition of their home started, which was a big spectacle around camp. Seeing this trailer come down was amazing. Amazing to see God providing for the families here, amazing to see the dream of so many, finally coming to fruition! As an added praise to this week, $300,000.00 has been raised to finish the housing and get the rest of the families out of their trailers. Our family is scheduled to be moving in the next few weeks. We are a little behind schedule but we continue to pray for our safety. I am glad I don't know everything that was in the inspection report of our trailer because I like to sleep at night, and I am learning to trust God to protect us another night... And every night after, while we remain in this trailer. He has protected us for 5 years now and many other families for 20 years before us!

John and the Boys celebrating the destruction of the trailer!

The "footprint" of the trailer

Moving

So, Good news.... 90 days have flown by for us and we are moving in the next few weeks. Yes, I know, the 90 days have not gone by in a week but for our family, we didn't have to wait until May 1st. The home we are going to move into will be opening up in the next few weeks. Pretty crazy!

I am so excited but also humbled and sad. Our sweet friends, Brant and Jessica, will be moving out of their beautiful home so we can be safely out of our trailer. It is so bitter sweet to me. I love their home and I love visiting them there, but now I feel as though I am kicking them out. They have assured me they have chosen to move into town and rent so we can enjoy their home but it is still a lot to process. The Sloans have also chosen to move out of their home to allow another family to move out of their trailer.

Please pray for the money needed to get the remaining 3 families out of their trailers. There is still so much work to be done in the next 90 days.

OH....and the bad news..... water is dripping out of the light socket above my computer. So I have a bowl on top of the monitor to collect the water. Maybe I won't miss this trailer!

90 Days

I hesitate to write this entry as I struggle with my emotions. I am so excited yet cautious to get ahead of God and be let down. I have chosen to share my excitement and trust the Lord!

Last night we had a meeting here at camp to discuss our housing arrangements. Those of you that have visited us know that we, and 5 other families, live in old mobile homes (roughly 30 to 40 years old). We are so thankful for the housing but they have their "issues". Camp has been struggling to provide new housing that would replace the trailers but the money has not yet been raised. A couple weeks ago, we had an inspector inspect our homes to see what he can do to make them safe. As he went through each one, he found that they are irrepairable. Camp has decided they want to have each family out of their home in 90 days and they are coming up with a plan to provide housing for us. However, the money will still be needed to complete the plan.

We need your prayers for the next 90 days! We have made a plan and we will wait eagerly to see what God’s plan is. Money is not an issue to God as he will provide for all of our needs. So, Please join us in praying for funds, building resources, and wisdom. Praise the Lord for His protection over our homes throughout the years!

SNOW!

We Got our first Snow!!

Handed Down

This spring, after our weather port (a.k.a. our storage shed) collapsed under the incredible amount of snow we got, I started going through our belongings. I had way too many baby clothes that I had saved in hopes of having another little one. Now six years later, no more little ones have come into our home and I realized that I have bin after bin of clothes I love but are doing no one any good sitting in a storage shed. It was incredibly hard to part with all the little outfits, but hardest of all was my baby furniture. I know I didn't HAVE to get rid of it but it was taking up a lot of space and I knew it was time. This does not mean I have given up hope of having another baby... it just means that it was time to stop planning on it. It was a really good process for me to go through and reminded me of how blessed we really are that God gave us the son we have. He is a beautiful gift from God as were all of the wonderful things people gave us when we had him and it was time to pass that gift on. Our Crib came from Walnut hill and the matching changing table came from Paul Quinn. It was so wonderful to see God provide for us then and that they matched!! That was not planned but a huge blessing for me! Anyhow... I ended up giving most of our clothes to a couple here at camp that were pregnant with a baby boy AND I finally gave up the crib and changing table. If God blessed us before, who is to say he wouldn't do that again! I know that he would! So just today I recieved an update to her blog with pictures of their nursery all set up! It is so cool to see someone else receive joy from the furniture, But it also tugged at my heart. Hopefully someday that will be me again, but if not, I am so thankful that God has given me the son I have. I wouldn't trade him for the world!

Ethan's old crib and changing table in Chester's new nursery