Dear family and friends,
What a year...how do you describe a year such as this?
Just when we thought an Iraq assignment was truly going to happen, Ed came home and said, "So what would you think about Hawaii?. Six weeks later we were on a plane.
It was bittersweet. Ed's job had been extremely intense so I was grateful for a change of pace, but we'd never left family. Grateful for where God had had us, but hopeful for where He was taking us. A mixing bowl of emotions...through it all my heart cried out...God is good...
God was good when He went ahead in preparing us for this move.
God was good when my dear sister and sweet friend Tonia Shaw dashed over when they found out there had been a mix up and the movers for our storage had come two days early. They came with Diet Cokes in hand (for me) ready to do anything I asked.
God was good when He provided friends and family to make this move happen. They loved us, fed us, cared for our children, repaired our wall, picked up our new computer, prayed for us, carried away our Goodwill items, threw us special parties, took our pictures...the list goes on and on, yet is not complete. We could not have done it without them as they were truly God's provision.
God was good when the Air Force was able to route our tickets to Hawaii through Dallas and Denver which allowed us to spend time with all four grandparents.
God was good when Caroline's Math class transferred easily over to The Potter's School.
God was good when our nieces hugged me again and again promising they'd miss us.
God was good when He put Jeff Dunn in my husband's life 17 years ago
God was good when Jeff was already TDY and was able to spend half of our weekends with us before we left.
God was good when we were able to spend a day in New York City as a family after we moved out of our house. We were ready for the cold, but did not have shoes for the snow.
God was good that we did not catch pneumonia due to our wet feet.
God was good when He let us stand on our porch in New Jersey and have our picture made with our four children. We'd miscarried when we were there and we didn't know how God's plans would unfold. AND YES, Ed is working on the phone.
God was good when He gave such a great church family to miss.
God was good when He let us make our first flight. We thought we had allowed for enough time yet due to extra traffic and the fact that there is not an exit to Reagan from the HOV lane (I said there was) we could have missed it.
God was good when my husband and sister were loving despite my bad call.
God was good in allowing us to see people that we love along the way.
God was good when we were able to celebrate Ed's 40th birthday with his parents.
God was good when David Leigh and his family ate cake with us. Ed has known David since the 1st grade.
God was good when He taught Grammy to make sweet and sour chicken.
God was good when He gave me in laws that would welcome our friends to come and spend the day with us. Between the three families (including ours) there were 14 children. Major was a little concerned and pleasantly surprised.
God was good when He gave us both parents who always open their homes and hearts to our family.
God was good when our children were cheerful despite plane delays (well, three out of four). I'd never taken a nap in the Dallas Airport.
God was good when we didn't share the virus Jefferson had with the Baker's and my parents.
God was good when the Baker's said they still wanted us to come back in the future.
God was good when my father cheerfully ran errands such as gathering paper towels, water and trash bags while I cleaned vomit off our son in the cold at a gas station.
God was good when I caught the virus and was forced to stay home, rest, and catch up on the finances of the move. God often gives me refreshment in the strangest of places.
God was good when my mother was there to take care of me.
God was good when He allowed Chief to teach his youngest grandson to ski.
God was good when He let me eat at Chili's in the Los Angelos Airport with my husband and four children.
God was good when we were met by the Smith family at the Honolulu Airport. The Smith's have now given us smooth transitions to Montana and Hawaii.
God was good when He provided us a house.
God was good when helped us make our TLF (temporary lodging facility) a home for 3 months
and five days, while we waited for our house.
God was good when He used this time to draw us more to Himself and one another.
God was good when He allowed us to share one toilet for three months.
God was good when He caused our children to see that more than one toilet is a luxury (Lord, please don't teach them that any toilet is a luxury).
God was good when four families from our church had plans to come to Hawaii way before we did.
God was good when we were able to trust Him while Ed was gone for two TDYs (military word for business trip).
God was good when He helped me choose to not be mad at my sweet husband for dropping me off on an island and leaving me.
God was good when He provided a way for Ed to go to Shaw Dunn's graduation.
God was good when He let us have a victorious end to our crazy school year (I also had surgery in the fall).
God was good when He put others in our lives who caused us to look more at Christ and less at ourselves. Meeting and loving Mrs. Neyland will be something that our children will never forget.
God was good when He provided new orthodontist, dentist, hair stylist, piano teachers, voice teachers, and violin teachers (I can't wait to see what God is going to do in this woman's life...she's a special one to say the least).
God was good when He gave my husband such fantastic people to work with.
God was good when He put a mango tree in our yard.
God was good when He gave us THREE toilets.
God was good when...did I say that He was good...
Lord, you are always good. Please forgive me for not always seeing it. Please help me to see it more often. Thank you for every inch of provision this year!
Did I mention we are going snorkeling in the morning?
Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops
