The Thomas/Smith children are eight amazing children. I can't wait to see what God does in each and everyone of their lives. They've been friends for five and a half years which is like forever for a miltary child.
Our four bags weight 199 lbs...okay, fair enough. Then in Yokota they said they needed to weight all carry ons including our coats...they weighed 200...opps.
Wyatt was in his element today serving people. He carried many a car seat, stroller, and maman's diaper bags. The game boy is for trips and weekends. They never have time on the weekend. Wyatt and Will were quite entertained.
Melanee Kate was so in her element today loving on this baby. A sweet Christian mother was very grateful for God's provision of our daughter.
Debbie and Marcus Vincent were our nieghbors at McGuire AFB in our very first house. They came out tonight and took care of all five of us! WHAT A TREAT to be together...
Dear family and friends,
So we are on our fifth flight and enjoying the ride, our second C-17. We left Alaska around 2:30 and are on our way to Travis Air Force Base in California. Yes, I realize it’s very east of Hawaii, but Travis is the gateway to the Pacific and at this point the best way home. Quite appropriate to go to the gateway of the Pacific on our little swing, don’t you think?
Alaska was beautiful! I was amazed at how different it looks than Colorado, equally breathtaking, but in a whole different way. We stayed with our dear friends Doug and Sharla Smith, it was the first place that was hard to leave. Hard because we don’t know when we’ll see the Smith family again. We heard about them in Colorado, met them in Alabama, spent time together in Montana, and started walking life together in Hawaii. The Smith family has loved us through good, bad, and ugly. They love us despite, not because, and we are very grateful.
This last spring we had a wonderful opportunity to spend a great amount of time together. First we had the infamous TDY while both of the guys were gone where we ate dinner five out of six nights. The children whined on the night we missed. We also had the privilege of helping them move, moving is a GREAT way to take any friendship to a new depth. Serving with one another does that though now doesn’t it! The week that seven of the eight children went to Awana’s camp together the four of us had a meaningful week (Dinah, Sharla, Doug, and Jefferson…Ed was TDY as normal) as Doug and Sharla agreed to be roomies with Jefferson and I. When they left, we were all so hopeful to be together in Alaska before we moved to London, so this was really an answer to prayer. God delighting His children!
Sharla had not been home for even 12 hours from being with her parents in Montana when she got the 5:30 wake up call. I didn’t step out of their house for over 28 hours and it was AWESOME. The Smith home always seems to be a haven for those who enter. Sharla’s gift of hospitality always blesses and amazes me. Doug had been TDY the week before Sharla went to Montana and they would have had every reason to say it wasn’t a good time but instead they welcomed us with open arms and hearts! God’s timing is perfect, although one could look from the outside and think it was a horrible time, He was right on time. He always is you know!
We also had the opportunity to spend Thursday morning with most of the Rosendahl family. We met Tami and Martin and their four children in Italy where we went to church together. Christian fellowship never ceases to amaze me…how you can pick right back up like it was yesterday. Caroline and Hannah, the only and darling daughter of their family, have become friends on facebook this summer. Hannah is such a neat girl who loves Jesus and has been a bright spot to our Caroline. Caroline was funny when she realized what a neat girl Hannah was, but it didn’t surprise me in the least knowing what a neat lady her mother is. Tami was very kind to me in Italy and her friendship has always been very appreciated!
So Alaska was really about people with a beautiful back drop from our creator. His creation, the people and the sights, they call me to worship.
Last stop…almost there. The most exciting part of this last stop is seeing Debbie and Marcus Vincent. I’ve had several wonderful neighbors over the years, Debbie being my first. She set the bar high! I haven’t seen her since the day we drove out of New Jersey 15 ½ years ago, but we’ve kept up all these years. I can hardly believe that my children are going to get to meet Mr. and Mrs. Vincent!
The day after Caroline was born Debbie came to visit me with gift in hand. One of the sweetest gifts I’ve ever received. Debbie’s mother passed away when she was a child. She brought me a little tin box that her mother always kept her ribbons in. I was decorating my nursery in “Cow Jumped Over the Moon” and this little tin box had the most precious “Cow Jumped Over the Moon” scene you’ve ever laid your eyes on. It was a gift of sacrifice and celebration. I will treasure it always. I can hardly wait to hug Debbie’s neck!
Love to all…I will “see” you on the way home. Ed said last night that it might take a week to get back, I have to admit that my first reaction was not with my eyes on the Father but on myself. We are moving in two weeks as my husband has reminded me. The past day or so have begun to feel the pressure of all that needs to be accomplished. It’s amazing how quickly you can feel stressed when you take your eyes off of God’s plan for each day. God’s timing is perfect so we’ll just see what He does. I’ll keep you posted…
Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops
