Our New Journey!!!

We are moving to Lakehurst, New Jersey!!! We are actually moving tommorrow. On our way up for Florida we were able to stop at home and spend Christmas with family and friends, Praise the Lord!!
For Benssy first station he has shore duty for the first two years so we will get to be a real family again :) He does leave for two months for C school in Jacksonville, Fl for electronics. But I plan on making another visit home when he does that.
Benssy was top of his class with the highest average in the whole AS school. I am so proud of him, he worked really hard and sacrificed alot of his time with us to get to that point. We hope that all of you all had a wonderful Christmas and if you ever feel up to a road trip to NJ we have a place for you to stay.

Two weeks from today!!

Two weeks from today and Benssy graduates!!! I am so proud of him, he is working so hard. It is a hard couple of weeks for Isaiah and I because we do not get to see him but for a couple of minutes every couple of days if we are lucky. We hope to find out next week where he will be stationed and if he has the opportunity to go to "C" school. I am missing my friends and family so much right now. I am trying to be strong for Isaiah and for Benssy but I feel very alone. Pray that I will feel God's presence beside of me giving me stregnth and endurance down this lonely path. I miss my church family so much, words can not express. I love you all!!!!

God's Great Strength

I feel God strengthing me and teaching me new things as I am challanged daily by this new path in our lives. I am thankful, wow that word does not do it justice, by how clearly I see and feel His sweet love. Benssy is doing so well in school, he is top of his class; yet he truly struggles with his confidence.
There is a young man that Benssy is ministering to, he joined us for church this past Sunday and came to the house for lunch afterwards. It was truly a blessing. This is our ministry for such a time as this.
We hope to find out in a couple of weeks where we will be stationed, I am anxious.

We Are Home!!!

What a wonderful surprise, we are taking a couple of days and visiting family and friends. I have to say that I was pretty excited when I drove into Maryville, Isaiah and I were singing and telling everything around us "HELLO". What a blessing to see the magestic beauty of God's creation all around us as we drove towards the mountains, the colors are beautiful. Benssy had "duty" over the weekend so he is busy with that and has a huge load of homework this weekend. --We were able to go to small group this past Wednesday and we had a playdate on Thurdsay with friends from church.

Benssy is starting his classes

Benssy started his classes this week and should finish up on the 18th of December if everything goes well. They are pretty intensive but we are just so excited for things to be moving forward. My family is coming down for a visit tommorrow, I am so excited!!! It is a much needed visit, it can be lonley here. Just in the past week we had to take Isaiah to the ER because of a Broncial infection and then I broke my big toe. Hopefully that excitment is over.

A Good Sunday

I am enjoying a nice afternoon with Benssy at the Portside on base. My family made it down fine and it was such a wonderful visit!!! I miss them already and it has only been a week since they left. They brought down all of our stuff so we now have a bed to sleep in and pots to cook with. I visited a church this morning, it was so good to worship in community. I thought about our church family and how much we miss celebrating out Great God side by side in worship, we miss everyone of you and think of you often. Benssy is doing well at school, it is a little frustrating for him because of course he is learning in his second language. Please continue to pray for Haiti, it seems that every week we get more bad news.

We have an apartment!!

Just wanted to let you know that we are moving into a nice little 2 bedroom apartment that is just 10 miles from base. We did sign a lease, but when Benssy gets orders we just have to show a copy of the orders and they will release us from the lease - praise the Lord!

A few things you can pray for:

- That the hurricane would not hit our area this weekend. If it doesn't hit we'll get to spend all weekend with Benssy. If it does hit he'll be evacuated and we won't get to see him. Please pray for our safety.

- For the logistics of my parents traveling down to bring us our furniture. My grandmother is sick and is living with my parents and we're just not sure how it will work out for them to get down here.

- And just continue to pray that we will trust the Lord, that we'll stay united as a family, have wisdom and patience with Isaiah, and be available to how the Lord wants to use us.

And please remember to pray for Haiti as things are very difficult there right now. For details click on the "Praying for Haiti" link on the right.

We love and miss you!!

our family

Update about housing

We are still awaiting more details about housing, alot of things are very confusing and it is so hard to get answers from anyone. Yet, our sweet Lord is providing us with lodging and wonderful time with Benssy so I am very happy to wait for the rest. We miss our family and friends in TN so much but feel so much peace that this is where we are suppose to be. Yesterday, we went to the beach and tried to find this church we wanted to visit but they had closed because of the weather (Tropical Storm Fay) but is was absolutley beautiful so we drove around and looked for apartments. This morning it is a little cloudy and rainy, Isaiah and I are going to venture out to check out a couple of our top picks on the apartments, these are just backups in case the housing falls through . Oh, Isaiah and I got to check out a couple of Blue Angel shows last week, they are stationed here, it was AMAZING!!! Please check out the update about Haiti on the Haitian blog off to the rt. side, they truly need your prayers. Thank you!!

Together as a family in Pensacola...

Benssy has graduated from Boot Camp! He graduated on the 8th of August and flew to Pensacola on the 10th. Although it was short, our family had a wonderful weekend together in Chicago. Isaiah and I joined Benssy last week. Temporarily we are staying at a lodge on base while we look for more permanent housing. It looks like there is the possibility to live on base. PLEASE PRAY: I have been told there is housing available for us, Benssy just needs to get a letter from one of his officers confirming the training he will be involved in and how long that will last. Due to schedule conflicts Benssy is having a hard time getting a hold of an officer. Please pray that he'll have time to talk with an officer and quickly be able to get the necessary letter for Isaiah and I to secure the housing on base (that is available!).

Over the last few days we have had time with Benssy each afternoon and we are very thankful for that.

Also, please pray for wisdom and patience as we parent and discipline Isaiah. All the transition and unfamiliarity of things is very difficult for him.

To our friends and family, we love and miss you and hope to talk to you soon!

Benssy is up for Honorary Recruit, I am so proud of him. Isaiah and I leave in two weeks for his graduation and then down to Pensacola. Please pray for us as we enter this transition point in our lives. It is going to be a big change.

Benssy's Graduation Date

Benssy graduates from Bootcamp(Navy) on August 8th at 9:00am. He is doing very well and has passed his swimming test and his first physical. He is leading a prayer group every night. Please pray that the Holy Spirit would minister through Benssy to these guys, this is Benssy's mission for such a time as this.

We've started a blog!

Our family has started a blog to keep up to date with what we are doing - more info and pics to soon!