Saturday Post - 20/07/2013

As I (Amanda) write this right now, I have to keep a nervous eye on the laundry room in the backyard, because today for the first time, it seems the puppies are interested in venturing outside their four walls. It's so adorable; they are walking now and playing with each other, but still learning how to do it so they keep falling over. Let's all say, "Awwww!" together! I want to keep them all, but seems less than likely to happen. Actually, even keeping one is not really in the cards. Especially because, just now, as Craig was taking pictures of them, one pooed on his foot. 

Sometimes I do not know where the time goes. Every time I look up from doing something, it seems it is Saturday once again. I cannot believe it is actually July... I want time to slow down so I can breathe a bit more. Or maybe time should speed up so we can go home and see you all again! Either way, that doesn't change the fact that it is Saturday again and another very busy one at that. Craig is preaching tomorrow and the church is starting a new series on Philippians, which means Craig has the problem of having way too much to say. KC has kindly asked that he not go till 1 p.m. because Caleb has started on baby food now and needs to eat on a schedule. I also ask that he not preach till 1 p.m. as I have been on solid food for 27 years and I also need to eat on a schedule. But joking aside, I know I am excited for this series in Philippians because, well, it is just an awesome book. I know Craig has also enjoyed preparing it, because he has been quite sick this week and yet worked from home on his sermon when he took a sick day. I remember waking up from my lunchtime nap one day and he was right back at it, working, when he should have been the one sleeping. 

Yes, poor Craig has been quite sick. I actually thought he was whining a bit and didn't give it much attention until the complaints started varying in severity and description. We have had a couple of very busy and demanding weekends recently, and I just thought he was tired and grumpy, but then a perpetual headache was only getting worse with Paracetamol, his throat started hurting, etc. So, finally he went to the doctor and he had quite an inflamed throat; he was given medicine, antibiotics and sent for some lab analysis. However, to compound the problem, after seeing the doctor his mouth started hurting a lot and I thought he might have a cavity (he says he has never had a cavity in his entire life). So the next day he went to the dentist and, to his great relief, he did not have a cavity (because keeping his record clean was obviously the most important thing). He does however have his wisdom teeth coming in on the left side of his mouth and will need dental surgery to remove them as a dental x-ray showed that they are partly impacted. Rut, the wife of Miguel-Ángel, FT President and a dentist himself, wanted to do it today, and he was fine with that as the sooner they came out they sooner they would stop hurting, but I commented that if he had his wisdom teeth removed on Saturday there is no way he would be able to preach on Sunday. So, the surgery is scheduled for some time this week... we will keep you posted. 

Our house guest for the past month, Joseph Sturman, left this past Wednesday and should be back in England now, settling back into life where I hear the weather is quite nice. Craig and I have both been so blessed to share this past month with Joe. We have been encouraged by his faith and his determination to serve God in as many ways as he can. He is a mature young man who we both enjoyed engaging in conversation on many topics. He was a great example to me especially as he showed an extremely professional work ethic. He would be most welcome here again for two reasons: 1) he baked cookies before he left to say thanks, and 2) he was also very complimentary of my cooking. For all future guests that stay with us... please take notes now. 

I mentioned that these past two weekends have been very busy for us and I know Craig shared the craziness that was two weekends ago, but last weekend was unexpectedly busy. We had the privilege to have two young girls stay with us for two nights as their family were working some issues out. They were wonderful guests, though Yoselin (one of the girls that I meet for discipleship) likes to leave crumbs behind her like a trail every time she eats anything; sometimes I follow her around the house with a broom and sweep up as she walks past. It was an interesting experience for us as we went from a house hold of two to three (with the addition of Joe) and then to five (with Yoselin and Ailin). I enjoyed kind of getting to be like a mother hen for a little while, though you do have to get up really early here to get kids to school on time. It felt even stranger going from five to three to two again once Joe left. Now we're just two people again... and ten dogs (eight puppies). But we pray that Yoselin and Ailin enjoyed their two-night sleepover with us and felt all the love we tried to show them. 

Well, off to do more Saturday stuff, like eat lunch (remember, I'm on a schedule). We will let you know how Craig's dental surgery goes next weekend. 

Prayer

• For Craig's dental surgery, if it happens this week - Miguel-Ángel, President of the Foundation and his wife, will be the ones doing it, so pray for guidance and wisdom for them as well.
• Yoselin and Ailin's family and their personal Christian growth.
• Amanda as she chairs Youth Group tonight - Elizabeth is speaking on the need for daily confession in our prayer lives. 
• Craig speaking on Philippians tomorrow.

Praise

• That Craig's throat and headache feel so much better after seeing the doctor.
• That we had the privilege to have Joe live with us for the month he was visiting the Foundation.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig & Amanda