Coming Up for Air

Well, we have been here at orientation now for 2 weeks and I am finally able to do some blogging for the first time since we arrived. It has been a very busy time here with most of our days spent in class and most of our evenings spent trying to spend time with the kids and get our assignments completed before the next day. Although we are very excited to be here and learning all the important information, we do look forward to the weekends!

Some of you have asked what our accomodations look like. The Quads are 4 separate apartments that are combined by one large common area. We have a small kitchen, bathroom and 3 bedrooms in our apartment. It is small, but comfortable, and we spend our weekend evenings talking with other families, playing games, and working on puzzles in the common areas.

The kids are starting to adjust to life here in Rockville. They have school every day M-F. Connor has already been on one field trip to the main Richmond offices and out for Chinese for lunch. Kayleigh has made so many friends. I often see her holding hands with one of her play friends and whispering secrets back and forth. Cade is a constant bundle of energy. Most of my evenings are spent chasing him around the cafeteria, playgrounds, quad, etc...Although he still has not quite adjusted to the new routine as far as sleep goes, he does seem to love his class and enjoys his new friends as well.

There are 3 large playgrounds here, a river, a lake stocked with catfish, bass and crappy (Ken and Connor have already been fishing), some great walking/running trails, and lots of pasture and cows around. I guess it would be considered a great place to vacation if we didn't have so much work to do :)

One thing that has been emphasized here more than anything else I can say is to really increase our quiet times reading the Word and praying to the Lord. For me it has always been a challenge with three small children to do that, but now it is to be my top priority and it has been such a blessing to have that time with just God and me. Towards the end of the first week Ken and I were so tired and frazzled with the work, kids, and general adjustment. We just prayed together for God to help us to really focus on what was important. The next day they decided to send us all off with a box lunch to find a quiet place to be alone with the Lord. It was such a beautiful day. I remember writing in the journal our Sunday school class had given us Psalm 9:9-10

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stonghold in times of trouble.

Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never

forsaken those who seek you.

I thank the Lord that He will never forsake us. He is indeed our refuge and fortress!

Take It Easy

14 days ago we were given the news about our delay and asked for everyone to pray that we could find a place to take the kids that would allow Ken to study and give the kids a fun and educational time while we waited to leave. God’s blessings were really overwhelming to us as He provided a condo in Gulf Shores through a friend of Ken’s parents. What an amazing week and a half it has been!

We have been to the beach, pool, Gulf Shores Zoo, Fort Morgan, the Foley Railroad Museum, watched the Blue Angels practice and met the pilots, had a birthday party for Cade on the Lagoon, experienced a real old fashioned ice cream parlor in a drug store, caught crabs in the trap off the pier, played miniature golf, ate lots of wonderful seafood, spent time with family, met some new friends, and just reveled in the beauty that is God’s creation!

This last week and a half has really been a blessing to the Nelson family. God has been so gracious to give us this time to have that “peace, be still” moment in our lives. Our thoughts and prayers have been with many of our friends as we have had one friend lose her husband and prayed for another friend from Sunday school having serious health issues at this time.

I know that there are times in our lives when we experience the tribulations that this world can bring, but it is my prayer that through this all we as His children will be able to say that because He lives within us we can overcome this world and all of its trials. Please know that we continue to pray for all of you, our family and friends, and that we too cherish your prayers for us as well.