Military wives must be as tough as their husbands

11 days ago I took Luke and 5 other men to the airport. Their goal? To take the gospel to the unreached people of Guinea-Bissau, West Africa.

Over the past week, the kids and I have traveled over 1,500 miles visiting friends and family in Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas. It was an awesome distraction and I must admit the traveling wasn't nearly as hard as the last 2 days have been with us being back at home and Luke not being here.

I knew that he did a lot for me, around the house, helping with the kids, keeping me sane... you know, normal stuff. But I guess I never realized the details.

Until he was gone, I realized that I can't remember that last time I made the coffee.

Or took out the trash.

Or had to bathe the kids all by myself, multiple times in a week.

Or fed the dog.

Or put gas in the van.

I know those are just simple things, but they are simple things I took for granted.

And, y'all, I'm blessed with incredible friends. I got so many texts this week from people reminding me that they're praying for us. Then yesterday after church I realized we only had a splash of milk left. That wouldn't bode well for us the next morning. I sent out a tweet stating our "crisis" and said maybe I'd take all 6 kids to the store with me. Within minutes I had 2 friends text me offering to bring milk over.  Then, about 10 minutes later, my awesomely amazing friend Amanda was on my doorstep, gallon of 2% in hand.

Y'all, only God designs friendships like that.

The whole week I just kept thinking (in addition to how amazing my friends are) about military wives and how they do this day in and day out for months, sometimes years, at a time.

I have a few friends that are military wives and I've always felt called to pray over them but once more God allowed me a small glimpse into their lives and I know that I need to desperately be on my knees for them as they endure the time between when their spouses leave and when they return.

Y'all I had it so easy. 11 days. That's nothing. And I had a full time helper, my friend Grace, who skipped 2 days of college and took the rest of her fall break to bless me with her help and company.

I pray that the Lord reminds me often the sacrifice military spouses make and to pray for them earnestly. I hope you'll join me and if you know the spouse of a military serviceman or woman that you'll encourage them yourself.

I'm convinced that military wives must be as tough as their husbands, if not tougher. ;)

It's just about noon here and Luke will be home in about 7 hours. I'm so ready I can hardly stand it. Dear Lord, please make this day go by quickly.

Here

I'm still here. Sorta.

I mean, I'm not in the "here" that we're normally at. We are traveling and will be back to our normal "here" sometime next weekend. We've enjoyed spending time with long-time friends. Friends who encourage the mess out of us, provoke us to think about God's word authentically, challenge us with our normalcies and love us beyond what we deserve.

We've been encouraged, supported and squeezed extra tight by family.

We've had the privilege to speak with two groups about our ministry in Kenya and both times walked away more blessed than we could have previously imagined.

We've been spoiled rotten by having our sweet friend Paige travel with us to help us. Originally, her role was to help us with the kids, but I can see that she's really here for so much more. She's encouraged us as well, jumped into the thick of loading and unloading and just blessed us on every level possible.

I guess you could say that we're blessed to be here, rather than "here."

I hope to post again soon with pictures, updates and more info about Guinea-Bissau, our assignment in Kenya and just life in general.

Ordinary

I know that what I'm about to say is not really going to shock any of you. But I have something I want to tell you. Lean in real close, okay?

Ready?

I'm ordinary.

Yep. Just an ordinary girl, who loves the Lord, her husband and her half a dozen crazy kids.

Nothing special. Certainly NOT a "Super-Mom" and definitely NOT a Saint. Despite what people say, I don't have a more-direct-than-you line to God. In fact, there are still days that I don't even open my Bible. Thankfully, those days are becoming fewer and fewer, but they still exist.

I'm not perfect, I think bad thoughts, I say bad things, I DO bad things. Sometimes, when the phone rings, I look at who's calling, roll my eyes then hit "Silent."

I know. Terrible isn't it?

I'm normal. Just because we adopted kids doesn't make us "Mega-Parents." Just because we desire to be Missionaries doesn't mean we are perfect. And while I do believe that we are to be held to a higher standard because of our roles within in the church and our desires to lead people to the feet of Christ, we are still sinners desperate for the grace and forgiveness that the Lord has to offer.

Wanna know what else? I'm scared.

Truth is, I'm a little worried I'm going to have a panic attack on Thursday morning. Just thinking about kissing my man and my kids good-bye for 11 days makes my heart pound, my eyes well up with tears and my breathing become more rapid.

I'm afraid. The enemy takes advantage of my fears and whispers lies to me,

"What will happen to them if you never come home?"

"No good mother would leave her kids and go half way around the world."

"What if they get sick or hurt and you're not here?"

"What if something serious happens and you never even know about it?"

"If you die, will they ever even remember you?"

Just typing those things out has made me short of breath. Truthfully though, I have two choices.

1) I can allow that fear to grip me, paralyze me both spiritually and physically and ruin my preparations over the next two days. I can cave to the attacks of the enemy, who knows how to prey on me in the most vulnerable areas of my life, and melt into a puddle of tears and fear.

OR

2) I can believe that God is sovereign and no matter what happens over the next 2 weeks, HE IS IN CONTROL.

I'm choosing Option #2. And I'm reminding myself of Option #2 moment by moment.

And I'm clinging to Psalm 56:3-4

When I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me?

And also Romans 8:31

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

I believe that Christ is worth it. Worth everything that I have. Christ is worth leaving my husband and children for 11 days and traveling to a country with no power grid. A country that runs solely on generators. A country that is listed as one of the poorest in the world. This trip aligns with Scripture, so I know that God is for these things. I believe that He is worth everything that I have.

I believe Acts 1:8 was written for me, and for YOU. I believe that Guinea-Bissau is the ends of the Earth. I believe that God is preparing the hearts of the Badyara people in Canquelifa, Guinea-Bissau to hear about the Best Thing that's ever happened on this Earth.

I believe that the Lord will have His hand on my family and whatever happens, it is FOR HIS GLORY. I believe that I will step onto a plane on Thursday not fully understanding what He intends to show me. I believe that I will return as a changed woman. How could I walk with God and remain the same?

I'm a small town, southern girl who lives in an ordinary house and lives an ordinary life. I'm not any more special than anyone else. Just an ordinary girl serving an amazing, anything-but-ordinary-God.

And I'm asking for your simple, heartfelt, BOLD and BIG prayers. Will you pray that my ordinary self (and the other ordinary people I'm traveling with) will be used in a way that will baffle the people around us?

Here's the basic outline of where our team will be and when. You can click over my sweet friend Wendi's blog for an outline of how to pray for our team.

Here's the outline of our schedule:

Depart April 7, 2011: (I'm leaving out specifics on our departure and return times and layovers, because y'all, the internet creeps me out.) Just know we leave about Noonish.

April 9th, 2011: After a whole DAY of a layover in a our connecting city, we arrive in Guinea-Bissau verrrry early in the morning Guinea-Bissau time. Load up all our luggage and supplies and drive for THREE HOURS on a bumpy, horrible road in a vehicle that's probably not suited for 6 people and their luggage. I'd love for you to pray that NONE of us get carsick.

We spend a full day on April 9th with some Missionaries who live in Eastern GB.

April 10, 2011: Travel to the village of Canquelifa, Guinea-Bissau (Again, another hot, cramped, lengthy, bumpy car ride.) Click here to see the best detailed map I could find of GB. Canquelifa is up there in the top, right hand corner of the country. I have a feeling that the village of Canquelifa is going to give this country girl a whole new perspective of "living in the sticks."

April 11 - 15, 2011: Team will begin door-to-door (or hut-to-hut) evangelism in the mornings. Most of the people of GB are animistic or believe in folk Islam. Please pray specifically that the Lord would soften the hearts of the people so that they can hear that what we are saying is TRUTH. In the evenings, we will show a series of films in an effort to disciple the few believers that are in the village. Please pray for the team members as we attempt to disciple believers through an interpreter.

April 16, 2011 - Another hot, bumpy, lengthy car ride (over 5 hours worth total).

April 17 - 18, 2011 - Travel home, arriving in the evening on the 18th.

Thank you for praying for myself, Wendi, another stay-at-home mom named "L" and two gentlemen ("I" and "V") who are seasoned travelers to Guinea-Bissau.

And thank you for praying for our families as they live life here at home. You guys are awesome.

I can't wait to tell you all about what God has done and continues to do in Guinea-Bissau! Talk at you in a couple weeks.

Lincoln, Washington and Veterans

On our second day in Washington D.C. we opted out of riding the metro. After the previous day's fiasco, we figured we'd fare much better just driving our 15 passenger van into the city and begging scavenging bartering driving around endlessly searching for a parking spot. After about 45 minutes of driving in circles, we found one. We parked near the Lincoln Memorial and headed there first. I really wanted to see this thing up close after 31 years of only seeing photos. It did not disappoint!

The entire time we stood there, looking at the homage paid to President Lincoln, I kept glancing at Olivia, thinking about how because of Abe's willingness to fight for what was right, she's accepted as a member of our family.

Elizabeth was quite the tour guide.

I wanted to get each kids' picture in front of Abe's huge self, but that didn't work out as planned, so I'll just show you this one, which cracks me up.

Beware of the Giant Floating Baby! Good thing she's cute or it might be freakishly scary.

The view out of the front of the Lincoln Memorial was breathtaking. I'll tell you the truth though, I half expected to see Jenny running through the reflection pool toward Forrest. (Namethatmovie.)

Next, we walked down to the World War II Memorial. I knew the kids would care less about this tribute to our amazing Veterans. But, since my own Grandfather as well as Luke's Grandfather both served in WWII, I knew this was something I had to see.

I forgot that Veteran's Day was just around the corner, yet I was so taken back and found myself holding back tears, each time I saw one of these sweet WWII Veterans being pushed around the Memorial by volunteers. They were just so sweet and I wanted to hug each one of them.


Luke's Grandfather was deployed from Ohio.

My Grandfather from Arkansas.

Both of them served in the Army branch of the military.

We tried explaining to the kids exactly what these Veterans fought for, but I think it was lost on their tired legs and their desires to run in an open field (which, do those two things seem to contradict themselves to anyone else? How can a kid say, "My wegs hurt!" then in the next breath say, "Can we run?").

So we headed across the street and they ran, wrestled and played in the open fields in front of the Washington Monument. We were totally "that family" whose kids were running and rolling and screaming and being crazy. Luke and I could have cared less. By the time we walked all the way across the fields, everyone within 100 yards of us had counted our kids at least 3 times each.

I tried to get a picture of Lucas looking like he was holding up the Washington Monument, but as you can tell from his posture and his face, he was super confused. Which just makes it even more hilarious.

We walked over to the Smithsonian's American History Museum and let the kids play in the 2 children's areas but quickly realized that we had quite a walk back to the van and the kids couldn't have cared less about all the cool American History stuff, so we trekked back to the van, lugging tired children with each step. We ate at a Mexican-Salvadorian Restaurant which was super yummy. But apparently, adding "Salvadorian" to the title means that you pay 3 times as much as what we are used to paying at a Mexican Restaurant back home. The salsa alone was worth it though. I've dreamed about it at least 3 times since. True story.

The next morning we went to church at First Baptist Church Alexandria (the church that had the member who blessed us with some outstanding accommodations for our stay in D.C.) then hit the road for Pearl River, NY. What should have been about a 3.5 hour drive turned into SIX HOURS. We rural living Southerners aren't used to two major things.

1) Toll Roads

2) Bumper to bumper traffic on the Turnpike where the speed limit is at least 60mph and we are going 4. FOUR. Okay, maybe 10, but still.

We finally stopped and grabbed some lunch, but for the life of me I can't remember where. I know y'all are just on edge for that tidbit of completely irrelevant information. We arrived at Africa Inland Mission's US Headquarters around dark and then the real adventure began. Stay tuned!

A guessing game

On Saturday our family took a fun little day-long adventure to see a very special friend. Can you guess where we went? Here's a really bad hint:

Everyone had a fantastic time "hiking," laughing, jumping, running and seeing our good friend. Well, almost everyone....

If you already know then NO GUESSING. If you guess and didn't already know you'll win something special, like 697 Beaver points. Which are worth absolutely nothing except bragging rights.

Happy Monday y'all.

The Mothership

When we first found out that I was pregnant with Ella (though we obviously didn't know it was Ella then) one of my first thoughts (after the reality of us actually have SIX children set in) was transportation.

At the time we were driving the Big Red Beast which only had 7 seats. In the world of automobile transportation we were maxed out. Additionally, in the world of stroller transportation, we were also maxed out.

You see, back before the twins were born a very generous friend bought us a double stroller as a baby shower gift. It was an awesome stroller that has served us very well over the last 4 years. However, that double stroller does not accommodate infant carriers. When the twins were still in their infant carriers we just took two single strollers everywhere and clipped their carriers onto compatible single strollers. When Aaron and Olivia were in infant carriers it was always a bit trickier. I was always waking up a little baby to transfer him or her to the double stroller. It wasn't fun.

Now that we have 3 little ones who need a ride when we are out and about it became clear we needed wanted a new stroller. I mean, after all, these two had used our current one..

as well as these two...

Yes, our trusty double stroller had served us well these last four years, but it was slowly dying a painful death. That bar on the front had somehow gotten ripped off as well as the carrying strap that helps you fold the darn thing up. Not to mention the baskets on the bottom had been well used and were stretched and literally dragging the ground. Basically, the only parts still in tact were the seatbelts and wheels.

Other strollers mocked us when we went out into public.

So, what do you do when you have 3 little ones under 2 years old AND you need want a stroller that accommodates an infant carrier?

You call in the big dogs, that's what.

Behold the mothership of all multiple capacity strollers.

Yesterday when I saw this box sitting in my carport, I may or may not have physically clapped my hands. I also may or may not have emitted an excited little girl shriek and hopped up and down for a brief second until I realized IT IS JUST A STROLLER and I should get a stinkin' grip.

Here's a little perspective for you. This is Ashlee beside the mothership shortly after she was removed from the box (the stroller, not Ashlee).

It would do you good to know that I made Ashlee move from her spot in "time out" and stand beside the stroller so I could take a picture for you all. Additionally, the ONLY reason she is smiling in this picture is because I told her that if she smiled, she could get up from time out.

That's award-winning parenting right there.

Anyway, this stroller is serious business. Assembly was not easy, especially considering that this person really wanted my undivided attention...

and I only had to install about 57 different sized washers before attaching the wheels. Thankfully, this person....

thought he could handle a fussy little sister and proceeded to do this for the next 10 minutes...

which resulted in Ella doing this...

This sad face was quickly resolved with a ride in the kikoi and after Luke arrived home from work, I finished up assembling the mothership and packed my people on for a test ride.

See Aaron back there in his little "jump seat?" He is SO stinkin' proud of himself! This morning's trip to CBS went extremely well and it was so much less stressful than packing up the double stroller and struggling with Ella's carset on one arm while pushing the double stroller with the other hand.

Which proves, in my opinion, that evolution could not possibly be plausible. Because if it were, I would have surely started growing a much needed 3rd arm by now. And I'm most certainly not.

Sorry, I'm a slacker....

...and I didn't get around to writing and posting a Das Not Funny! Friday for you all. Luke and I just spent the last 6 hours packing for a week long trip to Arkansas for Christmas. We leave bright and early in the morning (I'm writing this on Thursday night, you see. Actually, it's a little past midnight so it is technically Friday, but I'm gonna be all sneaky like and pick 8:30am as the publish time. Oh, I'm just so tech savvy).

Thankfully, our great friends will be taking care of our firstborn doghter and our home while we are away (that's for all you burglars, thieves and schemers planning on robbing us! Our house is protected! Protected by the Lawd! Away from us you evildoers!).

(Was that too much? Oh well, moderation was never my strong point.)

So, by the time you read this we will (hopefully) be a few hours down the road. Blissfully on our way with a van load of quiet kids who are happily entertained by gadgets and coloring books and movies.

Okay, so maybe we will just be on our way.

Either way, happy Friday. See you on the flip side.

Extreme Family Makeover: Rwanda Edition

My good friend Emily and her family have been in the process of adopting from Rwanda for over two years. On Monday they officially passed court in Rwanda making their newly referred daughter legally theirs. Travel dates were being thrown around like rice at a wedding as they tried to figure out when, how and what is needed for 5 people to fly to Rwanda (that's 5 people because they are taking their 3 children with them. Cool, huh?).

Hope was looking defeated as they thought it would be January before they would travel to bring home their youngest family member. Imagine living your days knowing that one of your children was half way around the world and there is nothing you can do about it? I can't even think of the gut wrenching misery that would overcome my body.

God moved some pretty serious mountains yesterday when they got the call that they could leave for Rwanda on FRIDAY. Friday people, as in the day after tomorrow.

Holy moly.

Bags are being packed, prescriptions filled, errands ran and final arrangements made in 48 hours. These things usually transpire over the course of two weeks and they are throwing it all together over a holiday.

Please be in prayer with me for this sweet family as they travel across the globe to meet a daughter and sister that they've been praying for for two years. Here are some specific requests:

1) Travel, travel, travel. Please pray that all documents needed will be remembered as they hastily pack for 5 people going to Rwanda and 6 coming home. Also pray that packing will not be stressful. Finally, that tummy troubles will not rear their ugly heads as new foods and cultures are experienced.

2) That sweet Sonia will embrace her new family and that her adjustment to her new family will go smoothly. I'm sure I'd be a little terrified if 5 strangers showed up and began calling my name and wanting to hug me. Imagine being less than 2 years old and it happening.

3) Emily's family has a history of migraines. She gets them, her husband, her daughter and one of her sons also gets them regularly. Please pray that migraines stay far, far away from them for the duration of the trip (or forever).

4) That God would continue to be evident in every way as they complete this leg of their journey of obedience through adoption.

You know, even in the midst of all of my doubt it's so clear how God orchestrated the adoption and travel for this family. Thank you God for making yourself known in such a big way.

Bowers, I love you all so very much. Be safe, have fun and enjoy every second loving on that sweet girl!

-----

If you'd like to follow the Bowers' journey to Rwanda via twitter, click here.

Home Sweet Home

We got home last night at 930pm EST after 36 hours of traveling (that includes an overnight stay and 2.5 hours at the Knoxville Zoo).

I hope to post more about my trip soon. Thanks for everyone who prayed for us, my sister and my Dad. I appreciate you all so very much. You bless me more than you know!

What do you get when you combine...

1 seven passenger conversion van, packed full of people and stuff

5 kids tired of their car seats

1 Dad operating on auto-drive

1 Mom being the official snack passer-outer, drink filler, video rewinder and general go-fer

362 miles of Interstate 40 (normal travel time: 5 hours 40 minutes. our travel time: 9 hours 30 minutes)

1 three year old boy with a raging stomach virus

11 bathroom stops

1 of the nastiest bathrooms in the United States, I promise

and 3 beds at the Comfort Inn?

Hopefully, 1 good night's sleep and home sweet home the next day.

Guess we will see...