Easter

Well I am sitting in my classroom on a Thursday night waiting for my bball team to play. After tonights game I will have 4 days off for the Easter break. A much needed time for our family. Janna woke up this morning feeling ill and I really do hope that it is not dengue. What can we do God is in control.

This week I have been reminded by friends and colleagues about how I need to allow things to roll off my back quicker, and not to allow little things to eat me up inside. I have been going through an extremely stressful semester and I think that I am just worn right out. Is too much of how I feel about myself based on others?? Am I living as a free being in Christ? One of my colleagues today asked if God was beside you and had his hand on your shoulder saying "I love you" and someone came up and said something negative would what the person said affect you in the same way. God is here beside us, do I live with this in mind? I most certainly have not been the last couple of months and this time off I hope that I can reconnect with who I am in Christ.

Well I think that the girls game is done, I had better run, I am off to coach.

Middle of March...

March madness is just around the corner and time is going by so quickly. Update on our family is that we are just getting through with a couple of weeks of sickness. Jalen missed one week of school due to a cough that kept him up most of the night. Kaya is sick right now with fever and a bit of a rash. No it is not Dengue Fever (we hope). Dengue fever has been going around here as well but the clinic that Kaya went to yesterday did not think that it was dengue.



I was playing basketball on Wednesday and got a thumb in the eye. Now usually this is not too bad but this time my vision has stayed just a bit blurry in one spot on that eye. It is now beginning to heal but that was a couple of days ago that it happened. One of my Indonesian buddies just about poked my eye out. He felt absolutely horrid. Then yesterday I was throwing some garbage away (which is right next to the doorway) and a student came rushing in. The door hit me on the head and made my eyes water it hit so hard. Then this morning as I am making coffee I broke the glass sugar container. Man you could not plan the way my week has been going. But today is Friday and by tomorrow everything should be fine.



We now have tentatively booked tickets to be in Saskatoon on June 5th. We are excited about seeing people again. My friends here have already asked if I am returning to Canada this summer. I try to tell them that yes I am leaving but I will return. I have really enjoyed getting to know people here.

Tournament is over...

Just a quick update here to say that this past week has been absolutely crazy and I thank you for your prayers. This past week both basketball teams that I coach have been in a tournament in Kotaraja, which is about 30 minute drive by motorbike and a 50 min drive by car. Needless to say I have been in Kotaraja everyday this week until late at night and then back to school the next morning. It has been an incredibly draining week on our family. I believe as of right now that both teams will not be playing anymore and so that is a bit of a blessing.



Jalen is also sick right now and just altogether not feeling well. Please pray for him.



Janna and Kaya continue to be the rocks in our family and I thank God again for a wife that is so understanding towards Basketball, if she did not see it in the same light weeks like this would be even more difficult.



Our tickets are now reserved for coming home this summer for a quick furlough. We are going to try to come home for a couple of months every two years and this summer is the one. We will be leaving Indonesia on June 1st and be returning to Indonesia Aug 8.

February 26...

Feb 26th sees our family thinking about some of our summer plans as we return to Canada this summer. We are really enjoying life here and feel that this is our home now. Our children are doing well and we are once again this year learning how to live and minister in a different country. We are looking forward to connecting with people while we are home this summer, the relationships are things that we miss while we are here, although we are making great connections with people out here. Hopefully in the near future I can post where we will be at what times during the summer so that we can connect with as many of you as possible.

Jalen continues to go to school and is doing much better these past few weeks in listening to his teacher the first time she says something. For a couple of weeks we were struggling with Jalen's behavior in school and just his respect level. It looks as if it is coming around and we know that this is just the beginning as he turns into a boy and then a young man. It is so encouraging seeing him reading books and doing math facts. He is doing great!

Kaya is going to preschool and doing well. She really looks forward to learning her letters. Just yesterday they learned the letter 'P' and so the teacher that day had all types of games and crafts with the letter 'P'. Neat to see her loving to learn.

Jalen and Kaya also have begun piano lessons with Janna and this is really neat to watch them practicing.

Janna is still highly involved with the planning of the preschool. She is also now teaching some piano lessons and trying to keep our house in order. She is also finding places to go for walks and is now helping once and a while with the girls basketball team here.

THis week sees me in the middle of an Indonesian Basketball tournament coaching two teams. The team here at the school and an Indonesian team. The schedule works out great that neither team play at the same time or against each other. Great times. I am also encouraged because the athletic director at our school is returning which means that hopefully I can give this job back to him as he returns here in about one month.

God Bless. That is a short glimpse into our lives this Feb 26