Safely Stateside

Thank you all SO much for all of your notes and especially your prayers.  They were felt the entire trip.

To say the trip went well would not even touch the blessings God has showered upon this ungrateful, underserving missionary wife.  As some of you know, I fervently prayed and begged God to allow me to have this baby in the states.  When is seemed like He was saying no, I went into a depressive, pouty baby stage.  The Lord worked a lot on my heart, so much so that I could once again sing and look forward to the birth of our fourth child.

Monday when God answered my prayer, I was not thankful at all.  In fact, I told God that it was too late and not the way I wanted it answered.  Thankfully the Lord did not take away the blessings He was about to bestow because of my ingratitude.  The Lord was SOOO good to me and His hand was visible throughout the entire situation.

The entire week after we found out, sleep elluded me and when I boarded the train on Thursday evening I was already exhausted and low in patience.  I didn't get a lot of sleep on the train, but the Lord had revived my spirits by Friday.  After arriving at the airport then gave Papa a last, tight hug, we headed through customs.  At the passport checkpoint, the lady looked at our passports, asked if we had entered the country in April, then left for a minute.  She came back with two other officials who asked me tocome with them.  After seeing the three kids, the carry-ons and probably my look of panic, he decided we could just talk there.  He asked if I had a religious visa, to which I answered yes.  At that moment, it was almost like I could see God reach down and change his mind again.  He quickly turned to the girl and said let them through.  I think she asked something about fining us, but he said, just let them through.  So it was with a rejoicing and grateful heart that we went to wait for our plane.

The transfer in London was one of my biggest concerns and when we reached the London airport, no one was there to meet us.  Even though the crew was rushing to meet another flight, they kindly helped me get to the customs checkpoint.  Anna talked their ears off the entire walk.  At customs, they were super sweet and even had a special section for families with small children.  After that I was "on my own" {quotations because God's presence was evident the entire trip} to find the gate.  We took a bathroom break, which gave me time to clear my head.  Me, being a complete blonde, could not find my gate number on the ticket so I asked at a service desk.  The attendant flipped through all of the tickets and found it on one of the tickets.  She sweetly circled it and told me exactly what to do and where to go.  I was still a little skeptical as to whether or not I'd make it to the right spot {I mean, I couldn't even find the gate number on my ticket!}, but it was very easy.  At our gate, they called us up early to board the plane.  Once they helped us get seated on the plane, they arranged for us to have the entire row by moving the lady who was to be sitting there.  That meant Sammy had his own seat!  I don't think we've ever flown with such a sweet flight crew {British Airlines...in case you were wondering}.  They kept coming by to check on us, bringing the kids brownies and toys, playing with them. Lydia fell asleep before take off and once we were in the air, the lady across from us pointed out the row of seats behind us...they were completely empty!  We moved the arms up and both of the girls were able to lay down and sleep there.  Sammy slept on the "cot-seat" that they brought him.  By the end of the flight, everyone was talking about how good the kids were and saying things like "that was some super parenting", but it was not us - it was God.  God was so good to me on this trip.  Without my husband, I am completely lost and forget to do things like fill in the declaration form before the passport checkpoint, but with God, we made it safely home.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

2 Corinthians 9:8,11,15