So...for those of you who still aren't with the Brando and Wiz program...we're pregnant.  It kind of happened while we were in Argentina, as one co-worker put it, enjoying ourselves a little too much.  The exciting and amazing thing is that we didn't know if we would get pregnant ever.  And this happened without any effort at all - well a little.  Anyway, we found out with a nice Argentine pregnancy test on July 24th!  WHOO HOO!!!!  I think the first week was a little scary.  We were in a foreign country, no medical insurance, and no family to lean on, but here we are at 16 weeks!  It's just too crazy!  I had some issues through the whole first trimester, bleeding and stuff, but it looks like we might be moving through that and we find out on October 30th what we're having.  I think it's a boy - we'll see.  As a result we have already had four ultrasounds, and that is fun!  Because of the bleeding and stuff I have been a little superstitous and cautious, but we have already recieved gifts and I am starting to look forward to all the shopping and looking around.  I just want to know what it is.  Okay, so that's our news.  We hope you enjoyed!

I had to write part of Brandon's paper for him on our trip to Argentina.  I thought I would share it with you since it has some good thoughts.  I don't know who is out there reading at this point, but enjoy it if you are.

 

I would start by describing the events of the last year as a roller coaster. We have had so many ups and downs and twists and turns. It feels so crazy that this huge event in our lives, something that we have been working towards the three years of Brandon being in seminary, is now over. It seems like someone just snapped their fingers and it was over as quickly as it began. Thinking on it now feels so bittersweet. Brandon did an excellent job of describing where we have come as a couple, but I will give you my personal version of the events that took place this summer.

I have felt a strong call to missions almost my entire life. I don’t remember my life before feeling that call. It started on a trip to Rwanda, Africa I took with my family in 1990. On the day we left, I knew that was where God wanted me, somewhere in missions. I haven’t wavered much from that calling. As soon as I think of doing something else I am pulled right back to that place I was as an eleven year old girl. When I met Brandon in college it was the most awesome thing that I met someone with my heart. We knew almost immediately that this was it; we were meant for one another. Since then, we have taken two missions trips together prior to Argentina. They were nice experiences, but I found myself getting very comfortable with the idea of staying here, close to all my comforts, my loved ones, and my world.

As we started on the process of finding somewhere to go for this practicum, I found myself dragging my feet. Once we settled on Argentina as the place to be for the summer of 2006, I wasn’t only dragging my feet, I was dragging my body. I really started to wrestle with God over why I had to be the one he called. I argued day and night with him over all the details, and I was mad that there were so many people in the world that were well qualified and super willing to go, and I told him many times that I was not the one.

We arrived in Argentina safe and sound. At this point I was determined to have a great time while we were there, but to leave without any attachments. It seemed like that would be so easy after going through our initial struggles. I managed to convince my self and Brandon of the fact that this was NOT the place for us. I talked and talked and talked us into self-defeating and depressing cycles, and within two weeks we were ready to get on the next plane home.

As I reflect back on that time I can’t believe what a bad place I was in. I so strongly desired MY own life, comforts, and plan, that I couldn’t see His awesome and amazing plan for us in all of this.

Brandon was right in stating that the four day trip we took with Dick to visit his distance learning students was a turning point for us. I have a vivid memory of driving one afternoon to the next city we were going to and suddenly I knew this was it. I sat there in the back seat while Brandon and Dick were watching emus in the fields and I just stopped arguing with God. It struck me so quickly and so hard that when I think of it I still get shaken up. It was then that God let me know very clearly that this life is not my own, and that if I would just shut up and listen he would give me peace and understanding about his will for our lives.

Since then I have worked very hard to shut up and listen, which if you knew me, is a very hard thing for me to do. He has given me total peace about His plan for our lives, and at this point it includes making our home in Argentina. I have come home, gotten back into my comforts, talked to family a couple thousand times, cooked food I know how to cook, driven streets I am familiar with, and still I am holding unswervingly to his call on our lives, and that to me is an accomplishment.

The trip to Argentina showed me that God has given me and Brandon a very specific call. It has shown me how to rely completely and unswervingly to God’s promises for our future. The most amazing thing of all was that while we were there we found out we are pregnant. While being scared of this new development in our lives, it was not supposed to be easy for us and we thought our future held many struggles in that area. God’s promises and assurance is an amazing thing, and I wake up every morning thanking him for the time he gave us in Argentina, and asking him to bless our future there as well. I have a favorite song by Caedmon’s Call that is always fitting for my life; I will share just a bit with you.

Lead of Love

Looking back at the road so far, the journey’s left its share of scars,

Mostly from leaving the narrow and straight…

Looking back you know you had to bring me through,

All that I was so afraid of

Though I question the sky, now I see why

Had to walk the rocks to see the mountain view

Looking back I see the lead of love…