Decorating

Last weekend my neice Jody came to help me re-decorate the house after it's recent painting. We went shopping the Saturday before to buy a few new things. She wouldn't let me put up some of my favorite old things. Can you believe, she said NO to my Home Interiors oak mirrored candle sconces? I sneaked them up to my bedroom. But there were some old things even I knew had outlived their decor value. I am not gifted with any decorating abilities, neither do I notice current trends. But Jody has a very good eye. I assumed I would stick with blue for new living room curtains. I like blue, and my kitchen, living room and family room were predominantly blue. She gently steered me toward other colors, and I ended up with cranberry red drapes in my living room, and found a few coordinating accessories. I love it!

Jenna apparently has already inherited her mother's sense of decor at age 2. She was trying to figure out the best place to put a discarded frame. "How about here?"
Jenna took quite a liking to her great-uncle Will, but she wasn't too sure about Nick. When he came downstairs for breakfast with his large head of morning hair sticking out everywhere, she just stared, pointed, and said, "Hair!" She kept her distance. But she followed Uncle Will everywhere. When the hail started pouring down outside, she wanted him to pick her up to watch it out the window. When the hail ended, Will went out to work in the garage. Jenna stood at the door and wailed, even perhaps stomping her feet. a bit She was quickly allowed to join him there and happily ran to get her sweatshirt.

Thank you Jody, for sharing your time, your talents, and your little girl with us!

The Last Voyage

Today Will our two oldest boys returned from the last camping trip in our old Holiday Rambler Free Spirit. (Nick had an overnight youth trip.) I just realized that I wasn't even invited to attend this weekend, but my feelings aren't hurt. I have always appreciated father-son camping trips. I used to incorporate more social activity into those times. But my priorities were home improvement projects this weekend. After attacking some weeds outside and also painting the baseboards and doors in the house, I was too sore to move or even think about social activity. I did get a book from the library and managed to read a total of 10 pages during two night before I fell asleep. Aging takes its toll.

They were blessed with the best weather we've had in ages. Two days of sunshine and 70 degree temperatures. They all came home quite happy and relaxed.

I'll never forget the thrill when we got this "new" used trailer in 1998. We were preparing for the church campout in July, and the hot water heater in our 30 year old 17 foot trailer (or as Will called it, our "portapotty on wheels") gave up the ghost. The refrigerator already didn't work and it was not worth putting any money into. We went to Junction City knowing we needed a trailer by the next weekend, and got a deal on this used Holiday Rambler. At 27 feet, it was huge and wonderful compared to what we had. It even had a real bed so we didn't have to remake it into a couch every morning! Our boys were half the size that they are now, so it fit us quite nicely then. It doesn't anymore.

We've been looking at RVs for the past year, and knew exactly what we wanted when we found the right deal at an RV show last month. The new 31-foot Cougar fifth wheel we ordered should be rolling off the assemply line very soon, and we will have it in time for our 25th anniversary trip Memorial Day weekend. With slide-outs making the interior very roomy, we will be able to fit all our boys and even their partners inside on a rainy camping day if necessary. We checked out the handle on the refrigerator (always a problem in the past!) and it looks like it would be very easy to operate and difficult for any boys to break. We can't wait!

Newsletter from Sarah

I am posting the most recent newsletter from Sarah (Craig's girlfriend from Germany who is also on the Curacao team which he is a part of). It took me a few weeks to get around to doing this because I had trouble with the pictures. I wasn't able to get all of them to download but I got a few. I interrupted her phone call with Craig on Sunday to get her permission to post it. Here it is.

Amsterdam, the 10th of April, 2008

Hey guys!
This is going to be my last newsletter from Europe...because we will go to Curacao soon!!! But first, let me tell you a bit about the time here in Amsterdam.

As you might know, Amsterdam is considered to be the most international city in the world with over 130 different nations residing in it. So it's not surprising that the YWAM base here in Amsterdam has staff from all over the world as most YWAM bases do. And just as colourful as the mixture of people are the various ministries.

We as the Curacao team (or Islands2Nations team) were especially involved in the “Tabernacle of the Nations“ , a house for the 24/7 prayer here in Amsterdam. It was a good preparation seeing as our DTS on Curacao in September is a Tabernacle-DTS with focus on prayer and worship. This DTS comes out of the Amsterdam base but at the same time, it will be the start of the YWAM Curacao. Our outreach in January 2009 will be in Amsterdam and perhaps even in Germany or other parts of Europe.

Furthermore, I was part of the worship team here at the base and was working as well a lot on the computer. We also had the chance to speak in several Curacao churches here in Amsterdam and to invite different youth groups for the DTS. Once, we were even filmed by the Caribbean TV- a special honour and opportunity!

The time here was really important for us as a team. Not only to get to know each other better but especially to seek the Lord's will for the next few months. In the meantime we also got a new member, Luis from California. And there are still more people applying...so keep on praying for God's wisdom for us that we might make the right decisions.

On the 12th of April we are leaving to Curacao even though we will be heading straight to the Dominican Republic from there. There we will organise the YWAM Caribbean staff conference, leading the children programm and recieving general instruction on event-managment. We will move on to Curacao at the end of May until the beginning of July. There we hope to strengthen contact with the local churches there, invite people for the DTS and look for a house where we can stay and where the DTS can take place.

Presently I would say many things are still open. We however still don't know where we will be staying on Curacao, how many students will come and how many staff we need...We must continue to rely on God's grace as far as communication( internet,applications, cultural) and finances go. It's not by our own strength or power...

Personally, I'm doing good and I'm looking forward to make the next step. Because I knew I would only be here for two months it's easier for me to leave this place and the people here. And my heart beats for Curacao! By the way,“Curacao“ means“ heart“ (span.curazon) and is also connected to the latin word“ curare“ what means“healing“....

I am really thankful for your guys' support in the last months and I was even able to pay my flights on time (a miracle!)! I'm still looking and praying for longterm supporters but in the last few weeks, I experienced a couple of supernatural surprises! A little changing will take place as well. My boyfriend Craig will go back to the States for the next four months to strengthen/build up relationships with his supporters. In August he will join our team again and I plan to visit him and his family in July. Regarding that we are open for every prayer as this is going to be another challenging time for our relationship. We know, it's the right thing for him to do and“our strength comes from the Lord“ as my Mum quotes in one of her songs.

As soon as it's possible, I will update you from the Dominican Republic and I will give you as well my new address from there.

Greetings and blessings,
Sarah

Sarah Morgenstern
YWAM Santiago
Colle 2, Casa8, El Dorado 2
Santiago, Republica Dominicana
Tel: 809-304-5919
Sparkasse Oberlausitz- Niederschlesien
Blz 85050100 Kto 4001111174
BIC-/SWIFT-Code: WELADED1GRL
IBAN-Nummer: DE07 8505 0100 4001 1111 74

News from“ Around the world in a toy car“- this time on the streets of Amsterdam

(And LeAnn says: I can't wait to meet her in July!)

Better than Paint

This weekend we had a change in our household that was much greater than last weekend's fresh paint. Friday afternoon we all went up to the airport to pick up our dear oldest son Craig. A few weeks ago, after much prayer and discussion with his team leader, they decided he would come home for a couple of months to work and build up a stronger support base. The change of plans was difficult because he really wanted to be a part of what his team will be doing the next couple of months in the Dominican Republic and Curacao, but now he is happy to be home. He is excited to get involved at church and reconnect with people here. We are enjoying having him back. Although it sure has gotten a lot noisier around here.

Craig's first request was to stop at an all-you-can-eat buffet on the way home, so we stopped at the Home Town Buffet on 82nd Street after we left the airport. Wow. Our guys put away a lot of food.

This afternoon he had to show Nick who is the boss. When they started, in a vain effort to get them to stop, I threatened to take pictures of their butts. Brendan burst into loud laughter. What a treat for him to hear Aunt LeAnn say a word that he's not allowed to say!
Brendan dashed over there and got a piece of the action a couple of times, then he would scurry back to the safety of the couch to watch. I'm just thankful Eric didn't get involved. I had to send them all outside earlier when they were chasing each other around with a tennis ball. Some things about brothers never change.

Jenna is so cute. I guess a girl is never too young to enjoy talking on a cell phone!

So we are praying and trusting that Craig will find a job very soon so he can build up some funds for his return to his team in August. That is when they begin training for the Discipleship Training School that will begin in September. Craig's special friend Sarah plans to visit us in July and the plan is for them to return together the first part of August.

So anyway, we didn't get any more painting done this weekend. Craig has some painting experience, so we might get some work out of him....soon. He also has some landscaping experience and says he wants to work in the yard. Well, a mother can dream...I need to make a list!

Popular Painting

Will, Nick and I painted our living/dining room, up the stairs, and the upstairs hallway this weekend. The good news is, we are still planning to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary in May. It started out a little rough on Saturday morning, but Will eventually realized my ways were best and things went pretty well.

When we started in the dining room, it immediately became apparent that we had different ideas of how to go about this painting project. We were discussing what the best way would be, and when Nick started laughing as he was taping upstairs, we realized that perhaps our voices had become slightly louder than necessary. I told Will that since Nick had overheard his father say that I was "wacko", he needed to correct this and tell Nick that actually I just had some perfectionist tendencies. (We of course believe it is essential to say only kind, uplifting things to and about each other, in front of the children at least.) It sounded heartwarmingly sincere when Will said, "Nick, your mother is not wacko, she just has perfectionist tendencies." Will had even extended his analysis of me to include a greatly admired older brother of mine, who Will believes has some similar perfectionist tendencies. He can tell me I'm just like my brother any time, I consider it a great compliment.

I think the world would be a better place if we all had a few more perfectionist tendencies. When we viewed our walls in the cold light of day Sunday, it was apparent that they needed a second coat. Will applied this and I touched up some trim areas that needed help. Sadly, today I spotted some more little missed spots. I like the color of the walls, but the paint job is far from perfect. Not Will's fault at all, most of the problems lie with the edges and trim areas which I mostly did. Grrr. And now that I have taken everything off the walls, I am reluctant to put most of it back up. It's been pretty much exactly the same since we moved here in 1996. Time for some change!

Nick was a great help. He really knows how to work. Poor child, several times the plaintive cry of "I wish I belonged to a normal family!" was heard echoing through the house. I'm not sure what he means by that.

He also gave us some good insight into the color, "Popular Gray". Will kept calling it "Everybody Loves Me Gray". Nick pointed out that popular does not mean everyone loves you, many "popular" kids are not liked by many people, they are just part of the "popular" crowd. Will still calls it "Everybody Loves Me Gray".

Nick is good with high places and figured out which gadget to use to get to some tricky places. When I was up there on Sunday catching a few missed spots, Will got to rescue me when I called out for him to come help before it became an emergency. He got there in the nick of time. I did not have the ladder secured as well as Nick did.

Will grumbled all day about the ceiling paint. Actually he got to grumble about it for three days, because that's how many days it took to get all the missed spots. The folks at Sherwin-Williams said it was the greatest paint ever because it goes on lavendar but dries "Dover White". The problem was that it faded very quickly and then looked just like the old ceiling paint until it was completely dry. When Will went back for another gallon, he at least got the satisfaction of expressing his opinion to the sales people there that it's just a gimmick. He loves to paint ceilings. Can't you just see the joy on his face!

If only we were done with the whole house! Nick and Will painted Nick's bedroom ("Blue Promise") during the week, Eric and Molly painted Eric's room Saturday ("Rendezvous". Yikes!) Just a few more rooms to go. Give us strength.