Racapturing the Wonder

We came down to Wesley Camp on Sunday for a few days. Nothing is going on here - Well, at least no program, no event, no set schedule. What is going on here? Well, the apples are dropping from the trees. The birds are in full chorus. You can walk around outside and hear the waves crashing on the shore through the trees. We came down at Court's suggestion. She thought (and I fully agree!) that we need to recapture the wonder of this place. This summer we had different people comment on the beauty of this place, on the holiness they felt here, on the ways they encounter God here... yet most of the time, I could see only work still needing to be done, I could hear only criticism, and I could feel only hurt. I need to recapture the wonder of this place.
I collected about 15 ripe plums from one full branch this morning with plans to get a ladder and collect more this evening. Court has cleaned out the fridges after a summer of use (and leftovers...some of the items were unidentifiable, to say the least!). Yesterday she did some weeding around a new garden spot. I did some work on the old pump house, on a drain off the large building, and more prep work on the new parking area. We cleaned and prepared for a small group who will have a retreat this weekend. We feel good about this place. We thank God for this place.
We thank God for our little girl who amazes us with her smile, her cooing, her sleeping, her bubble blowing...
We still have a long way to go with healing (more on that in another blog, I hope) yet these past few days have been a blessing.

brokeness...

not quite sure how to start this one... This summer I am experiencing that process of being broken - and I hope it is for the process of rebuilding and renewal... I hope. It's is never fun, but in God's way and time it is always good. Part of it comes from being apart from my wife and daughter; part of it comes from not be able to communicate fully and the ensuing misunderstandings; part of it comes from trying to forge a new way and meeting resistance because it is not the old way; and part of it comes because I still have much learning and growing to do... I am trying to learn, yet I think I may only do so in retrospect - which makes the present breaking down super hard.
"But I know that my redeemer lives..." I will not be abandoned. I will not be left in pieces. In that truth of God's faithfulness I can hope.

4 weekCeara update

Ceara was born 4 weeks ago. At her doctor visit yesterday she weighed in at almost 9 lbs! She is getting big and yet I have only had the chance to see her and Courtney for 5 days... I miss them. Court said that all things with the baby are going well - she eats, sleeps, and fills her diaper the way a healthy newborn should. Woohoo! Court's parents were here for the first week of Ceara's life, and my mom came out to help Court with the past two weeks. Even though I only got to see her for a day, we are soooo glad that she could come on a last minute notice to play Nonna (Italian for grandma) and to help Court.
Please pray for us as we still have quite a few days apart before we can spend time together.

pictures and pronounciations

Hi All, we have had a few requests on pronounciation. first, you say the word 'year' and then put an 'a' on the end and say it again - 'yeara'. Okay, now just add a 'k' sound in front (don't say the letter 'k', rather just make the sound that 'k' makes like when you say the word 'kiss'). put all of that together and you get 'kyeara' - two syallables. hope that makes sense.

now on to the photos. I think that if you click on them that they will open up bigger.

Introducing Ceara Louise Randall

We welcome with joy and thanksgiving Ceara Louise Randall who was born on 20.June.2009 at 3.25am EEST (Eastern European Sunlight Time). She was 3.575kg (about 7lb. 13oz.) and 56cm (about 22 inches). Courtney is healthy. Ceara is healthy. Pictures will be posted in the next few days.

so, how did it happen? Dan went to the camp in Liepaja on the 17th because Summer Staff Training started on the 18th. Courtney had a doctor's appointment on the 19th so they could look at the baby and decide what to do. Courtney went thinking they would induce on Monday, the 22nd, if the baby didn't come naturally before then. Well, at this appointment on the 19th, the doctor decided they should induce immediately. Meanwhile Dan is doing errands in Liepaja for the camp with plans to return to Riga Monday morning. Courtney phones at 9.45am - "They are inducing labor now. You have a few hours, but come when you can." Dan arrives in Riga at 5.30pm. Courtney is walking around, yet becoming more and more uncomfortable - her lower back really started hurting. She gets an epidural around 7.45pm. She fully dialates around 11.30pm. The pushing starts around 1.15am. Ceara is born at 3.25am.
The mid-wife and the doctor did a fantastic job - we thank God for their skill and their compassion.
While we are healthy, we are also very tired - so hopefully more thoughts will come later.

...and the wait continues...

well - today the doctor said that the baby is healthy in the belly and Courtney is healthy and therefore we will wait another few days... so we continue to wait...

No Baby Yet

Hello - Yep, this is the place to check for baby news, yet, as of now, no baby. We will keep this place updated with baby news. Please keep praying for us as we await Peanut's arrival.