A Decade in Review

I have been reading what others have written about the last decade and thought that it might be fun to reminisce what has transpired. Wow! Where to begin! Well, I have to start one year earlier. Aug. 14th, 1999 was the day that I married the man that I desired to spend the rest of my life with. We were married in Huntsville, Alabama and it was the best day of my life! I was a Jr. at The Master's College and Jonathan was working on his MDiv at The Master's Seminary. We lived on Walnut Street in Santa Clarita, CA, or better known as Seminary Row.

Spring 2001, we spent a Semester in Israel with the Israel Bible Extension. Not long after, our first little boy, Nahum James was born (Jan. 9, 2002). That summer we moved to Dallas, TX where Jonathan began work on his PhD, since he had finished his MDiv and ThM at Master's. We lived at Swiss Tower, Seminary housing, and made so many wonderful friends and had so many wonderful opportunities. On November 11th, 2003, our second little boy, Isaac John was born. Almost a year later we found out that we were having identical twins and on Jan. 20th, 2006, Jesse Ray and Jonas David were born 5 weeks early, but each weighing in at almost 7 pounds! Life was very busy and very fulfilling.

The end was in sight for Jonathan's doctorate and we began looking into what ministry we would go into. After much prayer, we realized God was leading us to Russia and so, we started making plans to move there. About this time, we were very much surprised to find out that we would be having a baby girl in December of 2007. With only a dissertation to finish, we moved to Huntsville, Alabama, to be near family and have our baby girl. She was due the day after Christmas, but she decided to wait. We were induced on Dec. 28th, and Miriam Katherine was born, nothing short of a miracle, due to serious complications. In September of that next year, we left for our new home in Samara, Russia, where we have been living for the past year.

Those are the main points at least. So much more happened, but that would take years to dictate. What an eventful decade! I can't think of any other decade with so many life-changing decisions and events. Looking back, you certainly come to the realization that we are so blessed by God! So blessed! So blessed!

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." James 1:17