Team Five Morris

Okay, we are here finally.  After three years of wishing and praying and defeat and excitement we arrived in Libby Montana today.  As we pulled out of Kalispell the kids said good bye to all the landmarks on the way.  Aiden's was the most poignant when we passed the brand new McDonald's by Costco.  "Good bye McDonald's that I've never eaten at....".  There were a few tears on the way out of town but mostly excitement. 

We pulled in at the Mountainside Missionary Training Center around 3 pm.  Steve and John (regular staff members who run the center) helped us unload our excessive amount of suitcases.  It brought back memories from going away to camp when I was eight years old.  A new cabin-esque place to live.  Dormitory style rooms.  Bunk beds for the kids.  With great joy I finally unpacked my suitcase.  I've been living out of it for a month solid now so the sight of dressers filled me with glee!  Mine and Dan's clothes are hanging together in a closet for the first time in seven years.  The spaces are a little tight but it serves as a good reminder that we must continue to pare down our load.  The kids rode their bikes in the gym, built a wall with cardboard bricks and explored the three story compound.  (The cardboard bricks served as a great reminder that all kids really need to be happy is a box or two.)  They fought over who got the top bunk and who got to explore the depths of the toy closet first.  All in all they are more excited than distraught. 

At one point Dan and I looked at eachother and realized how weird this is.  Less than six months ago we applied with International Messengers and here we are.  Life changes so fast sometimes!

We had dinner at the Subway in Libby and then went to Pamida's (a step down from Wal-Mart) to look for slippers.  You can't wear shoes inside here so everyone uses slippers.  The only pair we found were High School Musical slippers that said "I love Troy".  So we'll venture out again tomorrow to try our luck somewhere else. 

Friends and family...please continue to pray for us everyday.  I have moments of joy but also moments of deep sadness.  I am thrilled to be here doing what our hearts long to do but I still cling to the thought of stability and security that the life of a missionary cannot always provide.  Pray that my heart would be open to these changes and that God would prepare me for all the more difficult ones to come.  I'm off to watch a movie with the kids so until I"m inspired to write again...bye!

I am going to miss so many people that I won't mention here so please don't be offended if you aren't on the list.  I feel I MUST say a few parting and tearful things about those girls who have remained my closest friends through the years.

First of all, Amy Anne.  If I were mormon I'd be honored to be your sister-wife!  There is no one else I would rather live communally with.  (Without all the weird cult-esq stuff.)  I thought you were weird and touchy when I first met you and I was right.  You are weird and touchy and I love you!  If I hadn't met you my husband might never have eaten anything but hamburger helper and turkey loaf.  My love of cooking was inspired by you.  Not just the act of making an amazing meal but seeing it as an act of love and service to others.  You give and give and give and it exhausts me to watch you.  You never stop, never sit down until everyone else is taken care of.  Sometimes I think you are crazy but mostly I am humbled by your example of patience and service to your family.  You make me want to be a better mom/wife/friend.  Who else could I go to when I need a verbal slap?  Only you know how to exhort me without infuriating me.  You are the voice of reason when I'm manic and a source of joy when I'm weary.  I love you, I love you, I love you little fuzzy-lumpkins!

Carly...one of my first friends when I moved to this crazy state of Montana.  And my first encounter with a real canyon critter!  You and I are so much alike it scares me sometimes.  How many bags of cheetos have we shared between us?  (Okay, we usually each have our own but we eat them together.)  Originally you were my childless friend who didn't understand my crazy sleep deprived ways.  You loved my child like he was your own and that was enough for me!  You make me laugh like crazy and who else can I talk to about totally inappropriate things?  Only you Carl!  I mourn the fact that I won't be here to watch Ava grow and to make you meals when the new baby comes.  But I am so thankful for the time we've had and the years we have shared.  Hang in there and know that I am praying for you dutifully!  And I love you!

Marla Miller, my crazy counterpart!  In the land of puffy K's and pocked, pitted, riddled horrors I found a friend!  It makes me so happy to know that there are other crazy people out there!  Our children have been best friends which is so dear to me.  You were a balm to my sadness when Amy moved away.  The two years we shared in the kitchen were amazing.  I wouldn't want to cook with anyone else on Wednesday nights!  Every time I eat frosting I think of you!  I will really miss complaining to you about anything and everything.  (enjoy the silence!)  I love you dearly and cannot fathom not talking to you every week.  Persevere in our bible study and keep the girls laughing on tuesday nights.

And of course my mom.  I know so few people who enjoy their mom as much as I do.  You make me mad, you make me think, you make me listen.  I know it has been a hard balance at times to be my mom and my friend but I am thankful for both roles in my life.  I know it is a double kick to the gut to have me leave and the kids (and Dan) but you've always been supportive of us.  I'm so grateful you've never held us back with your own desires.  Thank you for sending me on my way without guilt.  I can't wait to share the experience of Africa with you when you come.  I love you Mom.  Don't be sad for too long!  And God's kindness of Sara moving so near to you is a glimpse of how He cares so much.

Jen E., Simone, Lana, Kellee, Jeanette....love you all!  Keep me in your prayers and don't even think about finding a friend to replace me!  (It can't be done anyway...) 

I love missionary biographies more than just about any story.  A good missionary story pairs my love of missions and my love of history.  I've been a biography junkie for a few years now.  Here are some of my favorite quotes that pertain to missions.

 "Missions is not the 'ministry of choice' for a few hyperactive Christians in the church.  Missions is the purpose of the church."  -Unknown

 "People who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries.  They forget that they too are expending their lives...and when the bubble has burst, they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted." -Nate Saint, missionary martyr

"If a commission by an earthly king is considered an honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?" -David Livingstone

"Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God." -William Carey who is called the father of modern missions

"'Go ye' is as much a part of Christ's Gospel as 'Come unto Me.'  You are not even a Christian until you have honestly faced your responsibility in regard to the carrying of the Gospel to the ends of the earth." -J. Stuart Holden

I hope these inspire you too and cause you to think how you can carry the Gospel to your own mission field!

I'm always telling God what I want, when I want it and how I want it delivered. And strangely...He doesn't always indulge me! In fact He has all these ideas about how things should be done HIS way. At thirty years old I'm finally beginning to understand why.

As a child my only life goal was to find where all the unicorns were hiding and free them. Seriously. I had some aspirations! I was sure that they had to be real and that I was the one to bring them back from whatever bondage they were in.

Obviously that didn't pan out so I switched my focus to bums. Growing up in the Portland Metropolitan area I saw my fair share of homeless people. I was fascinated by them. One of my favorite pastimes was to look for good sleeping places under bridges. By the time I was in Jr. High I decided I was going to be a writer and live with the bums. I would then write a groundbreaking memoire about their struggles. Unfortunately fashion and creature comforts were too hard to give up ( I mean who could survive without weekly trips to Nordstroms?) so I forgot all about my homeless friends.