Happy February - An Overdue Update!!

Hi All -

Well, I have fallen off the world of blogging for a while but I'm back!! What with Christmas, a massive cold (including pink eye & double ear infections) and travelling to visit family...I have admittedly let things slip!!

Where to begin?! Let's start with some news on the Captain! Life, thankfully, has remained rather 'status quo' as he continues to look after and care for the servicemen within his Battalion. The unit has experienced 2 more non-combat related deaths since my last post and as always there continue to remain various "stressors" in the lives of these soldiers. Please continue to pray for their physical, mental and emotional health.

One major praise is that the Captain now has an Internet connection in his room. This means that he has been able to communicate with us much more easily and frequently AND has been able to Skype!! What a difference it makes for us to see him and for him to be able to see his girls!!

Speaking of the girls ~ please lift up some special prayers for our little ducklings as the deployment separation is starting to take its toll on them (and their mom). While it is hard to be separated and not in our own home, it is SUCH a blessing to be living closer to family!! How wonderful it has been to have their loving support!

And now....onto some additional big news......
Prior to the Captain's deployment, he submitted an application for an Army fellowship/residency in dermatology. Since he is already board certified in Internal Medicine, we figured it would be a "long shot" but none the less it was something the Captain still felt called to pursue. The Captain was able to do phone interviews with the 2 program directors while in Kuwait and they were pleased with his application but also reminded him that it was rare for the Army to allow for a second residency. Shortly before Christmas, we got news that the Captain was accepted into the dermatology program in San Antonio. The extra good news here is that they are willing to allow him early release from his deployment so that he can start the program in June. Our hope is that he will be able to be out of Iraq by May. Please pray over this as "being willing" to release early and actually "releasing early" are 2 very different things.

Needless to say, the girls and I have lots of leg work to accomplish prior to the Captain's return!! I plan to fly down to El Paso in late February to get our house on the market while the ducklings stay back in MN with my parents. When we know more from the Captain, the girls and I can then drive down to pack up the house and prepare for a move to San Antonio. If all goes well, the Captain will be home in time for the birth of the baby and we'll have just enough time to sell the house, pack things up and move. (Of course, there is LOTS of contingency planning).

What a whirlwind!! The Captain and I have no doubt that this is God designed. What an Awesome God we serve and what a blessing that we can be together as a family much sooner than expected!! Psalm 66:12 says: "...we went through fire and through water but You brought us out to rich fulfillment". The separation of deployment and all the heartache that goes along with it have certainly caused us to lean on our faith. But God is so faithful and He has not only sustained us during this time but He will continue to sustain us and He doesn't even stop there! He not only brings us through the fire and water of our separation but He gives abundantly much more than we could ever ask or imagine. To Him be all praise - what a mighty God we serve!!

Have you had enough updates yet?? Because there is just one more bit of news we should share......
We had our ultrasound and doctors are 90% certain that we are blessed with another sweet little baby girl! Apparently, we are just talented at beating the gender odds! Tee Hee!! We are all very excited and can't wait to meet this special little bundle of joy! I am now over halfway through the pregnancy and feeling good but very tired.

Phew - that was a lot to cram into one blog post! I'll try to post more frequently so we can avoid all these updates at once :-) Blessings to you all and thanks so much for your prayers!