Happy Birthday Luke

Yesterday we arrived back at camp and were welcomed by Mark, our returning team of one from Las Vegas. He was here before with the team and decided to come back and spend a couple of weeks helping out again.

We did get some very much needed rest while we were away. Many have asked us what we did while we were gone and our response is "nothing!" It's why we went away in the first place. We did watch some movies on tv and enjoyed not rising each morning at 5am! But as with all breaks, they come to an end. Actually, I was ready to come back! I missed my homeowners!

Later in the day we were joined by a team of six from North Carolina and also the return of Gregg and Pam from South Dakota! It was so great to have them return for another couple of weeks! They've spent so much time with us over the past years that they are definitely family!!

This morning all were up and headed to Galveston to work. They were divided into two teams, one to Marie's to get some kitchen gutting done, Monty to get the final electric done, sheetrock hung in the bathroom and all sorts of odds and ends. The other group headed to Benjamin and Rita's to start the ceramic tile on the floors. Yes, once again Gregg and Phillip will be working on their hands and knees! I am in the process of applying for additional funding for this couple and just need some documentation from FEMA and will be ready to meet with the financing committee and hopefully get a signed check for all the remaining materials! Pray it will be just that simple!

I have spent the entire day getting caught up on paperwork. I still can't believe how quickly it accumulates and after being gone . . . It's been a successful day and I feel much better now. I have 5 families that need additional funding and preparing all that paperwork and getting all those ducks in a row isn't difficult -- just time consuming. As soon as FEMA gets me my paperwork I'll be ready to roll. I've already called the long term recovery to let them know I'm coming!!

I also received a phone call from Pastor Bob's church secretary in San Leon. They have multiple teams coming in over the next 2 months and would like for us to organize and head up those teams to work in the San Leon area. What a blessing for us! And even more of a blessing for the homeowners! I plan on meeting with her in the next couple of days to introduce them to the paperwork they need and hopefully get some great plans underway! It's all about everyone and every organization working together or else we all fail and the homeowners are the ones who suffer!

Today is a bit tough for me for another reason -- our grandson turns 4 years old today! We missed his party and those times hurt my heart! I know he's just fine but it still hurts! We sent him his first Bible as a gift and pray he will be able to understand the stories. He's attending a Christian preschool and loved the Easter story -- as a 4 year old! Precious!

Monty and I also have the news that we have sold our home in Indiana! Yes, we could be counted among the homeless I guess. Some have asked us about where in the world our home will be and we tell them we travel with our home, it has wheels and has become our true home! It is a bit strange to sell the home we have lived in for the past 14 years but God told us it was time and He's always right. We aren't even going to be there to go through things -- the homeowner is one of my best friends' daughter so she and her mother will go through things and store them in one of the spare bedrooms that they don't need right now! Another God directed thing! When the time comes we will make it back and get things moved -- somewhere . . .
Where our "home" will be . . . we have trusted in God all these years and will continue to see where He leads us.

Until next time . . . Happy Birthday Luke! We love you and miss you!
Grandma and Monty