Memories of the past year

So this has been an embarrassing long time to forget a blog. Its been a whirlwind year with lots of changes. It has been a year of pretty intense frustration, excitement, setbacks, leaps forward and most of all...growth. I found a bunch of pictures lately that I thought I should do something with and in many ways outlines a lot of the journey this past year. It has been hard to update week by week and month by month because in a lot of ways we had to simply sit and trust that God was working in ways we just couldn't seem to understand. We were in many ways challenged to stop talking and doing and just wait on God to act and move.
The pictures begin last summer before leaving Korea. Blake and I were celebrating with Jenn and Jord in this picture because we had just learned we were expecting. We miscarried shortly after and that seemed to be the beginning of a ton of changes to come.

We took holidays in August at Jenn and Jord's cottage in Canada and it was such a relaxing time for us to hang with good friends.












Blake celebrated another birthday.

We had some happy times with family. These are pictures with my family on the boat.



Sorry Chrissy, saw these photos and thought they were hilarious! :) For the record, he got quite good that day.




We went back to Korea intending to finish a few more months of teaching, but realized there had been some miscommunication with the visas and realized we'd have to commit to another year if we wanted to stay. Blake and I were increasingly feeling like our time in Korea was coming to a close and finally felt lead to return home to Canada. It was such a tough decision because Korea represented so much growth for us. We had just been getting plugged into an amazing church (which I can't find a picture of at the moment) and we just weren't feeling ready to give it up yet. We were also having to face the reality that we would be separated from our best friends for 6 months. The morning we left was so sad. We got up at 5am just to play our favourite game of euchre one last time. Jenn had recently found out that she was expecting as well so that was also so hard to leave during such a special phase of life! Here we are saying goodbye.


Getting on the airport bus.


So we landed with a thud on parents doorstep. They were gracious to accommodate us for a few months while we tried to figure out what we were doing and where we were going. We both found part-time work in Peterborough and tried to make the best of a fairly dry job market. We kept trying for work elsewhere, but doors seemed to continue to close and God didn't seem to be directing us in any particular direction for work or for a place to live. Blake and I had a lot of time together and we spent a lot of time with family. It was a beautiful fall.
The 3 boys and Bailey

Boys having fun. Joel looks so devious!

Bailey...the perfect subject.


Sisters



For some reason my family has the hardest time getting a good family portrait.

Mom and Dad

Blake and I went on many walks with Bailey. This photo was taken right before she ran all the way home. Unfortunately this skiddish dog has a hard time breaking the routine of her walk around the neighbourhood circle.







Bailey likes to carry her own leash.










Trying again for a family portrait. Where did Blake go, Chris and Joel...why?

Dad closing eyes- Bailey not cooperating.

Blake and Chris' eyes closed

Finally a normal picture? Looks a little boring!


Bailey discovering that raspberries taste really good.

After what seemed like endless hours of research and talk, Blake finally got to act on his dream of buying his first car. I was just glad the talk about cars was over. Here he is with the brand new purchase.

I got to join the picture.

Being back home without consistent work had the perk of a lot more golf games for the guys which they thoroughly enjoyed.



Notice Blake's 'concentration' lips :)

In December Blake and I faced a whirlwind change when a dear friend thought of me who had connections to a school that needed a music teacher. Unfortunately in Ontario's dry teaching market it's all about connections! God opened the door for me to join the staff at Pickering Christian School and we moved down the road from the school to Ajax. It was an incredible opportunity and one that I thoroughly enjoyed! We also started hanging out with some old time friends (for me) who have become very dear new time friends. Steph and I became co-workers at school and then we started tagging along with them to Harvest Bible Chapel. This church has become such an incredible blessing to us and we have been growing so much through the ministries and relationships there. We were excited to rejoice with Jerry and Steph as they welcomed their bundle of joy Audrey Renata in June.

So jumping back a little to February...our dear friends Jenn and Jord returned home to Canada. Felt like an eternity! We have been so happy to have them back and the good times have resumed! Jenn and I got to be pregnant together for a few months. And yes...I think I forgot to mention the fact that Blake and I are expecting the middle of August. :)



Jenn and Jord eagerly awaited the birth of 'Nemo' who arrived in May.


I was convinced Nemo was a boy, but was shocked to learn that Nemo was actually Naomi!

Sleepy daddy!

Uncle Bluck holding Naomi

Blake and I have joined a church plant from Harvest that will be coming to the Durham region in September. We've been developing relationships and really thriving. This church is growing like crazy already- in new recruits and from all the babies. Unfortunately I don't have pictures of the guys right now. This was at a triple baby shower for some of the moms.


So this brings us to the present. I'm currently trying to find things to fill my time as I await the arrival of our 'Peanut.' Hence, the update and finally getting pictures in order! :) Here are some maternity shots Blake and I recently had done with a friend from Harvest York region.







So that's it for now. Thanks for reading if you're still with me! :)

Matthew's Forever Home

Today I'm rejoicing with a special friend of mine who has been trusting and waiting on God for a very long time. She and her husband Brad are probably meeting their precious baby boy at the airport right now. What's even more special is this little boy Matthew is coming from South Korea! I've been so blessed and encouraged by their journey of learning to wait on God. Today marks such a special day of finally seeing the day their hearts have been longing for.
If you're interested in reading, click here.

In Canada

We've landed in Canada. Blake's parents picked us up from the airport and we stayed at their house for the night. We were both up at 3:30am wide awake. Had a nap today from 12-5pm. Our bodies feel really messed up right now. You'd think we love doing this to ourselves! We came home to find my sister and brother-in-law also living at home with my parents. They had a few unforseen circumstances and had to make a quick move home for a bit.
So...my poor mom moped while we were home on the holidays about the upcoming empty nest. My youngest brother Joel skipped off to Queen's University this September to begin the engineering program. My mom had 9 full days of an empty nest, a clean house and no shoes at the front door. I guess the 4 other kids happened to feel that that was long enough and all decided to come home. :) haha

So...here we've landed. Not sure what the future holds at the moment. Blake had a job prospect, but by the time we got home for the interview it was filled. We're both sending out applications. Hoping and praying that something comes along soon!

Decision Day

Monday, September 14th,
Today is D-Day. We've been assured that if the president initiates the interview then we're in. We will go forward with the job if he calls. So...we're now praying that if we are not meant to be in Korea then the door would close, that the president would be busy or something would happen. We are giving him til 6pm today and then we will go forward with booking our tickets home to Canada.

6pm
He did not call. We have prayed through this decision so much and feel that this is clear indication that we are being directed home to Canada. We tried to book our tickets for Thursday or Friday this week, but the price jumped astronomically so we had to book for Wednesday. That gives us one day to do all our paperwork and say a LOT of goodbyes to some really dear friends. We're feeling all mixed up emotionally, but relieved to finally have some sense of direction.

Waiting

Friday, September11th
Our job prospect is with a university in southern Seoul. If hired, we would be university professors (hilarious eh!?) teaching English to university students. Our good friend Will is currently working there and called us to say that 2 professors had not worked out and they needed to fill those 2 positions. We scrambled together some 'sophisticated professor type' clothing and ran out to the university for a meeting. The guy that hires was extremely busy and made us wait a long time while he dealt with other issues. We were quite content to wander around and just talk. The hiring guy finally a had a bit of free time over dinner so we went with him to chat. He expressed to us that he really wanted to hire us and would be the one to do so, but we needed to first shake the hands of the president and have an 'interview' with him. The president was the one that needed to initiate this meeting and the actual 'hiring guy' could not rush the process despite the need in the English department. This process really reflects a lot of the Korean culture.
Anyways...we have waited all week. We have really prayed that God would direct our steps. We resolved that we would walk through the door if it opened, but if it closed we would go home to Canada. We wrote the hiring guy an email telling him that we needed to make a decision by Friday at 6pm. He phone us at 4:30pm on Friday pleading with us to wait until Monday because the president would have time to meet with us on Monday.
So...here we are waiting til Monday.
Jenn and Jord are such amazing friends and continue to put us up in their loft. We're playing lots of euchre and Jenn and I are baking and having a grand time. I think Blake and I have assumed the role of the household pet. We're sad to see the go in the morning and are so excited for them to come home to feed us and play with us.

Clouding Clarity

So I just wanted to apologize for anyone who has been following this wild ride this last little while. We feel like yo-yo's going back and forth and just not knowing much. Again, the plot thickens and we're not sure what we're doing. I think we're going to be in need of some intense pyschological counselling by the time this is all through!
Here's the latest...
We thought that the door closing at the hagwon meant we were being directed to Canada. We haven't gotten around to changing our flight yet because paperwork with our schools is taking a bit of time. Yesterday a lot of strange things happened including a very good possibility that some of the best jobs in Korea landed on our laps. With these jobs we'd have a lot more vacation time which means we could go home and be with family for significant periods of time throughout the year. Not sure if this is a temptation to allure us to stay when we should be going back to Canada or whether it's God's provision and the opportunity of a lifetime.
Sooo...here we go again. Praying for God to give us wisdom and discernment as we stand with a huge decision before us. Also praying that God would slam that door shut very clearly (and quickly) if it's not where we're meant to be.

Clarity

Saturday morning
I woke up this morning and the first thing on my mind was Abraham and Isaac. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac. God had made many promises to Abraham that were to be fulfilled through this son Isaac, yet God was then asking him to kill his son. I can imagine the confusion Abraham felt ask God seemingly wasn't making sense! However, Abraham stepped out in faith in spite of the confusion and heartache and got right down to the moment where his promised son was tied down on the altar and the killing knife was in the air. At that moment God stepped in and told him to stop. The point was to bring him to a crisis of faith and to trust in the wisdom of God above what seemed to make sense.
Maybe I'm making assumptions, but I'm wondering if our situation with the hagwon is similar. Perhaps God was asking us to step out in faith and say 'yes' with the intention of simply bringing a crisis of faith. This week we have had to trust and seek God in ways that have been extremely difficult, but maybe that was the whole point.
I shared with Blake and he said that the same word had been given to him! Craziness!
Sooo...I think we're coming home to Canada!

Sunday morning
We're on our way to one of the last meetings with our church and we have mixed emotions. This church has been such a blessing and we are so sad to say goodbye.