Happenings and Preparations...

Yesterday [Sunday] was wonderful for spending just a little more time with dear friends at church. Two close friends and their baby were in town from Kentucky. Grandmom came over for lunch, as she does every Sunday. Then after lunch we rushed 1.5 hours to the hospital to meet baby Mal-Mal. Then we rushed another 1.5 hours home to attend the evening service and have a little more time with friends before I'm gone the next 7 weeks. Service was great, then we all had a carry-in dinner.

Mom has been feeling pretty bad the past few days. She has been working mucho hours a week between the university and the hospital, and she might have come home from Haiti with malaria. I'm glad she's feeling better today so that we can spend some time together before I leave on Thursday afternoon, and before Jessie leaves early early tomorrow morning.

Meeting my 8-hour-old niece just days before I leave for almost 7 weeks in Africa is just another hard reminder of the reality that things happen while I'm gone. Good things like babies being born and growing, or bad things like Grandmom getting sick and hospitalized.

But He's called me to go and I'm going. I'm leaving a lot of things behind; this summer it's only short-term, but next summer it won't be. It is both scary and exciting. Yesterday I was reminded that I am not going alone.

I AM NOT GOING ALONE.

I AM NOT GOING ALONE.

I AM NOT GOING ALONE.

Tomorrow I will post my prayer card and some requests, and here are those promised pictures of Mallory Jo:

Little baby Mal Mal was so excited to meet Aunt Jessie and I before we leave on Tues. and Thurs., that she came 3 weeks early!

Look at those little lips!

Only eight hours old

7 lbs. 8 oz. 20 ins.