"Toto, We're Not in Kansas Anymore"

January was an amazing month at home. Busy, full, as we prepared for and anticipated beginning full time deputation. Now that the time to leave is here, my heart is full with all God has done and all we expect Him to do over the next year.

Ben didn't work in January, yet God has provided for all we needed and even prepared our February rent payment already. It was a big step - and it grew our faith - but where God led us, He has provided. It makes me anticipate great things from this trip as well, because we know God is leading us this direction, and He has proven Himself to us time and again.

It was hard to say goodbye to people that we love. And though our time in Brooklyn is not done quite yet, we know that our days of regular attendance at Bethel have come to a close for the most part. When deputation is done, we will be moving to the Bronx to start the next chapter of our ministry. My church family has been my family for the last four and a half years. I'm going to miss them!

And I guess I'm officially a city girl now, because it didn't take very long being back in suburbia to be surprised at the way life works. We are in central New York this week in a "little" city of 33k people called Rome. Several things let me know that I wasn't in the big city anymore!

The kids were bored on the drive here. I had printed several different Road Trip Games like bingo, but since we are out in the "middle of nowhere", there were very few signs (except for deer crossing), and very few cars or restaurants to mark off on the game board. We ended up playing "silo" and counting the silos along the road. I have a feeling this game will keep us busy as we go through Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, and Kansas!

After we arrived in the Prophet's Chamber, I went back into town to get some milk and cereal for breakfast. I was excited to find Aldi's, but when I pulled in at 7:11p.m. the nice lady told me that they closed at 7 p.m. It's been a long time since I've been to a grocery store that closes that early on a Saturday!

I then stopped at Subway to get some sandwiches for supper. I was the only one inside, but another man came in after me. As I walked back to the van with my food I saw his truck, in the parking lot, still running, and no one inside it. We ~~could~~ would never do that in New York City!

Today we were going to meet someone and he told Ben to go to Route 31 and turn right. "It's the first or second stop light." Ben assumed that meant it was a couple of blocks away. 10 or 15 minutes later, we found Route 31. And it was the second stop light!

I was pleasantly surprised to find an indoor playground/bounce house to give us an outlet from some "cabin fever." These places cost around $20 per child for about two hours of play in New York City. The out-of-town price to play for four hours? $3 a kid. Yes, we are not in the Big City anymore!