So what are they up to?

Now that you are approaching a year of being back in the States...what are you peculiar people doing?

Danny.....
He started to work for St. Paul's Clinic at the beginning of the year as their full-time pediatrician. This is a clinic that was formerly the health department's children's clinic, but has recently been semi-privatized. Basically - St. Paul's church has built a clinic to be used for the children of east Texas that either have no insurance or very little insurance. He has been so plesantly surprised to see how God developed his heart for the poor in Tyler while we were serving the poor in India. It might seem a little backwards - but he is very thankful for his job with St. Pauls. While brushing up on some long forgotten Spanish, he occasionally will have an Indian patient that he surprises with his Hindi!

Abigail.....
She turned six back in February and has really been the one we have seen the most change in since returning. Our sweet little girl had become very unhappy during our last months in India: frequent nightmares, major struggles with homeschooling, and general unhappiness. It was very hard to watch her go through that and not know exactly what to do to help her. Upon returning we put her in kindergarten at our church's school - Grace Community. What a blessing it was to have her here. Within just a month of enrolling, she received a character quality award for obedience!

This summer has been lots of fun for her. New things like having a pool in the neighborhood, library reading times and checking out library books, learning to fish, playing on her new swing set in the backyard, special times with all of her grandparents, playing a team sport for the first time (we attempted Upwards Tball this summer,) as well as day camp at Pine Cove. I know that many of these things may sound very normal - but for us - they are all brand new. Everyone kept asking what we were doing for the summer, and I kept wondering if we were supposed to have some magical summer plan! We'd never had a 'summer' type of schedule. But since the kids and I are still having a blast, I guess we've done ok!

She will start first grade at Grace on August 18. Until then... .keep swimming! :)

Benjamin......
Oh my, oh my! We always thought that Abigail was our strong willed child... until this year! Whew... he is all boy. He loves keeping up with everything Abigail does. In September he will turn three and I am just hoping that means that stubbornness will decrease?? In any case - he really is a sweet little guy. He loves to cuddle and loves to sit and read books. Just don't forget to wrestle with him first! Last year he did mother's day out 2x a week and will continue that this school year. He was very delayed in his speech and school has seemed to help him quite a bit. He is still quite difficult to understand at times but he is making progress. This summer his little activity has been gymnastics once a week. I would say half of the class has been spent saying... "I DON'T WANT TO!" But then again, his sweet teacher Ms. Jennifer doesn't take no for an answer.

I have loved watching him develop his little prayer life this year. He loves to pray and even thinks of things we don't tell him to pray for. The sweetest was praying for daddy's plane to be safe when he was gone and for baby cousin Samuel to sleep well in the 'vroom' (car.)


Lori.....
Well, lots of change over the year for me as well. As many of you might know, some of the reason for us returning to the US was to help me deal with my depression. Yes. There is that big word that you are supposed to say quietly. Depression. Yes. It is true. For the past five years, I have had an ongoing struggle with depression. Yes. It is true. I am truly thankful to have been down this road. Yes. It is true. I am still on the road. Yes. It is true... missionaries are real people with real problems.

Being back in our home and being surrounded by loving family, friends and support networks like Christian counseling, life is truly a brighter place. The fog has definitely lifted and I see God's loving hand directing me onto a new road. No longer do I want to be a performer. No longer do I want to 'work' towards a relationship with the Lord. I am now resting in being one who is greatly imperfect and allowing God to draw me unto Himself. Over a year ago, I found a verse that I clung to during many dark days......

"I am still confident of this, I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:13-14

I kept hoping and praying that one day I would 'feel' that I was in the land of the living. Today, I do see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. So, for where ever you might feel you are - I say this... be strong and take heart. Wait for the Lord. He IS Good.

So, besides all of the heavier subjects - what does Lori do for fun? Over this past year, I have enjoyed many different projects as a creative outlet. Like refinishing a massive old desk, re-doing our guest bath and learning more about cake decorating. Maybe this fall I might even take another cake class!

A Couple of cake creations.....

If you made it this far.... thanks for hanging in there. We haven't really given much of an update about ourselves lately. So here is more than you probably wanted to know. But I promise my future entries will be MUCH shorter! Much love to you all...... Lori, for the Prices