Cambodia 2011 - The beginning Fall 2010

So, many of you know that J and I went to Cambodia.  We weren't planning on it...but God was!  Back in the fall of 2010 J was at a Pastor's Breakfast.  They had drawings for various prizes.  J won the GRAND PRIZE...he didn't even realize that they had pulled his name.  It was a MISSIONS TRIP with Warm Blankets Orphan Care International.  As many people came to ask us later,

"Who wins a missions trip?" 

Apparently, J was the answer.  Initially, we didn't think he would actually get to go.  We were like, "When will I actually have time to do this?  Really?"  But, God knows that.  His timing is always perfect and if He wants you to go, the time will be found.  In the middle of December J received a call from Craig Muller (President and Director of Warm Blankets) that they were going to be having a trip at the beginning of January and wanted to know if J wanted to go.  Again, heading into the busy Christmas schedule that comes with any family, let alone one in the ministry, we kind of started laughing. 

How in the world?

Then it hit us, wait, really?  Well, J immediately realized that if he were to do this AMAZING trip (something that we have wanted to do since we were dating) that he would only go if we could figure out how to get me to go to.  So, I of course, thought that was going to be the final straw that would end us going.  Who would watch all four of the kids for 10 days while we were gone, how would we be able to afford me going and I was 100% positive that the trip probably on had one slot for J assigned.  Funny how God works, right?  So, I put it aside.  There was no way that would work out.  Again...hmmmm...God, oh yeah He do anything, right?  I think I forgot.  Because Craig called back and said that if we paid my way that I would be able to go. 

Side note:  Do you know funny feeling it is when you look back and SEE all that God has done to bring you to a certain point.  That feeling like OH.MY.WORD.  That feeling that how could anything care about me so much that they would plan something for me from even a year ago.  Yeah. OH.MY.WORD.  In an instant my whole past year flew through my head and the journey this terrible, stressful, physically draining, growing, expanding mentally, deeply learning more of who I am in God, in trusting Him year had brought me here.  To this point.  I can't go into detail on here all the different things that had to come together for me to be at a place to go; financially having a gift given to allow us to afford to pay for me, passports from a trip we didn't end up taking at the beginning of 2010, a gift given us that allowed me to pay for me to and more emotional and spiritual lessons that I can't even go into.  All the little details.  Amazing!

So in the midst of it all we said, "Yes, Lord we will go!"  An amazing journey for me to learn leaving my kids in HIS hands and trusting them to Him.  And a huge lesson for them to trust God by putting Dad and Mom in God's hands to bring us back to them.  The whole process was a great lesson for our whole family, when we returned what an amazing transformation of my kids.  A growing.  But, I am getting ahead of myself. 

My mother-in-law volunteered to keep the kids while we were gone.  The timing of everything fit in exactly where we could go.  Not a day more or less.  The exact dates.  Hmmm...I wonder who planned it that way.  8-)  On January 8, 2011 J and I set off to take the kids to Grandma's house.  It was in the middle of a huge snowstorm and I think that was the most dangerous part of our trip, trying to get back home to get to the airport! 

January 9, 2011 we headed off to the airport....stay tuned for the next part of our trip!