The Mud Hole 2011

Bring it on, SPRING, we are sooooo ready!

Saying goodbye...for now

When you come to seminary you meet some of the most amazing people in the world. They touch your lives, you grow together, you raise kids together, you laugh 'til your belly hurts together, you cry over sickness and almost death together. They become your family away from home. The Marshman's were one of these famlies to us. Unfortunately, you know from the day you meet that the time you spend "together" is temporary. And let me tell you people, it doesn't get any easier. So the time came last weekend for us to part. But we part with hope. The hope we have in Christ and for the day we will all be together again forever worshiping at His feet with these amazing people. (And hopes for plane tickets to L.A. very soon.) We love you friends. You are missed.

friends visiting

Carey and her kiddos came to visit in February (yes, I am way behind in blogging but the flood is about to be released. I think.). It is always such a great time with those guys and we miss them dearly. Check out this crazy crew.

Slumber party of the decade!!

Are these some fierce looking men or what!?

From the window...

The Starbuck's knock-off

Waiting in line to be slaughtered.

Beggars would come straight up to the window of the van.

Skins for sale.

Dragging him to the slaughter house.

Epiphany...the Ethiopian celebration of the baptism of Jesus. Every church has a replica of the ark of the covenant, so on this day each church cleans their replica and marches it around the streets.

Our hope is not in the ark but in Christ.

Celebrating Epiphany.

Waiting...

I haven't written much since our last court date two weeks ago. I haven't had a whole lot to say, and from the moment we got the date for our next court date, I began planning. Planning how and what we were going to do to get us to this next date...6 WEEKS AWAY. I immediatley called Carey and said, "Come", we have had play-dates right and left, I have non-stop craft projects going on, late night chats and movies with my besties, grandparents are coming, and of course school which I am determined to finish before Hannah gets home. It is not an easy wait time but in the end I hope to say we waited well.

My heart is holding fast to His words and His promises and the fact that He does indeed work for our good (Romans 8:28). Funny how the Lord meets you in the very moment of need, once again through my kid's homeschool cirriculum. Our memory phrase the week following our Feb. 7 court date was this...

I will remember what God has done for me.

How great is this!?! And what perfect timing. 1 Chrionicles 16:11&12 states, "Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced." Yes Lord, you have done GREAT things for us; in our marriage, in our children, in our families, in our church and the greatest good of all, his Son. He provided what we could not do for ourselves and now Christ's righteousness is my righteousness. No greater love! And that is our hope and where our trust resides. Though this time will seem only brief in the long run (Lord willing) we are praying for strength to wait well, for His glory. And as my husband reminds me, continue in our sanctification.


Until then, our agency continues to send videos and pictures of our baby girl and we can't get enough them. The kids love it! We all love it! When that little white envelope with CCI on the return label appears in the mail we take off running through the door, throw everything on the floor and pop the disk into the computer as quickly as we can. Oh, she's lovely!

And our sweet friends who we met in Ethiopia went back last week to get their kiddos and were so kind to take some pictures of Baby Hannah. Thank you, Quinn's. So, so good to see her.

(So I guess I had a lot more to say than I thought. Ha!)

Court update

We received word from our agency this morning that MOWA, the organization whom was to send their paperwork for court, was closed all week last week because of their move to a new building. With this, the paper we were waiting on had not yet been sent. Unfortunately this was the case with everyone who was scheduled for court today. So now we wait for our court case to be rescheduled and will let you know when we do. Thanks for all of your prayers.

Pressing on,

Tory and Kedra

***Update: New court date set for March 15. Trusting His perfect timing.

Preparation in the works...

...a "GIRLIE" room for my girls'. Bird mobile...check.

And I have to say the picture does not even do it justice. When I walk down the hall I step into what will be the girls room (currently Luke's) and just watch. Thanks to my fun friend, Rae, for the link. And thanks to my wonderful husband for your knowing how to construct it. (My mind just won't think that way.)