Another Experience in the Journey of our Lives

                             

 

Thursday, July 30

Wow! I'm thankful that not every day is like this one! We started out on a good note with Roger and I taking a walk together. After we ate breakfast, we headed to the park for a bit with the kids before beginning the school work. 

Here in Page, the kids that attend public school start back on August 6! I thought that seemed really early, but they are done by  May 9. We are almost three full weeks into the school year, and I'm thankful for that as we will be taking a few days off here and there in August for various family activities. We will start our five day routine right after Labor Day, so maybe the Lord will come back before then!! :) 

Anyways, back to our day experiences for today. Shortly after school started, I went into the boys bedroom to get some fresh clothes for Emma. I moved a few things around and immediately called for Roger. In the corner of the room, the carpet is growing moldy things that look like a mushroom fungus. The paneling was wet behind the side table when we moved it, and we have a mold problem! But where was the water coming from? Upon further research and investigation, we discovered that the hot water heater was leaking and the water was dripping along the wall and under the carpet! What a mess! Because it's a single wide trailer, the hot water heater is accessible from the outside of the house. So Roger ended up taking out the hot water heate, turning off the water, draining the water out of the hot water heater, and getting supplies to fix it. School was cancelled for the day as I now had to gather up all the blankets and things that had been on the floor in the boys room. I probably have about ten loads of laundry to do tomorrow, but one thing at a time. (I'm very tempted to submit my receipts for laundry to the landlord!) 

We ended up having lunch at Burger King since we didn't have any wate turned on at the house, we couldn't flush the toilet, and we needed to get the stuff to try to fix some of this stuff! Roger talked to the company about the issues we are having with the mold. They gave Roger the option of either trying to fix it himself and submitting the receipts for anything else we fix, or getting a professional to look at the carpet and paneling issue. Even though we couldn't get a professional to look at it today, we decided to go with having a professional look at it. Neither Roger nor I have very much experience with mold, but if the carpet needs to be ripped out or replaced, we want a professional to decide that since it's not our property. Although I'll admit, it would be really nice if the carpet had to be replaced as it's the same carpet that came with the trailer in 1968 or whenever the trailer was put here! 

It was a long day for our family as the boys weren't able to have rest time since Roger and I were working on cleaning up some of the mold. We discovered that the clothes that had been on the bottom floor of the closet were also moldy. (They were on the floor because we don't have any dressers.) The boys will be sleeping in the living room tonight, and hopefully the floor will dry out now that Roger fixed the hot water heater. 

You might remember that I mentioned that Chandler has been having some eye problems. The doctor suggested that it was allergy related with pink eye symptoms. However, Chandler has finished up his exorbitantly priced eye drops,  and his eyes have not improved. Also, a few weeks ago, Chandler told me he needed a little bit of his own space. So, I made him a little bed on the floor of their bedroom closet. Does anyone see the connections? He's been sleeping in a mold bed! His pillow had to be thrown away, all his bedding must be washed, and his allergy symptoms only appeared after he started sleeping in the closet! Wow....I feel like a terrible mama!! I'm hoping that once this carpet issue is taken care of his allergies will clear up immensely. 

So, although I am very, very thankful that not every day is like this, I do have a few blessings. Somehow, in the midst of discouragement, God provides an opportunity for us to be refreshed. I've been looking into ways to be able to afford more fruits and vegetables for our family. I found this company called "Bountiful Baskets". It's a farmer co-op that brings fruits and vegetables to Page every two weeks. You sign up and pay for the baskets on Monday, and pick the baskets up on Thursday. The baskets cost about $15.00 each, and you never know what might be in the basket. However, our family likes most fruits and vegetables, so I thought it would be worth a try. It is going to be a good thing for our family! This week we received lettuce, cucumbers, cauliflower, corn, plums, carrots, pears, cherries, potatoes, mangoes, and figs. I don't think I've ever used figs in anything or eaten them. But we have them, so we will eat them! 

Our other blessing was that today the pastor of the church we've been visiting came by for a visit. The timing wasn't the greatest as the house is kinda torn apart today, but we had a good little visit. We are looking forward to more opportunities to interact with the people in this church. 

One more blessing: the boys participated in the summer reading program at the library here. Last Saturday, they were able to attend the end of the summer party. For some reason, Travis was the only one of our children to receive a bag of treats for his reading. I was a little curious about the reason, but I figured that he had to do less reading to get a bag since he is younger. Yet today when we stopped at the library to return some books, the librarian had bags of treats waiting for the other boys as well. She said that the computer had a glitch, and it had missed some of the kids. The boys were thrilled with the bags, and I was very impressed. The boys each received a new toy or ball, a book, and a water bottle. It was a fun treat for them, and I'm glad that God chose to encourage them also. (It was a rough day for Chandler. He was in tears at one point insisting that he wanted to go back to Nana and Papa's house, and he wanted out of this moldy house! I refrained from telling him that I had similar thoughts!) 

In the midst of it all, God desires that our thoughts and minds be stayed on Him. I am reminded of the verse in Isaiah. Isaiah 26:3 states, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in Thee." God brought this verse to mind several times today as I worked to keep my mind on Him. God is truly good to us, he knows exactly where we are, he protects and provides for us, and we are blessed. 

Our love to you, Sarah 

Church Hunting Experience Number Three....July 19

When we attended the Fourth of July parade, there was a group of people handing out invitations to a church in the area. The man introduced himself to our family and asked if we were looking for a church. We told him that we had recently moved to the area, and that we had been checking out different churches. He cordially invited us to try their church, and we took the information. We didn't attend the next Sunday, because we had already picked another church to try.

Upon reading over the brochure, it seemed like this might be a church to check into. They stated that they believed in salvation by grace through Jesus Christ, that they believed that the word of God was complete and accurate, and the verse they used on their brochure was one that we are familiar with. So after church experience number two, we decided to check it out. The name of the church was not decisive....by that I mean that you really couldn't discern what denomination they might be closest to...you just had to try it out! 

The man had told us that the church was relatively small and that they currently didn't have any children's programs during the service. Although I appreciate Children's church, we also didn't want to make that a deciding factor in our choices. They had only one service listed and it started at 10:30 am. One of the positive things is that we could walk to this church as it was only about a fifteen minute walk. So we walked to church, found the building, and made our way inside. There was about twenty people there, but the thing that struck me was that the pastor and Roger were the only men! However, the pastor came up and introduced himself to us as well as his wife. (That was a first. In all the other churches we've visited we were never introduced to the pastors wife.) They were both welcoming and friendly, and they have four adorable kids which were about the ages of our children. 

Shortly after the introductions, the service began. A few more people came in, mostly women and children, but a few men also. The pastors wife played the piano, and they started the service. We didn't know any of the songs, which isn't a surprise by now, but the people sure were excited. You could give yourself a really good arm workout during the song service if you were to work at it! :) 

Then the pastor opened in prayer. We were caught a little off guard as everyone began to pray at the same time. It was a roomful of people shouting and praising Jesus...and then the pastor started speaking in tongues. You should've seen my kids faces! I had to lean over and tell Garett to please close his mouth. :) (After the service, Chandler asked me why the preacher was practicing his phonics blends during prayer.) It did sound a little like a bunch of blends coming out very quickly. 

The message was very good. It was the best message we've heard out of the churches we've visited, and it was doctrinally correct. He spoke on our life as a vapor and how we should be working to reach others for Jesus. During the invitation, the whole church came to the altar, well, except us. Everyone, I mean the kids, the women, the few men, everyone. Then the preacher went around and laid hands on each one, and closed in prayer with everyone praying at once. 

In conclusion, although the message was good and the people were friendly, it's not the church for us. We believe that God gave the gift of tongues for a specific purpose, and that it is no longer a gift for today. It was a memory and an experience that I will never forget. I will always remember the expressions on my kids faces. 

Update: On July 19, we visited another church in the area. I think we've found the one for our family while we are visiting Arizona. More about that in another post! 

A Church, Vacation Bible School, and Blessings

                    

  

Wednesday, July 22

Guess what? The boys have had the opportunity to attend Vacation Bible school at a local church here. The church we attended on Sunday,  Navajo Bible Baptist Fellowship, is hosting Vacation Bible School for kids this week. This church reminds me so much of  the church my dad is pastoring in Berlin, Wi. It's a small body of believers, but they are fervent in their love for the Lord and their desire to reach the community. The pastor just took the pastorate about four weeks ago, so they are new to the community as well. 

This church has been friendly and welcoming to us from the time we came in the door on Sunday night. Roger had gone with the three boys in the morning, but we all went together on Sunday night. It was a blessing to be able to sing along with songs that we actually know and that we could hear the other people singing. :) They currently don't have a piano player, so the music is sung to a guitar. However, their hearts seem to be sincere and that we appreciate. 

This church was started in 1998 due largely in part to a church in Shelby, North Carolina. It's primary goal is/was to minister to the native Americans here, and so the church body is made up of mostly native Americans. The pastor and his family are Caucasian and so are the Robertsons. :) We had a good time of fellowship with the pastor and his wife after church on Sunday night, and we are hoping to have them over for dinner next week. 

The boys have enjoyed this week of Bible school, and so have Roger and I! It was definitely different for us to drop of the kids at a church event and not be helping in some capacity! However, God also probably knew that Roger and I needed this time for us to be able to talk and visit...with Emma along. :) On Monday night we stayed for the first part of Bible School. Since it was so different just dropping them off, and we don't know the people really well, we stuck around for a bit. However, the church is doing a great job with the kids. The church was without a pastor for five years before this summer, and yet they still came together to try to reach other kids for Jesus Christ. 

Friday, July 24, 2015

Tonight was the last night of vacation Bible school. We are so incredibly thankful for this local church, and it's outreach to the community. The boys have been enjoying the craft time, Bible time, games, and snacks. It's been so much fun and a delight to my heart to hear them come home with stories to tell all week long. God knew that my children needed to be encouraged as much as I did and thus provided an opportunity. 

Meanwhile, while they've been a Bible school, we've been exploring various trails, local places, and hiking new trails. Emma has spent a lot of time on my back in her carrier this week, but she has seen some beautiful sights. (Not that she's been that interested!) Roger and I have enjoyed the opportunities for long conversations, listening to dreams for the future, expectations for today, and plans for tomorrow. It's been a good week! 

Sunday, July 26

We went back to the Navajo Bible Baptist Church today. Their service starts at 10:00 am., and they have one morning service. Roger and I are having a hard time adjusting to the fact that everything is within a five minute drive, so we are early for everything! In Wisconsin, our church was about thirty minutes away, so it's a change! And since church is stated to start at ten, we've quickly come to realize that it really means about ten after ten...at the least. :) People were still trickling in at about 10:45, so we were early! :) The church has a small children's church program, so it was nice for the kids to attend the children's church. The kids enjoyed it even more since they knew the teachers from Vacation Bible school. After church everyone stayed around and visited with each other before heading home. We went home, ate lunch, and had rest time. Roger took one of our boys on a date with him this afternoon. This particular child really seems to be struggling to adjust to life here, and we are concerned with his closed-off attitude towards us. Please pray that we can reach his heart. 

We arrived about ten minutes early on Sunday night. I had mentioned to the Pastors wife that I could play the piano during vacation Bible School.  Since no one was there yet, I asked if I could try out the piano. The church has a beautiful baby grand piano that hasn't been played in several years because they don't have a piano player. It was so relaxing and soothing to my soul as I sat there and played through the hymnal. I hadn't realized how much I had missed playing! The song leader came up and asked if I would play for the song service. Of course, I was happy to do it! There was one song that I wasn't familiar with, so that was interesting. And we sang one song through, then they took up the offering. I switched to a different song to play for the offertory, but they sang the same song that they had just sung for the offertory. So I was behind on that one! Because the church is a ministry to the Navajo People, they often sing songs in the Navajo language, I'm thankful that the piano notes are the same regardless of the tongue it's sung in! :) It was a good service, and it gave us an opportunity to visit with the people. Roger and I are trying to figure out a date to have the Pastor and his wife over for supper, but we have to figure out a time when Roger isn't flying an evening flight. The pastor and his wife are currently living in a little Rv, and they are looking to find a place to move into. We are looking forward to getting to know them better. I believe that God has allowed us to find a good place for our family to attend church while we are here in Arizona. I love how God is concerned about all the details in our lives, and he takes care of everything. It was a special delight to my heart to attend church this morning knowing that the kids had attended Vacation Bible School, we knew some of the people, and this body of believers seems to be warm and welcoming. We are blessed! 

Another blessing I have is how God provides for our physical needs as well. When I went to the grocery store for milk and a few items today, I found bacon and pork chorizo at 75% off! Guess what we are eating this week? I've never cooked with chorizo before and I have no idea what I will make with it, but we will eat it and be happy! The boys are excited about having bacon and eggs, and I love how God provides. 

Monday, July 27

Yesterday at church, one of the men had given Roger a few fishing tips. The boys were anxious to try fishing again, although neither Roger nor I are crazy about it! Roger had a flight today, and we did school. We tried to hold off the boys from fishing until it about six so it would cool down a bit. However, by about three o'clock, they were chomping at the bit. So off we went to go fishing. It was nice and cool about 100 degrees (insert sarcasm here!), but the boys dragged along their bait, poles, and extra junk down to the fishing dock. We went to the Waheap Marina this time as they have a fishing dock, and it has a little shade. Emma and I spent the time walking around looking at the huge houseboats and trying to see some fish. Well, none of us were very successful, but the boys had a great time. And they want to go again! Chandler wants to try in the morning next time as he thinks that's the solution. So, we will see about that at a later date! 

When I walked to the airport this afternoon, I checked in Rogers box to see if we had any mail. To my surprise, I had a letter waiting from a friend! One of my friends, Kelli, had written me a note. I didn't even bother to wait until I got home, I just read it at the airport. It was a special blessing to get mail in our box, and it brightened my day. 

Anyways, another week is over and it's time to post my thoughts to the blog. Thank you all for your love and prayers. 

All in a week: A Trip, Fishing, Eye Infections, Church Hunting, and Life!

Today, July 15, was our first trip outside of Page, Arizona. After being here for about 3 1/2 weeks, we decided to take a trip to one of the "big cities". People around here either travel south (2.3 hrs.) to Flagstaff or northwest (2.6 hrs.) Saint George, Utah. We choose to go to Saint George. That decision was made in part due to a discount grocery store that I had found while browsing grocery stores in Saint George. The other reason is that it's the route we will take when we go to Las Vegas to pick up my sisters in a few weeks!! 

Originally we had planned on making into a little bit of a trip away for our family by leaving mid-morning driving to Saint George, getting a hotel, doing some shopping, and coming back the next day. However, Roger had a flight at 7:30 a.m. And then another flight tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. It just didn't make any sense to get a hotel this time. However, we did need some grocery staples, and the word around town is that groceries are often cheaper in the "big cities". To some, however, these cities would not be considered big by any means. Flagstaff is about 60,000 and Saint George is about 76,000 people. But after coming from Page, the city seemed very large! The boys were in awe of all the different stores, the eating establishments, and even a mail! :) 

We left this morning as soon as Roger came home from the flight which was around nine. We were in Saint George by noon because we did need to take a bathroom and stretch break. We first went to the discount grocery store in which I was a little disappointed. Online it seemed like they had a large selection and also carried produce and dairy items but that was not the case. They did have a large selection of canned items, juices, and paper products. I try to steer clear of too much canned items though as fresh is always better. However, we did end up getting some paper products that we need and a few other items. Since the store didn't have any dairy, meat, or produce we needed to find a grocery store in this town. 

But on the way to find the grocery store, we found Target! I can often find fabulous deals at Target, and the kids needed some school supplies so we made a quick stop. I did find a few items of summer clothing that the boys needed, and it was all on the clearance rack. :) 

By the time we finished at Target, everyone was starting to get a little grouchy from being hungry. But where to eat? There were just so many choices! Since we haven't been out to eat in a while, and we had all these options around us, it was hard to make a decision! However, I spotted a sign for In-and-Out Burger. Roger and I had eaten at one during our trip to California many years ago. We really enjoyed it, so we decided to eat there. The kids loved it or they were hungry becuase every bite was eaten! :) 

After filling everyone's bellies, we needed to find a grocery store. I had been praying that we would find one with some good sales, and I had asked several of my friends to pray also. Across the street from the restaurant, we spotted a grocery store named "Albertson's". It seemed like a good place to start. :) 

Before we headed into the store, Garett prayed and asked God to help us find some good deals. Know what? God certainly does care about the little details! The store was running a special deal on much of their beef and pork items. The sale was buy one package, get two free! Yes, please! It's been a while since we've had red meat as chicken is generally what's on sale and cheaper. But God, in His kindness allowed us to get beef roasts on sale! I'm already looking forward to supper tomorrow night! :) We also found cheese, yogurt, and sour cream on sale using the coupons in the sale paper. I'm still in awe of how God heard our seemingly insignificant request! We were able to save over $100.00 with the meat and other items being on sale. God is so very good! 

The boys didn't find grocery shopping a particularly thrilling experience, but since they like to eat, they put up with the shopping. :) The boys wanted to do something fun in the city, but our time and budget just didn't allow for that. We headed home around five, and decided to take a different route home. 

On the way home, we traveled through Zion National Park. What a beautiful place! We were able to stop and go on a short hike. It's definitely on our list of places to go back to in the near future! God's creation is so amazing and fascinating! 

                          

 

Thursday, July 17

Today was a re-coup day from yesterday's adventure. I was originally planning on having school today since we missed it yesterday. However, I knew at 7:00 am. that it would be a bad idea! Everyone was tired, a little grouchy, and needed their own space. So, instead we walked to the park for a bit, walked to the airport to check for mail (nothing!) and spent some time outside before it was too hot. Roger had an afternoon flight and because Wyatt and Garett had gone to the airport with him, they got to go on the flight. Chandler was very disappointed as it was his turn, but Roger said it was a last minute decision by two of the passengers not to go. So, Chandler is praying specifically for his turn to come soon! 

I did laundry this morning, and Chandler was able to go along. The older boys are beginning to be quite helpful in helping with laundry or at least at putting the quarters in the machines! No, they are really working at it. It just about kills me to spend $15.00 a week doing laundry, but we all do need clean clothes. However, I noticed that in a weeks worth of clothes one boy only brought four pairs of underwear, three shorts, and three t-shirts to be washed! Yuck! (We will have a discussion on proper hygiene...again!) 

Roger took the four boys and the truck to get it washed and vacuumed out this afternoon. Each of the boys came back with two roses for mom and a special hug for me. I love how Roger took the time to take them to the grocery store to pick out roses for mom. Roger even gave one rose to Emma, which she was delighted!

The boys have been begging to go fishing, and since Roger now has his fishing license, all we needed was bait. So, after Roger's flight, we headed to Walmart to getting fishing bait. Neither Roger nor I know a whole lot about fishing, but the boys were ecstatic to be going fishing! It was hot, but the fishermen were not deterred. I spent my time watching Emma like a hawk since we hadn't brought her life jacket. Never again! Next time, I'm going home to get the life jacket! Roger was kept busy keeping lines untangled and baiting Travis' hook. I had thought that we would be out at the lake for several hours because of all the bait we had, but I was wrong! The boys were working hard at fishing, but the bait was slick and kept coming off the lines. To be honest, I was not disappointed! We didn't catch anything, but that part of the lake has plenty of bait to feed the fish tonight! 

After fishing, we headed home to grill out. Since we had gotten some good deals on meat, I was excited about grilling out red meat and not hotdogs! (Not that I'm complaining...no one is hungry!) Roger invited his pilot friend, Jon, over for supper. We had a good time visiting, and the kids have come to enjoy Jon's friendship. We generally eat supper late on the days when it is very hot, so by the time supper was done and cleaned up it was after 8:30 pm. The kids were definitely ready for bed, so after Bible time, it was a quick trip to bed. 

Sometimes the heat takes a lot out of a person no matter how much water you drink!  Usually Roger and I try to have a few minutes of conversation after the kids are in bed, but sometimes we just are ready to crash also! It's a struggle that's for sure to find the time for our friendship and marriage to grow while meeting and solving the problems of young children. God is always faithful though, and we are praying and believing that one day we will be a stronger couple in the Lord and in our marriage because of these challenging days. 

Friday, July 17

Roger had two flights today, so we are very thankful for this! The flights seem to be picking up slowly, and every hour of flying is one more hour for Roger's log book. Chandler's prayer request was answered today also as he was able to get on a flight with Roger. 

Everyone slept in until after seven, which is unusually in this family! Chandler came in our room shortly after seven complaining that his eye hurt. His right eye is very red and irritated looking. I went to the grocery store to get him some eye drops, and although he's been consistent at putting them in, his eye is still very red. Please pray that he will get some relief soon. 

After breakfast we all walked down to the airport to "help" Roger get his plane ready for his morning flight. The secretary mentioned that there would be an extra seat in the plane this morning, and Chandler beamed with delight! He not into aviation as much as Wyatt and Garett, but he does love his daddy! He was delighted to spend the morning with Roger, and we could tell change in his countenance after his turn with Roger. 

Saturday, July 18

Roger has four flights today provided that the weather holds out. A storm is predicted to come through later this afternoon so that may affect the number of flights. 

We took the kids down to the school park today which is about a mile away. Emma rides in the bike trailer, the other four ride bikes, and I usually walk or run. We are still one bike short for our family, but the steps are adding up quickly! :) 

At the park we played tag with the boys for a while, and then we had the Robertson family field day games. We made an obstacle course out of the little climbing wall, and the playground equipment. Then we had timed events for the boys to run through the course. They, of course, thought it was great fun, and everyone had several opportunities to participate in either the obstacle course, the climbing wall, or running races. I can still beat all the kids at running, but Chandler is a natural at running. It won't be too long before he passes me up...I'm getting older! :) After the field day events, everyone was hot and tired. It was a slower ride home as the park is slightly down hill and our trailer is slightly uphill. :) 

However, after lunch is rest time! Yay! Even those who insisted that they didn't need a rest had to lay down, and everyone will usually wake up much happier. 

I would love to get mail! If anyone feels inclined to write, I will do my best to write back. It's hard not to feel lonely sometimes as our fellowship is limited. Roger has made friends with some of the pilots, but it's not the same as close friends to have over for dinner. We just try to reach out to those around us with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Our address for mail from the United States Post office is as follows:

Robertson

P.O. Box 1943

Page, Arizona, 86040

We are visiting a new church tomorrow. This is the last one of possible "maybe's" that we have picked out, so we will be making a decision for our family soon. We miss our church family, and fellowshipping with other believers. We had a very interesting experience last week at the church we visited, so I'll write that post soon. Again, we are trying not to be overly picky, but we have to make the best choice for us and for our family. 

I am very excited that my sisters will be coming out for a short visit in August! Hannah will fly into Las Vegas on Sunday, August 2, and Jenn will fly in on Monday. Hannah is only able to stay until Wednesday, so she purchased a hotel for us all to stay at in Las Vegas. Las Vegas is about 4.5 hours away so we plan on staying there from Sunday thru Wednesday. Then we will bring Aunt Jenn back with us to Page for a few days. We are all very much looking forward to the visit, family, fellowship, and memories! 

Sunday, July 19, 

We were looking forward to trying out adifferent   church this morning as a family. However, Chandler has been struggling with some type of eye infection since Thursday. If it doesn't improve by tomorrow, I will have to take him to a walk-in clinic. Since he hasn't been sleeping well, Emma was up early, one child wet the bed, and the morning was a bit chaotic, we decided that the best thing would probably be for Roger and the three boys to go to church. I kept Emma and Chandler with me, and went to get a load of laundry done. One thing is for sure- in this heat, I'm not going to let urinated clothes and blankets sit very long! 

At the laundromat, Emma made a friend. She is not biased at all and loves all the people, the Asians, the French, the Native Americans, the whites, the homeless people, etc. She freely talkes to them all! Today she made a friend with a homeless Veteran who was doing laundry. You'd think she'd be intimidated by his bushy hair, unkempt appearance, and gruff exterior. But Emma was not deterred. She went right up to the man, hugged him around the knees, and said, "hi". I was a little horrified, but I think she made the older mans' day. He engaged in conversation with her, picked her up, and when we left the laundromat, he carried out my clean laundry for me. I was again reminded of how Jesus loved all the people, not just the clean, well-kept appearance people. I'm praying that I'll get to meet that man again and have another opportunity to talk to him. 

Monday, July 20

Chandler's eyes have not improved, and in fact, I think they are getting worse. I guess we will be making a visit to the walk in clinic today. I was really hoping to avoid that simply because of the cost, however, it's inevitable. Chandler can't function well, isn't sleeping well, and is turning into a real grouch! Ahhh! Off to the clinic we go! 

We found a medical center online that offered same day appointments, so I called to make an appointment for Chandler. His appointment happened to be right in the middle of a crazy rain storm, but we made it. Thankfully, the visit was short and to the point because at this clinic they rate the cost on how long the appointment takes. The doctor seems to think that Chandler has an allergy to all the dust and dryness around here (oh boy!) and the irritation is compounded by pink eye. So, Chandler is supposed to take children's Claritin when the symptoms flare up, and he has an antibiotic for his eyes. The visit itself cost only about $53.00, which I was relieved about. My relief was short lived, however, when we picked up the antibiotic! Oh. My! Well, let's just say I hope it works, and God has never failed us yet! I'm hoping that Chandler will get some relief soon. 

In great news: 

First, we are praying about a church that God has directed us to for the time we are here! More about that in a bit, but we are rejoicing! 

Secondly, the flights have been picking up and Roger is getting more flight time. We are thrilled about this also, as every flight is more time in the log book. 

Thirdly, since we've experienced a few rain storms lately, the weather is much cooler. In fact, I found  myself looking for a long-sleeved shirt at a temperature of 80 degrees! 

Fourth, God is so very, very good to us. We are thankful that no matter how high the mountain, or how deep the valley, He is there to guide us. 

Thank you so very much for you prayers. We are blessed to have so many of you love and pray for us! 

                    

 

The End of Week Two and the Beginning of a New Week

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,

In some ways the days are flying by, and in other ways I think they would go by faster if I just watched the clock! We've been here for over three weeks, and we are slowing working into our routines and schedules. Because Roger's job has been slow and inconsistent, we are working on our schedules around his hours. We are loving all the time that we get to spend with him, and he is enjoying the boys and Emma very much. 

Typically our schedule looks something like this:

5:30 am...Roger or I will go on a walk or run

6:30-  Home for coffee and Bible Reading

7:00 - boys are usually up by this time

7:30 - Breakfast 

8:00 - 8:30 Morning chores and the boys usually go outside for a while

8:30 -  school starts 

10:30- break from school to do a bike ride or go to the park

11:00 lunch

11:30 -12:30 more school or additional "mom-approved" activities 

1:00 - 3:00 Rest Time

3:00-6:30 play time, book reading, game playing, to the park, or swimming

6:30 supper time

7:00 - clean up 

7:00 -8:00 usually a bike ride and a snack

8:00 - Devotions (sometimes we have them before rest time depending on Roger's schedule)

8:30 Bed time 

This is a very, very loose schedule simply because Roger's flights are so inconsistent right now. One or two of the boys usually want to go with Roger to the airport when he has a flight, so I try to work around that. We are only doing school on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays for right now. Homeschool is very, very important to me, but it's not my favorite thing to do. However, since the days are so warm, I want to make sure that we are using our time wisely. This way we are progressing slowly, but it's not overwhelming to any of us. 

On Tuesdays, we go to the library.  They have a beautiful library here, and we just recently applied and received our library cards. We are participating in the summer reading program or at least what's left of it. Also, on Tuesdays we usually go on a longer hike or have the other pilots over for dinner. 

On Thursdays, I do the grocery shopping and the laundry. I usually try to take one of the boys with me to do laundry and the grocery shopping. It gives us some one-on-one time, and they are becoming very helpful. Groceries are a lot more expensive here than in Wisconsin. I'm thankful for all the oatmeal, cereal, rice, and beans we brought with us! Bananas are .76 lb., and fresh produce is typically expensive. However, one of the reasons that I choose to do grocery shopping on Thursday is because it's the grocery stores' mark- down meat day! :) I plan the menu around what is on sale for the week, and then fill in the meals with whatever we have in the cupboards. Safeway is the grocery store here in Page, and I do like shopping the sales there. Sometimes we can find good deals at Wal-mart also, but I can walk to Safeway. :)  Wal-mart is fairly close as it's only about three miles away. However, it's at the bottom of a big hill and what goes down must come up! :) 

Thursday, July 9

When we were at the library on Tuesday, we enrolled the kids in the summer reading program. They also have an adult reading program, which has motivated me to start reading more consistently! :) (I'm motivated by rewards, I guess!) The librarians are all very friendly, and really seem to enjoy working with the kids and helping them find new books. The library is about 1.5 miles away, so the kids have been reading their bikes there. Since I don't have a bike right now, I've been doing lots and lots of walking! I was using a bike that had been left here by one of the previous pilots, but someone else needed it. So, now I'm back to walking and running behind the bikes, but that's okay. 

Roger had a flight this afternoon, and he was able to take two of the boys with him. Chandler was supposed to have a turn, but he overdid it a little today. He had such a bad headache that we were concerned that he would get sick in the plane. So Garett and Travis had their turns today, and they were both excited about that! The flight was an evening flight to Kanab, Utah. Roger arrived there about dusk. He made plans to return to Page, and was getting ready to depart when he received the orders from up top to stay in Kanab. This chain of command with the boss being in Utah, and the Pilots in Page can create a few bad decisions. To make a long story short, Roger ended up staying in Kanab with the two boys overnight. It was a frustrating evening for Roger, but it's what happens sometimes. Either way, we are thankful that Roger was able to get some flight time in this week. 

Friday, July 10

Only because of the grace of God did we make it through the day today! It was one of our school days, and we had some very tired boys after their early morning flight back from Kanab. I am not blessed with the same teaching skills as my mother and my sister, so homeschooling is a challenge for me to say the least! We get through because God is bigger! 

We went on a short bike ride today after everyone took a rest! We invited the other pilots over for dinner, and Roger and I made homemade pizza. All these bachelor pilots sure seem like they enjoy coming over for dinner. :) We charge $5.00 a meal for the pilots. It's all you can eat..and eat they do! :) We had homemade pizza, salad, and homemade cookies, and everything was eaten! 

Roger has several flights tomorrow, so we are thankful for that. Roger went to get a fishing license and we found out that it will cost $75.00. That seems like a lot of money. So Roger  told the boys that when he got enough money from passenger tips, he would buy a license. They boys have been praying that Daddy will get enough money from tips soon! 

Saturday, July 10

We biked to the library again today. Since it is something we can do as a family, and the boys are enjoying picking out books, it's a good activity for us. Last week Wyatt wasn't feeling good in the afternoons, and now Travis seems to be getting sick every afternoon. Is it possible to get an afternoon virus?! He doesn't run a fever, but he gets very quiet, says his stomach hurts, often throws up, and just kinda lays around. I'm hoping he will bounce back like Wyatt did. 

After the library, we headed home for quiet time and book reading before Roger left for his flight. Two of the boys went with him to the airport, while I made supper. It was an uneventful flight for Roger, but it's another flight for the log book. The boys have discovered that the couches in the pilots lounge at the airport have change in the cushions. Because some of the pilots lay down on the couches for a rest between flights, it's a good place to hunt for money. :) Since coins will fall out of pockets, the boys realized after accidently moving a cushion, that there was quite a bit of coins in the couch. After their search, they've made about $3.76 off of their couch hunting business. :) Chandler insisted that the money go towards a fishing license for Roger. (Chandler can't wait to go fishing!) 

Tomorrow is Sunday. We were handed a pamphlet at the parade about a church we hadn't heard about yet. The pastor was handing out information at the parade, and he seemed friendly to us. The pamphlet doesn't offer a whole lot of information, just the times of the services. However, it states that it's non-denominational and believes that God's Word is truth. It also stated that they believe in salvation by grace alone through the the blood of Jesus Christ. So, we will be checking out that one tomorrow. 

Thanks for your love and prayers, 

Sarah 

Another Week in Page

Update: I thought I had posted this last week, but apparently I forgot! So, you'll be reading into our lives for last week. :) 

We've been here in Page, Arizona for a little over a week now. The heat becomes a little easier to take everyday, but it is still very hot! I'm still trying to figure out what people actually do when it's this hot! I guess if we had our own home with a washer and dryer, and we had friends, it would probably take up more of our time. But for now, we are just working at keeping the kids busy and not letting them over do it in the sunshine. Everyone does take a rest time here in Arizona! Our schedule is much different than in Wisconsin. Because of where we are in Arizona, it actually gets to be a comfortable temperature around seven. We usually don't eat supper until after seven, and then spend the remaining time outside either biking, hiking or swimming. I usually get up early to go for a run or a walk before it gets too hot. This morning it was 101 degrees by 7:00a.m. 

We are trying to adjust our schedules and routines to do what is best for our family, our young kids, ourselves, and our marriage. It's a challenge for sure! 

I went to do laundry on Thursday evening. I took Wyatt and Emma with me as Wyatt wasn't feeling good. Roger took the other boys to look into getting a fishing license. Last week while at the laundromat, Travis had to go potty. I told Chandler to take him, but they came back a few minutes later. Chandler reported that the sign stated that the bathroom was for laundromat costumers only. I assumed that he read the sign wrong and told him to take Travis to the bathroom. However, this week when Wyatt needed to go to the bathroom, I happened to glance at the bathroom door. Sure enough...there in bold letters the sign stated, "Restroom is for laundromat costumers only"! Chandler had read the sign correctly! The moment brightened my day, and I still chuckle about it! 

We had the two other pilots over for supper last night (Thursday, July 2) While their company was enjoyable, it was a little out of my league. I don't know all that much about airplanes or aviation, but Roger enjoyed the visit. And I was happy to cook a meal for company! :) 

Chandler has been asking Roger every day if they can go fishing. Roger doesn't have a fishing license yet, so we told Chandler that he would need to wait until that happened. This morning the boys again asked about fishing. Garett suggested that Roger "Go right away this morning to get a license, Dad. It's not too hot yet. It's only 103 degrees." It's amazing how their perspective of what's hot has changed in a week! 

Both Wyatt and myself are having the hardest time adapting to the heat. I tend to get really bad headaches from the heat, and Wyatt has been struggling with stomach cramps and throwing up. I'm sure it's partially because it's not exactly cool in the trailer either. Although the swamp cooler is working again, it can't keep up with the tin roof and poor insulation. If it's around 100 degrees outside, it will be about 87 degrees in the trailer. Is it cooler than outside? Yes! But it's not exactly cool either. However, it could be much worse, so we aren't complaining. (At least, we are trying not to complain!) 

We have all the bikes up and running again! We bought a gallon container of green 'seal-a-tire' slime, and Roger has put it in eleven tires! So far, it has made a huge improvement. The boys are thankful to have their bikes to ride again, and it makes it easier to go places together. Usually Emma and Travis will ride in the bike trailer, and the other boys will ride their bikes. I don't have a bike, so I just do lots of walking! :) 

While we have been loving the time together as a family, we need the flights to pick up a bit. Roger has only a few flights for July. We are thankful that we are on salary pay and not on by-the-flight pay. However, Roger needs to get more flights to build the hours so that he can pursue getting a better job in the future. And it's expensive to live in Arizona, so even the tip money from some of the flights helps out some. Please pray that business will pick up so that Roger can continue to build his hours. 

Saturday, July 4

Happy Independence Day! We are so privileged to live in this country, and we are working to raise our children to be responsible, Godly citizens. So in light of that, we discussed our flag this morning and that when the flag goes by in the parade we should stand to honor it. 

The parade was at ten this morning, or at least that is what we were hoping. The website for the city says ten, the Facebook page says eleven, the tourism website states eleven, and the word on the street is that it's at ten! So, we are off for a ten o'clock parade...we think! :) 

The boys walked to the parade, while Roger hauled the bike trailer with the chairs and water in it. We probably looked like some red neck family as we trotted off with the chairs bungee corded to the bike trailer. Wyatt was perched on top of the chairs, and Travis was hanging off the back! 

It was actually a very nice day today with the temperature at about 94 degrees. Because it's a dry heat, it was actually very comfortable compared to the 100+ degree days we've been having. 

The parade started at ten! It was a fairly short parade, but I think that's due to both small town participation and the heat. The kids were able to collect quite a bit of candy, so they were happy, delighted, sugar-high children! One thing that is really different from back in Wisconsin is the fact that the trash after the parade was out-of-control! People just left their candy wrappers, water bottles, soda cups, etc, right on the street. Although we certainly couldn't pick up all of it, I did make the kids help me pick up a grocery sack full of trash. I realize that the city employees will come along and clean it up, but it certainly didn't hurt our children to work at it either. 

After the parade we came home for leftovers and nap time. It was so different not having any friends or family over for the holiday. I missed having a houseful of company, or going to a friends house to fellowship. But this is where we are so we will rejoice and be glad in it. 

After rest time, we thought about taking the kids swimming; but because of the holiday, it was crowded everywhere! The boys were disappointed, but there will be other opportunities to go swimming next week. 

So, we spent a quiet afternoon playing games, taking a walk, and visiting together as a family. As the sun prepared to go down, we gathered up the kids, the bikes, and the chairs to head to the fireworks. The boys rode their bikes, while I carried Emma, and Roger hauled the chairs. We found a good place to watch the fire works about half a mile from our house. We set our chairs up and waited for the fireworks. Several other families joined us in the empty lot we were siting in, and we had a nice visit with a grandpa and grandma that came to watch the fireworks also. It was a late night for the kids, but it created some different memories for us. We've never had a Fourth of July quite like this one, so it'll be a memory for us. 

Roger has a flight tomorrow morning, so we will probably have to rethink about our church hunting excursion. The church we are planning on visiting has Sunday school at 8:30 and the worship service is at ten. We will probably just go to the worship service as we would like to do this as a family. I'm looking forward to finding a church that will be a good fit for us. God will continue to guide and direct us. 

Monday, July 6

Two weeks ago today, we pulled into Page, Arizona. In some ways the time has flown by and in other ways it has dragged out in more ways than I can count. But God is still good, and He is always faithful. Roger was supposed to have a flight today, but it was cancelled. That is disappointing for him as well as for us. God knows how hard Roger is working to try to build these hours, but it's just a slow month! 

The weather was beautiful today! It was about 85 degrees and low humidity! We spent much of the day outside hiking, biking, swimming, and walking. Today was the first day in over a week that Wyatt didn't throw up in the afternoon. He drinks lots of water, but I think he might be having a harder time adjusting to the heat than I anticipated. 

We also had the other pilots over for dinner tonight. There are now three additional pilots here for training to finish out the season. (I don't see what they're going to do except sit around with the rest of the pilots unless business picks up!) Roger made enchiladas for supper, and we had a good time visiting with them. These pilots are about 23-25 years old, so Roger and I are definitely the "old" ones in the bunch. (No worries...we can out hike and out walk them!) :) Roger and I are missing our close friends that we fellowship with often, but these are doors of opportunities for us. Maybe God just wants our family to be a shining light to these pilots? We can do our best to point them to Jesus Christ. Since the weather was so beautiful today, we went on a hike after supper. The kids go to bed much later here, but they've also been getting up a little later and taking naps during the day. We have lots of physical activity! 

Many, many thanks for all your love and prayers, 

Sarah 

 

Wordless Wednesday

  

                    

                       

   

  

Church Hunting Experiences! June 28 & July 5

Roger and I knew before moving to Page, Arizona, that we probably were not going to find a church like our church back home in Wisconsin. However, fellowshipping with believers is important to us, so we want to find a church that we can worship the Lord together as a family. 

Roger had visited the church we went to on Sunday, June 28, a few different times; but because of his work schedule, he hasn't been able to attend very many Sundays. But June is a slow flying month, so we were able to attend a church together on Sunday morning. 

It was a very weird feeling to have no responsibilities on Sunday morning! Usually we have Children's church, college ministry, nursery, or someway to help out on Sunday morning. We were up and ready for church long before it was time to go, so we decided to walk to church. It's not that far of a walk to church number one which is a plus. 

We arrived at the church about 9:10 and church starts at 9:30. When we walked into the lobby, there were only a few people there. We were standing there in the lobby unsure of where to go. Unfortunately, no one else engaged us in conversation either! There weren't any ushers or signs directing visitors, and I didn't see any bulletins either. So, we just kinda continued to stand around in the lobby and hoped that someone would tell us where the nursery and Sunday School classes were held. 

While we were waiting, the praise team was practicing in the auditorium. There were a few old hymns, but most of the music was newer contemporary music. We don't listen to a lot of contemporary music, mostly because I feel like I have to skip quite a few of the songs to play the few that I really like. I do like a few of them, but I'm rather picky about music. Emma, however, loved the music! She was waltzing and dancing, and twirling around in the lobby while the team was practicing! It was really quite funny, and it at least helped brighten our morning! 

Finally, at about 9:28, one of the ladies that had been standing in the lobby came up to us. She announced that she was the Sunday school teacher for the little ones. Really?! Not to sound unkind, but  if I was a Sunday school teacher for little children, I hope that I would introduce myself to families with children! Oh well...moving on! Roger asked her how little was little. Did she mean just Emma? Wyatt, Travis and Emma? All of them? She replied, "yes".  Now we were more confused! Yes, to which one?  Finally, it was decided that she would take the three youngest children. Travis was delighted to have Wyatt in his class, and Emma was happy to go with her brothers. Someone else directed us to a class for Garett and Chandler, and Roger already knew where the adult class was going to be held. 

I was a little surprised that Roger and I were the youngest ones in the adult class. I mean, we aren't that young any more! :) The church had a guest speaker for Sunday School, so it wasn't their normal lesson. 

After Sunday school, we were unsure of whether or not there was a children's church, or if we picked up our kids from the classrooms or what was the procedure. However, all the kids seems to be coming out of the classes, so we went to the younger kids class to get them for the worship service. One problem- Emma wasn't in the class! I asked, "umm, we left three kids in here, and now we only have two?" The teacher looked around in surprise until Wyatt announced that "some lady came and took her away". Say what?! Come to find out, Emma was disrupting the class a bit as she was a little on the young side.  Another lady had come from the nursery and offered to take Emma to the nursery. I don't have any problems with that...I just like to know where my children are as much as possible! 

The worship service was different from back home, which is fine. They had a special speaker for the worship service too. He was presenting his ministry, which is important. I just happen to firmly believe that a Sunday morning message should contain a plan of salvation as well. Again, that's my personal opinion. 

So, in all fairness, the pastor was out of town on vacation this week. However, would people have been more friendly and welcoming if he had been there? Would people have noticed the new family with ALL THOSE KIDS and been more helpful about directing us to where the classes were held and how the service was conducted if the pastor had been there? 

I don't know. I realize that you have to give a church more than a one week service to get a good feeling about the church. So, maybe we'll come back and try it again-maybe. But first, we have a few more options to try. 

We would certainly appreciate your prayers as we seek to find the place that God would have us to go while we are here in Arizona. Church is important to us and our family.  We want to enjoy going to church. We aren't seeking to get overly involved in any church, and in fact, our pastor at home suggested that we just concentrate on our marriage and our family. We just want a church to worship the Lord, grow as a family, be faithful to attend, and be a blessing to those around us. 

Church hunting experience number 2: July 5

Roger had an early morning flight this morning, so we weren't able to make it to the Sunday school hour. We arrived early at church number two and we were greeted at the door by and usher with a bulletin. He directed us to the desk in the lobby where we could sign in our children for the children's church program. While the lady at the desk seemed to be friendly and efficient, it took quite a while to sign up all five of the children for the various classes. It seems like perhaps there could be a faster way to do it? However, I do appreciate the precautions they take to keep every child safe. Travis and Emma went to their classes right away, while the older boys came with us to the singing part of the church service. 

As we found a place in the auditorium, Chandler announced, "I don't know if this will work, mom! Look at all those drums and guitars. It's probably going to be really loud!" One thing I can count on is that Chandler will always share his opinion! 

A man came up and introduced himself as Manny. It wasn't until later in the service that we realized that he is also the pastor of the church. As the worship service began, Chandler was right. The music was very, very loud. I don't have a problem with a group of people leading the congregation in songs, but it did seem a little like a performance to me. I realize that sounds critical, but I'm just sharing my personal opinion. Again, we didn't know any of the songs. No, we did know one. They sang "America, the Beautiful" and that one we did know! There wasn't an announcement about when the older kids were dismissed to Children's Church, but we figured it out from all the kids that were leaving the service. I took the kids to their classrooms, and each of the teachers seemed to be kind and friendly. 

The message was good. It was a little generic, and by that I mean that I would have preferred more practical application. However, he did present a brief plan of salvation, and that I really appreciated. At the end of the message, he closed in prayer. It was a little different not having any invitation or closing song, but that's the way that they choose to do it here. 

After church, we went to find the kids in their classrooms. They were all so excited about what they had learned and the new friends that they had made. I will say that I was very impressed with their concern for children and the structure of the program for children. Also, no one lost Emma this week, so that was nice. :) 

This church doesn't have a Sunday night service, so if we come back it will be on a Sunday morning for Sunday school and worship service. Neither Roger nor I felt at home completely, but it was/is a better fit than church number one. We still have two more churches that we will consider for options, so we will keep at it. Again we appreciate your prayers, as we search for the church that God would have us to be in for these months in Page.