Bittersweet

Hi! Its Brittany :)

Well, we (Mark actaully) made the announcement at youth group on Sunday that we are leaving. I got into physician's assistant school at Wayne State in Detroit, and so we are moving back to Michigan. We are sooo excited that I got in, and after thinking of what is best for our tiny little family, and what will be best in the long run, we decided to move...again. This choice was not an easy one, and we truly prayed and fasted a lot about it. God is so good, and has really affirmed our decision. We feel kind of overwhelmed with everything, moving again accross the country (again), getting all our stuff back to Michigan, finding somewhere to live in Detroit, the job hunt for Mark (in Michigan's booming economy), and me starting a very challenging graduate program.

We KNOW that God will work out all the details, he already has in so many ways. Actaully, I will share some of the ways that he has, to hopefully encourage someone, orrrr for me to look back on and remember how God always provides. We got a letter from our apartment a couple days ago reminding us that our lease was up at the end of February, this did not make any sense because Mark signed a 12 month lease in September, which with moving we were planning on having to pay to break that (which was close to $1000). So the messed up and put us down for a 6 month lease, and now we get to just pay month to month for the duration of our time. Yay. Here's another way....telling the church and people down here terrified me. Literally terrified. I was so scared, these people have been so great to us, and now we are just leaving. I know we are following God, but was so scared that people would hate us (and mostly me for taking away Mark). Guess what? They didnt hate me, or Mark. Yes, people were dissapointed and sad, but loving and supportive and great overall. Priase God. I literally wanted to run away, or throw up I was so nervous when Mark told the youth he was leaving, but he did it, and some kids cried and then everyone gave him a group hug. Also, this happens to be the week that my little sister Jenna is here for her spring break from Western Michigan University (which at first I was like oh dear, this is the worst week for her to come, when we tell the church, and everyone is going to hate us) but she has been amazing. Just having her here as support and comic releif (she is hilllllllarous), has been so great. Perfect timing - Praise God. One more, my orientation for school is Monday, March 29th. The weekend before that is Lexy's musical, which I loooove watching her do her thing in musicals, shes amazing, and so I can go home and see that, go to my orientation Monday, then have a week at home to hopefully find somewhere to live and get everything settled for school, and then drive down with my mom and Lex, which the timing is perfect and they will also be able to take some of our stuff back with them.

Anyyyway, some other exciting things going on down here:

- Our neighbor from the apartment next to ours, just got back from Kuwait (he just calls it the sandbox), and came over to say that he wanted to come to church with us. Mark had invited him before he left for his tour and he always turned him down, but first thing he said when he came over was that he wanted to go. It was encouraging for us that Mark had shared with him before with seemingly no fruit, but now he is interested in Jesus. So we brought him to church with us (he came to Sunday School with me and everything) and he ate lunch at the chili cookoff at church after! He has some video game thing that Mark thinks is really cool (a PS3 maybe?) and he invited Mark over anytime to play, so I am sure Mark will take advantage of that "tool" to building their friendship.

- We colored (literally with permenant markers) eggs yesterday. Mark hollowed them out and so Jenna, Mark, and I all colored one and we are going to hang them in our apartment. Yes, we are all adults and had craft time. I will try and post pictures later!

- I bought some candels (for 75 cents from Walmart), and we put them in our fireplace (which we dont have anything to build a fire), but it looks pretty awesome! It is kinnnnda fancy looking, and I love it. It makes the black, ashy hole in the wall look much more inviting!

- I am teaching violin lessons twice a week! Yay. A little extra money and its pretty awesome. I love it!

Anyway, I have blabbered on long enough! Just thought I would share a little (turned into a lot) of what is going on in our life. We love you!

Brittany