Bach'in it...again.

Rachel and the kids are currently suffering through Lake Charles and the I-10 construction traffic as I sit back at Randolph alone, for the first time since getting back home from Afghanistan in August.

I miss them, but I'm thankful.

Since August, we have made two trips to Atlanta, one to Montgomery, a 4,700-mile road trip, two trips to San Antonio and numerous day/weekend excursions to get reacquainted with so many friends we met during previous assignments.  And we have been together for all of it.  We've laughed together.  We've cried together.  We've disagreed together. We've led together.  It was so refreshing to finally do all of that - together!

In Him,
David

Hannah's 4th Birthday Party!

Yes, we celebrated a couple of days early.  She will actually turn four tomorrow, January 17 at 5:30pm.  Yesterday, she was able to share her birthday not only with all of us, which is notable, but also our friends the Chambers who were in San Antonio for the MLK weekend. It is most notable that all five of us were together for the celebration, and will be for her birthday tomorrow, because David was not able to be present for her 1st, 2nd or 3rd birthday! He was very determined to give her a great birthday party! And it was great! Andrew was in charge of games and Elizabeth in charge of crafts. Andrew made an obstacle course and hid rocks for a rock hunt; Elizabeth cut out objects for girls to color and glue onto paper.

We asked her what kind of cake she wanted. After much deliberation, she decided on a dolphin cake. She called it A Dolphin Tale cake. (Side note: A Dolphin Tale is a great movie about choosing to respond positively to life when life deals you very difficult circumstances. We recommend it.) The pictures of her dolphin tale cake follow. And, yes, David and I were up kinda late on this one, but it was worth it!