We are blessed!

Just an update of how our week has gone. 

Monday - The missions house that we have been blessed with is Awesome!!!  It's four bedroom, living room, den, and two full baths.  When you have been living in hotels or with families from a church and then you get a whole house to yourself it's just AWESOME!!!!  So Monday we were still enjoying the new found freedom of this spacious house!!  Monday was also the day the church was setting up for a Trunk or Treat.  They had food, bounce houses, Velcro walls, games and the youth praise band was going to play. {the band was set up right next to the house - yay}  Our goal on Monday was to get two days worth of school done.  Lets just say that didn't happen.  The kids spent most of the day checking out the window to see how much was set up and did it look like they would have good candy.  How you can tell about the candy from the window I don't know but they were all convinced that the candy would be good. 

Monday night we dressed up the best we could (used only the clothes we had with us) and marched next door at 6:30 pm to see if the candy was indeed good.  The kids jumped, played and ate like crazy.  We were able to "enjoy" the band until late into the night.  Over all it was a great night.  By the way, the candy was great - free chocolate is always good!!

 Jonah as a basketball player

Eli as Calvin from Calvin and Hobbs

Noah on the Velcro wall

Tuesday - We headed to the San Francisco area.  On the way we were able to eat at a true California landmark. 

Wednesday - We had the opportunity to share about Japan with the AWANA program at Union Baptist Church in Rio Vista.  It was a truly an amazing night to see the kids bring 86 of their friends to church.  We were able to join in the fun by throwing pies at the AWANA commander.  So proud of her and how she is encouraging the kids to shine The Light of Jesus in their town.

Chrissy after having 86 pies thrown at her!! (at least it was not dog food)

Thursday - Chrissy gave Mike and I a chance to go into San Francisco {alone}.  She kept all four kids while Mike and I had a much needed date!!  What a great friend!!  We were able to to to Japan Town, see the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge.  We drove around the crazy streets, up hills and down hills and even made our way to China Beach. 

 Bay Bridge

 Golden Gate Bridge

Japan Town

Friday - We ate a great breakfast, said our goodbyes to our friends, and headed back to our mission house.  On the way home we ran into some rain and then we saw the most amazing rainbow.  Just God's way of reminding us of His promises.  We are so blessed that we have had the opportunity to see the US while on deputation.  We are so blessed to have reconnected with friends and made new ones.  We are just So Blessed!!

Saturday - Mike woke me up around 2 am to read me an email.  We were granted our visa's for Japan.  We applied for 3 year visa's.  We were told, "They never give 3 year visa's the first time you apply."  We applied anyway.  We were granted a 3 Year Visa!! 

We are blessed.  God is good.