Still Sam Sam, But Different (Thank God!)

"Just like this kid is not immediately
related to me, in the same way,
these pictures are not immediately
related to this post :)"

Hello, dear very few and very faithful readers. We haven't given you much to read this past year . . . thanks for staying tuned and keeping up with us through other means. You know who you are. We appreciate your friendship, love, and prayers. We thank God for you.

Aidan finally fell asleep beside Betsy after doing Olympic feat gymnastics on his little mattress on the floor. Meanwhile, his tiny sister was performing the same stunts inside Betsy’s belly; for those of you who don't yet know, we are expecting again and about 6 months along, due August 20th. We thank God for this gift, due to arrive about the time Aidan hits 18 months of age. We pray they'll be best of friends and keep each other entertained so we don't have to. Just kidding. Somewhat.

Before sitting down to type, Betsy grabbed a few bites from a delicious blueberry donut. Newsflash #2: Bobo, we're not in India anymore. (Bobo is a common baby-reference to dogs in India). We landed on the soil of the good ol’ USA just before the first of April, and will be here an unspecified amount of time, though we're hoping to wrap up this trip by the first week of November—pending the speed of baby girl’s passport and visa paperwork.

Here’s a quick synopsis of the past few months both prior to leaving India and including our time here. We wrapped up our semester at the Bible College the first of March. It was a whirlwind of grading, graduation prep, and paperwork for departing students, as expected. Within days of finishing that we started to pack up our household and move our things gradually back into storage at the guesthouse on the ministry campus. We moved back into our “old room” where we were living at the time of Aidan’s birth for a week or so before our flight to the U.S. The last days of our time in India—literally, last days as in up until 2 days before we left—were spent in a large part (for Sonu/Wayne) and a little part (for Betsy) in procuring all the tardy documents related to my visa extension and mine and Aidan’s exit permits. It tested our faith and gave us much opportunity to cry out to God for deliverance, especially since at one point they were telling us we wouldn't be allowed to leave the country and suggested we reschedule our plane tickets. Sonu could write a book about his experiences with the FRO and Indian visa paperwork, but we'll allow him the pleasure at a later date and say for now that it is long, tedious, and exasperating. Having heard that now you may not want to read his book. Sorry for the spoiler. :-)

"That's hilarious, Mom!"

We arrived to the States and all got sick in turns: allergies, stomach virus, tonsillitis, ear infection, etc. Maybe Aidan had to get a round of antibiotics through his system to feel like this place could be as much “home” as India. Wayne and Betsy attended a pastor’s conference with Betsy’s dad, Wayne’s dad and brother Suny, and another friend in Louisville, KY. There Betsy got to catch up with her dear friend Amber from her Nepal years. 

"Dad, you are a lucky man: Mom's pretty funny"

In short, our time here so far has been filled with a lot of car rides and visiting family and friends. Betsy’s sister gave birth to her second child, so we spent some time in her home helping out with housework and eating yummy food. We've been in Wake Forest quite a bit, eating more good food, going to the doctor, and playing with our adorable nephew Steven.

"Grandpa is not as funny as my mother. Right, cousin Steven?"

Our plans from this point are kind of hazy, aside from the hard-and-fast fact that at some point this baby will need to make her entrance into the world and we’ll be present for the event :-). The days between now and then will be spent in some part-time work (Lord-willing), paperwork for re-entry to India, paperwork for medical coverage, and paperwork for the preparation of the new Bible College year, which begins mid-June. Good thing Sonu is so good at paperwork . . . it means Betsy is free to go shopping more! That’s only happened a couple of times.

"Hey, I told him he was a lucky man. But, he just remained silent.
I'm sorry, Mom; Dad will soon realize."

At the end of the month we're planning to head to the beach and introduce Aidan to the ocean for the first time. Can't wait to see his face. The salt water and sand will do us all good, as will the time with our Virginia family. Drop us a line sometime in the next few months and update us on how you're doing. We'd love to negotiate a visit with you while we're here, too!

"Hey Dad, have you thought anymore about what I said about Mom?
She is pretty funny . . . pretty & funny."

God has been faithful to us, as always, in providing and protecting. Please continue to remember us in your prayers, especially for Betsy and the baby, and for God's provision for medical, legal, and travel expenses.