5 Minute Monthly: August

As a child, I remember looking forward to summer break with great anticipation. It was always a time of rest, excitement, family time and fun. Of course, as an adult, there are responsibilities and full time jobs that take the place of glorious freedom, but this August held a bit of that summer magic for me as we stepped away from the busyness for a bit, enjoyed quality family time, and escaped out of the city for some much needed vacation time.

August was more than just a summer break for us though. It was also packed with big decisions and conversations about the future of our family. Stepping away from our normal routine allowed us the time and space to talk about these decisions and where the Lord is leading us for the years to come. This blog post will be a mix of sharing the sweetest of summer along with the bittersweetness of future plans and what we will be needing from you all in the months to come.

Summer Happenings

We had the privilege of traveling and staying in some special places this summer. The first week of August was spent in beautiful Cornwall. We went to Bodmin (the same town that we went to last year) and stayed in our friend's house again which was a huge blessing. We revisited some of our favourite places as well as discovered and explored new destinations. This trip was made all the more sweeter because our friends the Dobson family and Katherine joined us and added to the adventure. Josiah and Silas loved playing with the two girls their age and Tyler and I enjoyed late night chats, puzzling and making meals together with our dear friends. The whole week was a wonderful mixture of chaotic warmth and memory making and we came back tired yet refreshed at the same time.

A week later, our family hopped on a train for a four-hour journey to Bridgend, Wales. This is where Tyler has his classes at Union School of Theology and, for multiple reasons, we decided to make his last class week a bit of a family vacation. We arrived on campus a few days before his class started and spent the time together exploring the surrounding areas. We soaked in the beautiful scenery, spent a day by the sea, and toured some local thrift shops. During Tyler's class days, I took the boys to loads of different parks and on many walks through the college grounds. I also celebrated my birthday while there and my boys made me feel very special and loved.

The rest of the summer was spent in our city Portsmouth finding ways to cool down and have fun. We went to every splash-pad nearby and found our favourite, harvested many green beans and tomatoes from our little garden and were regular attenders at our local library. Even the small moments felt like special memories and I am thankful for it all.

Our Next Steps

I believe that the adventures of our summer felt all the more special and sweet because we realised that it would be our last summer in the UK for a long time. The last few weeks have involved a lot of decision-making and planning as we map out the next steps for our family. There are some parts of the plan that are not set in stone but here are a few things we wanted to update you on:

We will be returning the U.S. to stay and Tyler will be stepping into a new ministry position (more on that to come to the blog in time).

We are flying back to Pennsylvania at the beginning of December and spending the Christmas season in the Lancaster/Quakertown area. Our time will be limited but we would love to see those who are close to that area.

For the month of January we will be travelling to Hayward, Wisconsin. We will use this time to reacclimatise to the culture, sort out finances, obtain big items that we need (like cars) and rest. We also want to spend time with our Wisconsin friends and family.

Past the month of January, although things are not completely finalised, we're planning to move to Elverson, PA! Our future ministry is not top secret, but there are a few pieces still pulling together before we can share on our blog. If you'd like to know more, please contact us and we'll be happy to share some details.

Our last update to share is a special one! We will be welcoming a new member to our family in March 2027!!! We are so excited for new baby and we can't wait for the adventures a family of five will bring!

What We Need from YOU

We have seen God's power and provision in many ways in these past couple years and we know first hand how he uses people to accomplish his purposes. Therefore we wanted to share with you a few things that we are in need of when we return.

• One thing we are on the lookout for when we first come back is accomodation. Coming back from a different culture can sometimes feel overwelming and disoriantating and with pregnancy emotions and two toddler boys, we will be in need of a bit of sancuary. We are looking for a low-priced house/airbnb/mission home in the Quakertown/Lancaster area for about two weeks (December 10-20). We are hoping for a bit of space for our family to adjust to the time change, rest and recharge. If you know of anything that may work for us you can contact us on our blog, facebook messenger or instagram.

• The other thing we are on the lookout for is cars. We will need two vehicles eventually, but we are hoping to find at least one very soon after we arrive back. Preferably a 5+ seater for our growing family. We are on a tight budget and therefore connections are key!

• The last thing we are in need of daily is prayer. We have been so blessed by you all through prayer and thank you for taking the time to pray with us and for us. Here are some specific things you can be praying for:

Requests

• Pray for the new baby that they would grow well and that Aleah would stay healthy and find energy

• Pray for our hearts and minds as we prepare to leave that we would say goodbye well, stay present and balance the exciting and the difficult

• Pray for the practical and logistical side of moving- packing, selling our things, deciding what to bring with us and what to leave behind

Praises

• Thanking God for a beautiful summer well spent

• Praise that everyone is healthy and well

• Thanking God for friends both here and in the states

Thank you for your support, your love. your kindness and your consistency. We are excited to share the rest of our next steps soon and looking forward to seeing you face-to-face in a few short months.