What is normal?

As I sat down to write this blog I realized that it's been over a month since our last post. It seems that time is flying by. Our lives have been full of really great things and we are feeling so grateful for all the opportunities we've had. Sometimes we get homesick--lately more often. Sometimes we wish we lived on land--lately more often. And sometimes we forget all the amazing blessings of living on this ship and "doing" life here. We are really looking forward to a stint home this summer to recharge but we are also continually reminded of the great things right here that are molding and shaping our lives and the lives of our children and we don't want to ever take those things for granted.

 

I've been reminded lately at how normal some of our life has become here. Some of it really is pretty "normal" but intermixed in the normal is some extraordinary opportunities.  I'd like to highlight some of our last month in pictures.

 

Normal

 

In April the girls and John went to the Daddy/Daughter dance on the ship. They had their hair, nails and make-up done by some great women and they got to dance and have dinner with Daddy. It was a highlight of this last month! I saw lots of pictures on Facebook from home of daddy/daughter dances, so this felt like a "normal" activity (though some extraordinary people here put in a lot of work to make it happen).

 

 

 

 

 

Not Normal

 

 

We have spent several nights over this last month down in the hospital visiting the VVF women. We love getting to connect with them and (hopefully) brighten their days.  The girls usually sit and color with them and Jack likes to give out stickers and shake their hands. He has gotten so comfortable with them and reaches out his hand to shake the hand of the next woman. They, of course, love it and can't get enough of his flirty smiles :).  We had our last dress ceremony this last week so now the women are all home, but we look forward to next year when we will have VVF surgeries for the entire year. Unfortunately it is a terrible problem in this country-affecting around 50,000 women. I am so thankful that Mercy Ships can begin to restore the lives of these individuals suffering from this terrible illness.  Visiting the hospital has become normal for us but when we stop and think about it we remember what an amazing privilege it is to be such an intimate part of the lives of the patients on this ship and not really so normal.

Some of the VVF woman at their dress ceremony.

 

 

One of the patients we spent time with on the wards.

 

 

Normal

 

Cora turned 3! A normal part of our lives. . .except for the fact that she has celebrated all three birthdays on this ship-a true ship kid! It was a great time with all her friends, though she wasn't too sure about being the center of attention on the ship all day long.

She got a "twirly dress" to match Adalynn's.

A fairy costume!!

It's so hard to believe that the 3 month old baby we walked onto the ship with for the first time is now a little girl. She is joyful and funny and a vital part of our family and this ship community.

 



 

Not normal

 

I (Tracey) had the opportunity to preach (not normal) at our church. I was not initially looking forward to it but it ended up being a good experience for me. I learned a lot preparing about setting up "stones of remembrance" in our lives to remember God's faithfulness to us.

Normal in a Not normal place

Last are some pictures from a really fun hotel we played at for the day this last weekend. A child's dream come true with a fountain you can play in, a pool, a bouncy slide, trampoline, swings and good food! It is so great to have some places like this near-by so that we don't get too much ship-fever. This place will be a normal part of our lives next year I think!! :)