Prayer Support Needed!

Teammates!

Most of you know that Bethany and Owen will be flying (thanks to God’s overly-abounding provision) down to MO this week to spend some time with her parents. We’re leaving for the airport this afternoon at 3. Over the weekend, we realized that Jack was again sick with what seemed like asthma conditions. He’s using an inhaler which is working great, but he just this morning had some other ‘bug’ symptoms. His health over the past few weeks has weighed heavy on us. This very afternoon, we received word that Bethany’s dad (in a brand new care facility, dealing with Dementia like symptoms) was admitted to the ER with some breathing trouble.

You can easily imagine the weight we’re feeling right now. Would you be lifting us up before the Father the next couple of days? We need that support and encouragement to look to Him in all of this. The prospect of what Bethany will be dealing with along with the stress of me possibly nursing a sick little boy by myself is not pleasant, yet we’re resting in the fact that God sees us in all of this and He loves us! If He would we’re asking Him to stabilize our family’s health this week.

Thanks everyone!

Joel, Beth(kate)any, jack & owen

The Need has Been Met!

Good Morning!

Bethany and I wanted to express how grateful we are for how you as a part of our team have rallied around us when we communicated about the need for Bethany to travel to Missouri. We can excitedly tell you that God has over-abundantly provided for this trip and along the way, amazed us with how people have responded. This need has been met and we want to Thank you for praying with us about this!

We still covet your prayers for the travelling that will take place next Tuesday through Saturday for Bethany and Owen. Bethany is 26 weeks pregnant and Owen is 2 and half, so those ‘numbers’ can sometimes make travel a bit uncomfortable, but we’re praying for a smooth journey from here to there as well as a meaningful time for Bethany to visit her dad (whose symptoms continue to worsen), talk face to face with the Dr’s involved to try and get a grasp on what they’re suggesting, as well as to see some of the new facilities they may be transferring her dad to. And along the way, we know it’ll be a big encouragement to her Mom, who mostly bears the weight of this situation. Would you also be praying for good health amongst our family these next two weeks!

Your prayers and support are God-ordained!

Joel

An Urgent Prayer Need

Good Morning,

In the past few years Bethany and I have communicated about the condition of her dad’s heath. He’s struggled with dementia and Alzheimer’s like symptoms and has been living in a nursing home environment since December of 2006. During the last two months in particular, his struggle with this has greatly increased and his symptoms have been increased and more severe, so that during the last 2 weeks, he’s needed to be temporarily moved to a facility better equipped to deal with his condition as well as to be able to significantly adjust his current medications. In the mean time, as his current diagnosis has been evaluated and then re-evaluated and new diagnosis’ have been suggested, running from something called ‘Pick’s Disease’ to Alzheimer’s with Schizophrenia. This is all resulting in Dad’s current nursing home communicating that they’re not setup to handle and care for a patient with Dad’s symptoms and he’ll need to be moved, which will be a big task.

Bethany, especially seeing this happen so quickly is sensing a personal need to go down and spend some time with her mom and dad. Not because she expects to be any big help, but for her own personal well-being, she needs to see her dad and be able to also see her mom and at the least, be able to see some of the potential places that her dad may be moved too. The emotional weight of this situation on her, being as removed from the situation is much heavier than we anticipated it would be.

The challenge we face is that with Bethany’s progressing pregnancy, if she didn’t go down in the next two weeks or so and due to other non-movable plans, she wouldn’t be able to get down and see her Dad until late February of 2010 at the earliest. As we’ve prayed and sought the Lord’s guidance in this, we sense that this would be a good thing.

Another challenge we face is the cost of a ‘semi-last minute’ flight to Springfield, MO for her and Owen (Jack would stay here with me, and I would continue to minister here at New Tribes). Because of the instability in our financial support we haven’t been able to save for these kinds of travel expenses. Bethany is pricing tickets for a departure next week and we don’t yet have a final cost, but we anticipate it to be around $600-800 for the two of them. We have the ability to comfortably use some savings for roughly $300 of this, but not the entire amount.

We covet your support in this issue that we face; for confirmation of this being a wise course of action to pursue and if so, for the provision for this trip. Would you take this need before the Lord for us? Thank you for faithfully standing with us in this journey of partnering with our God!

Joel

October Update

Today I began to get Kate’s room ready for her arrival.
Up till now, it has served other purposes: storage, my craft room and most recently, Jack’s nap room. It is once again empty and will soon be painted! I took down one of two shelves today and will move it to another wall but before it’s put back up, I’ll take the other one down and paint the walls a nice tan color (the same shade as our downstairs area). Then we are going to paint a big diamond pattern in alternating pink and green at eye level around the room and make it to look like an argyle pattern with dark brown stitching. It will be simple, yet very feminine!
I can’t move the crib in till after Thanksgiving because I’m pretty sure Steve, Bekah’s fiancé, won’t fit in the crib when he comes for Thanksgiving J.
Kate’s afghan is coming along nicely (about ¾ done) and Mom and I talked last night about the quilt she’ll be making for her. Our guest room closet is quickly filling up with girlie looking things and I am realizing that they’ll be put to use sooner than I can imagine. This pregnancy is flying by with only 18 weeks to go. I have been contemplating asking the doctor if we can possibly induce a bit earlier than my due date so that she can be born before school starts up again next semester. It would sure make life easier if Joel isn’t back and in the full swing of things at work and could stay home a few days. This will be the first time we’ve had a baby born when he isn’t home with me and that my mom won’t be around to help me transition into things again. I’ve been learning lots about depending on God alone so I suppose that time will be a great opportunity to learn first-hand that lesson.
Thanks for being excited with us!

We Love Our Boys and their adopted sister...

Click for Video

Just wanted to add a picture that we took the other day, just for fun! Owen likes to show his muscles and so we all decided to do it together. What a silly family!

Owie

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime� 6.5 or higher is required.

No Words Can Describe...

Hey everyone! Most of you already know but for some, we want to announce – we are having a girl!!! I wanted to send out Kate Lael’s first photo The picture is a side shot of her (head left – profile, left hand up at her forehead – as if she’s exhausted J, feet up pushing on my belly! And yes I was feeling it as I saw her doing it!)

We are over the moon about this. I am getting the box of girl clothes out next and am excited to get shopping!!!

Love to you all!

Bethany

It's a girl!!!

A visit from the Nephew and Noni

This post should have happened a month or more ago, but i'm getting caught up today. Mom and my brother's boys came for a week and we loved having them here! We can't wait for next summer!

I think this should be a family tradition for the Potter family anytime we are in New Jersey.

Steve and Bekah, thanks for a great dinner out!

A great Italian Man and a great Italian dinner!

A Day for Two in New York City

While we were in New Jersey visiting Bekah and Steve, Joel and I were able to take a day alone and go to New York City. I must say I was overwhelmed by the enourmity of the city and all there is to see but it was fun to do it once! Thanks to Bekah and Steve for making it happen for us!

Papa, the guys and toys!

The boys were able to see Papa while we were out East. This is Joel's mom's dad and he is quite the character. It was a fun little visit and the boys will always remember Papa and his toys!

Mom Potter, we sure wish you could have been there. It was a good day!

Have you met Pete?

We added a new member to our family just a few days before school started here for us. This sweet little guy was found in a park in our city by the brother of some of our friends from church and through a quick chain of events, has now become a member of our family. We named him Pete and he has quickly become a beloved part of our family. He is really patient with the boys and yet loves to play too. He is a big snuggler and thankfully the perfect size for your lap. We love him and are so thankful to have him with us!

A Fun Day with Family in Ann Arbor

Joel and Jon

Jon and Christine

Our favorite Little Middle Eastern Restaurant

A Labor Day BBQ

Sunday was a perfect day to grill out. Joel, the master griller/chef did a great job and dinner was amazing! The boys all enjoyed playing in the yard and Pete had a great time outside too!

Our New Family Picture

Thanks Jon and Christine for taking a great picture for us. We'll call you up in February to update with the newest family member!

On an expedition!

Where does he get it from?

As they say, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and Owen is living proof of that. They also say, the little boy must grow up, but you can't take the little boy out of the man. I think Joel enjoys the rescue heros as much as the boys do!