News from our Chinese Teacher!

We thought you would enjoy reading an excerpt from a recent e-mail we received from our Chinese teacher, Belinda. This is someone we have been praying for (and you have too!), and it is so exciting to see how God is continuing His good work in the lives of people we love!

"I am really happy to be here, to be in this school,and to know many good frinds like you, and to be closer and know more about Jesus and to feel his love, I'm very thankful! So Merry Christmas!"

A Merry CHRISTmas indeed!! Sheng Dan Kuai Le (Merry Christmas in Chinese!)

Gifts from the East!

We are so excited to share with you about some special news we received from the East recently! Dave's Chinese co-worker, Emmy, recently shared with us that two new Chinese employees in the office (one whom Kristen works with in marketing and the other who Dave works with in accounting) have become Family members!!

Also, Kristen just received the e-mail below from one of the girls who was in her weekly study. She has graduated and is now a teacher's assistant (TA) in the junior kindergarten class at one of LDi's international schools (Tianjin International School-TIS). The Father is working in such wonderful ways in her life!

I am living with Nancy who is the second grade TA at the TIS, and I am so grateful for being her roommate... She has been seeking after the Father, and always thinking about how to serve the Father and the people around her and striving for telling more people the good news. We always encourage each other and pr'ay together often. I am really grateful that I enjoy the peace and joy at this point of my life.

A sister's friend who had heard of the good news before, came from Beijing to Tianjin for a job interview, and stayed at our apartment. We pr'ayed before we met her that the Father would soften her heart and open her spiritual eyes and bless us with wisdom to communicate with her. Guest what? We were able to have a good conversation with her and finally she decided to believe the Father!

We are going to have two-week Christmas in one week...A sister is working at an elementary school where most of the teachers are believers, and I am going there to help a little bit for a week or so. A friend whose is not a believer but whose heart is open is going with me...Could you please pr'ay that the Father will open her eyes and help her know more about Him during our trip and let her feel His presence? Thank you:)

I hope will is well with you...May the Father pour out His blessings, grace, love, peace and joy unto you and your family...

We are so thankful for the work that the Father is doing in East Asia, and we continue to pry for him to move in mighty ways--especially during this season that is a mystery to so many living there.

Here Comes Katelyn Claus!

Courtesy of Kristen's grandparents (AKA mom and pop), Katelyn is wearing the cute Christmas outfit you see in the picture below! We are enjoying every bit of it, and we hope you do too! Merry Christmas!

Lookin' Good!!

Just a fun picture to keep you entertained! More updates to come soon...

Much to Be Thankful For...

We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We spent the holiday with Dave's family in Waco and had a wonderful time of rest and relaxation! For that, we are thankful! Katelyn just turned three months old (see picture below)! She is becoming more and more confident (read: loud) in her "talking," smiling what seems like every time we turn around, and holding her head up on her own! We are so thankful for the joy that she brings to our lives each day!



Dave and I also went on a fun date while we were in Waco! Below is a picture of us right before we walked out the door. Katelyn enjoyed time with her Grandma Pam while we went to Fuddruckers to enjoy time with a yummy hamburger and then to Starbucks for a warm gingerbread latte!! It was so fun to spend time together just the two of us! We look forward to many more dates to come!

Welcome Home Dave!!

We are so excited to have Dave home! We missed him dearly and are enjoying our "family reunion." Funny story: Whoever had grand visions of a wife running to greet her husband (after his absence on a two and a half week business trip) with a long embrace followed by several minutes of uninterrupted, loving gazes into each other's eyes OBVIOUSLY did not have a two and a half month old!

Dave's flight was scheduled to arrive at 6:12 p.m. Katelyn and I left in plenty of time to get to the airport. However, about halfway there, Katelyn decided that she wanted to eat a little earlier than normal, and she proceeded to loudly let me know about it! As I was driving and Katelyn was wailing, Dave called to let me know that his flight had just pulled into the gate. I explained to him that I really wanted to be able to meet him at the baggage claim area, but that as he could probably tell by the screaming in the background, Katelyn was not in the mood to wait, and I would need to feed her in the parking lot. I told him to give me a call when he had his bags, and I would pull around to pick him up. He said he would just plan to call me on my cell phone, and I could tell him where we were parked so I wouldn't have to get out of the car. Sounded good. So I pull into a parking space and went to get Katelyn out of her carseat. As I pick her up, I noticed that apparently, she had gotten so upset during our trip to the airport, that she had what we like to call a "blowout." It's exactly what it sounds like. I figured I would spare you any pictures in this particular blog entry. At this point, I knew I didn't have an option...we needed to go in the airport so I could change her diaper and her outfit (so glad I had a spare!). As we walked into the airport, I saw the baggage claim area that I knew Dave was supposed to be at. Sure enough, as we walked past a few people (all of whom were staring at the backside of sweet Katelyn), we spotted him. I walked up to him with a smile, and as I did, Dave saw the back of Katelyn, and we both just gave each other a side hug. I quickly headed to the bathroom (which thankfully was located right next to the baggage claim area AND had a changing station!!), and began the changing process....and I do mean process. About ten minutes later, we emerged from the ladies room as new women....Katelyn in her new outfit and clean diaper and me with a renewed spirit of humility. Welcome home Dave!!

Fun in Waco!

We had such a great time with Dave's grandma, Aunt Rachel, and mom (from left to right in the picture below) in Waco this past weekend!

Katelyn especially enjoyed cuddling and "talking" with Grandma Pam (Dave's mom).

Fun in Austin!

Katelyn and Kristen had such a fun time in Austin this past week with Mamaw and Pepaw (Kristen's mom and dad)! These pictures will give you a little clue into just how much fun....

Katelyn and Kristen "in the hood." The weather turned cooler so we had to bundle up before going outside for a walk.


Katelyn and Pepaw spent some time bonding in front of the TV together! Pepaw even gave her control of the remote!!

K&K are leaving today for a weekend visit with Dave's mom and family in Waco. Dave is due to return back to Dallas on Friday, November 16th. He is working really hard, but we can't wait for him to be back!

Change in Plans

Well, the plan was for Kristen and Katelyn to leave Wednesday, October 31st with Dave for the first few days of his two and a half week business trip to Atlanta. Unfortunately, the couple we were planning to stay with had to come to Texas because the husband's mother is having health problems. While they still insisted that we stay there (Dave thankfully still is!), they were hoping that K&K would wait and come with Dave on his next trip to Atlanta so we could all really enjoy seeing each other and spending time together! So....K&K will wait until January to visit. In the meantime, K&K have headed down to Austin a few days early (did we mention that Katelyn slept THE WHOLE carride??!!) and are enjoying time with Kristen's parents! On the way back from Austin to Dallas, they will spend a weekend with Dave's mom in Waco and be back in Dallas by November 12 (Dave is scheduled to return November 16). Lots of traveling for the McCurdy family! Please pray for safety in all of our travels and a productive time for Dave as he works hard to accomplish many tasks in Atlanta. Thank you!! Pictured above: Daddy and Katelyn share some sweet moments of "conversation" before Dave leaves for Atlanta.

All Smiles!

We apologize that it has been awhile since we last posted an update! Things have been a little crazy with Dave returning from China (he had a wonderful trip!), Kristen's sister Jessica getting married (everything was absolutely beautiful and went off without a hitch--CONGRATULATIONS MR. AND MRS. EVAN CONQUEST!), returning home to Dallas (did we mention that Katelyn slept the whole 4 hour car ride??!!), unpacking (last load of laundry-DONE!), and getting settled back into a "normal" schedule! Whew! We're tired just thinking about it!

More on Dave's trip to China: He was able to meet up with his best Chinese friend while he was there, the accountant's training was very productive, and reconnecting with many of our team members was quite refreshing for him! Dave also felt very confirmed in his work with LDi.

More on the wedding and Katelyn and Kristen's time in Austin: It was such a blessing for K&K to be in Austin with Kristen's parents, and they really enjoyed having them there as well! They also got to spend a weekend with Dave's mom in Waco! At the wedding (see picture above), Kristen served as a bridesmaid while Dave and his mom sat in the "cry room" at the back of the church and took care of Katelyn (who slept all the way through the ceremony!). While in Austin, Katelyn also got to meet another set of her great grandparents at the wedding as well as other extended family! Dave and Kristen even got to do a little dancing at the reception while family and friends took turns holding Katelyn!

We are also excited to share that Katelyn turned two months old today (see picture)!! She is growing so fast! Tomorrow morning she will go for her regularly scheduled doctor's visit (read: first round of shots!). It seems that Kristen is more sad about those shots than Katelyn is! Katelyn is now cooing, smiling, lifting her head a little more, sleeping through the night every now and then, and just enjoying life (most of the time!).

Next Wednesday, October 31, we will all three fly to Atlanta, Georgia. Dave will be at the head office working for a couple of weeks, and K&K are just tagging along for the first part of the trip to spend some extra time with Dave and for Katelyn to meet the LDi staff there!

Thanks for being so patient with us as we catch up on life! We look forward to updating you again soon!

Reasons to Rejoice!

We are so excited to share with you two very good reasons to rejoice today!

Reason #1: We just received news from the Wickershams (the family in China who has been pursuing Rose's adoption) that the family in the U.S. who was matched with Rose has decided not to pursue her adoption, and as such, their adoption agency is in the process of sending Rose's paperwork back to China, allowing the Wickershams to pursue her adoption at a later date. Thank you so much for your prayers on behalf of this little girl. The Lord has truly done incredible things in this situation and in the life of this family! (see picture of this precious family--from left to right--Mark, Rose, Megan, and Grace)

Reason #2: Dave left yesterday for China (see picture--Katelyn fit perfectly in his lugguage, but Kristen just would have missed her too much!), and three hours into his flight from Chicago to Beijing, the plane started experiencing mechanical problems. The problems caused enough concern that the flight returned to Chicago and will be leaving this afternoon instead. Although this was a bit of an inconvenience, we are so thankful for the protection and wisdom that the Lord provided in this situation. Another blessing is that Dave had a few days before his meeting started, so this change in plans didn't affect his reason for going. We were also able to communicate this change in plans to the appropriate people and get his transportation (one of the company's Chinese drivers) from the Bejing airport rescheduled--despite the fact that it is a holiday week for the Chinese!

We praise Him for His goodness in the big and little things alike! Thank you for rejoicing with us!

Katelyn is One Month Old!!

Here is a picture of our sweet and serious Katelyn at one month old! My how time flies! In honor of her turning 1 month old, Kristen, Katelyn, and Aunt Brittany (Kristen's youngest sister) took a road trip down to Austin for two of Aunt Jessica's (Kristen's middle sister) wedding showers! Katelyn had a great time and made lots of new friends! She even got to meet her great grandmother and great aunt for the first time in Waco on our way down!

Dave leaves for China next Thursday for 13 days! Kristen and Katelyn will spend this time in Austin and Waco visiting family. Upon Dave's return, we will be in Austin for Jessica's wedding on October 20! We are very excited for this event! Kristen is a bridesmaid and Dave and Katelyn are very excited wedding guests!

We continue to adjust to life as a family of three and are enjoying every minute...we hope you enjoy the pictures of some of those minutes!

Picture descriptions: (top) Katelyn at one month old, (middle) Katelyn enjoying bathtime--a rare occasion, (bottom) Katelyn helping with the laundry

Fun times at the McCurdy home!

Fun time #1: Dave's mom came to visit this weekend, and we all enjoyed seeing her (especially Katelyn!). We got to celebrate two important birthdays....Dave's moms birthday was Sept. 9, so we were able to take her out to eat for that! And....Katelyn celebrated her 3-week birthday!! Can it really be true that it has already been 3 weeks??!!

Fun time #2: Dave and Katelyn enjoy spending special father/daughter time watering the plants and flowers in our little backyard!

Our First Family Picture!

Thought you might like to see our first McCurdy family photo! Quite informal, we know, but that's just the way we are anyways! Dave has been in Atlanta this week and Kristen's mom has been here. What a huge blessing she has been! Now the question Kristen is asking is, "What the heck am I supposed to do when she leaves??!!" Talk about being spoiled! Any tips some new moms might have on ways to make going on an errand with a newborn easier, do tell!! For instance, Kristen's mom said, don't carry your purse and the diaper bag if all you really need from your purse is your wallet. BRILLIANT! Done. We also put another cute picture of Katelyn below our family picture! Enjoy!

A Message from Katelyn!

Hi there! This is Katelyn! I just wanted to thank you all for the warm way you have welcomed me into this world! There are a lot of adjustments I am making, but I have had a great first week of life. Here is a recap... When we got home from the hospital this past Sunday, my MaMaw (my mommy's mom) was here and she stayed for a few days to help out. I really like her! She let me sleep with her my first night home, and we got to celebrate her birthday while she was here too!

I went on my first stroller ride. I didn't like it at first, but once I calmed down, I really enjoyed it! Mommy and daddy really like to go for walks when it cools off in the evenings!

We went to see my docter for my one-week check up (today I am 1 week old!). She said that I am doing great and gave me lots of compliments on what a good eater I am!! Mommy says I am good eater like daddy and a good sleeper like her!

I took lots of naps...my favorite naptimes are with mommy and daddy! I also sat in my bouncer!! It has "calming vibrations" built in, along with music and lights! It is so fun!

Well, thank you again for praying me into this world! I look forward to meeting you and sharing more another time. Right now though, I'm sleepy...time for another nap.

Baby Katelyn is Here!!

Please rejoice with us as we welcome our sweet Katelyn to the world! Born at 7:47 a.m. on Friday, August 24, Katelyn weighed 8 pounds, 10 ounces and measured 20 1/4". Just as we knew would be the case, the Lord's timing was, indeed, perfect in every way! Not only did she come on her own, as we specifically had prayed, Kristen's parents were both still in town and able to be at the hospital pre and post delivery! What a special blessing! Dave's mom was also able to come the very next day to see Katelyn, as well as many other close friends and family. We came home from the hospital at 12:30 p.m. today, and all is well in the McCurdy family--mother, baby, and father (and Kristen's mom who is here until Tuesday) are all doing great! Enjoy the pictures!

"A Push" for Prayer

OK-I know that's a ridiculously silly pun, but we hear that laughter is supposed to help initiate labor. After going to the doctor today, Kristen is scheduled to be induced next Tuesday, August 28 at 5:30 p.m. The doctor said the baby and Kristen are doing wonderfully, but Little Katelyn is just quite comfortable where she is! We are praying (and asking that you join us) that Katelyn will come on her own this week. Kristen's parents are in town for a conference until the weekend, and it would be a special blessing for them to be in town for the arrival of Little Katelyn. We find great peace and comfort in knowing that the Lord's timing is perfect! He knows her and loves her best, and since He has been bringing people into this world for quite some time, we fully trust Him with the life of our daughter! Thank you for your prayers and for waiting with us.

Where's Katelyn?

Still nestled comfortably in Kristen's mid-section!! As of 9:00 p.m. on her official due date of Monday, August 20, Katelyn has still not made an appearance. And so we continue to wait, knowing and trusting that the Lord's timing is perfect! Until then, we are enjoying our time together as a family of two and cherishing each moment! We go to the doctor for our weekly appointment tomorrow, so we will look forward to getting a report on how things are progressing. Thank you for your prayers!

Fruit from Afar

Although we miss China very much, we have been encouraged to know that the Lord is still choosing to use us in the lives of our Chinese friends we made while we were there. We praise Him that distance is no obstacle to His bringing fruit in the lives of those who love Him and those who don't. Below are excerpts from an e-mail dialogue we thought you would enjoy and be encouraged by between Kristen and Rachel (one of the girls in her weekly study who became a Family member last summer). Kristen asked Rachel in a previous e-mail this summer how her and her boyfriend Joshua were doing (who is not a Family member), and below is the e-mail dialogue that corresponded....May the Lord continue to do a mighty work in Rachel's life, her tender heart, and the people around her.

Rachel wrote:

Well, I and Joshua is not going well these days. I'm a little bit disappointed with him. You know, his family are in the countryside, where most of the people there are believe in the traditional religion as "Fuo Jiao". They didn't believe in the Father. And Joshua tell me, if we are keep on the relationship I must give up my believe. I'm very upset.
Do you still remember the question I had asked you before? That is why a christain should married a christain. Now I know the reason.

For this, I don't think he know me very well. When I believe the Father, I fell quiet good. I should not too care for everything. I needn't think everything too much. Just do whatever I think is good, or I think the Father may think it is good. When I'm hurted, soon I will be recovery. But he just asked me to give up, or chose one between the Father and him. If you were me, which one will you choose? That is, leave him, I may fell upset for some days. But betray the Father, I really want to cry. I want to leave Joshua. But what's your opinion? And praying for you and your baby!

Kristen wrote:

Thank you for sharing about your situation with Joshua. I am sorry to hear that things are not going well. I know that must make you sad. However, here is my opinion...I believe that your relationship with the Father is much more important than your relationship with Joshua. The Father loves you very much and He desires that your love and devotion to Him is greater than any other. He will be close to you always, even in difficult situations like this. Although it may hurt to leave Joshua, the Father will comfort you and give you peace as you spend time reading His Word and talking to Him. I pry that Joshua will see for himself just how much the Father loves him and wants to have a relationship with him also. I hope this all makes sense.

I am prying for you and love you very much. Please keep me updated on how things are going.

Rachel wrote:

I and Joshua had broken out. Although I am a little upset. I agree with that no matter what happen, even something like this, the Father will still behind me. So I think I am brave enough to face the situation. I still have a lot of friends, maybe this is the the Father's way to let me fell better. And how are you and the baby? Hope to see your pictures! Preying for you and the baby girl!

Kristen wrote:

I'm so glad to hear of your decision. I know it was hard, but I also know it was for the best. I am so thankful that the Father has given you friends to support you and encourage you. Will you have the same roommates this year or different ones?

I attached a picture of me so you can see how big I am getting! :) The baby should be here very soon.

I am prying for you and miss you very much.

Rachel wrote:

So I don't know if the next semester I will get the same roommates or not. But I do understand that the Father will make the decision for me, right? I needn't too care it. I think now what I needed is just the peaceful. Can you give me some advices to get some peaceful?

Kristen wrote:

I am prying that you will have a peace from the Father during these times. He says in Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am your Father." He also says in Isaiah 26:3, "[The Father] will keep in perfect peace all who trust in [Him], all whose thoughts are fixed on [Him]! Keep focusing on Him and His love for you and pry that He will give you His peace....I promise you that He hears you and He will give you peace in Him.

I know that the Father will give you the roommates He has planned for you...those you can encourage and share of the Father's love with! I am so thankful that Sarah has kept in touch with you. The Father knows what your needs are, and He will bring people into your life to comfort you.

Picture Time!

Well, Little Katelyn is still nestled comfortably in Kristen's midsection, so we continue to wait for her arrival with joyful anticipation! In the meantime, we are glad to finally share a few pictures with you of our home (living room, kitchen, and nursery) and us (in our backyard in 104 degree Texas heat!) at 39 weeks!

Back Online!

We are now back online thanks to Steve from Verizon who came out to install our Internet today! We hope to get a few more pictures up soon of the house (including the nursery!) and what we're looking like at 39 weeks! Katelyn is officially due a week from today (Monday, August 20), but when we went to the docter today, she was pretty confident that our little one would be coming earlier than that (maybe even TONIGHT!!?--I guess we better get to bed!). For now, we anxiously await her arrival with much joy and anticipation! Thank you for sticking with us during our time "offline," and we look forward to updating you again (with pictures!) tomorrow--if all goes well! We just wanted to drop a note before heading off to bed!

New Contact Information

Well, we are all moved in to our rent house. We had plenty of help (including Kristen's dad who drove up from Austin) and no rain!! Now its time to unpack. Please ask that the Lord would give us patience with ourselves/each other and energy as we work toward sorting through many boxes and settling in to our new home....all before little Katelyn arrives on August 20. Please take note that we will not have access to e-mail from now until August 13, so we will update you again the next chance we get. Our new contact information is:

Dave and Kristen McCurdy
920 Sylvan Creek Drive
Lewisville, TX 75067
Dave cell: 214-499-3764
Kristen cell: 214-499-3695
E-mail: dandkmccurdy@yahoo.com

Kristen Goes to Shreveport, Dave Goes Into "Labor!"

Kristen, her mom, and her youngest sister drove to Shreveport this past Saturday for the day to see Kristen's great Aunt Anne. It was a very special time of fellowship--both on the road and at the nursing home.

While the girls were gone, Dave took on the project of sanding and painting our baby furniture! We are excited to be using the same baby dresser and crib that Kristen's dad used, as well as Kristen and each of her sisters! It definitely required some hard labor though! Dave did an excellent job as evidenced by the pictures above. It is going to look perfect in the nursery!

We move into our rent house tomorrow, August 1, so we'll look forward to letting you know how that goes. Please pray for a rain-free moving day!

We Bought a Car!!

Well, another one of our big tasks has been checked off! After much research and test driving over the past couple months, we finally made the purchase this week! We are very grateful to have this "to do" DONE, and we are also very grateful to our friends, Jamie and Jenny Hipp, who so graciously allowed us to borrow their car until we found one of our own! Please rejoice with us, once again, for His faithfulness and timing in details such as this!

36 weeks and counting!

Here is a picture of us at 36 weeks! At last weigh in, Dave has gained zero pounds, Kristen has gained 16! We had an ultrasound this past Tuesday, and everything looked great and "right on schedule" according to our docter! We are getting increasingly excited for Katelyn's arrival on August 20. We just hope she can hold off at least until we move into our rent house next week! Thanks for sharing in our joy and excitement!

A Special Gift for Little Miss McCurdy!

Little Miss McCurdy received a very special gift at a recent baby shower given by some of Kristen's close friends in the Dallas area. A precious "Made in China" onesie to remind her of her roots! Thank you Jenny, Kimberly, Dangela, and Tanya for a wonderful baby shower!!

Visit from friends in D.C.!

We had the wonderful opportunity to host our dear friends, Jason and Carrie Lampman (and their cute 11-month-old son Ben!), for a few days during their "Texas tour." Dave met Jason and Carrie in 2000 when he was living in Austin. Their son, Ben Lampman, was born just last year while we were in China, so we enjoyed finally getting to meet him in person and play with him! The Lampmans are currently living in Washington D.C., but they will be moving to Baltimore where they will plant a church. To learn more about their desire to reach Baltimore and what this church plant will look like, please visit their website at http://www.reachbaltimore.blogspot.com/. We are thankful for the time we had to catch up with them before they head back up north.

Enjoyable Open House in Dallas!

Our open house in Dallas was wonderful! Thank you to our friends James and Dangela Hill who hosted this special event! Thank you also to all of you who came! Once again, we enjoyed the opportunity to reunite with friends and share some of our experiences from the past two years in China. We look forward to sharing with those of you we haven't seen yet.

We Found A Rent House!!

We are excited to share with you that we found a house to rent! For those who like a long story made short...We used a realtor who was recommended to us by our good friends, and last Sunday at 10 a.m. we set out with her to look at four potential rent houses...by 11:30 a.m. we were done with our search and excited about moving into our new place! The house is in Lewisville, Texas (just north of Dallas), and we move in August 1.

For those who like to know just how detailed the Lord is in meeting our needs and arranging circumstances for our good...read on. The first place we looked at was a duplex, and upon our arrival we heard the neighbors yelling and a large dog barking. No problem....but good to know. Athough it was a nice enough place, we just didn't feel like it was "the one." We left and rode to the next house. When we pulled up, the owners were actually home and we were able to meet them. They are a couple about our age and were very friendly. The husband was actually out front doing yardwork and the wife was inside baking! As we entered the house, we were amazed at how nice it was! Everything just "felt" right. Come to find out, this property was not even within our price range when the realtor first started looking, but between that time and the time we were available to go look at properties, the couple had come down on their price, and here we were! One of our favorite parts of the house was a little backyard deck and garden area, as we were really wanting a home that could be a respite for us to settle in and start our family. We considered going to the last two houses, just to look, but the realtor assured us that they were nothing compared to this one, and that she was just as surprised as we were about how great of a place and deal this was (she actually called it a miracle)! We found out that the couple is just moving a little farther north of Dallas due to a change in the wife's sales territory for her job. We felt good knowing that they would still be close by should we need them. They really felt like we were the type of renters they had been waiting for since they wanted to see the house well taken care of after putting their heart and soul into making it look so nice. They also needed renters that could wait until August 1 to move in....wouldn't you know? This is the exact date we were needing to move in!! We signed the lease papers yesterday evening and again had a definite peace that this is where we were supposed to be for the next year! Our realtor (who is a Christian) was also very encouraged by this whole chain of events. When we first e-mailed her about our situation, specific needs, and timeline, she told us later that she expressed to the Lord her need for Him to help her know how to meet our needs. She was initially very discouraged by the limited number of options that met our criteria, but she knew the Lord was telling her to keep working with us, even if she couldn't see how things would work out. After this past Sunday, we all saw how He wanted to reveal Himself and His power to us in a very special way! We have seen the Lord's dedication to the details of our lives in so many ways throughout the past two years, and this is no exception. We are so thankful to Him for His guidance and reassurance with each important decision we make. Thank you for rejoicing with us at the Lord's provision for us and Little Katelyn. How special to know that even before she is born, he is caring for her in very specific ways!

Baby Shower Fun in Austin!

Here are a couple of pictures from Kristen's baby shower in Austin. This was given by her friends Roxy Morris and Erin Olson, pictured above, respectively. What a special time it was to see so many familiar faces!

Back in Dallas!

After a fun-filled week in Austin which started and ended with a trip to Dunkin Donuts, we are now back in the Dallas area. We picked up the U-Haul truck at 7 a.m. on Friday in Austin, loaded up our stuff from Kristen's home, then stopped in Waco to load our stuff from Dave's home, then arrived to our temporary home in Highland Village to unload it all in the garage until we find a place of our own (hopefully in the form of a rent house by the end of July!). We are thankful for the friends who helped us unload! What a great help that was! Dave leaves for a business trip to LDi's U.S. headquarters in Atlanta this Monday and will return Thursday. Kristen has had two baby showers in the past two weekends (one in Austin and one in Dallas), and we feel so blessed by the abundance of gifts our growing little family has received! We'll post pictures of those soon! We just wanted to give you latest update on our travels and where we are!

Awesome Austin Open House

We had a wonderful time at the Austin open house, held at Kristen's parents home (see picture above of us with Kristen's cute parents!). We were able to reconnect with many friends, and in every case, we wish we could have had at least an hour to visit one-on-one with each person there! It was almost a tease to see so many special people and not be able to catch up as much as we would have liked, but nonetheless, we were blessed by the presence of each person there. Thank you especially to Mike and Jeani Copeland who drove from Oklahoma to be here! Jeani was Kristen's teammate/roommate during her first trip to China in 2000, and the Copelands are moving to East Asia in October for an indefinite period of time. We are excited to be able to support them in prayer as they go to serve a people and country that we miss so dearly!

Growing Bigger Each Day!

Just thought you all might like to see a picture of Kristen and Baby Katelyn at 32 weeks (a little over 7 months)! Both are healthy and growing bigger and bigger each day! August 20 is right around the corner....

Prayers for Little Rose

Many of you remember the little Chinese girl, Rose, that we took care of for three weeks during our time in China. We have been burdened since before we left China for her situation. Her current foster family (The Wickershams), who was in the process of adopting her, had just found out that there was a mix-up in paperwork/communication and she had been matched with another family in the United States, and they will be coming to China this October to pick her up. The Wickershams have not talked with Rose about any of this yet, but they are definitely starting to focus their own hearts and minds on how to best prepare her for the transition ahead. Please join us and the Wickershams in praying for their expressed needs below and for this precious little girl who holds a special place in our hearts (prayer needs are taken directly from an e-mail we recently received from the Wickershams):

• For us as we grieve


• For us to have the right heart towards Rose's adoptive family


• That the adoptive family would be willing to work with us before and after the adoption, and willing to address the very real emotional needs Rose will have as she goes through yet another loss and transition


• For the Father's best regarding the timing in which her adoptive family arrives


• For us to have the wisdom and resources needed to prepare Rose for what is ahead


• That Father would protect Rose's heart and mind from any negative effects of the many disruptions her life has held. That she would be able to successfully attach to and trust her new family


• That we would be faithful and honor Him in our actions, words, and thoughts


• For Grace, as we know she will truly miss Rose as well. (Note: Grace is the Wickersham's 1 year old adopted daughter who has become like a sister to Rose)

If you are interested in reading more about the details of this particular adoption situation and knowing even better how to pray, you can visit the Wickershams website at http://spaces.msn.com/members/markmegan