Rattins living Coram Deo

I was able to connect with Josh today - he got me his cellphone number and I called him using Skype and we got to talk for 20 minutes! He is having a really phenomenal time - it took him a few days to get his energy together after his journey and jetlag, but has been speaking and sharing his testimony at many of the different ministries at ACTION Gulu. Bible studies, Home of Love orphanage (where he is hosted in an unfinished room with no electricity/plumbing), a Prison Farm ministry, a pastor's seminar at an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Attiak (site of great slaughter in the recent past), church, etc. He had a rather unsuccessful visit to the hospital in Gulu where it sounds like the administrators were more interested in promoting the hospital to the white guys than answering Josh's questions about medical facilities that will be available for Gracie. Tomorrow he'll visiting some housing options to see what kinds of housing are available and he may actually che...

I haven't heard from Josh directly, but our Uganda director has emailed me twice with news of Josh doing quite well. I'm itching to hear from Josh and hear his stories and his report on our mission field! It sounds like Josh (in true visiting missionary fashion) "shared" in church on Sunday in Gulu and also shared at a Bible study for welders on Monday and had the privilege of witnessing a man come to the Lord! WOW! Josh and his travel companion (Joe) are headed into the bush today. They'll be at a prison farm ministry with Ugandan ACTION staff today. Tomorrow, they will be going to an IDP camp to help with a special one day pastors' seminar. They will even be teaching! Please pray that they would be an encouragement to the missionaries, staff, and everyone they come in contact with! Pray also that God would grant them wisdom as they teach, speak, and interact!

I'm sorry for the long silence - life has been exceeding busy, especially as I have been very under the weather and Josh has been out of town a lot. The girls certainly don't slow down for anything! Gracie lost her first tooth (rather I yanked it out when I realized that her adult tooth was already growing in!) and is VERY six years old these days! Ana's vocabulary cracks us up - she's extremely verbal to begin with so to hear her converse about very complex things is just hilarious at times! Josh should have landed in Uganda earlier today - no word from him yet, but that's not unexpected. Who knows when he'll have access to email! He'll be scoping out things for Gracie for our move to Northern Uganda. He'll also be learning more about the ministries, housing options, etc... In Josh's 2.5 week absence, I am escaping with the girls first to my dear friend, Gina's house in Philadelphia, PA, then for nearly a week I'll be with my in-laws. Af...

I know that many are eager to help out in any way with the earthquake relief in Haiti. Our hearts ache with the human suffering that is going on right now and our inability to help. But right now, finances are greatly needed. Here are two reputable Christian organizations that are providing disaster relief in Haiti. - Bethany Children Services . Here’s a blog of the woman who runs an orphanage near Port-de-Prince. Please visit www.bethany.org/donate to donate to the Haiti-Earthquake Recovery fund. - Mercy Ships International has mobilized their Disaster Relief Mercy Team to Haiti. Click here to donate to Mercy Ships .

I thought some of you with kids with special needs might find it interesting which cup we're currently using at home - not an adaptive cup that costs $50 that LOOKS like an adaptive cup. No, Gracie is using a kids' Starbucks tumbler! There's a kids' sized tumbler that fits in her hand (although we're still doing hand-over-hand). Her liquids are thickened so they pour nicely out of the small spout. The top is tapered so that it's sticks up higher at the end where you drink from and is lower at the opposite end (similar to a nosey cup, but not as dramatic). There is a piece that flips over to cover the drinking hole and it seals it when closed so that I can shake her Simply Thick directly in the cup with her liquid to thicken it. It's also not exactly spill proof, but better than an open cup! And it's cool! http://www.starbucksstore.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=181459

Does anyone out there have any advice on finding cute church shoes to fit over AFOs? Right now Gracie's in non-articulated AFOs but they have the space in the back to articulate them. When I put her MaryJanes on - regardless of size, her feet end up getting swollen because of how they cut across the forefoot because the AFO is wide where feet normally are becoming narrow. Right now she's in a pair of boots with a thick sole and they work great... but not so ideal for Easter and spring time weddings! Ideas? She's in a wedding this spring! :)

My brave friend, Amanda, took the girls iceskating over Christmas break. They had a blast! Gracie usually just cries when she has to do a "cold" sport... not this time! Ana wasn't sure of the skates at first but by the end, did fantastic!