Justin is home!!!!!!!!

Justin arrived home safely today!!! We managed to keep Abby clueless, she actually believed me when I told her that we (her, me, daddy, granny, di, and jesse), were having dinner together at the airport since there is a variety of food and everyone can get what they want!

I can finally relax, he is home, he looks great! Below is the video of her reaction to finding out why we really ate at the airport. Once we all had our hugs, we rushed off to church and I felt whole having my entire family worshiping together once again.

Pictured at top is Justin, Drew (aka dad) and Abby, middle is the three amigos, Jesse, Di and Justin, and the bottom is Justin, Drew aka dad, and Abby, and the lower pic is Granny, Justin and Abby. If after this edit they don't match up, I think you can figure it out! LoL!

What ended the mission early was that the org. that Justin was working for decided it would be economically better for them to replace Justin with a Kenyan and pay the Kenyan half of what they were paying Justin.

I am just so happy to have my son back home!

We are having a WELCOME HOME OPEN HOUSE PARTY on Tuesday April 14, 2009 from 5pm to 10pm. Whether you know Justin or want to meet him, we would love to have you over. We are asking anyone who has a favorite dessert, snack, or dish they would like to bring to share to do so. If you do not know where we live, please email me and I will send you directions.

We are also asking for assistance to cover the financial hit my husband and I took this week to get Justin home as quickly and safely as possible. If only this would have happened two weeks earlier, we could have cancelled our vacation and had the full amount to pay for his flight. If you would like to help, we will have a free will offering at the party, or you may make a donation on website http://www.tkpp.org/, or purchase some TKPP gear at http://www.covertdesigns.org/.

We want to thank everyone who helped get Justin to Kenya, his time was well spent. I am really tired and will share his full story another day.

May God Bless you in all you do!

Mrs. C.

My baby comes home 2day!!!

It is after midnight and I can not sleep. I need 2, but I am so excited to see my son today. He left for Kenya the day after Christmas and was originally supposed to come home in March. Then he was offered a two year long term volunteer gig (you can read about the whole saga at http://www.tkpp.org/ ). Then due to circumstances out of our control, Justin sent me a text Saturday morning, as I was getting finishing packing and getting ready for breakfast with Chip and Dale at the Disney Grand Resort and then fly home. This is the text you never want to get from your child. "Mom, call me asap, it's an emergency"!! So I called him, got the scoop and since I knew he was safe with a friend (that I believe God put in Justin's life to protect him), I told him to sit tight and I would handle everything as soon as I got home. We were able to get him on a flight this week and today I will get to hold my son tight and praise God he is safe and home. As I write this, I am praying my son's flight from Kenya to London was safe, as well as the 8 hours that he has to wait for his flight from London to Phoenix. I am praying for him to arrive home safely. I have missed him so much, but yet had peace from God, that my son would be OK. God is Good. Even though Justin won't be staying for the 2 years that he was so excited to do, God was with him all the time, and still is. No matter where Justin is, God has plans for that boy, and I can't wait to see what is next.

For me, this is the best Easter Gift God could have given to me, other than having Jesus die for my sins, kinda wish is could have happened two weeks earlier so Justin could have gone on vacation with us. It is ironic that this happened at the end of our vacation. We have not had a family vacation for years. I have been sick for many years, had too many surgeries last year and this year is going to be a frustrating years of more doctors and therapy. We kept waiting for me to get better, and knowing now that it is not going to happen (don't worry its not terminal, just disabling), we decided now was the time. And with the economy, we figured if we did not go now, we may not be able to afford to go for many more years. It felt odd not having Justin with me at Disneyland. This was the first time, I have been there without him, he has been there once without me for a Jazz band competition. Our Disney trips started with me and Justin (and his Aunt Ami) going for Justin's 3rd birthday. Then I took him for his 5th, 7th, and 8th. My mom joined us for his 8th and we skipped the bargain hotel and stayed at the Disneyland resort. Then later that year Justin and I went again for my 30th bday. For his 9th birthday, my husband (at that time he was my fiance, we married later that year) and his brother joined us. After Drew and I married, our new family moved to Denver. It wasn't as affordable to go as it was when we lived in AZ, so we didn't, then after moving back to AZ, I became pregnant with Abby. Once Abby turned 3, we headed back to Disneyland. This was our first trip to Disneyland in over 5 years. On our 2nd day, I had to be taken to the hospital, ended up having an appendectomy. But that did not stop me! We added a day to replace the one lost during surgery and with a wheel chair and meds, my husband, kids. and I continued to enjoy the happiest place on earth. As a make up trip we went for a few days the next year. It has been 3 years between the last trip and our current one. We had a blast, we have been there enough to be able to relax and do what we want and not feel we have to rush and do everything. We always go for a week, that gives us time to see all the shows, or parades or spend time at the hotels or resorts. The only thing missing this time was my son. I pray I can earn enough money to take us back next year and have him with us.

Besides Disney (which I will tell you all about another time), the most awesome thing about Justin's return is: The last time we worshiped at church together as a family was Christmas Day morning, the day before he left, and now after we pick him up at the airport, we will be heading to church together, with my mom and prayerfully his friends, to worship together for Maundy Thursday. What a Blessing! I am crying as I write this, because God is so good, and I will be praising Him for so many things tonight.

I spent today getting Justin's bedroom freshened up for him. Will finish doing some laundry for him and washing his bedding when I get up in the morning. Plan to buy him some comfy new pillows too!

We will be having an Open House Welcome Home Party for Justin next week. I will be posting the time and day on our website. And for those who are out of state, the next week we will have an internet chat party! We are also scheduling speaking engagements for Justin at Holy Cross and Family of Christ Lutheran Churches. His experience was amazing and he touched the lives of many.

Well I better head to bed, have laundry and shopping to do tomorrow, before we head to the airport. Oh yeah one last thing, Abby has no clue!!!! She thinks we are just going to Starbucks with Di and Jesse before church tonight!!! And because our family is known to go out to eat at a hospital (good and cheap food!), and other crazy things like that, she won't catch on when we go to the Starbucks at the airport, she will just think it's cool! Can't wait to see her face, when Justin comes thru the gate!!!!

God bless and good night!
Mrs. C.