Things around here have definitely picked up with all of us working. Duane is enjoying his job at ELS (Educational Leadership Solutions). Laurie is having a hard time adjusting to a night schedule of nursing at the Choctaw Hospital. She works 3-4 days a week, 12 hour shifts, which are proving to be exhausting. Please pray that a day position will open up, or she will be able to adjust to sleeping during the day and working at night. Heather is working at Maust Woodworking between 30 and 35 hours a week. She has learned a lot and is enjoying learning how to use the CAD program to design kitchens for customers. She finished the semester with five A's! Next semester will begin in January and she will be taking 3 online classes again and two classes on campus in Meridian again.
Duane turned 51 on November 20th. Happy birthday to the old man with a gray beard! :)
Jazzlyn Ben (one of our youth girls) finally had her baby in the end of October.Duane was able to perform his first baby dedication on Saturday, November 21st. We welcomed little Jaizlianna Sennimen Ben to Pearl River and prayed and sang blessings over her, Jazz, and Jesse and JoAnne (the grandparents). She is a beautiful baby girl!
Thanksgiving was a little bit different for us this year. Laurie had to work the night before and the night of Thanksgiving, so she was sleeping most of the day. Duane was invited to the home of Jesse and JoAnne Ben (close friends from our
church) for an afternoon dinner of turkey, boiled rabbit and chicken, hominy and fry bread. (And JoAnne can cook!) Heather had the privilege of driving up to Ohio with her boyfriend Zach to spend the holiday with his family. She really enjoyed meeting his family and spending time with the Reinhardt side of the family in Indiana the day after Thanksgiving. Saturday and Sunday Zach and Heather spent time in Fort Wayne visiting her church there and friends from school. The drive back "home" to Mississippi was a long one, but the short trip was definitely a nice change of pace!The Sunday after Thanksgiving, Duane and Laurie were blessed to have friends from home, Sam and Shirley Marks, come visit Pearl River with their son Steve and his wife Merilee who live in Meridian. They enjoyed the time of fellowship!
Despite our tiny house, Heather decided that we needed a Christmas tree. She picked one out... at Dollar General... and decorated it in early December. Some traditions just can't change!
As Christmas is drawing closer, we are excited to spend the holiday with Matt and Brittany, who will be coming down to Mississippi. Brittany has begun to show, and we're all excited to see her "baby bump" in person! Heather is excited for Zach to meet her sister and brother in law, since they had gone to PA for Thanksgiving so they didn't get to meet.A big thank you to those who have prayed for us during the past month or so. There have been some major struggles with certain individuals in the church, and these individuals decided to leave the church a few weeks ago. There are mixed feelings about the situation, but we trust that God has His hand on the individuals and the situation, and that His name will be brought glory through whatever comes about. Times of refreshing and growth are (hopefully!) in store for 2010!
