Hello All! Today was Kelly's flag ceremony. If you follow me only via our blog than you may not know , but the flag we received was the flag of Kuwait. Those of you who are my friends on Facebook, this is not news to you. But for all of the blogospehere here is the official announcement. Our home for the next couple years will be Kuwait City. We are so excited to see our new home, meet all the Americans we will be in a close community with and to see the Kuwait towers. I have attached a map of the Persian Gulf countries. Kuwait is a small country bordering Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the Persian Gulf.

The second photo is of a large landmark in Kuwait. The Kuwait Towers. They are large water towers in Kuwait City.

Please come and visit, we would love to have you! Washington D.C. has a direct flight from Dulles. For now we learn all we can about our new home and prepare our big move. Cheers~

Hello All! Tomorrow is a momentous occasion. Kelly has his flag ceremony. This is what has been shared with me regarding the Flag ceremony. Tomorrow new hires who do not know where they will spend the next couple years will get assigned to a post officially. We have known for awhile somewhat unofficially where we are headed. Other people have been bidding for different posts. So the country flag on this post is where we are headed. Tomorrow I will share some photos of Kelly and his new flag and the excitement we have in learning about our first post. Have a great night~

Hello All! I cannot believe my sweet Faith is six today. Time has gone way to fast. I remember I was pregnant with Faith at the same time as our close friends from Bolivar, Missouri. Jeff and Jacki, and Brian and Christy both had girls in October of 2003 and we loved to watch them grow into toddlers together. I was thrilled to have friends who had babies doing the same things at around the same times. I miss those girls and my friends as well.

Faith, you are a joy! I am so glad God made you!!! What fun we have had in these six years. You are always a fun filled bright spot in my day. You have a zest for life that is unmatched in our family. I am thrilled to say that you know God and you love him with your whole six year old heart. You have a thirst for him and for helping others in difficult situations. Today we went to the National Zoo in Washington D.C., you loved seeing the Cheetahs, Elephants, Orangutans, and Guerrillas. What a great day! We spent it with our whole family, Grandma Briden and Uncle Jeff. We have so enjoyed Grandma Briden being here in D.C. to help us with this major transition. She has enjoyed reading and teaching you. Uncle Jeff also has really enjoyed you all, but it was so sweet to see you snuggle him today. I think snuggling people is truly your gift, Faith! You can warm even the coldest heart!!!

These pictures were taken today, the first of you, my little Fay Mae big six year old. The second is of a beautiful flower at the National Zoo, representing the perfect day we had. Lastly, is a photo of all the Briden Bunch children, Grandma Briden and Uncle Jeff. Good times, good times!!! In closing my letter to you, sweet Faith, know I love you with all my heart and so does your father! We praise God for you and for who he is making you into. God Bless your next year baby~ Mommy

Hello All! Welcome to our new home : ) It is believe it or not beginning to feel like home. We are the proud tenants (albeit temporarily) of a three bedroom, two bath, laundry room and kitchen with dishwasher in Northern Virgina. our new home is within in walking distance to the Metro, Subway, a shopping Mall, a yummy Chinese restaurant, and The Smoothie King. We have a park across the street with a large playground and a huge library literally right below our building!!!!! I am a rabid reader and LOVE to read to my children, needless to say this is one of my favorite places in our new neighborhood.

I am homeschooling our children with the help of my mother in law. It is going very well, Faith even said the other day " Mommy, you my favorite teacher!" The kids all look forward to our school time and I am really enjoying it. I have little to no free time, but I sleep like a rock. We are hoping to take a day trip to Colonial Williamsburg this weekend for Faith's sixth birthday. I think she will love the costumes, she is my dress up girl.

Lastly here is a cute quote from Luke the other day. We were riding the metro to the the Butterfly exhibit in the Natural History Museum. We had hit the end of the morning rush hour on the Metro. Luke said " They (looking around at full metro car) are all wearing their boy dresses this morning." My response "What, buddy?" Luke sighed and said "Mom, you know Daddy wears on to the State Department." The light bulb goes on in my head : ) Kelly has been wearing a suit and tie every day, that is not his normal work day outfit. I couldn't stop laughing! Luke's new catch phrase " Boy Dress"= a Suit. I love these kids, they are always making me laugh. God Bless you and yours~

Hello, I'm back!! I will be updating my blog again tonight. For those of you praying for my Internet connection to be fixed, THANKS! I am back and ready to share more of our adventures. Thanks for your patience! This is my last sunset over Lake Michigan. What a great parting view. I would be lying if I said I don't miss Michigan. I will always take a part of it with me. Until tonight~

Hello All! I am going to try to upload more photos from our first week in Virginia soon. We are loving it here! We have concurred the Metro, driving in the traffic and learning alot of State Department terms. We are enjoying Grandma Briden, and we even had a visit from Uncle Jeff and Grandpa B. Jeff, my youngest brother got a job out here also and will be moving from Michigan this week. We are thrilled to be here, and I am probably most thrilled about our recent IKEA visit yesterday!

Comcast is coming on Wednesday to fix our internet connection, THANK GOD. I am ready to burst with all the stories and photos to share. Please keep coming back and reading, I will back in full swing soon : ) Blessings~

Hello All! We have had a busy last week and it has only just begun. Last week the movers came to take all our belongings and move them into storage in Virginia. They will await us there while Kelly has training in D.C. We are now living in Arlington after flying in Saturday afternoon. Our first days have gone great! We live in a high rise apartment building on the 18th floor (which the kids love), we are starting to get the swing of the metro and we are having a little sticker shock as far as the price of well, everything!


I am having problems downloading my photos and my Internet connection is painfully slow, so I am sorry for the lack of photos with this post. The photos will be coming soon. Rest assured we are here safely and we are all enjoying the change of pace. Kelly has had his first orientation day and he is very excited to be starting this new adventure.

Grace, Faith and Luke started their home schooling today and it went well. I am really impressed with all of our children, they have been positive and excited about this move. We have shed some tears, but they are looking forward to many upcoming fun family times. Michigan will always be in our hearts and our minds. We miss you all and wish you could come and visit us! Tomorrow Grandma Briden and I take on the metro with the Briden Bunch, wish us luck : ) Blessings~

Hello All! Today most of my earthly possessions flew the coop, so to speak





My brother, Rick, and sister in law, Kristin, came over to our home to unload some things we don't want to store while we are going on our big adventure with the State Department. I believe strongly that my possessions are truly not my own, but God's. Today, God gave Rick and Kristin a few things to start their newlywed home. We filled up a 24' Budget truck with all the goodies. They had originally reserved a 17' truck, thank God they cancelled that and drove away with a bit bigger truck. We filled very full!

This was another painful "goodbye". I sobbed like a baby, I am so proud of them both. They are both committed to God and each other. They will do well, while we are away. I will miss them dearly and I am so glad we lived so close for them for this time in our lives. We love you Rick and Kristin, please come and visit us when you can! You are so special to us and we thank God for you!!

Just so you know after the truck pulled away this evening, I went back into the house to check "Mommy Chair". Both Rick and Kristin had threatened to snag my new favorite chair on one of the many trips to the big truck. Much to my relief the "Mommy Chair" is still here and I sit in it now as I type. Phew................ next we need to get the chair moved to our new post. I am off to bed on my new air mattress. Yes, Rick and Kristin even snagged my bed : ) Goodnight~

Hello All! I don't like goodbyes, but it seems like this week has been one goodbye after another. Don't get me wrong I love the people we are saying goodbye to, just not the future separation.

This beautiful lady holding our youngest, Hope, is Kelly's nurse, Barb. She has been a great friend to Kelly and me, a surrogate Aunt/Grandma to our children and an amazing coworker to my husband. I truly thank God for her generosity and love for our family. The kids love her and they know when she comes to babysit they are guaranteed a fun night. Thank you Barb, we love you so much!

I have figured out this evening why this move is so hard for me. It is watching it through my children's eyes that pains me.

I don't want to sound callous, but I have moved before. It is hard, but I know you survive. My children on the other hand don't remember much beyond this home and town being our life. Luke came home at seven months in 2005, so he has no memory other then Michigan as home. Faith was turning two when we moved, now four years later she is turning six. She has friends at school she adores, she is used to the routine here, she knows what season comes next her, Autumn. Grace, our oldest, does remember Missouri. She has an amazing memory. I don't think she remembers it all, but there are things that are clear in her mind. She was very young though the last move, she still misses our friend Mr. Edge from Missouri and his claw that he would tickle her with.

This evening Faith had a play date with a close friend from her kindergarten class. As they were running through the woods I heard her say, " I love you Trevor, I will always miss you." OUCH, that made me cry! When my children hurt, I feel like someone is ripping out my heart and stepping on it. Just because they are not the deepest friendships at 4, 5, 6 or 7 it doesn't mean they don't feel the pain and the loss of these special people. I am trying to be extra sensitive to that and chat with them about it as often as I can. I want them to know that I acknowledge it as loss. I want them to know they can share with me. I want them to know I have my own losses and sadness at this time in spite of the major excitement I am feeling.

So, to all of you sweet, special people in Michigan. We will love you, we will miss you and we pray the best for you and your families always. You will always have a special place in our hearts and our memories. Goodbye for tonight~

Hello All! In less than one week packers and movers will descend on our home to pack and ship our earthly possessions. I am amazed at how quickly the summer melted away. Are we in September already? I turned the furnace on this morning as I was coming down for my morning cup of java, brrrr it's chilly. You can feel the beginnings of fall in the air. The mornings are crisp and the sun sets earlier and earlier. I am sad to leave my home state of Michigan, but so excited for the adventure that awaits our family! Saying goodbye is so hard to do.

Today we are going to a send off party at Kelly's office. Kelly has loved his coworkers all these years and it is hard to leave them! What a blessing to have had a great bunch of coworkers for these four years. We will miss each one of them. Thank you for everything HCCC, you will always hold a special place in our heart!

My house has literally descended into CHAOS. I don't like total chaos. Organized chaos? Yes, I am fine with that. There are piles here and there, the kitchen floor is gross. But, why clean it at this point when I know our cleaners will descend on the home after we have left. I will not get to see it that clean again, that makes me sad. We have loved our home, we added three children while we lived here. How do you say goodbye to somewhere you love so much? We have many GREAT memories here. I wish I knew who would live here next so I could tell them all the little quirks of our home, but alas no buyers as of yet. Please pray with us that it will sell quickly after we leave, thanks!

I have to go get ready to take on the day. The countdown to days in Michigan begins. Days left.......10. Blessings to you today~