Arrival...

Mom and Dad arrived safely!!!

Engagement Ring

Engagement Ring
Originally uploaded by ldmartin.

For all the ladies that have wanted to see "the ring". I have been unable to take a good picture of it so...I decided I'd go to the website and just use that picture. It looks even better in person! :)

The rest of 2004 and beginning of 2005...

As I write this I am listening to Olive’s Live Online Streaming. I cannot begin to tell you how refreshing yet bittersweet this is. I miss wshping with my “family” at Olive. The wshp here is sweet and precious, honest like no other…no matter how off key it might be, it is wonderful and fresh…but…there is still something about Olive, something words cannot describe… You guys rocked this morning!!! WOW! I’m ready to shout and scream!!!!!!! I can feel the spirits move 9,000 miles away! As long as my internet is working you can be assured that there will be a voice in the East joining you as you singing praises to The One above. Thank you for blessing me!

It has been a month since I last wrote…I’ve been bad. Josh and I had a wonderful time together. On the afternoon of Christmas Eve we went and visited the Big O for a couple of hours. It took him a little while but he quickly warmed up to the children…they liked looking at him. There was a new little girl there that I had never seen before…her name is Tara, she is five. She was once at the Big O, when she was little, and had been adopted but her mother brought her back b/c she didn’t have enough time to spend with her plus she now has Hep B. She is a precious, precious beautiful girl…if I could I would adopt this little angel. Since Josh was here, I have been back twice to play and cuddle with her (and the others). She’s my girl…my heart hurts for her. Christmas morning Josh and I got up early to go visit our friends at The Colony. They were thrilled to have visitors…I think they bless me many times more than I could ever bless them. I am such a wonderful wife-to-be that I didn’t cook a Christmas lunch…we went to KFC and got a BIG bucket of chicken wings and french fries. I did cook some things for Christmas Dinner…we spent Christmas evening with six students and another Foreigner. The students heard the “real” story and learned about the “true” meaning.

Each of my classes had a Christmas “party”. Josh shared with them true meaning of Christmas…he explained it very well. We had a fun time of singing, dancing, and playing games. I have been doing a lot of “thinking” about finding a brother or sister in my classes…through the Christmas story I found one girl, Mary, who knows our Father. I have talked with her about meeting together next term. Please be “thinking” about that with me. Please be “thinking” that others will come to know our Father through her.

Josh and I spent New Years Eve/New Years in Hong Kong…that was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Then, my man left. :( This is all part of His plan…so much greater and more wonderful than mine. A time of preparation for the both of us. There is no telling where our Father will lead us in the next few years. As of now, we are planning to attend Southeastern Seminary after we are married. But…from there we don’t know if we will be in America or somewhere else in the world. Our Father began working in Josh’s life while he was here. There is no telling what kind of adventure we will be on…

These last two weeks, my work situation was really, really stressful and discouraging. I was ready to give up. Once again He proved himself faithful and gave me the strength to overcome. I don’t know what lessons I am to learn from all of this but I pray that I learn them soon!! Luckily, the term ended this last Friday and I am off work until February 28 when classes begin again. I was looking at plane tickets earlier this week and thinking of coming home. I had found a ticket for 700 and when I called about it…it was full. Then I found one for 900 and was really considering it but Mom was able to change her ticket and she will now be staying with me for a month!!! I am so thankful…everyone is traveling during this time and with the students gone it gets really lonely.

Mom and Dad will arrive on January 23. Dad will leave on February 5 and Mom on February 22. She will be here on her Birthday…I’m excited about that!!! While they are here we are planning to go to Bjing. I have invited my friend, Tina, in X (that I met on my last trip here) to go with us. Please “think” about this time I will have to spend with her. I am “thinking” for more opportunities to share the truth with her. I am more excited about the time I will have to spend with her than I am about seeing the “sights”. Please keep Tina in your mind over these next several weeks. I will post more about our travel when I know forsure.

I am hoping to post some pictures and a wonderful Christmas Day video of Josh and I soon!!! I will try in the morning…it is late here and I need to get to bed so I can get up to watch the evening service!

I love you all!

Josh and Lacey @ Dinner Party

Josh and Lacey @ Dinner Party
Originally uploaded by ldmartin.

We are at a Christmas dinner that the University held for the Foreigners. We all got boxes of oranges...even Josh!

Hard Rock Engagement

Hard Rock Engagement
Originally uploaded by ldmartin.

Our celebratory lunch after our early, early morning engagement.

...sorry there have been no pictures until now, I've had trouble posting them...