A secret...

Finally I can officially let the cat out of the bag. John and I have been harboring a secret for about 4 months and since we're back and we've told most of our family and friends I can now tell the wonderful world of blogging!! We are PREGNANT! AGAIN! Yes...Blake #3 is coming soon! We are about 4 months along! We're going to be a family of 5!!! AHH!!

We are very excited and are hoping for a girl but if it's a boy that's ok too! We're just excited to have another blessing in our lives. I will let you know that before leaving Thailand I was able to have an ultrasound and the dr. said that she is 80% sure that I'm having another boy!!!!! I can barely believe it...although I was only 3 1/2 months along when this ultrasound was done she was pretty confident that it was a boy but we can't be for sure until I have another ultrasound which will hopefully be in about a month.

My head is still spinning a bit from everything. John has been on the road with his father, Curry Blake (www.jglm.org), since the 5th...about 3 days after we got here. And I have stayed in 4 different homes in one week and whew...I don't recommend that to anyone...well, at least not while your pregnant anyway. Everyone has been so helpful and so courteous but I just don't think it's possible for it to be easy to move 4 humongous suitcases, all the other things that didn't fit, 2 moody boys and my pregnant hormonal body from house to house.

My boys seem to be having a bit of a hard time with all the changes but things are smoothing out. One thing I've realized is that while my wallet is never overflowing...I am truly rich in family and friends. I have been moved to tears so many times I can't count by people's thoughtfulness and kindness. I have great friends here that I love so dearly and it's so incredible to feel that love recipricated back.

Between my children showing me a side of them that I've never seen before and me seeing a side of me that I've never seen before I am still in awe of God's working power. Overall, I've enjoyed staying other people's homes just because...well, everyone is so busy it's about the only way to get to spend any real time with them. There has definitly been some things that have been hard but through it all I really feel the hand of God at work.

He provides a way when there is none and He gives you strength when there is none to be had. He truly is my comforter and savior. So...because we are pregnant we will be having this baby here in America. We are due toward the end of April. We will return to Thailand about 6 weeks after the baby is born. Please be praying with us as we are trying to figure out how to be settled here for the next 7 months. It's quite the transition.

Thank you for reading and praying for us. While you think of us in prayer please remember the church in Baan Phrut that is going strong and meeting every Sunday...Pray for CheAnn (and that his wife Mamm gets saved), for Candy, Pii On and her children, Nawng Mai, and all of the new Thai children who have come to know Jesus.

The Garsee's are holding down the fort alone right now and can use your prayer. God seems to be bringing children out from the woodworks! Again, thank you for reading! I wanna leave you with this quote:

"The popular nineteenth-centrury English author William Arnot was described in this way: "His praching is good. His writing is better. His living is best of all." That is the challenge. May it be said of all Christians that their living is best of all."

With much love,
Steph

We made it!

We made it! Our feet are on American SOIL! It's awesome! I feel like I've been run through a wash cycle and then put in the dryer but I'm alive and I've eaten Taco Bueno so life is pretty good! LOL! HA! And yes, it was as delicious as we remembered. The boys are doing great so far and we are so excited to see everyone!!!


I want to update you guys but someone ordered Papa John's and it's HERE and soon after that it's bed time. So I will come and update you as soon as possible. WAHOO!!! :)

We're on our way!!

I really can't believe it but we are ON OUR WAY! We are sitting in a Bangkok airport having gone 1 plane ride out of 3 already! We still have about 25+ hours to go but we're doing good! Josiah and Jude have been wonderful so far. It's currently 12:06am and we have to wait until 2am before our next flight from Bangkok to Seoul, Korea.
I found this map online. It's not all that clear but if you find Bangkok and then look in the top you'll see Seoul. We'll arrive in Seoul at 9:30am their time. We will then leave Seoul at 12pm and arrive at 9:30am at DFW! I am so excited! The boys are a bit to handle and all of these business people keep looking at us like we are absolutely nuts! LOL! They are going by with their one suitcase and we have 6 suitcases and 3 carryons! Ha!

It's really strange to see so many farangs already! There are a lot of westerners in Bangkok and I have had to teach Josiah that not all of them are friendly. He really loves what he calls "english people" but he has yet to learn the lesson that not all people are interested in children...nor are they going to smile back.

He just doesn't seem to get why these people aren't treating him like the Thai people do. We had a little talk and he understands better now and he is smiling at every westerner he sees just to see if they are "good" or "bad". I tried to explain but this seems to be the point at which his reasoning stops. So he's met some very disinterested faces and some very friendly faces.

At this moment John is allowing the boys to run around the airport in hopes to run off some steam but the truth is that as our boys get more and more tired they seem to draw on some unknown energy source. They seem to never slow down unless made to lay still long enough to realize they are utterly exhausted!

Well, John is in need of assistance and I should attempt to get the boys to sleep some how. This new airport is awesome but it is COLD! I never thought I'd say that but it's freezing in here! God is so good - even as we were leaving I felt the peace of God...just knowing that He is with us and at work...even as we return to America.

Thank you for reading and please be praying for us!