Family Conference

(SEND missionaries who have recently come for a time of "home service")
It feels a little strange to talk about a family conference when I left my family back in Medical Lake while I traveled to Michigan for the annual SEND conference, but that is what we call it in the world of SEND so I will call it that too :). Even though I was without my family, it really was a great time to connect with other missionaries including some of our teammates. I got to see John and Sharon Wicker again, they are the ones that visited us with their family a few weeks ago. Dave and Martina Brubacher were also there (that's who I'm sitting with in the picture above), and they are going to be our new neighbors in Ulan-Ude. We're really looking forward to that! They were nice to hang out with me so that I didn't feel all alone without Jami and the girls. It was also good to catch up with people that we had gone through training together with before we left. I even got to ride from the conference to our mission office with Wes, Michelle and their son Sidney who I was meeting for the first time. Connecting with people is always the best part of a conference like this, but I was also encouraged by stories of God's good news spreading through the world, and encouraged by the new missionaries who are moving out to new parts of the world. This picture shows some of the people who are just joining SEND to go to various parts of the world where God's message is not being shared. If you are interested in hearing more about these things you can check out the send website www.send.org. Acutally we have our own page on the website www.send.org/Gustafson.

We miss you and love you, Leif/Papa!

Leif's been gone this week to a couple of conferences with SEND International this week in Michigan. I've been staying at my parents' place and got some good girl time with my mom and daughters while my Dad was in Montana. But I wanted to take this opportunity to tell Leif how much we love him!!

Leif, you've been SUCH an amazing husband and father, and I've especially been appreciative these past 6 weeks after Ella's birth. You have been so helpful in watching Anneka in the mornings while I catch up on some much-needed sleep. And I SO appreciate how you've been on top of planning our schedules, calling churches and pastors, making dinners so that we can have friends over, etc, etc. And amidst all of the craziness of being on home service, you always put people before tasks. You always make time for me and the girls... and we feel loved and enjoyed by you! I couldn't have a more wonderful husband. You're a superstar!!


I dressed Ella in her Daddy shirts this week. I meant to take a picture of Anneka in her Daddy shirt, too, but I'm not as handy with my mom's camera and computer. So Ella will be the star of today's post.

We love you, Leif/Papa, and look forward to seeing you again in a couple of days!!

Opportunities

(photo by Anneka Gustafson)

I am amazed at how God opens opportunities for us to talk with people and be an encouragement and to share a little bit of Christ with them. Having worked with Campus Crusade for Christ in the past, I have heard countless stories of how Bill Bright (the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ) got on a plane somewhere, struck up a conversation with the person or persons next to him, and before the plane landed that person had given their life to Christ. I loved the boldness and urgency that he showed in his life, and have always sought to love the Lord with a similar zeal and passion. I am in Michigan this week at a SEND conference and will spend a couple days at our home office to connect there too. I am by myself because it seemed insane to bring a toddler and a 6 week old here, so Jami is home with the girls enjoying some good time with her mom. Unfortunately, I missed being with her for her birthday yesterday :(. But on the flight here, I used Bill Bright's inspiration and began to talk with the guy next to me on the airplane. His name is Justin and we had a really good conversation. I can't say that I took a guy that didn't know Christ and brought him to a place of reckless abandon for God, but I had a chance to encourage a guy that has a history in the church and is dealing with ideas of religion as he interacts with his girlfriend's parents who are ultra-conservative. It was such a good time to talk with him about God and about how we worship Him and how the truly important thing is to worship God both in spirit and in truth. Justin lives pretty close to us in the Spokane area, and he gave me his email. I hope that we will get a chance to talk more. Please pray for this new friend of mine, as well as for his girlfriend and her parents.

Art Show

The pictures on Irene's camera of the vacation Bible school weren't super-great, so I'll just leave it to your imagination. =) But I did find these from her camera:



On this afternoon, I lounged outside with Ella napping on me. It was so wonderful and peaceful!



This one is funny of my grandpa reading to Anneka.




On Saturday, we went and visited my Dad at an art show in St. Maries, Idaho. It was a pretty location on the St. Joe River and fun to see him there.



Leif and Anneka posed behind this picture at the show.




Then Anneka stripped down and had a hay-day playing in the river. So fun to watch her!

Out At The Lake

We were asked to be the missionary guests at a vacation Bible school in Harrison, Idaho this week. My grandparents have a lake home just a few minutes from the church, so we're "suffering" here this week! Our VBS pictures are on Irene's camera. I'll try to get them and post them later. Ella is growing and growing! She's a month old now and is very strong! She holds her head up and grabs at things frequently. She seems older than she is. She took off my glasses yesterday, and it really seems like she's smiling. She's so much fun



Leif's mom, Irene, is with us this week. It's been so great to see her and Anneka playing and having fun... and it's so helpful, as I spend a good deal of the day feeding and attending to Ella.




Leif and Anneka tried out my cousin, Brian's jet ski.




Fun on the dock.



My grandparents have been out here, too. I love every minute with them!

Visitors!

Our teammates, the Wickers, made the long drive down from Alberta to see us and meet baby Ella. It was so wonderful to see them and to connect on this side of the world. It was nice, too, for them to get to know my family more and for my family to know them better. Anneka and I decorated the sidewalk with sidewalk chalk to welcome them properly. Anneka wanted me to trace her body and for her to trace me. Apparently she recently did this with my mom. =)




The first day the guys and Anneka went to the park while us girls went shopping. Clothing prices are a lot cheaper here than in Canada. This is a special goat that works like a vacuum cleaner and eats garbage. On a side note, Ella's social security card came in the mail that day, so Leif and I were able to send off for her passport that morning. We're praying for speedy processing so that we can begin on her other paperwork to get to Russia.








John and Anneka went down the big slide at Riverfront park that looks like a wagon.



What fun!



Ella likes her new friends.



Anneka has been talking about Heidi all summer. At last they were reunited!




Sisters dressed like twins. A little bit of a forced smile here. =)


My dad made a dinner in the dutch oven outside and we hung out in lawn chairs, camping-style.



I asked Sharon to take Ella into the evening light (it was already past 8:00pm, so the rays weren't strong) for just a few minutes to help with some of her jaundice. I think she was happy to help!



Group picture! Notice that Anneka, Ella and I were dressed as triplets. =)





Heather Ann cuddling with Ella. I love it when she has the forehead wrinkles.




Anneka was SO happy to play with Matthew!



We had fun playing bocce ball. It was so great to enjoy this time together. Thanks for making the big trek here, John, Sharon, Heather Ann, Matthew, and Heidi! We love you!

Freedom Day

Yesterday was a good day of celebrating our freedom- both in Christ and in our country, and remembering our good friend Jeannie Cross. Jeannie went to be with the Lord 2 years ago. While we grieved her passing in Russia, it comes back in new waves as we are back in the States and feel her absence. Her husband, Scott and daughter, Malia hosted a BBQ yesterday and we celebrated and remembered Jeannie's life with them and others. They'd set up a display of pictures and albums and memories. It's a gift for us to have this time to help with our hearts as we miss Jeannie. Jeannie was born on Christmas and died on the 4th of July. Now she is truly free and we long for one day being able to see her again!



In the evening we went to my parents house to watch fireworks on the lake. Leif bought a few and set them off for us to enjoy, too. And Anneka loved throwing the pop-its!



We set up chairs on the lawn. Here, Anneka was wearing her Baba's hat.



Waiting for it to get dark



Laughing about how everyone thinks that Leif is a foreigner. (Seriously. People ask ALL THE TIME what country he's from. Some people even say he has an accent!)




Cuddling and keeping warm in the chill of evening. So sweet.

Ella is back to her birth weight now (9 lbs. 6 oz.). Can you believe she fit inside me!?!



Anneka loved helping give Ella a bath.

It was nice to go to church yesterday. These kids loved holding baby Ella. Anneka kept calling them the little boys. We had to explain that the ones wearing dresses were girls. =)



Leif has been so wonderful this past week, taking care of his girls. On Saturday I encouraged him to go check out Hoopfest (the world's largest 3 on 3 basketball tournament) and then today he's helping my aunt and uncle move. I took the girls to the park this morning. Ella slept and Anneka always enjoys being outside! I've discovered that she likes juice boxes (she's never been a good fluid drinker) and it's nice to tote them around with us.



I love living by lakes! We're within walking distance of two!! Anneka dug around in the sand and fed fishy crackers to the birds.



Sliding down the slide. We stopped at a thrift store on the way to get her a new sunhat. I love that about America- yard sales and second hand stores!



The girls and I hung out with Baba and Grampa on Saturday. My dad made dinner in the dutch oven over a campfire.



Ella sleeping sweetly on her papa.

Fishing With Grampa

Today my dad took Anneka fishing while Leif and I took Ella in for her checkup. They had such a good time!



Anneka caught three fish and was so proud! It's so wonderful knowing that Anneka is having so much fun while we take care of other things that would otherwise be boring for her. What a blessing!

Settling In

We've been home from the hospital for a week now, and starting on Monday, we set aside this week to rest and have time together as our little family (with Anneka also spending time with grandpa and grandma, which is more fun than watching her mom take a nap). People have been bringing us delicious meals, which is such a blessing!

The labor and delivery was so fast (a little over 4 hours)- 12 hours faster than with Anneka! Ella was so large coming out that she broke her clavicle (collar bone). Poor girl. The doctor suspected it at birth because she heard a snap, but we didn't know for sure until the following Saturday. Ella had stopped moving her arm, so I called the doctor's office. Since it was the weekend, they had us take her into the emergency room, and sure enough, it was broken. She seems to not be in pain, though (except for a few little moments), so that is good. We saw how God's hand was on our family the entire time in the hospital. There was a very scary time right after Ella had her first bath that she choked on amniotic fluid and turned very blue for what felt like a long time. The nurse had me call two other nurses in and they gave Ella oxygen and sucked out her stomach. Leif and I both felt so scared and prayed outloud right during everything. We're SO THANKFUL that we were in the nursery at that moment with a nurse who knew what to do and had the right equipment. We know that this was God reminding us of His care and love... and a reminder that our children are not our own. They are the Lord's and He has entrusted us with them. We pray that we raise them in a way that is honoring and pleasing to Him!

Another special thing is that Ella was born on my grandparent's 63rd wedding anniversary! They came to the hospital before they went out on a date, and my grandpa prayed over Ella. What a gift!




Leif's grandparents, mom, and our niece came to visit over the weekend. Anneka enjoyed getting time with her cousin, Gwen.



And with her grandparents (and the greats!), too.



Here's cousin Gwen with little Ella.





Ella is such a joy! She is so sweet and cuddly and adorable. We love her so much!!



My brother stopped in last weekend, too, and brought a baby crow that he's caring for until he takes it to it's new home.




Anneka loved feeding the crow dog food.



Here's Leif with his two girls on Father's Day. He's such a wonderful husband and papa!! This week he's been spending a lot of time playing with Anneka while I nurse Ella and take naps. I'm so thankful for him!

Some of you have asked how Anneka likes being a big sister. She loves it! She's so proud of little Ella and the first thing she said of her sister is "I like her". When others hold Ella and she cries, Anneka wants me to hold Ella and comfort her. I'm so thankful that Ella has been welcomed into the family by all!