August update, new family member!

Hello again! It’s been a little over a month since we left Ecuador to come back to Pennsylvania to give birth to our newest family member. We have been enjoying our time with family and friends while here, Josie is loving being with her cousins again, although she talks about the jungle house weekly. 

We introduced another baby girl into our family, August 1st at 9:44PM, she was 6lbs 11oz. We named her Winifred Kay Miller, Winnie for short. The meaning of a name is important to us & we like to get a feel of personality before choosing a name. Winifred means friend of peace, blessed, and joy. Kay is my middle name that we passed onto her. She has been a joy to have, she’s growing and nursing well.  Josie is obsessed with her, she has been a huge help with getting diapers, picking outfits, talking to Winnie while I’m doing chores, and giving lots of squeezes and kisses. We are easing into being a family of four. 

Looking ahead a little, we are waiting to receive Winnie’s birth certificate before we can move ahead with getting her a passport. Our rough plan currently is to apply for her visa in Ecuador but we are taking things one step at a time. We are looking at returning before the holidays, late October early November, but we don’t get too excited, we make plans but God determines it all. If you would like, pray with us as we navigate these next few months of paperwork and government offices. May things be done in God’s timing & not our own. 

We have been soaking up family time & visits with friends. I feel like culture shock of returning has finally wore off, the excitement of returning, finding your place, the overwhelm, navigation feelings of retuning, all the stuff. Gideon is working on & off with a family friend, he helped build a deck and roof the last few weeks. He doesn’t like to sit still and the extra income is a blessing as we are here in the states & things cost more here. God is faithful to provide for us when we give him the opportunity to & allow others to bless. We’ve had friends buy us groceries, a local church give us gas cards, people asking what we need for Winnie and gifting it to us, bringing meals by, and much more. It’s been such a sweet reminder that when we take our needs to God he provides for us, some of these things have happened the very next day after I’ve prayed for provision. But of course it’s not how we envision it, it takes setting pride aside sometimes and sharing with others what you actually need or how they can help, when they offer. With all that blessing, life still happens, my car died this past Friday. I’m thankful for a husband who can work on vehicles (he might not be thankful for that), but after assessing it, it looks like the motor is done for. We decided to just be a one vehicle family for the time being, as we don’t want to take a loan out for a new vehicle at the moment. I’ve had nothing but praise through this car situation, though I should be stressed and upset, God has been showing me so much lately how he provides for every need (and want). If we need another vehicle, he will provide that, if not, that’s okay too, because we have one and that’s enough. And through all this, he is good and faithful. 

This was how I made dinner this evening, Josie reading books to Winnie. I have a full heart with these two girlies.