We are crazy!

We had a great time visiting out friends in Pittsburg, Kansas. We didn't last long at the Home of God's Love picnic. Gavin was getting way too hot so we stayed for a few minutes. He looked like a tomato when we got into the car. We always manage to get tons of pictures of the kids together, but none of the adults. I love watching our kids play with Ava and Hudson. How awesome that Ava and Lyndlee were in Taiwan together, and Hudson and Gavin were too. They will always have such a strong friendship and connection and I love that.
So about this time last year after moving from Haiti in June, we lived with my parents till July, and then moved into our apartment in Branson. And now this time this year, we are moving to our new home. So boxes are every where! We close July 27th but did I tell you next week is our big youth event too. Lyndlee and Gavin get to go spend the week with their grandparents. So sometime in between the sessions with our youth, we have to go sign papers to close on the house, and than I have to find time to clean the house. Thursday we are moving everything in and having the youth kids help us! And then Brennan leaves for his Chicago trip on Saturday. So much going on right now. But we are so blessed with our wonderful children, with daily provisions and with our new home.

I love God's timing. This was a verse our pastor went over on Sunday morning.
But our homeland is in heaven, and we are waiting for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven. By his power to rule all things, he will change our humble bodies and make them like his own glorious body.
Philippians 3:10


House stuff continues to drag on, still praying we can close July 27th. We are so blessed in finding this foreclosure house and getting such a great deal on it. But I am not going to lie, I never want to buy a house again, let alone a foreclosure one. But I can't wait to show the kids their new home, especially to let them see the yard they can run around in. They are going to be so very excited. My sweet babies get so excited to be outdoors, Gavin even laughs if you are holding him and are walking anywhere near the front door.
This weekend we are going to our friends house in Pittsburg, Ks. to celebrate our precious kids with other adoptive parents around the area. There is nothing sweeter than going to a get together where there are 50 precious Chinese children running all around. God is great!
Here is a picture of our new home, hope to get more taken soon.

Glorious Day

As I write, Lyndlee is busy pretending to be a cat, Gavin is walking around everywhere/getting into everything, and Brennan is busy making dinner. I am blessed beyond words. I love my family.
This past week:

Brennan: has been busy with the youth and planning our big youth trip at the end of july. have i mentioned i have a great husband. he took the youth boys on a float trip. i loved hearing all about it when we got home and all the funny things the youth boys did too. he loves pouring his life into the lives of these great kids and i love serving alongside him.

Janna: this week has been crazy, consisting of mostly packing any spare time i get. i love being a wife and mommy.

Lyndlee: is talking like crazy in sentences and she is learning so much. she loves to pretend to be animals and loves to go swimming. she is very excited about her new house and all the boxes in the apartment right now.

Gavin: he is all boy. he tackles anyone that is sitting on the floor, i mean tackles them to the ground and laughs. he is walking everywhere now, but when he falls, he makes this funny sound like he is so disappointed he fell. he says "thank you" now and trying to say "please" what a sweet baby boy.

My family is so good at changes. Lyndlee has had a lot of changes in her young life from living in Taiwan, Haiti, Columbia, Mo. Joplin and now Branson. We do love to say how she is only 3 years old and has already lived in 3 different countries and has heard 3 different languages! She did great when we brought Gavin home in January and Gavin has done great with all the changes of living in America. Our family is such a perfect fit, a forever family, brought together by God! And now we are packing up again and moving to our new house, only a few minutes away from our apartment though. and my kids do not mind changes and that is such a blessing. I thank God for all these changes, for all the things we have learned along the way, for all the blessings, for all the trials, for the changes that are still to come because changes always come my friends and i get excited for them! I can't wait to see how He works in our lives and how He uses us!
In all of these changes, I have learned I very much dislike clutter and having too many things because honestly it creates too much to pack but also, those are just things of this world and they do not really matter in the end. Honestly, I never really have felt at home, really have felt settled. This is something that my best friend and I talk about so much. And sometimes I think, you know just maybe we aren't supposed to feel settled and to have this earth feel as our home ever. After all, this is not our home, and this is not where we will be spending the rest of our life. Oh how I can't wait for that day, to be with our Lord and not have any of this material stuff of the world, just being with the one True King Jesus! What a glorious day!

One day when heaven
Is filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as it could be
Jesus came forth to
Be born of a virgin
Dwelt among man my example is He

Living He loves me
Dying He saves me
Buried He carry my sin far away
Rising He justify
We live forever
One day He's coming
Oh, Glorious Day
Oh, Glorious Day

One day they lead Him
Up calvaries mountain
One day they nailed Him
To die on a tree
Suffering anguish
Despised and rejected
Bearing my sins my redeemer is He

One day the grave could sealed Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He a rose over Death He had conquered
Now is ascended
My lord forever more

One day the trumpet will
Sound for His coming
One day the sky with His
Glories will shine
Wonderful day
My beloved once bring
Glorious Savior is Jesus is mine.

Boxes here we come!

Well it has been a crazy few weeks with lots of people visiting and fun events with our youth.
Our big news is that we are now home owners! We have been looking at and praying for this specific house since Feb and can't believe it is ours! It was a long weekend after placing an offer on it Friday night but we finally found out at 8pm!
It will be perfect for the kids with a nice yard and more space, and even the neighborhood park is right behind our house.
Perfect for my very active kids.
So now to packing and cleaning amongst the already crazy summer schedule. We have family coming in this weekend and we are very much looking forward to that. Next weekend we have a float trip with our youth, followed by Chinese get together with other adoptive families, followed by moving day and than our big youth event for the summer. Wow. It is going to be crazy but I love it.
We appreciate all the prayers we can get these next few weeks. Thanks for being apart of our lives. We are thankful for you!

Conklin Family Visit

These past few weeks we have had family in. Eddie came one weekend followed by the Conklin Families. It has been a great time hanging out with everyone. Gavin has started walking now, he is taking up to 4 steps. And Lyndlee is talking more and more each day! She is learning so many new things to say! This week we are by ourselves as Brennan is at camp. We are ready for Daddy to be home!

We had Brice, Amanda, Naiyah and Beckett come visit us for a few days. Oh how we love them and miss them so much. I am praying for the day when we can be in ministry again and live close to each other! Not for sure if that will happen again but a girl can pray! We are so proud of them and all the work they are doing for the Lord in Haiti. Keep praying for them, as they travel this summer and return back home to Haiti in Aug. Also keep praying for all the students/families at Sonlight and all the wonderful people in Haiti.

Happy Birthday My Sweet Gavin Pan Conklin!
What a blessing you are to our lives. We are so thankful for you Shr Baba and Mama Bev. Thank you for placing Gavin into our lives. Thank you Showhwa, Jess, Allisyn, Rebecca, Jessica, Terrence, Anna, all the older kids, and all who cared for him those first 7 months! What a joy he is each and everyday. And thank you sweet Mei-Yi Pan for carrying Gavin those 9 months as he grew inside of you. We are so very thankful and are thinking of you a lot today. God bless you.
Here is our first set of pictures of Gavin that we got from THOGL Oct 11, 2009!
Happy Birthday Gavin!