The final hoop has been cleared!

I have finally gotten everything done and together for transferring my license over to Florida. I am still not planning to work at least until next fall, but if anyone gets sick, I still wanted to be able to call in a prescription for them, so this hoop had to be jumped. Actually there were several hoops, each one with it's own price and frustrations!! I ended up calling the Florida Board of Nursing FOUR times with questions, a license verification place once, Missouri Board of Nursing once, and the ANCC once just to clarify what I was supposed to do. Seems they are much more worried about verifying my RN license than the ARNP one (where is the logic there?!?!?), and I just couldn't accept that until someone told me that in person!! A notarized copy of my license was all they needed to verify me as a Nurse Practitioner...still mind boggling to me! I was not in any better mood after waiting 50 (yes, that is FIFTY) minutes to get fingerprinted at the Police Department. There were signs posted about going through security and leaving purses and personal belongings in your car, so I ran out like lightening after they were informed that I was waiting, for fear they would come get me while I was taking my things to my van. I sat and looked around and read the signs and tried not to overhear any phone conversations for a few minutes, then decided this was a good time to pray. So I talked to God about my lack of patience and how hard it is to wait, prayed for my friends, my old MOPS group, my unsaved friends and family members, my new and old churches, our government...and oh yeah, speaking of government, God could you remind them that I have been waiting patiently for over 30 minutes?!?. I finished up my prayer and was left with just staring at my own reflection in the one way mirror near me which got really boring and after about 10 more minutes I started feeling really annoyed. I raced back out to the van for my cell phone so I could at least let Paul know that I was not dead since he was expecting me at the Agape breakfast meeting at 9:15 and it was now past 9:30. We had not been on the phone 30 seconds when the corrections officer came out to do my fingerprints!!! Anyway, we went to the post office today to put all the paperwork in the mail (required 2 separate mailings to different offices at the Department of Health in Tallahassee...not finding the logic there either). I found this to be a huge load off my mind and thought it was blog worthy!

Addressing the second envelope.
The kind postal worker was completely sympathetic to my whining about the frustrating process and got a kick out of us taking pictures in the post office...I didn't even get his name (rude northerner), but I really appreciated his insight!

The kids are having a great week at another VBS and I am enjoying an entire morning to myself since they were all old enough to attend. Holden and Alayna go to Creative Camp while Gabe and Riley go to Sports Camp. I drop them off at 8:40 and Monday and Tuesday I treated myself to a long hard bike ride (as fast as I wanted to go and as far as I wanted!), then came home and jumped straight into the pool to cool off, laid by the pool listening to the quiet until I was too bored and had too many other things I wanted to do besides lay still! I think this is just a small taste of what is to come when they go to school! I am sure I will miss them when they are gone all day, but reality comes crashing back in at noon when I have to go get them (way before I start missing them!). Today I spent my free morning at the police department, but I have plans to take back my morning tomorrow!!

Here Holden is proudly displaying his artwork: a decorated tile and a votive holder, both with scripture. Here is Alayna's fish she painted. It is hard to appreciate the sparkle in the glitter she lavished on the fish...that's my girly girl!!!

And this is just a picture of everyone being goofy. Alayna was playing dress up (by herself...still missing Abby, Jaclyn, and Amanda!!), Gabe was getting his new boogie board ready for the ocean (plans for going to the beach today if Paul can get away early--he went in at 5am today), and Holden is wanting the other side of his votive photographed so all the words could be read to the scripture!

We pray you are all doing well and hope to hear from lots of you soon!! We covet your comments here at our blog and your e-mails and phone calls. In case you are wondering, our cell phone numbers haven't changed, so don't hesitate to give us a ring! We would love to know how we can be praying for you. Here are some specific requests from us:

Gabriel: Please pray that people will send money to Agape so they can continue to send supplies to Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Riley: Please pray for the plane purchased by Agape that is being put together now in Atlanta.

Holden: Please pray for our visitors to get here safe when they come and please pray for the safety of the people that fly the plane for Agape. Please pray for safety of the people in Haiti and the other side of the world and for their health. God, please heal the people that are sick around the world, thank you for providing everything in the world, especially trees, beautiful flowers, fruits, and people.

Alayna: Please pray that I won't miss my friends so much. I love you! Please pray for Victoria on her trip to Florida! (Marcie: did you know about this???)

Paul and Travis: Wisdom in planning the next marriage conference in Iowa, provision for our travel, protection of our marriage. Wisdom in choosing ministries to be involved with here, that Jesus would be glorified by our service, not ourselves!

Thank you for choosing to travel this road beside us as our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are honored by your presence with us and forever grateful for His provision through you to bring us here.