Highlights: 2013 in Review

January:

* Transitions for Sophie: Moved her from a crib to a twin-size bed and took away her paci

* Spoke with churches and individuals about our incredible trip to Papua New Guinea

* Ben started working again at a construction company he had previously worked at

* I babysat

* Our Life Group threw me a beautiful baby shower

* We added sweet baby Brielle to our family on January 25

February:

* We adjusted to being a family of 4 while Sophie adjusted to being a big sister

* We were so, so blessed by friends and family who brought us many meals

* Sophie enjoyed the snow

* Sophie potty trained!

March:
* My grandma came to visit from Vermont!
* I resumed babysitting
* We took a weekend trip to Jackson, MI to visit Bible school friends
* Jason and Laken made a last minute trip to visit us over Easter
* We spent Easter break in Gull Lake, MI with the Miller family and Jason and Laken
* Sophie had her first Easter egg hunt
* Ben and I celebrated our 25th birthdays and Sophie turned 2!
* Ben started working at the RV factory again

April:
* We had Sophie's 2nd birthday party, Minnie Mouse style!
* Sophie puked for the first time on the way to her birthday party (should this be a highlight? haha)
* We celebrated my mom's birthday with the Walton family
* Enjoyed meeting weekly with Jessie to go through a book together
* We got our acceptance letter from New Tribe's MTC

May:
* We celebrated my sister Nikki's pregnancy with a baby shower
* Aunt Nanna came to visit lots
* It finally started warming up, so the girls and I and the boy I babysat spent lots of time outside!
* I enjoyed learning how to use my camera by taking outside pictures
* I was sad to say good-bye to friends from the two Mom's groups I was in
* We went camping over Memorial Day weekend with the Walton family and friends from church

June:

* I took a trip with my mom and the kiddos to the zoo

* We took a weekend trip to Columbus, OH so Ben could help my Uncle with work on his house

* We enjoyed fun summer things, like festivals and parades

* My best friend Abbey came to visit from California with her son, Wes!

* We did a fun pamper outing (nails, Granite City, and Debrands chocolate) with my Life Group ladies

* I got my wisdom teeth out

July:

* Brielle turned 6 months

* We had Walton family pictures taken by Carrie Weaver Photography

* We celebrated July 4 by honoring Ben's grandpa who is a war veteran

* My sister had her baby boy, Blake, and I got to her with her while she did!

* We went to the Whitley County 4H fair

* We had a day at the pool at our annual Moser-Walton pool party

* We said good-bye (and see you soon!) to our beloved Life Group

* My friend Jessica from NTBI came to visit!

* We did LOTS of packing!!

August:

* Spent a week with the Millers at Gull Lake Family Camp

* Moved to Roach, MO to begin our training at New Tribes Mission's MTC

* Enjoyed living by a lake (Sophie loves the water!)

* Started classes- SUCH good classes!

* Enjoyed catching up with old friends and making new ones

* Went camping with friends from school over Labor Day weekend

September:
* We enjoyed several campfires with good friends
* We grilled out lots! And had lots of people over for dinner
* Sophie and Brielle went to childcare- Sophie loved it; Brielle endured it
* Celebrated my new friend Asmara's newest baby with a baby shower
* Enjoyed free food from our food pantry and made Brielle some baby food!

October:
* We found out we were pregnant with BabyMill3!
* Dad and Mom Miller came to visit
* My mom and sisters came to visit
* For Halloween, the girls went Trick or Treating around campus
* We enjoyed starting to meet with two other couples for a Bible study each week

November:

* I had fun at a Ladies Retreat with women from my school

* I helped with my good friend, Laken's baby shower

* I enjoyed meeting with friends on Tuesday afternoon for a fellowship group

* Ben did plumbing each week on a new building at our school (this is his campus job)

* We attended Kyle and Val's beautiful wedding

* We enjoyed Thanksgiving with our families in Indiana

December:

* We got a dusting of snow and have a great hill outside our home

* We had lots of Christmas fun!

* I had a fun girls night out with my friends Rachel and Jill

* We said hard good-byes to friends we might never see again this side of heaven

* We were excited to meet baby Thatcher, Jason and Laken's son

* We enjoyed fun times with our e-linc (small group) at school

* We had good times with family in Indiana

* Christmas party with our Life Group in Indiana

* We celebrated Ben's sister Katie's pregnancy

* We had a scare with a threatened miscarriage but were so thankful to see a heartbeat

Twenty-Four and Many More

As most of you know, Ben and I desire to move overseas in a few years (most likely to Papua New Guinea) to work with a people group who has never heard about Jesus. We are not there yet, but here is what is amazing:

TWENTY FOUR PEOPLE have already had a part in getting the gospel to this people group.

Since June, twenty-three people (or couples in many cases and churches in two cases) have given financially to help us as we prepare and train to work among an unreached people group. So that makes twenty-three people/couples/churches plus us who are already excited and passionate about getting the gospel to these people. And we're not even there yet. Wow! Thank you! We are so grateful and amazed for the way God works in people's hearts to care for his people around the world who still need to hear.

And the exciting thing is that I believe there are more than just twenty-four. I know there are many more of you who have not financially given but are praying for us faithfully, and you are such a vital part in reaching this unreached people group as well. We know that God has heard and answered your prayers as he gives us health, wisdom, finances, energy, and perseverance.

As the end of our first semester of training comes to a close, we want to take time to say THANK YOU for your part in responding to God's command to "make disciples of all nations" (Matt. 28:18-20).