Life Update: So you wanted an adventure?

   Let me just start by saying this month has had so many surprises that I feel like shock therapy would not even be shocking to me at this point. I mean it.

   To begin, we spend a week traveling leisurely across the U.S. enjoying our vacation and seeing some amazing parts of the country. We get to Redding, CA late Monday night (June 6^th), find an apartment and move in June 7^th (hallelujah) and wake up Thursday June 9^th and realize we have had a month for the story books. Yes, Thursday the 9^th a pregnancy test confirmed Baby Lanphier is on the way- “Puffin” as we affectionately call him/her.

   Let me just say, that finding out this joyous news is a little daunting when you have been sleeping for two nights in an empty apartment on a defective air mattress. We would get up multiple times during the night to inflate our mattress and still wake up hours later sleeping on the hard ground.. We had gotten rid of all our furniture and possessions only weeks before. Coming to Redding we had not secured jobs or housing and yet, parenthood was only 9 short months away...

  But none of this mattered to me. You see I was joyously happy to realize there was an excuse for why I had been so tired on our run in the Black Hills (if you remember I kept faking altitude sickness so Paul would walk with me). I was also incredibly relieved to realize that a certain outburst I had had only days before about my FRENCH FRIES not being fresh enough must be due to my new pregnancy hormones (I probably didn’t talk to Paul for an hour in the car because he hadn’t gotten me new french fries- Keep in mind the normal Emily doesn’t even LIKE French fries). I also was pleased to note my maternal instincts seemed to be ramping up because I had successfully watched a mother elk give birth in Yellowstone National Park without feeling like I was going to pass out. It was a miracle! The new pregnant me was going to rock!

   So we found a doctor and made an appointment. Luckily, we really liked him and the nurse. However, I was a little disillusioned when they informed me that I would have to have a blood draw AND didn’t get an ultrasound until 2 days later. I was none too pleased. I told Paul that I refused to get a blood draw, but he and the Dr insisted. To be fair, I did warn the lab technician of my tendency to pass out cold whenever needles were involved. I tried to be extra nice to her so she would take it easy on me. I made small talk and asked her how she liked her job. She made me sit in a chair and Paul had his arms around me trying to distract me. Let me just say it didn’t work… 10 seconds later I was out and Paul had to carry me out the room and to a bed a few doors down (bad day to wear a skirt). Needless to say I was a little embarrassed to wake up and find my concerned husband, lab technician, nurse, and doctor all checking in on me- great first impression. And for the record, I don't think I made any friends with the lab technician. She will probably call in sick for my 28 week blood draw...

   My parents called me minutes after my appointment to see how it went (they were so excited). I was crying so hard that my dad handed the phone to my mom who knows how I get about needles. I was sobbing “they took TEN GALLONS of my blood and I didn’t even get to see my baby!!!” Poor Mom, poor Dad, poor Paul, poor ME!

   We were going to wait to announce it to the world until after I had my ultrasound. My parents were chomping the bit to tell people and Paul and I decided to let them tell their close friends since the news was killing them. What happened next can only be described as a communication breakdown because Paul and I were innocently out to eat for our 3^rd anniversary dinner and I get msg of my phone saying my dad has tweeted “Tell the world!!!!! I’m going to be a Grandpa! Emily is pregnant! Thanks Pablo (son-in-law).” We both choked on our Chinese food and quickly called my parents. Long story short, my mom had told my dad it was ok to tell their friends and he thought that meant he could tell they entire Western world. :)

First baby shot...

Empty Apartment

   Tis the season for furniture-less apartments. And by 'apartments' I mean our apartment. :) The only furniture we currently have is a bed and two camping chairs which are on our back balcony. The bed was very necessary after sleeping 2 nights on our defective air mattress which we had to repeatedly inflate during the night because it kept losing air. I feel like college students. We are enjoying cooking together and having no obligations :)
   We LOVE Redding! Granted life is pretty enjoyable when you have days on end to just be with your bestie, but we really really enjoy California living. We are both on the job hunt (which is why I am waiting to buy furniture). It can be a little nerve-racking to be living life without money coming in, but we feel we are supposed to be in Redding and are going to be faithful to look for jobs. HE will provide what we need. He has been so faithful every step of the way- I mean who finds an apartment and moves in the SAME day in a new town? Jesus is an extravagant Father and we are filled with hope.
  This last weekend was our first services in Bethel. Let me just say we are going to be SO spoiled. The worship is off the charts. I have never in my whole life seen a group of people more excited to worship than I have at Bethel. You can feel the electricity in the air. There is a sense of expectancy and joy. The teaching is wonderful too.. Friday night we heard Sherri Silk talk on the orphan spirit and how God decides our inheritance. It was anointed. Yesterday (Sunday morning) Kris Valloton spoke. His message was about whole restoration. The Lord doesn't just want to heal us physically, He has come to bring WHOLENESS to our whole being. 
  In addition to the services, Bethel has a beautiful 24 prayer room that we have been taking advantage of. Paul is actually there right now seeking the Lord about jobs and direction. If you think of it would you pray the Lord brings the right jobs to us? Thanks!

Whiskey town- where we go to swim and sun-bathe!

Not bad, huh?!

The water is really clear!

 

Redding

   We arrived in Redding, CA late Monday night (Day 6 of travling). All in all, we drove about 2,500 miles. We went through Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada and Cali. 
    Our first day (Tuesday) we got up, went to Starbucks, and started apartment hunting online! Keep in mind, we came out here without housing, jobs, or any knowledge of the city. We just trusted God would lead us to where we were supposed to be. I will be honest and confess that yesterday was a rough day for me. I tend to get stressed by change and uncertainty- I was not the most pleasant human being to be around, but despite my anxiety the Lord was kind and we found a 2 bedroom apartment only a mile or so from school with a FANTASTIC view of the scenery behind it. We were also able to move in the SAME DAY! We had no electricity last night since the apartment had been vacant before, so we blew up our air mattress and camped in the living room :). 
   The apartment we live in is actually 1 out of 4 units. All of the other tenants are either Bethel students or graduates. Our neighbor below us Nick, is from England and has been so welcoming. He had us over for tea when we were looking at the apartment and then we all grilled out for dinner once we decided to move in. We have felt so grateful for friendship and kindness Day 1 in Redding.
   The neighborhood that we live in is also a kind of 'hub' if you will of Bethel students. Once September comes, about 100 students will be living in the apartments and buildings all around us.There is a real sense of community and outreach because the area has been a 'rough' in the past, but has been improving steadily through community outreach and the presence of many students.
   Today we are going to look for some furniture in thrift stores. We also have the electricity being turned on today so I can use my beloved Vitamix tomorrow! Paul already had a job interview today and it would seem we are getting settled in quickly. Thanks for everyone's prayers, texts, calls, and messages. We definitely miss our Omaha peeps!

 

Travels: STILL on the road (Day 5)

  We are still on the road (as you can probably tell from the title of this post). We are in Salt Lake City, UT. Paul wanted to come here after having stayed in SLC for a few days on a business trip. Tonight we are going to Red Iguana a pretty well-known Mexican restaurant that is the "best thing ever."
   I wanted to post some pics of our trip so far. I thought I should break up the trip into different blog entries since we are going so many places. Enjoy!

Our camp grounds in Custer, SD!

Awesome pie here in the city of Custer. We went 2 nights in a row!

Mt. Rushmore

Entering Yellowstone!

Our adorable cabin!

At the hot springs.

Momma bear and cubs right beside road!

Geysers

Fountain Paint Pots.

Old Faithful.

Just-born baby elk!

Bison.

    The best part about this trip is that we have no agenda. We decided in the car today that we wanted to visit Salt Lake. We are enjoying having the freedom to travel leisurely to Redding. A highlight of the Yellowstone trip was seeing a wild elk momma give birth to a baby- we saw it with our own eyes! We were right across the road from her as she was lying in a grove of trees. A ranger told us that the elk were starting to give birth closer to the camps because the bears were less likely to get the babies. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Travels: On the ROAD!!!! :)

   I sit at the counter of a Starbucks in Rapid City, SD. Paul is beside me reading and I am drinking a tall, skinny, low-ice Carmel Macciato with extra carmel drizzle. I had to post a quick blog entry since we are in the throws of our adventure. :) Yesterday morning we pulled out of Omaha and drove 8ish hours to Custer State Park. We camped there last night and are spending the day 'vacationing.' We just got done visiting Mt. Rushmore and early this morning Paul forced me to go running with him.. I didn't want to go as far as he did so I faked altitude sickness (I think he is a little suspicious though seeing as I bounced back so quickly). 
   Yesterday in the car we listened to audio books. The first one was the book "The Forgotten God" by Francis Chan and the second one we are in the middle of is "God's Smuggler" by Brother Andrew. We are literally hooked! It is so fun to hear all the miraculous ways the Lord provided, healed, and used Brother Andrew. He smuggled bibles into 'closed' countries in the 1950s. I highly recommend this book and it is fun to listen to on audio. 
  Emotionally, I feel torn. I am LOVING this time with Paul. We are having a blast together and the natural beauty of South Dakota is breath-taking... plus I am constantly wowed by how outdoorsie he is. He literally knows so much about camping and survival. He carries a 2 foot machete/sword thing with him whenever he is outside. I will have to post a picture because it is hilarious. He insists on sleeping with it beside our air-matress. On the other hand, I really miss our families. We spent so much time with them living in Omaha. We are sad to not get to see our precious nieces Delaney and Averey grow throughout this next year. I was already missing my mom a block away from home... But we know that we are on an amazing adventure and we're soaking it in. :)
   Tomorrow we will pack up and drive 9 hours to Yellowstone. We are planning on spending 2 nights there as well. Thanks for following our trip friends! We are grateful for you all!!