Auntie Steph

"I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life."

~ Luke 18:29-31

This is one of my favorite verses :).  It is a promise to me that if I would follow the call missions, the Lord would give me a home and family wherever I would go.  He fulfilled this promise the moment I became a missionary!  Upon arriving in PNG, I immediately became "Aunt Steph" to... let me count them... 1, 2, 3... 7, 8... somewhere around 12 nieces and nephews ranging from ages 2 to 18, and one more who has been born since.  I have dozens of other nieces and nephews scattered across the globe.

I love being an aunt:  movie nights, babysitting, camp fire cookouts, vacations, piano lessons, tree houses, new puppies, birthday and holiday celebrations, and just growing up.  My two current and most excellent piano students are Alison Dooley (pictured) and Lydia Radcliffe.  Being an aunt is really fun stuff.  And it is a privilege to be able to fill in for all the aunts and uncles back home when they can't be here in person.

I recently received some very exciting news from my sister and her husband.  Sis is pregnant and expecting their first child!  One of the neatest things is that I was already planning a trip home next summer to attend the wedding of my long time friend Sarah.  Sis is due just 5 days before the wedding!  God's timing could not have been more perfect.  I'm so excited that I will be able to meet my new niece or nephew before she or he is walking and talking!  Here is a picture of the very cute little blob...