Janis and Dave Take Illinois!

So, a lot has happened since my last post!  Since matching to the Residency that we were hoping and praying for, it has been a whirlwind of paperwork, apartment hunting, and making plans for our vacations to Canada, the Caribbean, and New York!  An interesting combination of excitement, stress, and a race against the clock to get everything accomplished!  As per usual, thank God for His hand in our lives!!

As a fun break from all we have to do, my parents came to visit us here in Illinois before the big move!  It was so much fun having them stay with us and doing lots of fun Chicagoland style activities we hadn't yet had a chance to do!  It sure is nice having some very familiar Canadian faces joining us in our little adventure!

The first full day of having my parents in Illinois, I took them to Harvest Bible Chapel to have them meet some of the amazing people that work there, as well as help out a little bit with bulletins and the usual Friday routine, including Lunch Club!  It was fun "working" with my parents and letting them see a little bit of what I have been doing here in Illinois!

We then joined Andee after he was finished with work by going to Ci Ci's pizza buffet!  We were starving, and it was a very delicious and reasonable place for lunch!  Nothing says America like a pizza buffet!  There was also a claw machine, in which Mom won the only animal!  Of course!

The next day was the highlight of our to-do list - a bus tour of Chicago with on-and-off stops, lots of photo ops, and free goodies!  It only took Andee and I a year and a half to finally visit all of the main tourist attractions in Chicago!  Highlights of the tour included a walk along the Pier, an indoor tropical paradise room, Chicago style hot dogs, free T-shirts, chocolate bars, and gelato, and a visit to the Bean!  We also learned a lot of interesting facts about Chicago on the tour, and had a lot of fun enjoying the sights with our family!  Enjoy the pictures!!

We took it a little easier the next couple of days, with some church in the morning, a walk along the beautiful apartment grounds with lake and ski-hill views, a beautiful walk in downtown Naperville, and a delicious dinner at Maggino's Italian Restaurant!  Speaking of delicious meals, we also had the privilege of eating lots of famous Chicagoland and American restaurants such as Calvers and Portillos!  We loved the burgers, fish, and Italian Beef, as well as Portillo's Chocolate Cake!!  Perfect!

The last day of my Parent's trip we visited the Brookfield Zoo!  The zoo is always one of my favourite activities, and we were not disappointed!  Leopards, tigers, lions, dolphins, bears, fish, penguins, and the most rare and beautiful, Canadian Geese!  Haha!  It was a cool but sunny day to enjoy so many of God's amazing creations!

The next day we had to say goodbye, but with the promise of reuniting in just over a month!  Andee and I are about 95% into a really nice apartment complex in Iowa, and we should be moving in late May to Waterloo!  We also have two family trips planned to look forward to, as well as a solid month in our beloved Canada!!  We are really excited for all these fun things coming up, and trusting God for all the new promises He has for us in this new location!  Praise the Lord!

Match Madness and God's Victory!!

ANDEE GOT THE RESIDENCY!!!  HE MATCHED!!!  TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!

Ahem, okay, so now that I got that out, let's start from the beginning!!  

From top to bottom, the residency application, examination and paperwork process takes approximately 6 months to a year to get everything in order.  During this season there are copious amounts of paperwork, a ton of individual research, studying galore, lots of fees due, interviews, and oh yeah, still maintaining a full-time, unpaid position at the hospital.  In addition, there is a seemingly endless waiting period in between the interview season and the actual Match results.  Sounds fun, right?  Indeed.

But our loving and merciful God wouldn't let any of that nonsense stop Him from moving in our lives!  God started early in the process to ensure His victory!  Within 24 hours of sending in Andee's applications for the residency programs, he received his first interview invite - which in and of itself is pretty amazing!  We booked the interview for early October, and found out quickly that Andee's personal statement involving faith and God's calling to medicine resonated with the Program Director.  This particular Program Director shared a similar calling, and was impressed with Andee's level of faith and confidence.  God was on the move!!  We really felt in our hearts that this program was special, and were convicted to believe God for this particular residency.

However, we were still holding out hope for a Canadian Residency, which would bring us closer to our family and where we feel the most at home.  We found out in November that Andee did not receive an interview in Ontario, Canada, despite having a very competitive score on the Canadian Licensing Exam.  We were disappointed to say the least.  We didn't want to admit it at the time, but we knew that God had more in store for us in the United States, and that an American Residency was where he was calling us.  We remembered our first interview and how God moved during that time, and knew that this was His calling for us.

At this time, I was participating in a study on Gideon with Harvest.  The tag line read "Your Weakness, God's Strength."  Perfect!!  This familiar Bible story is identified by God reducing Gideon's army from 32,000 men to a mere 300.  The 450:1 odds against the enemy was God's way of ensuring that the victory would be because of His strength, and that his people would not try to claim the victory as their own.  This wonderful story of faith and victory in impossible situations was exactly what we needed during this time!

We too felt a little like Gideon and his army about to go into battle.  There were so many factors that God used to reduce our army so that we would rely on His strength for the victory.  Not only is Andee an international graduate from a Caribbean school, but he is also a Canadian citizen applying to American residencies.  And with no interviews in Canada, our army seemed to be wearing thin.

With the odds stacked against us for a Residency Match, our only choice was to rely on God for a victory in our circumstances.  Good choice!!  Through the Bible Study we learned that our resources are in our relationship with Jesus, and that believing God for a victory was the clear direction.

Andee and I then participated in a 21-day fast, in which Matching to this Residency was our main prayer focus.  We chose to believe in God's truth's - that not only is he able, but he is willing to intervene in our lives in a personal and miraculous way!  We believed that God would fill in the gaps in our lives that this schooling had created, financially and in terms of future employment.  We were believing God for His victory in our lives, as His will, His glory, and his perfect plan were the ultimate purpose!  We believed that he truly has "plans to prosper and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future".  He had gotten us this far, and we believed him to finish his work in this situation!

God can only move when we are placed in situations where he has to move!  God was making room in our lives during the waiting season for His glory and power to move in our lives!  He wanted us to confidently trust in Him for the victory!

On Match Day, Andee and I expectantly waited by the computer for the anticipated email to arrive.  With God as our strength, we opened up the email that clearly stated...

"Congratulations!  You have Matched!"

The Lord has declared His victory in the lives of His Children!!!  We are beyond thankful and overjoyed of His work in our lives, and we give him all the Glory.  We love Him, because He first loved us!! 

"For years to come, this triumph would be remembered as the day when God fought on His people's behalf." - Priscilla Shirer "Gideon."

And, drum roll please, the Residency that Andee has been accepted to is.....

Northeast Iowa Family Medicine!!  Which means, we will be moving to Iowa in June!!  We are so ready for this next adventure that God has for us!!

We celebrated with real donuts, a "boatload" of Simpsons donuts, as well as going out for a delicious pasta dinner at Maggiano's!  

GOD IS SO SO SO SO SO GOOD!!!

Long Time No See!

...So it has been a while!  As most of you probably know, winter for me is synonymous with hibernation, and so I have been majorly slacking in the photos and updates department!  This winter was especially cold and snowy, with weather experts deeming it the worst winter in over 20 years!  Hopefully another 20 years will pass before this polar vortex returns!  Even as I am typing this, I am staring out the window with a marvelous view of countless snow covered branches and mounding piles of fluffy white snow on the ground due to our most recent mid-March snowstorm.  That is it!!  I am officially declaring Winter to be completely over and done with, making way for the beautiful colors, smells, activities, growth, and warmer weather that comes with the wondrous season of Spring!!  Can I get an Amen?!

Andee and I have been working and volunteering as usual, but one special day in mid-January we got a special surprise from an unexpected person while volunteering at Harvest!  On a typical day, Andee would drop me off at Harvest and head to work, but this particular morning he came inside to print off a quick homemade card before heading off.  As the two of walked by our good friend Amy Freitag as Andee was about to leave, she suspiciously stopped us and asked us to wait at the front for a few minutes.  A couple minutes later she arrived with a wrapped present and a picture of a hand written note with very familiar handwriting!  I knew right away that is was Cassie, but was still confused as to how the note even got to us, let alone what was in the package!  We excitedly opened up the package with Amy giggling and taking pictures, and my amazing sister Cassie had bought us a brand new TABLET!!!!  We were shocked, and so excited!!  We had recently been looking into getting one when both of our laptops died within a week, but decided against it since we are a little low on funds.  But Cassie in her generosity decided to get it for us as a gift, working through Amy to get it to us in Illinois!  And on the note read a very encouraging and needed verse; "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus."  We are so grateful for family and friends who are the hands and feet of Jesus in helping to meet the needs of His children!  Since opening up the tablet that day, we have used it an embarrassingly large amount and have so enjoyed finally being able to play The Simpsons Tapped Out!!  What an amazing gift, and what an amazing sister!!  We love you Cassie!!

Since Christmas, our little Aloe cat has been extra affectionate and adorable as he has now become a lap cat and loves to cuddle!  And what is better than a cuddly cat on a cold Winter's day?  Nothing! We also celebrated our little Choop-face's "birthday" (the day we adopted him) with a special gift for him that we named "Companion Cube".  If you do not understand this reference, ask the nearest game-er and continue reading.  He loves to play in his new cube, and is oddly always very receptive to gifts!  Happy Birthday Aloe Cat!!

We also recently took a trip to the Brookfield Zoo on one of the warmer (still freezing) days of this Winter!  Although the weather was less than desirable, many of the usually docile animals were loving the cold!  And no one was having more fun than the Snow Leopards!!  Momma and Baby leopards were having the time of their lives playing in the snow, and the baby was even playing with me through the glass!!  Very little in this world entertains me more than a zoo full of amazing animals!  Typing this now is making me want to go again!  Better head to the Library for the free passes!!

Recently at Harvest I was invited to a Staff lunch/celebration of Harvest's 14th Birthday!  Little did I know, but they had a surprise waiting for me when I got there!  Every so often, Harvest gives out a "You Inspire Us" Award for a Staff member to show their appreciation for what they do in service to the Lord!  However, they decided to break tradition and give the award to a volunteer - Me!!  I was so surprised and excited to receive this award that I naturally started to cry and was unable to properly thank everyone!  The whole staff had come together to write such thoughtful and encouraging things in the award, and I am so thankful for the work that they all do for the Lord in serving others!!  God is at work, and I am so thankful to be a part of it!!

Speaking of God at work, he is currently moving so much in our lives through Bible Studies, speaking through His Word, and speaking through others!  We are in a season of waiting and expectation in the Lord, and we are confident in His perfect plan for us!  We would love prayer during this time, and so if you are reading this, please pray!  More updates on this particular topic to come!!

Well, that's all folks!  Spring has almost sprung, and God is making all things new!  And if you are reading this, it means that I love you!  Happy Almost Spring!!

Farewell 2013!

It is New Years Eve!  In just a few hours it will be 2014!  After 3 1/2 years of marriage, medical school, and moving around the continent, I am happy to report that I am so glad that God has brought us into this crazy adventure, and that we are trusting Him in 2014 to accomplish His good work through us!  Bring on the new year!!

Since my last post, the weather has gotten colder, but so many warm memories have been made!  Firstly, Kristin and family moved temporarily to Illinois for a few weeks for a hospital rotation, and Andee and I were able to see them a couple times while they were here!  It was really nice to see one of my first Kititian/American friends back in the US!  It was much to cold to do our usual hang outs at the beach, but we made the most of the frigid weather and had fun anyways!  So great to see you Kristin!

Andee and I were also able to see our Kititian/Canadian friends before the Holidays, enjoying some fun winter festivities complete with crafts, cookies, Santa, and even a Horse drawn carriage!  A very cold but enjoyable winter day!

Christmas time at Harvest was also in full swing, and although we headed north for the holidays, we were able to attend a couple Christmas events!  Beautiful Christmas trees!

Upon hearing the news of the looming ice storm heading for the Toronto area, Andee and I decided to leave a day early to avoid the slippery conditions.  We headed home on Friday, and managed to have only a short delay and no issues at the boarder!  For those of you that know the story, we Praised the Lord for this all the way home!!  When we arrived back home in the evening a day early, we tried to surprise my Mom.  However, I had apparently already given it away during our skype conversation the day before, proving that I am indeed a terrible liar.  I suppose that is a good thing!  We arrived only a few hours before the rain started to freeze, which we were so thankful for!  We had no idea we were in for such a crazy storm that night!

We noticed that we had lost power for several hours during the night, but when the power was back on come the morning, I assumed that was the worst of it.  I was wrong!  I learned quite quickly the huge blessing it was to have power that morning, as hundreds of thousands of homes in the Toronto area were without power that day.  What had happened was that temperature was hovering right around freezing, making it perfect conditions for rain, freezing rain, and a wintery mix for the entire night.  When we looked out the window the next morning, all of the trees were covered in a thick layer of ice, and countless trees had snapped under the weight of all the ice - some splitting right down the middle!  Trees that were close to power lines were bringing the lines down with them, and so causing power outages all over the place!  The damage was so bad in Toronto that the working crews were not able to attend to suburban areas until the major intersections and roads were cleared.  This led to days and days of traffic lights out, homes, and lots of stores and restaurants in the area.  Even the ones that still had power were often without phone and debit/credit machines, and so were down to cash only - right before Christmas!!  Our Auntie Anne, who lives under 10 minutes from my parents, were in the dark for 6 days, and Christmas had to be moved to our Aunt Nancy's house who had power!  Even when we were leaving Canada over a week later, many were still without power!  So crazy!  I have never seen anything like that before!  We were so thankful to have power during the whole thing, and I was still able to work my 3 scheduled Dental Hygiene shifts, as these offices were not without power!  At least the trees looked beautiful!!  We caught them on camera!!

There were many Christmas shenanigans at Nancy's house, Andee's parents house, my parents house, and April and Darryl's house!  We enjoyed the delicious food (including Auntie Anne's delicious selection of Christmas cookies and Grandma's delectable date squares!), and the wonderful company of all our family and friends.  The week was packed full of fun parties and dinners, and we received some great gifts too!

We had such a wonderful week with our families, and we are so thankful that they will always have us back to sleep over, for however long we need to!  With our forced last-minute planning that medical school creates, we are so blessed to have families and friends that will always be there to take us in, and help us out when we need it.  With the Lord God always on our side, and our loving families always around, we really are so very blessed!

Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!!