Well, here we are again – several days later. We have had an exciting time since arriving in Wisconsin on Tuesday. After staying at Kuhlman’s on Tuesday night we went to the Chalet Restaurant for our noon meal. As in our dating days we bought one dinner and split it. We then toured Maranatha Baptist Bible College to see how the grounds have changed since we last had opportunity to walk on campus.

Leaving Watertown behind we took the route of Highway 26 to Highway 16 to Portage. From there we went straight north on I-39 to Plainfield, WI arriving about 5:20 PM. It was very exciting (in particular Andrea). We met immediately Jennifer and her sister, the neighbor girls, that were helping Andrea with something special. We finally had the opportunity to meet Pastor Tom Gaudet, his wife Gail, Cameron (just ask Andrea!!!!), Micah, and Keenan. There was one young lady, Annie, and three young gentlemen around too – Micah, Tyler, and Gavin – the first two who have been working in the church here.

After a great supper we went to church at First Baptist Church. After the time of testimony of answered prayers and a time of prayer, there was a birthday and anniversary reception downstairs. The birthday was a young lady Megan who turned 20 this week and for our 30th anniversary.

Thursday morning I had a job interview at 8:30 AM in Stevens Point (commonly referred to as ‘Point’). It was a very good interview, but they have other interviews and times out of the office so I should hear back in 2-3 weeks. On the way back I drove past a piece of land I had seen on the real estate listings. It very apparently was already purchased as a housetrailer was behind the house and trees had been cut back. Much of the rest of the day was spent in conversation with Cameron and then Pastor Tom and his wife. In the evening Pastor, Cameron, Andrea, Micah, Keenan, Tyler, and I took a walk to the grocery store for ice cream. Jennifer’s mother and family were there. On the way back we looked at a couple of houses, one which appeared to be somewhat abandoned and the other was for sale. Once we returned home we watched the video we brought, But We See Jesus. The Riendeau’s were able to stay for most of the presentation.

Friday morning Pastor Tom and I went to a nursing home in Point (very near where I had my interview) where he preached to 20 – 30 residents and a couple workers. We arrived back home in time to eat. Cameron and I gave a lady from Guatemala a ride home. She had stopped by for some food. Once we returned the Gaudets and the Blahas that were present took a drive to Knapp, WI (very close to Minneapolis/St Paul) where we helped celebrate the Gaudet’s eldest son’s (Nick) son’s third birthday. It was on a dairy farm and parents, grandparents, and great grandparents, a great uncle and aunt, were all gathered to celebrate. Andrea and I had the great priviledge to ride a SideHiller. After all the celebration we drove the three hours back home.

This morning after sleeping in a little Lois and I spent time in discussion about God’s leading about moving to Plainfield. It was very good. We realized that if any changes need to be made in our lives they were needed whether we moved here or not. We are still looking to what God is going to do. Once we came down stairs we had a great time talking with Pastor and Gail and Andrea. It covered a lot of ground leading up to Andrea and Cameron beginning their courtship. So far the rest of the day has been conversation and this opportunity to review open jobs, houses for sale, and making this post.

Hopefully soon I will share more than a diary of our trip. There are specific exciting parts of life here I look forward to telling – all in an entry by itself. And pictures – yes pictures, but not yet. Until later…

Such a blessing God has truly blessed us (Rick & Lois – the father and mother of BFIASH). Our 30th wedding anniversary was July 30th. God used our children to give us a anniversary trip to Wisconsin. We left from home on Tuesday July 31st at about 6:20 AM and drove to Charlotte, NC. Our flight left at 9:15 AM EDT and landed in Chicago at about 10:07 AM CDT. While we have flown separately to various cities they either required transfers or were to cities we have not driven often if at all. Chicago is one with which we are very familiar, whether traveling to my family in Michigan, or Lois’ family in Wisconsin or to Northland. The route takes usually 12 – 14 hours to MI and even longer to WI from the Greenville, SC area. It was extremely refreshing to take about 5 hours from the time we left home (including the wait for our flight to take off in Charlotte).

In Chicago we left from Midway and went downtown to see places I spent some time when I went to college. We first went by Moody Bible Institute (my place of employment for about three years) and then Moody Church. From there we went to where I lived my last two years in Chicago, around DeVry University (it was DeVry Institute of Technology when I was there), and finally past the first apartment I lived in when I started at DeVry.

We left Chicago behind and headed to Wisconsin. We stopped just inside the WI border to get a little something to eat. I knew the brevity of the flight from Charlotte to Chicago left me a little amazed, but so huge a disappointment to be sitting, finishing up our meal at Taco Bell and then to see the name of the neighboring restaurant, Brat Stop. Were we not being careful with our money we may have had a second meal right then and there. HOW COULD I HAVE MISSED IT?!!!!

We continued on to Watertown (from where I am making this entry). We drove past Tivoli Island (all those bullheads and catfish we caught there just before we moved Ricky!!!). Then we drove past the house where we lived when we were first married, the park, and Dr. & Mrs. Hollowood’s house of many years. From there we went to see the new church building for Calvary Baptist Church now out on Milford Street. We returned later with Rick and Terri Kuhlman to tour the inside of the church. Their they showed a picture of the house we lived in on Milford Street for three years being burned. We ended our afternoon tour driving briefly onto the Maranatha Baptist Bible College campus and then on to Rick and Terri Kuhlman’s.

We had a meal of celebration at the Kuhlman’s. Three other families came one person from each of whose birthday was on July 31st, the same as Terri Kuhlman’s. Also, our 30th wedding anniversary was part.

That’s all for now. Now on to Plainfield, WI. I guess the best way to describe our anticipation for going to Plainfield would be that given about ‘Adventures In Odessy’ – ‘a place of wonder and excitement’. By God’s will there will be more to share from there. (Might even add pictures!)

hey everyone! i just want to give ya’ll a little update from mexico. we flew to mission texas a couple weeks ago and spent the night there and enjoyed the ac. on sunday we got ready to go to mexico. we were also with another church and they were from texas. their church was also Calvary Baptist also. any way crossing the border was so much fun. they were like you have to be all serious and so we got serious. on sunday night we were at the church and we sang int the evening service and the service went on for like 2 hrs. and then after that we had a 30th wedding celabration for a couple in the church. The next day we had vbs at the church and we had a great time. In the afternoons our church and the other church would switch off and on and we would do another vbs at someone’s house it was called the mission. so onmonday our church went and then on tuesday the other church would go, and so forth and so on. on wednesday 1 of the team members got sick and then it spread through out the whole group and i was the second one to get sick but i didn’t throw up. the wrong thing was that the other church non of them got sick. one nice thing is is that we didn’t have to do a lot of work that week at the church. the whole week i think that about 5 kids got saved. on monday the number of kids was about 100plus and the number grew every day after that. there is so much more but i am at a friends house and i need to go and take a shower so i am going to go and i will write more later.chow every one.

I left a week ago today for my two weeks summer vacation. School ended Friday, June1st. I flew out of Charlotte 8am Saturday, June 2nd. I flew into Chicago. Aunt Karla picked me up at the airport and drove me to the Chicago Metra station. I love the Metra. I took a 1 1/2 hr ride to Kenosha, WI for $5. During the week it’s $7. Sarah Perhsall picked me up in Kenosha and drove me back to her house in Waukesha, WI. I spent he last week in WI visiting with Brian, Jen, and Zoey (and one of the way) Neuenschwander in Oregon, WI…oh, and Brian’s brother Scott was visiting, too. We all had a great time together. I also stayed half the time with Gabe, Sarah, and Ethan Pershall. I got to be Auntie Eunice with Ethan and Zoey…which I absolutely love. All of us went to the free zoo in Madison on Sunday and the rest of the time we just hung out together and enjoyed being together. Thursday, June 7th (Gabe and Sarah’s 4th anniversary), I was picked up by 3 crazy girls who I rode with down to Bolingbrook, IL for my former-roommate, Emily Brown’s wedding. The three crazy girls were Sheryl (Em’s roommate for the last two years in Green Bay) and 2 friends from her church there. They were so much fun. We laughed so hard. Yes, I have been glavanting around the world making people laugh, Scott. We laughed so hard. I spent yesterday, before the evening wedding, just lying around the hotel: sleeping in, reading, watching some TV, lounging in the hot tub. I had a very relaxing day. Last night, Emily got married to Caleb MacGill. It was a beautiful, simple wedding. She looked wonderful. God worked it out for me to get a ride with Emily’s aunt, uncle, and grandma to MI just outside of where my dad’s family lives in MI. I arrived at about 1am today at my Aunt Karla’s house. This week I just plan to hang out with family. I would love to get to go to Lake Michigan one day. Maybe one my cousin will go in with me on it. We always get ice cream at Sherman’s after we go to the beach in South Haven. I probably go out to Camp Beechpoint a few times where Karla is the camp nurse most of the summer. I am looking forward to a great week here. I fly out of Chicago Saturday morning at 7:30am. God has been so good in working all the details out in me getting around to so many places in 2 weeks. I am loving my time off before I start babysitting the Monday after I get back.

Well, for all of you who have been sitting on the edge of you seats wondering whether I passed and graduated from college, you can now relaxed; the deed is done; I passed! As of May 5, 2007, I am now officially a professional human (my degree is in humanities – the best major ever.)

I am now writing this post from Middleton, Nova Scotia. You might ask “what in the world are you doing there?” Well, good question. Over the last semester I have been talking with friends from school who live in Nova Scotia about visiting a church here. I have been seriously praying about where the Lord would have me minister eventually, and the church here seemed like a great place to consider. “Coincidentally,” it worked out that family from my church was moving to Maine the day after graduation. Maine is only a few hours from Nova Scotia. So, after some research, I realized that I would be able to visit without great difficulty. Here I am.

I cannot write a whole lot now, but I wanted to update what I was doing. I will share more later either here or at rickyblaha.com.