We’d forgotten certain things we missed about New Jersey -  Like FAC, Wawa sandwiches (we’ve never been able to say hoagie…) and Rita’s Water Ice and Pizzutillo Pizza and Cheese Steaks. These are all things that South Jersey does well. However there are two things that we culturally associate with our 4 years living in NJ:

The Jersey Shore and Celebrating Labor Day. These two experiences go hand in hand – the other places we’ve lived have neither a shore line nor a tradition of spending Labor Day at the beach for the last summer hurrah. We happened to be in the right place at the right time and have the opportunity to re-experience some of the fun and fellowship we will always miss after having moved away from this area. Spending 2 days right on the water at the Jersey shore with the Hrics, Vagens (Happy 30th, Erik!), and Watsons over Labor Day weekend was just what we needed for relaxing and reconnecting.

We’ve only been in New Jersey since Thursday – that was 5 days ago, but we have connected with so many supporters, friends, former students and their parents, and the congregation at Fellowship Alliance Chapel. It has been so great – these relationships go very deep, so we jump in right where we left off in January 2009, the last time we were in town. Marissa also joined us at LBI. It was special to show her this part of our lives because, when I was a newborn, I, too, often went down the shore.

Please pray for our family this week as we say goodbye and depart on Thursday, Sept. 2. We’re all trying to keep a positive outlook, trust God, and rejoice in the 2 months that we were in Chicago, but it is never easy. Tonight and tomorrow Marissa says bye to all of Ben’s family. Our last full day here is Wednesday, September 1st, which also happens to be a big milestone birthday for me. Honestly, I’m dreading it, but not for age reasons. We have to say good-bye to my family and some how squeeze in celebrating, but there is no celebratory mood.

It’s been a hard week for other reasons, too. Ben and I have been in seminary all summer. There was a scrambling to complete one courses assignments that were all due the week Marissa was born. Now we are responsible to finish up another course this week. Technically the quarter ends September 3, which is our first full day in New Jersey. There are not enough hours in the day to pack up 3 months of being in the States, say some really hard goodbyes (we are not returning to the States until 10/2011), mentally prepare for 2-weeks of non-stop New Jersey supporter visits, and maintain any sort of normalcy in our own lives. People think that coming back to the States is a vacation or an oasis for us – it is quite the contrary, and now we are figuring out how to do it all with a baby. Thank goodness she has a great temperament and is a joy to have around.

Just pray for our next few weeks. Our tanks are depleted, and God must be our reserve.

Enjoy the pictures of Marissa and the great time she spent, even in the past week, with her immediate family.
~ with Kathy and Copper

~ with Karen and Dave

~ with Ben, Sara, Braedan, and Logan

~ with Mike and MaryAnn

~ with Karly

~ with Michael (sorry, Margie, I have no pics with you and the baby! We need to change that!)

~ and last but not least, with Luke

Today it has been 2 weeks since Marissa was born! (These are pics from her 1-wk. and 2-wk. adventures.)

We still have 2 weeks of seminary before we wrap up our course “The Biblical Foundation of Mission.” On July 31, we finished up “Character, Community, and Leadership”. Homework keeps on, regardless of parenthood status. We’ve already figured out how to multi-task quite well. It helps that she is such a good baby.

We have 2 weeks of time left with our IL family and friends. This is bittersweet, but the Lord keeps reminding us to value each day, one at a time. Where does the time go? I’ve been here for 2 full months!

We’ll spend 2 more weeks in NJ (beginning September 2) with our supporters and friends from our 4 years of living there. It’s been 2 years since we’ve been out there. Pray that we make the best of our time there. It will be jam packed.

It’ll be 2 weeks from today that Marissa’s passport will arrive. She’s been a great traveler in the Chicago-land area. Hopefully that carries over to international travel, as well.

Lastly, in 2 weeks I celebrate the monumental 3-0. As we scramble to visit everyone and complete everything before our return to Ukraine, I haven’t given the big day much thought. It’s the day before we fly to NJ, so we’ll see how it turns out…

We want to introduce our daughter, Baby Marissa Justine Williams! Welcome to our world!

Born on Tuesday, August 3, 2010, at 8:02 pm on U.S. soil at Sherman Hospital in Elgin, IL.

We prayed for the labor to start naturally, but the Lord had other plans. We checked into the hospital at 7:30am, scheduled for an induction. Labor and delivery went slowly, but smoothly, and Marissa was born at 8pm. She is absolutely beautiful.

She weighs 6 lbs. and 13 oz. Her length is 20 3/4 inches. Mom and baby are healthy and feeling really good. Dad, too!

Enjoy Marissa’s first day(s) of life, and join us in praying for physical recovery for Kristy’s body, bonding w/ us and the baby, and assimilation for Marissa into this new world. She has done AMAZING so far.

Marissa – Mom and Dad absolutely adore you, along with the other members of our family, and still you have a Heavenly Father who loves you even more than we do. He created you to have a living relationship with the Triune God; that is our prayer for you and we will never stop praying for this.

An hour or two before the birth.

A few minutes old…

Unbelievable Dad and coach

After incredible baby showers, setting up her furniture (don’t worry – Boots and Tiger actually have their own Pack ‘n Play right now – Marissa’s is tucked away in the bedroom, far from pets), packing bags for the hospital, taking the express full 8-hr. day birthing class and tour at Sherman Hospital in South Elgin, and moving back up to my (Kristy’s) parents’ house to be close, JUST IN CASE. Now I’m eating Tabasco, tempted to go the castor oil route, but won’t cause it’s not allowed, and just waiting…

This down time has allowed us both to spend focused time with the Lord and continue to complete seminary assignments that feel due at the least opportune times, considering our summer schedule. Besides office/school work at home, we have no other social appointments on the calendar! This kind of down time can drive us batty, but everyone says “ENJOY IT NOW!”

Will you join us in one big prayer request: We are asking God to send me into natural labor with Marissa before August 4th. Here is an update on the situation:

At our doctor’s appointment on July 7th, we got the update that I’m dilated 1cm to, 75% effaced. At our appt. on July 28, the dr. added that the baby’s head is at a presentation of -1, and a few other TMI things are in place. Because of our time line to return to Ukraine by mid-September, we agreed that scheduling an induction for her due date makes sense. Our dr. wouldn’t deliver her on the 4th, so right now our induction is scheduled during the day on Tuesday, August 3rd.

But we’re praying for it to be sooner, to allow the body to go into labor naturally, and to get even a few more precious days to adjust and be with family before our return to Ukraine. Join us in praying for God’s perfect plan.

Here are pictures of James’ 2010 team who departed less than a week ago. We long to be at camp with them, but God had different plans. Instead, 4 Ukrainians have stepped into some of our roles and are serving in our place. Join us in praying for God to pour out His Spirit and change lives this week.

Blanchard Alliance Church (Wheaton, IL) – 17 young people serving for 2 weeks in Ukraine

Olya, Syava, Sergiy, Yulia (none of whom are dating each other, regardless of how photos could innocently mislead!)

This week we celebrated a big milestone birthday for Ben, and it happened to be on US soil, and not at an English camp. There’s nothing wrong with celebrating with campers, but I always feel limited on the extent of our celebration. Plus, my birthday comes right after camp season ends, and usually we are on some magnificent, much needed vacation of rest and get-away, so I often feel a little guilty.

This year I wanted to do something special. Since we’re here for Marissa’s birth anyway, and since she still hasn’t arrived, the plan was to spend 2 nights downtown Chicago, focusing on quality time together, and on photography, Ben’s favorite hobby. In spite of 90+ degree weather and trying to not overexert myself and ward away contractions, we had an incredible, celebratory week.

Ben arrived a week ago. Monday night his mom and I were there to greet him at the airport. We slept terribly that night, partially because of jetlag for Ben, partially because we were so giddy to catch up on the 3+ weeks of camps, ministry, and baby stuff that we’d missed in each others’ lives.

Tuesday we celebrated Ben’s birthday with his mom, sister, and her family. The nephews were elated to have “Uncle Bun” home. He is one of their best play friends, especially with Marios, Legos, and Micro Machines.

After family time, we headed to the Magnificent Mile for a full day of celebrating by ourselves! We’ve actually never stayed downtown overnight before, so that was special. And since Ben’s birthday falls on a Wed., after Weber Grill we headed to Navy Pier for the free bi-weekly fireworks show. It was so beautiful!

The next day we extended the celebration to include Dave, Ben’s dad, since Karen was away in England. We continued to do Ben’s favorite things, like eat Portillos, Chicago-style pizza, walk the city, and take many more pictures.

Can you believe Ben actually takes these pictures?! We sure do love his work.

Lastly, we finished Ben’s 3-day birthday downtown with an architectural boat tour of the city. It was a fantastic ride, ending right at the Michigan Avenue bridge, which we got to walk across and watch some of the filming for the upcoming Transformers 3. Never a dull moment in the Windy City.

I love you, even if it means I am married to an older man. You are my most precious gift from God. Can’t wait for another decade together! This one will be even more interesting than the last!

First, thank you to all involved in the 3 different baby showers hosted for our family as we prepare for Baby Marissa’s soon arrival! We’re blown away by the generosity and excitement that so many are sharing with us and showering us in God’s goodness. We feel like we’re in a unique situation as missionaries in Ukraine, without a lot of access to typical goods and services for our baby. We’re glad to hear of a new, more Western pediatrician that someone found in our city, at least. We just don’t want to return to Ukraine ill-equipped, so these presents have been SO appreciated. And some day, they’ll end up being passed along to bless Ukrainian moms as well! I love how that works! Enjoy some pictures with a few dear family and old friends involved.

I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. The trees of the field will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the LORD… Ezekiel 34:26-27

Quality time with Mike & Mar, my parents

With Mom W., setting up the B-O-B stroller!!

With Karen, Sara, & Dave at the Maggiano’s Shower

Old Blanchard Alliance Youth Group friends from the high school days!