Follow Glen's Sabbatical

Ok, so we're not very good at keeping this blog up to day, but I am currently on sabbatical and am blogging regularly on my other blog (http://cumcpastor.blogspot.com) so check it out!

Is anyone really reading this blog?

I know, I know. It has been a LONG time since the last entry. But we are still alive and kicking and just want to see if anyone is actually watching this blog?

So email me at: glenhaworth@yahoo.com if you're reading this and let me know. Otherwise, we might just have to figure something else out!

Blessings,

Glen

Christmas 2007

Dear Ones,

Well, it is almost Christmas Eve and I still have a few presents to get, Christmas Eve service and dinner (it’s a Brainerd chili year!), green goop to make (don’t ask – it’s an old family recipe), and I’m just starting to write our Christmas letter! I bet all of you are completely done and resting in the joy of the season. No???? Well, there is always next year to finally be organized and on top of it all! Hope springs eternal!!

Starting with the youngest, Sam has grown 5 inches since coming home 2 years ago! He still continues to charm and make us all laugh with his quick wit. He is doing pretty well in school, especially considering “it’s soooooooo boring!” This year’s struggle is Geometry – which is unfortunate because neither Glen nor I ever even took it! But God continues to resource us in large and small ways and He has provided Paul (McConnell) to tutor Sam. We think maybe Paul is working harder at it than Sam! Sam has joined JROTC, having consistently told us he wants to go into the Army after high school – well, now he says the Navy. The youth group decided to sponsor and host a community Thanksgiving dinner this year and Sam voluntarily was at the church at 5 am and worked all day. He is great with little kids and adores his Grandpa Brainerd. What could be better!

Jessica is thoroughly enjoying the perks of American life – the makeup, the shopping, the professional pictures! She has continued to work at Kohl’s and has reaped the rewards of gainful employment: a laptop computer and a trip back to Russia to visit family and friends. She graduated with honors from high school – a feat no one thought she would be able to do - and is starting college next month. Her latest new experience is learning to drive! It’s also her dad’s latest “experience.” Prayer would be helpful! Seriously, she seems to have really started settling into her life here since returning home from Russia and we are proud of her many accomplishments. Plus she now loves cheeseburgers and is okay with Mexican food! Thank you Lord!!

Nathan has turned 20! No really, he did! We weren’t sure at times that he would make it to 20, but we also aren’t sure what happened to that adorable baby we had yesterday! He still adores all things Disney and anything that has to do with the ocean. He loves having a sister and tolerates a pesky brother pretty well! Overall, we see some progress in his maturation due to having siblings and two other teenagers in the house. He has a really good heart and is a joy to us.

As usual, I (Cyndy) travel the most and have had an eventful year in that department. My sister and I started off the year by visiting my parents in Florida and even got to see my brother and two of his kids. Aunt Beth and I both are working on our nephew, Thomas, to turn him into a Chargers fan – so far to no avail! In May I went back to Philadelphia to celebrate my favorite 7-year-old’s birthday, Olivia! I went with a bad allergy attack which turned to bronchitis and I got stuck there for a week longer than planned. Finally, in November, I attended the wedding on my brother and met my new sister-in-law and her four children. Our family is expanding at a fast clip! One of the best parts (sorry Don!) was getting to spend time with my niece, Morgan, who is a Navigator missionary at U of Minnesota.

As a family, we all traveled to Philadelphia to eat the REAL Philly Cheesesteak, see the Liberty Bell, New York City with the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, and stand in line for DAYS to go up in the Empire State Building, and, oh yeah, visit the Clark family! That was great for all of us! Sam flew to Florida in August – a superb time of year for Florida – to spend two whole weeks with his grandparents and uncle and family.

For Glen and me the best part of the year was celebrating our 30^th anniversary in Lake Tahoe with NO teenagers (our eternal thanks to Aunt Beth, Uncle Frank and Cyndy’s parents!). We liked it sooooo much, we went back in October to spend time with Scott and Terisa ----- again with NO kids! It’s a toss-up whether it was the scenery or the no kids part that made it heaven on earth!

Glen and I continue to try to keep up and yet be open to whatever or wherever God leads us. We continue to be amazed by the many and varied blessings with which God has showered us. Mostly we are truly grateful for each of you. You have added more to our lives than you can imagine. We hope each of you experience a blessed new year!

Long Time, No Blog

Ok, so it has been almost a year and a half since the last entry! So, what? You want more than that?

Since our last post, a few things have happened! Jessica has graduated from high school (with honors) and is now a student at a local community college. Sam is now a junior in high school. Nathan continues to be home schooled. All three kids are earning money in various ways. Jessica works at Kohl's department store, Sam mows lawn, and Nathan recycles cans and bottles and washes our cars! Life is so very good!

Here's a graduation pick of Jessica:



I'll try to write more soon. Send me encouragement!

Blessings,

Glen

Heading Into Summer

It has been over two months since we last updated this blog. I apologize to those of you who check it regularly, hoping to read more about the Haworth family and the journey we are on. Most have probably given up! But we are still alive and kicking, and God is still at work amongst us.

Jessica and Sam's first semester of American high school is now complete. Next week they begin summer school. We are proud of both of them, as they have worked hard to learn English and become American high school students, not to mention daughter and son and siblings in a new family. We can only imagine how difficult it has been for them to leave everything they knew and were comfortable with behind and coming to a new place, a strange place, and giving themselves over to parents they barely know. A strange culture, strange language, strange customs... Talk about going beyond your comfort zone! I am in awe of them.

We have begun to experience some of the rough places of relationship. Testing boundaries and testing trust. But we talk, pray and hang-out together, learning to love and trust. It is an amazing process we are going through, and God is blessing.

The challenges before us are many. Major dental work (not covered by insurance), upkeep of our cars, preparations for college and vocational school... We trust God, because he has been faithful. And we expect that God will continue to be faithful in providing all of the resources we need to become the family God has called us to be. We covet your prayers!

I'll try to post some pictures in the not too distant future. Thank you for all of your support and encouragement. We thank God for you!


Blessings,

The Haworth Family
Glen, Cyndy, Nathan, Jessica, and Sam

On Vacation

We are currently in Texas on vacation, visiting our best friends, the Clarks, in Houston. Glen is also attending a church conference in Houston as a part of his continuing education activities.

Update. Jessica and Sam have been to the dentist! The good news is that we have dental insurance. The bad news is that it is going to cost us something near $10,000 OVER what insurance covers in order to get their teeth fixed! Oh-my-God! They need everything from teeth pulled to root canals, including having to have some root canals redone that were done poorly previously. And this does not include any orthodontics! We are absolutely sure that God has called us to adopt these two precious kids, so we are just waiting to see how God will provide what is needed for them! Thank you for your prayers!

Jessica went to the opthalmologist a couple of weeks ago. He does not recommend surgery at this time because the damage to her eye from early childhood does not seem to be impeding her vision. The cateract is also not currently a problem, but may grow to become one. The real problem is that because of her eye damage, her brain has not developed the ability to fuse vision from both of her eyes. And, apparently, the brain cannot develop this ability after early childhood. So she will never be able to see out of both eyes at the same time. What her brain does is use her good eye most of the time, and only switches to her right eye when her left is blocked. So, even if we correct her right eye's problems, it probably will not improve her vision signficantly. Right now she sees 20/20 out of her left eye and 20/30 out of her right. So we are just on hold with this, but no surgery and probably not even glasses/contacts for now.

They are both continuing their work in school. Jessica is doing very well, and Sam is doing ok. We had parent/teacher night the other night, but I think I'll let Cyndy write about that!

Below are some pictures from my cell phone camera as we drove to Texas (a 24 hour drive, straight through with Cyndy and me sharing the driving)! We're here for a week for a family vacation (the kids are on Spring Break) and so I can attend a conference at Winsor Village UMC in Houston (see http://www.kingdombuilder.com/templates/cuskingdombuilders/details.asp?id=23260&PID=74248&mast= for more information).

All in all, the Haworth family is doing great! We feel your prayers and see their results! Things are going well at church (had a record crowd on Easter!), Cyndy's work is going great, and we are being knit together as a family. We are blessed!

Keep those prayers going!

Glen

Asleep

Jessica and Sam were conked out! You can't see him, but Nathan is asleep (laying down) in the very back seat.

Jessica asleep on the van floor

The drive to Texas took 24 hours. Near the end, Jessica crawled to the floor of the van and went to sleep!

Our first family portrait (professional)

Haworth, Brainerd, Hallock and Berry Wild Animal Park Pic

Life Continues

It has been awhile since our last post. Not much has happened! The kids are doing well in school (although Sam pretends he doesn't like it -- he would rather play games than anything!). Jessica is studying hard, and has even begun taking her exit exams for high school graduation (the start taking them in their junior year as practice, leading up to the senior year's actual test).

Their English is getting better, although we still have to make them speak English sometimes. Obviously, during this transition time, it is easier to speak Russian! But they have to keep practicing so that they can learn to speak more quickly. They are both in four English classes per day at school and they almost always have homework. On Monday's we have a Russian woman we met come and help them with homework and to do some further English training. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, a teacher at their school who is from Bulgaria (and teaches French), also speaks Russian and is helping them. So they are getting a lot of help.

Jessica seems to be the most homesick. She often writes to her friends and cousins in Russia and longs for them. She is quiet and withdrawn a lot of the time, so we are having to draw her out. Sam, on the other hand, is always out-going and clinging to us. He is bonding very well. Jessica still has a long way to go.

Nathan is doing well. We are having him read and practice typing. He is also beginning to enjoy writing, so we are hoping to get him into some writing classes. We are also looking into some vocational and life skill training classes at local schools.

But we are doing well! Thank you for all your prayers! Our newest challenge is the dental work that Sam and Jessica are going to need. Please keep this in prayer, as even with dental insurance, it is going to cost a lot of money!

Blessings to all! We'll put up some new pictures soon.

The Haworth Family