We survived!

2009. 2009. So many, many emotions can be stuffed into a year. Hope, excitement, joy, uncertainty, concern, stressfulness, sadness, disappointment, love...

All in all, we survived! And we thrived in spite of seemingly impossible circumstances.

Our year began with the excitement that Mike passed all of his classes and would continue the book-phase of the PA program, anticipating two more semesters until the good stuff began! The good stuff being the hands on stuff that Mike is so-so good at in his chosen field--the clinical rotations.

We went through the first half of the year without much stress until we hit the summertime when we realized the loans we were counting on were denied because of how much he already had in loans...the worst part is we still had good credit, but with the economy and leery lenders, they said, "nope." So we found ourselves in a bit of a predicament and sought nearly any and every possible solution. The result after three very stressful months of prayer and diligence to seek out our options was a move (including the sale of the home we were living in), scaling back on pretty much everything, and some very generous friends and family lending a hand to help us through this last year. It has not been easy and has, needless to say, been very humbling, but we feel quite confident that we've done everything we could do, including looking into my working (which we determined wouldn't be worth it after paying for daycare or babysitting, though I was more than willing to do whatever it takes to get us through!), so onward we go!

Mike began his rotations and those of you who have been keeping up know that all of his preceptors have loved having him and patients are requesting to see him next time! (LOL...though, he wasn't there long enough for that to happen!) He has done his Family Practice, Internal Medicine, and Psychiatry rotations and is about to begin his Surgical on Monday!

The end of the year we were fortunate to be able to fix our cars and get them running more efficiently! With that, we took a trip to visit Jenna's 86 year old grandma who is about to have hip surgery. She has been in a LOT of pain and with a femur break with a rod put in 3 years ago, it is complicating the hip surgery. She is in so much pain that she would rather risk the surgery than to live the rest of her life in this kind of pain. We felt it important to go spend time with her as a family. We were the only ones she wouldn't get to see at Christmas, since she headed out West where EVERYONE else is in Jenna's family! ;) So we spent time on the farm of our cousins (Jenna's dad's first cousin) where they have a pig farm
(and please don't even ask why all of this was underlined, because I have no idea, nor can I figure out how to undo it without erasing everything and starting over... ;))


and raise corn and soy. 2200 acres! The kids had a blast riding the John Deere tractor

and watching the pigs in their pens (but OOOHHH, do they stink! ;)). It was such a wonderful surprise for Grandma Hansen! She was shocked and quite put out that she wasn't prepared for our visit. ;) But for those of you who know her, you understand that well! ;) We had a great time visiting other friends along the way, too! We stopped in the town where Jenna spent some of elementary and Junior High. It was the first time in our 10 years that Mike ever got to see where Jenna grew up. It was a lot of fun to be back and reconnect with people!

And here we are, days after Christmas looking at 2010 knowing that Mike will graduate in 8 months!!! How thrilling and sobering, knowing what it has taken to get to this point. We are filled with hope that we have options in debt-forgiveness (hoping the bill before congress will pass in January that after 5 years of paying faithfully, health-care and educator college student loans can be forgiven or that one of the other options (like National Health Service Corps and/or moonlighting a second PA job) will pan out to get out of debt, prayerfully, within 5 years of him finishing! Whew...

As for where we will be when he finishes, we have NO idea! And frankly, we are of the opinion that life, with options, is an exciting one. We love to dream and hope and think about the possibilities, so that is what we're doing! Stay here, go West, it is all a possibility, but we greet each with open arms and can't wait to get to the place where we can truly do what we feel we are on this earth to do...make a difference by sharing mercy and grace and Love in tangible ways.

May your year be blessed with hope, joy, Love and change for the better!

We love you all!
The Michauds

THIRD rotation!!!

It is so hard to believe how quickly time is passing...

Mike finished an AMAZING rotation, where he did his Internal Medicine. He loved it and the Doctor was awesome to work with. I can say, beaming for him, he was told he was the best student the Doctor ever had. Now, those of you who know Mike and can picture him in a room taking care of a patient won't find that hard to imagine, but I was pretty stinkin' proud anyway! He will make an amazing clinician...

He finished that (which was in Gettysburg), took his tests and is now in Scranton doing his Psych rotation. Seems to be going well so far! Before we know it it will be Thanksgiving and then he'll be done shortly after until Christmas! The first of the year will begin his surgical rotation and he will be close enough that he will be able to stay at home! I am, of course, very excited about this one!!! He is unsure, but there is a small possibility that the one after that he may commute as well, but we're still trying to figure it out as the free goverment-funded housing is no longer...well...government funded! So...we shall see...

Life back on the homefront is going well. I'm kept busy every day and try to get myself out of the house here and there! Creative Arts is in full swing and we are less than a month away from the production, so we're pretty busy getting props, making tabrets, rehearsing and rehearsing. The kids are fairing well with all of it, though the dragging them from place to place gets a little tedious. I'm sure I would be bored, though, if I wasn't keeping myself busy and out of the house! One can only clean and watch it be undone so many times before she gets utterly discouraged! ;)

Micaiah is doing well with school. She has really done a great job at looking at her work for the day and doing it quickly. She's been reading to her siblings, which is just amazing and so sweet to watch!

Elias is practicing his writing and we're teaching him to read, slowly, but surely.

Toben and Miah are just...forces to be reckoned with!!! They both make messes daily, as my facebook followers can attest to! Miah has learned to open the refrigerator, as if she couldn't get into enough already! One can only be on top of both of them at once for so long before crashing... ;) They are very fun and lovey and sweet, at the end of the day, despite their ability to get into things I only ever dreamed of as a child!

Anyhow...we are consistently humbled by God's timely provisions. Each step of the way, the needs have been met...the peace continues to reign in that, for which we offer no explanation other than a peace that transcends understanding! :) God is good and we are faith-walking and it is awesome to see what God does when we trust Him.

Blessings to each of you and I'll try to be better about posting!

One down, eight to go!!!

Hello, all!

It has been a busy few weeks here with school starting and all, but I wanted to post and let everyone know how things are going!

Mike finished his first rotation in Ohio last Friday! I can't believe that it has been a month already, but it has. He had a great rotation. The Dr. said he had a very good knowledge base and from day one sent him in to examine patients (before he would listen to Mike's assessment and go in himself, of course!).

His next rotation is in Gettysburg and we're still praying he is able to find cheaper housing there, but trusting that it will be provided for if it isn't found! ;) He leaves this coming Sunday and starts this next one Monday (Internal Medicine).

We are so humbled and blessed to see how creatively God has been providing. It seems it is never in the ways we thought or imagined it would come, but each time something comes up, the provision is there. It is so awesome to see God do His thing amidst this confusing world...what an anchor to cling to ;) Mike and I began a journal of sorts for how God is providing and it has been so neat to add to the list of gifts, big and small (even a meal here and there...thanks, Angela! ;)). We have successfully pared down to the minimum costs and are kind of enjoying this crazy adventure!

A HUGE blessing, Lord willing it all goes through smoothly, is the Duttons house sold and will be closing in October! We are trusting God to provide above and beyond for them and bless them in the way they blessed us in allowing us to live in their beautiful home for 3 years...can't wait to hear how He does it! :D

Again, I hope to put more pictures up, but here are few to share from our "new place!"

Okay, so it isn't clean-looking as I have zucchini coming out my ears and a few dishes to put away, but this is our kitchen (where the magic happens! ;)).

...and our table (to the left of the sink...). The room is twice the size of the two posted pictures with my bed on the opposite side! :D A very large room, indeed!

Hope this finds everyone well and I will post more soon!
Blessings!

stomach in knots!

I don't know if you ever really can tell what causes your stomach to be in knots. I woke early this morning not knowing if it was nerves, excitement, anxiousness? All of it...?!

Mike left this afternoon for Youngstown, OH on his first venture being one of those white-coated-nervous-looking-students who accidentally poke you when they are trying to look in your eyes; or ask you the same questions the nurse already asked you with the answers glaring at them from the chart in front of them; or who won't just lay your baby down when she keeps trying to crawl away because she isn't sure she is allowed... Yes! One of those young looking kids who can't POSSIBLY be old enough to diagnose your issues, but the Dr. asked permission for a student to see you, so he must know that the student is under control! Why not! Bring on the student! Give him the experience he needs to make it in the medical world! :D

His day begins bright and early and he settled in nicely tonight. His new home is cozy, though has its quirks to be remedied...he said it isn't yet stabilized, so he feels a little like he's on a boat and since the only reception he could maintain on the cell phone was when it was sitting in front of him on the table, he kept having to bring it back from its inclination to slide down the table...so, decline-ation?!

He sounds settled and that is important! We're so excited to see what God is going to do this year... :D

The kids and I, of course, miss him already, but keeping it into perspective, it is such a small amount of time to be patient in the grand scheme of things. A drop in the bucket.

The boys, in particular (along with mom) were the only ones to choke back a tear or two. Micaiah tends toward an independence which cries, "Can I go...?" at any spare moment, so I didn't suspect any breakdown! Elias, composed, with his eyes welling up slightly said, "I just...wish dad could stay for another month..." (BREAKING Mommy's HEART!) and Toben in his own huffy sadness laid claim to the felt indignation at Daddy's leaving. Miah is in her own little world, though she is a Daddy's girl...these next days will tell, but I am trusting the peace we feel now will continue as we experience the fruit of your prayers!

We are so blessed beyond words by the gifts and the help and the child-watching and the encouragement...it truly is a beautiful thing to see the Body come together in these times...even if it is just a prayer on our behalf...

Thank you all and we'll keep you updated!

Some mental pictures in the mean time...

Well, I have been wanting to put up some pictures, but Mike has most on his computer and am still learning which cords I need to post them, so, in the mean time, I'll give you some mental pictures!

We are really enjoying being in our new place! It is a large one-bedroom with almost as much living space as we had in our house! The kids share the bedroom and it is working out very well! I love my little room (not so little), complete with a bed, kitchen, walk-in-closet, table and door! I say mine only because it will primarily only house me!

Mike leaves this Sunday afternoon for Youngstown, OH for his first clinical rotation. He will be staying with family of close friends who have a camper in their driveway. They have graciously welcomed him to stay in it for the month he is there for his Family Practice rotation! (Thank You!)

We brought in the car we were expecting Mike to be taking for a tune-up/check-up! We knew it had a few things that would need to be fixed, but when we got the list that would total over $2000, we prayed about it and sought some advice and decided not to keep that car. We had heard of a car (through those same family friends who got Mike in touch with a place in Youngstown) that would be a good fit for our budget and with some gracious help from some friends towards it ( ;) Thank You!), we bought, registered and insured it yesterday! Two days before he needs to leave! So, we are new owners of a 1995 blue Subaru Legacy! We will be selling our Roadmaster and were told that the engine alone is worth $1000, so we are hoping to get at least that. It is older and again, needs $2000 worth of work, but hoping we can recoup some! Please be praying for all of that!

I have been putting off going full force into homeschool mode until Mike leaves, but I'd appreciate any prayer and encouragement in that department! I wish, to a degree, that we had a Montessori school or something non-traditional like it around, but for now, with life up in the air, we are continuing this route...

Of the blessings we are thankful for: this home and the others who reside here :) (the kids are having a blast playing with others their ages); the beautiful view we wake up and go to sleep looking out to; the provision need-by-need; the car; the free storage for our belongings; the people who have invested in us and this dream; the fact that we have less than a year to go!

There are certainly many more, including being thankful for when the Dutton's house sells (we trust it will be quickly!). There is an open house this weekend and I pray there are some good bites!

Beautiful views, blue cars and smiles on our faces for the peace we have in this time I hope will suffice for the mental pictures! Lol!

Blessings to all!

A place to lay our heads...

So, we've made a few decisions in the past few days, which have all of us feeling a little less unsure...

We are moving into an in-law apartment of our friends, the Schans'! They have a very large one bedroom in-law with a full kitchen and bath. Since it will mostly be Jenna and the kids, the kids will have the bedroom and I will have the large-doored kitchen that has room for a bed AND table (it is large, too)...the family room will be great and it has a walkout basement to another huge perk-the backyard! :D It is probably about 5 times bigger than our current one, so the kids will be thrilled PLUS they have three kids around our kids ages! It should prove to be a busy house, but we're all excited and have a huge peace about being near "family" (of the church-ish kind ;)) and I'm fairly certain Mike feels very thankful knowing that we'll be looked out for! There are actually three families right on that street that attend Citychurch, so... Yeah!!! We have decided to say that we will be there until at least Christmas-time and then play it by ear!

A few people have made mention of wanting to help support us this upcoming year and we are so thankful and humbled that God has seen fit to bless us with all of you...

All of the pieces of this puzzle are coming together slowly but surely!

God is good and faithful and we are loving being able to see it all come together in ways we can only say are beyond us...

A friend of mine a few months back in the throes of uncertainty and my 'Abraham's Sarah' complex (wanting to fix it all and come up with a solution because I thought God didn't know what He was doing and must need my help) said very bluntly, "This is not something you can do...this is so much bigger than you! Only God can do this. You have done everything you could possibly think of to make it happen. Now it is time to trust Him with what you don't know."

I am glad to be in the company of such friends that can speak to my heart in ways that I need to hear... :D

Mike is getting excited at the thought of being able to 'do' stuff, medically and not just learn about it. He has just three weeks left until school starts and leaves for his first rotation August 30th!

We have this next week or two to move and get settled and finish the projects on the house and we will officially say goodbye t this wonderful home, with prayers that it sells quickly in this tough market. Thankfully, it is a beautiful one with many charms that are sure to grab the attention of homebuyers!

Blessings to all and we'll keep you informed!

Wedding and Family :)

Well, after my sister-in-law went back home to NC with her two boys AND ours, we were able to get a TON done around the house! We have had so many people step up and offer assistance with watching kids, wallpapering, taking off wallpaper and painting. It looks like some hedges were trimmed and beds weeded, too, while we were gone.

We got home last night after a long drive at about 1am. We had a great time in NC :) Juan and Natalya (Mike's sister) got married on Saturday. Mike performed his second wedding (the first being his other sister Megan's)! We'll have to post some pictures.

While we were there, without sharing too much, we got some of the money needed for this next year! We are doing our best to get all of our expenses down and stretch it as far as possible. We are so grateful for family and friends who share in this with us and want to extend our thank you...you know who you are. ;)

Now that we are home, we are working on continuing to pack and live in suitcase mode! One of the elders at church is organizing a work day here tomorrow so we can get the porches painted and some more cleaning and de-cluttering!

Mike leaves in less than a month for his first rotation in Youngstown, OH. We have a better idea of where Jenna and the kids will be living for at least a few months, but haven't solidified anything, so we'll share more when we have things certain. :)

Hope everyone is well!

All in a Days Work...

We are starting to get the house in order to sell and I thought I would share our amusements for the day...
My sister-in-law, Megan, got in Wednesday night to lend a hand. We woke on Thursday with a list a mile long to get done before the realtor came at that evening at 5:30. Miah was up at 5:45 and my other little munchkins we're awake about 6:15. We got to sleep after 12 for, I think, the third night in a row...
We got up and got to work on the upstairs bedrooms, straightening and dusting, etc. Well, I mistakenly traveled upstairs thinking Miah would be okay for a moment. She got into some food...enough that I figured I would just put her in the tub. I then got word of Toben's accident...not the easy kind...he got a bath, also.
I had to chuckle as I watched my sister-in-law try to put all of the toys away as she had 2 and sometimes 3 kids taking stuff out and the mess seemed to be getting worse instead of better! So she took them down while I was working on something else...it is all a blur!
We cleaned the upstairs. Micaiah and Jenna are in a wedding next weekend, so we had to head to get our dresses hemmed, so while I was gone, my sister-in-law watched the rest of the kids...Miah was napping, or so we thought. She got some things painted and touched up...one of the many little projects we have going. I call her on our way home only to hear of...hmmm...tastefully, creative bathroom solutions. Let's just say, it required some carpet cleaning and Miah having yet another bath. A friend came over to help with a little laundry and we got a bunch done. Megan was trying to occupy them so at one point they painted and, well, Toben went in the bath again.
Megan and I both realized that the kids being IN the house was just not the best solution, so she took them to an early dinner and got them Carvel (who doesn't love Carvel?! Well, besides Mike...). We were able to go through the house with the realtor and share what things we plan on getting done once Mike is finished with classes and we get back from the wedding/vacation.
Megan came home with the kids and we settle in. Everyone has had such a long day that we decide just to relax for a bit...
I, Jenna, have been fighting off a cold and am winning thus far, though my lack of sleep isn't helping at the moment. Either way, Megan had a couple kids in her lap and I was working on getting our newsletter finished while in my own little world when I hear Megan ask, "Jenna...where is Miah? She was sitting on my lap but got up a couple minutes ago." So, I go in the kitchen and realize that someone forgot to CLOSE THE BATHROOM DOOR. Miah has a fascination with the toilet, so we don't typically give her the option of being near it unless she is sitting on it with some supervision.

THIS is what I found...




Bless her little heart...where do you even begin?! What you can't see in the picture is the toilet paper that was piled next to her...I took these while Megan ran to get a towel...some moments are too priceless not to capture on camera...

Needless to say, she got another bath...

Big Changes...Family Newsletter 2009

Dearest Family and Friends,

We only felt it fitting to share what is going on in our lives as huge changes are taking place. But let’s first back up and share how we got here!

Four years ago, 2006, we had our third little one on the way and Mike was working at a level 2 trauma ER in Lancaster, PA. He loved it and was amazing at the job (not-so-shocking!) but trying to support a family of almost five on $10 an hour was nearly impossible, even though he was working 60 hours a week! We were encouraged by a friend to pursue education in the medical field. Not only would Mike be able to do more for his patients, but the doors to be able to do short or long-term missions was a huge attraction. We have both had a heart for people in underprivileged areas and want to be able to help in whatever ways we can, even if it is just encouragement and ushering hope. So, we found this school, Penn College, which had a Physician Assistant program as a Bachelor’s. Not only was that amazing because it was only 2 hours away and he already had residency in PA, but he had yet to finish his undergrad, so he was able to get all of the funding in grants and loans that you aren’t typically eligible for for a Master’s. (How cool is that?!) And, it is only one of about fifteen schools in the country that offer it as a Bachelor’s!

Our pastor from Lancaster mentioned to us before we left that there was a pastor who called him from Williamsport and wanted to connect with him. He said, “They’re from Citychurch. I don’t know what the church is like, but it may be something.” On one of our many trips to Williamsport to look for housing, we met Jerry and Lori, the pastor and his wife. After seeing the Citychurch building downtown, and knowing it was just as important for us to find a good church home we stopped in to take a look. They were just about to lock up for the day and ended up giving us a tour of the 44,000 square foot building. God had some plans in this. Jerry called Mike one day about a month and a half later and said, “We were interested in moving, would you like to come look at our house to rent or buy?” Now Jenna and Micaiah had been praying for some very specific things regarding a house and, I kid you not, we must have looked at 30 places. We hoped for a kitchen with a counter where the kids could eat, and a big fenced-in yard. Their beautiful home had both! Not only that, but they moved out within 3 weeks so our family could be together! Mike had started classes 2 weeks before Jenna and the kids moved. As of September of 2006 with 3 kids in tow, we were home in Williamsport!

So, we settled into the Home of the Little League World Series, for those of you who love baseball, with the blessing of a job and a home to live in. Mike was working on all of his pre-requisites as a FT student and working in the ER two blocks from the house! It was a challenge. He went from working at a level two trauma center to a small ER that sent everything out that was remotely challenging. He thrives in chaos and loves a challenge, so he missed the craziness. But he pulled through and got the grades. Two years later, he was accepted into the competitive PA program (65 applicants for 24 unfilled slots)! This past September, he began the three-semester rigorous (18-21 credits per semester) program with the knowledge that after the 2008-2009 school year, he would begin his rotation year! There will be 9 rotations, 4-5 weeks at a time all over the country. He will begin in Ohio, then travel to a few locations in PA (Gettysburg, Scranton, Lebanon...) and we have hopes he will have one in Boston (a level 1 trauma center in the heart of the medical capital of the US!) where he will be able to stay with his Aunt, one in NC where we can stay with his parents and one in AZ where we can stay with Jenna’s family. Some are still up in the air, as you can see, but all in all, we believe that this is where God has us. We fully believe we are called to this education as a means to work with Christ in the caring for his children. Jenna has even considered midwifery or nursing to be able to help in that, but in this season of teaching the kids and training them up in the ways they should go, that would be too great a sacrifice, at least in this time of life.

Now, to the present. We have been living on part time work, between Mike and Jenna, grants and loans and we are not without debt. By the time all is said and done, the amount with be about 100k.
(Deep breath)
We are currently having trouble obtaining more loans for living expenses for this next year because of the drastic change in economy and amount already incurred. We have explored the normal options offered to students. Loans have been denied several times, with and without a co-signer. Mike even spoke with recruiters from the Navy that has an interesting program where they would offer to cover his tuition and pay him a salary while finishing his senior year. This however did not work out either as they filled the nine slots offered to the entire country during the process of Mike submitting his application. And so here we are 6 weeks from that start of his senior year. The tough part is that we have grants that will cover the cost of tuition for school; what we don’t have is the needed money to live throughout the year.

We feel like we’ve knocked on every door, prayerfully asking God what to do, and Mike NOT finishing is NOT an option! We don’t feel at this time we have the permission to walk away from this, nor do we feel it would be wise. He is so close and working will be literally impossible for him as he will change sites every 4-5 weeks, plus he will be working on school and alongside doctors already! We are looking into the option of missions agencies that specialize in helping to get healthcare workers out into the field where they are so desperately needed, also, but know nothing yet.

We are believing God for some huge things right now. We would LOVE for our family to be able to stay together in this time. How, you ask? Well, being that nothing we have ever done is a traditional route, we thought we’d keep with that! We have been considering traveling together as a family with a truck and camper and be able to travel with Mike as he goes on rotations. We have found RVs and campers that have 4 bunk beds (how perfect is that?!?!) and a queen sized bed and trucks that will seat 6! The benefit is that the kid's school will not be hampered, as Jenna is already homeschooling, and the camper and truck can be sold at the end of the year. We do have other options such as staying with family in North Carolina or even some dear friends here in Williamsport. However, we desire to remain together as a family as much as possible. We fully envision our family as a team assembled for our future ministry and would hate to be separated for weeks on end for the entire year.

Our original plan was to join the NHSC, or National Health Service Corps, once Mike is finished as they will pay back loans in exchange for working in underprivileged areas. Our problem is getting to that place; WE need to finish first.

We will be taking the month of August to pack and fix up the house for sale. Please join us in praying for its quick sale for Jerry and Lori, who have since moved to CO. We will temporarily, we believe, be moving into the basement of some friend’s home. Our heart and hope is to, best we can, keep our family close, but are willing to do whatever it takes to get through this next year. There is a good possibility of moving to NC with Mike’s parents, but this will put Jenna and the kids about 10 hours away from where most of Mike’s rotations are in PA making travel expensive. He is required to pay for his own transportation and living expenses.

How can you help? Most importantly, pray. If you feel so lead to join and partner with us in this time please feel free to contact us. We are open to discussing all sorts of creative options. We believe and stand on the fact that God can move mountains and He can certainly make the way for us to finish in what seems to be an impossible situation. A friend was joking about the fact that Moses had to stand next to the Red Sea and put his staff in for it to part. He could have stood on the shore and said, “This is IMPOSSIBLE!” He knew God better than that...and so do we. He has proven faithful far too many times to doubt Him! So, this is our staff in the water...will the way part? We are expecting it to and long to share with all of you the goodness of God in all of this!

God has given Mike an ability to lead and a compassion for those who need it and an ability to give dignity to those whom are often pitied. We cannot wait to see what God does with all of this and are so glad for those of you who are willing to share in it with us.

We do not know where we will be in the next few months or by August 2010 when Mike is set to graduate, but we know we are in God’s hands...and we do not say that tritely.

We love you all and wanted to share our hearts and circumstances so you can be praying with us through this next year! Please call or email with any thoughts you might have or if you feel the Lord is impressing something on you to share with us, please do so. We are waiting upon Him and seeking wisdom. We will be making hard decisions within the next 6 weeks, so to say this is an urgent need is an understatement. So please get on your knees with us to petition boldly before the throne of our great and awesome God who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly beyond what we ask or think.

We will be using this blog to update and will do our best to keep you all informed between naps and playtimes!

Blessings to all of you!

Michael, Jenna, Micaiah, Elias, Toben and Naamiah Michaud