I love you babe with all my heart. I would choose you again. You are the best.

Love ya lots and lots,
Tara

Tuesday we had a package arrive from America, and as always we were glad to see it.  We want to thank our Uncle Lynn and Aunt Becky for it.  I finished off our last box of Lucky Charms that morning and what do you know two more boxes come in the mail.  I am pretty sure it was a God thing.   I like my Lucky Charms!  The kids also got some more ramen noodles.  They do have ramen over here, but not the same flavours and trust me they are not the same.

The McFarland’s are heading back to the states for a family vacation next week.  During that time they are going to be moving Shawna, their oldest daughter, to Alexandria LA.  She has taken a job working in Bro. Mangun’s church.  So while they are gone we will be holding down the fort for them.  Then after they get back we will be heading state side a few weeks later.

We will be heading home May 19th and everyone is very excited about that.  Tara and the kids have been marking off the calendar.  We have a huge list of places we have to go once we touch down.  I know it may seem silly to some, but it is funny what you miss when you don’t have it.  I am pretty sure that Tara is going to just camp out in Walmart for a few days.  As far as restaurants go Mi Casa in Doniphan is at the top of the list.  On a side note according to Roland Baker Mi Casa, in little ole Doniphan Missouri, is the best Mexican restaurant he has ever been to.  Of course the top of our list is getting to West Point to see family and friends and just enjoy a church service at home.

Just to give you an update of what all has been going on here in Ireland.  Both churches are doing good.  Dublin has been doing very well.  We have had a student from Brazil attend service the past few weeks and he loves it.  I just ask when you are praying for us and Ireland to remember Matthew.  God is getting ready to blow the doors off of Dublin not only can we just feel it, but we have had many confirmations to the fact.  It is exciting times in Ireland right now.

We are going to leave you with a few pictures from a trip to the park we took a few weeks ago.  It was a pretty sunny day, but still a little cold.  I also want to point out to my sister to take special notice to the swans in the pictures and let her know that “Yes swans do have legs”. (If you know Eleisha you really have got to ask her to explain this one)  Love ya Sis!

Today we went to Giant’s Causeway and to Dunluce Castle.  This time the trolley was going at the Causeway’s so we didn’t have to walk as much, which is great.  We have been walking our legs off, definitely burning lots of calories.  This was our first time at the Dunluce Castle and it was great.  It is just ruins, but a lot of fun to explore.  We walked down 113 steps to see where they would pull their ships under the castle for quick get aways from their enemies.  It was really neat, but that meant we had to walk back up those 113 steps.  Riley, Kirsten, Simeon, and I were the only ones who made that little trek.  Simeon rode on Riley’s back all the way back up the steps.  When we got up the steps he said “Man, we walked up all those steps.  I need a drink.”  He also told me yesterday that he was tired and he needed to “Recharge his batteries”, and then went to sleep.

It was rainy all day today.  We have learned that you just go, because if you waited for the sun you would be waiting a long, long time.

We are off to Carrick Fergus Castle tomorrow and who knows where else.  We have to cram a lot into a few short days.  We have really been enjoying having them here.  It is always great to have family with us.  We will be sad to see them leave on Thursday morning.

We gave the kids their birthday presents.  Peyton got a digital camera from all of us, and she loves it.  She has been taking pictures of everything.  She also received a journal from Uncle Lynn and Aunt Becky, and has been writing in it everyday.  Simeon, his birthday is the 27th,  got some transformer toys and shirts from his different Uncles and Aunts.  We got him a toy drum set and he loves them.  He plays on them all the time.  He tells us he is Greg, which is Greg Fowler our drummer at West Point.  He loves Greg and wants to play the drums like him.

To end on a great note!!!   We received reports from West Point.  Over the weekend they had a children’s revival, twenty kids received the Holy Ghost and six were baptized.  We are so excited about this.  God is truly an awesome God.

We had great services on Sunday at both churches. Bro. Jim Connolly from Belfast ministered in the services. Sasha was baptized in the wonderful name of Jesus. This is a young lady that is Peyton’s age. She has spent the night with us before. She is a really sweet girl, who is becoming good friends with Peyton and Kirsten. We were all excited that she was baptized. Then it was off to Dublin for the 1 1/2hr drive, along with a stop at McDonald for lunch in the car, because we have no time to sit down and eat. After a awesome service there we loaded back up for the drive home, along with a stop a Dominoes for pizza, to once again eat in the car on the way home. Most of the time we pack our own lunch, but this week it just didn’t work out. So, as you can see we feel as if we run all weekend long. It is worth every minute though. We have precious saints at both churches and we really enjoy the work at both.

We had to get Riley packed yesterday to go to Scotland. He flew out last night, so that he could teach at Harvest Bible College this week. He is teaching two classes a day for fifty minutes each. He was nervous about it, but I am sure he is doing great. He flies home on Friday night. Then flies back out on Tuesday to go to a men’s conference in Herrick IL. He is the world traveler. While the kids and I get to stay here by ourselves. My dad told him he better not come home after this without his daughter and grandchildren.

Bro. & Sis. Mac and I took Peyton to have an x-ray of her hand today. She has two knuckles on her right hand that have been swollen for a month. Riley took her to the Doctor on Friday and he wanted her to have x-rays. We now have to wait for two weeks for the results to be sent to the Doctor. I am just thankful that I had the Mac’s with me. I know that I wouldn’t have found the place by myself.  Please keep Peyton in your prayers that God will take care of this for her.

As most of you know Riley has MS.  He was diagnosed with this December 26th 2002.  He had been having problems in the summer before that, but he didn’t go to the Doctor until then.  He has had numerous problems as a result it.  His hands and feet always feel like they are asleep.  He has problems with his legs, eyes, thinking process, and generally everything on his body aches.  He has always kept a very positive attitude, and has provided for his family by working even when he felt awful.  We have always believed that God would heal him.  Even on his worst days Riley believed.

Well, Sunday night during one of the altar services(Riley can’t remember which one.)   A man from our church, Bro. Kenny Hall, came up to Riley and told him that the Lord had been wanting him to tell Riley something, and he finally got up the nerve.  He said “The Lord told me to tell you, that because of your dedication, the anointing He has placed on your life, and because of your willingness to go when you step on that plane God is going to heal you.  You wont have to worry about the symptoms anymore, because He will take care of those too.”

You can imagine what we have been feeling.  God is so faithful to us.  We booked tickets for September 22nd.  We can’t wait to step on that plane.  This has been a long journey for us, especially Riley, but God has been with us the whole way.   I love you God!!!  You are great!!!!!

I feel like I need to tell this testimony to everyone.