Full and Fulfilling

God has blessed us with overflowing opportunity. We have our hands and hearts full; it's been busy lately and so fulfilling. This past weekend was a long, four day vacation - thanks to the generosity of the authorities in charge of the Austrian holiday calendar - and it was very much needed.

As a family we drove to Bled, Slovenia and relished the hours spent in nature. We were able to wander around the pristine Lake Bled, take a boat ride to the cozy, island church in the middle of the water, and soak in the beauty of the Vintgar Gorge. God's provision was overwhelming: for starters, we weren't sure we could afford the trip until friends offered their car! Instead of spending hundreds of Euro on a rental, we were able to borrow their van for free. Then, while in Slovenia, we were healthy and safe while hiking and exploring; furthermore, we were able to witness his glory in nature.

We got back to Vienna on Sunday and have been easing back into The Swing of Things as smoothly as we can. Yet, despite the frantic busyness of the end of a school year, we are excited about what is to come. Not only do we still have a church retreat to rejoice in this upcoming weekend, but in two weekends we have prom and in a little less than a month we will be in the United States.

We really appreciate prayer for the retreat, that God would use it to rejuvenate the church and deepen friendships. Please also be praying for Britney because she is the prom coordinator this year and has a lot on her plate.

Finally, please think of us in prayer for our upcoming summer trip to the US. We will be flying back on June 13 and will be staying for about two months (Caleb will come back a little earlier to start the next school year, while Ollie and Britney will stay until August 22). Our goals are to spend most of our time with family and to connect with all of our supporting teammates. We hope to see all of you and will be in contact with you soon to work things out.

Thank you for your prayers and love,
Caleb & Britney & Oliver

A Few New Things

Hello Friends!

It's time for updates - family, ministry, updates of all kinds. 

Let's go with the most recent first: Today, Caleb turned in an application to pursue a Masters degree at the University of Vienna! Since graduating from college, he has anticipated going back to school, but hasn't been sure when to start. Now that Ollie is here, it feels like things need to get moving before anyone gets any older and any other kids start showing up (ps: this is not a pregnancy announcement in disguise). Please be praying that God will direct this new adventure. It isn't even certain yet whether or not Caleb will even be accepted, so prayers can start there! 

In another realm, more prayers against sickness in our family would be a huge blessing. God is so good to us and we have experienced his provision day in and day out while living in Vienna. Still, the evil one is not lazy; for about six weeks we have dealt with illness in our family and it's been stressful. This week, Caleb was supposed to be on a missions trip to Romania with the students. However, Oliver has a bad cough, so Caleb decided to stay at home. It's been a good decision so far - Ollie is still coughing and, while he has beaten his fever and is growing healthier, his sleep has been hurting . . . which means our sleep has been hurting too. 

Finally, as the summer draws closer and students begin begging to have class outside, more prayers for the Spirit of God to move in the classrooms at ICSV are coveted. It's incredible to learn later how much impact one can have on a student. Please be praying for positive, gospel-centered influence to move through Caleb and Britney to the students (by the way, yes, Britney is once again involved in the school: she is planning the prom dance with the junior class!)

Hopefully this post finds you well and at peace in God's goodness. We love you and are so thankful for your prayers and financial support. 

Peace,

Caleb & Britney & Oliver!

Long Overdue...

*This post is coming to you about 5 1/2 months late. This past week has been rough for us. Oliver was in the hospital for a few days and then both of us got food poisoning later in the week. We decided to share this story, because it is so incredible, and a great reminder of God's protection. The first part is from my (Britney's) perspective and the second is from Caleb's. I'd also like to say that no matter how a baby comes in to this world, whether it be completely natural, a c-section, or any other number of ways, it is BEAUTIFUL. Also, this is a very detailed account of Oliver's birth, so if you don't want the gory details then don't read this post. 

It was Monday morning, 5 days past our little guy's due date. I had been having contractions all night, but to me they were no different than the annoying Braxton Hicks I had been having for weeks. Our friend, Stacey, drove me to the hospital for a routine checkup. After about a half an hour of being hooked up to the contraction monitor (I have no idea if there's a real name for that thing), a midwife came in to check me. She said I was having contractions regularly and that I was 3 cm. She then told me to go home, get my things (and my husband), and come back to the hospital. I remember feeling so excited and nervous. I called Caleb during one of his classes and told him it was time.

After collecting the carseat, hospital bag, Caleb, and Stacey's husband, we headed to the hospital. Well, we tried. Brad & Stacey's car battery died while we were getting our things. It was pretty funny. I think Brad was more nervous than I was as he frantically searched for someone to jump his car.

We got back to the hospital some time shortly after noon. And then we waited. My contractions eased up a bit, and I didn't dilate any further. I was worried they would send me home, but to my relief they checked us in to a room and said I would be staying the night. Around 9 p.m. we went to sleep. I woke up at 11 p.m. feeling like I had peed the bed. Let me tell ya, the water breaking is so weird. And that's all I'll say about that.

The next few hours consisted of trying to ease the pain naturally. Showers, the birthing ball, bending over the bed, I tried it all. Throughout my whole pregnancy I knew I wanted to try a natural birth, BUT I was definitely not opposed to having an epidural. I mean, I had never given birth. I had never even broken a bone, so I had no idea how I would handle the pain. A few hours of contractions and I decided I wanted the epidural. This meant we would move to the birthing room. Once we got there the midwife checked me and said it was too late for me to get an epidural. Talk about disappointed!

Everything started to move pretty quickly, and before I knew it she was telling me I could push. I always thought that once they tell you to push you are only moments away from seeing your sweet baby. Boy was I wrong. 3 hours later and I was still pushing. Oliver just couldn't move through the birth canal very quickly, probably because of my small frame and how big he was. Things happened that I didn't even know were possible, like my body shaking uncontrollably so the midwife had to put warm blankets on me to make it stop. I kept my eyes closed basically the whole time. It was my way of dealing with the pain. The midwife started to worry and decided to call a doctor in. I wasn't aware of what was going on at the time. After being there to observe for what seemed like forever, the doctor came over to me. All he said was, "I'm going to help you." Then the REAL pain came. They had to use a vacuum extractor to get Ollie out. But it wasn't that simple. Once his head was out his body was still stuck. It took a lot of yanking and me screaming so loud that at one point the midwife looked at me and told me to stop it. But then he was here. Once I heard that ear-piercing cry everything was okay.

His little life is such a miracle. God was with us the entire time, and has been with us ever since. We don't need to worry, God is protecting him.

-----------------------------------------

When Britney woke me up around 11:00 p.m. that night, I reacted in the same way that I always do when she wakes me up. I quickly fell back asleep.

That lasted about four seconds - just long enough for Britney to realize and wake me up again: "MY WATER BROKE!"

Even I couldn't stay unconscious for this.

I remember three distinct stages. By the time her contractions really got going, we were already at the hospital and, as previously mentioned, asleep. The first stage was a spontaneous, impulsive road trip: at first, things are exciting and everybody feels adventurous. After a while . . . people start getting uneasy and that guy in the backseat keeps shouting, "Are we there yet?!?"

No way, Jose.

Stage Two: We moved from our private room to the Kreißsaal, emphasis on the "cry". This was the calm before the storm, if by "calm" one means "an excruciatingly unbearable and overwhelming tension". The time to push came and simply never left. For about three hours, Britney pushed as Oliver tried to make his way into the world and I . . .

Dude.

I kept my eyes open and watched my wife become my hero.

Stage Three: When I first saw Oliver, I was worried. After hours in the birth canal, he didn't look very good. I remember watching the doctors pull and twist and all I was thinking was, "What . . ."

It was surreal to see a person, my son, come out of a person, my wife, and slip gently onto the platform.

It was life-changing to hold Britney's hand, gaze into her eyes, and smile as he took his first breaths and screamed the most beautiful note I've ever heard.

Exhale.

Exhale.

In one breath, expel the fear and doubt. In one breath, a simple sigh of thanks. It's a small act, signifying a monumental moment: God is present in our lives.

Praise be to the Father, Ollie is home. It's almost impossible to relate the experience of yesterday morning in words…but that's never stopped a person before, so let's go.

Around 10:15 Britney was told that she would be staying yet another night. First of all, it's so important to mention that we are more than grateful for the medical care Ollie was given. Still, the situation in the hospital was less than ideal: Britney and Oliver were in a room with four other sick children and their parents. By yesterday, he was showing great signs of improvement, so sticking around seemed risky - wouldn't he just get sick again? Monday night, neither Britney or Oliver could sleep because of the crying, coughing, and snoring.

When, at 10:15, we were told he would need to stay, it was nearly too much.

However, this post is a testament to God's overwhelming goodness, not our own power. We had thoughts of wild arguments in German ensuing in desperate escapes through the corridors of the hospital. What could we possibly do to get out of Dodge?

Nothing. Close your eyes. Still your heart. Give it to God.

Sound familiar? It's a lesson we are learning over and over and we are desperate to share the good news. God loves us. He loves you.

At 12:15 yesterday, Caleb rode the Straßenbahn to the hospital, asking God for wisdom, patience, and the self control to keep from exploding. Specifically, he asked for a change in the protocol, a change in the hearts of the doctors and nurses.

Please design a way for Oliver to come home.

And now, here we are, another day, all together at home. There are still worries ahead (which parents don't face worry?) but we know now - and we pray that we will remember more easily and confidently - that the Lord will provide.

And Now, the Waiting Room

While it's nice to have a chance to sit still, pray, and write this post, it's not difficult to imagine dozens of other more enjoyable environments…

But Oliver has had a fever over the last couple of days and seems to be a bit dehydrated because he won't drink very much of his milk. So, we thought it best to take him and see what the doctors think. 

As an Austrian SpongeBob SquarePants goes about his life on the TV above us and kids play with toys across the room, we sit and wait. It's not a comfortable experience; it's not relaxing. We feel helpless as Ollie sleeps on Mommy's chest. Waiting. 

What are we supposed to do?

As frustrating and heartbreaking as it can be, we sense more and more, as we learn about being parents, that the answer to that question is surprisingly - almost disturbingly - simple. 

Close your eyes. Still your heart. Give it to God. 

Just give the worry and the frustration and the inability to fix the problem to God, the good and glorious Father. 

It's harder than it sounds. Yet, a peace descends in the midst of the clamor of our hearts and it gets a little easier to breathe again. And when it's easier to breathe, it's easier to see what can be done, even if that's nothing more than sitting in a hospital waiting room. 

We'll be updating as we find out more. In the meantime please be praying for Ollie and for us. Look for a post within the next few days that will have updates on our ministry!

Peace,

Caleb, Britney, and Oliver!

Happy New Year!!

Okay, we know it's a little late for a genuine "Happy New Year!!" post.

Yet, if you're anything like us, '2015' still looks like an awkward distant cousin and you're probably still scratching out the 4's that you keep writing instead of 5's. Anybody?

Regardless, here we are, thinking about the future all over again. And we are extremely excited to share some big news with all of you . . .

After praying for months and listening to advice / encouragement from family and dear friends, we have decided to recommit to the ministry here in Vienna!

Here are the details: we plan on staying another two years, serving in the same capacities as we have been, while deepening relationships and possibly opening up to any other roles God might guide us into. This means that Caleb will continue teaching at the school, in the high school English department, and Britney will stay connected with the extracurricular activities she has been serving in (such as planning the school dance!).

Of course, we will be engaged in other ministry opportunities, as we have been, such as serving in our church.

A big part of this decision rested on many of you, our prayer & financial supporting team. Without your desire to continue in ministry with us, we wouldn't be able to choose to stay here in Vienna. We will be connecting with you with more specific details as we ease out of the holiday season (anybody's tree still up?) and we are determined to open up new, creative ways of communication, while continuing with the blog post and prayer letters.

Keep checking back here for pictures of Ollie and stories of God's goodness here in Vienna!

Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Oliver!!

We Lift Up One Voice

The night started as all extra-curricular events do: late. Students were exploring the building, which was by now free of any academic aftertaste, and cookie crumbs were spilling all over the carpet. The place was ripe for music - but not just any kind of music. What was to come would be focused; all the voices in the room would soon join together in singing to and with and for and because of a person.

The Person.

Slowly, the nearly-all-student team of musicians gathered around the front of what we at ICSV like to call the AP Room. The All-Purpose Room is used for, you guessed it, anything and everything. Last Wednesday, it transformed, as it so often does, from an empty space into a holy place.

Students from all over the world settled in for an evening of worshiping God; there were teenagers from all over the spectrum: 13-year-olds and high school seniors, Koreans and Canadians, those close to their Father and those wandering and wondering. Muslim students were there and kids who don't know if God even cares . . .

. . . we were all awed and humbled by how much he really does care.

Throughout the night, students worshiped through song, prayer, and testimony. Two students shared from the depths of their experiences how good God is. It was glorious and beautiful to be a part of the fellowship. When we got back home, Ollie sleeping contentedly in his stroller, we looked at each other. It's nights like that which make ministry at ICSV so unique and fulfilling.

Hopefully, we could share a bit of what it was like that night with this post. Please pray that students would feel the impact of God's love throughout the coming days, even when the lights all turn back on and the homework starts piling.

Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Ollie!