Our year home has gone very quickly.We have enjoyed our time home, though Deb feels it's been too busy.God has continued to answer our many prayers.The boys both have good teachers.We had prayed that God would show us which schools to put them in.Jesse was accepted into our own church's pre-school just days before school opened when a slot opened up unexpectedly.We had not been sure whether to send Micah to a public or a private Christian school so prayed about that, too.We took a tour of the local public school and were impressed.When all the nearby Christian schools informed us that they no openings, the decision seemed obvious.On open house day, Deb and I went in to meet Micah's new teacher.We had not been in the room 5 minutes when another parent whom we did not know came up to us and said to us, "My son was in this teacher's class last year.She's the best teacher in the second grade."

I'm sure there are many other very good teachers in the school, but we have found Micah's teacher to be truly an outstanding teacher.While the boys have done well in school, they have had a little trouble making friends.I think part of the reason is they do not know quite how to act like Americans.And Micah is shy and uncomfortable with people he does not know (like me).And part of it also seems to be that playtime with other kids does not happen spontaneously as it did in Cambodia.We have to be very proactive in arranging playtime for our kids here.We aren't used to this.Unlike our Cambodian village, the boys cannot just run outside and find a dozen other kids to play with.We don't see kids outside in our neighborhood here, especially in the winter.The houses here have large lots and large lawns, but the kids seem to stay inside most of the time.Our kids have, however, thoroughly enjoyed being next door to Debbie's parents.They go back and forth several times a day.

I was able to attend a Promise Keeper conference back in the fall.It turned out to be a very good event for me.I was reminded that God loved me, and at the same time felt convicted that I needed to turn over to God some sins and garbage in my life.And God has been very good with helping me clean up and helping me to grow to become just a little more like maybe He intended for me to be.It's been very refreshing and freeing.

Debbie and I have been very fortunate in being able to meet regularly with a wonderful Christian couple.They have been counseling us and helping us to prepare to return to Cambodia.Our situation in Cambodia is sometimes overwhelming, particularly for Deb, who is constantly dealing with extensive and pressing medical needs.In the past, there were few other options for villagers in need of medical care.Deb constantly was taking on, it seemed, everyone's health problems to the point of nearly burning her out.This couple has been helping Deb to learn to draw boundaries, deciding what she can handle and what she cannot, and thinking more deliberately about what God expects of her, rather than herself.Deb and I have sometimes developed a sort of quiet arrogant attitude that God's ministry there in our district depended on us.We need to change that attitude.Deb and I both feel it essential that she especially learns how to decide what she should do with her time and resources, and then devise a way to successfully accomplish that.This does not come natural to Debbie, and she is going to need a lot of help from God.For those of you who feel led to pray for us, please pray for these issues and that God will prepare us for our return to Cambodia.

John Coats