Home and doing great!!

Hey everyone God is SO good!!!!!! I am back from the hospital as my loving fiance said, and resting well in my room. My pain is slowly going away and i should be starting rehab in the morning!!! But today after being released from the hospital i had to actually try to take care of some paperwork witht he insurance people here lol, it being all in German was confusing but i understood most of it. You can pray that all of it will be straightened out (no worries it won't be anything gravely expensive especially compared to what i would have already payed in the US had i had the surgery done there). So after about 1pm my time i finally got to eat lunch and come back to my room and SLEEEEEEP!!!! lol. Then to my surprise a wondefully beautiful bouque of tulips came for me from my most cherished and loved Lila!!! I love her so much and it is such a blessing to have someone as wonderful, encouraging, and loving as her to take care of me "across the ocean"!!!!!! I thank you all for your prayers and ask that you continue to pray not only for my recovery but for Lila & my family as they both have had to endure me getting surgery w/out them here. Also pray for lila & I that God will contine to strengthen our relationship and bring us safely together again! We love you all and will keep you posted!!!

Love Josh&Lila

The Shoulder

Josh is doing really well. He's in his hospital room for one night, to be released tomorrow. He is experiencing a lot of pain in his shoulder, but is bearing it well. Josh sounded in very good spirits on the phone today, he was his usual super sweet, loving self! Tomorrow he has a follow up appt with his doctor right after he leaves the hospital, and then he will go back to his place and rest, per nurses orders! :) We really truly appreciate your loving prayers, calls and emails! God is SO good, and HIS timing is absolutely perfect! We love you all! ~lila

Tonight at 0230am (our time), my darling Josh will undergo shoulder surgery. It's an old injury with recurring problems. Josh recently re-injured his shoulder and now has the opportunity to take advantage of the great, socialized medicine care offered in Germany. As we are apart, it is hard for me to be here, on this side of the ocean, and long so deeply to be beside the one I love with ALL my heart. My hope lies in the Great Physician, who assures me to "not be anxious in anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God that transcends all understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7). As you end your day today, would you please remember Josh in your prayers. We are confident that this will be very beneficial, and that the recovery will be just fine. Thank you for your prayers for peace, healing, and rest!

The final leg in Deutschland

Hey everyone! Today i arrived in Germany for the last semester of my studies here. Comming back after being with lila for 2 months is a challenge for both of us, so please continue to keep us in your prayers as we again trust God to guide our relationship over the atlantic! Both of us are so happy to have accomplished so much in the wedding planning thus far! Lila has been the perfect team mate and encourager i could have ever asked for! So as we are again apart please keep us and our lives in your prayers so that we may be together again soon! Also pray for me as i start this last semester that i would be the christian example to those around me and to serve God in all i do. We appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers!

In Christ,
Josh&Lila

Mr.Involved

Let me tell you about the past month and a half, in which my wonderful Josh came back to Charleston. At the very last minute as I was leaving Germany, we purchased a ticket for Josh to come back with me. There was not much for him to do for a whole month on his winter break in Germany, alone, so he came back here. Little did I know, Josh came back with a mission...to help as much as possible with anything and everything that needed to be done!! We hit the wedding planning hard from the very beginning, and successfully checked one thing after the other off of our to-do lists. We made a trip to Florence to plan wedding music, we searched for and found the bridesmaids dresses (which is an awesome story, please ask sometime), we built the cupcake stand for the wedding CUPcakes, we purchased the groomsman's attire, we worked on several home repair projects, we purchased a termite bond for the house (don't ask!), and SO SO SO much more. Sweet Josh came every shift that I worked, days & nights, for the whole time he was here, to eat a meal with me on my short breaks. Sometimes he cooked, and other times he fixed sandwiches, but he always came with a big bag and a warm smile! While I had to work during the weeks, Josh was Mr.Time-On-Task, and set to work on getting MUCH done. One day while I slept after a night shift, Josh raked and bagged 42 bags of leaves in our back yard!!!!!!!!! (yes, i DO believe he IS Superman!!). Josh is just so wonderful to love me so much and care so much to WANT to be involved in the wedding planning process. He has contributed so many great ideas, too! :) While Josh was here we also finished our pre-marital counseling sessions with our pastor, we purchased our marriage license (it only lacks a signature now!), he printed all of the invitations, we assembled them, and Josh printed all 200 envelopes, too! WHAT a man!!!! God truly has blessed me with Josh, who earnestly seeks the Lord's ways, who cares for me, protects me, provides for me, and loves me absolutely unconditionally. As Josh has arrived back in Germany today I miss him like crazy, and my heart aches for his return, but I do take full confidence in knowing that 'HE who began a great work in us WILL be faithful to bring it to completion'!! :) Thank you ALL for your prayers and love.