Favorites: Nancy's Adventures Abroad

Josh Writing About Nancy

The moment I met Nancy, I knew she was one of the most caring individuals in the world. That is something I absolutely love about her, the fact that she is mindful of other's worries and feelings. She also has a wonderful smile. When I see her smile, my soul feels calm and happy inside. Nancy has that smile on her face and shows so much of that loving care when she is around children. Nancy will be a wonderful mother and I am excited to see her excel in that responsibility, and I am excited to be alongside her supporting her in every way.

Nancy Writing About Josh

Josh will be the last to ever admit to it but he really is amazing. I was drawn to him the first time I saw him. There is something about his way of being that requires me to be by his side. He has a calm spirit and a sincerity about him and accepts everyone the way they are. The first time he put his arm around me I felt like I had come home and I remember thinking how strange it was to feel so at home with someone I had only recently met. The longer we are married and the more things I learn about him and myself the more I am amazed by how perfectly we complete each other.

I know that my thoughts, feelings and opinions are safe with him and although we do not always agree, he still respects me and treats me with kindness and patience. I also love his appreciation and contentment for life as it is, not as he wants it to be, while still having big dreams. He often delivers the best corny jokes that always make me laugh and I will catch him singing random songs around the house. He is a devoted husband and I can't wait to see him take on the role of "daddy" as he will be amazing at that too.

Our Promise To The Birthmother

We love you and pray for you. You are a child of God. He watches you, loves you and wants you to do the right thing for you and your baby. If we have learned one thing in our short lives, it is that our Father in Heaven knows us, loves us and if we allow him, will guide us and help us in every aspect of our lives. He has a plan of happiness for all of his children and will do all that He can to help us attain the ends of that plan.

Life is so beautiful. You are beautiful. The child inside of you is a gift from God. As you make a decision that we cannot comprehend, please know this: if you choose to place you baby with us we promise to do all we can do be a good father and mother to that precious child. We promise to teach and lead with love. And we promise that they will always know, respect and admire you for the amazing person that you are.

China

In February of 2003 I left for Urumqi China to volunteer as an English teacher as a school. It was my first plane ride...and it was a long one (14 hrs). I taught a group of 10-14 kids every week for three months. These little kids lived at the school so I got to be more than a teacher to them, playing with them outside of class and even helping to put them to bed. They were amazing and I will always love them. We ended up having to leave 6 weeks early on 1 day's notice because of the SARS outbreak. I had a special relationship with my kids so when I went in to say "good-bye" to my kids their care-takers taught them to say "I love you, I miss you, I never forget you" as they clung to my legs and gave me hugs. I was a wreck! My experiences in China will always be a part of me and will be something I will always treasure. I think it is impossible to really understand your own reality until you experience someone else's. There are some things that you just can't read about in books. I am so glad Josh was so supportive of me going to China. The whole time I was there we exchanged emails. It gave us a great opportunity to really become friends, since we started dating so fast! That 3rd picture is the bathroom that I used for the 3 months I was in China. That is the shower head in the top left corner. The squater also served as a second drain for the shower! I was so nice to finally be able to shower barefoot when I got home.

Alaska

After I got back from China, I stayed home for about a month before going to see Josh in Puerto Rico. I got back from P.R. and then left to work in Alaska the next day. I was in Alaska for 2 months. I worked at a lodge that was literally the only thing on the island. I cooked and cleaned the guest cabins. It was a great experience. It is probably the most beautiful place I have ever been. On my days off I got to go out on the boats with the guests to fish for salmon, halibut and ling cod. We also went bear and whale watching, hiking, target shooting and kayaking around the small islands. Bald eagles and puffins were everywhere! The Whales were my favorite thing about Alaska, aside from how beautiful it is up there. We got to see killer whales really close up and it was so humbling to see firsthand how huge they are!