2010-11 Ministry Update

November 2010 Ministry Update - inludes:
1. Cooper getting baptized by daddy. Congrats to and from Dwight Howard.
2. Howard turning 40, Laura turning 35.
3. 67,000 schools, 25 million students

Side 1

Side 2

Cooper Was Baptized By His Daddy At The Beach (with NBA Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard)

Cooper placed his faith in Christ back in January. We’ve read all the way through the bible several times with our boys during our nightly bedtime routine. Every time we’d get to the passages about John The Baptist, Cooper would ask all sorts of questions about baptism. He’s learned that baptism is a public, outward expression of the inward, personal decision to follow Christ. He’s been asking if he could get baptized for some time now, and we believe he was ready. Cooper even asked if I would baptize him!
On the morning of the big day, he and I had a special time together at McDonalds talking again through the significance of his decision. Then that afternoon, our family along with 1000 others from our church, drove the 1.5 hours out to the Atlantic Ocean. The weather was perfect and the waves were big.
After walking out into the ocean, we knelt in the frigid water with our pastor (Isaac Hunter) at our side. I asked him, “Cooper, do you believe Jesus Christ is God’s Son?” and “Do you believe He died on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins?” and lastly, “Is it your desire to follow Christ all the days of your life?” After saying, “Yes,” I said, “Cooper, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” I leaned him backward into the water as the waves came crashing in.
Baptizing Cooper in the presence of our church (Summit Church of Orlando) was one of my greatest honors! Cooper was one of about 100 who got baptized that day!

NBA All star, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic got Baptized, too

The final person baptized by our 5’ 9” pastor, was 6’ 11” NBA All star, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic. Dwight made a profession of faith in Jesus years ago, but only now committed to be baptized. Afterward, Cooper went up to Dwight to congratulate him.
You can see video and pictures from the day on our gallery website: http://gallery.me.com/crutsinger

Howard Turning 40, Laura 35!

November 12 is the day Laura and I both share for our birthday. Neither of us like the sound of these pivotal ages. 39 and 34 was much more palatable. Being “a couple in our thirties” is no longer a description I can use! I guess it is time to grow up... Naaa...

67,000 schools, 25 million students...

The goal is to give every student at every school the chance to hear about and see God’s love and forgiveness in action.
Humanly speaking, it seems impossible. In America alone there are 67,000 schools with nearly 25 million high school and middle school students. Around the world there are millions more. It may be seem zealous to have such a lofty scope, but the mission of reaching out to every person in every part of the world is God’s idea.

Moments before His departure Jesus gave his followers this specific directive: “Go into the whole world and preach the good news to everyone, everywhere.” Mark 16:15 (TLB), and in Matthew 28:18-20: “Go and make disciples in every nation.” This charge, given by Jesus to all Christians for all time, is called the Great Commission.

I represented Student Venture at the Campus Alliance Summit in Kansas City, MO, a partnership of youth leaders, students, organizations and church denominations. Every few years, SV does an analysis of where the body of Christ stands on reaching youth around the United States. We pool stats from Youth for Christ, Young Life, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Youth Alive (Assemblies of God), Southern Baptists, Student Venture, and Moms in Touch to show where God is at work in the local middle and high schools in America. It is exciting to see that there are 21,000 ministry locations targeting young people for Christ. Please pray the Campus Alliance can help foster partnerships between campus based ministries and strategize how to reach almost 10,000 middle and high schools that still do not currently have an effective outreach.

Appreciating Your Partnership

This is not an easy journey leading in ministry. Your prayers and support help sustain us. Please pray Isaiah 40:29-31 over us: ”He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

It is a joy for us to serve along side you,

Crutsinger 2009_05 Prayer Letter

Here is our prayer letter for this month featuring:

• Discipleship Project Beta
  
• Houston Fastbreak Workshop
  
• SLI Module 4: El Salvador
  
• Leadership Conference
  
• Dad’s Cancer
  
• Baby Boy #3, Due date
  
• Thank You
  

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Here's the text:
May 2009 Crutsinger Prayer Update

Emerging Strategies = "The Cutting Edge of Strategic Learning, Innovation and Resource Development to Accelerate the Ministry of Turning Lost Students into Christ-Centered Laborers"

“Essentials” Discipleship Project Update

OVERVIEW:  The Essentials of Spiritual Growth and Multiplication has now become a proven tool that has been used effectively in multiple contexts.  The purpose of the Assessment and Expansion Project is to fine tune the resource itself (assessment) and then seek to significantly increase its worldwide usage (expansion).  We have completed the first eight lessons.  I have about 75 staff around the country being beta testers.  The initial feedback is very encouraging!  Even the high school students using them as they disciple their peers have communicated their excitement.

    Have you made intensive efforts towards spiritual growth and multiplication with limited results?  We have observed that the lack of success is not due to a lack of effort.  The secret is to make it easy.

     Steve Douglass, Campus Crusade President, invested significant personal time to help us craft a single innovative resource that encapsulates many of the best practices seen globally. Essentials is very unique. It is not like other discipleship resources.

     Since 2005, hundreds of field staff and students have wrestled with the Essentials content resulting in significant modifications.  It has been revised over and over again, maximized to the point where you will quickly see your small group participants experience, first-hand, the core DNA of Win, Build, and Send.  It is new, yet you can have complete confidence in proven results.

     I guarantee that you and other small group leaders will easily grasp the Essentials strategy in this intuitive framework.  In the redesign, I’ve strived to make the discipleship process extremely easy to understand, experience, and replicate.

     Few resources are able to bridge multiple people groups like Essentials. Essentials has proven to be effective with a variety of ethnic, international, high school, university and adult audiences.  At it’s core, Essentials is about experiences and discussions – two universal ways to connect with anyone.

     I now want to invite you to test it out!  Because of your partnership with our family, I want to resource you, but I also want to listen to you.  Being a digital resource, I will still continue to make ongoing improvements in response to your personal expertise and advice.

     To show our appreciation for you, I want to give you a free beta copy of Essentials of Spiritual Growth and Multiplication.  If Essentials does not live up to your standards, you can always resort to other options for discipleship materials.

To download your free copy, visit

http://essentials.ccci.org

Houston Fastbreak

   The current Houston director, Barry Bowling, was the SV staffer who started SV in my high school when I was still a student in 1985.  Many things I learned when he discipled me shaped my passion for student multiplication.  Over this past Winter break, I flew to Texas to visit the 2009 Houston Fastbreak Student Conference.  I was able to help Barry with a student leader workshop focusing on multiplying discipleship.  What an encouragement to see students of multiple ethnicities being raised up to directly impact their own campuses.  Some of these students were already using the Essentials discipleship strategy!  Pray these students and those from all our conferences nationwide remain connected to the Father and committed to His plans.

Senior Leadership Module 4 - El Salvador

   I am in the final stretch of my two year Senior Leadership Initiative.  We met in El Salvador where our theme was “the relationships of the leader.”   One assignment involved us interviewing 5 highly influential business leaders in their country, inquiring about the importance of relationships to their effectiveness as leaders.  Also during the week we covered volumes of very practical content: Leadership Derailers, Coaching Over Distance, Leading with Questions, Five Components of a Healthy Team, Developing Trust as a Leader, Feedback Culture, Managing Conflict, and Importance of Self Awareness.  The highlight for me was hearing from three global Campus Crusade leaders who each shared openly about their “Leadership Journey.”

SV National Leadership Conference

   What percentage of your time are you working IN your organization, and what percentage of your time are you working ON it? In our National Team role, we find that in order to build Student Venture into a stronger and healthier ministry for the long run, we need to pull back from being immersed in the work that needs to be done.  We have the responsibility to make whatever necessary changes organizationally to accomplish our mission through short term and long term strategies.

   Last week, we returned from our annual SV National Leadership Conference where we hosted all of our SV city directors.  This is only our second opportunity to meet together since the transition to our current National Team.  We went to great effort to roll out our new National Strategic Planning Process and align our directors with it.  Based on the evaluations, it looks like we achieved our goal that the directors would leave the conference empowered, encouraged, aligned and informed.

Dad’s Cancer

   My father (Howard) has another scheduled biopsy May 20 on an enlarging spot seen on his latest CT scan of his lungs.  Please continue to pray.  He’s been off chemo and radiation for a few months which has helped him recover quite a bit.

Homefront - Baby on the Way!

   Laura is counting the days until the birth of our third little boy!  We’re due around June 26.  With just a few weeks left, we are scurrying around trying to get ready.  Cooper and Ben can’t wait to meet their baby brother.  We still can’t believe we’re going to have three boys!

   Yesterday we decided the time had arrived for Benjamin to have his first haircut.  It was hard for us to depart with his long bright blond curls.  Howard believes all our kids are destined for future baldness, so he wanted Ben to cherish these days with hair!

   Benjamin is obsessed with any sports “ball” and Cooper is our social butterfly who loves to be at preschool with his friends.

Thank You

   Knowing that you are partnering with and praying for our ministry and our family is so encouraging.  We are grateful and humbled.  You are making an impact in students everywhere!

Grateful for your Partnership,
Howard & Laura Crutsinger

Music Video of Family

Here is a short music video showing life with our kids, Cooper and Benjamin.

November, Prayer Letter Update - Page 1 & 2

Here is our prayer letter for this month featuring:

• Essentials of Spiritual Growth & Multiplication Project
• Senior Leadership Module 3
• Will It Solve The Problem?
• Dad’s Cancer
• Launching SV in College Towns
• Thank You

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Here's the text:
November 2008 Crutsinger Prayer Update

Emerging Strategies = "The Cutting Edge of Strategic Learning, Innovation and Resource Development to Accelerate the Ministry of Turning Lost Students into Christ-Centered Laborers"

Essentials of Spiritual Growth & Multiplication Project
We are creating a discipleship tool written by Campus Crusade President Steve Douglass to help students grow in Christ and get involved in ministry and spiritual multiplication as soon as possible.
Globally there are 3 “Styles of Learning”:

• Literary
• Primary Orality (cannot read)
• Secondary Orality (can, but will not read)

Today, 58% of adults after college will never read another book. 2/3 of the world can’t, don’t, or won’t read… therefore they cannot hear our message through text. They are deaf to the Gospel b/c it is not presented to them in a way that gets to their heart. Ironically, 90% of all Christian ministry today occurs through literate communication styles! My department’s goal in resource development is to incorporate several active learning strategies: visual, hands-on, immediate application, discussion, memory, arts, video & easy transferability.

This “Essentials” series takes into account that today’s high school and college students are post-modern in philosophy and are secondary oral learners (people who can read but do not prefer to learn by reading). They are highly relational and make sense of the world through their experiences, story and discussion.

How it works: No lectures here—the group discovers Biblical truth together through a directed discussion around a passage of Scripture rather than a workbook or other written materials. Group leaders are provided with a session preparation checklist and lead from a group discussion outline. Group members keep a “mini-journal” that records what they learn from each discussion, and action to take and a person to tell.

So, what’s the big deal? We presented our design concept to Steve Douglass and he loved it! We are praying this new delivery method and new layout will exponentially increase and radically deepen spiritual multiplication all over the country!

Please pray we get a field test version of the first four lessons complete by Feb. 4.

Senior Leadership Module 3
We had a great module focusing on “execution” with a particular spin on how you have to adjust from doing things yourself to execute well through others. The basis was the “Stellar Execution” model by Bob Lewis. Each component has 2 axes—”defined” and “practiced or applied”. Four components are: 1) Achieving strategic clarity; 2) Building leadership competency; 3) Acquiring process capability; and 4) Creating a culture of accountability.

We took a Backstage Magic Tour at Disney giving us a look at a large company with a great reputation for executing well everyday. We then did an assessment of 3 national CCC ministries – Canada, US Ministries, US Campus- by teams using the stellar execution model. We identified strengths and gaps in the current level of execution, as well as developed an action plan to bridge the gaps. Included was a “start, stop, keep, improve” exercise for the first component- strategic clarity.

In the final afternoon, we looked at the character structure of a leader and how that impacts the ability to execute well. The “Growth Model” is something we use to teach about creating the right environment for character growth—based on Henry Cloud’s work (Changes that Heal). We considered what the impact of a leader who is “all truth, no grace,” or “all grace, no truth.” We discussed how a leader’s ability in love/bonding, responsibility/self-control, forgiveness (dealing with both good and bad), and authority impact execution.

I will have to report on progress made in “execution” within Student Venture during Module 4 in April 09.

Will It Solve The Problem?
My SLI team of six were “hired” (for free) by the National Team of Campus Ministries to solve a critical two part problem. Our vision: 1) All strategic roles are filled. 2) Veteran staff find ways to move into strategic roles that fit them well. Our mission: 1) Analyze the cultural problem of veteran staff not moving into strategic organizational roles. 2) Propose a blueprint for cultural change that will address this problem. After six months of intense research, on October 20, we presented our Strategic Solution: Four steps to capturing the contributions of our most experienced staff. A principle and founder of a multi-million dollar firm that consults the nuclear power industry read our report very carefully and he was thoroughly impressed saying, “there are many important findings in this report, as well as some great solutions.” He also said that in the business world you would pay $100,000 for a study and report like this. Pray that the implementation of our solution would achieve the desired results!

Dad’s Cancer
My father (Howard) is doing great battling his brain and lung cancer. Dec 15 will be his one year anniversary of the diagnosis. He is currently on chemo and radiation sabbatical until the doctors conclude if further treatment is necessary. He is a trooper! Please pray his medical reports continue to come back with good news.

Launching SV in College Towns
Kendra is a student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and active in the Cru (college) ministry. She is married to Nate, a farmer. During the summer of 2007, she worked at a summer camp for teens. When she got back to school in the fall she asked one girl from the camp, who lived near IUP, if she wanted to be in a small group. This soon expanded to include up to 20 girls from the basketball team and the cheerleaders. Kendra recognized that students can lead and she began to help some of the girls reach their friends. As the year progressed they saw other college students and a mom get involved. Because Kendra was familiar with Student Venture, she and Nate took some students SV’s Fastbreak in New York in February. Kendra began to sense the tug to consider interning with Student Venture.

During this past summer, Kendra and Nate began a weekly co-ed Bible study. IUP local leader, Phil Floyd, and Student Venture coach, Shawn Basone, are working together to help Kendra keep Win/Build/Send in their Bible Study’s DNA. During a training segment of each week, they are taking time to go through the CoJourners evangelism training. They are being purposeful about taking students out to share their faith. Recently, they invited a staff member in the region to lead an evangelism training. Kendra was encouraged to have about 15 teens and 15 college students come out. College and high school students paired up to go out witnessing. According to Kendra some of the college students had either never shared their faith or it was the first time since Summer Project. They were encouraged by the younger kids’ faith. Some of these students continue to look for sharing opportunities. Kendra and Lizzie went out to follow up a girl that came to their Bible study. After they went through the Gospel, the girl said she had already trusted Christ when she attended Kendra’s study.

In the coming weeks, Kendra and the teens are planning an outreach that will include students from two different high schools. They are already recruiting high school students to go to the Winter Conference, where they will have a high school student track. And they are making plans to take a group of IUP and high school students on a Student Venture mission to St. Petersburg, Russia in the Spring. College students, a USCM staff, a SV staff and others in the region are all working together to see an exciting ministry among high schools students grow. Please pray many other SV movements will be launched by college students!

Thank You
Helping provide national leadership to Student Venture is a huge honor and responsibility. We see your partnership as being critical. Thank you for your prayers and support!

Grateful for your Partnership,
Howard & Laura Crutsinger

April, Prayer Letter Update - Page 1 & 2

Here is our prayer letter for this month featuring:

• My Dad's New Battle With Cancer
• SV Leadership Conference
• Starting SV in College Towns
• Car Wrecked
• Benjamin’s 1st B-Day
• Thank You

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Here's the text:
April 2008 Prayer Update New Battle With Cancer
On Dec 13, 2007, I called my dad to wish him happy birthday. He talked about how he must have food poising because of how bad he felt. Two days later, my mom took him to the hospital to see what was causing the vertigo and slurred speech. They first thought it was an inner ear infection, but after running tests, diagnosed him with a one inch tumor in the back of his brain & two other tumors in his lungs. They advised immediate brain surgery as he was just days away death. He has “stage 4 squamous (non-small cell) cell lung cancer”. On Christmas Eve, my dad underwent surgery to remove the brain tumor. The doctors were not sure he’d survive the surgery, so treating the lungs was irrelevant at the time.

Since then, he’s had at least 75 doctor appointments, 5 weeks of daily localized radiation on the brain, then chemo on the lungs, and now 5 more weeks of radiation on the lungs. For a couple of months, every week was filled with more and more unfavorable news... He developed blood clots in his leg that broke loose and went to the lungs, he came down with pneumonia, they found a fracture in his back, and was even diagnosed with sleep apnea. I find comfort that God is the One to determine timelines for life and health, though the stats from some of the doctors are bleak, we are optimistic that he’ll pull through. By God’s grace, he is making small steps of progress.

Please pray that the medical treatments would aggressively attack the cancer with minimal negative side effects. Pray my dad would become a pleasant willing participant in this process. Please also pray for my mom who is exhausted with all of the new caregiving responsibilities, doctors’ appoints, and transportation needs. She is a trooper! Clinging to James 1:2-8; Romans 8:28

SV Leadership Conference
We hosted our annual SV Leadership Conference. I spoke to all of our city leaders about resources that could help them more effectively reach the students on their campuses. The emphasis was on distinguishing the difference between “bible study” and “discipleship”. Our materials must be easily transferable. We have to be strategic in how we raise up the next generation of student leaders, if they are going to become active participants in spiritual multiplication. (2 Timothy 2:2)

Starting SV in College Towns
We finished a creative training resource to walk college students through a “START” process telling how we launch Student Venture on a high school campus. Pray God raises up leaders to open new campuses for thousands of students to hear about Christ. To see the whole booklet, visit: http://www.gocampus.org/preview/start.pdf

Car Wrecked
I (Howard) am without a car until I can find a replacement. Laura drove my car since she left the kids at home with me so she could attend a monthly SV women’s meeting. She was waiting at a red light. The light turned green. Laura pulled out. And WHAM! She got side-swiped by a guy who ran the red light. Fortunately she was not hurt, but my car was totaled.

Benjamin’s 1st B-Day
We celebrated Benjamin’s first birthday (Jan 31). We had a small group of friends over to watch him dive into his own smash cake. It was great fun! Benjamin is sooo close to walking. His bright blue eyes and his cackling laugh make us smile.

Cooper got his first haircut, often tackles daddy when he gets home from work, corrects Benjamin when he chews on electrical cords, and loves to play. He’s got enough energy to compete with the Energizer bunny. “More bible, daddy!” is often heard before he’s put to bed - I’m sure it’s his manipulative tactic to stay awake longer, but we take full advantage of it.

Thank You
We are so appreciative for your partnership in our ministry. Your prayers and support enable us to be involved in providing national leadership to Student Venture. We have the best group of staff and interns within SV. I long for the day when kids involved in each of their ministries get to approach you in heaven to thank you for your investment in their lives!

Grateful for your Partnership,
Howard & Laura

November, Prayer Letter Update - Page 1 & 2

Here is our prayer letter for this month featuring:

• Senior Leadership Initiative
• Ministry/Life Coach
• SLI Participants
• Changed Life Story
• SV National Team
• Family News

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August 3, Prayer Letter Update - Page 1 & 2

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March, Prayer Letter Update - Page 1 & 2

Here is our prayer letter for this month featuring:

• New baby
• New SV position
  

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Benjamin is 3 weeks old!

We are having a good time with Cooper and his baby brother, Benjamin. Many late night feedings, lots of laughter, and loads of fun...

Laura's mom was in town this last week -- talk about a major helper! Thank you! (come back soon!!)

First Halloween

Watch the video by pressing the orange arrow.

This video is of Cooper's first Halloween. He was a rooster!

* if for some reason the above video doesn't work on your computer, try this alternate version (but it may take a minute to load): http://tinyurl.com/yggryj

Cooper's first steps walking

Watch the video by pressing the orange arrow.

This video is of Cooper taking his first steps walking... It's fun seeing his expressions as he learns this new mode of transportation!

* if for some reason the above video doesn't work on your computer, try this alternate version (but it may take a minute to load): http://tinyurl.com/yf5ddy

Cooper's 1st Birthday!

Watch the video by pressing the orange arrow.

A giraffe
A cake - yum yum
A baby brother/sister ?!?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COOPER!

Cooper is on the move!

Cooper is just over 9 months old and is on the move! Watch the video by pressing the orange arrow.

Cooper's 6 month birthday!

Today is Cooper's 6 month birthday! It seems like yesterday that he was able to fit in the palm of one of my hands, now he is sitting up and loving life. Laura is still breast feeding and we've recently added some solid foods (picture above w/ food on his face was his first solid food meal).

So we want to encourage you to go out, buy yourself a peice of birthday cake, sing Cooper a "Happy Birthday" melody, and enjoy the rest of your day.

Cooper is almost 3 months old!

Cooper is doing great! He is beginning to sleep more through the night. He has survived his first hurricane - Wilma. And survived his first plane ride when Laura and I went to a life long friend's wedding (Amy Blevins) in Temple, TX. Special thank you to Tim & Beth Mixon's family, the Carpenters, Diane Livesay & others for caring for all of us during the wedding.

Cooper's cooing and delightful expressions light us up!

All of our boxes are finally unpacked and we are beginning to settle in our new home in Orlando, FL. Laura is loving being a mom and I'm loving the position I'm in with Student Venture.

We have a big weekend coming up that I've been working on for the last month, called the Preview Weekend. Read more about it and how to pray below...

Thanks for your prayers and support! You are so appreciated!

Cooper is three weeks old and our house SOLD!

Cooper is doing great despite the crying, diapers and constant feedings. Mom is a bit worn out but is getting the hang of all this. I am taking her out tomorrow night on a date. Our sister-in-law, Julie Livesay, will be the heroic baby sitter! We will be celebrating Cooper's three week birthday and the official sale of our house in Atlanta! It closed finally today. Thanks for the many prayers in bringing it about!

Pictures!

Summary of delivery!

at 9:15 AM:
Recovering in hospital. Today Mom will start walking around despite the staples/stiches. Some pain but only when moving. Cooper is doing great!

at 9:02 AM:
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Announcing Robert "Cooper" Crutsinger

Robert "Cooper" Crutsinger was born on August 2 at 3:16am. He is 7lbs
4oz and 19in long. Laura had a real rough night with 18 hours of
progressing along, then ending up still having to have a C-section b/c
Cooper didn't want to come out any further, regardless of how much mommy
was pushing. The epidural kept wearing off on Laura's right side. Laura
is trying to recover and we both need some sleep. She'll be breast
feeding every 3 hours. Thank you for your continued prayers. Pictures
will be added once we get access to internet.

7:02 AM:
All is now fine. It's a healthy boy! details soon...

at 3:38 AM:
Dr. doing C-section. Prepping now.

at 2:51 AM:
Pain came back again on left side. More meds. Dr. is coming in. May do C-section. Pray baby remains safe & healthy, & for restored hope. Tired.

at 2:33 AM:
Taking a break til 1am. Got some more pain meds, 2 Tylonol &penicillin drip to fight potential infection. All is ok. Pray pushing works better.

at 12:54 AM:
Still pushing.

at 12:45 AM
Monday, August 01, 2005
At 10cm! Going into labor now.

at 10:37 PM:
Still @5cm & pain is back. Got more meds. Pray we get to 10cm QUICKLY. Been 12hrs since water broke.

at 9:46 PM:
Night shift just got here @Winter Park Hospital. Dr. Grace should be back at 9:30pm to check how dialated Laura is. Pray we get to 10cm quickly.

at 8:19 PM:
Dr. Grace just came in & did checkup. Dialated a little over 4cm. By 8pm we need to be over 5cm or may need C-section. Pray we reach 5cm soon.

at 6:07 PM:
No major updates. No pain at all. According to the monitor the contractions are stronger & closer. Estimated delivery is 10pm.

at 5:25 PM:
100% effaced, 4 cm dialated, stage -1. Howard watched epidural w/ no problem. Laura's about to sleep while Howard gets himself something to eat.

at 3:20 PM:
100% effaced, 4 cm dialated, stage -1. Howard watched epidural w/ no problem. Laura's about to sleep while Howard gets himself something to eat.

at 3:14 PM:
Just finished w/ epidural & already no more pain! Laura's now smiling again!

at 2:19 PM:
Just ordered the epidural to take edge off. Watching a dvd on computer to distract from the contractions.

at 1:21 PM:
Contractions a bit more painful. 2-4 minutes apart lasting 1 minute.

at 11:29 AM:
90% effaced, 2 cm, stage -1. Pregressing fine with minor contractions.

at 10:23 AM:
Checked into hospital @7:45am on Aug 1. On pitocin to induce. Dr. Grace broke Laura's water @9:45am. Now we wait! (making updates by cell phone)

Laura's OB/GYN says...

Laura's OB/GYN says she'd like to induce this Sunday night! So it looks like our baby will be coming a week early! We'll be sure to put up pics as soon as we take them!

So what’s it gonna be... A BOY? or A GIRL?

I remember looking at our summer plans... directing Myrtle Beach Summer Project again, summer Getaway conference
in Panama City, FL, and our National Staff Training in Colorado... a pretty packed summer, and who wants to be pregnant during the summer anyway? I remember telling Laura, why don’t we not make a concerted effort at getting pregnant until after our rigid schedule slows a bit. I think the Lord laughed and may have said “you’re schedule will never slow down, so I’ll just alter a few of your plans!” So that’s when it happened. After three years of trying to get pregnant, we decided to temporarily stop trying so hard, and then we got pregnant!So, alter our plans, He did! Our plans for the summer are now up in the air. And we are eager to jump into the new world of parenthood! We are so excited. Our next ultrasound is in two weeks. I think we’ll find out then if it’s a boy or a girl...Last weekend, we celebrated our five year anniversary at a nearby Bed and Breakfast. We laughed a lot about this being one of the last quiet anniversaries in the years ahead! Laura has been a trooper in the midst of it all! She is just now starting to show. Our due date is around August 6, 2005.