The Good, The Great, and The Frickin' Awesome!

Greetings!

As Matthew and I contemplate the short time we have left here in the US, we are blown away by the people we have been blessed to have in our lives. Such wonderful people like ... YOU! Thank you all for your overwhelming support of this big dream that is finally coming true. We would like to take a few minutes to update you on all the wonderful things that have happened in our lives recently.

1. Passport Success: I (Cynthia) finally received my passport and the picture is pretty good looking. With that Matthew and I were finally able to send in our migrant form paperwork and Abernethy will be applying within the week for our visas. Wah Hoo!!!

2. While in Country: We have been informed that we have private lodging! It will either be in a small chalet in camp, or in a small cottage at the end of the road. A Scottish Cottage, Can you believe it?!? We also are not going to be needing to provide any kind of furnishings or bedding. Yay for saving on shipping that stuff over there.To the Left, you will find a picture of Matthew and I showing our Scotland Pride with some t-shirts Matthew's Co-Worker picked up from us.

3. We got a Raise: God is so good. Just when Matthew and I had begun to build a budget around our originally offered charity stipend, Abernethy informed us that after reviewing their current policy they would be almost doubling their first offer. This is a huge burden off our chest as while we were prepared to live within limited means, this now allows us the opportunity to truly be able to explore and invest in people while there (Not to mention continue to pay on some our student loans).

4. Bank Account: We have finally been able to set up a bank account through Bank of America. We chose that bank specifically because they have a partnership with Barkley's Bank in the Uk. Therefore, we can have money deposited here, and take it our over there with little/to no fee.

5. Packing our Home: We have begun the process of packing up our home here in the states. Its sad to think that our charming first apartment will not be here when we return. It has served us well for nearly 3 years, and we will most certainly miss it. We are sorting items for Scotland, Storage, and our Fundraiser yard sale. On your right, you will find a picture of Cynthia in her wedding dress, which we decided to give one final twirl before getting it cleaned and preserved for safe-keeping.

Thank you so much for all of your Support! Speaking of support, we should be sending out support letter in the next few weeks, so please forgive us for contacting you asking for addresses. In the letter, we explain a bit more about what we are doing, and how you can partner with us as we continue on our road to Abernethy.

Prayer Requests:
1. Car Problems: We have recently lost our only car. As we are now car-less, we are quite a bit stressed out about how to operate the few months with our currents jobs, family events, and just daily life. We would love also any wisdom you have to share about this situation.
2. Peace: Peace on our daily lives as we seek to live life well here in the present (Redding), while also preparing to live life there in the future (Scotland). Cynthia especially has a tendency to get all kinds of stressed out crazy and it works better for both of us when she is happy, healthy, and stress-free.
3. Visas: As Abernethy applies for our visas, would you join with us for a speedy positive response so we can officially get the news that we are allowed in the county.

Blessings on your Day!
Cynthia and Matthew Shedd