Meet the Krulls: Gary

Gary Freeman

Named after his dad, Gary Freeman Sr.

March 28

Married June 1, 2002

Likes:  fishing, skateboarding, running, hiking, not sitting around, beards

Dislikes:  mashed potatoes, hearing someone file their nails, wearing ties  

Favorite foods:  Sushi, ice cream, pizza

Krull Most Likely To... Fall Going Up Stairs

Heard Around the House: June 2012

Noah (showing me his lego creation)...

Me:  Wow, that looks great.

Noah:  It's okay, it looks kind of childish.

Strolling the zoo in a diaper... you know, just another Tuesday.

Mylie:  Hey mom, you're invited to my wedding someday.
Me:  Okay, thanks for that.

For the Grandmas:

Noah:  Mom, why does "Rex" hug people so much?  Is it a trick that "John" taught him or something?  He just won't stop hugging people.

(Note:  Names of both the dog and the owner have been changed to protect the innocent... and by the way, that was. not. hugging.)

You're Invited!

We have our first fundraiser planned for this coming weekend and we would love for you to join us!  Below is more information and a link to the Facebook invite.

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Plan a family night, date night, or night out with friends, but instead of spending your money at a restaurant, head over to Andy and Julie Sinks' house for a delicious home cooked Mexican food meal and dessert table full of tasty treats!

There is no set price for your complete meal, we only ask that you donate whatever amount you choose to help send The Krull family to Haiti. The Grove Church is sending their first ever missionary family to live in Haiti and work with the Good Neighbor Orphanage as well as host short term teams from The Grove.

There will be a donation jar for anonymous gifts, or donation forms to fill out if you would like a tax-deductible receipt.

**TWO DATES/TWO SEATING TIMES AVAILABLE**
Please comment below to what date and seating time you prefer, as well as how many in your party, so we can get an accurate head count. Please leave your email address and we will send a message with the Sinks' address.

Friday, June 29th: 5:30 or 6:15
Saturday, June 30th: 5:30 or 6:15

Feel free to invite a friend, or five ;) There is room for 44 people per seating time. This will be a restaurant atmosphere, with smaller tables, buffet, hostess... it will be awesome!

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click {HERE} for the Facebook invite

The Lemmon

Another weekend, another check off the ol' Arizona bucket list... today we conquered Mount Lemmon.    Not literally, of course.  We did not climb the 6,000 feet of elevation in the middle of the Arizona desert, we drove.  But to my credit, it was a really winding road, with lots of bicyclists to dodge.

This place is amazing.  In the middle of Tucson, the middle of the Arizona desert, sits Mount Lemmon. If you drive up, it is a high desert forest with pine trees and cool weather.  In the winter, there are some pretty great ski runs.  In the summer, you can still ride the lift and it is at least 25-30 degrees cooler than Phoenix.   We had gorgeous weather, ate lunch outside at the Iron Door, treated ourselves to some homemade fudge, and rode the lift.  Every Krull loved the lift, except for one tiny lady.  I spent the entire, entire, 15 minute ride down the mountain trying to keep her from flinging herself off the lift and plummeting 20 feet to the ground, or throwing my sunglasses, or her water bottle, or her precious binky, or my backback, or herself again, off the ride.  I had a supermom death grip on her and every time we passed people who were on their way up, I had to endure judge-y stink eyes, because clearly I was trying to traumatize my toddler.  She did succeed in giving her pacifier a good toss, but fortunately I didn't let her jump.  Presley and I were the last Krulls off the lift, and Gary and the big kids had a good laugh at us while waiting for our lift at the bottom... they could hear us coming from her death screams.  I jumped off, handed the baby to Gary, and told him "I'll laugh at this in ten minutes, but not yet."  It's funny now, but it was the longest 15 minutes ever!

Aside from those terrifying minutes, it was a great day as a family, and I'm so glad we were able to go!  

Meet the Krulls: Michaela

Michaela Reka

Middle named after her Great-Grandma Reka

born August 15

Married June 1, 2002

Likes:  reading, making things pretty, flip flops, chapstick

Dislikes:  all fruit, Walmart, talking on the phone

Favorite foods:  Mexican, Greek salad, dessert

Krull Most Likely To... Spill Food on Herself

Male Bonding

In an effort to do, see, and go to all of the places we love in Arizona before the big move rolls around, we have created a bucket list of sorts.  Number one on Gary's list was to visit the place he describes as one of his favorite places on earth, the Black River on the eastern side of the state.  Up until this point, this has been a man only fishing trip, one that he mostly did with Justin, one of his favorite friends.  Gary is pretty much a "hobbyist"... he has lots of hobbies, just not all at the same time.  But fishing?  Fishing never ever ever leaves his list of favorite pastimes.  Gary wanted to make sure to take Noah on a camping and fishing trip to the Black River before we left, and Father's Day weekend seemed like a fitting time to do it.

Gary put so much work into making this a really good first camping experience for Noah.  Noah was beyond thrilled.  Anything involving getting dirty, being outside, alone time with dad, and beef jerky, is a winning combination in Noah's book.

 I have just about two pictures from the last three months of Noah by himself.  He tells me he doesn't like having his picture taken anymore, and runs from the camera.  But give him a prop in the outdoors, and suddenly he's a ham again.  I knew he was faking it.

 I've heard no less than twenty stories from the 30 hours they were gone.  In addition to the fishing,  they spotted three bears, some bats, crayfish, lots of cool bugs, and a mockingbird.  I tried calling it a "mockingjay" but neither guy had any idea what the heck I was talking about.  

 I'm blogging this vicariously for Gary, as I am the designated writer in the family... but it is easy to see why he loves this place so much!

I'm so thankful for a husband who is a good dad.  And so thankful Gary and Noah could check this adventure off their list.

Happy Father's Day

Meet the Krulls: Noah

Noah Loyal

December 21, 2004

Middle named after Great Grandpa Loyal

Likes:  talking, climbing, jumping, reading, collecting weird things, skateboarding, swimming

Dislikes:  zucchini, injustice

Favorite foods:  apples, berries, pizza, rice, Panda Express

Krull Most Likely To... Become a Hoarder

Watch Out World

Death by Passport

Surely my demise will come via my attempts to acquire U.S. Passports for all five Krulls.  I mean really.

I'm sure I have friends out there rolling their eyes at me right about now... "Here she goes being all dramatic again."

Yes.  Here I go.

I swear to you that I'm am not totally inept.  I have three kids who depend on me and they're still living.  They're usually even fed and dressed even.  But for some reason, getting their passports has turned into the most ridiculous series of totally avoidable roadblocks. Usually ones that I have set up myself, as if just to produce comical blog content.

Previous Passport Events summarized {Here} and {Here} and {Here}.  Go catch up, I'll wait.

So Thursday, the culmination of all past events would come to an end, I had hoped.  All pictures, applications, birth certificates, and checks accounted for.  Both parents would be there, as date number one fell through days before when I, along with our three children, stood Gary up on the first attempt.  Oops.  We were in the home stretch.  I could taste the victory... or at least some salty sweat from my sweat mustache as I pulled three sticky Crazies from the back seat.  We walked toward the Passport office.  Gary was there.  All the pieces were in place.  Let's. Do. This.

We're in.  There's not even a wait!  All the stars are aligning.  I can feel the fist pump rising.  We are so checking this off our list.  We are winning!!!

After a few stumbles, such as being reprimanded for using green rather than black ink, which she kindly offered to photocopy the applications rather than re-filling them out... dear Passport Office Worker spoke those final blows.  "Do you have their pictures?"

Of course I do.  AT HOME?!?  Seriously?  What have I done?  I have everything in hand.  I have woken a napping baby up to get here in time.  I WOKE THE BABY!  I did everything, had everything.  Why oh why did I leave their pictures at home?  WHYYYYY????

So.  We have another date at the Passport Office.  This week.  There will be more sweat mustaches.  There will be waking of the baby.  There will be victory, or so help me...

Shake the World

Okay, so here's the low down and dirty for our fundraising needs.

Preface:  I cringe a little at using this word in reference to myself.  It is such a loaded word and makes people act weird.  Also, because I know myself so well, it also sounds a bit fraudulent, as I am well aware of my spiritual shortcomings.

So, becoming "Missionaries" is an extremely humbling title to become.  We are leaving a lifestyle where we provided for ourselves financially.  And by "we", I mean Gary ;)  Gary's job pays our bills, feeds us, dresses us.  As of next month, we are at God's mercy.  We will no longer be gainfully employed, but will be living solely on the money that people have donated to support our family.  Missionaries like us are 100% financially supported by generous givers.  Don't for one second doubt the importance of that role in this whole circle.  We need to fundraise all money to move our family to Haiti, purchase the household items we need once we're there, to feed us, care for us if we are sick,  provide for us in every financial way.  In turn, our family is moving Haiti to love and serve others.

So here are the facts.

Haiti is expensive.  Yes, it is a third world country, and yes, things cost a lot there too.  After seeking counsel from missionaries who have gone before us, and are currently in Haiti, and much budget recalculation, we need approximately $5,000 a month in support.  Currently, we have about $3000/month pledged.

I have thought it too, when thinking about supporting others in the past... "I don't have a lot to give, therefore they don't need my measly amount."  Can I tell you on this side of things... there is no measly amount?   If every family at our church alone, donated $10 per month, we would be fully funded, and then some.  That is sacrificing two coffees a week.  Would you consider it?

All the information for online giving or mailing a check is over there on the right----->

You do not have to be affiliated with our church in any way to donate via online giving.  It can be a one time gift, or set up to give monthly.  Our church address is over there too, if you would rather send a check.  Either way, please specify "Haiti Missionaries" and you will receive a receipt for tax deduction purposes at the end of the year.

Don't fret, this blog will not be all about fundraising.  :)

{Print Via Lemon Jitters}

Meet the Krulls: Mylie

Mylie Mae

April 11, 2007

Middle named after Great Grandma Roberta Mae

Likes:  tattoos, talking, snuggling, Barbies, dress-up, painting nails, coloring, cutting paper

Dislikes:  joking around, going to bed, wearing pants 

Favorite foods:  ice cream, cookies, lollipops, Popsicles, anything with sugar as the main ingredient

"Krull Most Likely To"... Not Laugh at Your Joke

Emotional Manifesto

I have been asked by several people to blog more about the emotional side of preparing to move to Haiti.  This is really something I have been thinking about, but I just don't want to do.  Okay.  That sounds aloof.  The fact is, it is hard to write about the emotional side to this whole thing.  It looks different for me, than it does for Gary, or for each of the three Crazies.  It looks different for each person from day to day.  Sometimes hour to hour.  There are highs.  There are lows.  I'm quite afraid that we haven't even hit a low as low as what we have to look forward to.  And on the flip side, higher highs are yet to come as well too, I know.  After the children have gone to bed, and I'm exhausted, the last thing I want to do is dig down deep into my psyche and analyze my feelings.  I'd rather stuff them, because that's what I do.  Avoidance and procrastination are my bff's.

I have great faith in our decision, and our God.  I also have doubts.  My doubts don't change our decision.  Gary's doubts don't change our decision.  But they come in and out, and they like to overturn tables and generally make our days pretty messy.  Sometimes I feel like I can't share my doubts, or others might doubt too, or might doubt my faith in God.

The days are filled with the usual stuff.  Caring for children, feeding children, cleaning up after children, breaking up arguments between children, snuggling children.  But added to our recent days are the discomforts of a temporary home.  One that is as comfortable as it can possibly be, and yet still does not feel like home.  We are living out of boxes, quite literally. We are shuffling laundry back and forth from my parents' washer and dryer back to our house on a daily basis.  We are running errands and fundraising for our time in Haiti.  We are trying to maintain and make new connections in Haiti.  We are trying to grow spiritually.  We are trying to maintain our marriage and family life.  We are trying to nurture friendships, near and far.  We are trying to be good extended family members to our parents and siblings.  We are failing.

It feels like we are being stretched and pressed and tested.  There are times where it feels like physical discomfort, like the air becomes less oxygen rich, or sounds are muffled. Satan uses our insecurities against us.  We have to fight daily not to believe those lies.  We feel scared.  We feel like we just don't know what the heck we're doing.

There is also joy.  Lots of joy.  And excitement.  Why did God choose us for this?  I don't know why, but I'm honored.  I want nothing more than for God to become known, like really really known, to people through this journey.  I pray for lives to be changed because of what God is going to do, what he is doing now.  We are not walking into this thinking we are going to change Haiti.  We know that God can change Haiti, when and how ever He wants to.  We pray for lives in Haiti to change, for people to come close to God and know His love, and be set apart, and to spend eternity in a place too perfect for us to even comprehend right now.  We also pray for lives of those who are watching this story unfold, either by passive witness or active participant.  We have friends and family who do not know God and pray that this journey will somehow be a part of bringing them back to Jesus.  I also know my human-ness gets in the way of this all the time.  I screw up.  I don't represent the true nature of Jesus.  I hurt people.  Lord God please use me anyway!  Help me love people more, better, all the time.

Meet the Krulls: Presley

Presley Kate

born October 22, 2010

Middle named after Great Grandma Kate

Likes:  talking, snuggling, eating, wearing hats, making people laugh, dogs, laughing

Dislikes:  having her face wiped, losing her binky

Favorite foods:  eggs, bananas, berries, fish crackers

"Krull Most Likely To"... get anything she wants