The Last Two Years...

So, you may have noticed that I haven't updated my blog in over two years.  :(  I would like to give you some really good reasons for why that has not happened.  But...really I have no excuse.  It has to do with a full schedule, lack of priority placed on my blog, and (mostly) the fact that I am quite technologically challenged.  When I can't figure how to do something on the computer, I close it, and walk away...which makes it difficult to keep up with a blog.  Either way, in the past, quite a few of you have asked that I keep a blog and post regular personal updates on our lives here...that focus on our family...since Daryl's blog focuses on the ministry side of things.  I decided that I really need to do a better job, so here is my second attempt!

A LOT has happened in our family in the last two years! New children joining our group home, children passing to the arms of Jesus, and children being adopted into their forever homes.   Fulp children becoming teens, teens becoming adults, flights to Africa, weddings, grandchildren, and much more.  There is never a dull moment in our home and family!  I will try to give brief updates with pictures to help you catch up.

Hogar de la Esperanza Update:

The children in the group home ARE part of our family, so it is difficult to separate ministry from personal.  At the present time, we have 12 children in our group home.  Quite a few children have joined our home since my last post.  Three of our children were adopted into their forever families. Thankfully, both sets of parents are Christ followers, so the children are in great homes.  Difficult times for us, but such wonderful times for these three precious children and their families.  We praise God for adoption!  "God sets the lonely in families!" (Psalm 68:6)  Two of our sweet little ones went to their eternal homes with Jesus since my last post.  Again, difficult times for us, but such wonderful times for these two wonderful children!  We praise God for perfect healing!


Fulp Family Update:



Jonathan will be 12 years old this month...turning into quite the handsome young man.  Kimmie and Joshua both turned 13 years old early this year.  Teenagers already!  Wow!  Where have the years gone?!!!


   
    The three of them really enjoy their "3 Day Survival" activities!

Jeremiah, 16 years old next week, is turning into a fine, young man of God.  In addition to his sophomore year of school, he loves to help out around the house, work with Daryl on wheelchairs, and travel with Daryl to minister to families.  

Taryn turned 18 this year, graduated from high school, and flew to the other side of the world to follow God's call.  She is spending one year in Uganda, working with various ministries, and seeking God's call for her future.

Carissa has been living in Uganda for over a year now.  She is working on opening a home for girls with special needs.  However, she is running into problems with finding the necessary answers to get things rolling.  Please pray that God will lead her to the right people to make the vision and call a reality.

It is so nice for me, as a mom, to see my girls together, since they are both so far away from me.

Teisha married Wesley and they have a beautiful daughter, Allison, who just turned 2 years old. Teisha is a service advisor at Troy Ford, and Wes is a welder at Elite Enclosures.  They are living in Troy, OH.  

Krishauna and Andi got married last fall and they just moved to Guatemala. Krishauna is teaching one of the boys in our group home, while Andi is studying Spanish and getting accustomed to life in Guatemala.  They are living near us in San Antonio for now, and are still seeking God for their permanent location, where Andi plans to be involved in sports ministry and Shauna in special education.

Ashley, and her son, Tristan live in Troy, OH.  Tristan is 5 years old and just started school this year.  Ashley works as an aid with in-home health care.  She is also pregnant with our fourth grandchild.

Brittney married Joel in January of this year.  They live and serve in San Pablo La Laguna, Guatemala...about 3 hours from us. Joel serves as the department head of Hope for Home Ministries in
their area of the country.  And Brittney has a classroom in her house to work with and teach some of the children with special needs from their town.  Also, Brittney is pregnant with their first child, our third grandchild!



Daryl and I stay plenty busy with our family, the group home, and the many, many families with whom we work.  Recently, we counted up the number of children to whom we gave birth, adopted, fostered, or raised in our group home.  We came to a grand total of 52 children...so far.  Some days are full of laughter and joy...others days are full of tears and frustration.  But I wouldn't change it for the world!

This past July, we celebrated 28 years of marriage.  Twenty-eight years of great adventures together!  And, due to our wonderful staff and interns, Daryl and I are able to get away occasionally to spend much needed time together.


Just to show you what an awesome husband with whom God has blessed me...
Here are the lyrics to a song that Daryl wrote for me when he realized that we had reached 10,000 days of marriage.  Thanks, Daryl, for this great adventure!

Ten Thousand Days
(Wanda’s Song)

Time has passed so quickly as together we have aged
Chapter after chapter read as the Lord has turned each page
Our eyes now have some wrinkles and your wink still makes me blush
And still your beauty grows, and I still quicken at your touch
Day after day, year after year time has passed…

Chorus 1:
Ten thousand days of laughter, ten thousand days of tears
Ten thousand days of courage and ten thousand days of fear
We’ve walked ten thousand miles of journey down countless dusty paths
And as we stand here hand in hand there’s only one thing I can ask
I beg you, Lord… oh, please give us ten thousand days more

As we stood there at that altar ten thousand sunsets ago
There’s no way we could have ever dreamed or ever could have known
The life that waited for us or the places we would go
The battles we would fight together or the way our love would grow
Yet here we are… looking back on…

(Chorus 1)

Bridge:
Ten thousand days to understand
Ten thousand days to love
Ten thousand days to praise the Author of this story up above
Ten thousand days to learn and grow
Ten thousand days to try
And each and every day I remembered the reason why…
I love you. Oh, I love you…

As we pass another milestone walking hand in hand
I would make the choice to choose you time and time again
I don’t know what lies ahead, I don’t know what we’ll go through
But I know I want face another ten thousand days with you
And so…we’ll keep walking on though…

Chorus 2:
Ten thousand days of laughter, ten thousand days of tears
Ten thousand days of courage and ten thousand days of fear
We will walk ten thousand miles of journey down countless dusty paths
And we will stand there hand in hand and together we will ask
We ask you, Lord…oh, we beg you, Lord...please give us, Lord... ten thousand days more
We beg you, Lord...for ten thousand days more