Suffering in Orlando

By my title, some might think that it is nearly impossible to suffer in 'sunny Orlando.' Believe me, things are so bad here - my class is not terribly boring, I finish this one and then its down to the one online class this summer before I graduate, etc. However, this class, which I needed for graduation, happened to fall on the same week that we do the Kirkland Family vacation in Amelia Island!!!!! So, while I am sitting in a classroom for 8 hours a day, my family is sitting at the pool/beach for 8 hours a day.

The fortunate part is that I was able to be there for a few days with them. My class didnt start till Tuesday, and everyone gathered in Amelia on Saturday. Deborah, Fields, and I also had the chance to go to St. Simons for two days with some good friends last week. Thus, I had a bit of a vacation, but it still is tough knowing what I am missing!

Below are some pictures of the family beach trip. Fields, just so you know, LOVES THE WATER! Pool and ocean are welcoming to our little man. Also, Deborah texted me today and told me that she felt the baby kick this morning!!!!

clay for the kirklands

Update

Hey everyone - We have wrapped up the school year now at Wesley, even though the summer is one of the busiest times as we attempt to get ready for the upcoming school year! The summer break works out well for us so that we can have the opportunity to get regrouped and planned up for August.

This next year should be VERY interesting! For the past three years, we have had 38 interns - which is a lot. For the 2009-2010 school year, we currently have 52, thats right, FIFTY TWO, interns for next year!!!! Therefore, I am the process of figuring out what to do with so many people! The good news is that Daniel Simmons has come on as a director who will assist me with staff development. This is a major answer to prayer for me, as all of what we try to accomplish and provide for our interns is too much for one person to pull off! So, Daniel could not have come at a better time - God has great timing!!!!

We ended the year with incredible blessings and favor from the Lord. Our students really stepped up and went after God in some amazing ways, so much so that it is difficult to remember a more fruitful semester. We saw students lives literally change in the course of a service or outreach, and we are still hearing reports of what the Lord did through other students and Wesley events. He is worthy of much praise and thanks....

On the family front, Deborah is desperately hoping that the first trimester will come and go quickly! With Fields, her sickness stopped as the second trimester began, so we are praying that the same will be true with this pregnancy. I have one more week of school for this semester, and then the FINAL SUMMER SEMESTER BEGINS!!!!!! I take an intensive class during the last week of May and a thru session online class that ends in August. At that point, I will be finished! AMEN!

Fields has four teeth now, and he is 'cruising' around the couch and coffee table! His new tricks include making funny noises with his hand in his mouth, holding his hands out like he does not know what is going on when we ask him a question, and showing us how big he is by raising his hands up in the air. His hair has begun to lay down a bit more these days, which is sad for us but good news for some other family members who were not fans of the spiked look. He is simply amazing, and he constantly reminds us of the goodness of God.

We hope and pray all is well with each of you....

clay for the Kirklands