Together at Last...

Steven Colbert and NT Wright. Watch this video, then run out to your nearest bookstore and pick up Suprised By Hope.

Goodbyes

My sister, brother-in-law, two nieces and nephew came into town this week from Florida. We had such a fun time together - they all got to meet Grayson for the first time! Sadly, I think this will be the last time I get to see them before we leave for Amsterdam in October (though my sister is in denial). Even more sadly, I have another nephew didn't make the trip - he is still in Haiti waiting for the government to "release" him to his family. Amanda and I won't get to meet him for a couple years...

It is bizarre that we are already in "goodbye" mode.

Another Netherlands match today. Playing Russia today at 2:30pm on ABC. No excuses. Watch.

Two Updates (one good, one bad)
First, the good news: when is a goodbye not a goodbye? When we decided to bite the bullet this morning and buy plane tickets to Florida in September to see my sis & fam. YEAH!
Second, the bad news: Holland got embarrassed today by the Russians 3-1. That was a disappointing way to end a great tournament. There's always the world cup.

Watch today (if you can)!

I know, I'm lame. All I've got by way of update is Holland's progress in Euro 2008. The boys in orange have another big match today against France @ 2:30. It is on either ESPN2 or ESPN Classic. Check it out, and cheer them on!

More importantly, check out two brand new blogs started by Brooke and Julia. Good reads...and probably much less soccer news.

Update: Brilliant win! 4-1 against France! In successive matches, the Dutch have defeated the world champion Italians and runners-up French by three goals apiece. I'm sure somewhere in Utrecht our friend Menno is doing a little dance...

Euro 2008

Don't forget to cheer on Holland in the Euro 2008 tournament! Check here for tv listings.

Update The Netherlands have scored a 3-0 victory in their opening match of the tournament! France is next...

This is really happening...

Talked to Eric today, and he mentioned that he is looking at plane tickets for he and his son Connor for August 2nd (the rest of the Pickerill family will follow shortly thereafter). That is exactly TWO MONTHS AWAY! Crazy. Part of our team will actually be moving to Amsterdam in two months.

Amanda, Grayson and I won't be much after that - we are targeting a late-September departure date. That being said, we'd love your prayer!

Little Grayson must be going through a growth spurt right now, because the last few days he has been sleeping less and less - which of course means that we are sleeping less and less. What makes this even more difficult is that right now we are really pushing hard in our support raising efforts. We have three "desserts" in the next seven days requesting prayer and financial support. So balancing Grayson's wacky schedule with our big push will be draining to say the least (both physically, mentally, and spiritually). So I say again, we'd love your prayer.

On a very encouraging note, we are now at 43% committed support. We are blown away by our supporters' generosity, and by God's grace. Now it's time to push hard for that last 57!