The Bay Family Register

Back in Town

2009-04-16T19:32:00.000-07:00

We took a 3 week trip to the States. It was fun. I was the only one who got sick, although Timothy did have really bad congestion. We were part of a Missions conference in Worthington, Minnesota where we met Pastor and Mrs. Watson and their family. We then headed back to Park Rapids, Minnesota to stay at a cabin for a week. The Gust family so graciously let us stay there and relax. Gregory's mom and aunt came to visit us while we at the cabin and we had a birthday party for Benjamin. The only bad part was it snowed 12 inches while we were there, and we didn't bring snowsuits for the boys so they couldn't enjoy the great sledding hill right beside our cabin.

Pastor and Mrs. Watson

Aunt Janell relaxing at the cabin

The twelve inches of snow on the deck of the cabin

The boys enjoying reading time with Grandma Joy

Doctor Visit

2009-02-05T10:07:00.000-08:00

So I made it to the doctor's for a prenatal visit. She was delivering a baby so I was delayed by an hour for my appointment. I was tempted to get upset, but I thought about the happy mommy who now has a new baby. Some day it will be me causing the doctor to be late, although my boys have all been born at night and on a Wednesday.

I am showing now and I have started to wear a few maternity things. I try to stay busy doing things so the boys stay busy too. I get tired easily though. I am past the feeling sick stage, so that is a blessing. I am carrying this one low like I did with Timothy. I have been able to feel the baby move for a couple weeks now.

Thanks for your patience, and sorry I don't have any pictures.

WE HAVE ARRIVED

2008-12-12T09:15:00.000-08:00

I am sure Gregory will want to give more details later, but I wanted to let everyone know that we are now in Canada. Here are a few facts:

We left Pinckney, Michigan on Monday at 2 p.m.

We stopped in Racine, Wisconsin due to bad weather

Tuesday, we drove to Alexandria, Minnesota

Wednesday we arrived at the Canadian border around 12:45 p.m.

We were at immigration for around an hour. They gave us a 2 1/2 year visiter's visa and didn't even look at the stuff in the moving truck. . . a huge blessing because when they take stuff out, we would be responsible to repack it.

We arrived in Winnepeg around 3:30 p.m. Mrs. Pickett drove us downtown to get our medical cards. This only took about 15-20 minutes.

On Thursday we drove all the way to Thompson and arrived around 4:45 p.m.

Gregory and two other men unpacked the moving truck and trailer. I now have an apartment full of plastic tubs that need to be moved around and unpacked, but we have our very own apartment. The apartment is a nice size for us. The livingroom gives the boys enough space to play in.

Thank you for all of your prayers,
The Bay Family

2008-10-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

End of October

2008-10-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

Well we are in the process of preparing ourselves to move.

Yes we are moving December 8th to Thompson, Manitoba Canada. Wow.

Very overwhelming is the only way that I know to put it but we are very excited about what God is and has been doing. Please continue to pray for us as we are preparing ourselves and have been preparing ourselves to move. Please pray!

The truck is already reserved, and the biggest blessing is that we have an apartment reserved for us. Very overwhelming, but God is good and He will provide and we just trust that we are in His timing and will.

The boys just keep growing faster and faster and it has been a joy to see them grow not only in stature but in their understanding of the Lord.

Our schedule keeps us running. As of right now we have traveled 50,000 miles in just the last year and we are very much ready to get off the road and proceed to the next phase of our ministry. Please pray for us.

November we will be in VA, NY, MI, IA, KY. Busy, but this is what I prayed for when we started that God would keep us busy and He has answered that prayer month after month and always as we have had need. Please pray for us as we travel, and prepare ourselves for the move to come.

Butterflies do not describe what we feel. A feeling of overwhelmed and blessing.

The time has come to prove our faith and put ourselves to the test to see if our preaching and talk add up. May it be so to the glory of God. Amen.

Thank you.

2008-10-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

Prayer Letter October '08

2008-10-30T08:23:00.000-07:00

THE BAY FAMILYOctober, 20 2008MISSIONARIES TO NORTHERN MANITOBA, CANADAEVANGELISM, CHURCH PLANTING, DISCIPLESHIP, HONORING GOD AND HIS WORD IN MISSIONS

“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” Acts 13:2-3

Hello brethren! Thank you so much for your prayers, cards, and phone calls over the last couple months reminding us of how many folks have invested so much into this family. We are humbled very much by all that has been done for this family. Thank you.There is much in this letter that I want to share what is going on in the Bay family and the plans for the next few months that we have prayed over and believe that God has for us.The first, and the biggest is our plan to move to Canada the fist of the year.Wow, I know. Very overwhelming, but we (we being my pastor, sending church, Picketts, who we are working with, and Angela and I) believe the Spirit is directing us to move by the beginning of next year, 2009. Concerning our support, we are still trying to raise more support and praying and encouraging churches that have expressed their interest in this ministry to consider again to take that step of faith, if the Lord leads you in it, to support this ministry. God has to lead. We are expecting to have roughly over two thirds of our support when we cross the border with more support being pledged from other brethren in the States and in Canada as well. Please pray about our support and what you can do. Thank you for all that has been done and is still being done. I am being bold here, but we are trusting God for a miracle that I believe He wants to do to glorify the name of His son Jesus Christ. Amen. Please pray.Today as I typed this letter and put together our prayer request that our brethren so faithfully pray for I have listed housing in Thompson as one for God’s people to pray for. I had decided to make this a day of fasting and seeking God on this matter because housing is at best scarce up north. To get an apartment can take many months of waiting before one can be secured, but GLORY TO GOD while I am writing this the missionaries that we are working with called me and notified me that they have found an apartment available and have secured it. Amen.Preparing to Immigrate. Please pray for us here. We are getting all our documentation ready to cross the border and land ourselves in the nation of Canada. We are excited! There are so many things all happening at the same time while we prepare ourselves for this, and I just as that you pray for us. Pray for the paperwork, the upcoming border crossing, dealing with the government that everything would go forward without a hitch, and pray that we can be a testimony for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Please pray for us here.God has blessed in our meetings and I am thrilled by what I see and am so thankful for all that our brothers have done even in a time of need for many in the U.S. but God is faithful.Our desire is to serve you in the area of missions and in any way we can. I do not want to give the impression that we are being rash because I believe the Lord is moving us and we just want to be obedient to His timing. We are praying for miracles that man could walk away and say, “There is no way that the Bays could do that. No way. IT has to be God working in our midst.” That is what I believe God wants to do. Again pray for us.Any questions please call me or write. Call my pastor Chris Johnson and talk to him about what we believe that God is doing in our midst.Brethren I am nervous. I will be completely honest, but God is good and there are many times where we just do not understand and are commanded to obey. I believe that we are experiencing one of these times. Please pray for us. Thank you so much.P.S. Check out our family website for more updates as well.

THE BAY FAMILY’S TENTATIVE CALENDAR:November: 9-11 NY Missions Conf.November 14-19 KY Missions Conf.December 7 MI Pastor HemmasPrepare to move by the grace of God.

PRAYER REQUESTS· For the Move to Canada. Projected the first of the year 2009.· Safe border crossing, to get our visas.· A place to live.· Logistics of the move and finances.· SUPPORT LEVEL: Just over 50 % WE have had some readjustments in our support and we now sit at just over 50%.· Praying for support that has been promised to come in.· Praise the Lord for His supplying of our family.· Praise the Lord for safety traveling and good meetings.· Praise the Lord for the faithfulness of His people.

‘BRETHREN PRAY FOR US.”(I THESS 5:25)THANK YOU!
SENDING CHURCH:LAKELAND TRAILS BAPTIST CHURCH
5989 W. M-36
PINCKNEY, MI 48169
(734)878-9431
CELL (810)355-6270
gregorybay@gmail.com
Www.gregorybayfamily.blogspot.com
www.gregorybay.blogspot.com

Traveling Along

2008-04-04T11:38:00.000-07:00

This was taken in VA at Thanksgiving.

Here is the family on Easter, in Thompson, Manitoba.

It is a little blurry, but we are there.

This is Gregory and me right before my FIRST SNOWMOBILE RIDE!

This is the week before Easter. . . see all the snow in the background?

Easter has come and gone. I hate that, like Christmas, we are easily distracted by the hoopla of the season (eggs, bunnies, baskets, new clothes, candy, Peeps -which are disgusting by the way) and fail to see what is really important. Every day ought to be a day of remembrance for what Christ did for us on the cross of Calvary.

Prayer works wonders if you will only try it-and believe. Remember to pray for those who are without Christ and pray for those who have Christ that they would not lose sight of the home and glory of Heaven. It is so easy to get discouraged when things continue to go wrong, but God is always in control. Those people who wonder how God can "let bad things happen" are not searching for the God I know, they are searching for a god that acts like a genie in the bottle and fixes all the wrong things. These same people would get made if God made people do what was right. They would demand a free will to do as they choose.

Pray for us as we continue to travel the roads of America, seeking to help churches, and to share with them the work we believe God has called us to. Who are we that God would choose us? I know that Satan will use that question to make us feel unworthy and unable to be used by God. We are unworthy in our own merit, but with the blood of Christ we have the qualifications needed to be servants of God.

Back in Thompson

2008-03-10T13:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's been a while. We left Illinois, went to Michigan, then the boys and I stayed with my parents for three weeks while Gregory traveled on his own. The break was nice and the time with family was good. In the month of February Gregory traveled a little over 6,000 miles. Since we have started deputation in October we have put over 20,000 miles on our vehicle.

I have learned a lot from the churches we visit. We have made friends at all of the churches we visit. One thing that I really took to heart was when a pastor in New York pointed out to me that I should not see deputation as means to the end, but to see it as a ministry before we get to Thompson. God is good to us and teaches us many things if we will let him.

Traveling in a car with small children TIPS:

Have plenty of food and drink(some reserve will be in the child's carseat)

Bring lots of toys (many will be thrown on the floor)

Bring plenty of empty grocery bags (for all the smelly diapers and clothes that are messed in or thrown up on)

BARGAINS
Blessings for a mom of little boys: While in VA I got to shop at a thrift store. The store was selling all the clothes for half off! I got 6 or 7 sweaters for $2 or less for Benjamin, I got a couple shirts for myself, an outfit and jumper for my mom, two babyshower gifts, and a maternity skirt and I spent less than $60.

BIRTHDAYS
Well, I was able to go to my Nana's 70th birthday party while in VA. I got to see some other family member while there too.

BREAK:
Everyone could use a break from the fast paced life. Gregory surprised me and took us to a cabin for a week in Minnesota since we didn't have any meetings. It was very nice. I'll try to post pictures later.

Resolutions

2008-01-07T08:11:00.001-08:00

Have you made any resolutions? I have made the resolution not to make any resolutions!:) I have given up making goals that I know I won't stick with for long.

The family has been traveling a bit. I have now been in New York and Kentucky, two states I have never visited before. I am currently in Illinois, near Rockford. I have been enjoying the time spent with the families we meet in the different churches. Gregory enjoys the time to study and the time helping out with projects pastors might have for him. Benjamin, the social toddler, loves getting to meet new friends his age. There is a little boy here named Joshua, and he tries to say his name; it comes out shosh sha. He can say quite a bit now. I got him to say "cheeks" this morning while eating breakfast; he says "sheek". He says "Melmo" for the picture of Elmo on his tennis shoes. He says "Mel" for smell. He can "Surshree" for nursery. He says "dishes" pretty much they way he should.

I will provide some pictures later on on the boys' websites.

So Many Changes

2007-10-04T13:50:00.001-07:00

CANADA:
I decided to make a few more changes. . . like we haven't made enough recently with a new baby, a new home, and a new place of serving God. For those of you who have not found out, the Bay family has moved from Wisconsin to Michigan. The reason for the move is we believe God has called us to serve along side the Pickett family in Thompson, Manitoba. We cannot say how long God will have us there in Canada, but we will trust God to give us wisdom. We have moved to Michigan to be near the church we will be serving out of: Lakeland Trails Baptist Church. This is Gregory's home church here in Michigan. We will spend the next year (we pray it will be less) visiting churches to tell them of our desire and to ask them for financial support while we are serving in Canada.
NEW BLOG SITE:
The other change I have made is I have created a blog site for Timothy. The address is www.tmbay.blogspot.com If you have any troubles with this address, please e-mail me and let me know.

WOW! This picture really adds weight to us. I'm not sure why it is scrunched, but this is a place we visited the last Friday we were in Canada.

Timothy turned one month old while we were in Canada. This is his One Month picture.

Thompson, Manitoba-Light Green on the map

2007-09-09T22:26:00.000-07:00

Here is where we have been for the last week. We will be here until the 17 of September. We are staying with the Picketts, a missionary family to the Canadians here in Thompson. The weather is typical fall weather, but the daylight hours are getting shorter and shorter. We are enjoying the time with the family and the good food, too. I will post pictures when we return home and I have a few minutes to spare. Benjamin is able to play with a few kids his age. Timothy is growing so quickly and is alert for more and more time during the day.

A Time of Transition

2007-08-24T19:11:00.000-07:00

Well this is Papa Bay's first post on the recently "New" and "Improved" blog spot. You got that right! New and Improved. For those of you confused about the site's new title "THE BAY FAMILY REGISTER" a reigister is a newspaper or forum where a community goes to get information about the community. We, yes I am going to try to contribute as well, are going to try to let EVERYONE know what is going on in the life of this wonderful and blessed family.

"A time of transition" is very true. A week from today we leave early in the morning to visit a missionary friend of mine in Canada. Thompson Manitoba is our destination. This will take us about 19-20 hours of driving from Madison, Wisconsin. We are excited and nervous but looking forward to a wonderful time of fellowship and service. PRAY FOR US. We are going to travel roughly 11.5 hours on Friday to get to Winnepeg and stay the night there and then travel on to Thompson which is another eight hours. I challenge you to look at a map and see how far out there Thompson is. It is a mission field to a people that need the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray for the Picketts who we will be staying with and hopefully being a blessing to. Before we eat them out of house and home. We are praying whether God would have us go up there and serve or our number 2, not in any order of importance, prayer is whether God would have us enter the military as a chaplain. Both needful ministries. PRAY FOR OUR TROOPS AND LEADERS!

Pray for us as we have much to pray for. That we would honor God and give Him the glory for Great things He hath Done!

God Bless America!

The Growing Family

2007-08-24T15:03:00.000-07:00

Here we all are. This was taken this past Sunday.

The "New" Little Man

2007-08-10T08:41:00.000-07:00

TIMOTHY MICHAEL BAY

Born: August 8, 2007

Time: 3:14 a.m.

Weight: 8 lb 2 oz

Length: 19 1/2 inches

I finally had regular contractions at 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday night. I stayed home in Gregory's recliner. I left for the hospital around 11:30 p.m. I had already dialated to 7 cm by the time I arrived. I got an epidural right away. I slept for about two hours, felt the baby coming, and pushed for about 10 minutes . . . a big difference from 3 hours with Benjamin. He is good little boy. Benjamin is a good big brother. He loves being able to hold "his" baby.

Well, here he is:

The "Calm" Before the Storm

2007-07-19T10:19:00.000-07:00

This was taken in June.

Well, Benjamin is taking a nap so I figured I better get his blogspot and the family's updated. He had been a challenge as of late. He is whining more, and refusing to take naps. He knows how to say "please" in sign-language and so he walks around pointing at everything in sight and saying "Please". He thinks that is the magic word to get him what he wants, no matter what.

I have been having trouble getting a peaceful night's sleep because I am more and more uncomfortable trying to lay down. My belly is not huge, but the baby does not cooperate with me when I am trying to sleep. I have little energy during the day, which makes it hard to have lots of patience with a 15 month old. I know I need to enjoy these peaceful moments while I can get them because once the baby is here, I am not guaranteed any breaks. I am praying that at least one of the baby's naps lines up with Benjamin's at some point.

I haven't packed for the hospital yet. Last time I packed the day before I went into labor. Looking back at my pictures from the hospital, I want to do things a little differently . . . like at least get a sponge bath and fix my hair the next day so I don't look like a scraggamuffin. I still need to get a couple waterproof covers for the pack-n-play. I have two sheets for it. I also need to get refills for my Diaper Genie. When I go to WalMart it only has the Diaper Genie II refills, which I do not need. I also would like to go to Michaels (while the sale is on) and get some baskets to put on the bottom shelf of the changing table. That way I can put all the onsies in one, the bibs in one, and the burg rags in another. Right now I have all the bibs and burp rags crammed into the little drawer on the changing table.

A Special Note: Thank you to all of you who gave me baby gifts. I have enough diapers for a couple weeks at least :)

Until the Next time . . . hopefully one more post before the arrival.

Almost Done

2007-05-30T18:38:00.000-07:00

I will soon be done with student teaching . . . 10 days and counting down! It's it sad when the teacher (me) wants to be sick so I can stay home? I don't mind teaching, but teaching in the public school is a challenge I don't think I want to take on unless all my options have run out. The kids are lazy and disrespectful. The administration is seen as a joke by the students, and the parents take the side of the students; some even side with the students that school is not important.

Anyway, Gregory left this morning at 4:30 ( I think) to drive with Pastor Sharpeta to Kentucky. Melissa and Anna needed to get to camp for the summer. I will miss them. I miss Gregory too. He hasn't been gone long, but it gets kind of lonely and boring without him here. Last night he stayed at the Sharpeta's so he could leave early this morning, so tonight is my second night without him home with me . . . I don't like being in the big bed without him. I have no idea how people enjoy living by themselves. I get scared being by myself and who am I to talk to when Benjamin goes to bed?

Well, I need to work on creating the final exam for the ninth graders. I am tired and need to go to bed. I am such a procrastinator. I want to go to bed, but I need to make a little progress on the exam before I let my head hit the pillow. One down side to teaching is that it is not a job you leave at work when you clock out. You don't really clock in and clock out; you work until the job is done; even during the summers you prepare for the next year. There is a balance to be found though. You can't let school be your life or your family will suffer. Which is why it will be a while before I teach full time in a school (if I don't stay home to teach my own kids).

Until the next time, God Bless!

No Response

2007-04-11T14:53:00.000-07:00

I posted these ultrasound pictures as quickly as possible for a certain individual, as well as the rest of the family, and no one has bothered to comment on them . . . why is this? I like to know you guys are still out there somewhere in the world and are taking the time to look at the blog site.

Today was an okay day with ST. I am getting tired a lot more quickly and running out of breath, especially after lunch when my stomach is full. I am not going to the bathroom every five minutes, but I do go as often as I can. I am trying to drink lots of water, but I have to be careful I don't drink too much too quickly because then I will have an urgent need for the bathroom! The baby is moving around a lot more. I at first thought this baby wouldn't be as active, but as time passes, he is becoming more like Benjamin was. The major difference with this baby is he sits on my nerves and causes me to have back and leg pains. Sometimes I honestly can't stand up straight, or it hurts to walk b/c the nerve is being pinched by the baby.

Tonight's dinner: left over stew from yesterday, with biscuits. I like having something easy/leftover for Wednesdays since it is such a busy day with church. This Sunday my church is having a fellowingship with another local church. Faith Baptist is a church without a building, they simply rent a building for the Sunday morning hour. I am excited about the good food I know we will have as well as the fellowship with believers we have never met.

Until the next free minutes,
Mommy Bay

Belly shot

2007-04-04T06:24:00.000-07:00

Here is the one shot Gregory took. I have to beg to get him to take the picture and then I can't tell him how to take it, so here it is for what it is worth. It was taken about two weeks ago.

New Addition . . . Due in August

2007-04-04T05:55:00.000-07:00

The nurse said this is like the baby putting his butt on the copying machine.
Here the baby was camera shy just like Benjamin was.
Here is the best picture of his face . . . look below for possible family resemblance
Here is one of Benjamin's ultrasound pictures. It looks a lot like the picture above

Mommy Comments:

I think the next boy looks like Gregory still. I think he will have Gregory nose too. Gregory wants to name the baby "Timothy Michael Bay." I am undecided. I like the name, but Gregory picked it and I didn't get to voice any of my boy names. I say if we do agree on Timothy, the next one I name with no help from Daddy.