Dear Family and Friends;

I cannot believe that it is August. It never ceases to amaze me how fast the time goes, the older I get!  We hope this letter finds you doing well.

Mindy finally got her own apartment, and with the help of the ladies from church there, has gotten all settled in.  She has had some rough weeks.  She loves her job, but it has been very demanding.  Hopefully, it will get slower, the longer she is there.  Of course, that is what I thought as well.  Then Dudley (her dog) got very sick.  He is finally doing better, and now she has been sick.  They are running tests right now, but put her on antibiotics, and 3 other meds.  It seems to be helping.  Dean, Steven and I all hope to go there over Labor Day weekend.

Steven’s temporary job has become a permanent position, and although it isn’t one he wants to spend his life doing, he is grateful to have a job.  They don’t give benefits right now, but he was able to go back on my insurance until  he is 26, so that is good.  It is so important to have insurance.  He had to go to the hospital for what they thought was appendix, and ended up a bad virus.  It cost thousands for the tests and such, his part was $1500 with insurance!  Not sure what will change with the new health care bills and such.

The church is almost finished!   We are so excited.  We had to move out of the Redi-Mix Office, as it was leased out, so we are meeting in a member’s home until we can move into the building.

I was able to go to Bible camp, which is always a lot of fun.  After using tons of OFF, I still ended up with an embedded tick, and Lyme disease.  I got sick while I was in Connecticut, but was fortunate to be traveling with one of the health officers, so I got on antibiotics.  Still extremely fatigued!  Dean and I were also able to do the teen campout the last weekend in July, which was also fun (tiring, but fun!).  It was  our 16th year.  We had good weather, which was nice, with so many storms lately.

Work for both Dean and I seems to be busier than ever.  I will also be teaching a class at the university this fall.  The extra money will come in handy, plus I will be teaching on Emergency Preparedness, so that is always fun.

Dean is looking forward to fall as he was able to get another buck deer tag.  He didn’t get to fish much,  as the flooding made things very challenging at the lakes and rivers.

Well, I suppose I should get busy.  We hope that you are doing well.  You are in our prayers!  We love you!

Dean and Sherry

shall call upon Him as long as I live.”    Psalm  116:1-2

March-May 2011  (and June Postscript)

Dear Family and Friends,

I am finally getting a chance to write you all.  Time just continues to fly by.  It has been such a long, cold winter,

and spring is also cool and wet.  We had a full blown blizzard on April 30th.  It really was wild and caused a lot of

damage.  It will definitely make us appreciate summer. 

Mindy has been doing much better.  She actually got a job in Rock Springs, Wy working as a social worker for an

assisted living center.  She left Dickinson the end of April, and Dean rented a U-haul and moved her things, and her

dog, Dudley, down there May 8th.  She doesn’t have an apartment yet, but is staying with a member of the church.

It has been such a good move for her.  She has been attending the church in Green River, which has been awesome.

Some close friends that used to live in Dickinson live there, or close. It truly has been an answer to prayers.   Her job

has been a bit overwhelming, but she loves it!  We are so thankful to God for all He continues to do.

Steven, too, got a temporary full-time job as a web support specialist for a company in Omaha.  No benefits, but at least

it has more consistent hours.  He is also writing some for the magazine there.  He hopes to still get a job as a journalist

at a newspaper, but he was very happy to get this job.  We had hoped to go see him over the Memorial Day weekend

but that didn’t work out for expenses.  Hopefully sometime this summer, we can see him and Mindy.  Eleven hours

either way.

The church has a new roof and they have started on the inside.  We are still hoping to be back in the building by the end

of summer, or at least before winter.  We are grateful to have the place where we are, as we continue to grow.  With

our good economy, we continue to get more families moving in.  We have surpassed 40.  We had similar growth in the

early 80’s, but this boom is expected to last for years.

Dean and I celebrate our “golden” anniversary, not our 50th, but our 29th on May 29th.  We had hoped to take a little

trip, but were not able to do so.  I think back over all the years, and I am grateful more and more each day to have

a good Christian husband.

I have to travel for work a lot this summer, but am still going to go to Bible Camp.  It’s always such an uplifting time.

Dean and I also will be doing the teen campout the end of July for the 16th year!  Hopefully summer will cooperate

a little. 

We give thanks to God for each of you.  Please have a great summer, and know that you are in our thoughts and

prayers.

Love always,  Dean and Sherry

JUNE 5

I had good intentions of getting this mailed before June, but got called up for flood duty.  I was away for 11 days, first

in Medora, and then in Bismarck.  I was away for our anniversary, but Dean is always so understanding about my job.

So many are losing their homes.  It has been a rough weather year for everyone across the U.S.

Steven ended up in the hospital a couple of days ago.  They had thought it was his appendix, fortunately it was not.  He

did have a very bad flu, IV’s and all, but at least he didn’t have surgery.  He had to miss some work, but is doing better.

Well, you are always in our thoughts and prayers.  Keep in touch…have a great summer!  Hopefully a safe one!

We love you!!!

Dean and Sherry

We are so thankful for each of you who take the time to check in here and see how the Adams are doing.  We know many of you have prayed or sent letters and financial gifts and each gesture is appreciated very much!  We know you are interested in knowing what is happening with the family’s needs.  The great news, and answer to prayers, is that Mindy has found a good job!  It is such a blessing to her and Dean and Sherry are so thankful for this blessing.  With Sherry’s permission I am sharing with you some needs the family faces right now.  Because Mindy’s job is some distance from home it will be necessary for her to relocate to Wyoming.  The move itself will be quite expensive.  The total cost of the Uhaul and first and last months rent will be approximately $2000.  This is money the Adams just do not have at this time.  There are some essential repairs needed on the house and the new total medical debt is $30,000.  After being completely out of debt just two years ago it is very discouraging to see the amounts creep back up.  Dean and Sherry are continuing to work hard and serve others as they try to take care of their family, but there is just more to cover than is possible after so many years of struggle.  As always, your prayers, cards, emails, comments on this site and of course, contributions are appreciated more than you know.  Please do consider how you may be able to help this faithful, loving family.  Steven has also found temporary work that enables him to stay in Omaha for a few more weeks.  After that he will consider job hunting in Kansas City.  Please pray for him to also find a good job with insurance.  Thanks again for caring!  Jennie Percell for the Adams Family

January -March 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

We hope that this letter finds you well.  I am sorry it has been so long since I have written.  They say the older you get, the faster times goes by, which makes me about 105 years old.  My job has been keeping me very busy, and out of town alot, but I don’t want to complain, as so many do  not have jobs.  It has been such a long cold snowy winter, which also affects everyone’s energy.  It will be good when spring comes.

Steven is still trying to find a full time job.  It has been quite frustrating,  but he keeps on applying, and taking one day at a time.  He still is doing the 2 part time jobs, but it is tough.  We are still paying for his insurance and such.  He had a few days, where he was sick, but he is hanging in there.  Wish I could go see him.

Mindy is slowly improving each day.  She is working 2 jobs to try and keep up with things.  We are grateful for each good day!

They will start working on the church soon.  The entire inside was gutted,  but we were able to keep the frame.  We still hope to be back in, this summer.  We are so grateful to have the office that we are meeting in.  We actually did a teen activity a few weeks ago; it was encouraging for the teens, and us.  Our attendance is almost 40, as several new families have moved in due to the oil activity.  It is quite exciting.  Brings back memories of when I first moved to North Dakota in 1981, during that oil boom.

Dean is doing well.  He keeps busy with church, and working out all the details of the fire and such.  He also has been getting a lot of exercise shoveling.  Someone gave us their old snow blower, but it broke…I think due to all the snow. 

Well, know that you are in our prayers.  We always thank god for you.  Do keep in touch.  Love and Prayers,

Dean and Sherry

Dear Friends, Below you will read Sherry’s letter about the fire that recently took their little church building. It was the result of a robbery. This building played a significant part in their lives as it has been the scene of many precious memories. The Adams have endured a very hard few months. Mindy has faced very difficult challenges and health issues and the endless bills that come with them continue to plague the whole family. At this time of love, giving and sharing, please remember this faithful, loving family who need your support. Let’s shower them with love, prayers, and money as we are able. May you have a Very Merry Christmas!!

Percells for the Adams Family

Later , as our little group sifted through some of the things that didn’t burn, you realize, it is just a building, and we will make it. We are like a family, and the love and support we have from our family members, near and far will, as well as the love we have been shown by so many others will see us through.

The fire can burn our little building, but cannot burn our love. We will rebuild our little church, and we will have many new memories there. I am thankful to have experienced first-hand the love and support that makes me proud to be a Christian, and proud to live here!

Thanks to each of you for what you do each and every day…and thanks to each of you for the love and support you have shown us!

Dean and Sherry Adams

Where has the time gone?  Summer has truly flown by.  We hope that this finds you doing well, and that you have had time to stop and enjoy the summer, although in most areas, it has not only been very hot, but somewhat stormy.  It will not be long though before snow does fall.

We didn’t really get to go on a vacation, as I had hoped.  I did spend a week at Bible camp teaching 18 Kindergarten through 4th graders, and being the ‘mom’ camp nurse.  We had a much younger group this year, so mom nurse was pretty busy.  It is always so rewarding to work with children.  It is fun to see them from year to year. They grow older and I grow slower.

Our teen campout was last weekend.  It had been the 15th year that Dean and I had done this.  I definitely am much slower to recover after the weekend fun.  We camped in Medora Area this year. It was really pretty.  We had 21 kids.  Dean and I truly enjoy working with the youth.

Steven was able to come home for 3 days.  We were so excited to see him.  He hadn’t been home since Christmas.  We had a short, but nice visit.  I hope to take a couple of kids to high school days at York, NE. in October, so I should be able to visit Steven again then.  He still is trying to get a full-time reporting job or something with health benefits.  He is still able to get under my insurance but we have to pay $410 a month, which goes up again in June.  I am not complaining as it is so important for him to have insurance.  He is also looking for a primary physician before the winter months since he can no longer use the university medical system.  He is still writing for the Lincoln, NE magazine, but still applying for other reporting jobs.  If you hear of any openings in your area, please let me know.  He does a great job writing.

As you know our beloved dog, Belle, of 13 years died in May.  We took it hard, as Belle was the dog that was always there for us when the kids were sick.  We didn’t want another dog, as we still have Dean’s hunting dog, Duchess, but about a month ago Mindy quietly walked into our house with a miniature dachshund puppy that she had rescued from the shelter.  Lilly was 3 months old and badly malnourished.   We both said no, but who could resist this little puppy?  I told Dean he had to decide, as I am gone so much, and was leaving for camp the next week.  We would decide after camp, but that is all it took….so we are now the proud owners of a new puppy.  She is  a lot like Belle.  She thinks Duchess; a big golden retriever is her mother!  It has been fun.  Mindy and Ian’s dog Dudley, also a dachshund wasn’t too impressed, as he suffers from ‘only dog’ syndrome.  HA!

Mindy and Ian continue to work many hours.  Mindy still has the two jobs, and Ian is still driving truck for the oil field.  We are starting to see a big impact in our area from the oil boom, and have had a few families move into the area that come to worship, so that has been nice. Not easy to find housing here, but tons of jobs!

Well, please know you are in our thoughts and in our prayers.  We hope that you are well.  We continue to thank God for you!  Keep in touch…our email is adams@ndsupernet.com …nope I still do not have Facebook.  Love and Prayers,

Dean and Sherry

May and June 2010

Dear Family and Friends, 

It seems that every time I turn around, I am turning a calendar page.  I was told when I was younger that  time speeds up when you are older, and I do think that is the case.  We hope that this letter finds you well and that you will soon be enjoying a wonderful summer.  Summer is my favorite season, particularly after a long cold winter. 

At the end of April, I took a group of kids to the Bismarck Youth Rally.  It is always a lot of fun for me.  We are busy planning our 15th annual Dickinson campout, which will be in August.  Working with youth, is always a rewarding job.  Dean continues to keep busy preaching and teaching.  He is doing a study through the Old Testament, which has been quite interesting!

It has been an extremely eventful  few weeks, with highs and lows. Both Mindy and Steven ended up at the hospital with Mindy having a kidney infection and Steven a bad viral infection.  At least it wasn’t the same week.  Steven was glad though, as he had just finished his classes.  

Steven had a whirlwind of a month, with finishing classes, and then graduation.  We were fortunate to go down.  I went down a  couple of days before Dean,  Mindy and Dean’s mom drove down that Friday.  Ian couldn’t get off  because of work–driving truck in the oil field.  Unfortunately, right before the ceremony started, we received word that our dog of 13 years, Belle, was found dead.  Lyn (a teacher from school, who works with Dean) called.  It was a very sad time, but we were so grateful to Lyn as she took care of things while we were gone.  We didn’t tell Steven until later that day.  It was his big day.  Dean, Mindy and Dean’s mom had to leave on Sunday, and it was so hard on each of  us that first time we walked into the door at home.  Belle had been the dog that was always there when the kids were sick.  It has been so hard.  Mindy and Ian have been letting us “borrow” Dudley, their dog, and this has been a huge help.  It will be hard to give him back, but he is a funny dog, so has been good to fill the gap.  He and Duchess (Dean’s hunting dog) love to play tug of war.  

I was able to stay a few extra days in Omaha.  I had a conference in Washington DC, so just flew from Omaha to there.  Steven and I had a great time, I think we must have walked a thousand miles.  I had flown to Omaha on the Thursday before his graduation, and while changing planes in Denver fell off the steps of the small aircraft, and my face landed smack down on the tarmac.  Fortunately, I only had a bruise on my chin, but didn’t think too much about it, as I had just a few minutes to catch my plane to Omaha, but as I was running, my wrist started throbbing.  I thought I must have sprained it….so when I landed in Omaha, made a dash to a Walgreens to get a wrist brace.  Didn’t want to go to the ER there as it is so expensive,  and it would take hours…anyway after 5 days, and it not getting better, I went to a walk-in clinic, and it is broken in two places…which does explain the pain. HA! It was too swollen to cast, and I had to fly to DC the next morning, so they splinted it, and I was to see a Dr. in ND when I returned.  Well lesson learned….metal braces will set off the screening alarms…anyway…I finally got to ND 10 days after my injury, and went to the ER in Bismarck when I landed, because I had hurt it again from lifting the luggage.  Hopefully it will heal soon.  Unfortunately, I have to travel to New Mexico this next week…So could be interesting!!!!  When people ask how I broke my wrist, I just say…I fell off a plane!  My family just laughs,as nothing surprises them!

Steven has been trying for months and months to break into the journalism industry.  With the recession, massive layoffs, and four times the usual amount of applicants for reporting positions, the field seemed nearly impossible to start in as a recent graduate.  Steven decided he would apply to be a server at a  downtown  restaurant in Omaha to make an income while he continued looking for reporting jobs.  He applied to many places, and one told him he was OVER qualified, but he keeps on applying… It was May 20th, and he took yet another application to a restaurant 2 blocks from his appartment, and they hired him right then.  He was so excited, and then a very short time later he got a call that he got a part time writing position for an online Nebraska magazine called Nebraska Entrepreneur.  Needless to say, he was sooo excited, and so were we.  It is his foot in the door for journalism.  The magazine is an online publication that writes features about independent businesses in Nebraska.  He will write 6-8 articles a month but has the potential to write up 15.  The magazine is in Lincoln, but he can work from Omaha.  He will also keep the server job.  He really wanted to stay in Omaha for now as he is established with the church and all, and didn’t have to pay to move anywhere.  As with any job, you need experience to apply, but it is hard to get experience if no one will hire you.  I was able to keep him under our insurance policy, which costs about $410 a month.  Hopefully down the road, he can get a job with benefits, but at this time, we are grateful he has work!

Speaking of work, if any of you are in need of work…oil is booming crazily here in North Dakota.  It is really changing things in our state.  It has good impact, but the hard side is that other industry can’t keep up with the cost increases due to the oil.  Apartments are pretty costly, as well as becoming scarce.  Regular jobs are available everywhere, but are having a hard time having comparable salary.  It sounds like this boom is going to last anywhere from 20-40 years!  So we would be happy to have you here!  Ian works 4 days on and 2 days off…but they are really long days.  Some work 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off.  

Well, we hope that you are doing well.  Know that you are in our thoughts and in our many prayers.  We hope that your vacation plans include Dickinson :).  God watch over you and keep you safe in His care!

Love and Prayers, 

Dean and Sherry

Dear Family and Friends,

It seems like yesterday we were looking at the year 2000, and here it is already 2010.  We hope that this finds you well.  When I think of perseverance, I think of you and your continued love and support…year after year.  We never cease to thank God for you.

We enjoyed having Steven home for the holidays.  We had several blizzards over the holidays, so in many ways it was quite unusual, being snowed in several times.  He did have good weather to go back to school, and is very busy in his last semester of college.  He got an internship, at a magazine in Omaha, and continues to be the news editor for the university paper. He is also starting to look for jobs, so if you know of any newspapers hiring in May, let me know . Our biggest concern will be that he can find a job that offers health insurance, as he will go off my policy then.  He was able to get much needed rest over the vacation, so that helped get his strength back.

Please keep Mindy and Ian in your prayers.  Mindy’s health continues to be an issue, and is truly hard on them both.  She is seeing different specialists in Bismarck, so we hope that this will help.

We started doing teen activities again in January, which was a nice change to the craziness of December.  We have activities planned for the next couple of months, and then I will take the teens from here to Bismarck for the youth rally in April.

I had a busy month in December with my job, organizing 12 mass vaccination clinics for the H1N1 flu within a two-week period.  Staff was great. This month has been busy, but not like December.  It has been a challenge, but all the years of training and preparing has been a huge help.

Dean has been busy as well with church and work.  Having lots of bad weather has been a challenge.  He has spent many hours shoveling.  We had a bad ice storm, followed by a two-day blizzard.  We were without power for part of a day, but many are still without power going into the 2nd week.

Well, as we enter into a new year, and a new decade, we ask that God keep you safe.  We always will face challenges and struggles; we are so fortunate to never have to face them alone.  Do keep in touch.  God bless you always…..

Love and Prayers,

Dean Sherry Steven  Mindy  Ian