Nature at Work

Some my find these pictures disturbingly gross, I however find them extremely interesting. I'm just sayin....

So we get DSTV here in Uganda.  And it is really kinda fun.  It gives Kent and I an way to keep up with world news, the kids have the occasional treat of cartoons, (many of the cartoons are from when I was a kid, too), plus our favorite is the National Geographic Chanel.  The day after we watched an episode on Extreme Insects and learned all about ants and how they help in the decomposition process (I said they were gross)..... we found this in our yard.

This is one of those GI-MORMUS rats that comes in our yard sometimes. That Lady must have killed during the middle of the night. Only it is COMPLETELY covered in ants.  i couldn't even tell what it was at first.  It was only after poking and prodding that I was able to discover what lied beneath the dark, wiggling mass.

Cool...... and gross all at the same time.  Science lesson!  Aren't you glad you don't have these guys in your yard?  (both the rat and the demolition ants.)

Whoop

Where to begin...... So last year, if you remember, we were so totally blessed by a young lady named Ashley.  She was here for six months and was a great help in getting to have a few date nights while we adjusted to living in a new country.  Well her sister, Laura, came to visit her here in Uganda, and Laura is and Aggie. 

Both young ladies kept our young girls one weekend while we went to Kampala for supplies.  When we got home, not only was our home booby-trapped, but Laura had taught the girls all the A&M cheers.  As you all know Kent is a HUGE Texas Tech fan.......

So this summer when we had a team from College Station come, Laura and Ashley sent us a care package. In it was this t-shirt for Kent.  It was a hoot watching Kent get his new shirt, and at first he refused to wear it, but now he wears it all the time.  So thanks Laura and Ashley for broadening Kent's horizon.

WHOOP!!!

Now you see it..... now you don't

THIS is why I love having that nifty new camera that fits in my bag and go with me anywhere!

 This little birdy fell from it's nest one Sunday at Church. The girls got so excited and everyone wanted to hold it. So most of them did.

At least while they could. The bird flew off while I was trying to snap this picture.

The local Children wanted to tourcher it or something.... the local women were discusted by it...... my young ladies wanted to take it home and try and raise it.

 Ummmmm....... so I was supposed to upload a picture of Snuggle Bug with a pouty look saying "why can't we keep it mom?" But for what ever strange reason it is not working like I want it to. Bummer.

Alice

This is Alice.  She is a WONDERFUL addition to our little Church. She started coming last summer and was one of the major testimonies of healing and deliverance, and she has been coming ever since.  For MONTHS Alice came to church wearing only a dark yellow skirt and a white blouse.

Every.

Sunday.

We would secretly have someone ask about her clothes thinking we might have them take her to the market, but she never seemed really interested. She just kept coming faithfully.  After a while she started wearing some new clothes, but I think they were items that she was borrowing from some one, cause they were always too small, and looked to "young".

 A few weeks ago, during worship, one of our young men felt that we should take up and offering for Alice so that she should get new shoes.  The out pouring of this Church was AMAZING! We didn't ever count it, but I know her socks were blessed off..... um on..... anyway she got hooked UP!

The next Sunday she came to Church so proud of her new dress and shoes.  It was sweet.  She is really growing in her walk with Jesus.  A week or so after the shoe blessing she started sharing with me how she had gone to the hospital and was preaching and praying for people to be healed. Now you have to understand that Alice is a VERY quite woman, and while she was re-telling me this story her voice got louder and her arms started waving all over.  She is passionate about telling others about Jesus.

Another neat Alice story.... While preaching at the hospital she gave away her Bible.  So later in the week Kent went to her hut to find her and give her a new Bible. She wasn't there.  So they thought they would try her sister's charcoal shop.  She wasn't there either, but before Kent left he saw her come running around the corner.

As soon as she saw Kent she started giggling and laughing and was extremely excited. Once she got her breath back she explained that she was just about to go into the market and do some shopping when the Holy Spirit told her "rush home, pastor is waiting". She stopped her shopping and started running back toward the house.  That is when she saw Kent at her sisters shop!  Cool huh!?!

The Birthday Party

Sunday was Daddy & Snuggle Bug day after Church.  Daddy took the birthday girl to lunch at the Coffee Hut while the rest of the Clan wrapped, iced, cleaned and planned for a PARTY!  SB was so surprised to walk in after her date to find her sisters and a few of her friends waiting for her with bubbles!

  The Surprise party welcoming committee!

 Some of the fun activities included.... "pin the tail on the lion", the ring toss and a water balloon toss game. Everyone received a prize. I think that this was SB's first honest to goodness party with friends and everything..... I remember when she turned 1.... and when she turned 4 and now 5, but I forget 2&3???  Is that bad???  Can anyone help me remember????

 The cake.... I find it harder and harder to be creative with the cupcakes and one cake pan. In the states we would go to Michael's each birtday and let the girls pick out a new Wilton cake pan. I would bake the cake and decorate it the way they wanted....... oh well.

 For ever it seemed that SB was asking for new sunglasses. She told me, "I used my sun glasses to make a home for the ants, and the Lady chewed them up."  She was SUPER PUMPED when she opened these from her sister.

SB also got another primate..... named Sleepy (cause he came with a blanket). Another big hit for the birthday girl.

 One of her last gifts was a new backpack...... it was another item that she had been asking for, for a very long time..... her ladybug bag was "spoiled" she said.  Every time we would drive through town and she would see a pink backpack, she would let me know that she still needed a new one.

She is a HAM!!!  I wish I could truly capture her personality in writing so that I could share it with you!

Thank you Lord for my SB!  She is a joy and the life of our Family!  We are so blessed to have her as one of us. May you use her passion for your service ans glory one day. I pray that she will be an influencer and a world changer.

Happy Birthday Snuggle bug

Who ever said that the youngest never have their picture taken didn't have a snuggle bug to take pictures of.
These are just some random, too cute to not share picture of the birthday girl that I have taken over the last few months.

 Sportin' zenias from the flower garden...... one behind each ear!

 Enjoying yummy watermelon while on a brief getaway in July.  I took this cause I have a cute picture of her eating watermelon before she was one..... my how she has grown.

 Play date at a friend's house last week..... playing dress up.

Look at my baby...... 5 years old, starting Kindergarten.  WOW!  If my kids went to school some where else, I might actually get teary eyed at that thought, but since I get to keep her at home for a while, I will just enjoy my little bundle of imaginative energy!

Sunday Mornings

So.... I got a new camera for my birthday.... a small one I can throw in my bag and tote around with me to snap pictures anytime, anywhere, and I LOVE IT!  Plus it is small enough I don't look like a tourist wandering around town.  So these are some of the pictures I snapped at church a few weeks ago.

Our format for Church hasn't changed.... We all meet in the construction zone for praise and worship.

Then afterwards the children stay inside the "zone" and the adults move outside under the trees.

 One outside they break up into groups.  Kent usually gives each group a verse or two to look up and discuss.  Sometimes each group's verse is the same, sometimes it is different. Then after they have had time to read and talk about the verse, each group takes a few minutes to share with the rest of the groups what they have learned or what they think. Then Kent or who ever is teaching will explain a little more and give more clarity. 

 Random artistic picture I took while playing with my camera on that particular Sunday.

 Mean while.... in the "zone" the kids are learning their own lessons.  We just finished a series on the Fruits of the Spirit, looking at them in the life of King David.

 After the story/lesson the kids get to "shade" or color a picture based on the story, then they get a "bisquit" or a cookie for snack.

 There are still anywhere from 85 to 100+ kids that come every week!  We are so blessed to be part of their lives, even if only a small part.

 A Group shot.