Happy Mother's Day... Mother-in-law 2

My Mother-in-love tributes would no be complete if I didn't include my other mother-in-loves.  Were my mom and I have a common interest in reading, and humor. And my other mother in love both enjoy cooking and crafting.... this mother in love was a teacher!  A women after my heart!

Kindergarten was the grade that I feared most, there is so much that hinges on how well you learn to read that I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to teach Curly how to read. But Ya Ya helped me out. And gave me the confidence to know that I can do it!

 She has the same creativity and enjoyment that I do in the classroom.  I can't start planning our school year without thinking of her in some aspect. 

I am super blessed to have so many women in my life that I have so much in common with.  I think family holidays and gatherings would be extremely boring if I didn't have these ladies to talk with and spend time with.  God's planning is ALWAYS perfect!

Happy Mother's Day ... Mother in Love 1

When I think of my Mother-in-Law, I instantly see her kitchen in Lawton. She poured over magazines for months looking for ideas, functionality, beauty..... and her kitchen is perfect.

 She is the perfect hostess. There is ALWAYS room for one more at her table and I don't think I have ever eaten a holiday meal at her house were there weren't "extra" family members and food to spare!

When ever I make a good meal... especially if it is completely from scratch, or one I have "invented" ..... I think of her and how she had inspired me to be a better cook.

 She is also craft like me... she is always sewing something, embellishing something or creating something to give as gifts for the next holiday! She is supper busy!  She and Pop are always out of town visiting someone who has lost a loved one, putting on a wedding, helping some one move... if there is a need... they will help!

She is the QUEEN of packages!  They were awesome to get when we lived in the states, you knew every holiday a box would come stuffed full of goodies for everyone in the family.  Now that we are overseas..... we relish every little item sent with even more enjoyment! I love my mother-in-love!

Happy Mother's Day

I'm going to let you in on a little secret..... I like to take pictures. I really like to take pictures of my kids and nature.  Looking through my picture files is like looking through a National Geographic Magazine (well sort of).  Anyway.... once several years ago my Dad shared the most romantic idea with me.  I honestly think it was the most romantic thing I have ever heard him utter.

 He revealed that when he is on hiking/hunting trips he likes to take pictures of purple flowers to let my mom know that he is thinking of her.  Purple is her favorite color.  So I have adopted that habit too!  I can't look at a purple flower with out thinking of my mom!

 She is a WONDERFUL woman! She is compassionate.... (crying with me when I had a miscarriage) Giving... (sending money to fill my freezer full of meat when we were poor) Even.... (like getting me my first "good" camera after she helped my brother go to Italy) Smart..... (she is a Nurse Practitioner, nuff said)  Determined (she went back to college when I was in the 3rd grade)  Faithful (she has been at the same job for 16 years!)

 Like everyone else, she has her faults.... which also happen to some of my faults so we relate to one another well.  We also have the same weird sense of humor, and we enjoy quoting movies..... actually my whole family does that and now my kids do it too!

 There are some things that I can't put into words.... parts of me that will always need my mommy.  Fortunately she is only a phone call away!

I am truly bless to have the mother I do! 

Thank you God for giving her to me!

Little Critters pt 1

I love all the neat critters that you get to see living in Africa!  Granted we did have lots of interesting critters in the US that God used to prepare us for living here....... More Preperation ??

 This is a baby newborn lizard. It is so incredibly tiny!

 He gets a little lost in this picture with the grey tile and all, but he (or she?) is sitting on the tip of Curly's thinger..... I mean finger.

Itty bitty thing ain't he!

Out with the old..... in with the NEW

 As you might remember..... we lost our fridge a few weeks ago.  It was a very tragic Saturday and it happened just a few days before Kent left for India.  There wasn't time for us to replace, or repair, or do ANYTHING!  We were blessed, however, by a friend and we were able to borrow a tiny dorm fridge.... which was helpful until power went out..... and stayed out...... for days.  BUT that is another story!

We had been thinking about upgrading  our fridge for a while.... We needed something a little bit bigger.  When you go to the store only once every six weeks, it helps to have space to KEEP all that food!  So we went with a nice upgrade.  Not the biggest out there, but definitely bigger than the one we had bought used when we moved here.

It is about 7" bigger both ways!  It is WONDERFUL!  We will be able to have ice! Popsicles! I have room to make cinnamon rolls the night before and let them rise, I have room for milk, water and kool-aid!  I am LOVING my new fridge!!

Happy Birthday BABY!

I absolutely love this man! He is AMAZING!  He loves Jesus, he is crazy about me, he adores his children, he is passionate about discipleship and he wants to see great things happen in our city!

 

 This is how he looks every couple of days.  He does..... oh 90% of the shopping for me. Going to the crowed, smelly market to bring home tomatoes, onions, carrots, pineapple... whatever the evening meal requires.

 So serious.... that is until he is greeted by one of his princesses!  Then he sheds all of the heaviness and frustration that can sometimes come from being out and about and puts on a HUGE smile!

He is never to busy to stop and encourage a hurt heart, squeeze a little neck, look at a masterpiece, or listen to a new song!  He is an AMAZING MAN OF GOD!!!!!!!!!!

He just spent almost two weeks in India and we realized just how much we need him. We had to do EVERYTHING, and it was hard! What's the saying..... absence makes the heart go fonder.... so true.  Our reunion was SO much fun though.  We splurged and had two nights in a SUPER NICE hotel all by ourselves.  It was amazing.

Happy Birthday BABY!!!  We would be so lost with out you. Thank you for being mold-able and willing to let God shape you into the man that he needs you to be!

Memories...

I just spent the last hour or so looking at old blog posts and rolling up the "site counter". My first blog was in 2008 when SB wasn't even ONE!  I laughed so much I cried at times... remembering the funny thing my girls used to do and say. It was like looking at my scrapbooks....  which I don't make any more....... I miss those days.

BUT I love the season we are in too!  Independence!  With a capital I.  I have two girls that are big enough, and enjoy helping, so they make lunch most school days.  Two others that play most of the afternoon.... I hardly see them except when they are asking for a snack or if they can watch a movie.  They each have a chore or two that they do to do around the house.  BG feeds the chickens, Sweet Pea cleans off the table after breakfast, the other too gather the dirty clothes on laundry day. They all help fold the clothes when they are dry. Also, I pair one little one up with one big one and showers are taken care of.

They ALL love helping with Becky Ann. They take turns lugging her around trying desperately to be the one that will make her laugh, or clap her hands.  They want to feed her too.  The only time they are willing to give her up is when they have school work to do, or she has a wet nappy(aka diaper).

We truly are blessed with wonderful girls!  So giving and loving.  Reading over some of my old blog posts  reminded of me of how truly blessed I am.

Bush Rat

 THIS was not the face that Baby Girl had when she discovered a MONSTROUS bush rat in the yard.  Lady had been barking almost non-stop for the last few nights and we finally discovered why......

 this, this.... THING was trying get in the yard!

 THIS is the face.. and quite frankly I don't blame her...

I think my face probably looked very similar.

 Most mouse are smaller than this thing's head..... just think about that for a minuet!

Doesn't that tail just give you the creeps??

Sunday AM

 Praise and worship

 Ugandans have beautiful smiles

 Honey and his translator Francis

 Our Children's meeting.  We have been known to have over 100 children on a Sunday.

 "One for me... one for you.... one for Jesus"

 The munu kids.... Foresters and the Becks.  They are a HUGE answer to prayer for the girls to have friends that speak English and understand what is "Normal" life for us.



Becky Ann is 7 months!

 (Notice the beautiful blue valour blanket for the back drop! 

Doesn't my new quilt look much better?!?!)

Miss Kevin says  "Wabinen"  which means "Bye bye.... see you later"

Slip and Slide

This was a Christmas present for the girls ... who gets slip 'n' slides for Chiristmas??  Girls who live in Africa, where the hottest time of the year is right at Christmas time!

Only Emma would choose to roll down the hill and not slide!