3 Days Before Christmas...Looking Back

OCTOBER 2012

One child got FOUR stitches, another had two ura's taken out of his head (Dan wrote about that) and we started the new school year! 

 

JJ got his first hair cut.  I was trying to wait till he started walking for the first cut but since his hair was getting long it was time. 

Dan continues with his training of national youth leaders and spoke at the ACA (Asuncion Christian Academy) Elementary Camp.

After he's written his talks, it's time for props!

This year's theme was the "Olympics". 



As "Decathlon Dan" he spoke to the kids about what it really means to "win" and that we win when we are trusting in the Lord for our strength, not ourselves.

Before each talk he had an "event". 
This is the high jump and yes, that is Dan showing the kids how it is done!
Don't worry, no one was hurt! 

Since Eli is in third grade, he was welcome to participate.
It took him to the last day though as he didn't know anyone beforehand.
I'd like to proudly say that his team ended up winning b/c of him too! 
He's quite the competitor!

I LOVE that we get to go as a family! 
It's fun to watch Dan talk; to get to know the kids and the teachers. 
Another huge privilege is that we get to use the pool too.
This was JJ's first time in the water.
He wasn't sure at first.
The big boys however, LOVED it, in case you couldn't tell :).

The "baby" is always a hit w/ the kids! 
Dan's spoken at the ACA elementary camp in years past.
Toby & Sam were the babies then.
This year it was JJ. 

He always had a captive audience! 
I LOVE these kids.
The senior helpers this year were girls that had surrounded my baby years before.
It is a huge mix of cultures and so cool to know my kids are used to seeing all kinds of children from all over the world.  

Camp ended with a camp fire and lots of kids running all over! 

I thoroughly enjoy this aspect as well:  not cooking for a week.
It may be camp food but I don't care and the kids don't care.  

We got a new puppy...

Meet Pemberley.

Since we travel a lot, we wanted to get our other dog Piper a friend.  We just got back from a week in the city and both of them were much happier and less "spazzy" when we returned.  Pemberley is part lab and we really don't know what else!  She is turning out to be a great dog. Piper is training her well! :) We kind of forgot about how much labs love water though.  Dan received a gift for speaking at the camp and so we bought a bigger pool for the kids.  However, it is an inflatable pool; one that uses a pump and chlorine. Yup. Pemberley has successfully popped the rim once, so far.  I still have hope though that she will live up to her name.  It is quite elegant, don't you think?!?! 

To end this month, I went away on a Girls Get Away, w/o Judah, a huge decision as he was still nursing.  I thought for sure we would be OK and he was, the first night I returned.  Then that was it.  It was hard to accept at first but now with the heat I am not so sad that I don't have to nurse a baby.  He still loves to come to me and snuggle, w/o going for milk so that is pretty wonderful.  His favorite word these days is "mama" and I'm loving it! 

These ladies are a lifeline here on the field.
We are all mothers and we are all in this mission thing together; learning together, struggling together, praying together and encouraging one another along the journey.  God is good to give me such a great group of ladies to serve with.