One year ago today

I turned thirty.  That means that now I am Over Thirty. Strange, but true.

Here's my gift from Hunter

My gift from God (yes, the child and the rain)

And my gift from Braelyn.  She's sick, which makes her crankier than normal, but also sleepier than normal!  Thanks, Lord, for another wonderful year!

Graduation 2012

We know, we know, we're a month (or two) late.  But, better late than never, right?  We finally got around to "Graduation" today and it was a fun party.

 Power was out, so we dum, dum-dah-dah, duuum, duuum'ed our way through a version of Pomp and Circumstance.

 Then we had picture time with the 4 grads.  Griffen is now flying towards third grade, Hunter to second and Ian and Lilee to first.  Then comes Avery to Kindergarten with Max hot on her heels and Braelyn to bring up the caboose.  

 I'm not sure we could have made home-schooling 7 kids more complicated if we had tried.

 (un)Official diplomas were awarded along with a short and impromptu speech by the mom/teachers (well, mine was impromptu, yours was lovely, Sandy.)  

Of COURSE we did it up right with plenty of yummy snacks and desserts 'cause no celebration is complete if you leave hungry.  Or even less than stuffed.  

I love you my little Graduate.  You are amazing and smart and beautiful inside and out.  I thank God for our hours and hours and hours together this last year and look so forward to watching you this coming year.  I love you Hunter!

Happy Independence Day, America! We miss you!

We gathered all the Americans we could find (some Peace Corp workers included) plus some Europeans from a hotel and had ourselves a REAL cook-out on the beach!  It was awesome.  Charcoal "grill", shish-kabobs, cassava chips, some amazing cabbage salad and of course, plenty of dessert.

Miss Sandy's Sugar Cookie Flag

A family photo for your viewing pleasure

 Plenty of sass on a blanket

 And some on the beach

 After dinner bonfire

 How you know a real photographer...not afraid to get a bit dirty.  Or shall I say, unwilling to?

Getting darker

 Avery drawing in the sand in front of a gorgeous sunset

 Breathtaking, isn't it?

 Happy Birthday, America!

What I can't grow

Lettuce.  This sad pair is my only hope.

 Carrots.  Granted, look at my soil!

 Green Beans.  Yes, they are yellow and no, they never climbed their poles.

Corn.  These almost make me cry.

But I can grow:

Mchicha...tastes like spinach (yuck), I didn't plant it yet we have about 50 of these beauties chugging away.

"Ganja"  Yes, it is what you think it is and no we did NOT plant it.  It's growing wild.

 And smiles.  These make it all worth it!

June marches on

Another good month continues on!  Guess who got to meet the Vice President of the whole country??? Yep, us.  We happen to live across the street from the nicest house in town owned by a man somehow involved in government.  Anyhow, the VP and his enormous entourage were passing through and stopped to eat lunch at his house.  We, being the lucky neighbors we are, got the invite.  

We got all gussied up, headed over, walked completely unquestioned through the fifty or so police and military personnel and entered the yard.  We sat and waited while everyone ate, then we were ushered in.  Dum, dum, dum, dum.  We shook hands, he asked what Justin did here, and while Justin briefed him on what we are doing here...I stood in embarrassment as our kids ran wild (they're too comfortable in that living room), filling his chair with pillows, chasing each other and crawling around meowing like cats, ahem.  I went to wrangle them but was told to leave them alone.  We just hope he didn't mind his chair piled high with pillows!

Those girls.  We did have our first harvest!  These are the green beans we gleaned from a few of our plants.  These beans sure were good and we can't wait for more to grow! It is funny  how much we all LOVE green beans (even Justin) since we can not get them here. 

We have a new favorite recipe...want it?  Marinate 2-3 chicken breasts in: 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1 tsp ginger, 1 Tbsp cilantro (we sub with basil, so can't vouch for cilantro), 1 garlic clove minced, and 1/2 lemon juiced.  After a few hours, pat dry, saving marinade.  Salt and pepper chicken.  Melt 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter.  When foaming stops, add 1/4 cup honey and chicken, stirring and cooking till sticky.  

While chicken marinates, thin slice green pepper, carrot and onion.  Plus anything else you want.  Cook veggies using the marinade juice when you're done with it.  It's soooo yummy.  We actually crave veggies now! 

What else?  Did I mention yet that we got "fast" internet?  It's WONDERFUL!  The girls have particularly loved the discovery of online games/school activities.  There's a whole new world out there!  Our favorite site now is ABCYA.com.  It has fun and educational games based on grade level!  If you have a favorite site that is educational and exciting, let me know.  I need all the help I can get with this homeschool stuff!

We've also discovered youtube.  Sunday worship has taken on a whole new meaning!  Plus, the girls are totally into music now.  Of course, they have picked up on some "unusual" music so their favorites are Evanescence and strangely enough, Adele.  You should hear Braelyn belting out Rolling in the Deep.  It goes something like this: "Ahhhh, oh.  Uuuuhhhh, eeeeee!  Ahhhhhh haaaaa.  Paaaaay eeeeeee".  It's really priceless.  

Newsletter in the works.  Love and miss you all.  Have a great day!

Progress at Kokota Island

Work has kicked back into full gear for Justin and the water projects. After waiting for a lot of the materials to be shipped over here from places like Italy, South Africa and Germany, things are finally coming together and work is back underway to provide the people here with access to clean drinking water.

Above is a picture of a well being dug. The water that comes out of the well is salt water so they will pump water from the well to the desalination machine. They do this to cut down on sediments and distance that would occur from drawing water from the ocean. The well is dug right next to the machine so the pump they use can be smaller and use less energy. 

This will be the base platform that the tower and machine will be built upon. In almost all of the pictures you will see the structure of a school also being built. A friend of Justin's is working on finishing up a school for the island as well. It will be their first one ever. 

After digging the well, these concrete casings will be placed down in the well to prevent erosion or the well from collapsing.

Here is a picture of the school being built. We are excited to see how these changes impact this village/fishing community. We pray that He would receive the glory and that this project would open more doors for us to share with people here. 

Words from an uninterrupted Quiet Time

First, a quote from an online Daily Encouragement site:

In order to realize the WORTH of the ANCHOR, you must feel the STRESS of the storm.

I've come to know that being a mommy is HARD.  And not just for me, not just here in Africa.  For everyone.  For my sisters and my friends back home.  It's hard, it hurts, it exhausts, it discourages.  But in the midst of ANY storm, let us cling to that ANCHOR that will, does, has always, held firm.

And my desperate longing prayer to be able to someday say to my friends here on the island:
From 1 Thess. 1:4-8 (some paraphrasing by me)

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that He has chosen YOU, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with POWER, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.  You know how we lived among you for your sake.  You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering (though I pray not here), you welcomed the message with the joy given you by the Holy Spirit.  And so you became a model to all the believers in (Africa) and the Lord's message rang out FROM YOU, not only on this island-your faith in God has become known EVERYWHERE!

Oh, Lord, that's why we're here.  Please let us learn the language so as to tell, and let some welcome your message with JOY!

And now... a nap. =)