you've heard of popcorn prayer, when everyone in the group jumps in as they feel like it, with a sentence at a time? well this is a popcorn post. haphazard and random, but hitting the high points.
having fun in the hotel pool in texas this weekend, when we went down to share with a church
completely conked out after a big day
a stop on the road, while driving through Oklahoma. Which was so beautiful.
we must be getting more relaxed about traveling, we decided spur of the moment to pull off and spend a few hours at this fun place.
up close and personal with an armadillo skin, and other touchables at the alabaster caverns.
snuggling with lots of animals, live ones this time ;-) Hannah with a puppy, Caroline with a chick
who knew you could pet a turkey??
Gathering the eggs. They gave us a dozen to take home! Some friends of ours right here in town have all these animals, and invited us to come over to play with them.
Spending time with partners, old and new! I have been wanting to share about these goings on for a while, and will soon, but at the moment, this is just one example of the kind, faithful, inspiring, generous, good people we are able to call partners. It has been so good to sit and visit with so many people, either begin or deepen our relationship, share, and get excited together. And eat pie. There has been lots of pie eating. It is KS, after all ;-)
Spending time with friends. So, so important! Sometimes, its just good to be with someone who you were friends with before all this missionary business. Just real people. Talking about real things. Unfortunately, sometimes those friends live too far away. This is my friend Jana, incidentally. We have kids the same age, had babies a week apart, and homeschool using the same curriculum, at the same grade level. Wish I could take her to Africa with me.
the whole family, actually!
back when we went to kansas city to get patrick from the airport. We went to a fun restaurant (where they should really tell you, don't spend any money on food for your kids, they will only be so distracted by the dinosaurs, they won't eat two bites.) and then an aquarium.
Fritz's, in KS City. Your food is brought to the table in a basket, on a train. The kids were literally shrieking with delight.
dressed up for a princess tea party
Out on a nature walk, looking for signs of spring
testing the viscosity of three different types of liquids. (Pretty sure they don't actually learn any science through these silly little experiments, but it's just about their favorite thing in school.)
marching band. complete with an oatmeal-can drum. hugged tightly by a toddler in a princess dress.
We have been very, very busy. Which I know you have too, so thank you for taking the time to check in with our family. Many momentous things have not been captured in pictures:
- our first travel vaccines
- getting an email from Africa with a packing list
- planning when our crate needs to be ready to be shipped, 3 months ahead of us
- Being able to mark on the calendar the date we will actually leave
- going through AIM'S 30 days of prayer for 30 unreached peoples, knowing we will soon be directly involved with some of them, through aviation
Thanks for keeping us, and the kids, in your prayers. There are 3 churches who are considering us for partnership, and individuals as well. We are greatly encouraged as God has continued to bring people alongside us, and we are now nearly 80% there!
