Coffee & Cookies

I'm on break today, kind of. So far this morning, I've packed quite a few boxes, washed hundreds of dishes and done a bizillion loads of laundry. Now I'm sitting with my dog, watching tv, drinking a cup of coffee and eating an entire box of girl scout cookies. Don't judge me :-)

Sophia Says

While I was gone, Sophia got to spend time with my friend Dawn when Steve was working and Sandy had therapy. One day, they were discussing dogs. Sophia told  Dawn that our dog's name was Buddy and he was adopted from the humane society. Then Sophia informed her, "I'm adopted too..........but not from the humane society."

Band Concert

Tay & some friends waiting for Rileys band concert to start.

Anthony

I need to be at work by 10am and I just got a voicemail that Anthony is struggling with his behavior lately. Actually, it would probably be more accurate to say that the school is struggling with Anthony's behavior this week. I'm honestly just tired of it. I guess the school will just have to figure it out today because i don't want to :-(

Lunch

I got to have lunch with some of my favorite people today! I was again realizing how fortunate I am to have so many great people in my life!

And by have lunch, I mean start with lunch at 11:30, chat until ordering dessert later in the afternoon, then finally leave to get kids after school ;-)

Update from Becky

On Sunday, my friend Becky posted this note.

Please keep our daughter in law, Heather, in your prayers. She's been admitted to the hospital in SF. She's undergoing some tests tomorrow. She's had a cough that she can't get rid of for quite some time. Please pray that God wraps his healing arms around her & finds nothing seriously wrong wth her. Thank you all!!

Heather's mom and dad have been friends of ours for years here in Brookings, I went to school with Heather and her husband Shane and in the past few years, I've become friends with her mother-in-law Becky. My oldest daughter Brittney and Heather's daughter Sienna were friends in preschool. Then Heather and Shane moved to Sioux Falls for a number of years. They recently moved back to Brookings and Sienna and Brittney became friends again through cheer.

Last night before the game, Sienna left cheer practice in tears with her dad. Please keep this family in your prayers. This is the current update from Becky:

This is a hard msg to write. 1st I wana thank all of you who are praying for our daughter in law, Heather. We got the bad news today tht it's trachea cancer. It's a rare cancer so right now she's being transferred to Mayo to start chemo & radiation. We were told it's stage 2 cancer, but they'll find out tomoro if its more. And Im sure if its spread anywhere else. We pray it hasn't. Today has been ...a very emotional day. Have I mentioned how much I hate this stupid disease. Please, Please continue to pray for Heather. Pray for healing, & for Heather to stay strong & fight this battle. But also for our son, Shane, & grand kids Dylan & Sienna to stay strong & to be ready to help Heather fight this battle. The power of prayer does wonders, & we know God has big plans for Heather. Thank you all for your kind words. I love you all!!

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Bible study, playdough with friends, really devastating news concerning the health of a friend, and the day ending with snacks at the basketball game.
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Peaceful Ending

The only way Sophia would go to sleep tonight was by holding on to my arm.  She makes me slow down and remember what's important. Now she's softly snoring beside me :-)

Have I mentioned lately how much I love this little one?!
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Is The Day Over Yet?

Anthony and Zeke are both in bed by 7pm tonight. Purely self-preservation for me.

Today we survived school, piano lessons, special olympics, basketball and wrestling. I guess that was enough for one day.

On a good note, Steve had promised Taylor supper at a place of her choice if she brought her math grade up to an A.  As of today, she did. She was so excited that she made me take her to Steve's work to tell him. So tonight they went to Buffalo Wild Wings.

I was supposed to go too but Brittney went ballistic because she couldn't go, Zeke is crying about everything because he's so tired and Anthony was just being his defiant self. I didn't dare leave the house with that combination of moods brewing. I feel bad that Taylor doesn't get a lot of my attention because of all the other kids. But it should be a fun daddy daughter date!

On another note, we got the official word that we will close on both houses on April 22. Out with the old, in with the new!!!
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Taylor Says

This is how Anthony was dressed for church this morning. It's hard to see in the picture, but he's wearing a plaid button-up dress shirt, collar up, with his blue and green swishy pants.

Sometimes it wouldn't be worth the battle to make him change but he was fairly regulated this morning. I was trying to come up with a nice way to let him know he might be uncomfortable in public with kids'/peoples' reactions to what he was wearing and then let him decide what to do.

I told Anthony "You might want to put on different clothes."

When he asked me why, i started to say, "To avoid....."

But before I could get another word out, Taylor pipes up, "Laughter!!!!!!!"

By the way, he changed. Thanks to sibling peer pressure. He's even smiling!

BHS Basketball Game

All of us went to the game to watch Brittney cheer

but it wouldn't be quality family time

if at least one child wasn't having a meltdown.

Can you tell which one?

Trust and Thankfulness

I finally feel like I'm back in mom mode after being gone and being in hyper-house selling mode. I was able to get most of my phone info back, including my calendar and contacts. I think my pictures are gone for good though.
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We have a closing date for the new house on  April 22nd. It currently looks like we'll have a month after that before we need to be out of our current house. That should give us time to get some work done in the new house and get everything moved.
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I've decided to take the kids to the family reunion in March even though Steve can't go and money will be tight. We weren't going to go if the house thing all worked out but after much discussion,  I'm taking most of the kids.


I was worried about spending money that could be used on the new house.
Steve was concerned because he was already taking the previous Monday and Tuesday off and couldn't get that Friday or Saturday off because they are so short-staffed right now.


But after thinking over how God has provided so generously for us to move, I decided it's not up to me to want the house fixed up nicely and in my time. We can live in it as is and be fine. It's relationships, family and memories that are the important things, especially while the kids are young.


So I have one hotel room with two beds for two nights. It'll be cozy but fun! I'll take a cooler with sandwich stuff for lunches and then the whole extended family eats together for supper with things we each bring and put together. My kids won't do any expensive touristy things but they will get to swim at the hotel and play with all the cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. :)


Zeke won't go either since he has State Basketball with Special Olympics that Friday and Saturday. Then he and Steve will spend the day at home together on Sunday. Steve will enjoy sleeping in and getting a little time to himself, especially after the few weeks he just survived ;)
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"Trust and thankfulness will get you safely through this day.

Trust protects you from worrying and obsessing.

Thankfulness keeps you from criticizing and complaining:

those "sister sins" that so easily entangle you." 

-- from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

My Weird Girls

House Update

After meeting with our realtor last night, we accepted an offer on our current house. It was for the full asking price, with no contingencies. :-)
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In addition, there is a couple (who will remain anonymous to everyone but us) who informed us yesterday that they are willing to guarantee the sale for us to make sure that we don't lose out on the new house! That means that if, for any reason, the sale of our current house falls through, they would basically give us the money to cover it until it would sell. They said that they have watched us through the years and want us to continue to do what we are doing; helping others. They said that's what Christians do. God is sooooo good!!!
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So if everything continues to go smoothly with the house transition and we are able to move into the new house, we've already made a commitment to use the house as a river of blessings. It's not just for us but to be used however God can use it.
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Another House Update

We've had an offer come in on our current house. We're meeting with our realtor tonight at 6pm to discuss it.


Also, I've started labeling some of the Guatemala pictures I posted earlier.

IMPORTANT UPDATES

1) Our entire team made it home safely last night. Lots of glitches, lots of God moments - but more on that later.


2) A few days ago, my phone decided to completely reboot itself, which means that as of now, I've lost all my pictures, contacts, phone numbers, messages and probably most importantly, my schedule/calendar. I have no idea what's going on. Yikes!!!


3) The bank has had another offer on the house we're trying to buy. We basically have first dibs on it but it's contingent on selling our current house. In just three days, we've already had at least 9 showing of our current house, not including the realtors' caravan, but no offers as of yet. We have until Tuesday at 2:45pm or we'll take our house off the market and stay.


4) Steve is taking me out for lunch at QDoba's for valentines day. If we buy one meal, we get one free if we kiss at the counter. I'm always up for a deal! I think we've eaten there for lunch for the past three years on valentines day.


5) Lots to share but the kids get out at noon today so I'd better get off the computer!
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Guatemala Day 5

I'm posting more on Facebook this week than I have in years! It's easier to post pictures and messages there. I'm sure I'll post more here once I get back home. If I'm not your fb friend and you want to be, just send a request and I'll accept. I haven't turned anyone down yet ;)

Two team members are sick today so I'm staying with them while the others head back up the mountain to continue building the house.

Please pray for their health and the continuation of God's work.
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Guatemala Day 4

Today is a day of rest. Church this morning@ 10am, then shopping for food & items the family whose house was built with our money last month, then visiting with that family, then service at another church tonight. Weather, food and people are beautiful here.

Guatemala Day 2 - Building Site

Very minimal internet. Can connect sporadically where we are spending the night, no calls or texts though. Today we drove 5 hours & visited the family & site where we will be building tomorrow. Had a medical emergency with one of our team members while we were way up on the mountain but God is good and all is well now!
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Trekking to the location where we'll be building a house tomorrow.

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When we arrived at the site, the family had already been hard at work. A man had carried three bricks at a time to the site until they had as many as we would need to complete the house. Then they leveled out the ground and laid the first level of bricks. The white pile in the middle of the house is where we made the mortar for the bricks.

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Kent and Estras, the young boy who will grow up in the home we're building. 

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 Holly is learning to make tortillas.

This is their kitchen and the other young woman is a sister-in-law to the family.

They will all be living in the house together. 

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Tortillas cooking on their stove. 

Guatemala Day 2 - Volcano

 Kent & Holly posing with the volcano in the background.

Kent was our fearless leader on this trip and did a wonderful job!

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Ted and Alissa 

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Random sheep 

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 Our whole group with the volcano

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If you look really closely, at the bottom of the volcano is an area of white. 

That is the city we were going to stay.

 

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Guatemala Day 2 - Pastor's House/Traveling

Amanda & Janet (aka Mama GG)

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 Holly, Lori & Janet patiently waiting for the men.

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Loading the truck with suitcases and food to take to the lake region of Guatemala. 

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I couldn't believe they fit everything into the back of the truck! 

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A view as we were driving. There were lots of winding roads. Stop signs are mere suggestions, there appeared to be no speed limits and passing on dangerous hills seems to be encouraged. The drive took about five hours.

Guatemala Day 2 - Breakfast

 After the Impacto team picked us up at the seminary,

they took us to a local pastor's house for breakfast.

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Here's Holly randomly posing in the street outside their house.

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 Connor, Lori and Marshall playing in the hammock inside the house.

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 This is the pastor's wife, Delmay, who so graciously made us an enormous breakfast!

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Holly, Bryce and I

Reunited and it feels so good!!! 

Holly and I met Bryce at the airport last year. We all flew into Guatemala at the same time.

We were there with a team from our church for a week. Bryce was there on his own and was staying for three months. He was going to be working with Impacto to help the team and the people with resources they already had. For example, water is very scarce and what they do have isn't very safe to drink. Bryce figured out a way to safely and economically filter the water to make it safe for drinking. He's also growing vegetables in unique ways so the people can learn to grow what they need to sustain themselves. He's an amazing guy with a passion for people and for God. He also has an amazing singing voice, too.

When he had been in Guatemala for his three months, he asked if he could stay. That was over a year ago!

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Ted and Alissa on their first missions trip. 

This was taken in the courtyard of the pastor's house. 

Guatemala Day 2 - Seminary

Janet posing for a picture for her husband. 

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Our amazing group! 

This was taken in the courtyard of the seminary.

Check out the mustache Marshall made from Holly's hair!

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Marshall wanted to ride on top of the bus but he settled for a picture.

 It wasn't even our bus!!!

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Kent and Holly getting in a little morning exercise and friendly competition

while waiting for the Impacto team to pick us up. 

Guatemala Day 1 - Traveling/Seminary

 

Ted, Holly & Janet at the airport in Guatemala City

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I got in serious trouble from airport security for this picture of Holly. Apparently, you're not allowed to take pictures in this area of the airport. A guard rushed over and wanted my camera and then wanted me to delete all my pictures. I gestured my way out of trouble by smiling and acting like I didn't understand what she was trying to tell me. She finally gave up and wandered away to yell at someone else. Sometimes it pays to act stupid ;)

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We spent the first night in Guatemala City at a seminary.

Here are the guys unloading our bags.

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 Marshall, Connor and Lori Mennis.

This was taken under the hanging plants over the sidewalk in the courtyard at the seminary.