Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Snow Day!!!

Today Josiah, Keziah and Keren saw snow for the very first time! We got about six inches of it and it made for an awesome day of fun. We went sledding in the backyard and played oustide for a few hours and then we all came in and had soup and sandwiches by the fireplace. Papa got to come home early from work...he happened to hit a tree on the way home but its all good. Just a bit of a smashed headlight/dentage thank the Lord. :)
Jonathan started the fire academy today...in the snow. The one time it snows here...haha. So he came home limping and freezing today. :) But it was a great day of family fun had by all...well except maybe not so much Jonathan. We finished it off by letting the boys watch the movie Transformers and they loved it. We love snow days!
Gettin our game-faces on...haha

Which is which? I'm not so sure ;)

Siah the sled master. One half of the yard...we actually went sledding in our next door neighbor's yard to avoid the smashing of small children against the fence. Although the boys would have found that awesome, we opted to use the un-used/un-fenced yard. Kez loves the snow. And just my thoughts here but uhh...her snow bib..thing..should have been layed to rest in 1995. But hey, she rocks it. :)

Siah's lovin it. Keren is not so sure. "I've fallen and I can't get up" Kez has the snowball fight thing all figured out.

Aww. :)
An attempt at getting a group picture of the littles. Haha, they weren't feelin it.
About 15 minutes after we came in... Ohh yes. :)

Saturday, January 3, 2009

I need Africa more than Africa needs me...

I saw this video a few weeks back on another blog and thought it was just so amazing and so true. Our circumstances should not define our happiness. We have so much more than we need and we take it for granted. We should have joy in all circumstances. We don't need "stuff" to make us happy. I thought that when we were going to an orphanage full of children that are blind that I was about to meet some of the most miserable, grief stricken kids on the face of the earth...but in fact, they have more joy then I can fathom. They have lost everything, including their sight, and yet they are completely content in the love of Jesus and are constantly singing praises to Him. It is so humbling. I pray that Jesus will make me more like the orphans that I met over there. Like the little girl who had nothing but the torn little dress she was wearing. She had the brightest smile I have ever seen and the most contagious giggle in the whole wide world. I want to be like her. She's got it. She knows that the little sifter she plays with in the dirt isn't the source of her happiness. I pray that God will use me to help those precious babies as much as they have helped me. "I NEED AFRICA MORE THAN AFRICA NEEDS ME. Why? Because it is Africa that has taught me that possessions in my hands will never be as valuable as peace in my heart. I've learned that I don't need what I have and that I have what I need." The Mocha Club is this awesome organization that has started a fund for people to give $7 a month, the cost of two mochas. Check out what $7 can do. I totally just ordered their super awesome shirt too! Its an awesome way to share what Africa (as well as China) and the people that I have met there have taught me about what really matters in life when people ask what on earth the shirt I'm wearing means.:) You can choose what cause you want the proceeds from your shirt to go to and there is an option for it to go towards orphan care!