NH

These last posts are quite random and non-chronological. Sorry. We are in Concord, NH. Presenting our ministry and burden for Germany at Trinity Baptist Church tonight. We've been here since Wed, so we've gotten to know some of the people. We love everything about this church! For the sake of the gospel, please pray that they choose to partner with us!

newborns

Back at home, our neighbor's cat had kittens again. They hadn't even opened their eyes yet. Our neighbors are awesome, and I miss them. I kind of miss home too. But God is helping us get through deputation and teaching us a lot about the things that really matter. Souls matter. His church matters. Knowing Christ matters. Loving one another matters. God is so good to allow us to serve Him, and we are so happy doing it! Wouldn't trade it for anything. Even home and the Rileys' new kittens.

getting better

Lucy was a very very sick little girl for a few weeks. She had two ear infections and bronchiolitis. Here she is being very patient about her nebulizer. She is much better now, just working through the end of the chest congestion, but back to her happy self. She's got four bulges of emerging teeth on the top gum, so any day now it's not going to be fun.

Lucy's little personality is starting to come out loud and clear. She's babbles on and on in a loud voice when she's playing. Oh! She said her first word!! "Papa." Just like Caleb's. All I do for her and she comes out with Papa first! :o) But I think she said Mama today. When she was whining. :o)

first in flight

We had a missions conference just a few miles from Kitty Hawk, so Daniel went out to see where the Wright bros flew. He thought the demonstration of the replica plane was fascinating.

best buddies

One Sunday morning when I picked up Caleb from SS, the teacher told me she had taught the kids a lesson on David and Jonathan and she had asked each child who their best buddy was. And Caleb's answer had been, "Baby Lucy." I was one happy parent! I think some of the sweetest moments as a mother are when I see the two of them playing sweetly and laughing together. Caleb is learning what it means to "protect" his sister, and he does a pretty good job of watching out for her.

flying to IL

We got to fly out to IL for a missions conference. The kids did great on the planes. Lucy slept on all four legs! The only tough thing about flying was that all the luggage had to be contained in a certain number of pieces. We are so used to living out of our car and having a system of suitcases, bags, and containers, and spots in the van for everything, so that was a challenge. The other bad part was that the sun shade to Lucy's car seat was lost in the luggage handling. Other than that, flying was great. Too bad it's so expensive to fly.

Caleb with a real live pilot!

...and chicken Mcnuggets. (yuk!)

saying goodbye!

This was from the Arnold family gathering right before we left for this trip.

Caleb, Granddaddy, Uncle Sam, Miss Danielle, Auntie Sarah, and Uncle Nate.

take me on, mama!

all handsome

NC aquarium

another fun little outing along the deputation trail! If you were wondering, yes, my children are still wearing their PJ's at the aquarium. Am I the only mother who does that once in a while?

sculpture

Caleb is always very particular about not mixing colors. I love my little "OCD" child.

a new friend

Here is a dear sweet lady in IL who made this beautiful flannel quilt for Lucy. She even stitched Lucy's name in the corner. We are constantly overwhelmed with the kind gifts that God's people give their missionaries. The gifts mean a lot, but what means the most is that we know they will be praying for us when we get to Germany.

here we go

The van is loaded, the floor is mopped one last time, and now we are drinking a little tea together on our last night home for 9 weeks. I even dusted a little! Why did I dust when everything will be dusty when we get back? This will be the longest trip yet, but with God's help, we are going to make it. Caleb went through his toys and picked out exactly which ones he wanted to bring along. We are praying that these meetings in New England will be profitable - that we will be a blessing and that more support will come in. We have a new supporting church in Creedmoor, NC so we are a little over 50 percent. Praise the Lord! 

We've all been ill over the past week. I won't give you the whole run down of who had what, but Lucy Mae has been the most sick. Poor girl. She has bronchiolitis, two ear infections, and a flaming diaper rash on top of it. But she is so sweet in spite of it all. We're using a nebulizer on her, and she's on her second antibiotic. Pray for Baby Lucy in her carseat tomorrow.

Hopefully we will have internet again soon. I'll try to do better keeping my blog up to date. :o) Thank you to those of you who do follow and pray for us. 

the kiddos

I could barely get him to stop moving long enough for this one.

The sunscreen made her eyes red and watery, but it didn't seem to bother her. 

Cocoa Beach, FL

After all the snow we've seen this winter, it was like a dream to be on a warm, sunny beach. A few days later we found ourselves in IL with more snow. I'm trying to teach Caleb about the four seasons, but it's been a little confusing for him with all the traveling in and out of cold weather! 

downtown disney

Go ahead and call us cheap parents for being in Orlando for 3 days and not doing disney world! But you know, Caleb had just as much fun doing all the free stuff instead! 

Lucy loved running through the fountains with Papa. Caleb was scared to death! The potato head store was his thing. 

just clownin around

ham

We have enjoyed a lot of tasty homemade church dinners this month. At this one, Caleb was so hungry, he kept asking for a piece of ham while we were going through the line getting his food, so I handed him a plate with some ham to take to his seat at the table. Instead, he just plunked right down and ate the ham where everyone was coming up to get their food in the kitchen. He made all the cooks laugh. 

the Hancock's

We stopped in by Daniel's grandparents' on the way to our meeting in FL.

This orange tree accidentally grew up in the back woods where Granddaddy always throws the food trash. 

Daniel's cousin Michael's antique fire truck

Bowling

Stillwaters Baptist Church in Nags Head, NC took all the missionaries bowling. Caleb surprised me how long he could stay focused on the game. 

It was almost painful waiting for that ball to make it to the pins. 

pulling up

for the first time - at home!  :o) 

Lucy is crawling faster now, and she has one tooth on the bottom with another big swollen bump right beside it. She's just under 16 pounds, so she's a little thing for almost 9 months old, but she's strong and happy. Everybody at churches asks me, is she always this happy? and she is. She is very very easy. She eats and sleeps whenever she pleases, but she is happy that way, and so am I. Caleb was like clockwork with his schedule, but Lucy likes things a little bit different each day. Whatever works!

Hello!

I thought I better get something up on the blog before any of our blog readers give up on me completely! Feb was a great month. A full month, in a good way. Full of fun family memories, great meetings and new friends, safe travels, and good health (I can say good health even though the kids are sick right now, because they didn't get sick till March 1.), renewed vision for why we're doing what we're doing, and reassurance that God is blessing our labors and magnifying His name, first in our own hearts and then around us.