A Crochet Friend

My little daughter is sitting down to crochet with me. Ok, she has so far learnt to only chain, but after seeing her enjoyment and enthusiasm, with practice, she will be making blankets with me in the not too far distance.

This won't be news to others, but do you know what I am learning is a major key to teaching? Gentleness. Oh, to display more gentleness in my life! After a few failed attempts at teaching Eliana to crochet in earlier years, gentleness (and perhaps age) made this lesson a pleasing memory to last. I love you, my little daughter.

"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." Proverbs 31:26

"A soft answer turns away wrath..." Proverbs 15:1

"A gentle tongue is a tree of life..." Proverbs 15:4

nine years

Nate and I celebrated our ninth anniversary a few months ago by pushing for Nate to be released from hospital after a four night stay. He was sick with malaria that he must have gotten from a mosquito bite on our last night in Mozambique. What a going away present!

Together in Nate's hospital bed.

So due to all of that fun, we forgot about our anniversary tradition - to sum up our year of marriage in one word. We've done this each year around our anniversary and have so far come up with the words

1. revealing; 2. adventure; 3. abundant; 4. growth; 5. progress; 6. steady; 7. settling; and 8. building. After a couple of people asked us about our ninth anniversary word (thanks Amy and Wooz) we finally discussed it on the weekend while driving to Michigan. Not the usual romantic setting for choosing our word (read: four kids in the car), but still enjoyable just the same :)

This year we summed up our marriage with the word "unwavering". As we've caught up with friends in the States, a number of people have asked us how our marriage is going overseas. Without hesitation I can answer: although all else might be going wrong around me, God is my Rock, and my marriage is steadfast.

That's not to say that Nate and I don't have issues to work through. In fact - other than our first revealing year of marriage (note the above summary word) this year's furlough may have presented us with more things to work through together than any other year of marriage. Even so - no matter what happens, we are in this together.

By the grace of God we talk together, pray together, raise our children together and love being together. Our commitment to each other will never change as long as we keep our eyes fixed on God. He is faithful, and will answer those who call to him. One of my constant prayers is that God would keep us faithful to Him and each other, all of our days.

It makes it all the more sweet to be in such a firm commitment with my best friend, who still makes my heart skip a beat when he enters the room.

Four in the Bed

We have been blessed with a lovely house to stay in while in Louisville. It has plenty of space, including two bunk beds. So it seemed like the time was right to put Anastasia in a big bed. She has done well. I think she likes being of the same sleeping status with her older siblings, plus the freedom of getting up on her own after her nap. There were a few times we've caught her roaming the house or have found a bunch of books in her bed. We've even found her sleeping underneath the bed on more than one occasion. But I think she's getting the hang of it.

Another milestone to celebrate. Goodbye pack-n-play, so long port-a-cot, nice knowing you, pea pod!

Ballet Beauties

One of the most exciting shipments arrived today!

While we're in the States we are trying to take advantage of the opportunities we usually don't have in the bush of Africa. So when we found out about a three month ballet class for the girls I signed them up and ordered their uniforms the next day.

How beautiful. My excitement to see the new gear on rivaled the girls'!

Saturday Sweetness

If you remember me mentioning that Nate cooks dinner every Saturday night, over a fire, you might be even more impressed to learn that he also cooks a special breakfast every Saturday morning… Pretty Wow huh? 

We don't always have the chance to get amazing ingredients like the above - but when we do - you can be sure Nate will put them all together in one of his (should be famous) omelets.

So.. what does a mother do when she doesn't have to cook on Saturdays? Being that Saturday is our rest day, I enjoy taking some time to be creative. Below is a blanket that I worked on, on and off, for over a year - finishing just in time to give to Lilah for her 5th birthday before we departed for Australia. Lilah's reaction? Naming it and cuddling it all day. That was worth it. 

What a grace from the Lord it is to have a husband who loves his wife cheerfully. I claim no credit for it. It's because Nate loves God's Word and seeks to follow it with all of his heart. And it's because Jesus, the Lord of Nate's life, loved us first.

"And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us..." Ephesians 5:2

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." Ephesians 5:25

Bonfire Bliss

During our 2.5 years in the bush of Africa, we managed to make a tradition of Bonfire nights on Saturday nights. The kids would all help Nate gather wood and Nate would cook meat and potatoes over a fire. These are photos of our last Bonfire night before leaving on furlough (which we are currently on). We LOADED UP on meat left over from our trip through Malawi. Count your blessings!

Ox Cart Boy

This was a drive-by photo I finally took after four years in Africa. I love the ox-drawn carts of Malawi.

And yes, the driver is most certainly posing :)

Free Range Eggs

Our chickens have been laying lots of eggs lately. This is the colour your free range scrambled eggs should be! Beautiful. 

Wild

We had a meeting in Zambia last month, which was a four day drive away. It always helps when, after that much travel, your accommodation has wild zebras munching the lawn outside of your window! 

This is the closest I've been to a wild animal. Did I hide my nervousness sufficiently?

Grandma is Here!

Grandma is in Africa and thriving. What a woman!

The Book of Dragons

Speaking of good books, I came across a great Audio Book for children. The Complete Book of Dragons, by E. Nesbit, read by Flo Gibson. I wish that I had it in book form but the unabridged audio version has been a great asset for the girls' rest time. It has eight stories that are humorous, imaginative and full of dragon adventures. What more could a six year old want?

Reading Together

Last week I finished reading The Chronicles of Narnia to my family. We usually read at least one chapter after the Bible, once the kids were ready for bed. It was, of course, a hit, and we often read more than a chapter at a time because Nate and I wanted to keep going. Our six year old loved it and was completely drawn in to the stories. Our baby was usually already in bed, and our two and four year olds didn't exactly follow along with the stories, but they loved the togetherness of reading as a family. I will always remember Ambrose asking if we can "wead Nahnia" after dinner.

The trouble is, where do you go after C.S. Lewis? I would love some recommendations for other good read alouds for children of this age.

Naming Babies

In the culture where we live, parents don't always name their own babies. Often the parents choose someone to give their baby a name a few days after the baby is born. Our friends have told us that the husband chooses someone (usually from his family) to name the first child and the wife chooses someone for the second child, for the third child the husband chooses again, and so on.

My friend and grandmother of this little girl gave me the privilege of naming her unmarried daughter's first baby. I felt it quite a responsibility. After much prayer and thought, I settled on Noemi. I was inspired by a colleague's little girl who was dramatically healed by God. Noemi is also the portuguese name for Naomi, and we always love Bible names (found in the book of Ruth). When I presented the name to the family on the baby's 2nd day of life, the great-grandmother said, "That's not hard to say."

I hope that meant she was happy with the name :)

Remember

I'm getting all sentimental about my little babies.

Rocks, sticks and dirt.

What do your young ones do during Sunday meetings? Ours have an any abundance of play things :)

The End of a Season

I weaned Anastasia last month. Yes, tears were shed during the weaning time from her and me. It was an especially significant milestone because it most likely marks the end of the baby years for us.

What years they have been! Completely underserved, I spent the last 7 years pregnant or breastfeeding, or both, minus one month between weaning Lilah and falling pregnant with Ambrose. All I can do is give humble thanks to a great God.

One week old Ambrose

Thank you, Lord, for the lessons and blessings these four babies have given us. Thank you for the grace you gave to sustain me, for opening my eyes to the ever growing list of my failings during this season, and for filling me with the inner peace that despite my faults, I am still your child, resting in your hands, cleansed by the blood of Jesus, full of the hope that you are with me and that I will one day see you face to face. The season has certainly afforded me new knowledge of the Lord, and for that I give thanks.

I have no personal pearls of wisdom to share about the baby season. Perhaps I'll do a post one day of what not to do :) But I can share what many elderly strangers have said to me over these years. "Enjoy them."