Almost time

Well, it is about time. August has arrived and Monday we go to meet the teachers. We have had a full summer and a lot of fun. I made calendars for our kitchen to keep up with all we had planned. The treasure of summer has been being together. I have enjoyed so much being with my sweet kids and I think they have enjoyed each other so much. They have played so well together, especially Ek and H. They played Little People for hours and had great fun together at the pool. They have both enjoyed L so much and Ek has become very nuturing to her and attentive to her little needs. L and H are so much alike and they love love each other but I can forsee them having power struggles in the future, but H is ususally who she is looking for when she wakes up. Next week at this time our home will be very quiet-- Lord help me use it to pray for them!

Just for kicks

Some statements really make you feel like a mom. I said one several times this week, "We've got to go shopping for back to school shoes." All 3 needed new shoes. Ek and H needed new fast shoes to wear everyday to school and L needed something to replace Ek's glittery peace-sign flip-flops and 4 year old lime green crocs. We were all quite pleased with what we found. Ek is so happy that she has shoes that are the same as her bf Caroline and the shoes are machine washable. lol. H is so happy to have running shoes like Daddy's and says he is now able to go for runs with him. L seems pleased as well, she got fabulous pink shimmery rhinestone flip-flops, pink crocs and pink tennis shoes, but as you can see from the picture, some things never change, she is unable to keep anything on in the car.

A few more

I forgot about these highlight of the HHI trip that I just found on my camera.

The night we ate with Nathan and Kristen Ek was so eager to participate in the Salty Dog Cafe kids activities- face painting and balloon animals. We did. Ek had her face painted first and L could hardly wait for her turn. H stepped up quickly as well.

H's shark (and L's curls)...

So sorry you couldn't see L's watermelon that matched her shirt, but I think the smile and evidence of her pleasure is even cuter.

Ek's pink putl (her spelling, not mine).

Ek really enjoyed Tim and Nino's son Stephen. Both of their boys are really cute sweet boys and we really enjoyed getting to know them a bit. Ek said she wished we could be missionaries with them.

And evidence that my kids sleep peacefully even in hotel rooms...

Hiding

Tonight we ran into a girl who is practicing for the Dublin production of "The Wizard of Oz." I was telling the kids about it because I told them I would take them to see it. Silly me. It only took a few key words to convince them it would be scary. I told them that that is what life is about, there are scary times and scary things we go through, but we know our ending that we will be with God in Heaven and we know He will be with us all the way. We just need to believe that God is faithful and if he has called, he will equip us for the task. I was hoping I was getting some profound truth across when H says, "Yeah and Ek, when we get to the scary parts, we can just hide under our chairs!" Not exactly what I was going for. Lol. I'll keep trying. I am reminded of the verse when the psalmist calls God his hiding place (Psalm 119:14), that would have been a better answer.

By the way, they were relieved when I told him they didn't have to go to the play. sigh. Will I go alone? We will see.

creepy

This post may be a bit creepy, I'll admit it. pause. but I've got to get it out.

Last week my friend Christy told me about a client her sister had encountered while working at a vet clinic. A woman came in to report her snake was acting very strange. She said he had always slept curled up on the pillow beside her but for the last several weeks he had been acting different. He wasn't eating and when he slept he would stretch all the way out beside her straight while they slept. The vet told her that he was sizing her up to eat her. ahhhhhh. pause. shiver. It still makes me a bit nauseous. Snakes are just bad. They are not meant to sleep beside you in bed. And i don't think they should be trusted. It has made me think so much about how we let evil creep in and curl up next to us. We call it good. We call it a pet. And meanwhile its plotting how to eat you. It sure has me thinking, evaluating, hoping there are not things that I'm calling good that are waiting to eat me. By the way, she left the snake at the vet that day. Good news.

Tri 2

Hey, I know, lets try a beach tri! I can honestly say, I'm not sure I have been that scared in a long time. Swim in the ocean? With sharks, and jelly fish. And waves! And people. just not a good idea. But is was! So much better than I thought it would be. I was so scared, really until I reached the second bouy. I stood up at about 7 minutes. And very happy. Off to the bike. I beat J to transition because 'he stopped and looked for me in the water.' sure. tee-hee. he wasn't too happy with me. About two miles in I crashed. Aftermath-- strawberries on my elbow and hip bone, bruises on my hip, shoulder, several on my legs, minor strawberries on both knees. So grateful I wasn't on pavement!! I didn't really realize I was bleeding until we finished. I was so covered in sand. Quite an experience. We didn't finish too great, but we did. And the accomplishment was that we swam open water in the ocean. And we finished together. Yeah!

Recap

I wouldn't exactly call our trip to HHI a vacation, more like a reunion. It was a meeting with a lot of fun all around. Busy, yes. Restful, at times. Really great. So encouraging. Highlights: Eating dinner with the Finchers, hearing about where they are in life. Hearing a bit about their preparation to go to the UAE. They are brave. Tim is so dear to J, I am so thankful they got to see each other some.

Seeing the Hensens! Gracious. I will say again, it is just so unique being with them. We have way too many similarities, so in so many ways we just "get" them. We are so excited about their call to Peru and just can't wait to partner with them and see what God will do. I just wish I had like another week to sit and talk with them. But that time will come, I'm sure. God didn't just cross our paths for a minute.

Seeing the Brindley's! What dear people. I just can't get over them. Speaking of connections, I do just love them like family. I will forever be grateful to God for showing us S&W Hospital and taking us all the way out there. What an adventure that was. As I sit next to J reading his Bible, I think of all those years when he poured over those eye books, he learned so much about eyes, but I think maybe even as much about the Maker of the eye-- at least it got him going in huge ways in both regards.

What an encouragement to sit in a room with may 40 or so women, all married to ophthalmologist, in all times of life, living all of the world, doing all kinds of things for the Lord. From office managers, to inn keepers, to grandchild raisers, to stay at home moms, to missionaries, it was just neat to hear bits of these women's lives.

Seeing old friends with new babies. Hearing weak people proclaim God's strength. Making connections with new and old friends. Laughing about eyes.

Not to mention watching my sweet kids make new friends, hearing Ek say she wanted to go be a missionary in the UAE and having a few minutes away from the responsibilities of home, it was just good. Thank you Lord.