time to play catch up!

March 25, 2014

time to play catch up!

I seriously don't know what to make of the last several weeks. So much action. Very little quiet. Back in late January, we decided to foster 5, yes 5 potcake puppies! Crazy? A little. Worth it...definitely! 3 of the 5 now have homes, we just returned a fourth to the Humane League yesterday, and we are hoping to keep the fifth...a sweet girl we named Twila. She may be immigrating to the U.S. come June. We'll keep you posted.

Keaton and Twila

Also in the last few weeks, my computer crashed (and is now fixed again thanks to my Mr. Wonderful). Two daughters' birthdays were celebrated, one of which launched a child into "learner permit" age and one of which launched a child into teenager-hood (Oh Lord be near to us now!)

Beautiful 15. Time for a learner's permit? No way.

Two sets of visitors with a 4 day break in between. Glorious times, but always a bit busier. Job searches. House searches. Vehicle searches. Homeschool. Cooking. Pool time again...after a long 90 day "shut down." Probably 30 trips to the grocery store. Innumerable gallons of gas. Baking cakes. Planning parties. So here we are

Happy to be 13? I think so.

tryin' to play catch up. I will do my best, anyway. We decided to wait and do a "Sweet 16" party for Keaton next year. So Kara's 13th B-day was our party this year. We really wanted to include as many girls as possible from Kingdom Life Church, knowing this will be our last birthday season living here. All but one girl from our "Counter Culture" group was able to come. There was pool time with lots of music. We had a long music-planning session before the party where dad sat down and approved a list of songs. In general, we try to say "yes" as much as possible to music choices, provided they contain no references to sex, drugs, alcohol, or forms of immorality (lying, etc.) This is always a good time for conversation about what God would have us do about "being in the world but not of it." We would rather sharpen and inform our kids discernment skills now than hold tightly to "Christian music" while they're under our roof, only to release them to the plethora of choices once they're away at college in a few years. After a while in the pool, we broke for pizza, fruit, chips, and soda. Then back to the pool. Then back in for cake and ice cream. It was a great time, I think. The few girls who remained a little late played Wii Just Dance together. Keith and I sat back in awe at the dance moves of our girls' Bahamian friends. They just "have it!"

So two girlies now 15 and 13.... So grown up. We thank God for all the ways He is working and moving in their lives these days. We look forward to all God will do as we return to the U.S., find ourselves settled into a new church making new friends, and finish the "raising" of our children (HA!) We long for them to be ever-affected by their time here, while benefitting from all they will return to in the USA. It truly is our home country, and we miss it dearly.