Adelaide's little ears

Yesterday was our appointment with the ENT. Addie still has a bunch of fluid behind her eardrums, so she needs to get tubes in. The lady who does the scheduling was not in yesterday, so we are waiting on her call to set the surgery date. Thank you all who are praying for our sweet baby girl!

Here is picture of Addie sitting up (for about 5 seconds!) We are hoping once the ears are drained she will have better balance and be able to do this for longer time periods.

Can you believe she is eight months old already?!?!

Addie loves the jumper!

My friend Keisa let Addie borrow her little doorway jumper and she loves it! I took this video the first time she tried it out. :) Sorry it is so fuzzy. Our camera has been giving me a lot of problems lately!
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Share Photos - Free Video Hosting

Guess who's THIRTY!

I'll give you a hint...it's not me! :)

Yesterday was Josh's 30th birthday, and at a school where the average student age is 19, that means you are over the hill! Ha!

We had a great time celebrating. Jenna and Lindsey (students here) helped me make posters to hang up at school with funny pictures of Josh anywhere from birth to the high school years. SO FUNNY! We then had a little birthday open house for him here at school. It was a great time.

I still can't believe he is 30! I remember celebrating his 20th birthday with him. :)

I love you, Joshy Squashy!

The birthday boy!

The party.

Jared couldn't believe how old Josh is!

Some more partying with friends.

The spread!

* Thanks to Rachel, Jessica and Keisa for your help making the treats, for Jenna who helped decorate, and for everyone who helped keep it a surprise, sort of. :)

My little Ballerina

Today was Emma's first ballet class. There is a program here in Jackson where they offer the arts at a discounted rate for lower income families. Well, we qualified for a full tuition grant!

Emma had a wonderful time. Here are some pictures of my little ballerina. :)

Here she is checking her moves out in the mirror.

This is before class started. She has no clue what to do, but Mommy said to pose. :)

I love this picture. Here she is with a classmate as they wait for class to start. They are peaking at their teacher Miss Ginger as she gets the class set up.

This didn't come out very good because I had to take it through a window, but here she is in class, doing her stretches.

Two new teeth!

Addie got her first two teeth this week! My big girl! She didn't fuss at all. I hope that the rest come in so smoothly. :)

It's hard to see in the picture, but there are the two little pearly whites poking through! I am going to miss that gummy smile. :)

Emma is a Cubbie Bear!

Emma just started AWANA this week. It goes so late that we waited until she was a little older to start. I think she may be the oldest in the Cubbies class. She is definitely the tallest!

She had a great time and didn't want to leave. :)

Here she is walking ahead. She was so excited!

I asked her to smile, so she decided to pose with her Bible. :)

Here she is lining up. See how tall she is?

At the end of the evening they were all in the gym. They had a big ice cream party, where Emma got to make her very own sundae. Sugar was just what we needed after staying up past our bedtime. :)

Free money...that's what I'm talkin' about!

So today I got a call from a lady named Donita with the MSU extension office. They got my name from my lactation consultant. Anyhow, she wants to do this little study where they observe Josie eating snacks over a course of a couple weeks. They give me a $25 gift card for Wal-mart at the beginning, a $25 card at the end, and then in a couple of months I have to answer some questions over the phone and they'll send me a third $25 gift card. Pretty neat, huh? I am all about the gift cards. :) Oh, and they supply the snacks too. I was pretty excited, so I thought I'd share. :)

Here are a couple of pictures of my little monster. :)

Reminiscing

The Lord has really laid on my heart lately to pray for my dear friends all over the world. Won't you join me? These ladies are all wives and mothers, and also missionaries. Anytime I feel overwhelmed with my schedule here, I think of my friends, and how much more they have to do every day, living without modern conveniences and luxuries. Each of these women are amazing, and I miss them dearly.

Here is a picture taken in May of 2005, one of the last times we were together before we all graduated and went our separate ways.

From left to right: Rachel-PNG, Shelly-Indonesia, Erin-PNG, Nisae-PNG, Karrie-PNG, Me- Jackson, Beth-en route to Mozambique, Naomi-Indonesia, Megan-Philippines, (on the floor)Robyn-PNG

Western Day

Today was western day at Marr Bible Church in Howell. We were all going to go, but Emma woke up sick. We just can't seem to shake this stomach bug thing. Daddy stayed home with Emma, while Josie, Addie and I went. Here are some pics of Josie having fun!

Josie excited about the bouncy house.

Cheesy grin! She had the whole thing to her self at one time.

Someone is tired of bouncing!

Josie's first horsey ride.

Papa helps her as she holds on tight!

This week...

Well, I may have spoke too soon as I came down with the bug yesterday. I went to work today, so I think I have had the worst of it. I am really praying that Josh does not get it though.
Things have really picked up here at NTBI, and it has been great. Yesterday a student came to our house with great news. She just decided she was going to be a tribal missionary. You see, when she came here a year ago, she was just planning on going to "Bible college" because she had nothing better going. God used her time here at NTBI to learn more of what the Bible says about spreading the Gospel. It was a great reminder of why Josh and I are here at this beginning phase of training...to see the ends of the Earth reached. We are so excited that another laborer is raring to go! :) Please pray for Jenna as her whole life as she's known it has changed. :)

Here is a cute picture, because I cannot post without one.

Blue Gable

We are so blessed to have this time to spend with our family (We missed you a ton Emily and Ben!!!) for a week at Blue Gable, a small cottage on Marble Lake. I am so glad our girls will have memories of jumping off the dock into the lake, falling asleep in a bed with all their cousins in the loft as their aunts and uncles laugh below, and just enjoying each other! :)

We had a great time (except for the stomach flu that went through 12 of the 16 there). We can't wait until next year. Hopefully we won't get sick again!

We spent the evenings playing Canasta.

"Caliente!"

Addie snuggling with Auntie Chris.

Emma and Jo enjoying the row boat.

Josie going for a ride with daddy. She LOVED this!

Livvie, Josie and Emma playing "Chocolate Factory"

Grandpa and Addie with their matching hats. :)

Anyone for badminton?

Hey blue eyes!

Snuggling on the porch swing with grandma.

Look how close the swans got!

Beach beauty.