summer so far

So far this summer,

The kids have caught lots and lots of lightning bugs.

So far this summer,

Taylor and Mason have taken a week of swimming lessons,

and Gavin got in and did some swimming too.

Not to mention the countless hours they are logging in the pool at home.

So far this summer,

Our garden has been the best ever.

Lots and lots of cuts of lettuce and spinach, onions and broccoli,

and tons of tomatoes and peppers coming soon.

So far this summer, 

my little weed puller has been lots of help.

So far this summer,

Dave used the fact that some trees needed trimming, as an excuse to play with a big toy.

So far this summer,

 I've been running for 5 weeks.  Usually 2-3 times a week.

I have an awesome running partner that keeps me going.

And so does a handy little app that talks to us.  She tells us when to walk and when to run.

And another guy, on another app tells us how far we've gone, where we've gone and how fast we've done it.

Technology is pretty cool. And definitely adds a little bit of entertainment to something that can be so darn boring, and painful.

So far this summer,

we have two kids riding on two wheels.

More on this to come.

 So far this summer,

we're becoming quite fond of quick little trips to the local lake.

Having this toy definitely helps. But unfortuneately it was only ours to borrow for a week before it makes it's way to Michigan.

So far this summer,

I've been enjoying mornings on the deck, in my favorite spot, with a few of my favorite treats, and time with the Lord.

I slacked off for quite awhile and got pretty behind in my bible read-through.

But I'm so thankful the Lord has given me a renewed energy and craving for his Word.

So far this summer,

our days are passing all too quickly.

That seems to be something I'm repeating quite a bit these days - how fast days/time seem to be going.

Maybe it seems to be more pressing because it's the first time that our summer will actually have an ending date - and school will start.

Oh goodness.  Let's not go there yet.

Happy Summer to you - hope you are having a great one!

while daddy was gone

While Dave was in Africa, the kids and I took a trip to Missouri to see my parents.  I probably told you that already, but since that post seemed to be over a month ago, I figured I'd repeat it.

As hard and tiring as it was to pack us all up and drive 5 hours all by myself, it was really great for the kids, and made the days without Daddy go by faster.  And it was a great chance to spend more time with my parents.

There was an abundance of luggage.  Between my jewelry show stuff that I took to be able to do a show for my mom and her friends, and all the baby stuff I needed, there was barely room for 3 kids in the car.

It was Memorial Day, so we stopped half way in Independence at the park that we love, and to put flowers at my grandpa's grave.

Still the same carousel I rode with my grandpa when I was little.

And it still cost 10 cents.

And Gavin got to meet his great grandma for the first time.

And of course, it's not a trip to see Mema and Papa, without Silver Dollar City.

Thanks to a happy and easy-going baby, and wonderful mother's stations at the park,

we lasted ALL day long.

We almost made it all the way home without stopping ONE time.

Until Taylor decided to get carsick for the first time ever.

SOOOO, not a good thing, when her daddy is the one that does throw up....not mommy.

That moment was not a finer one of my mommy moments.
There was a point that everyone was crying but the baby.
But we made it home, and my wonderful father-in-law, who Dave inherited the ability to deal with throw up from, met us at home and cleaned out the entire car, throw up and all.

I snapped this picture within the hour of being home.

I'm pretty sure they were glad to be home.

And 2 days later it was finally time for Daddy to come home!
Day 12 - we made it!

I know to some, 12 days doesn't seem like anything.  But oh my, 12 days was a long time to be Mommy to 3 kiddos all by myself. We all missed him so much.  I'm pretty sure I missed him the most though.

He brought back lots of Ethiopian treasures.

I can't believe this all happened a month ago already.

Since then, our summer has been in full swing!

Surely I'll get caught up soon.

Dave's trip to Ethiopia {the work}

So now for the real reason he went to Africa,

to help build Marshal and Rachel's new house that will be located on the compound.

This is the beginning of Day 1 - before they had started anything. And the rest of the pictures just show the progress through the days they were there.

They frame was made out of steel.

They mixed concrete by hand.

Local workers came in and worked carring and laying brick, while Dave, Justin and Marshal did most (if not all) of the framing, and after the framing, they helped with the brick.

This was the guy that Dave got to know the most. His name was Tekle.

Marshal is on the right, and then Dave and Justin, standing in front of the work they accomplished.

This was the point that they got to before leaving. From what I hear - I think it was further (or maybe much further) than what was expected.

Which quite possibly was because of their little helpers.

And lastly, I got this picture from Rachel (along with a couple of others), to show the status of the house as of June 15. Their hope is to be in by Christmas.

Dave is so very thankful for this opportunity God gave him to use his skills, and to experience something outside the comfort of our everyday life and luxuries.

I only got to experience this trip through pictures and first-hand stories.

But hearing Dave's heart made me realize how easy it is to get tunnel vision as we go through our lives surrounded by such comforts and people so similar to us. Forgetting that God has created a great big world out there, and has filled it with people, all created by His hands just like you and me, that He loves just the same.

It can be humbling and life-changing to really and truly understand that the "stuff" we have means nothing.

It's such a reminder to find our value and worth in not what we have, but who we have and who we are in Him.

Thanks again Giles' for taking such good care of my hubby while he was away from us!

Dave's Trip to Ethiopia {the sights}

It's been almost a month since Dave went to Africa.  I hope you read the post back in May that explained how this trip happened. 

I was hoping that Dave would be up for doing a post about his own trip. Do you follow Pioneer Woman's blog?  I do just enough to know that every once in awhile her hubby does a post of his own.  Only on topics related to ranching of course.  I told him I was going to hand the computer over and have him write the post up like Marlboro Man.

He declined.

So I'll tell his story the best I can.

I know, not as fun.  But you'll have to deal.

It was just Dave and his friend Justin - both skilled at construction and framing.

21 hours of flight time - Wichita to Chicago, then to Frankfort, Germany and then to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

He was thankful for individual TVs and movies.

And he read his first book.  This is epic people.  Dave is not a reader, but we picked up Hunger Games (after all the hype) just in case he got bored enough to read.

He started it, finished it, LOVED it, and left if for Rachel (the one who lives in Ethiopia) to read too.

And for Father's Day we bought him the second book.

They arrived safe and sound - I was so relieved when Rachel messaged to tell us that!

It's kind of nerve-racking knowing my hubby is in a plane over the ocean for that many hours.

This is where they stayed.  It's a CMF (Christian Missionary Fellowship) compound where our friends Marshal and Rachel Giles are living and serving (through work in maintenance and hospitality) to support the missionaries who are working in the field in Ethiopia.  It's an apartment building on the compound, where missionary teams stay when they come in to get supplies and such.

The kids sent along 2 of their favorite things for Dad to keep close to him while he was gone.

 This was how they got their water pressure.

This is where they ate.  And by eat, I mean, BOY did they eat.

I was all worried about making sure he ate really good before he left, and when he got home, but from the sounds of it Rachel made sure these boys were fed WELL.

And these were the cute little boys that were medicine to Dave's heart while he was away from his own kiddos. 

They went to church at a church very similar to the one we go to.

And they got in a few days of site seeing and souvenir shopping.

Dave brought back some super good gifts!

This is Danny.  And the compound's pet turtle.

Dave says that this is what they use for scaffolding - pretty much everywhere.

If you don't really know what scaffolding means (like myself),  these next pictures will help explain.

The compound where Marshal and Rachel live is just a short little drive from Addis Ababa, city of 4 million.

A city in which the animals have the right-of-way.

 

A city that definitely opened Dave's eyes and his heart to just SOME of the needs of this world,

and to the complete overabundance of "stuff" that we have.  That we don't need.

While much of the world has nothing.

A city that while the people had close to nothing, they seemed so content.

And so willing to work for so little.

 

They also got in a day of off-roading up this mountain.

 This is what they found at the top.

And someday it's suppossed to look like this..

And they even enjoyed a night out to experience some ethnic food and dancing. And to celebrate Marshal and Rachel's anniversary. 

I'm informed, although the local women tried very hard to get them to dance, that they just watched.

  

Check back for the continuation...(and pictures of the reason he REALLY went).