What a blessing!

 I got to see my friend Kristi 8 years and 4 kids later!  It was good to remember all the wonderful times we spent studying, praying, and serving together during college. 

 Her family gave my sister and I the gift of free passes to Magic Mountain and we headed out with four kids ready for the day! Also, notice they are wearing the socks I brought them as gifts :)

 There were lots of fun surprises like running into these guys, riding Batman 3 times in a row, and free food and desserts all day!

We had fun riding on stuff with the kids, and God blessed us with enough time to ride on everything we wanted to without waiting in many long lines.  It was a perfect day!

Good friends

 This may be the last time I see this family before they head off to where God will use them to reach many.  I have their Hope key chain to remind me to pray.  They bring hope to many.

 I am always up for an encouraging chat over dessert with my friend who has been with me through thick and thin and is always just there to listen.

 My sister and I stopped at my friend Tammy's house for Halloween night and got to watch the candy fiends collect it all and then they spread it all out on the table and the trading began!  It reminded me of all the fun we had each year trick-or-treating and then eating it for months!

Tammy brought all her kids to stay with us for a week and we had loads of fun together.  We enjoyed pizza, lazer tag, the children's museum, baseball in our yard, and playing games together.  I really enjoyed getting to know each of her kids better.  When my dad shot a deer early one morning, they all wanted to see it, so he brought it home and after that every time we sat down to eat, one little guy kept asking, "Are we eating that deer?" 

 We went to visit my good friend Kari and her son points at my dad and says, "I want HIM to play with me." And then when it was time to read books he says, "Can HE read books to me?"

 My dad was the star of the evening for two-year-old Ollie :)  I always love spending time with Kari and her kids.  They are like little pieces of my friend whom I love so much!

Thankful for family

 I am always thankful to get to see my gramma and hear more of her stories of experience and fun.  I love eating fun foods like tater tots and mac and cheese with her too!

 My niece came with me on a trip to visit a good friend at her farm and also to share with a group of young people.  It was an adventure for both of us.

 My parents came with me on an overnight trip to share.  Here we are relaxing and reading after a long day of visiting.

My uncle came to hear me and visit and told me that he prays for me every night.  Family are the ones who support you forever no matter where you go.

This sweet girl is one of the things that I am always happy about, and she makes everyone she is around happy too!

One of the best parts of this trip was getting to see my niece's kids for the first time in person.  I can't tell you what those hugs and smiles meant to me!

My favorite visitors!

My mom and dad came to visit me for two weeks and we had such wonderful times together.  Now that they are gone I miss them a lot and we keep talking about how much of a blessing they were to us.  First of all, they brought all kinds of fun candy and presents for us from America.

We are still enjoying M&Ms and Reese's every day with our tea and coffee.  We all got some really nice flip flops with squishy soles for wearing in the house during the summer. 

My sister bought me a Kindle and I enjoy reading from it every day!  It's great to be able to read on the bus and in the dark.  I have several great devotional books and the Bible on it and Anne of Green Gables!

One of the best gifts were all the sweet and beautiful cards of encouragement written by friends that my parents delivered to us.  We enjoyed reading them out-loud and I translated for everyone.

My dad helped me buy tools that we needed, like a tiny awl, saw, screwdriver, and pliers. He did a bunch of fix-it stuff around our house.  He fixed a door that wouldn't stay closed, tightened our orange juice squeezer, and bought and installed a new shower head.  He straightened the prongs of our rake and nailed our broom together so the broom-head doesn't fall off.

We painted our driveway gate together.

 He helped us make a new pigeon coop out of old windows and doors that were sitting around in our backyard.  

My dad cleaned our backyard up and cleared a plot of land so that we could plant a garden.  Our tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, and eggplant are doing great. 

One day my Allisyn chicken couldn't seem to lay her egg and was all swelled up and very stressed out.  I put her in a bucket of warm water in the shower and she finally got it out.

My mom held her while we blow-dried her feathers.

My sister helped pick out presents for our coffee group friends and their kids.  Here we are sorting them out and putting names on them.

We had a good visit together and they loved their presents.

We visited the building together and got to see the walls going up.

The view from the roof is amazing!

Helping carry bricks.

  I enjoyed showing my parents around the work-site and explaining everything.

Ladies Coffee

Every week or so we get together with out neighbors for a morning coffee time.

Spring is here!

 Our first "brunch" outside this year.

Our turtle came out of hibernation!  She was all muddy and very hungry.

Fun Times

 This is our turtle, Charlie.  She loves pea pods.

 I'm a real American Indian.

My baby, on her first day with us.

Falling asleep waiting for a husband.