Cambodia Update

Whew!  That's done!  Found out this week while planning for the chili feed that we were to speak briefly in front of the church.  I prayed about what I should say and then just moved on with the preparation for the supper.  Adelle was a huge help at Walmart where I bought all the stuff for the chili.  I looked online and put together a few recipes and planned on feeding 150 people.  I figured more was better than not enough since we could take the leftovers to Homestead.  Then I spent over an hour yesterday browning the hamburger until I ran out of containers and energy!

Yesterday during my quiet time, I wrote out some things that I felt God wanted me to say in front of the church and when I called Deb, she gave me some I out but it was pretty much along the lines of what she was thinking!  Then in the night last night, God "edited it" in my mind.

So I got up earlyish this morning and did my quiet time and breakfast and got ready (Scott is doing soccer in KC this weekend).  I got to the church and unloaded my stuff into the kitchen and Karl and Wandean were around and helped.  I also pulled up at exactly the same time as Deb!  

And then I worshipped in front and went up with Deb and spoke when it was time!  God is good and I can do anything with Him.  Deb laughed at me afterwards because I was so weak and shaky! Did it second service too!

The chili feed went really well.  The Homestead girls jumped right in and helped and Chris and Bryce did most of the clean up!  Chris' little boy helped a whole bunch too!  He's so cute!  He told me he has big muscles as he was taking out the trash. Dawn came and helped too!

All together we raised over $1200!  I think that puts me at close to 2/3 of the way there as several friends told me they dropped by checks too.  So exciting!  

Deb and I.

Yum.

Homestead girls serving.  

Chris and Bryce working their hineys off during clean up.

Quiet

The kids have returned to their homes away from home and all is quiet.  Never gets easier to say goodbye.  Harder with Hannah heading to Istanbul for a month and it will likely be difficult to communicate with her.  And Joel as he has a crazy busy semester ahead.  We will see him for sure in May, already have the plane tickets and hotel reservations to see him graduate.  We didn't get to spend as much time with Leah over break but other than weather, we can go see her when we'd like.

It was a good visit overall.  Good to meet Hannah's fella and get to know him.  Some great memories and fun times.  One was Joel the last night asking me for lots of general "mom advice" and his many hugs goodbye.  And just being with Hannah who is always entertaining.  It's fun to watch the kids interact with each other as they are all very close.  It was great to have them get to know Jeff and Alexis and vice versa.  Loved having the kids go to church Christmas Eve.  We had lots of great meals together and games galore!  We had some good times with the extended fam over the holidays, too.

It was good to get back to work yesterday.  And to get back into a better eating and exercise mode.  Good to go back to one laundry load and one dishwasher load per week.  And it'll be good to get the house in tip top clean shape this weekend.

But dang it, I miss them terribly!  I love you, my babies.  God be with you!

A Gift

The kids are still here and today I have an extra day to spend with them and get to know Kent!  What a free gift as I was expecting to get back into the work grind today.  

Leah came home for the weekend and hannah drove to the airport Saturday to pick up Kent.  His plane was delayed and they had to drive through terrible road conditions but they finally arrived safely Saturday evening.  We had Alexis and Jeff over and made homemade pizza and played cards.  We have all settled into a great pattern with the kids home.  Each of us does what we want, go work out, etc, but we eat most meals and sit around together and talk and we play a ton of games together!  We are all feeling sad anticipating separating again but we can treasure these excellent times we've had together.  

Leah is taking her last class this week at Bethel and then will work at Mojos coffeeshop and start her job search although she has some very promising possibilities.  Joel heads into his busiest semester ever with two giant classes in his major and his elective class is photography.  That on top finishing his senior team project, building his online resume, creating independent games to further his career and starting the enormous job search and interviews.  Hannah heads back to Laramie for a week where she has been substitute teaching, is awaiting notice on grad school applications (including finding out tomorrow if she got into the Teton Science Institute), and she leaves for Turkey on Jan 15.  I know she is excited but also nervous and sad to be away from everyone for a month!  

Last night Scott grilled yummy steaks in subzero temps and Hannah and Kent did all the rest of the meal prep and clean up.  Yippee!

More pics of the good times:

New Years Eve and Day

Rang in the new year with our TRU core group over at the Romero's home with Jeff and Alexis. I ate a ton and we played Apples to Apples and Headbands then talked about TRU.  It's getting exciting!  It was fun to connect with people in a more casual atmosphere and to hear more about the vision for TRU.  

Then after sleeping in New Year's Day, we did a lot of sitting around.  It snowed 3 more inches!  

In the evening we bundled up and drove in the snow to the gym.  I mostly sat in the sauna!  

Today we had lunch with Larry and Jo 

and I got the oil changed in both cars.  Then I went to Homestead group.  Chris and Bryce are going to join our TRU connection group Tuesday nights!  So cool to watch God pull things together.  

Off to inservice tomorrow all day long!  

The Good Times Continue to Roll

Things have finally settled down to a dull roar after all the Christmas excitement.  The day after Christmas, julie went home and Mom came.  That evening, Jon came over and we all had a lovely evening at Olive Garden.  Afterwards, we sat around and reminisced about the kids growing up.  They have some hilarious memories, some of which I hadn't even heard.  Hannah told about Scott yelling "hannah belle" into the receiver when anyone called for her, even if she was right there, then, about 5 minutes into the conversation, he'd say " well, I have to go, and he'd stayed on the line the whole time!  The kids all talked about flashlight hide and seek, how Scott would have the best hiding places for the kids, like behind the ceral boxes in the kitchen cupboard or behind the books on the shelves.  They talked about his crazy prayers ("bow your ungrateful little heads" or "HELP US").  We finished the evening off with a loud game of cards called golf.

Friday we all hung out and that evening played some cards with Mom.  She absolutely refused to hear some of the rules then went on to do well. Go figure.  

Saturday morning Hannah and Scott went with me to take Mom home then go to Olathe to see Dad.  We ate in the Aberdeen did in groom then played a couple of games of pool.  It was a lot of driving but fun.  

Saturday night two of Joel's friends came over and we ordered pizza and wings and watched k state basketball then te ksu bowl game.  It was also quite fun.

We have eaten and laughed and gone to the gym and ate some more and played many games.  I am enjoying this immensely. 

Christmas Eve

Had such a wonderful Christmas Eve!  Slept in late and hung out with the family all day, watched episodes of Parks and Rec while poor Scotty attempted to melt the gutters so the icicles would quit melting into the new room.

Late afternoon we played a couple rounds of dominion then took a family photo then Scott left to go get. Julie in Topeka.

Then the kids and I piled up in David's car after pushing it out of the snow and we met Julie and Scott at the church for Christmas Eve service!  I kept tearing up, it was so amazing to have them all there.  It was the best gift of all.  Joel even out his arm around me part way through the service.  I have great kids!

After church, we ate yummy potato soup and bread then played a couple rounds of a super fun game. It's a cross between pictionary and the telephone game.  Jeff and Alexis joined us and brought cousin Belle.  We played another couple rounds then played another game Alexis brought that was super fun.  

All my friends on Facebook were posting verses and touching wishes and I was posting these pics:). I love my family!

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