Sammy is 3!!!

Because Eric had worked late at the church Sunday night, we woke up that morning still undecided what we were going to do for his birthday.  The girls were trying to convince Sammy that he wanted to go to the indoor park place with the BIG slide and balls - but Sammy didn't care what we did.  He was just happy.

Eric had other ideas.  He had seen an advertisement to rent a house with a pool in the city.  Knowing that I had been wanting to get away for a little while, he called and booked it for two nights!  You can probably imagine the excitement in our house!

The kids could barely contain themselves.  Can you guess what was the first thing they wanted to do? 

Go swimming! :)  (Everyone that is, except for Daniel...who still HATES water and usually still cries at bath time.)

In the evening, I blew up balloons ('cause, like the kids say, "it's not really a birthday without balloons!")  And this time a little something special added to the celebration...party hats and noses. :)

I tried to get a family photo.  It's pretty blurry, but can you see the family resemblance? :)

Then it was present time.  The girls have been getting a small allowance each week for chores and each bought Sammy a gift.  They were very anxious to give it to him.  Lydia is hugging hers.  Excuse the wrapping.

                                                                        A frog!!!

Now time to open Lydia's gift.

Some new sunglasses!  Daniel broke his last ones and Lydia would not settle for giving him any other gift and after not finding them in the store, we had to search the open air market for them.

Now time for Anna's gift.  Anna spent her entire month's spending allowance, but had to give him that airplane.  I don't know who was more excited about the gift - Anna (because she found something he'd REALLY like) or Sammy.  It doesn't fly, but it does make airplane noises and drives around the floor.

We had a wonderful couple of days and I think I know what the other kids will be asking to do on their birthdays.

What a Privilege to Serve the Lord!

"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you 

that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called."

Ephesians 4:1

To walk worthy of where God has put me to minister, WOW!  What a task!  I feel so unqualified sometimes to be called wife, mommy, missionary!  My lack of patience, my selfishness glare me in the face, showing me how short I fall of being qualified for the position of wife and mommy!  And, even though I grew up declaring my intentions of being a missionary, I have become shockingly aware of the character flaws that seem to scream how unmissionary-like I am.  I am timid, easily reclusive and possessive of time alone with my faily, scared of moving outside my comfort zone (which is very small.  I mean, come on, who almost cries returning things to Walmart?), someone content to stay in the same, small town, near family her whole life.  Yeah, sometimes I think God definitely made a mistake in picking me.

Even though I am well aware of my failures in the jobs He has assigned me, I am still prone to ask, "Why me?"  "Why does so-and-so get to do such, while I have to do this?"  -Thinking of myself "more highly than I ought to think."  This verse always helps me to remember not only my faults, but Oh!  The privilege!  My job of serving my husband and being his helpmeet (not he mine); my job of lovingly training my children; my job as a missionary wife - it is not a burden placed upon already weak shoulders, but a prize worth working for!  

The orphanage we worked at while in the city. 

O, Lord!  Help me to view this calling as the privilege it is, acknowledging my shortcomings, but not becoming burdened by them.  Oh!  That I may walk worthy of the vocations you have called me to!

For Grumpy & Grammy Curtis ;)

 

Found these today when I was looking at some pictures taken of church on my little kodak and thought you guys would enjoy them.  Maybe as much as they enjoyed their ice creams...though, by the looks of their faces {and clothes}, that's debatable. 

We miss you guys!  Thank you for the SWEET memories!

Capturing the Sunsets

Where has the time gone?  It felt like we had forever and already we are having to say goodbye.  I am very ready to be back home, yet it is always so hard to say goodbye.  How thankful I am for the time we have had!  We have enjoyed so much!  

We LOVED walking over to see the cows!

Then there were the somersaults with papa...

The follow-up shots were the best, but, alas, they were banned. ;)

Yes, that was the last time he said he would be doing that. hehe

With all these boys, there was plenty of rough housing going on...

Daniel even joined in on the fun.

Anna was awarded the name of "Mighty Squirrel Hunter"

for attempting to capture the big, grey squirrels who stole the bird food from 

Great Gram's feeders.

They will let you tag along, but you've got to be very quiet when hunting those squirrels.

One of our favorite jobs was helping Grumpy oops, I meant Grampy in the garden.

As you can see, Sammy was the biggest helper. ;)

(I think KNOW he ate more than he picked.)

One of the nice things about visiting a church in Maine is, skipping rocks between services.

Yes, this was the view at one of our churches.  Isn't it beautiful?

In the evenings, we would sometimes hop around the yard like bunnies.

Our time here has been just like the sunsets, amazingly beautiful, but over in a matter of seconds.

So, although there were many posts I wanted and even started to post,

I don't have any regrets as I was busy capturing the 

Sunsets of our lives.

Hope you have a goodnight!  I must get back to packing.  We say goodbye tomorrow morning and continue on to three more conferences over the next two weeks.  After a quick stop at our home church, we fly out November 8th at 5 pm!

Flutter Brain of an Inactive Missionary

 AHH!  Where to begin?  I have so many things I want to write about and share with you but my mind draws a complete blank as soon as I actually have time to sit down and write!  We have been riding in the car SO much that it might be nice to not have a vehicle when we get back to Ukraine.....I take that back.  We will be returning right when it's starting to get cold.  I do still miss my more active lifestyle in Ukraine.  It seems like all I do is sit now.
 

Only 1 1/2 months until we get to see my parents!  We are all getting excited.  For some (Sammy and Daniel) it will be the first time meeting their grandparents...though the girls were still quite small last time we saw them (Lydia was about 9 months and Anna was 2).  We enjoyed watching videos that Grampy made over the years, so I'm sure it won't take them long to warm up and start having fun.  After that, we will head up to Maryland for a month, visit with some old friends (looking forward to seeing you, Tiffany!); then it's back up to Maine.  The kids all said it's been too long since we've been to Grampy and Grammy Curtis' house and I know they are looking forward to destroying  .. helping in the garden.  I'm just going to be the bunny who sneaks in and nibbles off of everything.  One of the things I miss from Ukraine are the fresh herbs - ESPECIALLY the fresh dill.  The kids and I could eat a ton of that.  When I first arrived in Ukraine, I greatly missed all of the American salad dressings (ranch, blue cheese..).  But as long as you have dill, you don't need any of those.  In fact, it is better with the dill and a little apple cider vinegar or oil.  Mmmm.  I can smell and taste that fresh dill now.  Looking forward to a BIG bowl of borsch with freshly chopped dill sprinkled on top and a piece, no a LOAF, of black bread. :)

Even with nothing to say, I have managed to ramble my time away.  The kids are just starting to wake up and we are going to head outside.  They need to run as much as they can whenever they get an opportunity.  Because I've been having quite a few breathing/coughing problems, Eric left us here at our home church while he went to the meeting tonight.  I am enjoying a little break, um...with 4 kids.   I would appreciate your prayers concerning my health.  Not sure exactly what it is, but I am back on steroids for a short period of time.  It has also been recommended that I see a lung specialist.  I am hating that because they will probably just tell me it is nothing and to stay on steroids or something.  If so, I can probably just control it by monitoring what I eat - which I haven't been doing to well lately.  Too much good American junk. :)

Guess I need to get going.  The kids are all antsy to get outside...and so am I. 

(The pictures were taken when we went to the Richmond park with our Pastor on just a fun outing.)

Like the Duggars

{The kids sitting with our Pastor}  

That's what they said about us at the bank.  Eric's response?   "Not yet.  Give us a few more years." 

My Dolls

Everyone in Ukraine says that I just like playing dress-up with my real-life dolls. :)

These are about 2 weeks old and Samuel is probably at least 2 lbs heavier, but I promised Grammy Curtis that I would post them.  Don't you just LOVE the little suit?  Thank you, Mimi for the money!

 

We have been in the car so much traveling that I haven't had much time for posting.  Anna told me the other day on our way back from NC, "Mama, this seat is like a prison."  :)