Sweet Nephews

Last night William and Gatlin spent the night with me. :) Uncle Jack is out of town so they kept me company!

My sweet cousin (best friend, other half of my brain) Chelsea, came and hung out with us. She also is the only reason Baby Gat even went to sleep.

We watched "memo" because it has "shishies and tourtles". William (2 1/2 yrs) liked it a lot more than Gatlin (8 mo)! After an entertaining night of trying to sleep this was the scene over breakfast:

Just a SMILIN' - he loves his applesauce and oatmeal ... and his Aunt TL

Although he loves me ... he loves his Uncle Jack too (thats Jack's hat). His waffles were good but I think he likes the Chocolate milk a little better!

We have a pond right by our house so William likes to go fishin'. He told my girls at bible study last "unc jack catch little fish - I catch big fish". Last night he also found a christmas toy fishing reel in my room. So he went fishin with it. He was quite upset that I didn't take my pink reel with me. Next time buddy!

(also it is upside down!)

This is Baby Gat when we got back inside. Just a smiley, smiley kiddo!

We had quite a fun time ... We are planning another slumber party later in the week! :)

Frills, Lace, Pageants and Weddings

This weekend was B U S Y! I feel like we ran from one thing to the next just hoping to making it on time!

It started Friday I went wedding dress shopping with my friend Kenndra. What a day it was!

Me (Matron of Honor), Kenndra (Bride to be), and Brynn (Bridesmaid)

This was my suggestion for Bridesmaid dresses ... it didn't pass!

First thing Saturday our niece was in Tiny Miss Motorsports Pageant in Lincoln, AL.

She did GREAT! She got a participation trophy and MISS PHOTOGENIC!

Here she is - with flowers from her best friends!

Isn't she cute?!

Aunt Terri Leigh and Ella

Aunt Terri Leigh, Uncle Jack and Sweet Ella

We drove back to Auburn quickly on Saturday afternoon to make it to a friends wedding in time! Sweet Annie Malone is MARRIED! :) The wedding was beautiful and the reception quite lively ... and HOT!

The bride was tearing up the dance floor so she was sweating and its just HOT so I was too!

Jack and I right before we left ... Did I mention it was HOT that night?!

It was a FUN, BUSY weekend! It was an all frill, all lace, all girl weekend!

America's Game

On Tuesday afternoon we joined a caravan of College students and Families from our church and headed to the Atlanta Braves game! Here are just a few pics of the evening:

We took this one on my phone to send to our family!

Across the field from us - we were in the upper deck along the third base line.

Chipper Jones made an appearance even though he has an injured oblique.

I think it's ok to laugh at that. I did ... I am sure it is painful. It has to be. Right?

This was the last pitch of the game. Can you see the ball halfway between the pitcher and the plate?!

Braves Win! :)

Last picture before we left - GO BRAVES!!

16 weeks later ...

I am feeling quite accomplished. We took our last Anti-Malaria pill last night! :) Sixteen weeks of that stuff will make you crazy ... or at least in our case give you C R A Z Y dreams! At first they were just really random but here lately they have been very vivid. You know the kind you wake up from and wonder if it is true or not. It will take a little bit for it to work its way out of our system but we are DONE!

40/40 in pictures (finally)

Here are some pictures of our time at 40/40 ... I took a gazillion more but here are about 15 :)

This is all the luggage we took for 10 weeks (2 1/2 months, 75 days)

The lady is carrying a case of water on her head and the other one has a baby tied on her back.

This is my with my Helper in Lusaka (Dumas) and her Pastors wife and children.

Yes, I ate catepillar! Tasted like dirt!

Jack's helper, Alfred, in Lusaka.

Jack made a bow - this was before it's last flight. Isn't the sunset beautiful?!

This was our helper in Petauke, Pastor Iwell.

Jack and Fred with their catapaults. Fred helped Jack fix his catapault and make the bullets (out of termite mud.)

Lots of barefeet prints in the sand.

At our homestay Jack helped David build this bin for ground nuts.

This is Jack and I our last night at homestay. We are in our "happy place" - a mosquito net tucked under mattresses.

Our last night at 40/40

my camera didn't do so great but here is the whole gang!

Us with the Vickery's - we are so glad they were with us!

Me with some of the coolest Journey girls! What a blessing to know and pray for them!

That is a brief smattering of pictures from our time! Hope you enjoyed! Stay tuned for reports and pictures from DR Congo!

We're home!

I'll post pictures and stories and such now that we have good internet :)

Thanks for your prayers and love while we were gone! The Lord is faithful!

Part of this world ...

The following is a song some seriously creative Journeygirls wrote as we finished 40/40 - I can explain more if needed on parts but for now, think Little Mermaid "Part of your world"

Look at this stuff, isn’t it neat? Wouldn’t you think my collection’s complete?

Wouldn’t you think I’m the girl – the girl who has everything?
Look at this camp, treasures untold. How many wonders could one tent hold?
Lookin’ around here you’d think…sure, she’s got everything!

I’ve got lanterns and bug spray aplenty. I’ve got buckets and blankets galore.
You want toilet paper? I’ve got 20. But who cares? No big deal – I want more!

I wanna be where the Africans are. I wanna see, wanna see ‘em dancin’.
Shakin’ around in those, whadda ya call ‘em…oh, chatingis!
Sittin’ in debriefing you don’t get too far. DFAs are required for learning, growing.
Getting our buses by, what’s the word…negotiation!

Out in the sun, out in their huts, sitting on sharp rocks that stick in our butts.
Wandering free, wish I could be part of that world.

What would I give, if I could live out of my happy place.
What would I give to spend a day drinking cold cokes.
Betcha out there they don’t care if you pick your nose in public.
If you see naked women, they are witches, we prayed ‘em down!

We’re ready to know what the Africans know. Ask ‘em my questions and get some answers.
What’s nshima and why does it, what’s the word, BURN my fingers off!

When’s it my turn? Wouldn’t I love – love to use that squatty potty!
Pooping God’s way, oh I wish I could stay
PART OF THIS WORLD!

Thanks Cara, Lauryn, and Heather!! Ya'll rock!!