"The Orphans"

This morning, Abby was playing quietly in her room before heading out to school.  Matthew popped in to say hello:

Matthew: Good morning, Abby!  Whatcha doing?

Abby: Hi, Daddy!  I'm playing with my friends (aka - stuff animals).

Matthew: Oh... you have a lot of friends.  Do you know all their names?

Abby: No... I haven't named them all, but they all have family names.  Here is the Bear family, the Doggie family, the Bunny family... and the Orphans.

Matthew: Ummm (stifling a laugh), that's good Abby...

No, Seth didn't get to wrestle a pig (DR Trip - Part 2)

I know that my children would be ever so disappointed if I didn't post the pictures of all the random animals (most were just wondering around different properties) that we encountered through out our trip to the Dominican... so, here they are :)

Aunt Rebekah found Seth a BIG PIG :)

No, you may not take the puppy home... 

Cool lizards!  Abby caught a teeny tiny one (about the size of 1/2 a pinkie finger).  He was super fast!!!

In honor of Melissa (both Sister and Cousin), I took some pictures of the beautiful flowers of the land :)

How wonderfully creative is our great Creator!  I love all the "non-native" animals and critters we found and all the brilliant colors in the vegetations!!!

Sweet water...

Much too often, especially as a mom, I struggle with anger.  I feel anger and frustration rise up in me as I enter the kids' room full of "stuff" that has been carelessly strewned about, or as I walk into the freshly scrubbed and polished bathroom (but 5 minutes ago) soaking wet with mushy toilet paper (not usually used... as far as I can tell) and the mirrors smeared with toothpaste or something worse...  Much too often, my children will incur the wrath of their mother and I WILL want them to PAY for how they have offended ME!!!

Today, Pastor Mike preached on anger and how one's words are a reflection of one's heart.  It was an excellent sermon!  Very practical for me :)  If you would like to hear it, you can find it at www.graceorange.org, under Audio Recordings.  He quoted a beautiful quote from Amy Carmichael:

"For a cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, however suddenly jolted..."

Lord... may you fill my heart with Biblical "sweet water", so that even when life (or my children :)) hits me in the face, I will spill out sweet and not bitter! 

Faces to Names

Check out the beautiful aqua blue of the ocean!!!

It's amazing how God uses just the right personal touch to cause your prayer for someone (or in this case, a lot of someones) to be kicked up a couple of notches.  Well, this week, God did that for my family.

We just got back from visiting Rebekah in the Dominican Republic!  What an amazing trip!  I know that even my children, at this young age, will remember this adventure for the rest of their lives!!!  Throughout the week, we were able to catch a glimpse of what Rebekah has been doing for the last 20 months.  It was amazing to see her in action - in her classroom, around the campus, in the neighborhood, and in the barrio.  Seeing her loving the people there, and being loved right back makes me understand better her desire to stay another year and yearn to go back to see her again (after learning some Spanish :)).  It was a great blessing to my heart to see how God is using her in just the right place at the right time! 

First Day - Travel Day (lines, lines, and more lines!)

Hi, Aunt Bekah!!!  There is a lot of "humility" in the Dominican!

Morning ceremony at school - much like the opening ceremony of AWANA

 

RECESS!!! Abby causing all sorts of commotion :)

Casa Monte Plata (the orphanage)

AWANA!!!

Working in the Library

Fun "Rio" time with the Casa Monte Plata kids at The Camp

Trying new and fun "fruits" - sugar cane & cacao (chocolate fruit?)

DR's version of In-n-Out :)

Bario - Nadelly's old neighborhood (where her older brother still lives...)

Thursday Play Day!!!

Beautiful waterfall lagoon!!!  Reminded me of Fantasy Island... I know I'm dating myself :)

Brother and Sister... just hanging out (probably discussing theology).  How precious!

Quick cat nap before our DR picnic :)

Thank you all, for those that prayed for our trip!  I am very thankful that we did not have the need to visit the hospital nor the clinic (that many of you might be well acquainted with...).  Where as I am immensely thankful for the facilities and accommodations that were provided for us, the kids (and I) had to make some cultural adjustments: no toilet paper in the (flushing!!!) toilet, no drinking or brushing teeth with the (running!) faucet water, no whining about insect bites (thank God for 100% deet!), no bath tubs for baths (but refreshing cold showers!), bunk beds with mosquito nets (even if the bed is lopsided and the net falls on your face in the middle of the night :)), driving (in a reliable car!!!) around without having to be seatbelted or even be IN a seat... we were driving around in Rebekah's 14 passenger CRV (but we only had 9 in the car :))!!!  What a wonderful stretching time for the kids and me -- the non-Spanish speakers :).  Rebekah was a wonderful hostess in making sure that all our needs were met and that we were included in every conversation!  Isaac, Seth and Abby (especially Abigail!) enjoyed much attention from all the Dominicans.  It is super sweet to see kids play games and baseball (!!!) together -- cross culturally :).  We had the privilege of meeting so many of the adults that have been in Rebekah's life (Ramon & Juana, Deborah, Vanessa, Juan & Margarat, Dominiga, Albania, Jorge), as well as many of the kids that I've only heard about (Alba, Nadelly, Karin, Lali, Lula, Kaina, Pablito, Wandy, Juan Jose, Solanyi, Samuel, Sami, Yunior, Isabel, Esteffany, Jackson, Jami...).  It's so wonderful to match faces and personalities to names and pictures.  I'm grateful that we can now pray for these precious folks with personal knowledge of each one of them!

Nadelly, Rebekah, Abby, Vanessa and Alba - thanks for driving us to the airport!

Going home...

I thank God for putting this whole experience together for our little family!  I am still amazed with how we "found" air miles that allowed us to make this trip!  I pray that God is imprinting upon the hearts of my kids the love missions and service.  I know that this is one trip that they will remember for the rest of their lives!!!