Can you help?

I know I've talked about my mom and her African adventures on my blog before. She is there now, in the thick of things, living and teaching in Congo. She's there to fulfill a calling to spread the love of Jesus Christ to those who need it.


At the Fort Worth Zoo, December 2010

She's planting seeds in the hearts of her students, and she's seeing fruit from seeds planted by those who went before her. She's been in Congo for about 5 months. Her term is to be for 2 years, but those two years are determined by the monetary support she receives from people just like you and me who commit to give $10, $20, $50 a month.


MaMaw and her babies, 2008

Her mission board sent her ahead of her money, because the need was so great. However, that makes it even more difficult for her to complete the task of raising the rest of her funds from the field. At this point, she lacks about $250 a month in pledges. If she continues to fall short, the mission board can bring her home early-- as much as an entire year early.


Christmas 2010

As much as I'd love to see my mama, I don't think her work will be finished after only one year. At this point she is hoping for at least 18 months - that would give her time to finish out the school year, which runs from about September to June (same as USA, except their "summer break" actually occurs in winter! Yes, it is winter in Congo right now. 95 degrees of humid, sunny winter!)


Thanksgiving 2010, Mom and all her kids

You can read about the ministry she is doing on Nouvelle Creations Facebook page and about her daily life in Congo on her blog. Also, if you would like to commit to a monthly monetary pledge you can visit this website and it will go directly into her personal missions account.


Carly's 3rd birthday, January 2010

Mostly, would you please pray for my mom? Pray that she will be at peace in Congo, that she will accomplish the things she's been called to do, that the support would come in and she would not have to worry about that aspect of life? I know it is hard to squeeze another penny out of the budget. I know that once you commit to something, it soon becomes easy to forget, especially once the missionary is "out of sight, out of mind." Please pray that those who pledged in the last two years would continue to send their commitments each month, or start sending them again.


Returning home from her first mission trip to Africa on Caleb's 1st birthday, 2007

In mom's own words, " Thanks for anything you can do, especially for your prayers! I'd really like to finish what I've started here..."

If you are interested in a mail-in donation form, please contact me via email. It's in my profile on the sidebar. Also, if you'd like to receive her monthly newsletter via email, let me know. I can very easily forward it to you or get you on her direct email list!

Water Park

Today we took our very first trip to a small indoor waterpark with the kids. They aren't huge water lovers (that's an understatement!), so I wasn't sure what to expect. Turns out, we were pleasantly surprised with how much fun both kiddos had! Both were wary of the wave pool and the lazy river, but Caleb eventually got in the river and went around three times, at first clinging to a tube and crying, then just clinging to Greg and not crying,



and finally holding Janell's hand and bouncing his way around the whole thing. Carly went around once, unhappily, and she was done :-)



Both kids enjoyed the splash play area and Carly ate up the "green slide!!!" I think she went down that one slide at least 20 times. Every single time she came to the bottom, the look on her face was one of pure childlike joy.. and it never got old to watch! She never would go down the other slides, because "they were dark."



Caleb went down all the slides in the splash play area, and then climbed the stairs and went down the two bigger body slides. I was so proud of him!! He laughed and laughed.





A VERY FUN DAY! Thank you to my in-laws for the fun afternoon at the water park!

Fourth of July weekend

Also known as my birthday around here!

On the evening of the 3rd, my dad and stepmom came over and brought a portable party with them! They even brought guests! My Grannie and a new cousin (cousin's wife I hadn't met before) came too. Oh, and they brought cake, and presents, and sparklers for the kids! It was a fun little partay!

They sang to me!


Gave me a Keurig! Now I am officially an adult.


We did sparklers and poppers on the back porch




After the family party, Caleb and Carly gave me a birthday-eve present: my own set of tools, in a pink bag! I LOVE my tools, and have already used them a bunch!!



The next day, on the 4th, we made me a birthday cake (strawberry cake with cool whip and fruit topping, YUM!)


my first ever flag cake


Later we went over to some friends' house to eat and play, then the plan was to go at dark and watch fireworks at a nearby church, but just before dusk a storm rolled in -- the first rain in weeks -- so we waited and waited for it to stop raining so we could load up and watch the show.. Finally we gave up at 10:15 and decided to call it a night. We were so thankful for the much-needed rain that we weren't too disappointed about not seeing any fireworks, but on the drive home we watched as the church put on the show even in the rain. We stopped in the middle of the road as we drove by, and I got some pretty great pictures with my iPhone camera.


I even got a great video!



It was a great weekend to turn 28. Only two more years until all birthdays stop! :)