videos of the surprise

Video's of surprising family at home!

The Big Surprise

Back in April, Kirk and I found out that we had to go to some training in July in the States.  We decided not to tell anyone, so the morning we left we woke the girls up with; "get up we are going to America today!"  They did not believe us!!!  Ayden said "no, I don't want to go to Arabic today."  They didn't believe us for awhile but when they did they were so excited!!!  We left about 30 min. after waking them up and then started our long haul to the USA.  We had one short flight and then one really long 16 hour flight.  I was a little worried, but the kids did great!!!  Abram did much better then I thought he would, he was really good.  Kirk's mom and a friend picked us up from the airport, we had a wonderful first meal with them of BBQ.  The next morning we surprised my family that had no idea we were coming!  It was a lot of fun!!!  2 surprises, one we are home and 2 kirk and I are leaving in the morning for training for 2 weeks.  They didn't seem to mind that they would have the kids for 2 weeks!

Abram gets a little tired in the airport!  No worries mom, I pick him right up then and cleaned his pacifier.  

Such good travelers!  

Ayden was excited, about 100 movies to choose from.  16 hours of non-stop movies, what a fun trip!!!

Abram wasn't as interested in the movies but he did like playing with the headphones.

Happy watching movies!!

Our first meal back in the states!  Abram enjoyed pork for the first time!!!

First day at home with our cousins.

annie lynne

Annie lynne dressed in the traditional man's clothes!  Doesn't she look too cute!  After she put it on, I could not get it off.  She loved it!

The Cat

Ayden our little animal lover!  The other day she went to the gate to tell Kirk something and when she opened the gate the cat ran in and ran right to her.  We often have stray cats in our yard, that climb on the walls, but they are always very scared and never come close to the kids.  Of course, Ayden fell in love with it and had it named in a matter of minutes, Hannah.  All that with me saying the whole time, we are not keeping a cat, especially a stray off the street that probably has rabies.  Of course, I finally gave in, mainly because we couldn't get it to go away :)  Even though i'm still not a fan and refuse to let it come in the house (miley is enough)  the girls spend hours a day outside with it.  Overall it has really been a good thing, Ayden really has had nothing to do most days since finishing school.  I am spending hours a day studying and the kiddos just play.  And now with the lack of electricity movies and wii are very limited (that is a good thing!)  But Ayden had been feeling very bored.  We had been praying for a friend and this is not what I had in mind, but the Father knows best; and she has spent hours a day outside with this cat and it has been a great thing for her!!!  and so far it doesn't appear to have rabies :)

What to do with a Boy?

What to do with a boy?  A question i'm still asking myself everyday day!!!  He is always dirty and stinky and just a plain mess, yet I have loved every minute of having a son.  Below are a couple of my favorite pics from the last couple of weeks.

 Above Abram is eating mom's blueberry pie for the first time!  He eats everything, but he got so mad when his plate was empty and I wouldn't give him anymore.  Ayden had been asking to make this and so when I finally saw some kind of cream cheese at the store we tried it.  A little different without the reg. cream cheese (this was a spreadable kind and a brand I had never heard of) but good.

 This is Abram after breakfast!  His normal look.  We leave the doors open most the time so that we can have a breeze through the house, but the problem is Abram.  He is always crawling down the steps.  This morning he had already been down the steps, poured out Miley's water bowl all over himself.  Then during his morning oatmeal (what he eats almost every morning) he grabbed the bowl out of my hand and it went all over him too.  What a mess!!!!  but so cute!!!!

 I just love this smile!  We were waiting for food and the girls were off playing and Kirk and I were just talking to him and he was so excited to have both of our full attention!

He make look sweet; but really!  Annie Lynne was sick so he crawled up there by her and acted like he was going to be sweet but really he just wanted to steal the thermometer.

baby party

My teacher's sister had a baby a little over a week ago.  Here the lady sits in her home or her mom's home for somewhere between 20 and 40 days.  It use to always be 40 but some women don't like to sit that long or they have other small children they need to take care of.  So everyday, friends and family come over to see the mom.  Somedays are more important, like a party with music, dancing, food, ect.  Other days are just normal days, drink tea and just chat.  Everyday varies on the number of ladies that come.  This was just a normal day and there were only a couple of other women there, thats when I like to go.  The last day is the most important, lots of people, music, Koren readings, etc.  I really don't like to go on the last day, it is always too loud to talk and the baby is usually in the other room and there is so many people that it is very hot.  But sometimes if it is a close friend or family you really do need to go on the last day.  Anyway the baby below was only 6 days old, they still weren't set on her name yet and she was tiny, the mom told me when she was born she was only 1.5 kilos which is a little over 3 lbs.  It felt a little bigger to me, but not much. Just saying that because sometimes the weight is a guess.  They don't always weigh them at the hospital.  I also got to hear the "baby story"  The mom was planning on having the baby at home but a doctor had told her the feet were down (ultra sounds are very common here) that is really about all the doctor does is look at an ultra sound.  Anyway since the feet were down they told her she really should deliver in a hospital.  So she did, she delivered in the hospital and the cord was wrapped around the next of the baby.  She said her baby was completely blue.  The doctor did cut the cord and a few minutes later the baby was okay.  Because of this problem they made the mom stay at the hospital for 2 hours (yes i just said hours!)  most the time the mom would leave as soon as the baby is born, within 30 minutes.  That is not the end of the story, I don't know anything about the medical side of things but she said that she delivered the afterbirth at her house.  Would not think that would be safe 2 hours later.  I would also say it wouldn't be as sanitary, but her house is probably cleaner then the hospital.  I listened to a different baby story later in the week and she was telling me the hospital was so crowded that women were laying and delivering on the concrete floor.  That can't be sanitary or comfortable!!!  

With all that said, it sure is a cute baby!!!  And Ayden and I enjoyed sitting and holding this very tiny little girl.  Please be thinking about her and her mom, Ayden and I thought about her while we were holding her, just asking that she would grow up knowing the Truth.

Abram getting some love

I went to go see this family last Friday.  Kirk is working on a project with a special needs school.  They will actually be doing the project in a couple of weeks, but part of it is teaching teacher how to use sports with the children there.  Anyway Kirk has had to go to the school many times to work out all the details.  The secretary there asked him about his wife and so he had told her about me and the kids.  She wanted to meet us so he gave her my number and last Friday we went and met her whole family (at least all the ladies :)).  It was a good visit and hopefully I will be able to go back soon to talk to them some more.  This little girls in the picture was so cute and just wanted to love on Abram the whole time.  Of course, Abram wasn't really having that, but I did mange to get this one cute pic.!  It is always so interesting to me how we are able to meet different families and get involved in their lives.