Down to the single digits!

We have now made it to the single digits of days left before A and Ell return!!! We are only on Day 4 of 13 BUT I prefer to think of it as moving from the double digits to the single digits!

First of all HUGE PRAISE-the team made it to Outapi today in time to do a few things and get ready to begin work tomorrow! Their travels were fairly smooth as far as I know. Sometimes I don't get the full story until they return. Can't wait to hear all the amazing ways in which God is going to work!!!

We are pretty good. I think we all could use a little patience right now but that's just the way it goes! Millie is better but still not herself. She has not handled her Daddy being gone as well as she did in January. She and Lizzie have been up 2 of the 3 nights during the night crying. Millie gets upset and then in turn Lizzie gets upset. Partly I think she still does not feel great. Still not eating great and every now and then complains with her tummy. So far, no one else has gotten sick! Another PRAISE! We have been around here mostly. Today Sallie had therapy so we spent most of the day in Wichita. They tried me in Hobby Lobby but got better after that. Of course it is hard to be a kid in Hobby Lobby! I mean I want to touch everything in there! I had a few more stops I needed to make but none of us had it in us!

I made a list of projects to keep me busy while they were gone. Yes, I am busy enough but I thought these things would keep me busy in a different kind of way. Well the list is great BUT I have no motivation to get them done! I have marked NOTHING off my list! We'll see what it looks like in the days to come.

Sallie has done so much better this time. I think she is OK with them being gone as long as she is with me and not having to go to school!

Nights are the worst for me. I look forward to the down time when the girls are in the bed but it is lonely too... That was the purpose of the to do list but I just don't want to do any of it once they are in bed. So, I sit around and miss A and Ell!

Some cute things the girls have said this week:

Lizzie told me yesterday while we were outside (in the blow up pool of course): "Mama, you know Daddy does not like for you to get sunburned and he will see you when you get back from Africa" That girl is in charge and making sure every one is in line!

Today as we headed into Hobby Lobby (our first stop after therapy) I said "Remember what I said" (meaning no disobeying!) and Lizzie says "yes, we know, no drama!" Uh yeah that would be good too. However I am thinking Lizzie and Millie dancing and singing around the picture frames and me telling them to stop before they broke them was drama! I think Sallie pulling up her dress in the middle of the store to adjust her underwear and my reaction to her was drama! I know Millie screaming "do not spank me when we get to the car!" was drama!

The sweetest-Millie saying her prayers on Mon. nt: "Help my daddy to do what Jesus tells him to do" PRECIOUS!!! I thought OK if they see their daddy (and sister) are doing what Jesus tells them to do then surely I can deal with being inconvenienced for 13 days! Very humbling! Such a simple prayer with a lot of power in those words. I am afraid we often don't want Him to help us do what Jesus tells us to do because He tells us do things that are not easy and will probably cause US to be inconvenienced...

Thank you so much to those of you who have checked on us! It really means a lot to us! Some of you have called just to give me some adult conversation and that I greatly appreciate!

Sorry no pics-A took his laptop and for some reason our computer will not upload pics to blogger.

This and That

Still enjoying the blow up pool!  At 115 degrees this is the best $22 we have ever spent!  See there is still plenty of room for A and Ell!This is Mill imitating ME!  Yes, that is what I do!  Which then led to them all imitating ME!  So glad I had the camera ready!Ministry is just not always pleasant but there are certainly things that are wonderful to be a part of.  For those of you who have read for a while you will remember the couple in our church whose baby died when born premature after they had tried to conceive for years.  A officiated her funeral last April.  This couple now has an amazing testimony.  They turned completely to God in the face of great trials and they have grown spiritually in amazing ways.  A disciples him on a one on one basis so they have grown closer as well and so this past week we were there with them to welcome this precious baby boy into this world!   Thank you Lord for answered prayers!A was LOVING this!We are in love with this stuff!  Well A is not but us girls are!  We had gone to a SS social last week and they had peach tea.  The lady who made it is an amazing cook with a home ec degree and some of what she makes is complicated.  So, I am thinking there is an elaborate recipe!  I asked about the recipe and after a laugh was told it was this!  It is so good and refreshing!  I do put a tad bit more mix in than it calls for.  I really am not normally crazy about flavored teas but I do love this!Have I ever mentioned how much I love my man?  WELL I DO!  For MANY reasons but this is one of them!  This is the cake he made me for my birthday and he decorated the plate as well!  It is a key lime pound cake and it is SO good!  The recipe came from a recent Southern Living and this is what I asked for my birthday.  It did not disappoint!An attempt at a picture of A with his girls on this Father’s Day.  A asked for fried fish, cheese grits, and cherry cheese pie so that was all simple which is unusual for him but I think he was trying to go easy on me knowing it was my last day with them for a couple of weeks.Which brings us to these two!  Bags are packed and they are ready to go.  Monday morning they depart here and have several days of travel.

We appreciate your prayers!  There have been several issues with several different team members but everyone is still on track to go.   Please pray the team members will not be distracted by these issues.

Millie began getting sick this afternoon with fever, headache, and throwing up SO pray that Elleigh and A will not come down with whatever she has and although we would survive I prefer the rest of us not get it either (especially me while I am trying to tend to their needs alone). 

They Proved Me WRONG!

The girls did GREAT in their recital!  No tears AND dancing! 

BE WARNED!  This post is picture HEAVVVVVVYYYYYY!  Just too many to share!

First time ever wearing makeup and ready to leave for dress rehearsal

Millie ready for tapLizzie is in a phase of not liking to have her picture taken (unless it is on her terms of course!)  So, you will see I got lots of these looks!Mill Mill on stage!Time to dance!They also did their pics on rehearsal day so it was a packed dayThe photographer did some of the girls together.  Anxious to see how they turn out but Lizzie wasn’t very into that eitherTime for Lizzie’s ballet.  Lizzie demands the spotlight at home but she DOES NOT LIKE the spotlight in a group.  She is very solemn and it makes her really nervous.This child is A MESS!!!Little bit of a smile!  Ready for tapMillie with her group having ballet pics madeIn action!Lizzie waiting

TapWe all slept quite well Friday night!  After rehearsal and pics all day we had a SS party for our Senior Adults, a RA/GA family night, and Lizzie and Millie had a swim party!  But they woke up Sat morning ready to go!  Here they are with their sweet ballerina necklaces Melbie gave them!  Once again, ready to go and once again A MESS!Melt my heart!Precious!Her TRUE colors!  Can you tell she LOVES the camera?!Look at those eyelashes!  With a little mascara she looks like she has on fake eyelashes!The closer we got to time to go, the more nervous they got.  Lizzie more so than Millie and right before this we had a major meltdown so only a few shots of Lizzie.Can you tell she is wanting me to quit already?  She is still beautiful though!Dressed and ready for their first dance but VERY nervous

I wish this was clear because I LOVE IT!

My precious little girls!  Thank you Lord for allowing me to be their mother!

Finally time to get on stage.  Both were nervous but they danced and did not cry!They were so much more at ease once they got their first dances over with!

One of the hardest things about being away from family is them not being involved in our children’s activities.  It is an empty feeling when you go to something like this and everyone has grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc there to see them and your children are so excited and want to know who is coming to watch them.  Praise the Lord Melbie filled that spot on Saturday night.  We are so thankful for her place in our lives.  The little girl beside Millie is Melbie’s son’s girlfriend’s daughter.  She and her mom came with Melba.  The girls are not really sure how they feel about her!  She might be moving in on their Melbie!

DONE and headed to DQ!!!  Can you tell they are EXCITED!  Millie said this was her dance smile!