~Boy or Girl?~

~There's a market here that sells tons of things and also has a place to eat lunch. Years ago when we were new to Colombia we visited this market and ate lunch at this lady's restaurant. We decided to go back there the other day and we ate at her restaurant again. She was delighted to see us again. It's been 2 years since we have been to that market. It was a fun day.~
God saw fit to surprise us with this precious 5th baby. We have no clue whether it will be a boy or girl. Since we have 2 of each (2 boys and 2 girls), we will be excited with whatever God wants to send us.
Noah wants another brother. When Noah saw the first ultrasound picture that we got of this baby...He was excited! He looked at it and said, "See, it's a BOY, for it doesn't have long hair!" (He assumed that if it was a girl, she would be born with long hair.) Smile!
Our girls really would love to have another baby sister. Little girls are fun to dress. (So are boys, but the stores seem to sell a greater selection of cute outfits for girls than boys.)
Elijah is too young to have an opinion. He just loves to kiss the baby bump. =)
I'm carrying this baby the same way I have the other 4. I have a little "basketball" right out in front. So, I have no clue if I'm carrying a boy or girl! I'm feeling baby move with little precious movements, which is exciting! =)
WHAT DO YOU THINK WE ARE EXPECTING? Boy or Girl? I'd love to hear your opinion. We hope to find out what our baby is... one of these months when we get our next ultrasound. (Susanna, I can't believe that you are changing your mind on me!! We'll have to wait and see what I'm carrying! smile!)

~To write or not to write?~

After I posted my last post about not getting to see IHC, I realized that y'all would think that I didn't know about the services from IHC being archived. I do know that they are available, and that is great. But our internet is so SLOW that I tried 8 hours to upload the last service so we could see it, and it never would come up. After 6 hours it was only 59% uploaded. =( So, thus we were VERY THANKFUL to our friend Felipe who copied all of the videos of all of the IHC services and gave us a DVD on Sunday morning. So, Sunday afternoon/evening we were DELIGHTED to finally get to see all we had missed! Praise God for His wonderful presence during IHC!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The other day Noah came into the kitchen and told me that Elijah had just written on the wall with a blue crayon. After being told that that was a NO-NO I took a this picture and...
and this picture (I told him to smile and say cheese, and this is what he did.)
And then he helped me...
scrub the wall. This was NOT a punishment to him...he LOVES water, and rather ENJOYED getting to help me. =) He's goofy and precious!
He's not feeling the best right now and has a cold and a fever. Please pray that this doesn't go into ear infections like he battled at Christmas. He's a VERY active baby boy which sometimes wears this pregnant tired Mommy out...but when he's just laying around sick saying, "Mommy, night-night" all of the time, I miss my active little baby. =) We are giving him the same medicine that helped him get over the infections and cold, so with God's help we are hoping he'll be well soon.

~God's Clock keeps perfect time.~

Wasn't that a good IHC? Our internet connection wasn't strong enough for us to SEE the Wednesday and Thursday services, but we were able to hear them. Lord willing, Felipe from our church here is going to record the services on a DVD so we can SEE the services. When we get the DVD...We are LOOKING FORWARD to seeing the last 2 services, for we went to our own church on Thursday night and didn't get to hear those.
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On Easter Sunday afternoon Phillip felt on his heart to do a bunch of calling on people here in Colombia. He called on one house and when the lady opened the door Phillip greeted her and asked her how she was doing. She said just fine...and then burst into tears. She told him that just 2 hours or so before he had arrived, she had decided to take her own life. She was lying in bed with a bottle of pills and was going to take them to end it all. She is the mother of 5 children some of whom are still small and were just outside playing. PRAISE THE LORD, she realized that this was wrong, God sent someone to knock on the door at that moment and she decided against it. She told Phillip that GOD HAD SENT HIM to her!! Phillip prayed with her and for her. She had been living with a man that must be dealing with other powers, for she was seeing and hearing strange things that were scaring her. She asked that man to leave, but told Phillip to please pray that she would be strong if he came back to ask her to live there again. (They have lived together for 17 years!!)
She was in church with 2 of her children a couple Sunday mornings ago and happy to be there. I didn't have our camera so I didn't get a picture of her. But, her name is Christina. If you think of her, please pray for her and her children. Thank you! This world is full of hurting people...may we be HIS HAND extended to them! We are the only "jesus" some people will ever see.

~IHC...all the way here in Colombia=)~

Today is the first day of IHC. I have no memory of the first year that our family went to IHC, but I was somewhere between the ages of 1 and 3. And from then on my family went every year we could. I think we only missed 2 or 3 years. When I was younger I would rather go to IHC than to have Christmas!!! Then after Phillip and I got married we attended IHC, getting to sing in the God's Bible School choir some of those years. The year of 1999 is when God called Phillip to pastor a church in Phoenix, AZ. Due to the distance and money, we didn't get to go to IHC some of those next 5 years, but LOVED it when we did get to go. 2005-2006 found us in Costa Rica studying Spanish, so again we were SADDENED to get to miss our beloved IHC. Now, we have been here in Colombia for 3 IHCs...but there's a HUGE blessing now...in that they live stream the services! YEA! What a JOY to still get to be a part of something that has been SO MUCH A PART OF ME...all the way over here in Colombia!!! God is Answering prayer and our computer which normally gets hot and shuts off every few minutes, has stayed on and we got to watch the first 2 services of IHC. YEA! PRAISE THE LORD!! (And Thank you to Felipe from our church here who spent parts of 2 of his days working on our computer!! Gracias Hermano!!) This week Phillip is visiting our other 2 churches in Colombia. So, please pray for him while he is gone. We are GLAD that God is helping us to be able to see IHC, for it would surely be a lonely week without our Daddy and no IHC services to see. God is awesome for answering our prayers!! Those of you who are close enough to attend IHC, enjoy it! We are praying for a great out-pouring of God's presence in these 3 days! Well, I must run, for IHC service is fixin' to start again and I don't want to miss a single minute! We are ENJOYING getting to see and hear these services! Thank you for praying for our internet and computer...God is helping!! =)

~9 Guests and a recipe~

~Today Bro. Jimmy and Sis. Farly, their girls, Bro. Jimmy's parents, and his sister Judy and her family came over for Sunday dinner. This was my first time since I've been expecting to have so many guests over, but the Lord gave me strength to get it all done and go to church too. =) I decided to go with a simple menu. I made a yummy soup called "Taco Soup", a big salad, and served my whole wheat bread.~While my bread was cooling on the table...it was eye level and within reach of our littlest boy. I told Elijah NOT to touch my bread...and then I went into my kitchen and was working and I looked out to see this...
He was REALLY wanting some bread...But...he was a good boy and didn't touch it. =)
~For our dessert I made a carrot cake with yummy homemade Cream cheese frosting. Kimberly and I dyed a part of the icing orange, and another part green and made "carrots" on top of our cake.

~We really enjoyed having everyone here and they seemed to enjoy their time too. We had some good discussions and a nice time visiting together.~
~Jimmy's Mother and brother-in-law helped wash up all of the dishes. What a HUGE help to me. =) Here is Jimmy's Sister and Mother helping me in my kitchen.~
~Kimberly and Lady visiting in Kimberly and Sarah's room.~
~Sarah, Gaby and Noah smiling for the camera. I didn't get a picture of Elijah nor of little David (Jimmy's nephew) for they were taking naps.~
Here is the recipe for that yummy Taco soup that I served today! Sarah Rundell Robberts gave me this recipe. Enjoy!
~Taco Soup~
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained.
2 cans corn, undrained.
2 cans of beans (about 3 cups) undrained.
16 oz. salsa
1 qt. tomato juice
1/4 cup taco seasoning.
Mix all ingredients and heat thoroughly.
Serve with grated cheese, taco chips and sour cream.
It's fast, easy and yummy!

~Want a Reeses candy bar?~

~Thank you for praying for me, I'm feeling better. And for praying for our internet so we can watch IHC...GOD IS ABLE!!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Normally if someone asked me the question in my title, I'd be quick to say "YES" for I Love Reeses candy bars. I don't get them very often, so when I do, they are a treat. They are my favorite! But...there were a few here recently that I DID NOT want to eat! When we came back from the USA in January I brought some treasured Reeses candy bars back with us. Our kids had gone together and purchased things to give us for Christmas this year, and those candy bars were from them. Smile! I hid those in my bottom drawer...saving them for special times when I was wanting some chocolate. (We rarely can find Reeses here in Colombia.) But, then I've been so nauseated with my pregnancy that they haven't sounded good. Phillip found my hidden stash of candy the other day and asked me about it. I told him that he was welcome to have some of my Reeses candy. =) A few minutes later he told me that he had tried one and it tasted NASTY!!! He asked me, "Did you know that there was some incense in that drawer?" I said, "OH, NO!! I must have sent the kids to put it in that drawer forgetting that my TREASURED chocolate was in there too!" UGH! So, needless to say, we had to throw away all of those NORMALLY yummy candy bars for they now tasted like CINNAMON incense. YUCK!!! Later on, I was sad thinking of having to throw those away...when a little life lesson occurred to me. We as Christians are supposed to be sweet and Christ-like and influence those around us. The world is wanting to see Jesus in us. When they "get a taste of us" are we the sweet tasting Christians we should be, or do we turn them off with some disgusting taste? How about those that are the closest to us? Our dear family and friends. Sometimes people treat perfect strangers better than they do their own beloved family. May those around us be able to "taste" the love of Jesus in us! =) Now, since I don't have anymore Reeses, I think I'll have one of my no-bake cookies...those are close to a Reeses taste. =D

~Prayer request, Company, and Flowers~

SPECIAL REQUEST!! We are having computer and internet trouble. With next week being IHC, I am PRAYING that God will help us to be able to hear/see all of the services. However, with the trouble we have been having...it will take a MIRACLE! I have always LOVED IHC and since we cannot be there, watching services on line really helps our hearts! Please help us pray that we will be able to watch IHC. Thank you!!
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~I went to church on Sunday and the Lord gave us a good service. Bro. Jimmy preached a wonderful needed sermon. After church we invited Felipe and Paula home for Sunday dinner!~~We bought this cute hat for Kimberly. When we bought it, I told her that her Mommy will probably want to wear it some too. =D~
~This week my friend Marisol wanted to go to a neat flower market that we went to a year and a half ago. So Phillip kept our boys, and the girls and I met Marisol about 8:00 AM and went to that HUGE flower market. You can't tell much about it in this picture, but there are Thousands of flowers for sell and for GREAT prices. We got there around 8:30 or 9:00 in the morning. In Colombian we can normally buy flowers for CHEAP...but since the sellers had been there since 5:00 AM they were ready to wrap up and gave us BEYOND CHEAP prices.~
~I got 3 packs of Cali Lilies (the white flowers) probably about 21 flowers or more, for just $2.50! I used those in my wedding bouquet and my Moma told me that when we got married, Cali Lilies cost $25.00 a Flower!!! WOW! I gave Marisol one pack of these flowers that I bought.~
~Marisol bought me these beautiful yellow roses.~
~We thought that these flowers were beautiful. They don't look real. I love them in the vase that Juan Martin made for me out of bamboo.~
~Kimberly bought me these gorgeous choral-colored flowers for an early Mother's Day gift. She got them for 50 cents a pack!~
~I got these peach roses...14 roses for 50 cents! Needless to say, with such good prices we have lots of beautiful flower arrangements in our home right now. =)~
~We think that these white flowers are Narcissus. They have a beautiful smell. In the middle are 2 miniature pineapples. After buying flowers, then we pulled our cart into the HUGE market there and bought some fresh fruit and veggies and then we ate a cheap but yummy breakfast with Marisol before saying our goodbyes.~
After getting home and making all of my flower arrangements, I took a nap. I had planned to get up and get lots done. Little did I know that when I got up I'd be hit with either a reaction to something I ate, or a virus. UGH! I had a horrible long night last night. I'm trusting Jesus to help me get better soon.

~The Hausmans' last day with us.~

~While Daryl and Natasha were here, the guys were so busy with their classes at church, that they didn't have time to do much sight seeing. So, on the Hausmans' last day with us, we wanted to take them to a neat mountain where you ride a train up the mountain and have a nice view of the city of Bogota. I did not want to lay in bed while my family went out, so Phillip and I decided that I could go, if I didn't do a lot of walking. When we got to the bottom of the mountain, they found out that they could go inside and see Simon Bolivar's house for free until 11:00 AM (normally it's pretty costy). Simon Bolivar was some important political guy here in Bogota. So, I sat at the bottom of the mountainl and waited for them for about 30 mins. or so, for there was A LOT of walking to get down to his house and back up the hill. Then, we got into the train to go up the mountain. Here is Elijah holding on to the bar in the train that we rode up the mountain.~ ~Uncle Daryl and Elijah.~
~Kimberly, Sarah, Noah, and Natasha in the train.~
~It was a STEEP ride up the mountain. Here we had just left the station!~
~Elijah loved holding onto this bar....~
~And then dropping into Uncle Daryl's arms.~
~Another train that just passed us going down as we were going up...thank the Lord for the extra track. =)~
~A neat tunnel that we went through. I say neat...normally I would have loved the tunnel. However, when I'm pregnant I get very claustrophobic!!! I nearly had a panic attack coming back down the mountain, knowing that we would have to be in that tunnel for quite a long time. I had to sit down, close my eyes and PRAY HARD, and God helped me!!~
~Coming out of the tunnel heading up the mountain.~
~I snapped this fun picture of everyone.~
~Phillip and I decided that when there were long distances for me to climb or walk...that I would get into Elijah's stroller and ride! (I haven't seen any wheel chairs for rent here!) So, I did! I tried not to look people in the eyes, but when I did, I would just laugh. At least I was getting to be out with my family and not on my couch. =D~
~Natasha, Daryl and Elijah with some of the Andes Mountains behind them.~
~A neat shot of Bogota that Kimberly took.~
~What I did a lot that day. I sat and waited when there were steps to climb or long distances to walk. I would just sit and wait and let them go and see the sights, since I have seen them before. The Lord gave us a BEAUTIFUL day and a lot of us got BURNT by the hot sun. We're still peeling, 10 days later. =)~
~Looking over the wall to the city of Bogota.~
~Noah, Elijah, and Sarah with a Llama.~
~Then, Uncle Daryl surprised our kids and took them to McDonalds. ~
Thank you, Daryl, we had a yummy lunch and a fun time with y'all! (Sarah moved the camera when she took this picture...so it's a little blurry.)~
~Then we took the Hausmans to a market to get some souvenirs and then back home for them to pack and run out the door to fly home to Ohio. I was sooo tired, I felt sorry for them having to get on a plane and travel all night. Here are Natasha, Kimberly and I looking like lobsters.~
~Saying those goodbyes as they left for the airport! We purposely did NOT let Elijah see them leaving, or he would have cried for a long time! Thank you again, Daryl and Natasha for allll you did for our family and the churches here in Colombia. We loved having y'all here! May God richly BLESS you both!!~

~Baby Report and Easter Sunday pics~

Well, I went to the doctor today and baby is fine! He/she was moving around, and I got to see the heart beating, just precious. Babies are such miracles from God! PRAISE GOD...my placenta is completely healed. Praise the Lord and Thank you for your prayers for baby and I!!! I do have a partial placenta previa (which basically means that my placenta is lower than it should be). Right now, this isn't much of a problem, but we hope and pray that this will move...for nearer the end of my pregnancy it can cause serious complications. God is able!!
~I had Phillip snap a picture of baby and I on Resurrection Sunday, so you could see my baby bump. =D~
~On Saturday night the kids and I were making "Backs of Bunnies" rolls and "Resurrection cinnamon rolls" for Sunday. Phillip, Kimberly, and I sang "I know who Holds Tomorrow" at church on Sunday, and then went into "Because He Lives". I had asked Sarah to get a picture of us singing, but she forgot. She was trying to watch Elijah, but looked up just in time to see him WALKING UP TO THE PLATFORM TO P, KIMB. AND I AS WE WERE SINGING... CARRYING MY BAG OF CRACKERS OUT OF MY PURSE SO WE COULD HELP HIM OPEN IT. HELP! =) No wonder she forgot to take a picture. HA!~
~Here's a close up the "Backs of Bunnies" rolls we made for our Sunday dinner! This is before they are baked.~
~And after they were baked.~
~We had a wonderful Resurrection Sunday. We had a good service and God helped Phillip as he preached. God's presence was very close. Praise God that Jesus is ALIVE!!! For our Easter Dessert we made "Reeces Cupcakes." We used choc. cake, and then frosted them with yummy homemade Peanut butter icing. ~
~Then to make them look Springy we colored coconut green and made little "nests" with a couple jelly beans on each cupcake. They were delicious.~
~This is the kids waiting to see their Easter baskets. Easter isn't all about gifts and new clothes, but we rejoice in this day and celebrate because Jesus AROSE from the grave!~
~Their first glimpse of their goodies.~
~My dear sister, Laura and her family sent us some yummy Easter candy with Daryl and Natasha. Thank you, Hausmans!! Since some of our kids don't have the strongest teeth, we didn't want to give them tons of candy. So, we bought a little more candy to go with what the Hausmans had sent, and then bought each of our children a gift. Sarah loves ball caps. We were glad to find this cute feminine pink and lime green pocka dotted one for her. She takes after her Grammy Eisenhart. =D We got Kimberly a nice black purse. Elijah got a duck for his bath time and a ball. And you'll see a picture of Noah with his gift below. I put some candy in the cup and bowl for my sweetheart Phillip too! =)~
~Here's our "Resurrection Cinnamon rolls" after the large marshmallow melted away leaving "An Empty Tomb!!!"~
~Here's a picture of the kids after half the day was gone. Elijah was one tired little boy. His new outfit (given to me at one of his baby showers) was black, his new shoes scraped...he's allllll boy! =)~
~Noah was thrilled with his hard hat full of tools, screws, etc.~
~"Mr. Noah the builder" hard at work. =)~
You Ask me How I know HE LIVES...HE LIVES within my Heart!

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