~Jesus helped us to have a nice 5th anniversary for our church.~

~Thank you for praying for our church's anniversary service/dinner last night.  Jesus gave us a wonderful evening.  Here's a few A TON of pics for you to enjoy.  Sorry for the over-load of pics...but I don't have time to post another post tomorrow for we have LOTS to do to get ready for our company on Monday, the classes starting on Tuesday, and Kimberly's party on Wednesday. =) 
~Each family in our church received an invitation like this to invite an unsaved family to join us for the evening.  There was a good crowd that came, and God really helped us and it was a precious evening.

~One little TIRED Elijah sleeping with his Curious George and his stick horse the night before.~

~Pastor Jimmy and Sis. Farly asked if I could make banana muffins for each person coming.  So, we baked 160 to take with us. ~

~Little Mary all clean and ready to get dressed up for the evening. (Sarah wrapped her hair in a towel for the first time.  =) ~

~The muffins all ready to take.~

~I just made mock coolwhip, and tinted it a light purple, and added a cherry on top for a pop of color.~

~Our whole house looked like a bakery, there were muffins every.where!!.~

~Kimberly made a cake to take too.  It says, "Happy Birthday, INC."  (Iglesia Nacion Cristiana/Christian Nacion Church.)  I thought she did a nice job. ~

~Jesus and I wrote a poem for the church's 5th anniversary.  Bro. Edgar did a great job designing/printing it for me.  Then Phillip and I "matted"/scrapbooked and framed it. =) ~

~I did Sarah's hair in a crown, then added some fresh flowers.~

~Our 5 all dressed up for the occasion.  The church rented a hall to have this service/dinner in.~

~The table with our little muffins and the cake.~

~Getting everything ready before everyone showed up.~

~Mary swinging from the counter in the kitchenette.~

~Elijah, Mary, and I snacking, for we hadn't had lunch.  Kimberly had made sandwiches for us to eat, but then in the rush, we completely forgot them at home. =(  So, Phillip ran and grabbed some snacks to tide us over. ~

~Sarah and Mary with their friends Laura, Alejandra, Gaby, and Sara.~

~Sis. Farly~

~Phillip leading the hymns.~

~Kimberly and I playing for the hymns.~

~Little Mary finally surrendered and took a MUCH-NEEDED nap.  (Kimberly had tried to put her to sleep earlier in the afternoon and she just wouldn't go to sleep.) ~

~Elijah, Sarah, and Noah singing "God has a plan for my life" which the Lord helped me translate into Spanish.~

 ~Our family fixin' to sing Bro. Glick's song, "Lord I give myself to Thee."~

~Sarah, Gaby, Adrian, and Noah singing a special.~

 ~"The kids section" =) ~

~Kimberly playing a special on her violin.~

~Bro. Armando and Bro. Edgar singing a special.~

~Phillip snapped this picture of me tying Elijah's shoe for him. =) ~

~Here I am reading my poem to Pastor Jimmy and Sis. Farly/and the people.  I told Phillip this morning that I would have rather him read the poem since it was in Spanish, but that knew that I can do all things through Christ (and with Phillip by my side).  =) ~

~Here I am presenting this to Pastor Jimmy and Sis. Farly.~

~Here is Bro. Jimmy looking at my poem, and I'm hugging Sis. Farly behind him.  She and I both had lots of tears that were threatening to fall.  They are such a precious couple and we love them dearly!~

~Bro. Jimmy speaking up front.~

~Phillip preaching.~

~Then a Peruvian/Colombian group came and sang neat Andean music.  It was not a concert, nor a show, but a neat evangelistic time.   They gave their testimonies about how God saved them, with tears running down their cheeks.  They were challenging us to serve God and reach out to others.    They did a good job.~

~The kids listening to them sing.  They had pretty harmony and did well playing their instruments.~

~Our family.  Both of our boys had out-grown their suits, (and Elijah doesn't fit any of Noah's suits yet) so we got them each a new suit, and the girls some new clothes too.  On the way to buy their suits Phillip told Noah and Elijah that they would LOOK like him...a preacher...with their new suits.  So, when Elijah was trying on his suit coat, he looked up at us all shy and embarrassed and asked, "How am I supposed to preach?"  =D We assured him that he didn't have to preach. =)
(We are Praying though...that one day God will call our boys to be preachers/workers for Him!) ~

~After the service we served a delicious "stuffed pig" called, "Lechona."  It is a special seasoned rice and lots of pork that's cooked in the pig skin.  It is BEYOND delicious!~

~Noah's little friend Nicolas, his Mother, and his Grandmother came to our service.  His Mother and grandmother have never come to church.  They seemed so happy with the service and all and Thanked us over and over for inviting them and caring about them.  (I can't believe I failed to get a picture with his mother and grandmother.)
We were SO HAPPY that they all 3 came. ~

~Everyone eating.~

~Such a special evening.~

~Bro. Jimmy and Phillip "cleaning out the dregs" of the Lechona pan.  =) ~