~Look Who...is Turning 2!~

It hardly seems possible that 2 years ago we welcomed into our world...our PRECIOUS Mary! 
I had fun taking these pics of her today.  When I was getting her dressed, I realized that her blouse had gotten a little small, but I didn't have time to go buy a different blouse...for this is the only day I have TIME to take her pictures.
You see...we are planning on having a big birthday supper for our Mary tomorrow and this Mommy has LOTS to do before then. =)
When I was back in the USA for my Grandmother's 90th birthday party, Jesus helped me find this adorable Like-New dress for Mary at a thrift store for only $5.00!  I squealed with delight.  =)
~And NOW...here's our little Mary.~

~I wish I could tell you how much JOY, giggles, laughter, hugs and kisses this little bundle of LOVE has brought into our home.  Jesus knew we NEEDED our Surprise Mary Grace!  =)  ~

~Mary is always ready to give hugs, and believe me we ask for our share.  She gets hugs ALL. THE. TIME. =) ~

~It is our prayer that little Mary serves Jesus with all of her heart.~

~Happy Birthday, Little Mary, WE LOVE YOU TONS!!!~

(((HUGS))),
Mommy
 

~Have you ever heard of a Thanksgiving Tree?~

One morning shortly after Phillip had left for his trip to the USA...we were all feeling lonely.  To top it off, Kimberly woke up with the stomach flu.  So, I told Sarah and Noah that they could have the day off of school (but we made it up for it later, for we got LOTS of schoolwork done in the 8 days Daddy was gone...to surprise him. =)
Sarah got to thinking out loud and asked, "Mommy, could we please decorate for Christmas and surprise Daddy when he gets home?" 
(You see due to missionary deputation in 2009, a surprise baby Mary in 2010, and working in Argentina in 2011, we haven't been able to use our Christmas decor in For. evah! =)

But, I explained to her that Daddy would be sad if we decorated for Christmas before Thanksgiving.  However, not knowing IF we'd ever get to use this tree again, (due to Jesus calling us to move to Argentina soon)...I got to thinking and then Sarah and I both said at the same time,....
"But we could have a Thanksgiving tree!"
So, that's exactly what we have in our living room downstairs.  We used everything Fallish that we could think of to use that we had on hands.  We didn't have to purchase anything to decorate our fall tree. =)
~Our Fall "Thanksgiving Tree." ~

 

~It's so FUN to sit by the lights of the tree and enjoy something hot to drink, because it's chilly outside here year around.~

 ~Our tree is complete with a big bow made out of fall ribbon for the topper, ...~

 

 ~And I matted the word "FALL" that I wrote in fancy letters, clipped one of the leaves to it, and put it near the top of the tree.~

 

 ~I matted some pics of us and hot glued some fall ribbon on them to hang them on our tree.  So, maybe we could call this a "family tree" too.  =) ~

~Bundles of cinnamon tied in ribbons, fall leaf picks, Christmas balls in fall colors, a dark redish wooden bead garland...~

~Pics of us...and...~

~3 different types of Glittery fall leaves with clips behind them.  I found these our 2nd fall here on clearance, and I love them.  They add such a fun fall touch to our tree.  =) ~

~And instead of gifts below the tree, it's just simple burlap type material, and a basket with some fall magazines in it.  As you will notice the Better Homes and Gardens magazine is quite DOG-EARED!!!
As far as I know it's the LAST fall BHG magazine I have received and it's from 2009!!!!
PLEASE HELP ME PRAY THAT SOMEONE WILL QUIT STEALING THEM (or whatever is happening to them), so I can get at least one or two new FALL ones before we leave Colombia.
My heart THANKS YOU!~

~Phillip loves our Thanksgiving tree too...and it makes me smile every. time. I. come. downstairs. =)  ~

~HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!~
 

~Jesus brought my sweetheart back to me!!~

~Most of you probably know that Jesus worked it out for my Phillip to get to go to the USA for our Church's ministerial. God gave them a WONDERFUL ministerial filled with His sweet presence.   Phillip also worked on and finished our paperwork that we need...to get our Colombian residencies.  Now we can start that process here.
The Lord gave Phillip a very profitable time, encouragement to his soul, and wonderful fellowship with our DEAR family and DEAR church people!
But, there were 6 people in Colombia COUNTING THE MINUTES until we could have our husband/Daddy back with us.   He got back late Thursday night.  (Phillip had just gotten out of the taxi. Please excuse the blurry pics.)
We thought it was sweet/SAD that our neighbor boy Nicolas couldn't wait to see Phillip either.  You see he lives with his Mom and has no Dad in his life, so he looks to Phillip as Daddy.  ~

~2 HAPPY people...there's nothing like being together again. =) ~

~We served him/us a snack of tortilla pinwheels (Which Sarah arranged to make a "flower," and a fresh Berry cobbler as we listened to his stories from his USA trip.~

~Most of the time when someone comes to Colombia we look forward to getting the goodies that they brought for our family.  But, since we are fixin' to sell nearly everything to move to Argentina (we will still being working in Colombia for YEARS to come, just not living here) we had prepared our hearts...knowing that this time there wouldn't be many surprises for us.
But, our WONDERFUL FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND CHURCH PEOPLE surprised us with sending us some small goodies, that THRILLED our hearts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's always dangerous to try to start naming gifts, for fear of leaving something out, but I'll give it my best.
 ~The Pumpkin Reese's, FUN Bath and Body works FALL hand soap, the books for the kids, fun hand sanitizers, the glowing duck for Mary's bath time from the Ryans,
~the fun clothes, and Reese's from GG and Gramp and Gram,
~the bag of Candy corn from Sis. Carol Clapper,
~the birthday cards, and nice CDs that Mom D. mailed to Phillip,
~the fun muffin scoops and Skyline packets, the soap and cream, and the 2 new Holiness Music CDs from Pastor and Grammy (including one Christmas CD...we LOVE Christmas music.  It really helps our hearts not miss home/USA soooooo badly),
~A new holiness music CD, Books/chorus books to share with our church from Stephanie and the Smiths,
~A Holiness Theology book to share with our people from the Flings,
~Hand-written notes/pictures, spices, gum, sprinkles, New York Mint patties, a CUTE blouse for me, Fun hand sanitizers, and another TREAT (pictured below) from the Hausmans!
~A gift of Cash was given to buy something special for me.  How FUN!! =)
Etc., Etc.
WE LOVE EVERYTHING!
WE LOVE...BEING SO LOVED!  =)
A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR ALL YOU SENT!!!  CONSIDER YOURSELVES HUGGED!   ~

~Laura even included some of my brother Lincoln's HOMEMADE APPLE BUTTER!!!!!!!!  He and his youth group make this every year.  They cook it over a fire, all night long.
Oh, we ENJOYED some on my homemade biscuits for breakfast that next morning. SO YUMMO! Thanks, Lincoln, and Laura.~

~Dear Sis. Kemp slipped in 3 ADORABLE FALL leaf candle holders for me with some YUMMY smelling cinnamon tea lites.~

~They add such a fun touch to my table and go well with my "Toilet paper" pumpkin centerpiece.  I made the pumpkin out of cream and brown floral material with a tad of brown material rolled up for the stem.  =)  Thanks bunches, Kemp! I love them.~

~Gram and GG sent us some Candy corns and  Dark, Milk, and white choc. Reese's.~

~Sarah quickly made Daddy a Welcome home sign and barely got it in the window before he arrived.
We took this picture the next day of Sarah (wearing a new fun sweater from Gramp and Gram), Daddy, and Elijah (who was still in his night shirt, but wanted to jump into the picture. =)~

~I love the airplane going through the cloud that Sarah drew in the "W" of Welcome. =) ~

~We were so HAPPY that 3 of our sweet friends felt on their hearts to send clothing to little Joanna.  (Lil' Joanna is from Paraiso.  Her mother has a drug problem and cannot care for her right now, so Jimmy and Farly are taking care of her for right now.  When she arrived she hardly had any clothes.)  Please pray for Joanna and her family!
All that you see on our bed is for her!  Thank the Lord Phillip had room to bring it all back.~

~Thanks TONS Janie, Dee, and Steff, for EVERYTHING you sent!  Joanna and Pastor Jimmy and Sis. Farly are THRILLED with all the fun play clothes, nice dressy dresses, nice jackets and coats, shoes, tights, etc.! ~

~Little Joanna is SO HAPPY.  She and Sarah dug through all the bags and had so much FUN seeing all the fun clothes that Jesus and our friends provided for her.  I'm sure she felt like it was TRULY Christmas in September!~

~I got some fun cheap Sunflowers to add a touch of sunshine and fall to our room.~

~I put them on Phillip's side of the bed, as sort of another "welcome home." 
Thank you to each one of you who were so kind to Phillip while he was in the US.  He said that he had a BLAST...although he felt like he was only HALF there without us.  =)
And Thank you for your kindnesses to us too.
AND A BIG Thank you to Jesus, for bringing my man safely back to us.~

~Some of Nataly's Quinceañera scrapbook pages~

Thank you for each one of your nice comments on my last post!
~Quite a few weeks ago I posted pics of a ladies night with Sis. Farly, Nataly, Kimberly, Sarah, Gaby, and I scrapbooking the pics from Nataly's Quinceañera.  I told you then that I'd post some of her pages.  I really wanted to get her pictures scrapbooked for her before we left Colombia.  Jesus really gave us 2 wonderful evenings together scrapbooking, eating, and laughing.  One we scrapbooked all the pictures, and the second evening we came back and added stickers, writing, etc. ~
~Gaby had to build a tower that is in China out of DRINKING STRAWS for her homework.  I thought that maybe she was studying about that part of China or something, but come to find out it was just BUSY work.  Help!  So, while we were finishing the scrapbook, Pastor Jimmy, his Dad, and Phillip helped Gaby do her homework and it turned out great.  Her teacher was very impressed and she got the best grade she could get.  =) ~

~Here are the fun Scrapbooking pages of Nataly'sQuinceañera.~

~I thought that the pages turned out great, especially since some of them had never scrapbooked before. 

~Jesus really helped us and we scrapbooked all of these pictures (and more) in just one evening.~

~Nataly and her family are really happy with her album.~

~This was also our 17th anniversary, and Sis. Farly served us yummy food, pizza, drinks, etc.~

~We always have a BLAST when we are with them.~

~Phillip ran and got us a cake so we could all have a small piece to help us celebrate.~