We have connection

...to the internet. We dug out a very old computer, found a keyboard and mouse and here we are. It's old but it functions.
On another happy note, I have only 48 hours till I hop on the ferry to meet James in Seattle. He has just 24 hours until he hops on an airplane and leaves Africa. Yes, he travels for 24 + hours including 6 hours in AMS...hopefully he can sleep while there.

Our computer is down and for how long is unknown. It doesn't look good and I don't want to spend money for a new one. We have a very old one for the kids we might try to hook up but that will be after James gets home.
THREE DAYS to go!!!!
Happy Saturday coming!

Spring

This week has been a week full of spring. Signs of spring everywhere. We have spent nearly everyday outside working on one thing or another on the farm, but today after Church while the kids played I took a walk. Well, first I cuddled with Joseph and fell asleep for a short little siesta and then went out and took a walk, enjoying the 50+ degree weather and sun. The kids were out all afternoon...from about 2pm-5pm...playing with their imaginations. I love it when they do that. We've had 50's all this past week and near 60 on a couple days. Which explains the signs of spring...in February.

This is just a random bush I came across with big huge leaf buds all over it.

On Saturday we washed sheets and took advantage of the brilliant sun and breeze. Oh, it was just lovely to climb into bed in sun dried sheets! I love how they feel and smell.

This is my flowering red currant. It is so lovely and in another month it will be covered in these red blooms and full of hummingbirds!

Oh, I love spring!

On another note... the homesick counter reads 5 days, 16 hours and 35 minutes!!!!
Words cannot begin to express what this means to me.
Thank you for your prayers of safety and health as he travels back to us.

Song for Daddy

Kelsey has been begging me all week to get this video up on my blog for daddy. I have tried. I cannot seem to find the embed codes or get them to work. So if you want to see the song you'll have to click here...from our hearts to yours, daddy.

Hangin' in there....

According to the "homesick counter" at this very second there are 12 days 6 hours 11 minutes and 22 seconds left until my dear husband arrives back in Western Washington. I cannot begin to express how much I miss this man! I feel that this time around is far harder than I remember his 3 weeks away last summer were. I don't know why. It could be that last time for the first week I had my sister here with her whole family and by the time she left we only had 2 weeks left.
I think the kids have handled it far better than they did last summer but I'm not so sure I have.
On Valentine's Day I found this post at Paradosis. What a beautiful gift. I listen to the song daily.
There is an old saying, the original sounds so much more beautiful....
"Always toward absent lovers love's tide stronger flows."
I find this to be profoundly true. And because of this I am thankful for this separation. We have a tendency to take things for granted way too much and the absence brings those things out loud and clear. I pray that I will walk away from this challenge a stronger more giving person, a more grateful and thankful person.
Thank you for your continued prayers through the last half of this challenge.

Happy Valentines Day, Daddy! We Miss You!

Unexpected Treat

Last night at about 8pm it started snowing. It had already been raining and then it turned to snow and it snowed probably for 3 hours. This was completely unexpected. The forecast said rain and wind, in fact a wind advisory. I expected the power to go out but not snow. The snow was blowing snow as well. It was fun to see it dancing this way and that way. I noticed before I headed to bed that I even had a little tiny snow drift on the side walk, and that the snow plastered to the side of the porch. Yes, the snow does blow in Western WA. It is still here this morning but I suspect not for long. Just long enough for the kids to run out and get wet, very wet.


My tiny drift of snow. :) Which are NOTHING compared to these! Now that's a drift!

This picture was lightened up just a little but the picture below the shuttle was kept open for about 5-10 seconds. I just thought it looked cool.

Quote

While I was folding laundry Joseph was pulling his boots on to go outside to play. He is heard saying this:

Joseph: Are these on the right feet, mom?
OUCH!!!
Ah, that would be no.


I never did get to say a word. I just laughed!

Off to Uganda

James packed his bag and another with work supplies and he is off to Uganda. He is currently here .
ADDENDUM: He is now in Amsterdam for a 3 hour layover. He'll be in Uganda Sunday morning, OUR TIME will be 9:50AM.

Kelsey Anna had a paper icon drive at Church and we received an overwhelming supply of paper icons. Yesterday we spent the day laminating 250 paper icons. James took with him all of them and a number of wooden icons as well. There is a great need, as we learned last August for them. The small mission parish he attended had a total of 6 icons in the whole Church. Since then he has also learned of a need in Tanzania as well. He hopes to some how get some of the icons there as well, hopefully through our friend Stacy who lives and teaches in Uganda.

Thank you for all your prayers!!! The challenge begins, here on the home front. But with grandma Faith here for 5 weeks we should do just fine! James has the rawer end of the deal as he's alone in a foreign country for 4 weeks.

Keep a watch on his blog as I'm sure he'll have lots to say ( as always) about his journey.