Cookies & Candy

We made our neighbor's some yummy goodies for Christmas. Japanese people love American sweets. So, we hooked them up and gave them an evangelistic CD.

LJ...once again

So, LJ's going to the bathroom and happens to miss the toilet (while sitting) squirting on the floor in front of him. After telling him, once again, that he needs to be careful, pay attention, and exactly how disgusting that is and that it's causing our bathroom to stink like urine. He jumps off the toilet and responds, "Mom, you're welcome for not wetting my clothes."

Hmmm...Thanks, Bud.

Funny things that Kids say

I often post on facebook funny things that my kids say. However, my parents don't do facebook and are often out of the loop, being told by others the stories I share. Well, I'm going to try to be better at using the blog for these kinds of things. So, this is for you Mom & Dad!

The other day, I was having a rough, REALLY rough Sunday morning. Kevin and I decided to let the kids sleep in. He went to church early, leaving me to get the kids ready for second service. Normally, it's no big deal, but this morning...wow, I was irritable and everything seemed to go wrong. For instance, Audrey wouldn't wear one of her 3 Christmas dresses, nope she wanted to wear a blue one...an Easter dress. No biggy, right....WRONG...it had me in tears. Then LJ and Josiah asked me for cereal, but didn't finish it....no big deal, right?.....WRONG! More tears were shed! And then...well, nothing really bad happened, but I was crying and LJ was telling me that it's funny to see grown ups cry and that I shouldn't be crying. I made sure to give him many reasons to why I was crying and let him know that if he wanted to say another word he could just go to his room....FOREVER! I was a grump!! Seriously, this isn't a normal occurence, but Satan was getting the victory this morning.

Anyways, while I was showering. LJ comes into the bathroom and asks, "Mom, Dad was an Army guy, right?" I quickly reply, "yes", not really wanting to say anything at all (I mean, can't I get a break while I'm in the shower?) Then he continues, "Then God let that guy shoot him so he could work at the church, right?"

I stop and think...that boy, just nailed down Kevin's testimony in 2 simple sentences. I don't think we have ever told him that exact phrasing, but after listening to Kevin share with others how the Lord has orchestrated us being here in Okinawa over the last couple of years, that is what LJ ended up with.

Plus, I never really thought about it like that...God let that man shoot Kevin. So, true!! Anyways, it's what I needed to hear at the moment. Kind of got me out my funk so I could get us all ready and to the car, where I had to apoligize for throwing a fit! Even a grown up shouldn't throw a fit!

I told Kevin that when people ask how we have been in Okinawa for so long he can just ask, "Do you want the long version or LJ's?"

December 22nd

It's the 22nd, and what's so important about this day? Well, 5 years ago, Audrey Ann came into this world. What an interesting day that was. Went in for a flip, hoping she would turn and ended up with a c-section. She was born healthy that afternoon. Can't say it was love at first sight and I couldn't believe she was our's...our very own kid...weird! But I guess you could say over time that she began to grow on us and it's been a lot of fun watching her grow throughout the last five years. I am thankful for our little girl!

The night before her birthday, Kevin and I decorated the house. She woke up in the middle of the night and wanted to know who put that stuff up. She wanted to make sure it was us and not some werido. Plus, after telling her happy birthday during our nightly bathroom run, she responded, "It's not my birthday, yet, its not morning time and I have to wake up."

Birthday gifts from family awaiting on the table.

Let's get to business first thing in the morning!
Looking on as she opens up.

Titus is more concerned with his morning milk cup.

Upon request: Pancakes for breakfast!

April reads to Josiah while we wait for the party to begin. Josiah LOVES books and LOVES people who will read to him.

The guests have arrived and we have already checked "playing tag" off our to-do list. Here we are eating lunch. Nuggets and fries.

The youth gals who came over to help paint toes (which I didn't get pictures of)

Next on the to-do list: Painting Pictures

I made each one of the girls an apron. They really liked them which made the hour and HOURS of sewing worth it!

Present time!

Cake time!

Josiah helped blow, thankfully, his spit landed in front of the cake on the table and not on the cake itself...ewwww!

Toes were painted, guests all left, and here she is checking out her new toys. She would pick up one, totally check it out, play with it for a little while and then move to the next one. She's going to have plenty to do before Jesus' Birthday arrives and she has a whole other slew of gifts.

Then we went caroling in the neighborhood around our church. We sang in both English and Japanese. We handed out goody bags and invited our neighbor's to tomorrow's Japanese Christmas Fellowship. Please be praying that the Lord will plant seeds in the lives of those who come!

Kevin belting it out!

Boys walking along!

The glow stick identifier. LJ makes himself a set of handcuffs.

It has been a great day. Now my mind is moving on to the next thing in the Christmas line up. We are having a great week and just enjoying everything as it comes. It's nice to not be stressed and just enjoy life. Tomorrow, Thursday = Japanese Christmas Fellowship and I hope to bake cookies for our neighbors. Friday = Cookie baking and Christmas Eve Service. Saturday = Birthday Celebration (complete with egg-chiladas) with family and then friends...yippee!!

May you all have a Merry Christmas!!

Movies and Legos

Peaked in on the kids and to my surprise, they were all sitting so close together watching a movie. The whole entire room and they practically sit on each other's laps.

The boys were extra creative with their Lego guns the other day.
They were having a blas putting them together and then improving them.

Complete with a magazine (the milk tank from the farm set)

just incase you didn't know...I love this man and his childish ways!!

Like Father Like Son

Titus was being super quiet the other day, so I went looking for him. There he was, imitating his dad. Crazy how similiar they looked with matching outfits. Too cute!

Band Recitals

At midweek service this week, we found ourselves praying for 3 of the youth kids who had a band recital the following day. So, we decided to crash the performance and check them out. They did a great job!! Then we got dinner through the drive thru and checked out Christmas lights. It was a fun night!

Here is Keilee, she plays the trumpet. She got to announce one of the songs they were doing.

Here is Josh, he had is own solo and did a great job!

Janoah is in this picture, he's a beginning clarinet player.
LJ killing the time by taking pictures of everything! He had about 80 pictures all worth deleting.

Josh's mom, Jenni, getting some love on Titus time.

me and my crew. They all ended in my lap. My stomach muscles are not strong enough to support all their leaning.

climbing the hill

They would work hard at climbing up and then they would slide down.