Father's Day Weekend

The weekend of Father's day we had some pretty fun things take place.  On Friday the International School hosted the first ever Father Daughter Dance in honor of Father's day.  Ev and several of her girl friends got to dress up and dance with their daddies and each other.  Then on Saturday our family and one of our foreign families that lives in our apartment complex went to see Finding Dory in the movie theater in our complex!  We had no idea that you could rent out the theater and watch with whom ever you want to.  We will definitely do that again. 

Later on Saturday Todd participated in a baseball game at his school.  It was the students against the foreigners.  It has been a long time since he was healthy and could play ball and I admit I was concerned he was going to do something to himself, but he pitched for 3 innings and he even hit a home run!  It was pretty fun for the kids to watch him in the game.  They even let our kids hit between innings.  Ev got out there in her new dress like she always did when she was little. :)  

Sunday we celebrated Todd with cinnamon rolls for breakfast and chili for lunch. On Sunday afternoon Todd and the kids have been playing a World Series between him and the kids.  He let them win (although they don't know it) and they were so excited to beat their dad.  

Psalm 91

One of our good friends here brought us back this print of Psalm 91.  This Psalm has been really meaningful to us over the last couple of years.  Our friend found this and thought it would be perfect to have up in our house.  

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High 

Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!"

For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper

and from the deadly pestilence. 

He will cover you with His pinions, 

and under His wings you may seek refuge;

His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.

You will not be afraid of the terror by night,

or of the arrow that flies by day;

or the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.

A thousand may fall at your side

And ten thousand at your right hand,

But it shall not approach you.

You will only look on with your eyes

And see the recompense of the wicked.

For you have made the Lord, my refuge,

Even the Most High, your dwelling place.

No evil will befall you,

Nor will any plague come near your tent.

For He will give His angels charge concerning you,

To guard you in all your ways. 

They will bear you up in their hands,

That you do not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and cobra,

The young lion and the serpent you will trample down. 

Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him;

I will set him securely on high,

because he has known My name.

He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will rescue him and honor him.

"With a long life I will satisfy him

 and let him see My salvation. "

Psalm 91

June

We've been trying to spend a lot of time outside.  Even though the weather is nicer and warmer it has taken our apartment a good two months to warm up.  So we would go outside where it was warm to warm up.  Ev and I would sit in this nice rocking chairs outside and read.  

Our boys decided they would go swimming with their friend in one of our water fountains.

The kids and Todd went out to do baseball drills. 

Todd took it upon himself to cut the shrubs and bushes that have overgrown since no one else will do it.  He got lots of compliments and thank yous from our neighbors.  

For art class one day we went outside and the kids picked something to watercolor.  Ev really liked this pink flower.

The boys enjoy dressing a like! 

Renaissance Fair

The International school in our city invited the Home school community to participate in a Renaissance Fair.  I made the boys knight helmets and shields and took Ev's colonial outfit and transformed it to go with the Renaissance time period.  The kids got to go into each classroom and make something or learn something new.  They made catapults, learned to juggle, threw darts, went through a maze, participated in other activites and enjoyed being with their friends.  

Spring Birthdays

Our boys have birthdays that are a couple weeks apart from each other.  So they are the same age for those two weeks.  At the end of April, Ian turned 7 years old.  He has been patiently waiting to lose a tooth and just a few days after he turned 7 he lost his first one!  Then this week his second one came out.  We were in another city on Ian's birthday so we celebrated with some good friends.  Ian's desire was to go to Burger King and Dairy Queen to get a burger and a blizzard and we made that happen.  We also spent the day with our good friends and their kids as we rented kid sized four wheelers and other kinds of cars for them to drive around.  

Elijah's birthday came the week after Mother's day.  We celebrated him with going to Burger King and Dairy Queen too but he also wanted mom's home made pizza for dinner.  

This last Saturday we had a joint birthday party for the boys.  We had a house full of 11 kids, 8 boys and 3 girls.  Even though it rained most of the day, the kids had fun inside.  I can't believe we now have a 7 yr old, 8 yr old and 9 yr old in our house.  

A Busy Season

We have had a very busy season lately.  At the end of April to the beginning of May we traveled to another city for a few days.  Eight days later I (Kelli) returned to that city to attend a home school conference.  The week between both travels was packed and after getting back from being gone for 4 days the week after was jam packed.  We've had lots of opportunities unlike we've had before. We wish to be faithful to the opportunities and favor He has been giving us.

Todd has been going out and worshiping and declaring truth in an area we feel really burdened over.  We want to flood this area but we believe intense pray and warfare have to take place.  Here is a picture of Todd doing that!


We were recently introduced to this song.  It has been really meaningful to us.


Psalm 126 All Those Who Are Weeping (Sojourn Music)

Our mouths they were filled, filled with laughter
Our tongues they were loosed, loosed with joy
Restore us, O Lord
Restore us, O Lord

Although we are weeping
Lord, help us keep sowing
The seeds of Your Kingdom
For the day You will reap them
Your sheaves we will carry
Lord, please do not tarry
All those who sow weeping will go out with songs of joy

The nations will say, "He has done great things!"
The nation will sing songs of joy
Restore us, O Lord
Restore us, O Lord

Although we are weeping
Lord, help us keep sowing
The seeds of Your Kingdom
For the day You will reap them
Your sheaves we will carry
Lord, please do not tarry
All those who sow weeping will go out with songs of joy

End of April

 We had a super long date.  Our friend watched our kids for 8 hours!!

 We went to another city for a meeting.  We got to hang out with some good friends who use to live where we do.

 After a long day of meetings all of the families would hang out and eat dinner together.  We went to a new mall that had a place where you could do Nerf guns and other fun stuff.  

 Eariler in April Todd and a friend of ours got to play some basketball with some high schoolers. 

 As we were leaving on the kids put on his Thunder jacket. 

While in the other city we got to go to an outdoor carnival type place.  

 We house sat a dog while we were there and the kids enjoyed taking her out and playing with her.

 We enjoyed a lot of Western food.