Simplicity

Mackenzie was sitting on my lap in a tiny 12 passenger plane.

I had a sunburn on my chest.

She leaned over, snuggled into my chest.

She was muttering something.

I said: "Sweetie, what ARE you doing?"

She said with the duh expression:

"I am singing to God in your heart!"

How can you say no to that?

March 2006

Corn Island Miskito Church

Mackenzie, My social butterfly.

She loves people, what a blessing.

March 2006

Luke's favorite activity

Driving!

He is such a boy!

Corn Island on our way to church.

March 26, 2006

Corn Island Pictures

Corn Island

We tagged along with Clint and his mother on vacation

and Jim and Loyd on business.

We went to Corn Island off the coast of Nicaragua.

It was quite a trip. Luke and Mackenzie did great.

Luke slept in a little tent in our hotel room.

It was like having his own little room with a built-in mosquito net!

They both loved the sand and the water.

I know some of the pictures look surreal. But believe me, I was really there.

We took two (tiny) planes to get there, Puerto Cabezas to Bluefields to Corn Island.

Well, that was fun but....

We took three (tiny) planes to get HOME, Corn Island, Bluefields, Managua, Puerto Cabezas.

Why not a direct route?

This is latin america, they don't know the meaning of direct anything.

It was a great trip.

You should come visit.

March 25th, 2006

Strike?!

Don't worry, it is over!
Once again we have had a total separation from the rest of the world by way of a strike.
On Tuesday March 14, Jeremy had to go into Managua for the day.
About mid afternoon, our faithful "guy" came in the office to say that a political party was not satisfied in the March 5th election and had "Taken Over" the ferry at the Wawa-boom river.
We kept Dan Titus and his daughter Megan here for a few days. (they were getting ready to leave to drive back to Rosita right then).
Jeremy came home from Managua that afternoon.
Wednesday morning we heard the great news that the airport was closed and the strikers had taken over the gates.
The strike did not affect us personally. It was just the transportation that leads to the real world that was closed. Prices for things, especially veggies, were increased greatly since NO buses, trucks or planes could get here.
Praise the Lord we sent the Titus' out. Someone drove them to the river, they paid a guy to ferry them and their backpacks across the river in a tiny dug-out canoe, a Pipante. And they caught a bus (who was stuck on that side) back to their home in Rosita. What an adventure!
Praise the Lord the strike ended this Monday morning. Before we had to change Allison's flight to another date.
Praise the Lord Jeremy made it back from Managua before he was stuck there for a week!!
Praise the Lord we were not afraid and had no need to be.
Praise the Lord we had all we needed and were not in want. God's hand is mighty.
Praise the Lord the Electricity was not affected.
Oh, yeah, the political party that took over.... was of the same party that is currently the Mayor of Puerto Cabezas. Like SHE was going to send her police after her OWN political party?!?!
Well, it is over now.
Praise the Lord.
What? TOO many adventures for one week? More fun later.
Please do email us if you get a chance.
March 20, 2006

The 6 hour turned 24 drive!

Well, Jeremy came back from his hike into Musuwas. The "guys" did the hike out in just 3 hours. It took the "regular people" 7 hours and it was rough!
Jeremy left the team in Rosita to fly out the next day. It was only 3 pm. Jeremy, Joquel and Allison (a short-term missionary) set out for the 6 hour drive back to Puerto Cabezas. The ferry closes at 9 pm so they were OK. After 2 flat tires, they were starting to think they would not make it to the ferry before it closed. But that would not be too bad, they had tents in with the gear from their hike!
After the fourth flat tire........they put on one more tube and crawled into the HALF WAY MARK. As they crawled in the tire blew, giving them the 5th flat. They had 5 flats and only traveled 3 hours of the 6!!!!
By this time, there was NO way they were going to make it to the ferry, and there were NO tire tubes in the town they were in.
Jeremy called me at 9:30 pm on the satellite phone and asked that 1 tire and 2 tubes be sent on the bus in their direction early the next morning. I called Rafa, my only hope, and set up the deal. Jeremy stopped EVERY bus that came there way asking if they had tires from us. They had No way of knowing which bus it would be on. Yes, they did have a spare with them. They just blew too many and totally messed up one tire.
And some of you wonder why we run with tubes in our truck tires?!?!
The bus had delays of its own and Jeremy finally creeped in to Puerto Cabezas at 3 pm THE DAY AFTER HE LEFT. His 6 hour drive just took him 24 hours!
Praise the Lord there was a decent hotel-like place for them to stay.
Praise the Lord that the blowouts where not worse.
Praise the Lord we could send him tires.
Praise the Lord they had just enough money with them to stay somewhere safe AND eat a little. Praise the Lord for the adventures of a lifetime!
But please consider not giving us SO MANY?!?!?
March 10 and 11, 2006

More Tooth!

Well, we finally have the official arrival of tooth number 5.

Top left second tooth.

It was one day of crying only.

Those top front two are getting HUGE and scary.

Luke "kisses" with his open mouth.

One day I know it will be more of a bite than a kiss.

I got so used to that gum grin with only the two bottom teeth.

It is sad to see them grow up sometimes.

Oh, but we thank GOD that they do grow up.

What an oxymoron.

We are close to the one-year mark and still nursing!

Who knew time could fly so fast.

March 17, 2006

FROGS!?

Today I opened the lid on my toilet to use it and

lo and behold guess what was swimming in the bowl?

Yes, a frog the size of my fist!

I closed the lid, got Mackenzie, showed her.

Ran to get some help.

The people here DO NOT touch frogs!!

Two of our guys came with sticks and a bucket.

They left saying: "let's go fry it!"

They were serious.

I am just glad it was not still in the pot!

More Life in the Jungle!

March 2006

Latest Developments! A Mom's View

Yesterday when Luke was knocked silly

by the front door, I was lovin’ on him

and Gran was checkin’ his head for boo-boo!

She said “are those teeth!!!???”
After further investigation, sure enough!

Luke has one top tooth,

just barely peeking through.
The second top front tooth is “right there” but not through yet.
AND there is a possible THIRD tooth

on the left side of the two front top teeth. But that is mostly speculation based on the redness.
He did make it to 11 MONTHS with only 2 teeth.

That’s gotta be a record.
We should expect MANY more this month.

(Mackenzie had 1 tooth before 8 months

and she got 6 more –in two weeks-

when she was 8 ½ months----so by 9 months

she had 7 teeth)

I know, I know, all kids are different!

But this shows just HOW different.

March 2006

Sick Baby Spreads the Germs

Luke has spread his jungle virus!

Mackenzie now has a fever.

Jeremy is out with a bunch of college boys,

Hiking through the jungle.

Please PRAY that Jeremy does not

get this virus while out hiking

in the middle of NO WHERE.

I guess the Momma is next!

Thank you for your prayers.

PS. Viola musn't get this

and she can't take it back

to the USA with her to her family!!!

March 6, 2006

Jeremy's hiking trip

PRAY!

Jeremy will be hiking into Musulwas Reserve this week.

Bryan College is taking 12 guys (younger than Jeremy!)

into the Sumo/Mayagna region of Nicaragua

to witness to never before visited villages.

They will cover 6 villages in 3 days and

the hike is a day long in and a day long out.

Please pray for Jeremy's knee;

he had surgery on it in college.

He is not a young as he used to be.

Praise the Lord Jim is not trying to do this trip.

He is way to old and broken for it!

Please pray for Summer and the kids as they

Jungle without Jeremy for the week.

Pray for the people who will hear the

Good News of Jesus Christ this week

for the very first time.

Thank you for your prayers.

March 2006

Luke is 11 Months Old!

Luke is 11 months today.

He only has those two bottom teeth; how cute.

Luke has had a temperature for the last 3 days.

We found out today it is some strange jungle virus that has been

going around in children.

The doctor says works itself out in 3-4 days.

Luke is feeling better today. Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord it is NOT dengue or malaria.

Pray for the rest of us,

that we don't get it next. Especially Mackenzie.

Mackenzie was very worried today when we

told her Luke was getting his blood tested.

She gets very sad when he cries or is sick.

They are so good together.

Except when Mackenzie bites Luke when he does

not want to eat the carrots she shoved in his mouth!

Thank you Lord for protecting us daily.

March 4, 2006