Some great days!

Luke's great smile!

He loves driving the golf cart.

Mackenzie, what is that?

Look Ma', I got a Piggy!

Great picture of Granny Viola
Granny reads a story to the babies.

Luke enjoys making this difficult.

May 2006

Sidney E. Murray 1912-2006

My Granddad died at 2:30 pm on Friday May 26, 2006.
His wife, my Grandma, did not go to her follow-up appointment

with the Cancer doctor. She stayed with my Granddad.
The funeral is this Tuesday in Comanche, Oklahoma.
I don’t know more than that.
I am stuck here in the jungle.
Thank you for your prayers.
My Grandma has many decisions ahead of her.
Ruby just turned 90 and Sidney was 93.
They were married 72 years. (Yes, to each other!)
I counted 82 members in their family.

Great-Great-GrandParents.

5 Generations.
Summer Palmer
Memoral Day Weekend

May 2006

Prayer Request

My Grandfather (my mother’s father) is dying. His kidney’s shut down last Thursday and he is not expected to live beyond the week. He has been “dying” any minute for the last 7 years after a serious heart attack. Praise God for the 7 years He gave us. He is 94 or so years old.

ALSO, my Grandmother (my mother’s mother) (yes, the wife of the dying grandfather!) HAS BREAST CANCER AGAIN! She had breast cancer at 72 years old and is now 90. (my mother had breast cancer at 34 and 42)

I don’t know what this means for my Grandmother. I am guessing surgery. But I don’t think she can handle chemo or radiation at 90 years old.
There are 5 daughters (my mom and sisters) but so many decisions. I know there is nothing I can do but pray but…..It would help to be near. Living so far away is difficult. My heart aches for them.

My mother is Jane Gilbert and her parents are Sidney and Ruby Murray for you to add to your prayer lists. There is about 65 or 70 people in their family by now. Great, Great Grand children I think, maybe even one more great! (my cousins have grandchildren)

I would appreciate your prayers as this unfolds before us.
May 22, 2006

God Provides!

I had a wonderful opportunity to attend a women's retreat

for International Christian Fellowship in Managua.

It was a last minute thing so I packed in 30 minutes and

was on the plane that afternoon.

I had a wonderful, well needed retreat.

I left both babies with Jeremy

who was MORE than happy to have me back!

That is why God created mommies,

Daddies just can't do it the same!

God Provided the much needed fellowship of

Christian women in His service.

The isolation of the jungle is a tough job.

Thank you God

Oh, yeah, and on my birthday too!

May 2006

I am old!

Happy Birthday to me!

My sister-in-law said it best:

(she is 20 days older than me!)

"I guess I'll just have to get used to being 29

since I will be this age for many years to come."

May 21, 2006

Doctor Corey Gilbert

Family Psychology

Mother's Day

Alex's baby dedication

May 2006

Doctor Corey Gilbert!

I am proud to pass on the great information that my brother,

Corey Gilbert, passed his dissertation defending

thing last friday morning!

Corey will soon be PhD. in Marriage and Family Therapy.

He has also just accepted a position at Toccoa Falls College

in Georgia and will be relocating his family this summer.

It has been quite a journey.

Praise be to the Lord Most High.

All things are possible in Jesus Christ our Lord.

May 2006

Jeremy felt left out?!

Jim has sunken more than one boat!

Viola has fallen out of boats!

Clint has sunken a boat!

Jeremy was feeling left out.

So, Yesterday, He boarded a tiny dug-out canoe,

Pushed off shore, and his tiny 200-some-odd pound frame.....

Sunk the boat.

Jeremy now feels like "a real missionary".

Boy, I don't want that status!

May 2006

Honorary Missionaries

We had a Road Crew that wanted to be "real" missionaries.

So they got honorary status

by getting 6 flat tires

in what should have been a 1 1/2 hour drive!

After a few hours, we sent reinforcements out to get them.

What a long day!

You know who you are,

Great Job Guys,

and Girl! :)

April 2006

Luke Splashin' Around

April 2006

Easter in the Jungle

Mackenzie's old-fashioned easter egg dye

Jim/Grampa baptizing

Baptism in the ocean

Easter morning April 2006

Easter, the Lord's Supper

Luke's one year check up!

Luke is in the 75th percentile for height (he is tall).

Luke is in the 35th percentile for weight (he is skinny).

Luke's head is lower than the bottom line (his head is super tiny).

The doctor is accustomed to seeing Latin/dark children

so when he said "he looks a little pale!" we all laughed.

Turns out he was pale. He is anemic. Whatever that means.

He got some iron vitamins and is otherwise doing great.

No paracites (jungle hazzards :) )

Growing well.

He got two shots and only cried a little.

We got a good report. Praise the Lord.

April 2006

Guess who came to visit?

Isaiah Gilbert with Luke and Mackenzie

at the Masaya Volcano

April 2006

More Prayers Please

Dear Everyone,

Granny will be home in less than 1 week!

Praise the Lord.

Mackenzie might start growing hair on that one side again.

The grandparents have about 10 weeks before "stateside assignment".

We also have scheduled 12 teams during those 10 weeks.

Yes, some weeks are double and some weeks are "free".

We will be needing your prayers as we approach this HUGE transition in our lives.

This change will be felt greatly by all.

Thank you for your prayers.

April 2006

Luke' vocabulary

I know this is just the beginning.

Luke has been making sounds that are similar to words.

First came "O" for Oklahoma, our dog.

He even snaps his fingers to call the dog!

How cute.

"Au" for Outside.

"awl du" for All Done, with the wave of the hands in the air.

Just his arms straight in the air for Amen! after we pray.

He has his own special word for "let me drive the car"

but we can't figure out what the word is.

"ive" for drive maybe.

I think I even heard a slight "bye" today.

"da" means everything from That to Pay attention to me.

An occasional "ma" but still indescriminant.

Mostly they are just sounds.

Others might not be able to "hear" the word resemblance.

So I can't really call them "first words" yet.

Mackenzie's first word was very clearly "shoes" with shoes in hand.

How old was she? I wrote it down somewhere!

Luke is still trying really hard to walk but nothing yet.

We will keep you posted.

April 2006

Luke is 1 year old!

We picked up Luke's Aunt Brittney and his cousin Isaiah

the night before the big day!

We celebrated just a little at TGIFridays in Managua

on Luke's actual birthday.

Then we had a real party later with cake and balloons at home.

I can't believe my baby is 1 year old!

Time flies fast when you are having fun.

Cherish every moment!

Thank you God for my two precious babies.

April 4, 2006

TGIFriday's in Managua, Nicaragua

Amo a mi hermana mayor bib

He sure does love his big sister

Guayavera from Dona Mari

Chocolate Cake?!

NO, I'd rather have the steak and baked potatoes, Thank you

April 2006

Jungle/Beach Girl

Grampa's hat makes a perfect outfit!

Back door of our hotel room

(yes, that is sand on the doorstep)

Corn Island

March 2006

A Peaceful Moment

The view from our hotel restaurant.

The restaurant was out on a dock in the ocean.

Mackenzie and Grampa

Corn Island

March 2006

Another New Cousin!

Coralyn Rebekah Happel

Born on March 31, 2006

at 5:58PM.

8 lbs 6 oz

19 inches
Baby and Mom are doing very well!!

Praise the Lord!

Yep, Chris delivered her.

How cool!