Goals.....

We have just come through *the* hardest week of our missionary life to date! God was with us and helped us, but I hope not to repeat it. :)  I know I can't share the details here, but I sure wish I could...not to share the ugliness, but to share God's awesome presence and faithfulness to us.

So I'm thinking on to August and thinking it's a fresh month, brand new with new promises. I love fresh starts.  I'm glad God gives me fresh starts when I'm weighted down with so many things and stumble around under the load.

I have things that are scheduled for August (who doesn't) but I'm hoping to be *proactive* instead of *reactive*.  There are things that I've said for 2 years now..."Yep, I need to do that....someday" Anyone else with me?

I'd like to work on a couple of those things on that list during the month of August.

Anyone want to join me on setting a couple of goals for August? :)

Lord willing, one of my goals will be more pictures on here. ;)  Like my little visitor that comes to my flowers every day.

Until next time........

Graduations 2016

 Today was a beautiful day!!! Jeren and Ashlyn finished up their Kindergarten work and this evening we had a graduation ceremony for them. :)   I know that it might seem silly to some because we "only homeschool" and it's "just our family" but I wanted it to be something they will remember forever - graduating from Kindergarten and we had fun making it happen!   We found some caps and gowns in some of the drawers at the school and they were a perfect fit. :)  Jeren and Ashlyn could hardly wait to put them on and admired them every chance they got before they could wear them.

Finally the time came to put them on.....eeeeks!  They were nervous.

Jeren was so excited to be "graduating" and I was so happy for him that he was so excited!

My two babies growing way too fast!

Ashlyn Hope - 5 years old!

Jeren Kyle - 6 years old.

We skyped Grandma and Papa and the other Grandpa, so they got to be part of the graduation ceremony.   So thankful for technology!

Keith gave a little welcoming speech and the graduates were supposed to slowly walk in.....

But, no! They came skipping into the living room! :)

Kristyn prayed a beautiful little prayer over them asking God to bless their lives for His glory!

Owen and Megan led us in the pledges...

Ashlyn was so concerned about Jeren's tassel.   :)

Grandma gave a little speech and told how proud of them she was and for their hard work over the last 3 weeks that she has been their teacher.

Ugh - that tassel!!

Then they got ready to give their little speeches and songs...

They said the ABC song and Jesus Loves Me!

Keith gave a devotional about keeping what they've learned in their hearts and using it to serve Jesus better!

I got to hand out the diplomas!

So proud of my baby Ashlyn!!

Jeren was SO excited!!!

I love his hugs that squeeze me to death!

So proud of my Jeren-Man!

Turning their tassels!

The graduates and their teachers!

YAY!!!

Let the party begin!

I'm so thankful my mom was able to come down for 3 weeks to help us with homeschooling.  We did not do any schooling for the 8 weeks we were in language school, so we were a bit behind. Mom taught Jeren and Ashlyn for the last three weeks and I taught the bigger kids and we were able to get 1 1/2 months worth of work done in just these 3 weeks!  So thankful for God's help and strength!!!

Thanks for stopping by to check on us........

*Mother's Day 2016*

Has everyone given up on me?  I feel like it's been forever since I've updated our blog but for part of the time, it truly was impossible.  We spent 8 week during, February-April attending language school away from home and the internet was not high enough to load pictures.  But we're back how (3 weeks ago - big smile) and I'm going to pick up my one thing that I love to do - blogging - again!

Thanks to the little push from my friend, Mandy, that I need to find/make time for it . ;)

So pictures from the past few months will come, but today, on Mother's Day, I'm going to put pictures on here of my beautiful blessing and the reason that I can celebrate being a momma!

These little people are my absolute favorite in all the world!

12 years ago, God brought a beautiful baby girl into our life and things have never been the same.

20 months after she arrived, God blessed us with a sweet, pudgy baby boy.....

21 months later, a sweet black haired bundle of sweetness arrived and......

20 months later, our little Jeren came.....

16 months later, our caboose came and what a ride it's been.

I wouldn't trade it for anything!!!

Now my babies aren't quite babies anymore and are growing up too fast!  But I often tell them, "You'll always be my baby"

I'm so thankful that God chose me to be the momma of these 5 blessings, but most days I feel completely inadequate for the job.  I'm thankful that God fills in the big gaps that I leave and I pray that they will all grow to love and serve Jesus with all their hearts!

I'm also blessed to have this wonderful, godly man by my side. I'm so thankful that he's the daddy to my children and I wouldn't pick anyone else in the world to go sailing through life with.  Some days are smooth sailing and others days there's some waves in life, but together we've come through all the storms (with God's help) and each one has made us stronger.

On this day, I'm so thankful for my little family!  I'm thankful for my two mom's that have blessed my life beyond words with their encouragement, help, love, support and godly example!  

Happy Mother's Day to all my momma friends!  I hope your day is blessed!

Ordinary Days......

This week has just been ordinary days.  Homeschooling, Keith helping the teachers and taking care of administrative things, our kids helping in the Kindergarten and first grade classes when their home school work is done, playing outside, driving in the mountains, going to market for veggies......just simple ordinary days and I like days like that. :)

We have had these visitors in our back yard every day since we've been here.  They are so beautiful and colorful and LOUD. :)  There are only four of them that stick together.

If you know me at all, you'll know that I love flowers of all size, color and shape. Guatemala is full of beautiful flowers.

Every week on Friday the school kids come over to our yard to play on the play set. This play set is actually the schools, but since the school yard is too small for this to fit in it, it's been in our yard and they just come here to play.  Of course, our kids love it when they come over because they get a little break from school to play with them.

We love having all the teachers over to our house for meals ever so often.  We always have so much fun and laughter....especially with our limited Spanish and their limited English and trying to have conversations. :)

On Friday evening, they all piled in our house for Lasagna, Corn, Salad and Pumpkin Pie!

Megan with Karen, the first grade teacher.

 All the teacher of the school here in Jalapa.

I'm glad they're crazy like us. :)

We went out driving yesterday to get out of the City and all the walls here. We love to go up into the mountains and see all the little towns and what life is like up there.  You just never know what you'll be sharing the road with.

It was a beautiful day for a drive! We talked a lot about God and how He's blessed our family and the "big picture" of why we're here. I love it when the kids ask questions that make them think.

Extra large load......

This is the last Sunday we'll be in Jalapa for a while.  This week we will moving to Antigua, Guatemala for 8 weeks of language study!  It will be intense and we would appreciate prayer for easy learning and for all of us emotionally as we go to school. Classes will be 8-12 every day, Monday through Friday.  We will each have our own teacher, except for Ashlyn and Jeren who will have the same teacher.  It is a one-on-one class set up and I know that God will help us.....it's just a little intimidating. :)   Thank you for your prayers for us.

This was taken today - Sunday -  on the swinging bridge in Jalapa with the volcano behind us.

Thanks for stopping by to check up on us.  I hope you have a great week!

~Crystal