So much has happened ...

Dad is home so the evening wrestling sessions have started up again!

Esther loves to eat - most of the time!

The snow has melted and it was 18 degrees for Janice's birthday yesterday!

Janice bought Samuel a snowsuit today; so all the boys decided they needed to try their own on.

Samuel found my boots. Enough said.
On a completely different note, Jono and I now have our first niece! Welcome to the world Naomi! We can't wait to meet you!

This is what we woke up to this morning!

Some old pictures

I was asked by my sister-in-law to send her some pictures of the past year. So here are 4 - one of each kid. Esther sleeping with her Korean "pillow".

Silas driving a car at the London Children's Museum.

Samuel laughing with his bike - after he drove it down the hill!

And a self portrait of Stephen! What a love-able face!

With Thanksgiving

Jono got home last night. The kids were so excited to see him and play with him. They have been trying to get him caught up on everything that happened while he was away. Jono had a good trip. We do plan on sending out an update soon-ish to share more details. Anyway, it is good to have him home.
We do wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! We do have much to be thankful for, including you!

A short update

The past couple of weeks have been busy - no surprise there! Here is a brief recap.
Stephen lost another tooth during the sermon last Sunday. I think he might have screamed if it was bloody and there would have been a scene.
Samuel misses his Daddy the most but is super thrilled with my $1 garage sale find - a spider man outfit!
Silas is working on potty training - he is dry at night but still has accidents during the day.
Esther has cut her second tooth and had her first split lip. Thankfully it should look normal by the time Daddy comes home but we don't have any photos to show him.
Jono has been able to call us a few times, which is great. He has met with all 4 language groups and done some "work" with them. He heads back up to the city Monday morning to sit in on some checking sessions.
I have been "running" the show over here. Our women's bible study has started and I am co-leading a group for that. GEMS has started and I am also leading a group for that. Youth Group has started but Jono hasn't been going since he's not in country. Adult Education has also started and it has been very informative/heart breaking/stretching. It has been worth getting out the door early on Sunday mornings.
Thank you to all who have been thinking of us, calling and emailing us, and praying for us. It is all greatly appreciated and treasured. We can not be here without you all!

He has arrived!

Just to let you know that Jono called during dinner to let us know that he had made it to the guest house in Abuja! Praise the Lord for safe travels so far. He will head up to Jos in the morning. We are all doing well on the home front. There will be a lack of pictures in the updates as Jono took our camera with him. Sorry-o!

Laundry and Esther

I am still trying to decide how to "do" laundry. Do I do a load a day and feel like I am always doing laundry? Or do I do it all on one day and have all this folding and putting away to do at once?


And Esther, she is crawling all over, has cut one little bottom tooth and seems to be working on another, and likes to cruise around furniture and people's legs. Where has my baby gone?

First Day of School

In reverse order, here are the boys getting off the bus after their first day of school.


All four of them sitting on the front steps waiting and waiting and waiting for the bus to come. I thought we did pretty good getting 5 out of 6 dressed for the big day.


Silas wanted his picture taken too!


Stephen decided that maybe mom was right and he should wear a sweater.


Samuel was so excited to go to JK. The first words out of his mouth that morning were "Is the bus here?"

Kris and Kristy's Wedding

They are married! They walked out to bagpipes - or a screaming cat according to Stephen.


I liked the way my "little" brothers had to duck to get into the tent! Why didn't I get some of that height?


Here are 5 little monkeys having popsicles on the back porch after the rehearsal BBQ.

Pictures to prove we are still around! (not in any order)

We finally convinced Silas that it would be a good idea to shave his head like Daddy and Stephen. He definitely looks a lot older now!

Here is team Heroic. They took on team Daddy in a game of soccer. It was wonderful to be able to spend a week with our neighbours from Nigeria. We will see you all in March in Jos!



For Stephen's birthday, we went to the Children's Museum in London, ON. Here is a picture of the boys making me lunch in an old fashioned kitchen.


Here is our newest driver in the family. We put Esther in here one day when she was fussy during dinner and she loved it! She is even able to get it to move around the yard!

Yes, we are alive!

Feeling like it is taking all we have to stay afloat. Life seems really busy - or we make it really busy. We have been in our new house for a month now and JUST found the camera charger. Maybe soon we will get around to posting some new pictures on here. The kids are all well. Stephen turned 6 last month, Samuel had his last soccer game, Silas is teething and talking a lot, and Esther is crawling all over the place. Jono leaves again next month, so probably when he's gone, there will be more posts. That seems to be the way it goes. We are off later today to meet some wonderful friends and camp for the week in WI. See you when we get back!

Stephen's Second Soccer Game and more

A proud mom over here - Stephen scored 3 goals tonight in his second soccer game. I think he takes after his father! The part I liked to see the most was how he cheered just as much for the other kids' goals as he did for his own! He even learned about "kicking it to the other team after they get hurt" - sportsmanship!
Many thanks to Pake and Beppe for watching all 4 kids today so I could go to London and visit my friend and her new, tiny baby. It was good to be able to visit without kids! Please pray for them as they have a long road ahead.

First time to school and first soccer game.

Stephen went to school for the day to meet his future classmates. He had a great time and his favourite part was doing high jump.

Here is Stephen in his first soccer game. I totally forgot his black shorts! BUT I did remember everything else. And Daddy, he looks like a mini you on the field!

Silas and Esther have been real troopers to go with us to practices and games. I am getting a lot of use out of my new stroller too!

Indoor Soccer

Gotta love jumping jacks.

Stretching is important...

So is circle time to get instructions.

We enrolled the oldest two in a 4 week indoor soccer program before we found out we were staying. Driving 30 minutes once a week is not my idea of fun, especially when one child does NOT want to participate.

Mom and the kids

Just so everyone knows, Jono left on Saturday for Nigeria. We are holding down the fort without him. Day #3 and all is well so far. Kids have been playing with their "new" car and with stickers from Aunt Nancy. This afternoon Samuel is off to the ENT to have his hearing and tonsils checked out. Please pray with me that he handles be poked and looked at well. Until next time, Janice.

A special ride with Opa.

Samuel going for a ride.

Stephen going for a ride.

Easter

The oldest cousins. Notice a theme??

Dying eggs with Aunt Theresa being the teacher.

Esther laying out with Joshua.

Stephen hunting for his eggs.

Samuel searching for his.
Silas slept through the festivities so Daddy found his eggs.

BC trip

Esther on her first plane ride.

Jono, Esther and I spent almost 2 weeks in BC. We had a wonderful time getting together with friends and churches out there. It was great to catch up with everyone and share about what we have been doing since we left there in 2006! We took our camera with the intention of taking lots of pictures of everyone and everywhere we went. Needless to say, we have a couple of Esther, some sad attempts of Mt. Baker (shots from Hwy 1), and some shots for our friend Jon (also quite sad). Its a good thing that we know photography is not one of our skills!

Finally, another post!

Stephen racing his car at the LEGO store in St. Jacob's.

Samuel showing off his car.

Silas saying hello to Thomas!

All three boys outside having a snack.

Do I bother will Christmas pictures now?

Here is Esther with her cousin Joshua. Who do you think was the bigger baby when they were born? Remember, there is only 2 months between them.

Here is a family picture that we took tonight because we needed one for Sunday when we present in a "new" church. How do you get 6 people to look at the camera and smile at the same time? Is it even possible?