For Chip

This is for Rob's brother, Chip, who was tired of staring at Drew's swollen eye on his RSS feed :) This is a favorite pic that was taken on the beach at the resort we stayed at for our missionary retreat.
~Becky

Poor Drew. Look at his eye!

Drew has had a history of eye issues…  This is how he woke up this morning. Pray for our little guy.  The swelling has already gone done by half Becky says since he is on medication, so all should be fine.

Back in August 2007, it looked like this (picture didn’t really capture it)…

Back in September 2006, it looked like this.

Rob

Pray for Carline

I just came back from visiting Carline in the hospital.  She is our cook and has become part of our family.  They are thinking she has malaria, but I think it could also be the flu.  Here, they often start with malaria because you have to start treating it right away and it’s commonly what people have.  Either way, she’s on an IV to push fluids and is battling fever, muscle aches, and headache.  Keep her in your prayers!

~Becky

Drew’s Birthday Party

Drew turned 6 on Sunday!  When I asked him what he’d like to do to celebrate his birthday, he told me he wanted to invite his friends to a big bonfire on the beach in Zanglais.  A few weeks later I learned that the runoff presidential election was scheduled for his birthday.  That means no driving the night before or the day of.  I thought he’d be disappointed, but when I mentioned we could do a campfire at our house and invite his friends, he was excited and didn’t seem to mind the change of location.

Since it’s the fire he likes (yes, he is definitely a Thompson pyro) I started searching the web for cake ideas along the campfire theme.  I quickly found this site www.thebirthdayblog.net.  It had a great idea for a camping-themed party and detailed instructions how to make the cake.  Even better, it was simple and easy to make, and I could get the ingredients here in Haiti.  I remember blogging in July that I was bummed I couldn’t get the kids birthday cakes at Publix anymore and was disappointed how bad I though Braden’s cake came out.  I found an easy idea for Tessa for her birthday and grew a little in confidence making her butterfly cake.  I was pretty excited to find this cake idea for Drew.  I also made cupcakes to make it a little easier to serve the kids.

 

There were so many great ideas on this website that I will definitely use it again for cake and party ideas.  Two game ideas were rattlesnake tag and a backpack relay.  Here are some photos of the games in action:

Since I planned the party to start right around dinner time before dark (because of the fire and sparklers) I felt we needed to serve dinner.  I kept it simple and inexpensive with hot dogs, watermelon and popcorn.  We set up the tent just to play in, but we also had Drew open presents in the tent.  Also a suggestion from thebirthdayblog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After gifts, we ate cake.  Drew had a pretty funny face while everyone was singing to him.

 

 

 

 

 

Last but not least was the fire Drew had been working on “building” all week!  We roasted marshmallows and afterward lit sparklers that a team brought in a few months ago and left the remainder with us.  Of course the camera battery died right before we lit the sparklers.

 

 

I do think we tried to do too much.  The games were fun, but we could have easily done without them and had more time around the fire.  Overall, it was a fun and easy party to plan.  And the cake was a huge hit!

~Becky

Happy Birthday Drew!

I can't beleive Drew is 6 today! I feel like my little boy is now a boy, almost like we are in another phase of his growing up years. He has grown into a boy who likes anything outside-- playing, riding his bike, and most of all, anything to do with nature. Here are pictures from birth, age 2, age 4 and today. He's changed so much. And our love for him has grown with each year. Happy Birthday Drew! We love you!































~Becky

Tessa’s Wheels

Monday late afternoon, I decided to take off Tessa’s training wheels and see how she’d do.  The bike was her 4th birthday present from us 6 months ago. She was excited to try, so she got on her bike while I held onto the seat, and started pedaling.  After a few seconds I let go, and she had it.  I couldn’t believe it!  I was so proud of her!  We spent the rest of the next hour practicing getting on and starting to pedal herself without my help.  When Rob got home, she got on her bike and just pedaled away.  He was in shock :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Different people have been commenting lately that Tessa looks like she’s getting taller, growing up, etc..  I think she has gone thru a growth spurt recently.  Seeing her on that bike confidently pedaling away made me realize she really is growing up!  She suddenly seems like such a big girl.  Sigh…  That was a contented sigh.  I love my daughter.  She is such a blessing from God.

~Becky

Beach Day!

Life is busier here… fuller.  This fact surprises me as I thought it would be a slower paced life.  The difference is, things take so much longer to do.  There are always people around and something going on.  Downtime can be hard to come by at times.  So when we get a chance to go to the beach, we take it!  The funny thing is, even at the beach we don’t truly get downtime.  There are constant people around, Haitian kids playing with our kids and their toys and asking for food or money.  I still have to think and speak in Creole!  But we do get a chance to relax a little and have some good playtime with the kids.

We went to Rainbow beach a few Sunday’s ago.  Rob dug a big hole straight down for the kids to stand in.  Braden almost got lost in it!

 

The weather this February has been absolutely beautiful.  This day was no exception!  Remind me of this day in a few months when I am drenched in sweat by 8 AM. 

~Becky