Potty training and other news

So our friend Claudia had just been to visit her grandkids in the US and she gave me the potty training pep talk. The next day after ladies retreat Luke and I got started. He did great right away! The only hold back was that on day 2 I came down with an awful sinus infection that it took me all week to recover from. So I wasn't very good about reminding him. But he has stayed the course and done a great job. He's such a connection kind of guy, and one of the things that cracked me up the most was that he wanted to call people and tell them about his new found talent. We called Oma and his special friend Abigail as well as Miss Lori. I was really impressed by Lori's ability to be a good friend to a toddler boy. Him:"Miss Lori! I go poopy on the potty!" Her: "Really? Wow!" Him: "Yeah. A really big one. It splash me!" Her: "That's great! You are such a big boy!" I told her that it really takes a mature friend to be excited about that and not wince or gag or anything but just roll with it!


Also, after my last post I realized that there was just a bit more I still wanted to say about ladies retreat. First I wanted to post this shot of Joyce with Connie in the background. They are such pretty ladies and it's such an image of the kind of women they are; prayerful, worshiping, waiting on the Lord! I just love this. Oh and by the by, our friend and co-worker Brooke took the photos at ladies retreat. This one and the others I posted as well as a whole bunch of other shots. Just beautiful! Brooke is someone who has learned the secret of being behind the camera and yet fully engaged. It's so easy to use it to hide behind and she really has learned how to lean in while still offering her talent. Thanks Brooke!

JV Ladies Retreat

Every spring there is a retreat for JV ladies who are serving outside of their home countries. And every year it's a wonderful time of connection with wonderful women and with the Lord. This year was no exception! My sister-in-law Connie who leads and plans these invited our sister-in-law Joyce (Josh's sister) to be our speaker. And even though I knew she'd be wonderful and we'd be blessed I just basked in all the wisdom and teaching she handed down that week. She and another dear friend Jerri Kayll came and really spoke from God's word about several things that really went into my heart like a balm. But one of my favorites was their version of "What not to wear!" Here you can see my brave sisters in outfits that Jerri critiqued. Connie is wearing an old Malachi Singers dress! Anyone see that concert?
We also got were just heaped up to overflow with time to eat desserts and visit with friends. One day we went to a mall with a gift from Dave in our pockets and a mandate to spend it on ourselves! Lori Jackson and I got to have lunch with one of our favorite ladies in JV Andrea Pitcher. (Also one of our kids' favorite ladies since she knows, loves and notices them all!)
But I think the thing that touched me most was being with this group of women I love. And having them experience some of what it was like for me when I first came to the mission field and had these beautiful Godly women over me as leaders and modelers sharing their lives and the gospel of God! This photo is of Joyce helping us with hand motions to memorize Isaiah 43:1-3 A verse I've already leaned on since coming home to Slovenia! How grateful I am for mentors and sisters like these!

Becca

I just dropped Blake and Becca off at school this morning. Kendra goes a bit later than the older two. So I have a few minutes in between and thought I'd mention her to you all who love us and check on us through this blog. She's in the 6th grade this year and is an amazing student! We're so proud of her. But school is very challenging to her in other ways. Yesterday was one of those challenging days. There was a misunderstanding over when a report was due. The teacher was a bit harsh and the rest of the class jumped in telling Becca that she should have known, wasn't telling the truth, and just generally attacking her. I wish you could have heard her prayer last night as she told the Lord she knows her schoolmates need Him but she just feels so hasseled. She's got a soft heart that runs deep. I told her that maybe she should read a bible verse before we headed out the door this morning. She came up the stairs a bit dejected saying, "Guess what I read this morning..... "I fear I have wasted my efforts on you."" We had a good laugh over that! But she did head out the door teary eyed today. We prayed together on the way and I told her to watch for God because he'll be with her. I cried a bit after she got out too. But I'm looking forward to the report of how he's going to provide for her.

Painting and Pust

These days are so packed full! I sometimes wonder how everything will all come together! Meanwhile life keeps moving forward. This week the kids were off from a week of school. We had a very refreshing time at home. Pust is the beginning of the season of Lent and Mardigras. The kids here dress up and do their version of trick or treating. Here's Blake who is too old to trick or treat this year but gave himself a black eye just for the fun of it. Along with Luke who ditched the rest of his costume and Scout who is always dressed up!

Cowgirl Kendra, Rebecca's school mate Milana(the clown) who came over for the day and Rebecca dressed up as a chimney sweep!

Luka whose costume of choice was a "Big Doggy".

And Josh is putting in overtime on house details. We are busy working out the details of our house loan, planning the remodel and picking paint color! Thanks Uncle Bill and Brandon and Allison Gentry for all your help on that!