Small Gifts

She shyly sidles up
to me with a
breathless giggle..."I left
something for you
in your room!"



I go to see,
touched at her efforts to please me...

My First Scrapbook Project

I know, I know...only my first scrapbook project? I've admired scrapbooking for years, but up until now, had never dipped my toes into that vast ocean of craftiness. Interestingly, my first scrapbook project isn't even for myself, it's for our mission's representation department! (Does that mean I can say I'm scrapbooking for Jesus? lol)

I didn't really have a place here in the house where I could work without having to pack everything up each time I worked on the project, so I (literally!) carved some space out for a temporary "office" in my bedroom. It means we can barely open our closet doors, but it works for now. If you look closely, you will notice my "shelving" is made out of cardboard packing materials....

This scrapbook, which highlights our mission's work in Mexico, will not only be used for the representation work, but also as an example for our students in missionary training of a resource they could make to highlight their own ministries...therefore, the style of my album will be more simple and straightforward. I am also trying to use materials that could easily be bought here in Mexico.

A few of my supplies, only the basics, really...notice the handmade

"stamps" (using pieces of styrofoam trays) with a southwest style.
I basically just trace out the design on pieces of styrofoam
with a pen or pencil. The lines need to be fairly deep and
it's important to remember that once the design is
stamped, it will be backwards. Typically, a brayer and ink
is used for styrofoam block printing,
but I am just using regular ink pads in black or brown.

A sampling of pages I've made so far...I will
add pictures (and text) once they are developed.

I'm learning as I go along and having a lot of fun!

A Heavy Heart

It was with a heavy heart that I received the news that one of my cousins on my dad's side had lost a son in a car accident. How do you grieve the loss of a child? My heart goes out to this family, they have seen a lot of trouble in their lives...I wish I could be there to bless and encourage them, but the best I can do is to add my name to some flowers together with my Mom and sisters and pray. A lot. It's hard to be away from family in times like these.

I think I'll be hugging my kids a bit closer tonight.

Robert Wayne Hardee III

Obituary

Robert Wayne Hardee III, 4, Miami, OK passed into eternal rest April 9, 2010 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

Robert Wayne Hardee III was born May 18, 2005 in Miami, OK. He attended House of Prayer Church in Fairland and the Miami Head Start.

Robert is survived by his mother Tamara Hardee of Miami and his father Robert Hardee II of Wyandotte; two sisters, Charletta Hardee and Vanessa Hardee both of the home; Maternal grandparents, Rex and Dianna Conduff, Seneca; Paternal grandparents, Robert and Phyllis Hardee Wyandotte; Maternal great-grandparents, Charles and Margie Terry, Seneca; a host of Aunts, Uncles and cousins.

Funeral services under the direction of Campbell-Biddlecome Funeral Home, Seneca will be held 10:00 AM, Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at the Campbell-Biddlecome Chapel with Pastor Leon Brickford and David Cox officiating. Burial will be in the Neosho Memorial Park Cemetery with Ricky Conduff, David Cox, Cody Cox and CA Terry officiating.

Fun at the Park

Last week, we joined up with a few families from our church at one of the biggest parks in the city, called the Ciudad Deportiva or "Sports City"...named so for all the sports facilities there, including racquetball, jogging, swimming, soccer, baseball, volleyball, basketball, weight gym, etc. But what we like the best is the shade and all that lush, green grass! A far cry from the dusty, bare ground found elsewhere in the city...

Jojo and Jkaile enjoying a 'round' of golf with
their friend Jesús...

When you gotta go, you gotta go!

Jkaile wringing more fun out of his Easter eggs...

Gracia practicing to be a mommy...

This little girl is so cute, but very serious!

And this is the bird that pooped on my head! :(

Our friend Jesús with a typical Mexican snack...peanuts
with hot sauce...so soupy that it's eaten with
a spoon! I enjoy the peanuts, but usually pass on the sauce...

Miguel, as usual, organizing the kids for a game...

Go for it, Gracia!

Easter Eggs and Hunts

Some of my favorite Easter memories revolve around coloring Easter eggs, so it was fun to color some with Jkaile this year. We didn't do a whole lot, just six, but boy did those six eggs get a whole lot of mileage! What fun!

Jkaile liked it that his name showed up on one of his eggs...

Jojo during the Kindergarten egg hunt...

Jkaile had his own little section to find the
eggs I hid for him...

Discovering the prizes inside the plastic eggs...

Later, my friend Rebecca came over and we made
resurrection buns with the kids and had another
Easter egg hunt...

Rebecca also told the Easter story using
her resurrection eggs...

Bonfire II

Okay, okay, I'll admit that I like fires, too! In fact, I was quite fascinated by some of the pictures I took of our fire...I didn't really think they'd turn out all that well, but they did! I love how each time, the fire has a different shape and how much detail is in the flames...I can't wait for our next bonfire!

Bonfire I

Nothing my kids love better than to build a FIRE! They are such good MKs...and I'm glad we have the space in the yard to build bonfires once in a while. The challenge is in finding the wood in this desert landscape! We'd been collecting a few odd pieces here and there and the kids and I picked up some sticks where someone had been clearing brush one street over from our house. So it wasn't a huge fire, but enough to satisfy until the next time...

Jojo waiting for the fire to burn down...

Gracia heating up a tortilla for her hot dog (the
kids and I are yeast intolerant, unfortunately, so
we often use tortillas in place of bread)...

Micah ready to heat his tortilla...

Jkaile insisted on roasting his own hot dog!

Even with Daddy's help, I think it got a wee bit charred...

Resurrection Day

This morning, the sermon in church was on Philippians 3:20-21...

But our citizenship is in heaven.
And we eagerly await a Savior from there,
the Lord Jesus Christ, who,
by the power that enables him
to bring everything under his control,
will transform our lowly bodies
so that they will be like his glorious body.

I've been thinking all day about the power behind Christ's resurrection from the dead...the same power that is transforming me and will transform me...I was struck by how this verse looks when I personalize it.

But my citizenship is in heaven.
And I eagerly await a Savior from there,
the Lord Jesus Christ, who,
by the power that enables him
to bring everything under his control,
will transform my lowly body
so that it will be like his glorious body.

As I celebrate Christ's resurrection day today, I long for my own as well. I do so long for the day when this lowly body will be transformed...I long for the day when all things will be under His control! I cannot yet comprehend the full power of the resurrection, but I long for the day when I will know fully and be fully known (I Cor. 13:12).