March Madness

This is not the same March Madness that Bryan relishes each year. It has nothing to do with basketball. But, my heart is pumping in anticipation of the joy to be had this March all the same.

Tomorrow my sweet Graham Terrell turns seven years old!!! It’s hard to believe that he’s already reached this milestone. He is such a joy to be around. He has the gift of making others around him feel comfortable and loved even children much younger than he is. He’s also working his tail off at school to become an excellent reader and mathematician! I am so proud of him!

We leave this weekend for a safari trip to Pendjari Game Park in Benin. This trip is extra special because our missionary colleagues from Tabligbo are joining us! It’s the first safari trip that I’ve made since 2004 and Owen’s first one in his memory. He’s so worried about being left behind. He wins the award in our family of “Being the Most Eager to Go on Safari” by far!

I’m traveling to Kenya to attend a renewal for women in ministry called Come Before Winter!!! This trip is beyond my wildest dreams! I have longed to return to East Africa for years since my college internship in 1996. I, along with many other missionaries, was invited to attend via an email in the fall. But, I simply thought, “Wow, it would be such an encouragement to go, but we don’t have the funds. Plus, it’s so far away! And I’m teaching this year.” When we went to visit Melissa and Mandy over New Year’s they encouraged Becky and I to attend with them. So, Becky and I began to talk seriously about making the trip. We decided that it would be a unique opportunity and a great blessing to attend. But, neither of us had the funds! So, we committed to praying about the situation. The Lord blessed both of us with the funds (from unlikely sources) we needed to purchase our plane tickets! I am greatly encouraged that He would see fit to make this trip happen for us.

I attended a Come Before Winter renewal in Benin in 2004. So, I already know a little of what to expect from this time. Twelve mature Christian women form a ministry team that will arrive in Kenya to minister and teach the renewal participants. Our book of study is Philippians. They ask that you read it in one sitting twice before the renewal. I read it for the second time today and I am even more excited to learn more about the joy Paul expresses in this book.

Did I mention that this renewal is free of charge? At a really nice beach resort? And I won’t have any children with me? So, this is madness in a very good way…

Graham & Tooth Fairy Cash

Tidbits

I’ve got a few happenings to share…

Graham lost his second tooth tonight at dinner! He actually swallowed it along with the soft taco he was eating. Lots of joking followed about how he would find his tooth again.

The other night, we heard a huge crash outside. The entire family ran out to see what had happened. We found a 3 foot section of our concrete porch ceiling had fallen. Thankfully, noone was injured.

I discovered the subconscious reason that Max Lucado is such a popular author. His name sounds a lot like the comforting food mashed potato.

I cleaned and organized the boys’ playroom and bedroom closets this week! It took about four hours, but for me deep down cleaning is such a stress reliever. I loved it! I am on a roll now, looking for other projects to conquer!

Snake…make that two snakes!! We’ve had two snakes killed in the school house yard this week! According to the man who killed them they weren’t poisonous, but the were about 4 feet long. Scary and yet fascinating!

I had a golden teachable moment today during class. In Science, we’ve been studying animals. We just completed reptiles and amphibians and started insects today. During the lesson, I spied a skink hunting a fly. I drew the kids attention to the animals and the skink followed through and nabbed the fly in the air!!! Golden.

When I walked in the door from school, exhausted and sweaty, I saw a beautiful bouquet of flowers that Bryan had left for me. It brought a smile to my face. Thanks honey!

What’s new with you? I’d love to hear about your happenings!

The Neighborhood

Recently, our teacher, Rachel was over for dinner and asked, “What’s that noise?”  I had to concentrate to hear what she was hearing.  “Oh, yeah,” I said, “that’s the neighbors pounding foo-foo.  They do this every night at around 8.”  That brief conversation sparked my interest to listen again to the sounds of my neighborhood with “fresh ears”.

We live in a busy neighborhood near the heart of the town.  We have neighbors on two sides and a Pentecostal church on the third side and a Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation on the fourth.  There’s also a bar and two small shops next door.  A little bit farther down the road is a local public elementary school.  Our house doesn’t have American sealed windows. We have levered windows that never close all of the way.  I mention that little fact because it means that I hear almost EVERYTHING!!!

Here’s what I hear regularly….

my neighbors sweeping the dirt in their compound early in the morning

roosters crowing at all hours

my neighbors talking in Kabiye

my neighbors shouting in Kabiye

my neighbors’ small children crying for a very long time

my neighbors taking a shower

the annoying metallic bar music in French

motos roaring past on the dirt road

huge trucks lumbering along the Route Nationale

calm singing from the Jehovah’s Witness church

an excited and energetic brass band playing and singing from the Pentecostal church

a chorus of voices praying, the Pentacostals again

the local school children ringing our doorbell for fun

singing and laughing as the children walk home from school

cheering from the nearby soccer field

Guinea fowl calling (they sound like a motor trying to turn over)

chickens, goats, pigs and dogs making their usual noises

the call to prayer from a mosque

the Catholic church bells

my boys shouting and playing (by far the loudest!)

the rumble and honk of my husband’s truck as he comes home from the village. (one of the sweetest sounds.)

These are the sounds of my neighborhood, my world.

The Coop

It’s been three years in the making and it’s not done yet. I guess that’s what happens when two city slickers decide to have their own chickens for egg laying! We were given this book entitled, Chickens in Your Own Backyard, in 2003 during furlough. We intended from that point on to build and raise our own little flock of hens. It’s just taken us a long time to gain the confidence to attempt this project. There’s a lot involved!!!

About 3 months ago, the building started in earnest. Our yard worker, Joseph, cleared the ground and built our lovely fences. Bryan made the nesting boxes (way to go, honey!) and we recycled an unused iron curtain rod for the roost. (See…there’s lots of new terms to learn.) This past Friday, the finishing touch of the tin roof was nailed into place. So, now we have a chicken coop. (Actually, we need to get a door too. We are currently using a large cardboard box. We’re almost there….)

We also have one chicken. The hen was gift from a friend in the village. She’s lived in the coop for about 4 days and hasn’t laid an egg yet! So, hopefully, we’ll be purchasing several hens soon and we can finally have some eggs. I’ll keep you up to date on this fun adventure.

Look Mom!

Owen caught his first toad on Sunday night! I am proud of you son!!!

Addicted to Love

I have a confession to make….I LOVE Valentine’s day!!!! Call me girly, I don’t care!!! It is by far my favorite holiday. (My boys are amazed that I like it even better than my birthday.) I love the colors, flowers, delicious chocolate, sweet hugs and kisses. I love the silly poems and the handmade cards. But most of all, I love the fact that (ideally) it’s a day that people freely express to others their love, whether it’s parent/child love, friendship, puppy love or mature romantic love.

I’m trying my best to pass on my passion for Valentine’s day to my children and students. We have been busily making Valentine cards for the last few minutes each day at school. I am enjoying taking the time to sit down and create something special for someone. (There are no ready-made cards here in Togo!) The boys are proud of what they are making too.

Love has been a huge theme for me in my spiritual life over the years. Among many topics, I have pondered how to love difficult people and how I should respond to God’s love. I’ve searched the scriptures for insight. Here are my two favorites.
“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.” Romans 5 : 5

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
1 John 4 :10 & 11

What is your favorite “love” scripture?

Band of Brothers

We introduced a new discipline strategy to Isaac this week to help him break a bad habit. Once Graham and Owen realized that he was doing something new and it built muscles, they joined right in!

Packing

In preparation for a safari recently, I asked Isaac to please select AND fold three outfits for the trip. When I went to check on his progress later this is what I saw! He had laid it all out in a very logical fashion. This is typical of Isaac. He doesn’t really listen to the details of instructions but he makes perfect sense in his own mind!!!!

Isaac & Hannah’s Blog

Check it out!! Isaac and Hannah have started a new blog with the help of their teacher Rachel. This school project is an extension of their writer’s notebooks. They choose one selection each week to post on the blog. It is great to see their writing skills grow over time. They are really proud of their work, so check it out…
Isaac & Hannah’s Blog