lovely words

as i picked up boo-boo for a hug, she said

"i'm so glad you're my mommy"

what a little blessing to my heart

how it makes it all worth while

christmas day

well our christmas day was certainly not what any of us expected

boo-boo's sickness kept her up all night

at midnight, bugsy decided to join the party and got terribly sick

somehow papaya slept blissfully unaware of the happenings

as the big cheese and i switched beds, made beds, arranged kids

rinsed out buckets again and again

by morning i felt bleary and weary

and my hands were raw from being washed over and over and over

gratefully, our non-sick child is very patient

and put up with the "ill" and simply tired members of her family very well

if it wasn't for papaya, we might have just cancelled presents till the next day

but i just couldn't look at her and do it

the two other sisters rallied, well barely, to the occasion

but boo-boo had to interrupt the plans for.....

well, a little break

this picture was taken at the end of the morning

you can tell that she was barely hanging on....

and right after the last present was unwrapped

she laid down on the living room floor

and passed out

we picked her up and laid her on the chair

which she didn't move from for most of the rest of the day

a little later in the day, not wanting to miss the festivities

the big cheese thought he would join along with the girls

and found his place on the couch

so papaya and i snuggled, read books

and assembled the toy from grandma and grandpa

all in all, it wasn't awful

except i felt terrible for boo-boo who had it the worst

took her a few days to recover from it too

so many things to be thankful for though

we were still together and could care for one another

we had food (though not many were eating), shelter and each other

as we look at the gift of the manger, we have a reason to hope and keep on

when i see so many who don't or won't

evening of Christmas eve

here is the two older girls on christmas eve

we were just home from the candlelight service at church

our youngest didn't want to be in the picture

we soon realized why

she quickly got sick with the flu

which left her catching bits of sleep in between "the yucky stuff"

her body didn't give her a break from the flu

until at least 7 a.m. on christmas day

even then, she was far from finished

a pre-christmas peek

angels aware concert

here are pictures from the Christmas concert our church put on

all three girls participated in it

and mommy helped organize it from september to december

it had a great gospel message that Jesus came to earth as a baby

so that we can be in heaven with him

the angels we're aware of God's plan of salvation

and said these words before the last song of the concert:

"we're aware that the wages of sin is death,

but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord

we're aware that God sent his son into the world,

not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved

we're aware that God so loved the world,

that he gave his one and only son,

that whoever believes in him should not die but have everlasting life"

conversation with a 6 year old

papaya asks, "mommy, when i get married will i have to kiss my husband at the wedding?"

mom replies "maybe not, but he might want a kiss after the wedding"

papaya with scrunched up face "eeeeewwww!!"

camera play

i had just sat down at the kitchen table

with bugsy and a friend of hers

we were scrapbooking, LOL because i am not a good one

except maybe in my daughter's eye

however, she is so creative she doesn't take any suggestions anyways

she just likes playing with all the paper, ribbons, etc

and creating her thing...does that sound familar mom?

anyways, like i was saying, i sat down and looked out the front window

the frost was on the tree and the sky was this beautiful shade of blue

and i needed to catch it on picture

before i downloaded the pictures i thought i did a good job,

but realize now that i should have had a tripod

because you can tell i was moving a bit

i wanted to post the pictures though, just to show the contrast

the first picture i turned of the flash and slowed the shutter speed

the second one (below) i put on manual setting and let the camera do its own thing

same scene but remarkable difference in the end result

i have lots to learn in the world of aperture and exposure

holiday cheer

here is our little elf

she loves to be domestic

bake, decorate, craft

she's quiet and gentle

but don't mess with her

because though her fuse is long

her boom can be big

we love her

the girls

here is boo boo at her open house ballet class

papaya dressing up like a kickboxer

(she's just too cute to take serious) and bugsy putting on the moves,

looks like she might have learned a thing or two from mom

(ie. keep your defense up)

she is certain though that she doesn't want to do martial arts

and I am thinking i like kickbo and kickboxing so much,

that i just might have to try karate yet

not me! monday

Contrary to what anyone else may tell you

these things most definately did not happen in my house....

because I did not quit Christmas decorating on Saturday

then leave a pile of stockings and trim sitting in my office

and if you looked that pile would not

still be sitting where i did not leave it

and on the same saturday mentioned above

i did not also leave one, maybe two, or possibly three laundry baskets

full of folded clothes at the bottom of the stairs, that i walked by

but didn't touch all weekend

and i definately did not pick up those baskets on monday morning,

carry them back to the laundry room

and start to fold clothes into them that did not spend the weekend in the dryer

not me, no way!

i had nothing to do with it

here is the creation oma and opa made with the girls

i had nothing to do with it

i stood back and watched

they even cleaned up the mess! gotta love that

if you get this far into the post, i do wonder....where opa's decorating skills went? did he really retire that long ago? love you dad!

Bangladesh end

hubby arrived home safely last night

the girls were absolutely thrilled

he arrived over half an hour late, so the wait was hard on them

he is getting over his cold, but is really tired

he is up helping with the christmas tree and breakfast etc

but then all of a sudden he is curled up in the chair napping

or on the couch resting

he is already talking about the future, the men who went

want to help get the walls up on an a particular orphanage...

maybe go back next year

all thoughts and things to give to the Lord in prayer

right now, we are glad that he is home

safe and sound

Bangladesh 5

My hubby sent this Wednesday at 7:53 am B.C. time, which was 9:53 pm in India

Hi, we are currently waiting for our flight at the Hyderabad airport
Tomorrow morning we will be taking a short tour in London
and then flying into Calgary at around 4:00PM local time on Dec. 4th
I am feeling a bit better after taking antibiotics
My chest and head was very plugged up
I went with our doctor in the group
to get some antibiotics from a medical store and bought some yesterday
It cost about $1.40 to buy it over the counter and in Canada,
the same prescription would be about $50-$60
I am feeling very ready to be home now ...... sorry, the rest is just for this mommy :)