Christmas 2014

      MERRY CHRISTMAS................

   It really don't feel like Christmas to us. With no snow and temps in the high 20 low 30.(Celsius)

 But we are enjoying not having to bundle up when we run out. We decorated our house a little for Christmas the Kids had a great time helping and adding their touches. Today we decorated Christmas cookies with some others, was fun to do something different to help make the season feel more real.

We visited and orphanage just
out of the city a little ways.

As soon as Jasmyne heard
we were going to the Orphanage
She asked to take some of
her clothes to give to the children.
Here this little girl is wearing à pair of pjs.

This little girl was abandoned
at the Hospital. She is 8 months
and has no strength
in her legs to hold herself up.

Braxton loved the Baby, He thought of
 sharing his bed with her. :)

This young lady stole my heart from the moment we arrived.
She is 8 and (we are told) has no parents
she just recently came to the orphanage.

The children Eating lunch plain white rice.

It gets dusty at times.

3 Boys With 2 wonderful ladies enjoying the ride.

Also this month we had the wonderful privilege of taking a short vacation one weekend to visit the beautiful gulf of Thailand off the coast of Cambodia. I am amazed over and over again the beauty of Gods creation.  We had a long drive in a van before we arrived. we seen and experienced a lot on the very busy hiway for  the 4 plus hours of traveling.

The road to the Beach.

                                               
 Some times you go a little stir crazy traveling so far after pretty much never traveling in a car for 6 months. The passengers are not required to wear seat belts as long as your in the back of the vehicle. No kids car seats either, in someways its nice in other ways its not so nice.

 

                 Some of the homes out in the country.

The sunset on the beach shortly after we arrived. Breath taking beauty.

     

Its Dinner time.....

                                                     

Yummy lobster. 

           

beach pedi, for a sweet little 5 year old princess.

The kids both cried tears the days after we came home.
they really wanted to just live at the beach.

                                         

October 2014.

We are beginning to wonder if we will ever have constant normal again.  Just when we feel like were adjusting to a certain schedule, way of life. There are some sort of changes. But change keeps us alert and if we have open minds we can learn a lot through life that way.

English speaking church friends.  The girl on the far right knows English and Khmer.

The Children are so thankful for other playmates they can communicate with. There most favorite thing to do together is there crazy made up plays, they make us sit and watch. Life is never dull when these children are together.

Things we see in Cambodia... 

        

   

Durine fruit cart.

No need for a 18 wheeler when you
can load a small van up like this.
Note: I did not take the van pictures.
I got permission from a friend to use it. :)

A common construction site.
To me that is a horribly muddy mess.
 But they seemed to know exactly what they were doing in it all.

       

We received a package from home and it is covered
with stamps. But we didn't really think about it
 until after we opened the package.




Different ways of transportation.

   

August, 2014

Only thing left of August is memories. My how time is speeding by.  We have already been In Cambodia for 2 and a half months. We have been studying to speak the language for 2 months and are planning to begin reading and writing now in September. It all seems to be moving along so fast, I feel I need to slow down and review the many things we have learned already.
Steph our nanny, arrived in the middle of August, She has been a huge help to us already. The  kids Love her.

The Kids with their Nanny leaving the airport,
talking non-stop about everything.

JC is starting into her 4th week of Kindergarten. She loves school and so far is an easy learner. B. loves to do school too. He is working on writing his name, And learning the correct sounds for the letters of the alphabet.

                           

Enjoying school.

Counting is fun. 

The boy's all ready for a ride.

                                           We bought 2 bikes and have been exploring the city. 

                                       The kids love to ride whenever they get a  chance. 

My cute little passenger makes riding bike fun.
She adds a lot of humor to riding around the city.
if you want to hear some stories just ask us. :)

                                    

It is the rainy season here, but we have not had a lot of rain, We did get a few downpours in the city this month, but not like we have heard that some of the country in the surrounding provinces have had bad flooding. Please pray for them as they try to rebuild their lives again. But most of all that they will see their need for Christ, and search him out.

A view looking out the kids school room as the storm rolls into the city.
It was amazing to watch the clouds show beauty in their color.

This month JC was sick for over  a week, We are not positive what she had as we did not get her tested. But Dengue Fever is high on the list with her symptoms. But Only God knows what she had for sure.

She was very, very sick. There were days she would not even get out of bed. We forced liquid into her with syringes.  She still has pain in her side, it comes randomly and makes her lay down and then it leaves.  But we are thankful to God for bring her health back. It is great to have our happy, little girl back. She fills our home  much joy and laughter.

Goodbyes.... June 2014 Part II

Another late post from June, I had every good intention to post before we left for Asia.

The past while we have been busy saying a lot of goodbyes.

                                                             B telling Auntie stories.

                                              Boy Cousins playing with the dog.

                                                     B with his oldest cousin.

                                                                  JC with her cousin.

                                           A picture with  Mom and some of the sisters.  (3 are missing)

                                 B and his Auntie, Who spoils him rotten. He's gonna  miss her like crazy!

                                    These 3 have spent many hours together playing the last few weeks.

 Cousins