Celebrating Success!

Life has been more than a little full these days.  Within the last week we've moved out of over half our house for our landlord to host a party to then move back in again; ripped up a molded and rotting floor out of our children's bedroom; which Austin and E worked hard to replace; Austin has attended 7 hours of language class; attended a 3 hour local party in total darkness (cause the electricity was out) and tried to keep our kids sane; and much more.  I also did a BIG canning week; 19 L (that is roughly equivalent to 19 pints) of Bread and Butter Pickles and then 9L of salsa. 

So you ask, what success are we celebrating?  We all still love each other!  The picture is of the kids with all the canned goods lined up and ready to be carried down into our root cellar.  Among all the other things of the week, canning in such quantity can be a little stressful.  Yes, I'm glad I got the canning done.  No doubt it will help this winter when cucumbers and tomatoes are no where to be found.  And hopefully I'll be able to share with my friend T whose missed all of the canning season.  But more than that, I'm celebrating that my family and I made good memories working together.  And we love each other after it all. 

A little time away

We took a 4 day trip to the Capitol last week for a little time out of town.  The first time, other than camping, that I've left our little rural corner of the world.  The travel was a little rough -see previous post.  And Ethan is already trying to come up with ways to stay home when we leave the country to have our baby in Turkey (we'll be gone for close to 8 weeks time) just so he doesn't have to ride on the road!  But the time in the capitol was so wonderful.

Lots of good family time.  We enjoyed multiple meals out; which for this mama a break from 3 meals from scratch/day was such a gift.  The guest house has a room with AC, and it's amazing how much better you sleep in AC!  There were many points throughout the time where my kids and Austin played around me, while mom crashed out (like mouth open, zonked out kind of crashed out) for a nap!  Didn't realize I was as tired as I was.

Austin and I snuck away for a 9 year anniversary dinner thanks to some loving teammates who came to town early just to watch our kiddos!  For Wichita readers, it was as close to a date at Il Vicino as you can get; minus the amazing Mango tea!  (Anyone know if they sell that stuff?)  It is refreshing for my heart to enjoy things that are aesthetically pleasing to my cultural eye!  I'm not even all out aesthetically geared, but I do notice and it does start to have it's impact.  The food was good, the conversation good.  And again, more air conditioning.

I didn't take many pictures, but here are a couple of time together playing puzzles.  I think I shot the pictures . . . and then crashed out for a nap! :)

 

Brothers doing puzzles together!  Elias doesn't want to miss out. 

 

 Elli showing her "modern art" interpretation of Nemo.  Who says the rules of puzzle making are that all the pieces have to go together only one way?  This little girl has the drama pose down.  And don't tell me those eyes to say something!

We also got to see a Dr. and have a sonogram of baby E.  We were able to see the little heartbeat fluttering, which is so encouraging.  The sonogram gave us a different due date, with a month discrepancy.  But we are choosing to disregard it based on the quality of the technology used.  :)  Hopefully we'll head back for another sonogram the end of September; though Ethan will choose to stay home on account of the road.

All in all a great trip! 

First Haircut

She's been begging for a haircut.  I think because it's been really hot and her head just sweats.  And without the good ol' Kansas humidity her longer curls don't curl up, they just frizz.  So we tried to go to a salon in the Capitol last week when we were there. 

Probably Mommy's bad timing, in that we made the appointment for 30 minutes after we rolled into town from our 6 hour over the Mountains trek, in 106F plus temps with not much ac to speak of.  Kept thinking we'd stop in the shade and there never was shade to stop in.  Ethan threw up, Elli almost did and Elias just laid motionless in his car seat with the look of "Mommy, what are you doing to me."  Probably should have done chicken nuggets first, then the first hair cut. 

Anyway, she refused.  So we left the Capitol without a haircut.  (The trip back was MUCH better in the Pajero- with full functioning ac and amazing shocks)

So after some you tube research.  Mommy tried.

 And this is what we ended up with!

 

 So glad curly hair is forgiving.  It hides all the places it's not quite even. :) 

 The fun part, is that the cut really fits her spunky little spirit.  And our local friends like it too.   

First Response

It was actually far from my first response.  It was more my, "just in case" before we went camping response.  I don't know if I'd recommend taking a pregnancy test hours before you go on a rustic camping adventure.  It yielded  a distracted and flooded mama for much of the trip.  Cause, yes, it tested POSITIVE!  We were shocked.  Austin and I just kind of sat there, stunned,looking at each other.

I wish I could say my first response was worship and praise, but honestly it was a flooding response of anxiety and doubt.  Austin's first response was one of disbelief; "The test is old, right?  Surely it's wrong." 

Since taking the test, Father has gently lead my heart through the excitement, fear, anticipation and even grief (having 2 little ones in the world I live in will greatly limit what I can do outside the 4 walls of our yard).  He's used Laura Story's "Bless the Lord" over and over to lead my heart.  It's true "He gives and takes away . . . for He alone can see the secret parts of me that need to be swept away."  I am confident that in the arrival of a fourth little gift He will refine and shape me in ways He wouldn't have without this new life.   

So, February 29th (not that I anticipate an Amershek baby arriving on time) we'll welcome a 4th little Amershek baby into our home.  Until then, I plan to soak up the moments with baby number 3; I feel like his baby days will in someways be shortened in becoming a big brother so quickly.  

Now We are Six!

Ethan celebrated his 6th birthday in style.  This was the first year he picked his menu for all 3 meals of the day, which was fun.  I don't think he knew enough options or cared before this year.  So breakfast was eggs, toast and pears (new favorites from the menu at the huge sleep over before our friends left for Turkey); lunch was crunch tacos (or mom's closest attempt); and dinner was yummy chicken (Rosemary Ranch Kebobs out of the River Cookbook. AMAZING!) and fresh green beans delivered that day from the capitol!

Special treats and surprises were splattered throughout the day: 

 

Package surprises from Gogo, Babu, and the Sapps.  

The Monster Truck was a great preview of things to come. 

 Skype call with Grandma Vickie, Michala, Emily and Lauren 

complete with balloons, fireworks and singing.

 Our attempt at crunchy tacos.  Ezra and Silas joined us for lunch and Lego 

building all afternoon.  Gotta celebrate new Legos with your buddies!

 The presentation of the Monster Truck cake, complete with wheels and suspension (put together by Daddy using Christmas present pieces from the Sapps- Thanks!)  Love the looks of surprise.

 The artist and her work.  Remember this dress.  Guess I need to buy a new one before next year. 

That's some good blowing!

I think it was a special day.  Can't believe that he is already 6!

More pictures for those who can handle them:

Ethan's Birthday

Our Camping Trip

Almost two weeks ago (man I can't figure out when to blog) our family went on a camping trip.  This was our fourth attempt at setting aside a day away from town for some family investing time.  Illness, in it's many forms, had deterred us the 3 times prior.  We had planned to spend the day with another family, with 2 little boys, at the 2nd of Seven Mountain Lakes.

But several days before we made the trip, it was this that challenged my heart to step away for a little longer, more intentional family time.  The day was spent with lots of fun fishing, wading, throwing rocks and climbing on rocks.  The T family returned home after lunch and our family loaded in the truck to hunt the perfect camping site.  We haven't been very disciplined lately to rest and reflect on Him, so the challenge was a good one.  And Ethan had been asking to camp for his birthday; so 5 days before his birthday sounded like a great time to camp.

 Everyone taking a turn fishing.  Unfortunately we didn't catch anything.  This is also the view down stream from where we set up camp for the day.  We tried to stay in the shallow, calm water

 This is a shot up the river.  You can see the white water, where the stream was moving a lot faster.  To the right you see our 2 trucks.  All the shady spots were taken, so we settled on a tarp tied between our two trucks.  With local pillows (corphachas) to sit on, it made for a comfy picnic spot.   

 Enjoying a big old slice of juicy watermelon. 

 Looking out over the 3rd lake, where we would camp for the night.  We camped off to the left side at the very top of the lake.  Isn't the water amazingly blue and clear?

 Had to get a family picture with the tent.  Hard to believe it was a wedding gift 9 years ago.  Had NO IDEA then where we would pitch it and how God would bless us and fill it!
In the background you see Elli's little red porta-potty chair.  A camping "must!" 
 

 The sun setting on the lake at our camp out.  On the mountain side directly in front is the narrow road from where we took the other lake 3 photo; if that helps give you a location.

Throughout the day, God reminded my heart of His perfect and planned creation.  This string of 7 beautiful mountain lakes is no doubt the handiwork of a creative and intentional God.  It was so refreshing to pull away, drive out of town (and cell phone range) and enjoy His rugged beauty. 

Definitely not the best night of sleep I've ever had, but that wasn't the goal.  The temperature sure dropped in the night.  We had had several days of 105F temps back at home.  With the combination of a cooler front and the mountain air, Mommy didn't pack enough blankets.  We put our rain cover on to help hold in some heat and ended up sleeping with the towels our picnic friends left with us, just in case. 

Elli was so happy to wake up all together.  We were up before 5 and had the camp packed and headed back to town by 7:30.  And all 3 kids zonked out on the way home.  What a fun family memory!

For those who want to see more pictures, here is an album of more pictures of our time together. 

Mountain Camp Out

Claiming Insanity

Monday, after a rough afternoon and night without Austin (he was in the capitol), and a pretty choppy morning, the kids and I went down the street to the little neighborhood shop (cause you can't call it a grocery store.)  We came home with nan, cookies, a puppy and some cheap local shampoo- to give the puppy a bath.  Really?  Do we really need a dog?

I told the kids we would have to see what Daddy said when he came home.  But we couldn't pass this cute little puppy on the alley and not rescue her.

 White, with brown spots and black patches on her face, we named her Truffles.  Which quickly was shortened to Tuffy.  We've washed the fleas off of her (cause she was covered!!!!) We've flea powdered her and she's wearing a flea color (guess you could say I hate fleas!)  And we're going to keep her. 

She's definitely revealed a side of Elias we hadn't seen yet: determined.  When he wants to get her, he doesn't let much stop him.  Can you see his face?  Sheer determination! 

And sheer delight!