"The most beautiful I've ever seen"

We drove last night with the Dzubays to see one of the most spectacular, residential Christmas display I've ever seen! Apparently the family has been doing this for a few decades. Just recently the father, already a widow, passed away and the sons have continued the tradition. It has an automated nativity scene, animal band, ice-skating penguins, and more lights than you've ever seen. It's worth the drive if you're in the area - if you haven't been. It's on 120th St and 68th Ave. You'll see all the cars parked along 120th. Yes, get out and walk around, it's worth it. Though you'll have to hurry, not sure but Monday night will probably be the last day it's lit. Here are a few pics Joe took. I'm sure Jecel's blog will have some as well.

Computer Geek

Yes, it has started at the ripe old age of three. Emily is a computer geek. She's only allowed to play when Katie takes a nap and as soon as Katie's out, she's reminding me. "Shh, we have to be quiet, Katie's sleeping. Let's go play on the computer!" So I set it up for her and she plays for about an hour to an hour and a half. Don't worry, it's educational games on pbskids website. She's learning letters, phonics and creating superheroes, building walls and flying through the sky with Super Why, her favorite.

Tweety Bird

Katie has been making a new face. My dad duped it Tweety Bird. He caught it on "film". Thought you'd enjoy it too.

New Blog

We thought it would be easier for everyone if we created a new blog just for our adventure. So click over to keep informed about all that is South Africa, preparing for the mission field and staying up-to-date once we get there. Hope you enjoy. I'll be dressing it up as time goes on, just bare bones right now.
LogansInSA.blogspot.com

Oh NO!!

Yes here it is folks another poo-poo tale. I don't remember Emily providing us (me) with so many interesting tales. Well the short of it is Katie pooped. Only she was bouncing up and down in her highchair. I was sitting on the couch with Emily, talking to my handsome hubby when Katie strolled over. I realized there was something on her arm. OH NO!!! GOTTA GO!! POOP EMERGENCY!!

I hung up, grabbed Katie and headed upstairs to the tub. What else can you do? That's when I realized the gravity of the situation. There was poo on the front of her shirt, the back of her arm, down her legs, of course all over her tush. I stripped off the shirt ever so carefully then the diaper and bathed her.

The whole time all I could think of is "what does it look like downstairs?" Luckily Emily was engrossed in a Spongebob episode. So as soon as it was safe, I ran downstairs to face my nemesis, the poo. Praise the Lord it was confined to her highchair! To share in my disgust there was a nice little smooshy spot on the chair and some on the arms and the foot. So with lots of paper towels and some Clorox spray I cleaned up the smelly mess. I smelled everything I could - cause on brown chairs and table and floor how else are you going to know - I was elated to discovered that it remained isolated to the highchair. She must have climbed down and walked right over to me. Thank goodness she doesn't like having poo-poo in her diaper and lets me know almost immediately (unless she's having fun).

So that was my exciting day. Hope yours was less eventful. Thanks for sharing in my messy moment.

The Green Religion

I just read an article on FoxNews.com that I found very interesting. It lists those who tote the new "green religion", yet fail to practice what they preach. Of course, Al was #1. As were other celebs who are unwilling to change their lifestyles to help with this "environmental crisis".

As a mom, there was one item I wanted to pass on. That having to do with the ever "green" push to use florescent light bulbs. See below...

“Mercury is highly toxic to everyone, but particularly to children and developing fetuses,” says the activist group Environmental Defense, a long-time campaigner against mercury from power plant emissions and in automobile convenience lighting.

So it came as quite a surprise when the group began advocating that consumers bring the “highly toxic” mercury into their homes in the form of compact fluorescent light bulbs in order to reduce power plant CO2 emissions. CFLs are so hazardous, according to public health officials however, that special safety precautions must be taken for disposal or if the bulbs break.

While I do believe recycling is important, that we are called to take care of this planet, I think we need to be wary of those who would use scare tactics and hype that they don't even believe to force they're agenda. If you want to read a really good book, I would suggest Dixie Lee Ray's Environmental Overkill". It's a real eye opener.

For those of us old enough to remember, in the 1970s there was a coming ice age (which never occurred), now its a warming age. Wasn't really warm here on planet earth when the dinosaurs were around? Didn't the ice age kill them off? So maybe it's suppose to be warm?? Think about it.

Thanks

Thanks everyone for your encouraging words and excitement for us. It still doesn't seem real. I have had a few moments of sadness. But as I have said to many of you, it's the leaving, not the going that I'm finding difficult. We have decided at this time we will go for 3 years. So our projected return will be this time 2010.

Wow that seems so far away, but it's only 3 years. But a lot will happen while we are gone. Kids will get older (as will we), my niece will be driving!!! I know W.Kendall won't be the same, it's changing already, churches will grow!

We are currently adjusting our plans, deciding to keep the Honda - actually looking to ship it over. Thanks to Jescel for all your help. I'm waiting for 2 quotes. If it's too expensive, we may leave it with my parents. At least when we get back we'll have a vehicle that's paid for. Since Kevin will be resigning from his job we don't want too many expenses when we return. I just keep remembering with Maria said "there is life after BellSouth!".

We will be getting the house all fixed up (just little things here and there) so it's more presentable to renters. If you'd like to help let us know :) We have already had an inquiry so we'll see. We are praying for someone we know, or known to someone we trust so there are no worries about the renters - since we'll be so far away.

I guess our real worries right now is the flight. But our other encouragement is that our friend Stacey flew much further, and a more adventurous trip with 4 children and she survived, as did they, so we'll be fine. Funny how God has used so many of you to encourage us, help us, and support us without you even realizing it!!! So praise be to God and blessings on you!!!

That's all for now. We'll keep you updated.

Away We Go

We finally got an email from Pastor John. He has extended a call to us to go and serve in South Africa! I think right now I'm numb. Waiting so long, I think I was prepared for a no and now that it's a yes I don't know how I feel about it. Kevin is excited of course. I guess I just really never believed it would be us. I was so excited in the beginning, but as time went on I found myself less excited. Maybe it was just the frustration of waiting. I'm sure as it sinks in, things will pick up for me.

Now the real rush begins. Getting everything in order, visas, what to do with our stuff, our dog, our home. We'll need to raise funds (so look for your support letter soon :)). So if you know anyone who needs some stuff send them our way. We'll be selling off most of our stuff - cars, furniture, etc. Let the bidding war begin over our 42" plasma, not even a year old yet!

Thanks for all your prayers and we hope you will continue to do so as we prepare to leave. Pray for the kids. Though they are little I'm most concerned about the plane ride (22 hours) and Emily who is very much a creature of habit and this will throw her off completely. We know that this is God's will, it's what we've prayed for all along, to be in His will. so we know all will work out fine, but it's still a big transition.

We'll keep you up-to-date on the progress of everything. While Pastor John wants us there by Feb, I think it will be more like mid-March, but we'll see how God works. We'll get there on His timing.

Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!

Well we still haven't heard....... anything, at all, nothing, zero, not a peep. I'm going to puke my stomach is all in knots. Can somebody call and say that they are pastor john and just breath, once for yes and twice for no.

Aas I sit here my dad is playing with Emily. They are playing with 2 jack-in-the-boxes and it is beautiful, Emily keeps saying "go again go again" and then "a one and a two and the magical music plays for the 30th time and its still sweet. So much for my first blog post. Wish it were more exciting.

Kevin

Holly here, SA is 7 hours ahead so it's roughly 12:30AM Friday there (5:30PM Thurs here). Maybe Pastor John goes to bed late!

No News

Well, we have yet to hear anything regarding our possible mission work in South Africa. We were told a decision would be made by the end of November. On Saturday, Dec 1, we made contact with someone who told us one of the other interviewees had directly contacted Pastor John and was told Monday. It's Tuesday morning. We sent an email ourselves last night and have not gotten a response yet. But I think it's looking more and more like we will be remaining here. But until we get a definite answer you never know. Thanks for all your prayers and support. We'll let you know when we know.


UPDATE: We just now (11:52am) received a response to our email "Thursday without fail". So Thursday it is!

Mission Friends

Just a quick note for those of you who know our friends Tim & Stacy McIntosh. They've created a blog so if you want to keep up with what they are doing in Papua New Guinea here's your chance. Here's the link and I've added them to my Friends list. Be patient cause internet connection is not always so stable on their end. Enjoy!

McIntosh in PNG