April Birthdays

Levi's birthday was more of a 3 day celebration.  On his actual birth date, April 11th, we were traveling to the WGM Kenya Field Retreat and I knew it would be difficult celebrating it there.  Levi chose pizza for his birthday dinner.  We had a great time together!

Levi's dream came true.  He wanted the Maverick nerf gun and was so excited when he opened this present.

Levi decorated his own cake with candycanes and pop rocks.  He is helping me with this blog post and wants everyone to know he got a lego set too, and already had the jedi starfighter built by the time we had cake.

This present is probably his favorite...he reads it constantly!

Jeremiah's birthday was on April 2nd and he turned 15.  We were so glad he was on break and home so we could celebrate together.

Levi spent a lot of time wrapping this present for Jeremiah.  He gave him 15 toilet paper rolls as a joke and was so proud of his present for him.

Dan and my birthday were also in April, but we forgot to take pictures...typical.  We celebrated with 4 other missionaries with birthdays around the same time. 



Easter at Tenwek

Easter Sunrise Service in one of the missionary's yard.  Each year we decorate the cross with flowers on Easter morning.  It is so beautiful as the sun rays begin to shine on the cross!

Claire takes a sign language class with her friends and signed a song with them for the Easter Sunrise Service.

Jessica Wilging, Dan's niece, came to visit the week of Easter.  God used her in so many amazing ways with all the MK's, local Kenyan kids, Peds patients, with us, and with our church. We were so blessed!  This picture is of her presenting the Easter story to MK's and Kenyan kids before the annual Easter egg hunt on Saturday.  Following are pictures. -

Kids listen to the retelling of the Resurrection story.

All had fun hunting for eggs!

Jessica also taught an impromtu class on poetry and drawing cartoon characters. 

Claire and Jess hanging clothes out to dry.

Jeremiah's Home!

Jeremiah to the rescue!  Rodents make me feel panicky - they disgust me!  We have had a mouse in our kitchen for some time now.  Jeremiah delights in killing pesty animals and caught it in the non-traditional way by smashing it with his foot!

 

Jeremiah hanging with his MK buddies at Tenwek who all attend RVA together.

I wanted to include a picture of the three upper compound dogs.  Chuma is the German Shepherd, Ema is the boxer, and Rugby, the newest addition, is a Golden/lab mix.  Playing and wrestling is their favorite thing to do together!

Trip to the Mara

Dan and I spent a weekend out in the Masaii Mara for our anniversary.  We stayed at a quaint beautiful lodge which served just up to 14 people.  I was apprehensive at first, because we had never been to Ngerenda before, but it turned out to be the best anniversary getaway ever.  We even were able to visit a Masaii village.  The warrior with me in this pic was our tour guide, and in the background is a one of the many identical houses that make up this village.

In every Masaii village the single young men are trained to be warriors who protect and hunt for the village's food.  They're also extreme jumpers!

We were able to see the inside of a Masaai house which is built exclusively by the women.  Existing in each house were only two beds with cow leather for a mattress, a mud cook stove/fire pit, and a room to pen up the kid goats for the night.

 

Dan and I are on a walking safari, dangerous, but we had an armed guard with us, so we felt safe.  We are standing next to a hippo trail.  When we are on safari, all night long we hear the bellows of hippos.  We have learned that all the hippos exit the river at night to forage for food, following the same trail, while the mothers ready to birth, or who have too young of calves, stay back, and that's who we are hearing.

February Fun

Ashely, Lydia, and Claire and I had a special opportunity to let all our brothers and sisters at RVA know that we love them this Valentine's Day.  The girls made a homemade card for each person and we sent a bag of Valentine candy. 

Levi set up a wrestling arena in our living room.  If you can figure out what his sign says it is all about warning of danger and safety.  Levi has been loving one on one time with Dad.

Levi still collects toilet paper rolls just like last term.  Today he made a semi-automatic rifle.  You should see the mess on my school room floor.  It's ok, I enjoy seeing his creative mind at work!

The Cardiac Team and Anatomy Lab!

 For two weeks in January, we had the priviledge of hosting the Cardiac Team from Ocala, FL.  The best part about it?  The heart surgeon was Dan's oldest brother John!  They operated on 16 patients, including the wife of one of the professors at the nursing school.

 We had so much fun with John's team, and ate many meals together, including a special surprise that John brought all the way from the U.S. - a whole beef tenderloin!

With meals comes many dishes!  Thankfully John and Dan were willing to help out.

 

All of our kids LOVE uncle John!

Speaking of hearts...as part of our homeschooling curriculum here at Tenwek, we have been arranging anatomy teaching labs with the docs around Tenwek.  Here is Dr. Russ White teaching the kids with a cow heart from the Tenwek butchery.

Levi has especially been into the experiences.  He was given a pair of scrubs from the Osteens that he wears to these special events.

I think I know Levi's future career!

Like Father, like son.



Dan did a lab on the musculoskeletal system using cow bones from...you guessed it...the Tenwek Butchery.

Dr. Steve Burgert did a lab on the gastrointestinal system. 

Levi and Chuma.

Levi's report he recently did on "German Shepherds."

Discovering Christmas

In very unique and surprising ways, we as a family, discovered Christmas this year.  It started with Jeremiah home for the month, and then in early December we attended a WGM Christmas Field Meeting.  This picture is of the middle and high school students - a great group of kids!

WGM kindergarten through 5th graders.  Most of these children feel like brothers and sisters..

We were invited by Solomon, a good friend of ours, to attend a local church service the week before Christmas.  It was special to go as a family and experience a kipsigis church service.

Solomon and his daughter and son (peeking over her shoulder). 

Christmas Eve we went with another missionary family to one of the orphanges with the intention to bless them with the retelling of the Christmas story, worship, crafts, games, and gifts.  For them this would be their "Christmas." 

I think we all discovered the true meaning of Christmas when we gave up what we desired, which was staying home all day together on Christmas, and went to church at 9 am and then handed out toys, socks, and underwear to the children on the Peds ward.

Most of the MK youth participated.  I imagine we all received more through the smiles and excitement we saw on each child's face than they did in receiving gifts.