7 YEARS AGO!!!

This day 7 years ago......

Scott and I woke up very early to drive from our house at the lake to Brookwood Hospital.  My sweet Mama went with us with the plan that she'd be with me for the C-section delivery of our 2nd little bundled gift from God!  Scott was not quite sure he wouldn't FALL OUT during the delivery, so my Mom was absolutely willing to be with me, like any precious Mom would be for her daughter. 

The time came and as we were preparing we realized the charge nurse was a friend we had met in the Sunday School class we had been visiting at our church, Beth.  She took Scott aside, told him she'd be there if he was feeling weak and he would be fine.  She also knew he was not able to be in our firstborn's delivery...she didn't want him to miss this one.  HE DID IT! 

Our little 6 pound, 10 ounce baby girl came into this world with a sweet cry and we both got to see and hear it ALL!  ( I was under full anesthesia with our firstborn)

We watched them do her APGAR's, we watched them weigh and measure and bath and test and do all the little things they do when God brings a new little one into the world..and we held her...Oh we held her and cried and loved and praised the God who gives more than we could ever ask or imagine!

Scott's parents were there with my Mom when he walked out to show her to them and my sweet Daddy, who had stayed home with "The Big Brother", brought that big 4 year old up to meet her about lunch time!  He came in the room and with the biggest eyes and biggest smile, he met his baby sister for the first time.  Though when we first told him we were having baby girl, he wanted to name her "Big Trucks Johnson" (no kidding that was his idea for her name), he was satisfied with Isabella Georjan! 

Today we celebrate her 7th Birthday and praise God for the gift of her life. 

If I cup my hands around her face and don't look at her super long hair, she still looks just like that sweet baby we brought home 7 years ago...big blue eyes, dimples and all!

She loves to dance, do rhythmic gymnastics, sing songs to the Lord...some known and some she makes up herself!  She is creative and always wants to be busy with her hands.  She loves to make potholders with her loom and now, bracelets, with her new rainbow loom she got for Christmas from her Aunt Ney, Uncle Justin and Cousin Haley!  She wants to learn to knit, and sew and do everything there is possible for a girl who loves handicrafts! She loves jigsaw puzzles! Her love of dolls and all things mommy extends to the beautiful place where she is just in love with our friends newborn babies here in Namibia.  One is a sweet little baby boy and she wants to know everything about when he eats, diapers, how to comfort him, how his strength develops to hold his head up...EVERYTHING!  When he makes the slightest sound and she runs to see what he is doing, you can see it in her eyes...she is studying and absorbing every little detail...like God just made her little girl heart to prepare for that, someday.  She says she'd like to "have ALOT of children, but if the Lord doesn't have that in His plan for her, she'll work at something."  ((Mama smiles))

She is in 1st grade and has never been away to pre-school or elementary school.  I have had the joy, honor and privilege of educating her at home and my heart is overwhelmed by God's gift of that as well!  We came here when she was 4 years old and I only had plans to do a bit of pre-school work with her.  She and God had other plans.  She began attempting to read before we left, so I knew I had to kindle that flame in her if she had the desire...so we did reading work and that sweet girl did not want to "stop" school until her brother, then in 3rd grade, was finished with his work.  So, most days she was not required, but delighted in working and learning alongside her brother until his work was complete! 
She enjoys reading so much and loves rhyming books, poems, rebus stories and read-alouds.  This year we have read so many books aloud, but Pollyanna and The Little House series have been her favorites!  After she does her reading to me she says "we must have after reading snuggles" and she curls up in my lap, in the same place she always placed her head as a little baby and we snuggle! 

She is good at math and scripture memorization...and has a willing spirit in all things "school related". 

If we can't find her in the house, she is either on her bike riding in our yard (surrounded by a wall), or up in "her" mango tree! She loves to climb trees!  She loves the outdoors...taking nature walks, studying the dung beetle as he rolls his little ball of dirt around and burrows into the ground taking his ball with him, looking for birds and shapes in the clouds. 
She LOVES animals too!  Our dog, Russia, and anyone else's dog that she can get her hands on!  Horses, rabbits, ducks, chickens, she wants to touch and hug and love them ALL! 

She loves cooking, washing dishes with me, running errands with her Daddy, building legos with her brother, painting, watching her brother play his DSI, listening to music and laughing...the silliness factor in that sweet girl can keep us all laughing for hours! 

AND, she speaks two languages!  Afrikaans and English!  We are in awe of the Lord in this area...absolutely amazing and a gift from GOD!

She is often called by many names--Sis, Bun Rabbit, Bun Bun, Liefetjie (pronounced "leef-A-KEY" little love in Afrikaans), Monkey and most often...PEANUT!

So, to our little Peanut...we love you!  We love how you love others and the Lord your GOD!  We pray for you without ceasing and we thank God for the abundant gift of being your earthly parents. 
We are humbled that HE chose us to love you, raise you and point you back to Him.  You are HIS child and we don't take that lightly...we need His grace and mercy in every area of our lives to be found faithful by Him.   May you always know the great love He has for you.  Our love cannot compare...but we do..love you with our whole hearts.

HAPPY HAPPY 7TH BIRTHDAY LITTLEST ANGEL OF OURS! 

A Namibian Thanksgiving

We spent the month of November doing all the sweet crafts and studies of Thanksgiving…Pilgrims…Indians….scripture verses of Thanksgiving to our great God…you name it..we tried to do it!  Keeping in mind that Fall begins our favorite time of decorating and celebrating! The house filled with bright Fall colors, wreaths, yummy Fall scented candles, cornucopias, our chubby little Publix pilgrims on the table & our “Tom Clark” pilgrims as well..passed down from my parents to us…The house all covered in FALL!

….Cue record scratch…….

Let’s take note of a few differences this year:

“American Thanksgiving” is not a Namibian National holiday.

There was no talk of Black Friday here in Namibia.

The date of our Thanksgiving did not signify the “start” of the Christmas shopping season.

No turkey to be found.

Lastly, IT IS NOT FALL HERE!!!!!!

Our Thanksgiving looked so different this year and we loved every minute of it.  We moved here in two suitcases per person and that did not leave room for all of our wonderful “symbols” of Thanksgiving to place around our house.  So, aside from 2 sweet little scarecrow riding goards that our Nana sent…we made it all!  Anything associated with our celebration:  turkey placemats, napkin rings, thankful garland, Indian feather headbands, a paper basket with sheets of paper inside to write our words of Thanksgiving to God on, and the list goes on…….

Making those things, enjoying that time with our kiddos while reading “The First Thanksgiving” and “Pilgrim Stories” on the Baldwin Project website (such a gift to us on the mission field), praising our great God—who is the reason for and receiver of our giving of thanks—It was WONDERFUL! 

Now, there are many “traditional” ingredients for our holidays that are not available here…pecans, canned pumpkin, cranberry sauce..to name a few.  Our sweet friends, The Stringfellows, sent a package that included all of the above and we squealed with excitement..if only a dried turkey could fit in that box..hmmm..we could reconstitute it with water & VOILA!  Or better yet…a dried Carlye & family that we could reconstitute when they get here…now were talkin’!!!! 

OK...back to the matter at hand…Thanksgiving food…as the day was fast approaching..Scott proposed an idea...what if we save those ingredients for our Christmas dinner & we eat at a restaurant for Thanksgiving.  What???  There are only a few and we eat at home--pretty much exclusively…so that would be a super treat! 

And, that’s just what it was…a super treat with a Thanksgiving twist…we took ALL of our decorations & homemade “symbols” of our Thanksgiving with us and included our sweet server in on our giving of Thanks to God!  It was a truly wonderful time!

That was followed by a trek around town to see some of our “friends” whom we pray for.  The children had also made scripture cards to give to those friends..and we were truly blessed to see God break down a “wall” in a lady we’ve been faithfully praying for when the children gave their card to her!  Now that is reason for Thanksgiving!

Scott had to teach that night in Grootfontein, so we came home for a rest time & while he was away teaching—we went to a friend’s house for a swim & some sweet fellowship! 

The day was all it was designed to be..a day filled with praise & thanksgiving..to the Great God who deserves all of our worship. For He alone can ignite such a desire in ‘pilgrims’ who want to worship Him freely that they would risk so much to have such freedom.  We offer hearts filled with thanksgiving to Him for those pioneering pilgrims, for OUR nation & for the nation He has sent us too…He is Sovereign God over all…The King of All Nations..

can I get an AMEN???

the link to the pictures: https://picasaweb.google.com/118039148947647302826/ThanksgivingInNamibia2011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCP6k97_MjcjOYQ&feat=directlink  
(Also check out our picture tab we have added some other photos from our life here)