Who needs training wheels?

NOT US!!

Ella practicing with Daddy!!

Brayden's turn!!

How did they get so big so fast??



T-shirt and Adoption Update

So, it's been a while since I last posted on this blog.  Well that's because March was a super busy month for our family.  We had 2 straight weeks of mission teams, Eric's birthday, and a couple of little blessings come to visit us!! 

I wanted to give a quick update of how the adoption is going.  Our agency visited our daughter last month and so we have got to hear all about her, as well as their recent experience in the Congo. While they were there, they took lots of pictures and got her clothes and shoe size for us! They also were able to video her and we received that video a couple of weeks ago!!  We've watched it over and over.  Also, we are in the very last stage of the court process.  As soon as we find out we pass, there is a 30 day mandatory wait period.  After that, she is legally our daughter!!!  We will be able to travel hopefully soon after that!!  We would definitely appreciate your prayers during this wait!!  There are so many unknowns still and we have a busy summer planned with mission teams.  However, we know God's timing is perfect so we are trusting and knowing that God is in control of this!!

Moving on...to T-shirts.  They are ready to be delivered!!!  If you have ordered a t-shirt from us but haven't sent payment, please do that ASAP.  We are so thankful to everyone that ordered!!!  We have had several ask if we are going to do a reorder. It it a possibility that we will reorder in the summer.  Let us know if you would be interested. 

Hope to be back to blogging regularly again soon!!!

Brittany

February Top Ten

Well, let's just say that February was a busy, but very fun month. We took lots of time to spend together as a family, and we tried our best to relax most weekends instead of going non-stop.  Here are my top 10 favorites:

1. Camping @ Hickiwan-  We went to visit our friends and fellow missionaries, Ken and Thurleen Bain, in Hickiwan on the Tohono O'odham reservation.  We absolutley love Hickiwan for many different reasons, but one of them is because of the slow pace of life there.  It is quiet and peaceful and a place that we can go and relax. There is hardly any traffic and there are no sirens!!  Plus, it's beautiful (as far as deserts go) with mountains all around.  While we were there, we went to see Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and drove down to the border.

Yes, I laid out in the sun and it was great!

Ella and Brayden's "pets".  They kept feeding them apples so the donkeys stayed around a lot.

Beautiful!!

2. Valentine's Day-  We had a fun time together as a family.  I received my favorite flowers and favorite candy.  Eric got several of his favorite candies.  Ella and Brayden got new stuffed animals and candy. We all went out for dinner as well.

3. The Circus- This was part of Ella and Brayden's Valentine present.  Let me just say, I was not impressed with the circus at all.  However, the kids loved it.  So, it was worth it because of that.

One of the best performances of the night.  I'll spare you the rest of the pics :)

4. Picnic at the Park-  President's Day weekend was a long weekend for us.  Ella was out of school that Monday so we went to one of our favorite parks, Villago Park. We had a picnic by the water and took a walk around. 

5. More Adoption Updates- This has been a busy month for our adoption.  Everything seems to be progressing.  We have gotten shots this month to prepare for travel(ouch!), we have been refingerprinted (because there was a chance our fingerprints would expire before we traveled), and we have filled out lots of forms and papers for travel and Embassy.  Also, our agency director and program coordinator are in the Congo now!  They are getting new pics and info that hopefully I get to pass along soon!!

6. Rodeo- In Arizona, the time for festivals and events are in the months of February and March.  This month we went to the Casa Grande Cowboy and Indian Days.  One of the big events is the rodeo.  We had lots of fun watching in the stands and, of course, enjoying all the yummy food (kettle corn) and drinks (lemonade shake ups) that go along with it.

My cowgirl and cowboy

7. Donnie and Carla Visit- We were lucky to have our good friends come to visit us from Murray, KY.  They drove all the way to come visit and minister with us for a week.  It was so good to see friends from "back home" and just to spend the week together talking and catching up.  Of course, we were so thankful for their help as well.

   

Donnie and Eric

Carla with some of the girls

8. Our first ever Disciple Now Weekend with the youth at First Pima-  We had lots of fun with the kids that came from First Pima.  We played games, ate, had Bible Study, ate some more, answered questions, the girls stayed the night (notice I didn't say they had a sleep over because sleep wasn't involved I don't think).  Overall, it was a great time!  Not to mention, 2 students gave their life to Christ on Sunday morning!!! 

Playing a game

Abriel and Michele (pronounced Mish-a-lay) right after they gave their life to Christ!

9. Our 1st Pow Wow- We experienced our first ever pow wow and it was lots of fun.  It was really neat to see everyone in their traditional native dress and to see the dancing and singing and drumming. 

10. Speaking about blogging- We went to our first Arizona MSC missionary retreat and I was asked to speak about blogging.  Yes, you read that correctly.  I spoke about how to make a blog and all the things you can do with it.  Crazy, right?  I felt so inadequate to do it, but I did and it went great (at least I think it did).  I even think some people decided they were going to give it a shot. 

Well, that about sums up our month of February- at least the fun parts.  ( I didn't include that both kids were sick throwing up and that I feel like I didn't sleep for a week.)  But, after thinking back over all the fun we had this month, it's hard to remember that even happening. 

Feeling extremely blessed,

Brittany

P.S.  Don't forget to take a look at the shirts we have for sale this month (see previous post)!  Let me know if you want one!  (or 2 or 3 or 4) 

T-Shirts

We have new t-shirts for sale!!!!

 

On both shirts, the left side of the pic will be the front and the right side of the pic will be the back.

The first shirt is our adoption fundraising shirt.  The front says "147 Million Orphans".  The back has Proverbs 24:12 written in black.  We are selling them for $15 each.  Please add $2 for sizes 2XL and up.  Also, please add $3 for shipping (if needed).

The second shirt is our ministry shirt.  (They came as one attachment and I can't separate the pics!)  The front has "Arizona Missions 2012".  The back has Matthew 5:16 written in green. They are also $15 each with $2 extra for 2XL and up and $3 for shipping (if needed).

If you are interested in either one, please send me an email at liveloveaz@gmail.com with how many, sizes, etc. 

We are placing the order for the shirts March 12.

Payment can be made by check or cash.  If mailing, please send to PO Box 2237, Sacaton, AZ 85147.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Today, I am celebrating these "loves"!

It says "I love you this much!"

His new bull!!

They got me my favorite flowers-stargazer lilies!!  (I think Daddy might have picked these out.)

And while I love my sweet husband and precious children so much, I am reminded today of what love I should be celebrating the most; the love of Jesus!!!

I am celebrating the day that I realized what true love was! 

I am celebrating the day that I realized that God sent His perfect Son to die a cruel, painful death on a cross for ME.  That's love!!

"but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8

The day when I became a child of God!!

"The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs- heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ..." Romans 8:16-17

The reason I am able to know what love is and show that to others is because He (Christ) showed me first!!!

"We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19

And that is a lot to celebrate!!!!!!

My prayer tonight, friends and family that read this, is that you too know the love of Jesus!

If so, do some celebrating!!!

If not, I urge you to do so!  You will not experience a love greater than HIS!! 

"Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.  God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."  1 John 4:15-16

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Love,

Brittany

A couple of things

1. I have several things that I want to blog about, but I am having trouble loading pics onto my computer.  Of course, pics are necessary (I feel) for the post so they are coming in the near future.  I promise.  After I figure out our computer.  Or God is done teaching me patience :)

2.  I have a sick boy, which equals no fun :(  This is the 3rd time in 3 months that he has been sick throwing up!  He was up 5 times in the night, which means I was up 5 times in the night, which means that I am a very tired momma today.  However, I do see signs of improvement as the day progresses!  Hopefully some time snuggling together on the couch and a nap (please) will be just what we need!!

3.  Don't forget to check out our ministry blog (www.liveloveaz.blogspot.com) to see what's been going on and for ways that you can pray!!


Check back again soon!!

Brittany

January Top Ten

The whole month of January has been a great start to 2012 for our family.  We've got to spend lots of time together just being us, you know.  So I decided I would make a list of my top ten favorite things about this month. 

1. The weather-  in my opinion, it just doesn't get much better than having 75 degree days in winter.  I think as long as I live in AZ, winter will be my favorite season :)

Check out the short sleeves, shorts, and flip flops!

2. Learning to cook gluten free foods- I'll admit that I wasn't looking forward to it because I thought it was going to be hard.  However, it hasn't been that bad.  I have actualy enjoyed it.  Not to mention, I feel better too!

My first batch of GF chocolate chip cookies!  They were seriously good stuff! 

3. The view- I just can't get enough of the mountains.  It never gets old to look at God's Creation.  This month, I have especially enjoyed it!

Beautiful!!

4. Sun's game- For Christmas, I got Eric tickets to a Phoenix Sun's basketball game.  We could only afford 2, so we got to go on a date!!  We ate at Joes's Crab Shack before and then enjoyed the game together.  They lost, but it was still tons of fun!!

The score at the end of the game :(

5. Family Softball Game- We had lots of fun together.  I plan on writing another post as to why this game in particular meant so much.  Stay tuned :)

She's gonna hit it!!

6. Adoption Updates- We have gotten good news that our adoption is making progress!!  News that our case is going to court to make things official!!  Hopefully soon we will be able to show an actual picture and bring our little girl home!!

7. Spending the day at the lake- Canyon Lake is one of our favorite places to go and just relax.  We spent one Saturday doing just that.  It was awesome!!

Don't you love Brayden's new hairstyle?

8. Babysitting Jace- We love anytime we get to spend with baby Jace. Brayden spent the morning showing him all his trucks that he wanted him to play with :)



After discovering Jace couldn't play with the trucks yet, he found one of his old baby books :)

Aww -a sleeping baby.  It doesn't get much better than that :)

9. Marriage Class- Eric is in seminary and one of the J-term classes offered was a marriage class.  The requirement for the class was that I had to go to and participate, as well as read the books.  (I think when he graduates they should give me a degree too!)  Fortunately, it was really fun.  The books were easy to read and contained lots of useful info.  We got to spend lots of time talking about us, our marriage, and how ministry affects it.  It was a fun weekend, and Eric got an A for the course!

10. Camping in the driveway- Yes, you read that correctly.  We went camping in the driveway.  One Friday afternoon Ella came home from school and her and Brayden decided it would be fun to go camping.  It was too late to pack up all our stuff and pick a place to go, so we just decided to camp in the driveway.  It was lots of fun!!  We even put a TV and DVD player in the camper and watched Dolphin Tale when it got dark outside.  Bonus- We got to use our own bathroom and shower! :)  It was a fun and cheap way to spend a Friday night!

So, that's my top ten for January.  Can't wait to see what will take place this month!!

Brittany