Our Lantern Walk

Kay and Susan invited us and others from church to their home for food, fellowship and a lantern walk. Above, the ladies gathered in the kitchen just before supper. Kiddies at their own special table The adults Ready to start walking The kids in the lead Our friends and Donia Devon carrying Liane's little lantern Danielle and Jacob on the way back next to a bolder. A visit to the pigs after we got back to the farm Dustin and Danielle were both interested in feeding them. The pigs were hungry and loud. Kay served up the icecream during dessert time. Here Kay showed us a trick with an empty tea bag which he lit, and which lifted of and dissolved before our eyes.

Camp Impact: October Work Week

We drove down to Camp Impact on Tuesday morning and came home Saturday night. We had a good time working there, and enjoyed the challenges that came with the season: staying warm. :) Danielle helped with the raking. Doreen worked with the blower for hours that first day.We gathered the leaves as best we could. One of our mowers: Dustin We transported the leaves in bags to the pile beyond the fence. Donovan enjoyed trying the blower. It was pretty heavy, but he had fun for a few minutes. Danika and Dustin on "their" wall, Bradley joined us on Thursday and did a lot of raking that first day. The kids put it all in bags the next morning. It was very hazy all day. Danielle was the "Snack-Lady" on Friday. She spent most of our days (and nights!) in her snowsuits. I had several along. The kids ended up filling 28 bags that morning. Having fun, while working Sleeptime: Danika bundled up for the cold! Helping Daddy wet down the old wall paper Snack time distribution on Saturday cookies and sliced apples Devon and Simon tearing down the bathroom wall in the upper floor Scaping off the old wall paper Using the special solution to help get off those stubborn pieces of wall paper.

Donovan's Party

Donovan and Daddy go out for lunch at McD's. Big brother, Devon Achi, a new student in Magdeburg Supper with friends Bradley with Jost Three buddies Donovan turned 7 on October 14th. A whole month has passed since then. We have had many ups and downs with our computer in that time, and I was gone for the good part of a week while at Camp impact during the last days of October. Our pictures are in our computer that is crippled, so that blogging has not been on the agenda for awhile. :)

Donia's 16th Birthday Date

A few days late, but better than never. Bradley and Donia went out to eat on Friday and then did various ministry visits for several hours after that. Before they left I got to take pictures of our now 16 year old daughter. :)

Soccer Time

This fall Devon is playing on a soccer team in our village for the first time. He has enjoyed the training sessions and one game so far. The coach put him in to play the last eight minutes. He did a great job during that time.

Donia turns 16 on Sunday, September 27th, 2009

Donia with Danika and Donovan right before our noon meal. She had requested Maultaschen, a Swabian specialty, on the line of Ravioli, but not in a tomato sauce. We boil ours in broth.

Dustin turns 10 on September 24th, 2009

Lunch date with Daddy Soccer time with Devon, Donovan and Daddy! Donia's best friend, Aline, came Thursday for a week-end visit. Donia had no idea. The surprise was perfect! Dustin's party cake. Dustin and Jost, the youngest Brüggemann.

Sunday, September 20th 2009

We didn't get home until 10 p.m. (Bradley and his van) and after 11 p.m. for our van, so our little camper helpers were tuckered out on Sunday afternoon. Our neighbor brought us over this package Sunday afternoon. We had ordered some large print Bibles to give to some elderly ladies for reading ease.

Saturday at Camp Impact

Dustin and Donovan worked steadily before and after lunch helping Zina and her kids take off wall paper. Devon and others taking out the insulation above the top floor of Haus 2. Danika, Helene and Danielle playing school and other things with all the little kids. Bradley organized the ceiling rests in one room. Bradley on the clean-up crew: Clearing away the ceiling that was broken away. Aline, Dono and Dustin wearing their masks. All done for now. (The picture right above and the one right below are from Stephen K.) The demolition crew (Unfortunatey our viewer isn't functioning on our camera, so we didn't discover the smudge, which was on the last 150 pictures, until we downloaded them at home! :() All the workers of the week-end, with the exception Brüggemanns who left early to attend a class reunion.

Friday Afternoon and Evening at Camp Impact

Vicki freshening up the rooms Ellen cleaning out the new-to-us nightstands Danielle playing in the tree above the play ground Getting the beds moved and rooms ready for the 53 helpers Kay and Susan planting bulbs for next spring Danika driving the weeds off to the compost pile Carrying the children's chairs given by the school in Heidelberg Doreen helped to unload the furniture. The men who helped. The driver kindly gave the kids several rides on the ramp and let them enjoy the inside of the truck for a little while. Finally: we were happy to welcome Bradley about 7 p.m. He had come through heavy traffic, having stayed in Magdeburg overnight to attend the celebration of the roofing of the new old folk's home addition. Danielle carries up her chair, too (with the help of big sister, Donia)! Supper with the first helpers who have arrived. The last ones came in around midnight. All the things brought by the truck from Heidelberg. Everything was carried in before dark.

Friday morning at Camp Impact

Helping with the breakfast dishes on Friday morning. Devon, Andy and Kay set up this old German wardrobe together. All the kids worked together to get the grass out of the cracks it had grown up between again. Devon and Donia carried up hospitals bed (given to us by the nursing home we minister in) for the two rooms which housed the young unmarried men. Finally the kiddies got to open up the sandbox. It provided them hours of fun.