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.

We're Going to Camp

We were ready to go on Thursday afternoon. The Lord gave us a beautiful day to travel. Our van was full. We took Helene along with us. We filled every available spot. :) After 2 1/2 hours we got there: The kids discovered a nice little sand spot, new since our last visit. Here the pretty green area in front of House 1. It had rained during the day, but the Lord gave us beautiful warm sunshine the whole time we were there.

Getting Ready for the Camp Impact Work Week-end!

We have been loading our vans over the last weeks with things out of the apartment that the teachers used to live in. At the end we also put in various garden tools to work with. Here Dustin was checking old batteries for us. In Germany expended batteries have to be taken to a special box set out in many stores.

Glimpses from Greenville

Wow, I guess there have been some changes to blogspot.com :) Pretty nice, though, I must say. Anyway, the kids have sent some pictures in the last week. The first picture was taken during the first week of school: Derek, Carrie (Dalene's roommate from last year), Danae, Eldon, and Dalene on the bridge. Not sure what they call it now, since the flags fly back behind them now, around the glory garden. :) The library is a favorite study spot for the kids this year. Danae in her "cubicle", as we used to call them. This was one of the many enjoyable lunches of the past weeks. By the way, they are back to serving the food this year, in an effort to keep food from being wasted. Studying on another night, too. Here Derek is at the first table. Dalene is a RA in Mary Gaston this year. Here one of the pictures that were taken for the dorm bulletin board. Dalene is also playing volleyball (bottom left) for her society, the Bobcats, this year. She has enjoyed it so much, and it has been special to have lots of family members from campus and town there cheering them on! :) Danae is taking Digital Photography this semester and last Friday she won the in-class contest for the day. She is really enjoying this class.