Adventures with Miss Amber--Part 2

Last Wednesday Doreen and Lynette got to visit and bake cut-out cookies, play games, take pictures and have lots of fun.

Adventures with Miss Amber

Yesterday I got picture from Amber that she took at her apartment during the last couple of visits. On this post you see Danika's memorable moments with Miss Amber. She loved making her apple pie, reading, then playing the piano, coloring, fixing supper, playing UNO and hide-n-go-seek, up on top of the bedroom cupboard and even a little photo shooting :)

Shingles and Chicken Pox

Six years ago I had no idea of the relationship between the two. Soon after we got to the States for our second furlough, Donia (in 2nd grade then) suffered from pain and chicken pox-like spots. Since she had already had a good case of them, we assumed it must be some sort of allergy. (Poor girl, as I now realize. I only had a flashback on Monday and realized what she had had back then.) When Dustin got similar spots two weeks ago tonight and was suffering back pain, I took him to the doctor. She immediately diagnosed, as she called it "a classic case of shingles". I was amazed, since Dustin is only in 3rd grade, but the Dr. said such cases happen now and then. I read up on shingles and was reminded then that there is a relationship to chicken pox. Reminded, because 2 years ago my brother suffered with a case of shingles. You only get shingles, if you have had chicken pox, and you can't "catch" shingles, but a shingles patient can infect someone who hasn't had chicken pox yet. Well, in the mean time, Dustin's spots are healing, though he has still had some back pain. On Monday morning, Danielle evidenced first spots of chicken pox, which tonight are very unsightly and uncomfortable. Donovan and Danika are not far behind her. We found their first spots today. No fun for the patients, but I am thankful that now everyone in the family will have had them as a child!

Fun with Miss Amber

Amber's special love for children has her playing Uno with the kids, or down on the floor watching the children enjoy the mattress tunnels they built, just to name two activities! Most of the time we don't get pictures of the reading, games (inside and outside), crafts, coloring, and baking (yesterday we made apple pies together), etc. that take place day-in and day-out after school.

Sunday, November 4th 2007

We enjoyed fellowship with Christian, Rebecca and "Baby Martin", as he is often referred to by the little ones. For Danielle he is still simply, "Baby". When Rebecca lifted him up out of his seat during the service, Danielle caught sight of him across the auditorium and immediately started talking about "Baby". Her speaking is very clear, and enjoyed by all as she learns and experiments with words and sounds.

Choir Practice

Choir rehearsals resumed this fall. Several regulars have not been able to make it, but we are continuing with preparations for the Christmas season.

Tuesday, October 30th 2007

When we went to pick up the boys after work on Tuesday, Kay had a deer hanging on the end of the clothes line. As a hunter he gets to pick up any road kill in his district. This was the fourth one this fall, he said. Danika loves wearing scarves and dressing up. She decorated her play dough cake with a pigeon feather she picked up at the farm. (The Grandma feeds the pigeons, and occasionally serves them, as well. :))

Greenville Glimpse: Dalene's Party

On Saturday Dalene, Danae, and thousands of other students enjoyed "White Glove". Dalene, who lives on the south side of the dorm (on first floor), wanted to get her window in shape and climbed out on the ledge to clean it! After winning some coupons (the campus radio station keeps contests going all day), and finishing up, she studied before going to a party in her honor. All of the family and several of her friends had been invited. Kirk and Alex had planned games, as well. It was a great evening! Thank you to all!

Greenville Glimpses: Dalene turned 20 on Friday!

Danae had made many signs to post on the dorm doors and some mirrors, announcing Dalene's birthday, so she was greeted on all sides throughout the day. After a full day of classes, work and white gloving, Dalene enjoyed supper with my parents, and then joined the "Erik M. Fan Club" (who plays for Zeta Chi) to cheer him on! That night they had the joy of watching him shoot a beautiful goal!!! Kirk gave him a little prize for his goal, so he could have a special treat to the snack shop with his girlfriend. :) Between cheers they enjoyed a giant chocolate chip cookie, frosted with a birthday greeting from Kirk and Co.! To end the day, 20 girls had a great time devouring the 3 dozen donuts and the juice brought by her paternal grandma!!!

We have four October birthdays to celebrate!

Three took place in Greenville: Joann, our niece, turned 9 on Oct. 8th. Kent, my youngest brother turned 37 on Oct. 22nd. Carol (in Germany) turned 44 on the 23rd, and Dalene turned 20 on the 26th of October! We thank the Lord for each life! (The pictures are in the order of their celebrations, not their birthdays. :) Sorry!)

ONLY 50 MORE DAYS........

.............the countdown is getting lower every day!

Wednesday Fun

Today Dustin got to visit Miss Amber again. They baked oatmeal-apple cookies which we got to enjoy after church tonight. "Meanwhile, back on the ranch," Danika raked yesterday's leaf pile into the walls of a house, with a room for her, Donovan and Danielle. They had a grand time "furnishing" their rooms, and playing together.

Fall Foliage

Nights and mornings have turned cold. Car windows require scraping again, but the days have been sunny and beautiful, in spite of the cold wind. Today Danika enjoyed raking our maple leaves, and then playing in them with Danielle.

Kitchen Happenings

Yesterday the men moved my mother's 45 year old refrigerator (which she gave me when they moved to the States) up to my kitchen to replace a much younger version that we had gotten a few years ago! Donovan is holding a huge potato that Kay and Susan gave us! We made delicious French fries out of this one and similar ones today. Donia made "pigs in a blanket", another favorite, for lunch today.

The Rest of the Story ....

Doreen (10) and Lynette (9)

Fun in the Fields

Today a long awaited event took place. Bradley took the little kids out into one of Kay's fields to enjoy experiencing shooting arrows! In spite of the cold wind on this sunny day, the kids came back with excited descriptions of their turns with the bow! :) (From top to bottom: Donovan (5), Danika (6), Dustin (8), Eddie (cousin, 8))