the latest

Wrestling! This is getting more and more fun- similarly, the kids are also really into "3 person hugs". :)




Saturday it was rainy- and cool- we went out 3 times and got soaked 3 times that day.




Titus likes fall clothes too (he really wanted to put on this new long-sleeved shirt from Mimi Coady, even though it is HOT here)- but who doesn't love fall clothes?



And this he learned from his big brother...push over the big chair, climb on top, step into pantry and reach for the sweet basket.

another sweet visit

Hard to believe just a few days ago Craig's parents took off back to the States. As often is the theme of our blog, we were so blessed to have them here for 2 weeks!　:) (144) Had lots of fun- playing rummikub, going for walks, exploring new places in the city, trip to Xian!...So thankful for such great parents/grandparents! (145) Kids had a blast with them of course.

Saw the impressive Terra Cotta soldiers and also super exciting got to see sweet friends on our trip to Xian ;) (146) It was fun too that Hudson is old enough to enjoy the tourist spots- he loved the "terrifying soldiers" as he was calling them to begin with. G and I- on the other hand- spent a lot of time outside the exhibits there, which was sweet time with my girl. (147) Another thing I am so thankful for was my bioband! (motion sickness bracelet) (148) Worked so well on the flight there (Hudson got sick though)- and on the way back worked really well for him! We've ordered another one- WELL worth the $11- for me and H to get to avoid using the little paper bags...so exciting!

149. other out of town friends here now!
150. the real food that we are eating more and more of at meals
151. windy sand storms that lead to blue skies!
152. eating sunday lunch outside yesterday, so nice
153. a little friend who is here for the afternoon/evening and who is getting WAY too much attention especially from grace, but is handling it well
154. dinner w C tonight!
155. the law being fulfilled by Christ, being released from it and new life in the Spirit to empower us to do the law- loving God and others.

3 weeks too fast

Said goodbye to Kay yesterday early morning- so sweet to have her here for 3 weeks- that were too fast. So thankful and so long to be with her still- My words do not do a good job showing how much I love her and love being around her...

122. K's job that allows her to stay with us for 3 weeks!
123. K being willing to stay here for that long with these 3 crazies and gray skies and no diet dr pepper
124. fun themed family nights
125. sound of music
126. hoosiers
127. Our Father's generous giving of good things to us
128. great shopping finds by Kay
129. a sweet airline worker who let Kay and her 54+ lb bags full of treasures bought in China go without an extra fee
130. getting a good bit of Christmas shopping done
131. 6 years of marriage!!
132. having such a good friend here for 3 weeks
133. getting input from K on our lives
134. the Spirit bearing witness that we are children of God
135. Christ fulfilling the whole law and the Spirit enabling us to
136. hardship
137. newly rearranged bedrooms
138. 3 kiddos sleeping together well!
139. Mimi and Papa are here now!!
140. our trip to Xian tomorrow and our sweet friends there
141. sad goodbyes
142. the subway
143. cereal from the US yum!

KK's here!!

Was reminded how many times I tell my little sister- "I wish you were here, so...". What a sweet blessing and encouragement she's been to me and Craig and the kiddos the past week plus- so much so. We were re-painting a mirror yesterday afternoon and our helper came out and said, "Oh, your little sister is so smart and so creative." I wholeheartedly agreed- and she's so much more than that too. She's joyfully served and helped us much- she's helped us to see sin in our lives (what grace!). She's been lots of fun to be around. And we've had incredible themed nights since her arrival (her idea that we each pick a special night)...so far including Kay's pick (International Night), G's (Hello Kitty night- a huge success!), C's sort of pick/sort of picked for him (Bible Night), and Hudson's (Sports Night). Highlights have included making passports and flags and world cupcakes, pin the bow on the hello kitty and kitty shaped pizza, and watching Hoosiers after playing all of H's favorite sports. Had been a while since I'd seen Hoosiers- and Hudson's first time- for anyone who knows Hudson, not surprising he LOVED it. The kids are still talking about Jimmy, Strap and Ollie a week later! After K goes back to the States, I think it's going to take our kids a while to be ok with our much less stellar themed family nights. :)

Here's a great link for fun themed night ideas.

Ru-pah, Ru-mah, or Ruth

Sat down with the kids tonight for the Bible story (which currently is Ruth). Craig started by asking Grace, “What girl have we been learning about?” (Much review necessary every night)
Grace answers, “Paul.”
Craig responds, “Paul is not a girl.”
Gracie then answers, “Ummm...Ru-pah.” (a combo of Ruth and Orpah) We all start giggling and can’t stop.
Craig then gives her her requested “choices”. (Ru-pah, Ru-mah, Ruth) And on it went for quite a few minutes…

And a few pics-- A couple nights ago C & I in our usual out of it way got the kids dressed for bed. See below- oops!
Who knew 12-18mo and 4T clothes could look so similar?



And here’s Titus in one of his favorite things to play with. This morning the first thing he did was grab the football helmet and the shield- his 2 favorite dress-up clothes items. Every time the kids open the dress-up box, Titus grabs the blue shield and white helmet and comes marching out.

Today around the house...

KK is here! More on that later...so thankful. (121)

Just some pics from around the house today...caught Hudson reading the Word to Grace this morning on the porch. And then T- found Hudson's swim trunks and insisted on wearing them all day and night- and in the afternoon he found his winter coat and Grace's old Dora slippers and he LOVED wearing them all. I think I will be hiding these somewhere not as easily found.

Vitamins

Lately we've had to make quite a few trips to the other side of town to the International Hospital here in our city- a lot more than usual (thankful for this place! 95). A couple nights ago, however, GJ saved us a trip (96). Craig was reading to Hudson and Grace before they were off to sleep and just after they had brushed their teeth and been given their flouride "vitamin" (no flouride in the drinking water here). Grace took hers into the bedroom and as she was playing with it and laying down listening to the story, the vitamin rolled into her nose. She immediately stood up and said, "Daddy, the vitamin is IN my NOSE." Not too upset, but serious. Craig knew she wasn't joking but couldn't see anything as he looked up her nose- called for me, and G kept asking for a kleenex. So we walked to the bathroom, gave her a kleenex - looked a bit with a flashlight and without really thinking about it Craig pinched one side of her nose in at the same time that Grace blew an "Uncle Randy" (97) :) type blow of her nose- the vitamin shot across the bathroom and we all cheered. She told the story probably 5 more times to me that night over the course of about 20 minutes. Hopefully it wasn't so exciting and so fun of an experience that she'll try doing it again...reminds me a bit of my cousin Ali's classic bean-go, bean up the nose story. Laughed and cried over that one many times...

98. cousins
99. their great stories
100. a little girl who also likes to tell her stories- repeatedly
101. flouride vitamins
102. generous and fun packages from the States
103. really great big sister and her b'day
104. little hands that make "gratitude lists" disappear
105. 3 little log-rollers
106. Having now to split time on the piano
107. our biggest one's 中文
108. KK coming in 3 days!!! (this should count for 100)
109. Dr. O and these kiddos hard-working aunts
110. Conversations between H & T about their strength and moving heavy water tongs into the kitchen
111. fresh milk
112. our new pursuit of better table manners!
113. 2 Corinthians 5- new creations and the righteousness of God
114. Psalm 86:12-13- Desiring to give thanks with my whole heart
115. Specific convictions of pride
116. ultra-flexible playmates and a fun sleep-over
117. that we get to live here
118. best air quality in days!
119. fellow Americans and Argentinian friends to celebrate the 4th of July with- yummy BBQ chicken sandwiches
120. freedom that has led to the spread of the good news
121. fun with daddy