My friend Lili...

We met our fellow missionary friends, the Hunnicutts, at a park in Kranj for a couple hours this afternoon. Sarah and I enjoyed some coffee at the cafe attached to the park and chatted for awhile while Todd & Joel watched the girls play.It took Abigail a while to warm up to the environment, but after she did, she was off and running. It was cute to see her chasing any kids she saw running (anywhere) and then catch up to them and imitate everything they did. It seems like she's in a stage right now of doing that, both verbally and physically...it's pretty cute. It's definitely helping her pick up a lot of words right now.Abigail is really into naming animals and facial parts lately, so she was really drawn to this big bear, but it was actually a garbage can...it was cute to see her interacting with it anyway!

Our Ministry Team

This morning we had a ministry team meeting for our Jr. High English Camp. It was really great! Five of the six students who went to Oregon with us last summer are helping out with the Jr. High camp at the end of June.

This morning we sat around and talked about what needs the students will have and how best we can meet those needs. We talked about their possible needs for:

• feeling accepted and loved
• having a safe atmosphere with clear boundaries
• lots of fun!
• being equal with their peers
• being included, a part of the whole
• and many more!

The students who are helping (Zan, Matic, Anja, Nika & Tjasa) were all a part of the first English Camp we did in Kranj three years ago. We asked them what things they experienced at that camp that made them want to keep returning and how can we do the same for these students this summer and how can THEY help these younger students experience those same sorts of things.

It was a really encouraging time together! They all went home with assignments for the next couple meetings we'll have before camp actually arrives. They all have great ideas and are thinking through the "why's" of doing things, so we're excited to steer them and partner with them in reaching this next group of younger students.

Inheritance

These are the new flowers that I'm enjoying from the garden!

Little Mama

I stepped out of the kitchen this morning and when I came back in Abigail had taken over in feeding Elijah his cereal. It was pretty cute. I had to take it back over though, because she couldn't quite understand how not to put the spoon too far in his mouth. Poor guy!

Cereal

On May 15th, Elijah tasted rice cereal for the first time. It was a bit of a rough start for him, but he's enjoying it now and since then has ate some bananas and applesauce. He's not too keen on either of those, but sure likin' the cereal!

And two days in a row now, he has slept for 2 hours in the afternoon! Yay!

In Honor of ...

Potatoes! Today in Sencur there was a celebration of Maria Thesesa and potatoes. She was the Archduchess in Austria in the 1700's and sort-of forced the Slovenians to begin growing potatoes. It ended up being a good source of food for Slovenians and even for their animals. Many people say it saved the people from starvation during those days.

Today's celebration included a parade of historical potato farming equipment, traditional Slovene folk music, as well as traditional arts and handmade crafts, and lots and lots of potatoes! Specifically, one of Slovenia's main dishes, "prazen krompir". They're potatoes that are boiled, then sauteed with onions and are very tasty! If you've ever had lunch in Slovenia, most likely you've tasted this delicious recipe! There was also a dedication of a monument across the street, a relief statue of Maria Theresa holding a potato!

Our friend, Lojska, came from a family of potato farmers. She called the other day to ask if she could come see the festivities from our house. I really enjoyed standing next to her during the parade and hearing her relive old family memories of the different equipment.

It was a fun day to be in the center of the village today, walk out the front door and into an air filled with good music and great smelling food as well as people just out enjoying themselves!

4 Months Old

Elijah turned four months the other day. Sometimes we find ourselves saying, "can you believe it's been 4 months already?!" and at other times "it's only been four months?!" He just "fits" in our family. We're all enjoying him so much!We love how easily he smiles. We laugh at how he can be screaming at the top of his lungs one second for making him stay in bed and then see my or Joel's face the next and start smiling, laughing and cooing. We enjoy listening to his conversations, which are becoming quite vocal these days!

And we still love his cheeks!

Measuring Tape Light Saber War

Jehovah Jireh

Today I am humbled by the Lord's provision for us. He is an amazing provider! I just wanted to praise him publicly for his good deeds!

My second Mother's Day

Her children arise and call her "stressed!"

Proverbs 31:28

I was telling Joel on the way to church this morning that I don't really feel like I deserve to be celebrated today. The transition from one child to two has been pretty stressful and overwhelming at times and it's brought out some very ugly things in me.

One day, I was reading in Proverbs and it read,

"Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife."

and I thought, "I'm so glad I'm not one of those women...at least not today." Then 4:00 came. And I became that woman and Joel was wondering if he could sleep on the balcony that night.

Most days have been wonderful. I absolutely love our two children.

Some days, though, I find myself saying, "if Elijah would just sleep for longer than a half an hour I could get some "work" done!" And Joel lovingly and patiently reminds me...Elijah is my work right now.

One day I was crying and upset at Joel because I had asked him to help me. I was trying to get dinner ready and probably doing laundry, talking on the phone, emptying the dishwasher and both kids were also needing attention. So his "help" was to take the kids to the living room and hold them while sitting on the bean-bag chair and watch a movie with them. I was so hurt and wanted so badly to join them all but felt this pull to get my "work" done around the house that I got mad at Joel for helping me! Crazy, I know! And it's happened more than once! : ) Poor Joel, you really should pray for that guy!

That night, through tears, I told Joel that I was feeling like I couldn't just enjoy the kids like he was doing because I had so much "work" to do. I thought that if he came home from work and I was just sitting in the living room playing with the kids and had no idea what we would be eating for dinner that night that he would think I'm lazy/a bad housekeeper/irresponsible/blah, blah, blah. I will never forget his response. He said, "You know what I would think?" (I was nervous... was there something I'd missed?!) "I would think that you're a good Mom."

I couldn't believe it. He would actually be proud of me for not getting laundry done that day because I chose to color with Abigail instead. He would be more drawn to me by watching me interact with Abigail and Elijah than if the bathroom was clean.

It was so freeing. It's still a struggle some days...one that I am growing in and enjoying the freedom and joy that it brings.

So today I have enjoyed being celebrated by Joel, Abigail and Elijah despite my failures. And again this year, celebrating God for his goodness, mercy and loving-kindness in giving me the amazing gift of being the Mom of our two sweets, Abigail and Elijah and for the honor to be a parent alongside my dear husband, Joel.

Feelings Mutual

The other morning, Abigail and Elijah were having a little chat in our bed. It was pretty cute to just watch them. Eli definitely has Abigail on his 'favorite people' list!

Later that morning, Abigail climbed up into a stroller and stood backward toward the pushing side and ended up flipping it over! It was pretty scary, but thankfully, she's okay...wounded, but okay!

Yep...she'll survive!

Cupie Doll

I think Elijah looks like a cupie doll lately. We're having a lot of fun with this little bundle!

Home Sweet Home

It's always nice to come home after a time away. We had a great time at the JV Conference last week. Here are some of the highlights for us:

• As always...Dave's teaching. Dave is one of those few teachers that you listen to and he leaves you craving the Word of God.
• Meeting new families interested in JV. Hope they join us!
• Reconnecting with Lauree Austin. What an amazing girl! So glad she's part of JV!
• The amazing nursery workers! 5 of them taking care of 11 babies under 2! Wow! What a blessing!
• Watching Abigail with the other JV kids.
• Catching up with the other JVers. Amazing people being used by an amazing God!
• Oh! And Pizza Hut on the way home! Aaahhh, the tastes of home. Yum!

The JV Team

Abigail & Laurel Jackson

The fam

Toby (JV Baby in Czech) and Elijah

The fam again

Luke Patty & Abigail...good friends!Pizza Hut!!