Day 10- Mark on Safari / 6 kiddos for me!

Mark skyped with me today during my morning (their dinnertime) and he was on the plains of Africa on a safari! The kids were SUPER excited and we were able to see (a tad blurry) elephants, gazelle, hippos and a LION!!!!! Lions are rare to see on a safari so the team was super excited! It was so cool that we got to "go along" with him!

Today, I watched 2 other little girlies. They slept over last night and I had them all day till about 6pm. They really are such quiet little girls who were very obedient and respectful to me but I think just having 6 children is a ton of work and tiring, plus Elijah was pretty sassy and ornery today and required a bunch of discipline. So it was a rough day but verses kept popping up in my mind all day about Christ and His selfless life, serving others and never complaining about it:) I was rebuked many times today.

 We did have fun going to the fountains at SouthGlenn with Mel and swimming in our pool. And I did get a nap with Clara and Elijah (which are rare these day) and the kids all helped clean the basement so it is spic and span. And Erika is so sweet and watching them tomorrow (THANK YOU, ERIKA)  so I get to go get my hair cut and I think I will pop into Solid Grounds and do some reading. I also get to do some baking with Emy for my sister-in-law, Tinas baby shower on Saturday. Lots of blessing...

Tonight I got very angry with Elijah who was not being careful and spilled my drink all over me and the floor just as I was sitting down to FINALLY eat around 7pm. I lost it and yelled at him and said some not nice things. I was SO rebuked by the Spirit after it happened. I calmed down and then went and found him (he was sitting all alone crying) and apologized for my mean words and loosing my temper with him and getting so angry. I told him that what mommy did was sin and that Jesus died for that sin and that I need to remember that the next time I get angry. He was so sweet and kept kissing me and saying its okay mommy. I love you, mommy.
Praise God for forgiveness and for His showing me thru the example of a child how my sin mocks a loving God who gave of  Himself for me on the cross. I am so full of pride and need to be humbled like this. Most of the time, I want life to be easy and things to go smoothly but then I so easily loose that sensitivity to the Spirit, and the joy that comes with remembering that I am but clay and that I need the fire of hard times to burn out the many imperfections and to make me more like my Creator. Praise God for a hard day and for the outpouring of His grace in causing me to remember the Gospel in the midst of my sin.

Day 9- Mark Builds Houses/ Movie. Locks of Love. Dinner Date. Sleepover.

 Took the kiddos to see Kit Kitteredge: An American Girl for $1 at Regal Cinemas in Park Meadows. 

It was a GREAt movie! Want to buy it when it comes out.

 It sparked some great history talk about the Great Depression on the way home. 

 My sweet little Sophia, after seeing Kit with short hair in the movie, decided today to cut her hair. We had talked a few weeks ago about cutting it and donating it to locks of love because it is SOOO long. I explained what they do with the hair and how it helps kids with cancer. She was interested but she was not ready to part with her long hair. I think the movie somehow helped her because she had made up her mind and was excited about it. Its crazy how quickly she had a change of heart. All she ever talked about was growing her hair to her bottom and maybe being in the World Record book (not kidding!) 

She looks SO much older to me with short hair.
As soon as she saw it she said, "I look just like Aunt Emy!" 

Below is the progression. We got it cut at great clips because I had a coupon but come to find out if you donate your hair, they don't charge you! 

I had the envelope and form all ready to go so we could drop it off at the post office right after the hair cut.

they cut off right around 12 inches. 

 Such big smiles! 

 Arianna says she is growing out her bangs to see if people can still them apart:) 

She wants to look exactly the same:) 

Hair is mailed off! 

Tonight, Erika invited us for some yummy dinner and it was nice to just hang and talk while she cooked away:) Her girlies came over tonight for a sleepover and I will watch them all day tomorrow as Erika and Ryan are going to a conference. 

Talked with Mark tonight a tad bit. They are in a very rural place so the interent is very spotty and conversations are very broken. But it sounds like the house thing went well and they are headed down the mountain now to go on a safari today. Super excited for them and hoping it is a day filled with rest for the team. He has yet to get a very good internet connection strong enough to upload pictures. The last week of their trip is spent in the city so hopefully it will be easier to post updates, talk and post pictures!  Thanks for continuing to pray! 

Day 8- Mark travels / Park Day and Night out!

 Today was a nice day playing at the park with the other ladies and kids from Sola church. 

If any of you with children want a park play date once a week, we meet at Cherry Knolls Park off of Arapahoe and University every Tuesday at 10am. Come join us! 

 The park has a great creek that the kids LOVED playing in. 

I even got to read for a while once everyone left.

 Tonight, Jen asked is she could watch the kids and I gladly accepted! It was wonderful to have a few hours to myself with friends. Judging by these pictures, I dont think they missed me! 

 Sorry this picture is SO very blurry but I just had to add it! Jen and Zak have 3 boys of their own so they had a house full tonight! Thank you guys SO very much for showing such kindness to me!

 Mel, Julie and I went out to see a movie and grab some burgers. so fun! LOVE these ladies! 

Mark didn't get to skype tonight but we chatted online for a little bit. They are on a really high mountain in Kisii where the internet isn't very good. Yesterday they basically just drove 6 hours to get to this town and then visited a local elementary school to play with the kids. Today they are building 2 houses and then going back to the school to help with the kids.

Day 7- Mark at Highschool / Ben Franklin Pool for us!

Hard to believe we are at day 7- almost half way there! 

Today we hit up the library with Julie and Brynne for a little bit- the twins are at ages where they really know how to "use" a library so I am constantly helping them search the computer, request books and find books. Its exciting to see them grow- they are basically just wanting to get books on subjects- like dogs, volcanos, the loch ness monster, etc... Its fun to see them so excited to learn about various topics. 

After the library we picked up Ella's friend Julianna and headed to Ben franklin Pool- its a neighborhood pool right by our house- the whole family can get in for $10 with my rec center i.d. We stayed from noon to 4pm- it was SO fun! The kids did amazingly well! 

 I wish this picture turned out- Ella went right on up (with her floaties) to go down the slide all by herself! And she did it! She went under the water and everything! After she went down the life guard said they dont let kids with floaties on the slides so she couldn't do it again. She was very disappointed!

 All the kids spent the majority of time in the kiddie pool and sprinkler pad. I would let the twins go to the big pool by themselves but I could see them from afar.

We all went and watched the twins jump off the diving board and do the slide! 

 At the end, Arianna stepped on someones earring in the pool and it really hurt her foot. We left shortly after. It was a fun day!

Mark had a full day as well yesterday. The team went to a high school and set up a photo studio and took over 300 pictures! They printed them there for the kids. He said they have never really seen a picture of themselves and they just LOVE pictures. So every kid went home with a photo of themselves  It was such a great idea! They took little photo printers and the school camera. They also played soccer games with the kids. This was their last day at Children of Hope. They were traveling by bus 5 hours to Kisee where they are going to build a house for a family there! Then they are going on a Safari and then to HEART where they do a lot of humanitarian work. Mark said he cannot find anytime to update their Kenya page- they are just going non-stop. But the last leg of the trip should be a little lighter load and he will have more time to put pictures up and blog. I am dying to see pictures of them in action:) 

Day 6- Mark preaches at church/youth rally in Kenya/ We enjoy church at Sola and an afternoon at Grandma and Grandpa's House

Elijah and Mr. Bobby wore the same outfit to church today:) Seer sucker pants and a white shirt:) Mr. Dan and Breck also had seer suckers on too! 

 Enjoyed time with my Sola family this morning worshipping my Savior! I so look forward to Sunday when we gather today as the body of Christ and bring our praise to Him together.
Its refreshing for the soul and renewing for my mind.
We are working through the book of I John.

 It was so good for Lij to be around a lot of males today, too:) At church he was running up to Bobby, Jon, Josh, Dan, etc and wanting them to pick him up, tickle him, fight with him, hang him upside down:)  Without any men at home to rough him up, he gets pretty crazy! All that energy is bottled up. Then we went to Grandma and Grandpas where Uncle Matt, Grandpa and Avery all roughed him up, too:) Love it!

 We enjoyed Grandma's yummy cooking for lunch and took a walk to the park with Grandpa. 

The kids found a popsicle cart! 

 We walked all around the river and ponds- 

such wonderful memories for the kiddos with their Grandpa! 

Mark texted me before church and said that preaching went well.
They had 200 teens in the youth rally and he said he's tired!
They have one more day at Children of Hope and then they go on a safari! It will be nice and relaxing- a much needed break from the very busy first week at the orphanage!
I will talk with him tonight again. Thanks for your prayers.