Happy Halloween 2014!

Here they are - my Blue Power Ranger, Rock Star, and Rocky Balboa!

Nurse Mandy made them each 3 chocolate chip cookies, which Cason ate within 4 minutes of getting them!!

Carolyn had lollipops for them!

The Cooks had the Monster Mash blaring from their house and had all sorts of gooey eyeball treats from South Africa, plus lollipops from Teacher Debbie!

The kids decided they couldn't make it home and just plopped down on the Cooks' porch to start enjoying their loot! Thanks everyone! :)

We are now headed to Movie Night - the staff are watching the Bourne movies (one per month), and I will be with the kids watching Wipeout - fun fun! :)

A Bunch of Thursday Randomness

Amy, Hildah, and Hannah on a baobab tree

Some of the New Day boys showing off their superior ballet moves!

Our sweet Esther - the cook for all of our volunteer teams

The finished garage!

The inside storage room in the garage, desperately needing Wes's organizational help..

Teacher Melvin working with the Kindergarten class

Silly faces!

The staff house - hoping to be done by Mulenga's Christmas Day wedding!!

Halloweens Gone By!

Ahhh...Halloween...one of my favorite times of year!! Halloween brings back memories of church festivals, trick or treating at Grandma's house, and...did I mention church festivals?? (Hey, I was a preacher's kid...there were a lot of festivals!) This year, since we have so many Americans living at New Day, my 3 kids will get to trick-or-treat, and I am surprising them with homemade Halloween costumes! I got a sub for tomorrow so I can stay home and sew while they are at school! In anticipation of that fun day, here is a look at Halloweens gone by! :)

1987 - hobos.. :)

1988 - clowns. My Grandpa died 2 days before Halloween this year, but my parents still managed to take us to a church event in my grandparent's town. I remember Ant K doing our clown makeup for this!

2006 - as the youth minister he had to find the craziest costume possible!

Cambree was born 12 days later!

My little clown!! His face paint lasted 10 minutes - it was 80 degrees that year!

2007 - my little pumpkin!

Tigger in 2008!

And his sidekick, Pooh!

Be still my heart...trick or treating at Grandma's house...a memory I will cherish forever..

Yep, pregnant again! :)

2009 - Buzz & Woody!

And the pumpkin costume reappeared for Baby Cason!

Onto the superheroes in 2011! The "BatFamily!" (We are no longer in youth ministry, so we get out of dressing up!!) ;)

2013 - the Hulk, an angel, and a ninja!

Are you ready for 2014??? :)

Random Pics..

Me rocking my Zambia chitengi with this handsome dude...

What I did all weekend...team laundry!

Our sweet babies - Prince & Lulu :)

Zambia's Golden Jubilee!

The team left bright and early this morning, while we loaded up the kids at 9am and headed to Mapanza Basic School for the Golden Jubilee 50th year of Independence Celebration! We all wore our red school shirts (thanks to the Sharp family - we have gotten such great use out of these shirts!) and had a great time!

Diana and I were forced to sit at the head table, which was a bummer, until I saw that the others had to march in a parade! Ha! We got out of marching in the 100 degree heat! :)

There was a LOT of traditional dancing...don't ask...

Singing the national anthem

New Day presented a poem about the Zambian flag

One of the strangest skits I have ever seen...but awesome acting!!

When we got home, I made these Independence Day cookies for the kids and staff - fun!

We thought the adventures of the day were over, and I had planned on a quiet afternoon, but that was not meant to be! In the middle of my cookie making, we heard a loud sound outside. Whirlwinds, dust devils, whatever you call them where you're from, are common this time of year. We heard one coming, and then we heard a loud clanging sound. Blu looked outside our house and saw iron sheets flying in the air ABOVE the tank stand. The whirlwind had passed right over our library and took the roof COMPLETELY off!! Iron sheets were as far as the soccer field and on our main road! All of the roof lumber was broken and cracked and in pieces everywhere. Thankfully nobody was hurt as the iron sheets flew through the air (the staff girls said the Zesco men who were here working all dove for cover!) Unfortunately, Phillip stepped on an iron sheet and sliced his foot open, so Blu has taken him to Macha Hospital to get stitches...quite the adventurous day! Happy 50th Independence to this nation I love!

New Day Ballet & Goodbye to the Camp Family!

Some days it feels like a huge sacrifice to live here in Zambia, and it's easy to look at all that our kids are "missing." Tonight, however, was a chance for one of my children to experience something that she otherwise couldn't, thanks to the Rosemont team! They brought ballet leotards and shoes for the New Day girls, and Gracie Camp taught them a routine to Here I am to Worship - it was awesome!

Getting ready!

Lipstick & buns!

I loved it! The girls did so great!

Afterwards, the boys showed their own little "dance"...

Then it was time to say goodbye to the team and the Camp family :(

Hugs for Abby & Lydia

Hildah kept begging Jonas to stay here with her - he LOVED Teacher Hildah!

We are so grateful for the Rosemont team's work this week, and for the sacrifice of the Camp family to spend almost a month in Zambia with us! We loved every second of ministering and fellowshipping with them, and they will be greatly missed at New Day!