Last post for 2011!

Well this is a fun year to write about! Let's sum up – I turned 27. I wrote 51 blog posts and took approximately 4,705 photos this year. Oh yeah, I also sold my car and left my job and moved to Africa! Here's some more trivia and favorite things about this year:

I learned part of a second language. I now have the Kiswahili vocabulary of a gifted three year old child.

Flying over the Alps!

I flew 49,852 miles on airplanes this year.

I rode two trains, 9 undergound trains, a few taxis, at least 25 motorbikes, and maybe about 90 matatus.

I learned how to shower in a bucket of water. Then I learned how to shower in half a bucket of water.

I learned how to make an omelette. (not for me!)

THE Starbucks in Notting Hill. =)

I visited Starbucks in Portland, Graham, Tacoma, Seattle, Chicago, Salt Lake, Georgia, Istanbul, London and Amsterdam. (and Post Falls, Couer D'alene, Ritzville and Yakima...)

I became a mother. (sort of)

"My" sweet, sweet baby for 3 short months. 

Somehow I managed to pull off the hugest-ever-surprise for my mom (coming home for Thanksgiving!)

I have moved 5 times this year.

I took 26 pictures of the London Tower Bridge. And that doesn't include the ones I deleted. =)

I've killed approximately 1,237,455 spiders since I moved to Kenya, and I've probably inhaled 2-3 liters of second-hand Doom spider spray.

I experienced some of the greatest joys of my life this year, and also the greatest tragedies. At times I've been indescribably excited, and others, unfathomably homesick. But if I look at this year as a whole, I wouldn't change anything. I learned a lot, I lived a lot, and I'm so looking forward to whatever God will bring in 2012.

Happy Happy New Year!! 

Merry Christmas video#2

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!!

To everyone who has read my blogs this year (from 14 countries!) and commented, or e-mailed, or clicked "like" on Facebook - Merry Merry Christmas!! Your support is so, so, appreciated and has encouraged me so much throughout this year! We all have our ups and downs, and for me, keeping this blog has been a lifeline to keeping connected with family and friends, and making new friends!

This was my first Christmas away from home and my first Christmas in Kenya. It's been a really wonderful time and great reminder of what Christmas is really about! You can celebrate Jesus' birth wherever you are in the world and whoever you are with!

Have a blessed Christmas and be a blessing to others. =)

 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:14

A little Christmas fun...

What to do on a Tuesday afternoon with pillow cases, clothespins, towels and some tinsel...hmmm...the kids had fun! =)

London, Manchester and the Lakes!

On the way home from visiting family, I stopped in the UK for four days! I had such a great time, I can't wait to go back. I uploaded a slideshow - here's the link:

London, Manchester, and the Lakes!

I had a lovely time!

Lexie, Mom, me and Dad at the West Wing restaurant. =)

 I just went home for a few weeks and visited family and friends. To make it extra special, I was able to actually surprise my mom! After about three panic-filled days worrying that somehow she had found out I was coming, it was really wonderful to finally surprise her at dinner! Yep, she cried. A lot. =)

After my secret was out, I had a jam-packed schedule trying to see as many people as I possible could! 

  Of course a visit home wouldn't be complete without a Christmas party reunion at the Olive Garden! After a lot of garlic bread sticks and a lot of laughing, we closed down Starbucks and then sat around at Riverpark Square, drinking coffee and playing with my new camera. Fun fun times!

 Me and my awesome sister Chrissy. =)

Let's meet at Starbucks. =)

My time in Spokane went by crazy fast. On the drive back to Tacoma with Lexie, we decided to go a few hours out of the way and visit our friend Rebekah. The directions to her house were: drive to the middle of no where, then drive one more hour and you're there! It was a very scenic drive and perfect weather!

A photo of part of the 4,700 acre apple orchard where we visited Rebekah. Beautiful! =)

On our way back from the middle of no-where, we headed toward White's Pass over the mountains instead of our usual I-90 route. Maybe it was the really yummy sandwiches, or maybe the Christmas music was turned up a little loud, but we missed a turn and didn't notice that Lexie's GPS had recalculated an alternate route for us. There is no way without modern technology that we would have ever found this windy ice trail of death, or decided to go up it. After about 5.8 miles on this road, we finally found a place to turn around and came back down. And lived. And then backtracked and found a really nice, snow-free road home. Nevermind that our 4 hour drive took a little over 7 hours, quality bonding time with your sister in the car is priceless, right? 

The next day, more friends, more Starbucks, and we decorated Lexie's house for Christmas! Lex was a little bit worried when I took fishing line to her dining room chandelier, but I think we can all agree that this is truly a masterpiece work of Christmas genius.

Merry Christmas!!

Babies again!

I know you're not tired of seeing more photos of the babies! They are growing so so so fast!

 Dinah! Still gorgeous, and now - sitting up by herself! 

 Diana - also sitting up! It's so fun to see the differences in their personalities. They are easy to tell apart now - it's all about the ears!

 Benson!

 Leon and Lucy are so much stronger than when they first arrived, the difference is amazing. They have transformed into happy, WALKING toddlers! Lucy can walk very well on her own, and Leon can take about 10 steps and is getting more steady every day!

I love this little guy!!

Mark can sit up by himself! And.....

He's starting to crawl! He crawls a few strides and then throws both his legs out behind him and scoots on his tummy. Way cute. He even tries to pull himself up to stand!

 Gracie is SO big now! Her hair is long enough to be braided! She walks, says "hi" and "bye", and laughs constantly. Love, love, LOVE this girl!!

 Asha is big! She's nearly 9lbs now and will be 3 months old in 5 days! I can't believe how fast she is growing. She looks completely different than she did when she first came. 

Elisha and Ethan were napping during this photo shoot - I'll post about them again soon!

Street Boys Soccer

 Here are a few photos of the street kids' Saturday soccer game. They play soccer every Saturday at a field in town. 

 When I came on short-term trips the last two summers, we just visited the street kids at Tumaini drop-in center or stopped by the barracks to drop over leftover food. Now, I see them when I'm walking in town or going to the market and some of them yell my name when they see me passing in a car or a matatu. 

 I am amazed at how hard they can play, and they play non-stop for about 3 hours.

 This is a street kid with a boy from the neighborhood who came to join in the soccer game. You can clearly see the difference between the one who has a home to go to and who doesn't.

 

 We didn't have a soccer ball this week, they are playing with a volleyball. =)

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple truly, I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward." Matthew 10:41-42

Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

Asha Update!

Asha is getting big!! Here she is at 7 weeks old, weighing 5.5lbs!

 She's starting to smile! Sweet girl. =)

 Asha loves her baths, and I love that she fits in the sink like it was made for her!

 All snuggled into her little nest of towels....chilling.

 So relaxing!

 Squeaky clean and snuggled into a warm blanket. I LOVE her hair right after baths - it's all curly on top and sticks straight out on the sides. 

7 weeks old and she is already holding her own bottle! Ha! She's a baby genius. =)

I can't get this photo to flip the right direction, but it's still cute! She's waving bye until next time! =)

Asha still needs sponsors, do you want to sponsor her? Click here! 

For Kim and Megan

 For Megan and Kim - here are some photos of your favorite little guy! Sometimes serious...sometimes not! 

Patrick was fearless on Saturday for the Bouncy Castle event - he climbed right to the top as fast as daddy Peter could help him! After a few slides down, he spent most of the time jumping back and forth in front of the tunnel.