Husker Game at Grandpa Smith's

Each Husker game that has been on TV, we have watched down the street.  We love watching the game at Grandpa's and I think he loves having us!

Missionary Friends As Supper Guests

Roman was a translator for me on my first trip to Moldova.  He was also my translator for the youth trip.  When he married Emily (a Bethel College graduate from Eldridge, Iowa, who attends the church that I teamed with for all three trips), I was asked to participate in their wedding.  This week we had them to our house for supper.  They are raising funds to return to Moldova as Converge missionaries (the new name for the BGC).  They are living in Bettendorf (so I am lame for not having them over more).  We had a blast together!  

Brunch with Yim and Yulie

Our friends Jim and Julie Quandt invited us out to their house last Saturday for brunch.  Food was great and we had a great time with them.  We had waffles, omelettes, fresh fruit, the whole nine yards. The best part was that Hope got to help.

Hope and Gideon both love cooking.  Here she is helping Jim with waffles.

After eating, Gideon learned how to play Chopsticks with Jim.

We always have a great time with Yim mad Yulie.  What a great morning.

Sharpshooter

Tomorrrow night is my youth ministry's annual Nerf Wars night.  We will spend 3 and a half hours running around the church (which will be mostly dark) shooting Nerf Darts at each other.  I lead the night, playing many different games that the kids LOVE!  Normally we have between 25 and 30 teens show up to play.  It is, by far, the best outreach event we do!  So naturally I had to get my gun out and get practiced up a bit.  

Gideon wanted to get in on the action.  Hope did, too, but not as much as G.  His first shot went right in to my eye.  Perfect shot.  It scared him to death however as it really hurt.  Like a lot.  Like it could have been WAY worse.  So we had a discussion (again) about not aiming at people's heads and whatnot.  And in reality, his accident took him by total surprise.  

So after we talked about safety and gave it some time, Gideon had a blast with me as we took turns shooting at one of Hope's stuffed animals.  Turns out that I'm a bit better shot, but Gideon was really getting the hang of it by the end!

Smashed

Grandpa Smith stopped by for a quick visit tonight.  We were able to talk him in to eating supper with us.  And anytime Karl gets to spend time with the grandkids, they win.  "They" meaning Grandpa and the kids!  

I'm not sure, but I think Esther is feeling some head pressure as she's being scrunched between Grandpa and Gideon!  

Battalion Chief for Moline Fire Department

This week our neighbor had a house fire.  It was contained to the basement, but man was our block full of emergency personnel.  I was awakened by an ambulance and firetruck screaming down the street.  After the second huge-sounding firetruck passed, I jumped out of bed and threw on some shoes to head down the street.  It turned out that the house was a few down from my father-in-law's house.  When I passed Karl, who was running in to the house to get coats for the neighbors, there were TONS of firemen scurrying around, with police, ambulance, and fire trucks everywhere.  

Everything turned out fine.  It was a dehumidifier that burned up in the basement (the fireman told us that pretty much every dehumidifier is on recall).  While at the scene, the batallion chief came up and talked with the homeowners.  I was taken back with how cool his helmit was.  And I knew that Rhonda McKinley, a close family friend, is married to a retired battalion chief for Moline Fire.  Bill is a great guy, and he and I rib each other a lot.  So, after calling Rhonda and telling her that Bill was battalion chief because he must have had the strongest neck on the force (because the emblem on the guy's helmit looked heavy).  So then Thursday Rhonda brought Bill's helmit over for us to see it.  Gideon thought it SUPER-COOL.  I agree!  As you can see, he's well on his way to being battalion chief!

8 Seconds!

Well, I've noticed that I haven't done, well, really anything with Esther on this blog.  So here's some latest photos of the little sweet one.  Other than sleeping for 20 hours a day, she eats, and hangs out.  She is really a pretty quiet baby, and has recently begun cooing and talking back with me when I try to have some prett serious discussions with her.  

These are pictures right after she woke up to eat.  I don't remember Gideon or Hope waking up so happy as Esther has.  She is all smiles.  Man, I love seeing her smile.  Love the smile!  Anyway, these are the latest pictures of sweet Esther!  

Enjoy!

So It's Been Awhile

So I know this picture is pre-Esther, and is from last summer.  I just got a new device and am thinking I may be able to breath life back into this blog as my new iPad will make it easier to update my blog than using my phone.  I'll keep you posted... so to speak!