Picture Monday

Land of Olives

The View

Hi!

The Dead Sea - I went swimming in this water!  Well I went floating - and loved it.

  MERRY CHRISTMAS 

This year I celebrated Christmas Eve Eve with friends here at my parent's home.

We decorated a lot of yummy cookies, took pictures and enjoyed opening White Elephant gifts.

Cookies for Everyone!

Celebrating Yalda
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” John 8:12

Yalda is an Iranian celebration on the longest night of the year.  Some of the traditions include eating pomegranate, watermelon, and nuts.  Along with reading of poetry and telling of stories throughout the night.  Until finally the long night is over and light overcomes darkness.
"Because Yalda is the longest and darkest night, it has come to symbolize many things in Persian poetry; separation from a loved one, loneliness and waiting.  After Yalda a transformation takes place - the waiting is over, light shines and goodness prevails."

"Group Picture"

I love being around people who like getting their picture taken!

Family Time

Henna Addict

 
One of my new favorite things is henna art and learning how to tell stories of truth using henna art.
I have been able to have a new story written on my hand just about every week that I have been here.  I love being able to share the stories (very quickly) with the cashiers at stores and restuarants.  As cashiers seem to be the people who notice the henna on my hands.
This is a picture of peace and hope in Christ

Waiting for the henna mud to dry on one of my favorite stories of the prophet Elijah.

This morning I shared the story of Abraham and Sarah

Sorting and Packing

I am so happy that the sorting and packing stage is getting done.
The mounds of stuff that had overtaken my room have now been contained into luggage and manageable sized piles.  I got some old friends to pose with my bags and while taking the pics noticed my little friends are not so very cheerful looking.
Maybe my Jennifer doll is having horror flashbacks from her first trip across the ocean.  The trip that forever changed her life when her arm was smashed into a footlocker and badly broken.  And just so you don't have to continue wondering, no Jennifer is not going with me this time, she will stay here safely waiting in my cedar chest.

So MUCH to LOVE

Enjoying the Sights of Canada

On Saturday, I enjoyed the beautiful day hiking the trails of Stawamus Chief.

We were given one rule - no turning back. We all finished the hike and were very happy to be able to say we reached the highest peak.  It did take about 7 hours total and my muscles are still complaining about it loudly, but it was a great day with some amazing views to enjoy.

Pictures from the day...

A Time for Everything...
Once again it is time for goodbyes and new adventures. I did not realize until the goodbyes started last week how much I LOVE it here! I know I even surprised myself. I have been working so hard to be patient and I have been so focused on getting back overseas I took for granted the many blessings I have been given while here in Longview. I had the best job ever! Seriously. And who won't love a job where you are given roses on one of your last days? The client who gave me these had as his goal to see me cry. I held strong, he did not see me cry but I got pretty close. Today I had another goodbye lunch at Caring Pregnancy Center, I have learned so much from the wonderful women who serve and love others in that place. I am so blessed.

I'd Like to Go to Africa...Sallie Lanier

Today
I thought
I would like
To go to Africa

Yes, I will go to Kenya
And see if time
Has stood still
Where at least
The walk
Is on the ground
And all comes
To a sudden halt
At dusk

And sounds
Come from the voice
And travel a mile or two
And strength comes from
The Family
Near to you

Yes, today
I thought
I'd like to go to Africa

Found this in an old journal - Don't know where I originally found it but still love it.

"The sun did not shine.
It was too wet to play.
So we sat in the house
All that cold, cold, wet day...
AND THEN
Something went BUMP!
How that bump made us jump!...
These Things will not bite you.
They want to have fun..."
Oh how I wish Thing 1, Thing 2, Thing 3, and Thing 4
Would come over to play!

Sadly, Picasa is having a bad night and all my pictures won't get on the blog.
I think you get the idea from this collage how much fun I had making pies with filling from EZPZ pies.
Letha

#30!
I am so excited to talk about my cooking experiment from today.
As you can see by Heidi and Doug's expressions I think it went pretty well.
Let me start from the beginning...

I ordered Apple Pie Filling from EZPZ Pies
I was so excited to get them in the mail this week, because
"The desire of EZPZ Pies is to be used by God to support orphan care and adoptive families through the sale of delicious products!" Please go visit their website and blog. I met this family while living in North Carolina and am so excited to help support this effort.

So one jar of EZPZ pie filling fills one deep dish pie crust, but I wanted to get creative so I decided to go with a bunch of mini pies! I love cupcakes and figured the concept would apply to pie as well as it does to cake. I was bit worried but they turned out fabulous. They do crumble a bit coming out of the cupcake pan so I might buy the fancy mini foil pie things next time but then also I think if I was more patient and waited till they were fully cooled it would have been better. Hope you enjoy the pics as much as I enjoyed the baking.

#29 Precious New Niece
Laleh Eve DeLaughter

May 18, 2011

#28 - I almost forgot to write about SPECKA
I do believe sometime in February on this long list of somethings new I mentioned starting to go to a women's Bible Study. At first I felt greatly out of place, looking over my shoulder to be directed to the nursery, that's where I have always been placed in settings such as this. But what a blessing that study was and the women I met during that study continue to bless me. To continue, because of my participation in that study and deepened relationships and other factors Jan asked me to help her with another smaller study using SPECKA - How excited am I still? VERY! So the last few weeks on Tuesday mornings you could find me "teaching/leading/facilitating" (don't really know what word to put there) a women's Bible Study. I still can't believe it! I love it! I feel protective over these women just like I would over the babies in the nursery. I love that the group is small and I can pray for them each by name during the week. I hope they are learning even a fraction of what I have been learning from them! And just in cause you are wondering - SPECKA stands for
S - Sin to confess
P - Promise to claim
E- Example to follow (or not to follow)
C - Command to Obey
K - Knowledge to gain about God and God's Kingdom
A - Application in General and Application to my life this week/today

Somethings to be grateful for...
I can't believe May is halfway over!
I am not keeping up well with time, but I am enjoying this season in my life.
A few new things I have been up to
#25 - I went back to Wake Forest for a visit!
I loved every moment of visiting with friends, being a part of Mary Pat's baby shower, and finally officially meeting Judah Crane (who ranks among the cutest babies ever, I do believe his only competition would be Sahara, Wesley, Bria, Isaiah, Tirza and Selah to name them all)

#26 - I made the poster and passed out about 60 baby bottles at Church to help collect change from Mother's Day until Father's Day for the local Caring Pregnancy Center where I volunteer my time every Wednesday. I was and still am very excited about the positive response to this fundraiser!
#27 - I am watching Spring finally arrive and stay put here in Washington. The flower outside my front window is blooming, the grass is growing like weeds. I finally had a sunny day and was able to mow the yard on Friday!
So life continues to give me new adventures to celebrate.

#24 I was in the local newspaper
See the person sitting on the couch in gray? That's me. The article has nothing to do with me, but it is about this couple who have given a lot to the community and specifically the special needs community of this area, so much that the main office building of the company I work for, LifeWorks, has been named after them. I just happened to be in the office the day they took the pictures. I am leading a very exciting game of Bingo in the background.

New Book and Old Book I found again...
I am right now reading two books which I don't do as a general rule, but I am enjoying both so for my new #23 I recommend both of them for different reasons as must reads.
1st - Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss
2nd - UnPlanned by Abby Johnson

Both books tell the story of a woman's life through her own thoughts and that's about where the similarities end. I am enjoying seeing how each woman works through trying to DO the best she can only to realize her best is not enough. Realizing that she can have the best motivation but without Truth she is deceived.

A few more "New" things to add to my list
19. See my New Shelf behind me? Finally found what I was looking for at Ross.
20. New Hair Cut, New Hair Color, new bangs...So fun! I just let Nikki at Esteem Salon go with it and so far I like the change. I was told I looked younger, I will take that.
21. Met with client at local pregnancy center this morning! Some of you may be wondering how I claim this to be something new, but it is for here - I don't have a full day like I did in TN or NC so it has taken longer to adjust to volunteering at this center but I am still loving it.
22. Showed up to work to be sent to get petty cash from main office and go buy lunch for everyone! This is not the normal but it was moving day for one of our clients. I picked up pizza from Bruno's - so yummy I even ate pizza today - I may regret that later.

I only have 8 more "New" things to come up with! I hope one of those will be a "New Tan" I can't believe how much I glow in these pictures - winter is WAY too long here!

I WON!
#17 - I won a raffle at The Electric Bean!
I never win these things and I got to pick a prize basket out of a table full of fabulous options. I went for the one with coffee, candy, treats, mugs and a basket. What fun. I should have taken a pictures but too late now. And I have decided to add as my #18 my visits to the newly opened Electric Bean Coffee House. I have been everyday this week - Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. I had fabulous Republic of Tea, Good Hope Vanilla Red Tea the first two visits and then today went for a Hazelnut Latte - may just be one of my new favorite spots to be.

I heard a new song on KLOVE, and am so excited to have found it before they overplay it to its death. Love the words and how Laura sings it - this in my new #16 - Blessings by Laura Story

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if the thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
As long as we have faith to believe

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

#14 - A New Season - Spring!

I love the thought that Spring is soon to arrive

finding this new flower blooming in the yard made my day

And #15 - Celebrating St. Patrick's Day with party at work - hence the face painting. I also participated in a group picture, prize walk and tried to get Bill to go play Bingo with me but he wasn't willing, so no bingo for me either. Well no Bingo today, we are making it a regular Friday night event. Fun times.