Reflecting upon Blessings

2012 was full of blessings. I want to share some of them through pictures. Thanks to everyone who looks forward to reading this blog. I apologize for not blogging more often. I will make it a priority in 2013! 

Love, Blessings, and Happy New Year to You All!!

Amy

The kids have loved helping us cook in the kitchen.
It was such a blessing to be able to share that time with them. 

Rob built a fort for the kids to play in out of some palm branches.
It is such a blessing to have a husband/dad that loves to spend time
doing special things for the kids.  

I am so blessed to be the Mom of these three precious kids.
I pray that I am a better mom in 2013 than I was in 2012.  

In April I was able to travel to Thailand for a 

Growing Participator Approach Conference. 

I was able to attend the conference with 

one of my best friends, Andi, and 

learn more about how to facilitate the

language program we are using! 

That was an amazing Blessing!

 While I was in Thailand, I was also able to visit with some
amazing friends that I have't seen in many years

God provided in a major way this year through
the financial blessings of some of our supporters.
We were able to purchase a car!  

God Blessed us ALL when He sent His only Son, Jesus, to be born in a manger,
Grow to be a man, and Die on the cross to pay the Price for our sins.
This is the reason we are here in Tanzania! 

I am so blessed to have this lady in my life.
She is my language helper. We started meeting in June of this year.
I am looking forward to going much farther in Swahili because of her!

WE GOT A DOG!!
We gave the kids a puppy/"Guard Dog" for Christmas this year.
 She is a German Shepherd/Ridgeback mix.
She is a great fit for our family and will be a great Guard Dog! 

We Have A Battery Back-Up System!!!
Through the generosity of our supporters we were able
to purchase a system that will provide lights, fans and power
to run the fridge when the electricity is out! 

The only blessing about this scorpion is that I saw it
before I stepped on it when walking out of my bedroom.
This is actually the first one I have seen in the almost 2 years
we have lived here. So, I guess that is another blessing!

Our church has been a blessing to us.
We appreciate worshiping with them each week
and being a part of the process to get into a new building!
This picture is of our last Christmas celebration in the schoolroom.
Next year we will be celebrating in our own Church building! 

CO-WORKERS!!!!!

We are so blessed and thankful to have welcomed
4 new families to the field of Tanzania this year!
We look forward to working with them in the coming years to
Expand the Reach of the Gospel in Tanzania!

Rob made 2 turkeys in a trash can this Christmas!
We had some for our Christmas meal,
and shared some with 5 other families in our church.
I don't think any of them have ever tried turkey before.
We are so thankful and blessed to be able to share with them. 

I know there are so many more ways the Lord has blessed us this year. 

Some Major ways He has blessed us has been through YOU! Your Love, Support, Prayer, and Encouragement has meant so much to us. We know that we cannot ever repay you. However, we do hope that we are doing our part as partners in this ministry with you to Share Christ's Love with the people of Tanzania! Looking forward to sharing with you more often this year of what God does in our lives here on this side of the world. 

All the Best to you as You Begin 2013 Strong!!

Amy

So, it has been a while...A Long While...since I updated my blog. 

Sorry about the absence. I have missed writing here, and have thought of many possible posts. Alas, today you are getting an update through pictures. They are not in any kind of order. Some are from my mom's visit here this summer. Others are of our adventures living here. Hope you enjoy them and look for another post from me soon!

Many Blessings, 

Amy

Donovan Hanging out under our glass coffee table.
He was watching a video. Interesting position!

Family Photo Time. Thanks Morrisons for capturing the pictures for us...
and for capturing our kid's attention so you could take the pictures!

Donovan and Emily playing football with a coconut
in the back yard with our co-workers.
Sound's like a CLUE game solution.

Coconut football with Daddy!

Donovan's 3rd birthday cake. Keeping it simple.
Daddy was traveling at the time. 

One of Donovan and Nana's favorite things to do.
He was pretty good at catching the ball!

Hanging out after a birthday party at a neighbor's house. 

Another of Nana and Donovan's favorite things to do together.
Putting together puzzles!

Kathryn and Catherine
Mom's Tanzanian Friend

Nana treated the kids to ice cream!
They obviously loved it!

Riding in a bajaj was one of Nana's favorite parts of her time here...
NOT!!!
It was definitely an interesting experience for her!

Nana and the girls playing cards before bedtime!

The kids caught a hedgehog at school when we went to buy uniforms. 

This is Our Church!

First day of school for the girls. Donovan was so ready to go.
He started preschool a week later. 

Our first set of baby bunnies and their mama, Turika!
There are 4 kits. Donovan and I are trying to hold the 2 black ones.

Our kids love to play with the baby bunnies!
Donovan was trying to share his chips with his favorite bunny.

4th of July fun...playing Ticket To Ride with friends!

Library time at school with Nana!

Donovan Loves to play Soccer/Football!

Swing Time!

Emily showing her balancing skills on the merry-go-round.

Nana and I cooking in the kitchen! It was so fun to have mom cook with me. 

Sluggish

Right now, I have to be honest, I am feeling sluggish. I don't know if it is actually a physical issue because of some new medications I am taking, if it is spiritual, or if it is just an obstacle of 

living life in a foreign place. And by sluggish, I mean slow to get started doing some of the things I know I need to be doing. 

Whatever the reason, I am ready to get out of this "funk"! 

I am not worried about any serious issues with this. I am mostly telling you this just to get it out there for some accountability. I will confess, I have not been studying the Word of God like I would like to. I have also not put much effort in my Swahili studies since returning from my trip to Thailand in May. I have the desire to do the things I need to do. I don't know if it is the motivation I lack, or the encouragement, or what. I just don't know. 

What I do know is that God knows. 

And with prayer He will lead and guide me. 

So please be in prayer for me in this situation. I love very much that we are here, and want to be able to clearly communicate the Good News of my Lord and Savior. :) 

Rob and the kids are doing great. I love being with them. The girls are starting to really enjoy playing games and doing art "projects". Donovan is growing so much. We found out the other day that he needs to be wearing glasses. He will get them tomorrow. I will post some pictures soon. I am sure he will be even more adorable, although I don't see how that is possible. Haha! 

I hope you hear my heart in this post. I am really doing well, just feeling sluggish like I said before. Please feel free to contact me by e-mail (safariseekers@yahoo.com) if you have any comments, advise, words of experience that you would like to share. 

Loving Life!

Amy

Donovan enjoying his juice at Daddy's birthday dinner!

Emily tried so hard to use chopsticks at the Korean restaurant, 
then gave up and just started playing with her straw!

Shelbyanne loved the food.
I was so surprised and happy for her!

Rob asked for a banana split cake.
It turned out great, even with substituted ingredients!
I know I am holding my stomach, but I am not pregnant. 
Maybe I was just full from dinner! :)

The kids loved playing on the sand pile we had in our yard 
because of some construction that is going on at our house. 

Getting the Job Done!

     After returning from 2 & 1/2 weeks of training in Thailand, I had a case of culture shock. I was so glad to be back with my family and ready to get back to our routine, but mentally I was fighting a battle. I found it hard to come back to life here after enjoying the conveniences and familiar things and places in Thailand. Like fountain drinks, huge malls, McDonalds, air conditioners, worshiping the Lord with songs in English, and spending time with friends I have loved and missed...etc. Then to come back to Tanzania where life is different. As Emerson Eggerichs puts it, "Not bad, just different!" 

     It didn't take me long for the Lord to redirect my thoughts. I have a job to do here and I didn't have time to put things off. So back to work I went. For the last few weeks I have been preparing visa paperwork for 3 new families heading to Tanzania this year. I am so thankful to be blessed with this job and am looking forward to seeing them all arrive in the coming months. Please pray for them as they are in a time of transition, decision making, packing, and saying their goodbyes (for now) to families, friends, and churches. 

     What's on my mind now...

• I need to find a language helper. We are at a place in our language program where we need to be meeting with people individually. Plus, I need to be talking with a woman, hearing life from her perspective. Also, I have decided to stop being frustrated with myself about the things I don't know and can't do, and be thankful and excited about the things I do know and can do. I am thankful to the Lord for that perspective shift. The language learning conference I attended played a key role in positively adjusting some of my thoughts about language learning. 
• It is time for us to start looking into buying a vehicle. We are able to get around with taxi's pretty well, but it has been harder since we have moved across town from where our regular taxi driver lives. We are trusting the Lord for guidance in this. There are several things we would need to have in place before we could even consider looking, timing, money, licenses, insurance, etc. To buy a car in Tanzania you have to pay 100% import tax since there is no internal automobile industry. That makes the prices quite high. We expect to have to pay between $10-20,000 to even buy a much older used vehicle. I know that nothing is impossible with God, so I can't wait to see God's hand in this process. 
• My Mom Is Coming!!! My mom has visited me everywhere I have lived, and she is coming next month to stay with us for just over a month. The kids have already started making signs and pictures for her to celebrate her arrival. We are super excited to have her here, and for her to be able to see what life is like for us. 

Well, those are my ramblings for today. Blessings to you all in your journey. Sorry it has been so long since my last update. As they say in Tanzania..."Hii ni maisha!" "This is Life!" 

Amy

When the bus stops, you don't even have to get off. 
The convenient store comes to you!

Donovan loves to swing!

We were hiking in the woods. 

Daddy with his girls!

The Princesses of the rock!

This is how I carry Donovan 
when I am walking around town or hiking!

Donovan and I rode a zip line together...
and made it across safely!

We took the kids horse back riding for Emily's 5th birthday.

They loved it!