Ben has become fascinated with sunglasses and disinterested in photos! No more posing!
There's a highly irritating song that goes with the Cool Cat look. Aren't you glad I can't figure out how to get a video from my camera on here?!
Sunday morning in Vridi
Ben's buddy, well... sometimes. ;)
Since the big kids are doing school every morning and a little after lunch, Ben has become great at using the Ipod. He's always loved music and so now that he can cruise his way through Veggie Tales music, Wiggles music and GoFish, his favorite word is IPOD! I think he knows more about using that thing than me!
Caleb is starting is first online class this year and seems to be a little nervous, about getting everything just right. Hopefully this school will prove to be a help when he moves into 9th grade and needs to have more official records kept. We are trying it out this year with a Science class to see how it will work for us. I think Caleb is going to enjoy this little dose of independence.
Karis is enjoying getting to do her Science without big brother. Up until now all of her Science and History have been done together with him. I think she is enjoying having her own thing too.
Ben's love of music is beginning to get a reputation in our neighborhood. There is a makeshift basketball and soccer field not too far away and we like to go there to play. The basketball goals have been down for a couple of weeks, but Caleb has enjoyed playing a little street soccer with some boys there anyway. He'll be really sad when they are in school until late every day starting the end of next month. Anyway, in that general area, Mike and I have been making some new friends too. I introduced Mike to some tea drinking Muslim men and I've found some tea drinking ladies just down the street. I don't get to drink much tea with Ben tagging along, but he enjoys the family because there is a guitar in the house and sometimes somebody will bring it out and pick a little. The group thinks it hilarious how "stuck" Ben is to whoever is holding the guitar. Since Ben is such an oddity anyway, they think most anything he does is hilarious. He was trying to catch a couple of not so tame house cats the other day and I thought they would bust a gut watching him.
Every Sunday is another marathon day of trying to keep Ben quiet enough and out of trouble. Now I used to be one that would sit in my air conditioned, padded pew and get frustrated if there were too many announcements or my stomach started growling in church, but I am now reformed!!! I have grown to love our 2 1/2 hour services even in French. I won't say that I love the hard benches with no backs we have in some of our churches or the way the sun turns a tin roofed concrete building into an oven, but it's not so bad anymore. Adding Ben into the mix can be difficult, though. One of our favorite churches often has a service that lasts more like three hours or so. He does well through the early part of singing and dancing. This morning he lasted over 2 hours in the service, but when Sunday school let out and the other kids poured into the courtyard, he was ready to "go pway!" The only trouble is that short little Ben with his light colored hair is an invitation to every other kid to come and gather around him like a pack and rub his head. Fiery Ben does not like that at all. In just a few minutes he starts swinging. Once he lands a few whacks, some of them get the point, but they are just drawn to his hair like a magnet and are back in a short time. Some days, they get it worked out. Some days, like today, he just screams and swings at everyone around getting mad and wanting to leave. Those are the days that I wish the pastor might preach on just a few verses instead of a whole chapter of Romans!
I'm still enjoying my new Vridi buddies, too. If you are a prayer, you might write down a couple of names. In addition to the other ladies I've told you about, there is a new lady named Alima, that has captured my heart. She is a Muslim Burkinabe, as you may have noticed how they so easily entangle my heart strings. She is the mother of two little boys and has a beautiful smile. Hopefully I can get a picture soon. Her French is limited, which will be good for my Moore. We've only had limited contact so far, but she wants me to come and sit and talk. She's interested in me, but she does know what I do. Pray for me as I try to begin to share a bit about God's plan for our salvation. I hope that she will accept me not only as a friend, but also as a storier. Pray also for a lady named Aisha (I-ee-sha). She is a non practicing Muslim that says she needs to hear God's word because there is trouble with her husband. I know little more than that her husband is no longer in the house. Pray that she'll find Jesus saving power. She's from an ethnic group that has very few believers. She thinks she can gather others to hear the Bible stories, so Mike will be giving that a try.
Ben's getting a little wild. Guess it's time to go outside!
With Love,
Heather
Caleb is starting is first online class this year and seems to be a little nervous, about getting everything just right. Hopefully this school will prove to be a help when he moves into 9th grade and needs to have more official records kept. We are trying it out this year with a Science class to see how it will work for us. I think Caleb is going to enjoy this little dose of independence.
Karis is enjoying getting to do her Science without big brother. Up until now all of her Science and History have been done together with him. I think she is enjoying having her own thing too.
Ben's love of music is beginning to get a reputation in our neighborhood. There is a makeshift basketball and soccer field not too far away and we like to go there to play. The basketball goals have been down for a couple of weeks, but Caleb has enjoyed playing a little street soccer with some boys there anyway. He'll be really sad when they are in school until late every day starting the end of next month. Anyway, in that general area, Mike and I have been making some new friends too. I introduced Mike to some tea drinking Muslim men and I've found some tea drinking ladies just down the street. I don't get to drink much tea with Ben tagging along, but he enjoys the family because there is a guitar in the house and sometimes somebody will bring it out and pick a little. The group thinks it hilarious how "stuck" Ben is to whoever is holding the guitar. Since Ben is such an oddity anyway, they think most anything he does is hilarious. He was trying to catch a couple of not so tame house cats the other day and I thought they would bust a gut watching him.
Every Sunday is another marathon day of trying to keep Ben quiet enough and out of trouble. Now I used to be one that would sit in my air conditioned, padded pew and get frustrated if there were too many announcements or my stomach started growling in church, but I am now reformed!!! I have grown to love our 2 1/2 hour services even in French. I won't say that I love the hard benches with no backs we have in some of our churches or the way the sun turns a tin roofed concrete building into an oven, but it's not so bad anymore. Adding Ben into the mix can be difficult, though. One of our favorite churches often has a service that lasts more like three hours or so. He does well through the early part of singing and dancing. This morning he lasted over 2 hours in the service, but when Sunday school let out and the other kids poured into the courtyard, he was ready to "go pway!" The only trouble is that short little Ben with his light colored hair is an invitation to every other kid to come and gather around him like a pack and rub his head. Fiery Ben does not like that at all. In just a few minutes he starts swinging. Once he lands a few whacks, some of them get the point, but they are just drawn to his hair like a magnet and are back in a short time. Some days, they get it worked out. Some days, like today, he just screams and swings at everyone around getting mad and wanting to leave. Those are the days that I wish the pastor might preach on just a few verses instead of a whole chapter of Romans!
I'm still enjoying my new Vridi buddies, too. If you are a prayer, you might write down a couple of names. In addition to the other ladies I've told you about, there is a new lady named Alima, that has captured my heart. She is a Muslim Burkinabe, as you may have noticed how they so easily entangle my heart strings. She is the mother of two little boys and has a beautiful smile. Hopefully I can get a picture soon. Her French is limited, which will be good for my Moore. We've only had limited contact so far, but she wants me to come and sit and talk. She's interested in me, but she does know what I do. Pray for me as I try to begin to share a bit about God's plan for our salvation. I hope that she will accept me not only as a friend, but also as a storier. Pray also for a lady named Aisha (I-ee-sha). She is a non practicing Muslim that says she needs to hear God's word because there is trouble with her husband. I know little more than that her husband is no longer in the house. Pray that she'll find Jesus saving power. She's from an ethnic group that has very few believers. She thinks she can gather others to hear the Bible stories, so Mike will be giving that a try.
Ben's getting a little wild. Guess it's time to go outside!
With Love,
Heather
2 comments:
Great update and insights ... thanks! Did you get the word on the Blacks?
No. What's up?
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