What a Week

I remember being with my sister the day before I was going to tell my mom that we were expecting our first child. I was planning to tell Mom first, of course, and then my sister said, "Well, I wasn't going to tell anyone yet, but we are expecting a baby." I couldn't believe it. And, naturally I couldn't hold in my news, especially when she told me that her baby was due within days of mine! I was so excited to get to go through that special time of pregnancy with my sister. We didn't live near each other. They were actually traveling on deputation, and we didn't see one another often, but we were experiencing the same things at the same time, and it was special.

When we began to tell Jeremy's family the news, the plot thickened. His brother and sister-in-law were expecting also. Due within days of our baby. His sister was also expecting...you guessed it, just days from our due date. Our family was going to gain four new babies!

It was quite a week when on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and the following Tuesday four precious babies were added to our family.

Josiah and Katie, my sister's baby - Born five days apart

 Grandpa and Grandma King with their two new grandbabies - 2003

Katie and Josiah playing together - 2004

 Stacey and Josiah, born within 24 hours of each other

 Tyler Triplet Cousins

Stacey, Josiah and Dylan

Now they are all turning eleven years old! Wish we could all be together and throw a big party!

Happy birthday to all you special cousins!

Eleven

Eleven years ago we went to the hospital to have our firstborn,

without a clue how much our lives were about to change.

God blessed us with a beautiful and healthy baby boy.

 We were inexperienced and unprepared, but the Lord has been gracious to help us along the way.

Josiah has brought so much joy into our lives.

And now he is growing up...much too quickly. 

This year he began to show his age and said he just wanted a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. No special shapes or designs. In his words, "Just slap some frosting on it."

I didn't "just slap it on," but he liked it anyway.

Happy Birthday, Josiah! We love you!

It's...Cold?!?

We are so used to it being hot here in Rondônia, that we really don't pay much attention to weather reports. So we were taken by surprise when a cold wind started blowing on Friday evening.

I had spent the day cleaning the house, and it was very warm. We decided to take a little swim late in the afternoon, and the water was so refreshing. Shortly after we came inside, the wind started blowing, and it was a cold wind! It was getting cooler and cooler. It felt like a fall evening in the States, and I immediately got the urge to roast marshmallows over a fire.

Saturday was spent in socks and sweatshirts, and we enjoyed a break from the heat. Sunday afternoon was cool, and we took the boys to ride bikes in the park to take advantage of the temperatures.

Today is already feeling a little warmer, and it will probably be back to normal by later today or tomorrow, but we sure did enjoy the treat!

The secret to getting him to rest...cool air and a blanket!

Another Birthday Celebration

It's birthday time again around our house! Yesterday our youngest turned seven years old. SEVEN! Judson is one who likes to plan his birthday months in advance, and has been looking forward to this day for a long time.

His "birthday box" from Grandma and Grandpa arrived a few weeks ago, and the suspense was killing him.

A most appropriate gift...

Grandma made him this super-hero cape and he loves it! And knowing Judson, I have a feeling that it will be used in all sorts of imaginative ways. He can take a handkerchief and make just about anything out of it!

In the evening, we had some friends over for pizza and cupcakes and ice cream.

The happy party group!

It was a good day, and we all enjoyed celebrating with Judson.