John's new horizon

Today John read his first book. How much there is for him to learn and discover in the world of written things! Literacy is truly a wonderful gift. As I listened to him sound out the words, I imagined a whole new world opening up for my little boy. Hooray!

Now we need to work on bigger words so that he can devour whatever books he wants to at the local library, before these few weeks slip away and we return to a place where books are harder to come by.

happy first days with Lois

Three weeks ago tomorrow, on December 28, 2013...the loveliest little girl was born into our family! Lois Evangeline Huntley. She is a content baby, dividing her time between sleeping, eating and occasionally watching and smiling at the many adorers who surround her (doting brothers, mama and papa, grandparents, a cousin and various friends).What a joy this tiny person already is to our world! I couldn't be happier to be the mother of this precious girl:

Here are glimpses from some of Lois's earliest moments and hours...

 And happy first times with family...

day of the Christmas Tree

I think I love the Christmas season more every year. The older I get, the more I realize that nothing about life would make much sense, or matter much, if it were not showered in the light of what Christmas is all about. Jesus is the reason for the season...His miraculous coming as "Emmanuel" (God with us), with the purpose of reconciling a fallen race with their Creator, gives every reason for us to celebrate and treasure the holiday.

And then it's the delight that children find in Christmas. I think I find more joy in watching John and Sam's delight with absolutely everything Christmas than I even felt as a child myself. I mean, the boys get so excited about all the little changes indicating that Christmas is near. They love to see city crews hanging up lights and Christmas decorations.

Oh, and then there are the Santa sightings. Have you noticed that Santa is everywhere? Yes, he is. If you have a three-year-old and a five-year-old, they'll help you never miss a Santa that's there to be seen. So, Sam was thrilled to see "the real Santa" at Half Price Books, and insisted on sitting right down next to him and chatting away as if they were old friends. He cracked me up by addressing Santa by name throughout their chat...here's an excerpt from my recollection...

Sam: "So, Santa, how was your Thanksgiving? Did you have pie?"
Santa (in a deep, jovial voice): "Why yes I did have pie! Ho, ho, ho! So...have you thought about what you want for Christmas?"
Sam (totally clueless, because I don't think he knows he's supposed to "want" certain presents for Christmas): "Ummmm...a tree?"
Santa: "Would you like a Thomas the Train set? Ho, ho, ho..."
Sam (dumbfounded and totally in awe of how Santa could know that Sam wants this item, which John was just given for his birthday!): "YES!!!"

Half Price Books volunteers were nice as well, and gave me a free Polaroid:

I digress. I was going to tell you about going out and cutting down a Christmas tree: our first time to do this as a family. We drove out to a lovely Christmas tree farm (if you're in the Dallas area, let me take this chance to give a recommendation to the Walls Family Farm)...then got a hayride out to the rows upon rows of evergreens.

There we walked and searched for our perfect tree...found it...cut it down...and took it home.

Then we decorated the tree and took the requisite "kids in front of the Christmas tree" photos (of which every photo turned out funny for one reason or another)...

 

Happy December.

To 'Pastor' (From Adam)

Roger J. Magnuson

(d. November 30th, 2013)

Faithful husband, father, and pastor.  Your example of faithfulness to God is almost unparalleled in my Christian experience.  You knew the Word of God, loved it, taught it, and did it.  You are now with the One whom you have faithfully proclaimed.

What Paul said of himself is certainly true for you.

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing."
2 Timothy 4:7-8

Thanksgiving

This year we celebrated a genuinely American Thanksgiving. Not only did we have family and a friend over, but we made our very first ever turkey! If I do say so myself, it tasted amazing. (More on the turkey later)

In the morning we got to talk (using Skype to cell phone) with our dear friend Marie-Hélène, in Berbérati...and John got to talk with his very best little friend in Africa, Marie-Hélène's grandson Tychique! It was super precious to hear Tychique's little voice talking to John in Sango. These two little guys have missed each other so much: John talks about Tychique all the time. So that was a special conversation. And Marie-Hélène totally made my day by telling me that if we move back to Bangui soon, she might move there too! It's wonderful to know that when you move back across an ocean, there are people you love waiting for you there.

Later on Thursday morning, some dear friends of ours who now live out of town came into town and paid us a short visit. Five years ago, they brought us Thanksgiving dinner in the hospital when John was a hospitalized newborn. And look now! Our four cute little boys who love to play together whenever our families happen to be in the same town:

And here are the dads:

So, as I was saying, we made our first turkey this year. I bought, brined and prepared the turkey...Adam helped me pull it in and out of the oven, turning it as it baked...and then he did a marvelous job carving it. I do think we might have been a little bit proud of ourselves for this mile-marker of preparing the Thanksgiving turkey.

Then Otto and Sal arrived, and there was that happy final stretch before the big meal: everyone working together in the kitchen to mash potatoes (or, as the boys would say, "smash potatoes"), chop garlic, heat gravy, and bring together the finishing touches:

Emma came too. We all enjoyed a delicious meal, happy visits, and a beautiful hike in the woods together:

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow. We have much to be thankful for.

5 sweet years: happy birthday, Johnny!

John turned five years old on November twenty-third. What a beloved son he is! This past year, it has been amazing to see the way God has worked in John's heart to give him a real trust in Jesus, and a sincere desire to tell others about Jesus too.

(The birthday boy: John's been doing more "serious faces" for photos as of late...)

For his birthday breakfast, John got his requested meal: biscuits and eggs. And guess what he wanted for supper? "Pork, carrots and greens." Two vegetables for your birthday supper?! Wow, such a request from a five-year-old makes for a very happy (if a bit surprised) mother.

We made ice cream cake with pink frosting, as John had asked for, for his little birthday party in the evening (well, the frosting was actually whipped cream dyed with beet juice).

Some sweet neighbors and friends came over for cake, and look at the adorable puppets Emma made John! These celebrations with loved ones reminds me how much our lives are bettered by the dear people around us:

Happy birthday to my favorite five-year-old in the world!

A Couple Quotes from John and Sam

Ruth and I have often said that we should make a little blog containing only the little things that John and Sam say.  Here are a couple from the past two days.


Sam: Papa, would it be impolite to call someone "lazy bones" who is sleeping on a train track when a fast train is coming to hit them?

Sam: Is Papa an old man now?

John: Yes, Papa IS an old man…but Mama is young.