Fun Times

The local culture here does not celebrate Halloween and most of the people do not even know what it means. We as a family don't really talk about it, but we try to make it a fun time for the kids to dress up and celebrate Fall. This year was different than the last several years because we are around a ton of American kids. So, we gathered after Cameron's birthday party (which was actually on October 31 because Cooper's birthday is November 6th, so we had a combined party in between the two birthdays) in a one cul-de-sac of our complex and had some games and treats for the kids. It was fun for all of us and even Laura Cate got to dress up in a friends costume as "Tigger"...the cutest Tigger ever! The kids had to sing or dance to get candy, but some people were very generous and Cameron is still working on eating all of his candy.



The next day we got to celebrate Alan's birthday. We just loved being together, going to our International Fellowship and our friends took us out to lunch at a wonderful hotel restaurant. I love this picture are Cameron is enjoying Alan's cool new umbrella while we are enjoying chocolate-chip pankcakes (Alan's favorite). Cameron kept wanting to open Alan's presents or let it be his turn to open a present...it can be so hard to wait!

Party Time

October and November are always busy times for us as we are blessed to celebrate Cameron and Alan's birthday (Cameron October 23 and Alan November 1st) and we always squeeze a little "Fall Festival" on October 31! Cameron and his friend Cooper got to celebrate their birthdays together (the more Hero/super hero power the better, right! Cameron of course was an Engineer (" a super hero engineer" as he said.) I can't believe we have a four year old. The time has flown by and each year gets better and better. Cameron LOVES being four...which he thinks entitles him to lots of big boy things now, such as four cookies, four pieces of cake, and playing for 4 minutes...sometimes it works for him, sometimes it works against him :( !
Here are some pictures of our favorite engineer on his birthday! We have been so blessed the past four years to have Cameron as our son!






This is Cameron's buddy, Cooper. They go to school together and have so much fun!







Probably his most exciting and usuable gift was his first bicycle! We had so much fun picking it out and waiting to give it to him. Now he is outside on his wheels at least once a day cruising around our apartment complex and seeing how fast he can go...don't worry, we make him wear a helmet. Riding a bike is another reason why he loves being four!Next post will be for Alan!

Four Months Old!

Look at me, I am 4 months old! It is so hard to believe that Laura Cate is four months old. Time has flown by as we continue to get settled into a new community and new apartment and enjoy our wonderful blessings, Cameron and Laura Cate. She is slowly starting to sleep better and I am getting into more of a routine with both kids. We are blessed to have a sweet, happy girl who lights up when her daddy comes in the room and always laughs at her brother. This month she has been full of bubbles, smiles, laughs, and rolling over front to back and back to front. She also started scooting a little bit. She is growing up way too fast! She is also cutting her first tooth, poor thing.

Joys of Having An Older Brother

I have an older brother, whom I adore, and I pray that Laura Cate will love, respect and enjoy her big brother as much as he loves her. Cameron loves to tell me what Laura Cate is doing and he even runs to get her some of his stuffed animals if she is crying. He also loves to run in and greet her in the morning, saying, "Good morning, sweetie, how are you?" He is ready for her to grow up and eat all the food he does and he often tries to share his food with her. Cameron (our little engineer) loves our bouncy/activity seat that we have for Laura Cate. He often tries to get all the sounds going at once while she is in it...I think it is a little overwhelming for her (and for me!) but he really does care and wants her to get the most out of the seat! What a great big brother! :)

Am I loved or what!













So, once in a while I let Cameron hold Laura Cate (it never lasts for long). But this time the conversation went something like this.

Cameron, "can she lay down next to me?"
me "yes, but remember, you may not lay on her."
Cameron "Can I share my animals with her?"
me "yes, but she may not like them"
Cameron "look mommy, she loves it!!"
me " I am not sure about that, sweetheart" (who wouldn't like a dozen fluffy things falling on their face?! )

Sweet blessings

Laura Cate is 3 months old (in this picture, June 24...I am a little behind)

Settled?

Lots of people ask, how are you all doing, are you settling in? I am realizing that the biggest adjustment is to life with two kids! They are such a blessing, but my time is different than with just one. I really have to pray about how to best spend my time and that the Lord would give Cameron understanding, patience, and love for his wonderful new sister. I often remind him that she (and he) are gifts that we need to take special care of. So far he has been sooo extremely helpful and loving on her. He loves to call her "sweetie", "baby", " cutie"and he always warns me when she is crying or might need her pacifier.

I will have to say unpacking and organizing is slooooow going, but I am learning to be ok with that...putting their needs above my own needs for order and control.

Indigenous?

So, I crawled into bed with Cameron for our time to sing and occasionally talk a little and I never know what is swirling around in his little brain. We started talking about Jesus and the cross and he said some things that a mother will never forget. He said, "If I died and went with Jesus, would you cry, like the Mary and Martha did when they saw Jesus on the cross? Would Laura Cate cry?" 5"If you went to heaven would you take Laura Cate with you? Who will take care of her?" (he observes that little babies need their mommies a lot!) Then started to get excited that he wanted to go to heaven and get a crown, but then I had to gently remind him that we don't have it for very long, but give it to back to Jesus and lay it at his feet. He ask what his crown would look like, maybe painted blue (his favorite color). "But how will we get paint and glue in heaven? How will I get to heaven...in a san lun che or a tuk tuk " (a san lun che is an Asian 3 wheeled little taxi and a Tuk Tuk is very similar in Thailand.) So, he gave me a new perspective when I think about adapting the Gospel to different cultures!