Alexis

Alexis & Isaac

Alexis & Hadassah

Alexis

Our second-born grandchild, Alexis, is turning 10 years old today!  I actually got to watch as she was born---one of the greatest privileges of my life!!  And I saw the most amazing sight when I first took a good look at her...she looked just like her daddy did when he was born.  Within a few months, the first thing everyone would mention when they first looked at her was her long eyelashes and her beautiful eyes.  She's been beautiful from the beginning. 

If Alexis' hair was red, she'd look so much like her Aunt Mamy did at that age.  (In fact, I remember her aunt's 10th birthday and what we were doing.)  

Alexis likes ballet, animals, riding dirt bikes, art, doing nails and makeup, sewing, and hanging with her big sister, her friends, and her cousins.  She is a multi-dimensional girl...and just fun to be with!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MISS ALEXIS!!  

WE SURE DO LOVE YOU!

Jet Lag

I hate jet lag.  Some have asked me how it was going to Asia...did I have jet lag then?  No.  I usually don't.  I attribute it to the adrenaline.  We're so anxious to get there and see everyone and get started on our journey.  It's really not hard going.
But coming home?  It's usually a killer.  And it has been this time.  I awaken around 4 or 5 a.m.  By 2:00, I can take a nap.  By 4 p.m., I'm dead.  I require about a 2 hour nap.  And then I can't go back to sleep until around 11 p.m.  And then...you got it...back up at 4.  That usually takes at least a week.
I'm so ready to be back to normal! 

Nai Nai

I now have 4 grandmother names.  Our oldest granddaughter named me Gran.  Then my oldest grandson named me Gee.  Actually, the oldest child of each of my children chose a new name.  So the next grandson named me Guh.  I'm still waiting to see if Dax uses one of these names or comes up with one of his own.
While I was in Asia, I acquired a new grandmother name--Nai Nai (Ni-Ni).  It's how you say grandmother in Mandarin.
We have 6 "daughters" in Asia.  Our fellowship sponsored them to go to school beyond the 8th grade and we have known them about 12 years or more.  Many of them were very young when we first met them.  And now they're all beautiful young women---with boyfriends and husbands.  And this is the first "grandchild" born to us of Asian descent.  The most amazing thing is that they don't typically name their children until they're a year old.  But as soon as this beauty was born, Andy & I were given the privilege of giving her an English name.  We named her Abigail...but call her Abby.  She's precious.  Interestingly, the patriarch of the family has given them 3 names to choose from for her middle name.  That name will be significant for the family---it's the way they know which generation of the family she's from.  Since Abby is the first of her generation of this family, the name her parents choose will be the name used for each successive child of this generation.
We got to see her several times while we were there and her parents were calling us Ye Ye (Yeh-Yeh--Grandfather) and Nai Nai.  Of course, I couldn't help but kiss her all over and told her I was giving her Nai Nai kisses.  The father doesn't speak English but for some reason, this really stuck.  He would laugh every time I kissed her and say, "Nai Nai kisses!"
I laughed when I saw her mother was reading "Baby Wise" in Mandarin.  It's so contrary to their culture, but they're giving it a try.
Abby is adorable.  Mom & Dad promised to raise her knowing she has a Ye Ye and Nai Nai in America.  A Nai Nai who gave her lots and lots of Nai Nai kisses.  We left pictures of us for Abby to see so she'll know us.  The exciting thing is Abby will be the first to grow up hearing about Jesus from the beginning of her life.

Linda

We just got home from a trip....a trip that I can't share a great deal of details about.  But it was a good trip.  I do want to share a story about a girl I named Linda.
We went to a small village that we've gone to for years.  As we entered the village that day, two teenaged girls saw us and began yelling, "Ahndy!"  They remembered us from years ago when we came to their schools and taught them English.  One of the girls I remembered as the "mean wittle girl" who was as mischievous as they come.  She hadn't changed a bit.  She didn't appear to be mean any longer, but she still had that mischievous twinkle in her eye.  I honestly couldn't place the other girl.  But when they learned we were there to deliver glasses to their people, they wanted to join us.  Since we had two different teams with us, they split up and both went with a different team.  The beautiful girl I couldn't place came with my team.
We went to the first house to deliver glasses to an older woman.  I began sharing the gospel with this older woman, but she was very distracted.  We'd just talked that very morning about being aware--the person we're sharing with might not be who the message is actually intended for.  So as I shared, I began focusing on the girl who'd come with us.  When I finished talking, she turned to our interpreter and told him to ask me, "When you came to our school, we kids had horrible snot coming out of our noses.  Our own teachers wouldn't touch it.  And yet you cleaned our noses.  Why did you?"  I explained to her that God had filled our hearts with His love and we did it because we loved them.  She then told me that she wanted to know this God.  So with the help of our interpreter, I was able to lead this girl to the Lord.
Afterwards, I told her that when I had a baby sister, I'd wanted my parents to name her Linda.  But they didn't.  And since she was now my new baby sister, I wanted to give her the English name of Linda.  She was so excited.  Everyone we met after that, she told them she was my sister.  Incidentally, the next house we went to, I asked Linda to share her story with the lady---and that lady came to the Lord!  It was precious.
God showed me several things through that story. First, when we were going to the school and teaching English, we didn't even have interpreters.  We spent the morning in the classroom pantomiming and trying to communicate.  But it wasn't any words which were spoken which changed Linda's life--it was the smallest of actions--done with love.  Secondly, she didn't find Jesus the day I wiped her nose.  But it was 10 years later.  Ten years of remembering the people who came to her school.  She had a framed photo with some of our team from that year.  Thirdly, it's all about God.  God was drawing her to Himself from the time she was about 6 years old.  He had a plan.  And I got to be a part of that plan both times.  That amazes me.  I was there 10 years ago wiping her nose.  And then He put me there this time to share the Truth of God's Word with her--with an interpreter who could communicate with her.
That's divine.

Of Passports and Visas

Interesting things have developed.  Andy sent our passports to Houston as usual to get visas to go overseas...tomorrow!  They didn't come back as quickly as he expected so he began investigating.  Turns out, they were having problems with one of the visas but they promised to get it in the mail immediately and overnight it.  And they did.  That one passport/visa.  The rest of ours were still sitting in the office at Houston.  So after another phone call, two were sent to Austin and two are supposed to be on their way to Borger.  They should be here today.
We leave at 5 a.m.
Pray.

Exciting Announcement!

David, Lindsey

Addie, Ryan

David began a new job yesterday as worship pastor at Celebration Family Church in Fritch, TX under Pastor Dwight Kirksey.  We're so excited!  I never dreamed any of my children would come back to "Borger" for a job.  It's been such a God-thing.  I had the privilege of going to their early service yesterday and participate. It's going to be a good, good thing.  Welcome home, Dave!