My Church

These are my girls.

These are with whom I fellowship and study the Bible and pray and find community.

This is my church.

In back: Shelly, Lynn, Jen, Andria, Me, Suez / In front: Kim Kathi, V.

Love you!!!!!!!!!

Thanksgiving 09

We missed having Jade with us this year (he was with Sara & her family in Virginia). We also missed Drew (he didn't make it, tired from work, I think). We always miss that chaos and craziness that goes with a BIG family group (our 9 seemed kinda intimate and quiet) so we always miss the TN Bakers. So we really enjoyed & appreciated that Lando brought a friend home from school for the holiday (he was going home to New Jersey for Christmas)!

We had all the traditional dishes that we missed last year when we went to a restaurant, so that was nice. Plus we threw in a whole group round of Pictionary and Taboo. It got a little heated at times. (Oh, and I ROCK at taboo... just sayin' :)

At this pivotal time in our nation's history, I thought it might be appropriate for a little reminder about the values on which our great country was founded, so I am pasting in George Washington's Thanksgiving proclamation.

George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.

Grammie, Mom, Miss M

The hustle & bustle of last minute preparations

Carving the bird

Checking the marshmallows on the sweet potatoes... Mmmmmmm

God's bountiful provision

Enjoying dinner

Landon and his college friend Justin (from New Jersey)

Grampie & Miss M

Playing pictionary

"Shooting Star"

Thank You God for all you have give us. Thank You for your sacrifice on the cross. Thank You for salvation. Thank You for Your abundant provision.

I AM THANKFUL: FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT, BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE. FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO, BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS. FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES I PAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED . FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT. FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH. FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION .

FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM. FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS I CAN HEAR. FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR. FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD. FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE. AND FINALLY, I am thankful FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.

Miss M's "9 in the Afternoon" Video

Miss M's made a video for church with her friend Chaechel to the song "9 In the Afternoon" by Panic! at the Disco.
(You might want to "pause" the website music at the right.)

Deevs' Football

Deevs' first year of football may be his last, but he WAS on the team as a sophomore. It was his first year coming into a new school and trying a whole new sport (first time he has ever played tackle football!).

They won the championship and are going on to CIF (they made the finals!!!).

(Look for him in the photo - the farthest right play, next to coaches - he's #21.)

He is looking forward to playing soccer.

November Bdays '09 - minus Jade

For the November birthdays, we went to see Drew (29) picked lasagna as the dinner and Miss M (14) picked apple pie as the dessert. We missed have Jade (22) there... he was celebrating in Kenya.

The two birthday celebrants

We didn't all get their memo...

Cutting the birthday pie

FULL from yummy lasagna dinner!!!!!!

Grampie assuming the position :)

Mmmmmmmm... banana cream pie

Birthday wishes

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jade is HOME!

Jade arrived back in the good ole US of A today at 6:30AM (our time) via Nairobi, Dubai, and Atlanta.

Hopefully we will get more details & photos later... for now, here are a few.

Jade with Justus, Johnstone & another friend.

After the Prayer Day, Jade & his team stopped in town to order 14 orders of chicken and chips {chips cuckoo} for their dinner party...with the 7 boys that live at the Oasis Centre. They joked about the tiny hut being Cleophas' night club "Omega Two" {a play on the dance club in town "Omega One"}
After an impromptu Sunday dance party, {which Alice says "really means, once Jade and I were done listening to "Single Ladies" on repeat"}, they went inside to teach these smaller kids to play Uno. Alice noted that Mattel had some creative geniuses because Uno requires "little-to-no shared language or skill". She said it was so great to watch all ten of their opponents learn to shuffle through their stack of 7 {small hands, they couldn't hold them all} to find a 7 or a yellow.

Jade shaking "his Isaya" as Alice would say

Rael, Sarah, Irene, Kamau and Jade

Finally, lest we forget that Missionary work is NOT all fun and exotic travel and Uno and dancing and hugging precious children you are in a third world country with PLENTY of dangers lurking nearby:

This is a photo of a dead black mamba that a child found in the bushes. He killed it before it could kill anyone. {Highlights of the wikipedia page: this snake has been claimed to move at up to 19.5 km/h (12 mph), It can strike up to 12 times in a row. A single bite from a black mamba injects enough venom to kill anywhere from 20–40 grown men. Can live in bushes and small trees and also in houses.}

EEK!!!!!!!!! Scares a Mama! (Glad I didn't see that photo 'til they got home!)

Praise God for the fun & exotic travels & Uno & dancing & love & hugging precious children and for their safe return!!!

Deevs Homecoming 09

Deevs goes to one school (where none of their mutual friend go). Katie goes to another (1/2 hour away where none of their friends go). So they decided to go to Homecoming at Deevs' PREVIOUS school where they BOTH know & love a ton of people.

The girls met at 3:00 for photos at church.

Katie apparently got DRENCHED by the geyser (in the water feature/baptismal) and had to drive the half hour home to dry her dress, re-curl her hair, and re-apply her make-up... that has got to be the WORST experience for a girl! Ugh!

After photos (by the ever-fabulous Alanna) at the golf course,

a dip for the dancer

putting on the lovely handmade corsage

handmade corsage & boutonnière

the kids were chauffeured 25 minutes south (back by home) to the lovely dining establishment chosen by their Senior pal Luke:

COSTCO food court!!!!!

The group of 20+ couples dined on a gourmet pre-homecoming meal of hot dogs, chicken bakes, pizza slices, and very berry sundaes. Luke's amazing Mom & Dad (with the help of friends) made the whole thing happen. They decorated, collected money, took orders, waiting in line, placed orders, and delivered the fine fare to the awaiting diners.

We went and took photos and then did some much needed shopping (we were in MAJOR need of a Costco sized pack of toilet paper, thank-you-very-much!).

Then off to the dance.

A fabulous night was had by ALL!!!