"Kenya-garden"

"Mommy, when I go to Kenya-garden I think I'll like it because I'll know how to read and I can climb really good now but I will climb even better in Kenya-garden and I'll be 5, that's how old I can be when I can go to Kenya-garden!"  ~ Caileigh, sometime in March.

It's been awhile since I've sat down to write so we'll start with March and hopefully bring you up to date.

The first week of March was our church's Mission's Conference Service Project week.  It was super busy with a lot of extra events.  Stephen had two groups of church members who came to serve at tutoring both days and then as a family we went to a local housing project and played with the kids who live there and painted their faces while sharing the gospel.  My non-artistic husband even painted faces and did quite well - I was impressed! :-)

We celebrated Stephen's birthday with a date night out.  Uncle John and Aunt Laura kept the girls for us.

The second week was the actual Mission's Conference.  It was so good to hear from other missionaries of how God is at work all around the world and to worship with the body of Christ.  It was such an encouraging week and weekend!

The same week we were able to visit with my childhood friend, Hannah.  The last time I saw her was in Kenya, the summer after 5th grade.  We got to meet with Hannah, her husband and two little boys.  Caileigh was fascinated with the fact that she was my friend from when I was a little girl and that we used to live in Kenya!  She asked a lot of questions.  I think partly because we had just had our Mission's Conference at church and met lots of missionaries serving all over the world.  Anyway, it was a good visit and so much fun to catch up!  The kids enjoyed playing together on a local playground.

Here Hannah (in red) and I (in blue/purple) are with our friends from 5th grade in Kenya.
 Please excuse the bad taste in style on my part and yes at that time I was much taller than everyone else!

The girls and I with Hannah and her two boys - March 2012

I really want my girls to know about Africa since that is such a huge part of my life and who I am.  When Caileigh was one, I started writing a children's book about it.  Maybe it's time to pull that back out and finish it - even if it's just for her! :-)

The third weekend in March I was able to go with some other young moms on a weekend getaway near Asheville.  Our husbands decided to send us all away for some time of un-interrupted fellowship.  They planned it all which was nice, yet funny as we were all a little nervous about what it would be like.  We were able to rest, hike, eat out, shop and overall get to know each other better.  It was what I needed!  I am very thankful for these women and for our husbands who knew we needed the time!  I think for the most part the dads enjoyed the time with their kids as well - but I know Stephen was glad for me to be back.  One of the only texts he sent me while I was gone was, "Does she ever stop talking?"  :-)  I think the constant chatter and singing was a little too much at times.

The next two weeks were pretty normal as far as normal around here goes.  The last weekend in March we loaded up our SUV to head to Carrollton for KCP's Mission's Conference and then on to Disney to camp and spend a week with Stephen's family for Spring Break/Master's week.  About an hour and a half into a 3 hour trip our SUV started smoking.  We got off at an exit and after what seemed like a long time finally found a place to look at it.  Long story short the transmission was toast....  We were able to rent a van and made it just in time to Carrollton for us to join our dear friends for a pizza dinner and worship and for Stephen to share what God is doing in Augusta.  The next morning we drove to the Disney Campground.  

Remembering...

After last week of coughs, runny noses and general yuckiness I was hoping we would finally have a healthy week and get back to being around people and ultimately get out of the house - though we did get a lot done around the house last week.  But, apparently that was not meant to be... Caileigh had her first stomach bug this week.  It was rough and she was pretty miserable.  It seems that we are much better and thankfully it seems no one else was affected!

So thankful this cute girl is feeling much better!

This past weekend, thankfully in between the sicknesses, our Emma was baptized at church.  Our parent's and siblings were all able to make it and it was a very special day!  It's so hard to believe she is 17 months old now!  I found myself thinking a lot about our little bundle of energy and mischeif this past weekend. - mainly just remembering but also so thankful for God's gift to our family!

With the Dent Side

With the Pittman Side

It's been a crazy 17 + months with Emma.  She has certainly rocked our world and we have certainly been changed for the good! :-)

• At 14 weeks pregnant with Emma we thought we had lost her
• Before making her grand entrance her heart rate dropped twice - causing quite a scare
• Born with her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck
• Screamed all night for the first two weeks at home
• At 3 weeks we had to take her to have a sweat test done - thankfully she is just a carrier of the Cystic Fibrosis gene!
• At 2 1/2 months she was diagnosed with RSV and had to have breathing treatments for almost two weeks.
• Also at 2 1/2 months she had her first ear infection of 9 in 11 months! 
• Finally at 3 1/2 months she was sleeping 6-8 hours at night and was suddenly such a happy and content baby during the day! 
• 3 days before her 1st Birthday she had tubes put in her ears.
• The day after her 1st Birthday, Emma was walking everywhere on her own and hasn't slowed down since.

Who wouldn't love her...?

• Smile that will brighten any day
• Gorilla hugs
• Slobbery fish kisses

• Sense of style
• Silly Giggles
• Life loving attitude
• Curiosity

• Creativity
• Love for her Big Sister

Emma's favorites:

• Caileigh - anything Caileigh does, likes, wears, plays - Emma LOVES it too!
• Books - she loves to read!

Both my girls LOVE to read!

• Music - she will dance to any beat and tries to sing along
• Hide-n-Seek - every activity is turned into a game of hide-n-seek!
• Tickles - giving and receiving them
• Coloring
• Her teddy - can't leave him behind
• Cats and dogs - we have lots in our neighborhood
• Elephants - she really loved seeing them at the circus recently!

Daddy started this one rainy Saturday...

• Playing with baby dolls - she's a very sweet little mommy
• Climbing - anything is quickly turned into a climbing gym
• Making a mess - she gets this ornery look in her eye and you just know there's about to be a mess
• Tackling Caileigh - thankfully Caileigh still finds this funny...for now
• Pretending to be a Monster - she flexes her muscles, growls and chases after whoever :-)

So thankful for our little Monkey!

Please Pray...

Would you please pray for a girl who has been involved in Hope for Augusta's After-school Tutoring?

In the past 2 months there has been 2 fatal shootings at one of the housing projects close to our house.  This girl attended after-school tutoring at Oak Pointe (another nearby housing project), but lived in the housing project where these two shootings occurred.   The second and most recent shooting victim was her father!  She is in 2nd grade.  I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to 1) lose your father to such violence, 2) live in fear of someone coming for your family member - as after the first shooting they moved - knowing that that one was supposedly intended for her dad and 3) what other things has she been exposed to in her short life?  

She is not coming to tutoring right now as they have moved.  The manager of the housing project told all of this to Stephen yesterday.  She said this little girl is taking it very hard!  I pray that she would be surrounded with people who love her and that she would know the comfort that only Christ can give!  Stephen is hoping to be able to get in contact with her and her mom.  

Please pray for all the kids we minister to.  Many of them have witnessed events like this.  Many live in this project or in the surrounding projects/neighborhood.  Some perhaps have been involved themselves in acts of violence.  The first Saturday of March we hope to go to this particular housing project with other members of our church to share the Gospel with the children who live there.  It has been a prayer to see doors open to get more involved in this particular housing project.  Pray for those of us who will be going - pray that we would boldly proclaim and show the love of Christ to these neighbors.  In fact, please pray for tonight as it is New Town - the neighborhood Bible Study.  Pray for the 110+ kids and youth that come to hear the Gospel, play, eat and receive the love of Christ.  Pray for the volunteers who have committed to come every Thursday and build into these kids lives.

Thank you!

My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness!

Ever have a day where you have one song in particular on your mind all day long and you just sing it over and over - out loud or inside?  I have - well actually all week and even this past weekend.

It's this one...

My heart is filled with thankfulness

To Him who bore my pain;

Who plumbed the depths of my disgrace

And gave me life again;

Who crushed my curse of sinfulness

And clothed me in His light

And wrote His law of righteousness

With pow'r upon my heart.

My heart is filled with thankfulness

To Him who walks beside;

Who floods my weaknesses with strength

And causes fears to fly;

Whose ev'ry promise is enough

For ev'ry step I take,

Sustaining me with arms of love

And crowning me with grace.

My heart is filled with thankfulness

To him who reigns above,

Whose wisdom is my perfect peace,

Whose ev'ry thought is love.

For ev'ry day I have on earth

Is given by the King;

So I will give my life, my all,

To love and follow him.

"My Heart Is Filled with Thankfulness"

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

Copyright © 2003 Thankyou Music

We went back to Carrollton this past weekend for a friends' wedding and to celebrate my birthday with my parents. It was quick and short and definitely didn't get to see everyone we would have liked to but it is always so good to go back to Carrollton for a visit (I never thought in high school I would say that - I couldn't wait to leave Carrollton.).  I love being around  our family and friends there!  I leave feeling so encouraged and uplifted!  I feel free to share prayer requests and know that they are lifting me and my family up in prayer.  I love catching up on what is going on in their lives and knowing how I can better be praying for them.  God continually uses them to encourage, remind and show us just how faithful He is!


It at times has been lonely being here in Augusta, as we adjust to a new city, a new church, new groups of friends, but knowing we have so many people praying for us makes those times a little bit easier.  Thank you for caring and investing in us so we can in turn invest in others!   Many of you will probably never know the impact you have had on our lives.  Thank you for reminding us that we are a part of the body of Christ in Carrollton, Augusta and around the world!


As much as we miss Carrollton, we were excited to come back to Augusta.  We know this is where God has us and we are excited about the things He has planned for us this year and the things we will get to be a part of!  We joined First Presbyterian Church, Sunday night - an hour after getting home.  It was a little crazy, but we are excited to be a part of First Pres and the body of believers here.  We look forward to getting to know and serving alongside these brothers and sisters in Christ.


Monday, Laura (my sister) had the day off of work, so the girls and I enjoyed a day with her!  We went "shopping" and then after the guys' Bible Study, John and Laura enjoyed a homemade pizza dinner with us.  It's always fun to spend time with them!


Tuesday night was my "family birthday celebration" as today is Stephen's busy day.  Stephen made my favorite Ethiopian dish - Dora Wot!  So good!  Ethiopian food has been my favorite since my family lived in Kenya.  We hope to go eat at an Ethiopian restaurant sometime soon but for now homemade will do.  The girls gave me their present - Cadbury chocolate - another long time favorite! :-)  Then John and Laura came over for dessert.  Laura made some yummy cheesecake with peanut butter chips and we had mint chocolate chip ice cream.  I can lose the weight all year long right!?!? :-)


Today, (yes, my birthday) has been great so far!  The girls and I went to the Women's Bible Study Brunch.  The girls enjoyed time with their friends and I enjoyed some Mommy Fellowship time.  I enjoyed reconnecting with new friends after a long break.  I am so thankful for the friendships God has already blessed us with here in Augusta!  I am excited about the new study and look forward to it.  We came home and Emma took a great nap - which allowed me computer time. :-)  I had time to read many sweet birthday wishes from family and friends literally all over the world, to blog, to catch up on emails and to even write thank yous!!!  Thrilling, I know, but I've enjoyed it! :-)  I am looking forward to my birthday date with my husband Friday night.  I'm thankful that my sister and her husband like my kids so much, to be willing to watch them two Friday nights in a row!

These two girls enjoyed a night out with Daddy last week!
I can't wait until my turn! :-)

My heart is full! I have so much to be thankful for!  Emma's awake now, so back to the real world. :-)

We recently enjoyed creating snowy scenes with "snow paint!"
It was super fun and easy to clean  up (just shaving cream and school glue - no paint)!
Our favorite part was that this was one project Emma could join in on!

December Update

We enjoyed being a part of the Tour of Homes!  Both nights combined we had over 150 people come through the tour!  We met many, many new people, even some neighbors we didn't know.  Stephen was able to share why we have chosen to live down here and what he does on a daily basis.  He even got three new volunteers for tutoring!  Caileigh and Emma did really well considering the late nights and lots of strangers!  I was thankful we had a December wedding (2006) and still had many Christmas themed decorations from that special day!

One question I was asked several times was if I felt it was safe raising my girls down here.  My response, I do!  I truly believe this is where God has my family and I am overwhelmed how He has provided such a wonderful home, neighborhood, neighbors, church family, and friends for us!  I can see in my life where God has given me a greater passion and love for the "least of these!"  Seeing such hurting and darkness around me has made me so much more grateful that Christ came into this dark and lost world to bring salvation - to bring light!  I used to worry that it would be hard for Caileigh to daily see the homeless pushing grocery carts full of random items down our street - she does notice and we have had many opportunities to talk with her about the brokenness of this world without Christ.  I see in my girls a love and a desire to help those who are hurting.

Caileigh is constantly seeing and thinking of ways to help those around us.  From wanting to help our landlady sweep up outside to giving her Christmas parade candy to a homeless man to praying for two other homeless men to find jobs and a home to wanting to give some of her dress up shoes to one of her friends whose dress up shoes had recently broke.

Emma knows no strangers and loves to be around other people, her smile is quite contagious and attracts all sorts of people which excites her and they are often rewarded with a much larger smile and even a "Hey!"  Their example of unconditional love has constantly humbled me!  Throughout this Christmas season I really enjoyed the many displays of Christmas lights around us.  I was continually reminded of the Light Christ brought into this world.  I pray that my family would reflect His light into our circles of influence.

We loved Mrs. Deb's star!

We had a wonderful Christmas season and enjoyed many festive things as well as some great times of family and cooporate worship!

Putting our puzzle together - Christmas Eve

Some highlights:

decorating our home,
our family advent times (we added a new resource this year - Truth in the Tinsel, which was perfect for our little ones!),
special worship services at church,
seeing Christmas lights,
lots of family time,
Christmas movies,
Stephen and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary with a two day trip to Charleston, SC,

A friend took this for us.
Thank you Anna Leigh Photography!

Caileigh discovered she LOVES Egg Nog,
Emma learned that we weren't suppose to "eat" the pretty lights on the tree,
and most importantly celebrating Christ's birth!

Christmas morning 2011

We ended our year with lots of traveling to see family.  The girls did great so that made it enjoyable for all! :-)  We spent Christmas day with Stephen's parents and brother and his family.  We spent the day after Christmas with my parents and sisters and brother-in-law.  (Unfortunately, I don't have pictures from these two days!) The next day we went to Kansas and enjoyed time with my mom's side of the family!  The weather was great so we were able to enjoy lots of time outside on the farm!

The Farm at sunset

Caileigh riding Boots with Sarah

My grandpa will be 90 in July.  He has had parkinson's since at least the year I was born.  It was so good to see him - we haven't seen him since last Christmas.  He doesn't talk much any more but he enjoys the company. It isn't often you see a smile on his face,  not because he isn't happy but because it is hard for him to control the muscles in his face.  His eyes told it all   though!  When Emma would come up to him and rest her hands on his knees and smile at him - his eyes would twinkle.  He seem to get a kick out of us grandkids gathered around the floor playing games and seemed to enjoy the movies and hugs him and Caileigh shared.  I am so thankful we were able to see him this year.  People often ask what we do in Kansas?  We spend time we family, play games, soccer, football, ride horses, feed animals, enjoy catching up and lots of good food!  The farm was our home away from home.  On furloughs, my family would pretty much live with my grandparents.  It's always good to go back!

4 generations: Emma was named
for my Grandpa's mother.

Grandpa and his family!  We are missing four!

Exploring the "timber" with Grandpa and Great Grandpa

Emma was a HUGE fan of the outdoors
and especially the animals!

2011 brought many new things for our family, some wonderful memories and so many things to be grateful for!  We look forward to what God has in store for our family in 2012!  Thank you for all your many prayers for our family!

We're Ready!

We are ready for the Tour of Homes.... we think at least! :-)  The Nativity is set up, the tree is trimmed, the stockings hung, lights are up and the biggest accomplishment to me is the house is clean!  Stephen commented last night that he thinks this may be the cleanest our house has ever been.... quite possibly since we have been unpacking and putting away things for almost 2 months.

We live in the downstairs apartment - the door with the wreath.

We THANK YOU for your prayers!  We feel blessed to have so many friends and family praying for us!  This week has not gone without it's challenges, frustrations and stresses but with the exception of Monday, we have enjoyed our time preparing for this weekend!  One of my highlights was that we were able in the midst of the craziness to start our daily advent readings and activities which has produced some great dialogue with Caileigh!  I feel like this is the first year she is "really getting it."  At mealtime and nights she has wanted to pray and the prayers she prays are amazing - she so gets it!  I have goosebumps as I listen to an honest prayer thanking God for our house, for a bed to sleep in, for her sister, for her friends and other family members, for Jesus who was born in a "stable" and died for sins, how He rose and conquered the Braves (we're still working on that one), for the two homeless men who have crossed our paths this week that as a family we have been burdened to pray for. She prays that they would "know Jesus," that they would be able to find a bed to sleep in that night, that they would have food.  On Thursday one of the men were raking the leaves in front of our house for our landlord - Caileigh said, "Mom, there's the man, I'm sorry I don't remember his name, that we prayed would be able to find a job so he would be able to pay for a place to sleep and look he's working for Mrs. Deb!  Jesus answered our prayer Mommy! Can I go ask him his name again?"

Caileigh and Emma - Front door

Please do continue to pray for tonight and tomorrow.  Last night during the walk thru, we were told they had already sold 100 tickets.  People can buy tickets at the start of the tour and they will be selling them at the Christmas Market tomorrow morning.  They say they would not be surprised if they sell 100 more!  Please continue to pray that we would be able to have gospel conversations with neighbors and those who might come to our homes. Pray that Christ would be glorified in our home! Pray that Emma in particular will be able to "hang in there" since she will be up later than normal - Caileigh will be the life of the party I am sure! :-) Thank you for praying for us!

Well, we are off to enjoy some time as a family and in hopes of keeping the house clean! :-)

Ready to give tours!

Christmas is Coming!

We are still alive and I am working on getting pictures off the camera and onto the computer to prove it!  I figure you would rather see a picture worth a thousand words than read the thousand plus words it would take to write everything down that we have been up to in the past 2 months! So stay tuned... they are coming!


In the meantime would you please join us in prayer for this week and weekend. We are participating in the Candlelight Tour of Homes in Olde Town. Our home is one of eight homes in Historic Olde Town that is participating in the Candlelight Tour of Homes.  This year the tour is featuring the 300 block of Broad Street and three newly renovated organizations - Christ Community Health Services, Heritage Academy and the Vine Inn. The tour is open to the public this Friday, December 2nd 6:00-9:00pm and Saturday, December 3rd 6:00-9:00pm.  


This is very overwhelming to us.  As I write our house is a wreck, bags are scattered down the hall, waiting to be unpacked, there is a trail of toys throughout the house where two cute little girls have tossed them aside to help their frazzled momma unpack. We went this morning to get our Christmas tree - yay!  However, it's been a frustrating ordeal- the trunk is too short to fit down into our tree stand and we don't have a saw to trim more branches.  It will all work out but I can certainly see the spiritual battle we are in right now.  Moment by moment I am struggling to not just decorate and prepare our house for Christmas in a mad rush to just get it done but rather keep my eyes on Christ and the meaning of what we are looking forwards too - celebrating His birth. I try to remember "why we are participating in this?" when the overwhelming feelings begin to take control but I am failing miserably.  This is why I ask for prayer.

I would like to share what our next door neighbors, Steve and Diane Hubbard wrote recently in an email to our parish in regards to their participation in the Tour of Homes as well.  It echos our thoughts and feelings on participating in the tour:

·  "By participating in the Tour of Homes we have another opportunity to interact with folks in our neighborhood who are not part of our church family."

·" It gives us a tangible and visible way to say that we buy into rebuilding Olde Town and that we care about our community."

·  "It is one small way to say to those who do not live here, but might come on the tour, that we believe that God can redeem the city and that it is worth doing so."

· " It is a visible means of saying that Olde Town isn’t just a drug infested, dieing community.  It is a place of hope, and we want to invite others to join us in the rebuilding.  Maybe someone who comes on the tour might catch that vision."

·  "It just might take some fear out of “coming downtown” for some folks."

· "It just might be used as a point of dialogue for the gospel with our neighbors." 

Our prayer is that by participating in the Tour of Homes we would have the opportunity to hold up Christ and what He is doing in Olde Town. So will you please join us in prayer?  We will be sure to let you know how it goes and post a couple pictures!