The Roberts Six

Great Big God

2012-02-17T21:28:00.001+03:00

You know that post A Great Big Fence? And how I said we serve a Great.Big.God? Well, after that post, we just sat back, prayed, and waited. And you know what? Our Great.Big.God provided commitments of $2100 that very weekend!! Nathan gave Rosemary the money today. We are traveling to Narok tomorrow to take the children cookies, gifts from the US, food, and see the progress on the fence. We are so excited to visit them since it's been a while since we've been there. Please pray for safe travels!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-15T09:28:00.001+03:00

Valentines Day 2012

2012-02-14T23:06:00.002+03:00

The Big Day!

2012-02-13T12:32:00.001+03:00

Saturday was Nathan's 29th birthday!

We started the day off by going to the Animal Farm Village with our friends, the Rix.

It was a petting farm, of sorts.

They had horses, cows, goats, sheep, geese, ducks, chickens, and rabbits. The rabbits were by far the hit of the day.

They held the sheep and goat by the legs so the kids could pet them.

Then we found these tire swings and Ezra was not going to be outdone. He had to swing, too! I was just waiting for him to topple off onto the ground.

And a hammock.

They had just the right amount of tires for our 5 kiddos!

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After the farm, we got our weekly groceries, and then headed home for lunch and naps. Then we ventured out again for Daddy's birthday dinner. He chose Tokyo Japanese Restaurant.

John took our picture. :) At least it's focused. I think he did a great job considering he had to look through the view finder and hold up the heavy camera!

Aren't they precious?!

Yum, yum. Vegetable tempura, vegetable noodles, fried rice, and Daddy's vegetable sushi.

They really like trying to use the chopsticks!

Dinah and John wanted to see what Daddy was eating. He tried to convince them to try a bit but it didn't work so well.

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Then we headed back home for birthday cakes and birthday cards from the kids.

They all did such a great job on their cards. They drew rockets and airplanes and birthday cakes. :)

Nathan asked for chocolate cake with peanut butter icing. I ran out of icing for the sides, but it was still yummy!

After the kids got done making their cards on Friday, they said, "Now we just have to find a present." So, at the grocery store Saturday morning they picked out a couple of candies for Daddy.

A Mars bar...

and fruity Mentos.

Think she's enjoying her cake?

Silly goobers...

It must've been good! Had to lick his plate clean.

Daddy and his girls!

Daddy and his boys!

Happy Birthday, Honey! You are an amazing Daddy and the best Hubby! We love you SOOO much!!

2012-02-10T11:20:00.003+03:00

A Great Big Fence

2012-02-07T15:31:00.001+03:00

I know some of our readers are interested in the fence around the orphanage in Narok that we are helping fund. It seems like we've been getting different stories and maybe the problem was we weren't getting the full story. We think we've gotten the full story today. So, let me share with you...

We did raise $3000USD when we were in the US to help put the fence around the orphanage. We thought this much money would just about cover a fence around about an acre of the property. When we arrived back in Kenya, we were told they needed more money because the $3000USD only covered the fence posts. We were kind of shocked by this information because that seemed like a whole lot of money to fence in just an acre of land. Well, apparently the men putting up the fence put the posts around TWO acres of land. That's a great.big.fence!! Now, that makes a lot more sense, right? We thought so, too!! Right now there are fence posts around 2 acres of the property, and there is metal fencing around 3 sides of the fence. Sooo...we need still need about $2200USD to put up metal fencing on the fourth side, purchase a gate, and pay the workers.

We are hoping to make a trip out to Narok on the 18th to visit with the children, take them some food, and see the progress of the fence.

If any of you feel inclined to give toward the great.big.fence, please do!! We serve a GREAT BIG GOD who is going to see this through to completion!

Pumpkin Oat Muffins

2012-02-06T12:36:00.001+03:00

In our attempt to feed our kids healthier foods for breakfast other than store bought cereal, I've been making quite a few muffins. They usually either have oatmeal with cinnamon and honey, homemade granola, or some kind of homemade muffins. One of their favorites recently is these pumpkin muffins. I found the original recipe here. But the following is my some what healthier version...

Pumpkin Oat Muffins
2 c. wheat flour (I use freshly ground wheat flour.)
2 c. pumpkin (I cook butternut squash and use that.)
1 c. rolled oats (Not the quick kind.)
1 1/2 c. sugar (Or even less.)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2/3 c. vegetable oil (I bought some coconut oil to try in these, but forgot to use it this morning.)
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin pan with liners or grease pan. In a large bowl mix flour, oats, sugar, baking soda, sea salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and nutmeg. In separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, oil, and eggs. Stir pumpkin mixture into flour mixture until smooth. Spoon batter into muffin pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. (Mine only cook for about 18 minutes, but I'm really not sure what temp they are cooking at.) And there you have it! A yummy breakfast muffin recipe!

Always, Always, Always...

2012-02-04T17:25:00.000+03:00

...look your dried goods before you cook or use them.

Earlier this week I was going to grind some wheat into flour and found this array of things in with my wheat.

Then later I was looking through 3 cups of lentils and found this variety of things.

It's definitely time consuming to look through all our dried goods, but also definitely worth it! Who wants rocks in their lentils?!

Coconut Macaroons

2012-02-04T17:18:00.001+03:00

So, I've been good all week and lost about 5lbs. And since it's Saturday, I made these cookies for dessert. We're trying to scale back having dessert every night and just have it one night on the weekend. We had something similar a couple weeks ago at a friends house and thought they were yummy. Nathan came home and found a recipe for them in a magazine we had. Sooo...we are having them for dessert tonight.

Coconut Macaroons
2 1/2 c. flakes coconut
1/3 c. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
2/3 c. sweetened condensed milk (I didn't pay that close attention to the recipe and poured in the whole can.)
1 tsp. vanilla

In a small bowl, combine the coconut, flour, and salt. Add milk and vanilla; mix well. Batter will be stiff.
Drop by tablespoonfuls 1 inch apart onto a greased baking sheet (Oops. Just realized I didn't do this. Maybe that's why my stuck to the pan.) Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks.

Oh, and I did add a couple almonds to the top and then cover them in chocolate. That was not on the recipe but definitely sounded good to us!

Juicing

2012-02-03T17:34:00.000+03:00

Last Saturday we went out to Karen for a lunch meeting. The restaurant we met at has an organic market on Saturdays. We browsed the selection before we gathered for the meeting. And found 50lbs of organic carrots for $.32/lb! We were quite excited! I was planning to start juicing more regularly this week so I was happy to find them. We juiced about half of them last Sunday with some cucumbers, wheat grass, and spinach. And then today I juiced the rest of them with some spinach. The kids drink it up! Yay for healthy kids!

Wordless Wednesday: Reading with Mr. Paul

2012-02-01T20:26:00.001+03:00

Saturday Morning Coloring

2012-01-28T20:25:00.000+03:00

Wordless Wednesday: The Boys and The Girls

2012-01-25T13:29:00.002+03:00

An Update on the Fence

2012-01-24T10:20:00.002+03:00

Remember that fence we were raising money for while we were in the US?

A lot of you gave and prayed and asked about it.

Well, it's still a work in progress.

Actually, it's still a work in progress in our hearts.

Because it seems we still need more money.

No work has been done thus far. And the children are back at the orphanage. Back in danger.

You see, Rosemary decided that it would be better to use concrete posts instead of wood posts. Surely they will hold up better in the long run. But right now that means we need more money upfront.

We'd really like this fence going up soon.

We still need at least $2000 more.

Please.

Would you pray about helping?

Monday Fun

2012-01-23T18:19:00.003+03:00

Our Children...

2012-01-23T09:12:00.000+03:00

Ezra says "hi," "uh-oh," and "Mommy." "Mommy" is not always used in the right context though.

Ruth puts boogies on the wall next to her bed. Uh, gross!

John goes upstairs to get ready for bed and puts on his jammies. Then right before getting into bed, takes them off and sleeps in his undies.

The other day I gave Ezra something and he signed "thank you" all by himself. Melt this Mama's heart!

We went out for Chinese the other night. On the way home, there was about 10 seconds of silence, and Ruth says, "I'm still alive!" Hilarious!

Dinah, Ruth, and John have been playing baby dolls a lot this week. They have both brown and white babies and boy and girl babies. They like to pretend they are adopting the brown babies, but sometimes, Dinah and Ruth also give birth to the brown babies!

When we go to a new place, Ezra likes to be held until he's sure of things.

Dinah calls Ezra brown chocolate and the rest of us white chocolate.

Summer Time in Nairobi Means...

2012-01-22T16:01:00.000+03:00

...it's time to get the pool out!

Peanut Butter Granola

2012-01-21T08:43:00.000+03:00

Since we came back to Nairobi we decided that we weren't going to buy processed cereals. For one, they aren't very good for you. And two, they are super expensive here! So, one of my bestest friends gave me this super easy and yummy recipe! And our kids really like it!

Peanut Butter Granola

6 T. oil

1 c. peanut butter

1 1/2 c. brown sugar (I use 3/4 c. brown sugar and 3/4 c. honey.)

7 c. oats

raisins, optional

Melt together oil and peanut butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar. Pour over oats and stir well. Spread into large cookie sheet and bake at 350 fro 18-20 minutes. Add raisins in last 5 minutes of baking.

recipe by Jessie Chilson

A Package!

2012-01-20T15:11:00.001+03:00

When we were in the US, we visited some kids who wanted to be our kids penpals. My childhood friend is a kindergarten teacher at one of the schools in the county we are from. She asked if our kids would like to be penpals with her class. Of course, we said yes! We went to visit them and tell them a little about where we live while we were in the US.

And last week we got a package from them!

The kids always enjoy getting a package!

Nathan had to dump everything out of the box so he could fit it in his backpack to carry home. So we put it in a basket for the kids to look through the next morning.

Dinah and John were digging through trying to see what all was in it.

Crayons, toys, stuffed animals...

Tissues and washcloths (they really like those washcloths)...

Ezra liked the picture of the horses.

Ezra and a caterpillar.

Dinah with all the loot!

Thanks, Julie, Abby, Ella, Ethan, Evan, Fisher, Hailey, Jacob J., Jacob W., Joselin, Mikey, Rosa, Rylee, Sarah, Skylar, Zackary, and Zuri!! The children really enjoyed their package!

Thursday Thoughts

2012-01-19T15:18:00.004+03:00

I've been thinking about this post for a while now. It's always fresh on my mind right after we get to the US or right after we've returned to Nairobi. Nathan and I talk and talk and talk about all we want to do, where we want to eat, who we want to see before we head to the US. When we talk about it, we refer to the US as "home". Although when we get there, and are getting settled in, it doesn't quite feel the same as before we left. After we've been in the US for a while, and it's getting close to time to leave again, our kids ask and ask and ask some more when it's time to go "home". Nairobi has become home for them. And as I've thought more and more about it, how there are so many things we enjoy in the US and yet, there are so many things we enjoy in Africa, too, it's just reiterated over and over and over how this world is not our home.

Since I've been pondering this post for a while, I had to smile when I was reading Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis. After each chapter, she has a few pages from her personal journal. This particular entry was about home. I'd like to share it with you because she says what I'm feeling in my heart so much better than I could.

"Some Sundays I go to my parents' Catholic church where I grew up. My favorite part of the mass is communion, and I never miss a chance to pass it out. Being able to look into each person's eyes and know that on some level they are experiencing the same hurt that I am, the same joy that I am, the same separation from the Maker we long to be with, is the greatest blessing. This week as I was giving communion to one lady in the long line of people, she looked at me and said "Welcome home."

I don't know this woman, but for that instant she knew me. When she said "Welcome home," it was as though a floodgate broke open from behind my eyes and the tears came in an unstoppable river. "Welcome home."

I wanted to ask her, "Where is home?"

I have come to the realization that I am somewhat of a nomad on this earth. I am learning to be okay with that. Human beings long for a place to call home, a nest, a sanctuary of their own. I have many and none. For so long my parents' house was my "home," my safe place; now it is a place where I strangely feel disconnected. My apartment is "home" for now, but it doesn't feel personal yet. My room there is plastered with pictures of my children in my other "home" in Uganda, the only home that truly feels like my place, the only home that I created for myself, and yet a place I cannot be.

"Welcome home," the lady said to me at church. And in my mind, eight little bald, brown people ran toward me shrieking "Mommy, welcome hoooooome!" and squeezed me until I threatened to burst. My heart lives in so many places. With so many people. But God whispers to me that I really have only one home, and that is with Him. I will never be content on this earth. I will always be a nomad. It was meant to be that way. My heart was created with a desire for a home, a nest, a sanctuary, and that can be found only with Him in Heaven. And I will continue bouncing from one home to another, loving with everything I have in whatever location I currently reside, excitedly awaiting the day when I am called heavenward and He says to me, "Welcome home."

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-18T14:48:00.002+03:00

Ingenious

2012-01-16T20:54:00.001+03:00

This past Saturday we went out to do our grocery shopping. The kids have also been asking to have a fire in our chiminea, and I have been wanting to visit this candle shop that makes candles to see if they had a citronella candle. So, we headed up towards Karen to get groceries, stop at the candle shop, and get wood. I hopped out at the candle shop and found what I needed right away. I almost told the lady checking me out that I didn't need a bag, but then I took a closer look. Do you see what the bag is made out of? It's pretty much a gift bag made out of old newspaper. They used some twine to make handles and have some sort of stamp to put their logo on with. What an ingenious idea!

Our Children...

2012-01-13T14:56:00.000+03:00

Dinah calls her favorite things her bestest things.

John is so sweet to run and help Ruth when she falls down and gets hurt. He's a great big brother!

Ezra finally smells like a Roberts.

Ruth is the family talker. She can talk your ear off and can ask tons of questions. She uses words like "usually," "apparently," and "evidently."

Dinah can swing like a crazy woman.

We've tried just about everything we can think of to get Ezra to like taking a bath. Nothing works. He still screams. I think we might just scale back to one bath a week and a scrub with a wipe every now and then since he doesn't like those either.

Dinah, John, and Ruth are learning from the "Children's Prove It Catechism." They can now answer "Who made you?," "What else did God make?, and "Why did God make you and all things?"

Ezra seems to be getting a little more picky about what he eats. He still likes to eat, but he's not a big fan of tuna or cabbage. :)

Thursday Thoughts

2012-01-12T22:16:00.001+03:00

Adjusting to driving in Nairobi is much easier than adjusting to driving in the US. Maybe that's because we spend the majority of our time here instead of there. I guess I should clarify and say adjusting to actually driving the car. You know. Driving on the right hand side of the car on the left hand side of the road. With your blinker on the right instead of the left. That sort of thing. I don't think I'll ever fully adjust to driving with the traffic here. It's just plain terrible.

I think Jessie Chilson has been without the internet for far too long, and I'm going through withdraws not being able to chat with her.

Everyone should read "Kisses from Katie." An amazing story of a girl who simply said, "Yes" to God's call.

Wordless Wednesday: He's Not Gone Yet

2012-01-11T22:09:00.002+03:00

Five Days Late

2012-01-08T16:27:00.000+03:00

I was just thinking last night that our Referral Anniversary was sometime around right now. So I came downstairs to check the blog and sure enough. It was January 3, 2011.

How time flies.

And how amazing it is to be a year down the road and have our son in our home and our arms. It's fantastic to be on this side of adoption and working on bonding and attaching with him.

That day over a year ago was so special. We finally got to "meet" our son. We finally knew who we had been praying for for so long and had a face to go with those new prayers.

What a blessing Ezra Thomas Bereket Roberts is to our family!

He is teaching us so much with his little life.

We love you, Ezra!

Mt. Kenya Safari Club Animal Orphanage, Part 2

2012-01-06T16:02:00.000+03:00

Look at that! Two posts in one day! :)

After looking at the hippos, the kids ran back to see the tortoise. He's one of our favorite parts!

Ezra is trying his hardest to keep up!

Dinah jumped right on. She's used to him!

John climbed on and then Benjamin, but they weren't quite so sure about him.

Dinah jumped right back on again.

Then Ezra needed a turn. Maybe he'll remember it next time and enjoy it a little more.

Our guide told us he could hold up to 200lbs. So Michelle went for it!

And so did Joe.

And then, after much prodding, it was my turn. He was sitting down when I sat down on him, so when he stood up, it was quite a ride.

And we're off. Very slowly.

Esther got the same thrill as I did.

This is a great rock for taking pictures!

And the family pic.

You can see Dinah really likes riding the tortoise. She was right back on it whenever someone got off.

Nathan feeding Speedy with Ezra and Ezri watching.

There's that famous picture rock again.

A porcupine.

And back to see Patricia again to feed her the last bit of corn before we left.

Our Children...

2012-01-06T14:34:00.000+03:00

Ezra woke up screaming "Mama!" at 5:45am this morning. Not fun!

When Ruth gives me a kiss on the cheek at night, she pushes it in so it stays on better.

Spiderman is slowly making a disappearance. Whoops. Maybe not. He appeared just moments after I wrote that.

Dinah has a hard time understanding that she can not pick Ezra up and carry him around.

Ezra still gets a bottle at his afternoon nap time and bedtime, and he still has to be burped after each one.

The other night at the table John was counting the people at our table. (It was just our family.) So, he was counting and then Ruth started to count, too. John told her to "count after me." She said, "No, John, I know how to count."

Ezra says, "woo, woo" when he hears a dog barking or the word "dog."

Dinah is great at coming up with imaginary things for them all to play together. This week they have been farm animals, played baby dolls, been dogs, gone swimming on the living room carpet, set the playroom table with dishes and food, and drawn cakes, cookies, and muffins from a kid's cookbook.

Ezra really enjoys playing outside. He gets the bat and hits the soccer balls around or kicks the balls or slides down the slide. He can do it all by himself. He also really enjoys swinging. When the big kid swing is up, he will pick up the baby swing and bring it to you so he can have a turn. :)

Mt. Kenya Safari Club Animal Orphanage, Part 1

2012-01-06T09:55:00.000+03:00

So, I'm finally getting around to posting the actual pictures from the Animal Orphanage last week...

Rock hyrax...explained more on the sign below.

I knew I should have done this sooner. I can't remember what this animal is. Maybe Nathan can remind me when he gets home.

Whatever it is, it likes spinach.

It eventually got full though so we moved on.

Patricia, the ostrich. She likes corn kernels but not the cob.

They have 3 cheetahs, but they are obviously not for petting.

Then on to the monkeys. Our favorite part. Too bad we can't have one for a pet!

This one just ran and jumped up on Nathan's back.

This was quite funny. The monkey jumped up and acted like he was videoing with Joe.

Michelle had a great time with the monkeys. And they liked her, too!

You can't really tell, but that's a corn cob Dinah is offering the ostrich.

It actually took it, and we watched the cob move down it's neck!

This is really a beautiful animal. A mix between a horse and a zebra = a zebroid.

Next was the pygmy hippos. I think every time we've seen them they've been in the same spot.

They must really like this mud hole.

And maybe this guy isn't quite so crazy after all.

More to come...

Thursday Thoughts

2012-01-05T20:23:00.002+03:00

I like the idea of wrapping up Christmas books and letting your kids open one a day the month of December until Christmas. We didn't have enough books to do it this past Christmas so I'm looking for more for our families to bring when they come so we can do this coming Christmas. Any suggestions?

Having an inside joke with your Hubby is quite fun.

Finding a box full of cockroaches in your storage room is not fun. And is totally a Daddy job!

Adoption parenting is hard work.

Finally getting everyone's clothes put away from our return from the US brings a great feeling! Now to just get those last few things hiding in the guest room put away!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-04T14:53:00.002+03:00

A Day Trip, Part 1

2011-12-30T11:37:00.002+03:00

Yesterday we drove up towards Mt. Kenya to go the Mt. Kenya Safari Club Animal Orphanage, Silent Valley cheese, and Trout Tree Restaurant. It's a beautiful drive and I tried to take lots of pictures so you could see the beauty of the people, the culture, and the country. It's great to get out of Nairobi and see other parts of Kenya. So, enjoy...

A curio shop that sells African trinkets to unsuspecting tourists for outrageous prices. See all the vans? Those are vans carrying tourists to game parks for safaris.

There are people walking everywhere, and they are usually carrying a bag or suitcase or jug of water or something.

I'm not exactly sure what this little boy was carrying, but it was a b.i.g. load.

We passed through several little towns and it seemed each had it's specialty. This little town was selling rice.

Lots and lots and lots of rice.

And look...even more rice!

Cattle graze right on the side of the road. The grass must be greener on the other side of the road instead of the fence.

See? She's got a bag.

Farmers working in the fields.

Ladies just visiting on the side of the road. Hardly ever see that in the US.

I can't remember what was for sale in this town. See all those wooden rack looking things? Those are like little stalls for individuals to sell their things.

Notice the scaffolding? It's quite scary here. This one actually looks pretty good, too.

Most of the time we see donkeys pulling carts. Not sure what this cow is pulling.

Pikis or motorcycles waiting on business.

View down the road.

See the bananas?

Another one of those curio shops.

More cows checking out the grass on the other side of the road.

Little girls carrying buckets of water.

I thought this lady was funny sitting there on a couch watching the traffic.

Laundry hanging on the fence to dry.

A Day Trip, Part 2

2011-12-30T10:08:00.002+03:00

An artisan was sitting just off to the left of his display. We think it was some sort of horns made into all sorts of things. I looked over to wave at him, and he help up the piece he was working on.

A huge water tank.

Yes. JW's are even in Kenya.

A market on the side of the road that as just beginning to open up. See how everything looks covered by tarps? People just leave their wares and go home. Then the come back the next day and open shop. It amazes up that their things are not stolen.

Just a building of stores along the way.

The main reason for this picture was the laundry hanging out to dry on top of the building. We thought it would dry pretty quick up there in the direct sunlight with the wind blowing.

Potatoes and carrots for sale along the side of the road.

Got milk?

These guys were transporting cabbages. If you look close, you can see them in the holes in the bags.

We crossed over the equator a few times.

Homemade charcoal for sale in bags along the side of the road.

If you make this one bigger, you can see the baby looking right at me. And I was just taking it as we were driving by!

Some shops in a small town we were passing through.

These men were just sitting on the side of the road watching traffic.

I know it's kind of blurry. But as we were going past, I realized the "peaches" all over the trees were really mangos!

A long line of shops all selling mangos. We stopped and got several for about $.13 each!

If you look closely through the tree branches, you will see a guy pouring milk out of a jug into a container for a little girl.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-28T16:01:00.001+03:00

Christmas Day 2011, Warning: Picture Overload

2011-12-27T20:49:00.001+03:00

Twenty-eight photos on one blog post is a bit much. So, humor me as I appease grandparents, aunts, and uncles across the pond.

Christmas morning started by greeting Mimi and Papa who had stayed up just a bit later to greet the kids with, "Merry Christmas!"

Our cute little tree with a few presents underneath. We decided to scale back the gifts this year in order to focus on the true meaning of Christmas.

They'll never know the difference and the smiles are genuine. They were happy with what they received.

Ezra had a pair of socks and a washcloth all the way in the bottom. He was having a hard time finding them.

Stockings held a new pair of fun socks, silly bands, 2 peppermint sticks, sunglasses, a small water gun, and a washcloth.

He couldn't quite figure out what it was although he carried it all around.

She's stylin' now.

Sitting in a line with holding up their gifts was a fun game. This time it was "son" and "daughter" ornaments.

Any guesses what it is this time??

New books! They really like these big books that several books in one.

Gonna teach this girl to read really soon!

And their "big" gift...

...came wrapped in...

their blankets! They were too big and awkward and hard and pokey to try to use wrapping paper.

Dinah received a Littlest Pet Shop playhouse for her Littlest Pet Shop animals.

Ezra got this ball popper thing that he really likes. Notice his Christmas socks. :)

John received a Tonka truck that Ezra also really likes. : ) And Ruth received a baby bed/cradle/carrier thing.

Awww...snuggles with Mommy.

He makes some great faces!

She had to try on her fun socks, too.

Ruth had one last gift...her very own Bible!

Then it was time to celebrate the birthday of our King! We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and then the kids blew out the candles.

I think Ezra may have finally blown on the third attempt. :)

They were so precious all playing together.

The little animals climbed up in the Tonka truck for a ride.

Then we headed off to church to worship and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Not the best, but it's a family picture of our first Christmas as a family of six!

Merry Christmas from the Roberts!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-26T21:09:00.000+03:00

Christmas Eve morning the kids helped me roll some more Buckeyes. They are really getting the hang of it!

Then they iced some sugar cookies we had made earlier in the week. What a mess! But they had fun.

Sprinkles everywhere...

Then they went outside to have "church."

Then it was time for some football with safety helmets on...

...as Ruth called them.

We like having a Christmas Eve tradition that we can keep whether we are in the US or in Kenya. So, for us, it's homemade pizza. I think Ezra enjoyed his first Christmas Eve pizza!

And so did everyone else! I think we ate almost 2 whole pizzas!

With a few veggies thrown in!

Silly girls!

We like to give the kids a gift Christmas Eve, too. It's usually a new pair of pajamas and they always enjoy changing into them right away.

Awww...aren't they cute?!

Thursday Thoughts

2011-12-22T21:51:00.000+03:00

I like that we can buy fresh flowers here whenever our girls have a hankering for some pretty flowers. We bought a bunch of Gerber Daisies last weekend for about $2.50. Fresh flowers make them happy!

I really like our refrigerator that has the freezer on the bottom. It's so much easier to get things from the fridge when it's at your level. And so much easier to keep little hands out of the fridge when I need to get something.

African flies just make me laugh. I think they are truly African in every sense of the word. In the US, you can swat at a fly and it's quick enough it can get away before you can hit it with a swatter. In Kenya, you can swat at a fly with your hand and hit it and kill it. They seem to move at a much slower pace.

While it was fun to have Ezra in bed with us for a few nights, I really enjoy sleeping with just my Hubby.

Wordless Wednesday: A Busy Day

2011-12-21T21:16:00.001+03:00

What is a Buckeye?

2011-12-21T09:20:00.000+03:00

I suppose it started with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

But these are the kind of buckeyes I'm referring to.

A creamy peanut butter ball almost covered with milk chocolate.

Mmmmm.

It's a Christmas goodie favorite in our home.

You can find the recipe here if you are interested.

I usually half the recipe so we don't have SOOO many in the house.

But they really are yummy and so easy to make!

Buckeye Helpers

2011-12-20T10:53:00.003+03:00

I mixed up some Buckeye mix this morning and John and Ruth helped roll them out. They do a great job and really like helping! :) Aren't they cute helpers?!

Our Children...

2011-12-19T20:48:00.001+03:00

No one can make Ezra laugh like Ruth.

Dinah has taught herself to tie her shoes.

Ezra is signing more, eat, please, and milk. Sometimes he signs something that's not exactly right, but at least he's trying and we can figure out what he wants.

Dinah likes to fix her own hair. It's usually two piggy tails with 2 barrettes to keep it out of her eyes.

When we were making cookies this morning, I asked Ruth if she wanted to use the gingerbread girl cookie cutter. Her response was, "No, I like boys," as she picked up the gingerbread boy cookie cutter. :)

John did a great job cutting out cookies today. Amazing what one year will do in your motor skills. He does great things with his hands like his Daddy.

Dinah likes to make her own sandwich at lunch time.

Ethiopian food is growing on Ezra. :)

John finally took Spiderman off today so he could wear his comfy pants. He really likes comfy pants.

All our kids like dates. Like the fruit kind of date.

This past week I've made several meals where the kids didn't have a choice about what they were eating and had to eat what I made. They've done an excellent job trying new things and liking them! John and Ruth even tried the spinach with goat cheese that we got from the Ethiopian restaurant and liked it!

Wordless Wednesday: The Mess of Unpacking

2011-12-14T20:37:00.000+03:00

One Minute Stories

2011-12-14T11:23:00.000+03:00

When my brothers and I were little, Daddy would tell us one minutes stories almost every night. He's great at making up cute little stories for the kids. He told several to our kids when we were home this time, and they really enjoyed them!

This is one of the last one minute stories he told them.

Favorites This Time Around

2011-12-13T15:51:00.002+03:00

Once you have all your children potty trained and you are out of the baby stage, you kind of forget what it's like to go back to the baby stage. For a few weeks after we picked up Ezra, we would find ourselves asking each other when his last diaper change was, when his last bottle was, if we had a diaper bag ready to go, etc. You get the picture. Seems baby things have changed in the past few years, too. Since we've been out of the US, we just used the things we had with Dinah for John and Ruth. They seemed to work fine, but since having a new baby and being in the US, we found a few new things we really like for Ezra.

#1- an amber teething necklace. You've probably noticed in all his pictures he is wearing a necklace. While it's cute, it does serve a purpose other than just being cute. When the amber is worn on the skin, it releases healing oils which are absorbed into the skin and help with pain, inflammation, etc. I admit, it does sound hokey, but we really think it's worked for Ezra. I don't remember the last time we gave him tylenol and he's cutting about 6 or 7 teeth right now.

#2- babycakes. We obviously didn't need this for our biological kid's hair. This is some amazing stuff for Ezra's head and scalp. It works wonders! If you have an African American child, you should really consider splurging and try it!

#3- a Maclaren stroller. We've always just used a cheap umbrella stroller, and we would kick and stumble our way through the airports. We finally decided to just bite the bullet and get a good stroller we can use when we travel and any time for that matter. We got it on sale and had a coupon so we didn't have to chop off an arm to pay for it. And we really, really like it!

#4- a Beco carrier. Wow. This one is amazing. Once again, we always used the cheap carriers. However, I knew when we picked up Ezra, he was going to be a bit bigger of a baby than I was used to carrying in a carrier. I did some research and we settled on the Beco. It was a great decision! I know it's expensive, and they don't go on sale often, but it's totally worth it. Yes, he's still heavy. Yes, it still hurts. But this carrier makes it totally doable. He can go in the carrier and Ruth in the stroller and we can move fairly easily through the airports. And when all he wants to do is be held, I can carry him in the Beco without a problem. Totally worth the investment!

I think those are the four main things we've gotten since Ezra joined our family that we really, really like! I'll add more as I think of them. But for now, I think we've gotten it down that he has to be changed every few hours and likes a bottle at nap time and bed time. ;)

Our Children...

2011-12-12T14:53:00.002+03:00

Ezra is now sleeping in the bed with us. Seems to work a whole lot better than him sleeping alone. Although, I did wake up this morning with him above my head and my pillow in the floor.

Dinah has eaten a mango for breakfast the past 3 mornings.

Ruth will pick a chocolate dessert or candy over anything else. She takes after her mama.

Ezra likes to take a bath by himself. Seems that's the answer to his screaming bath tub experiences.

When we were in the US, John would ask what time it was in Africa. Now he asks what time it is in America. Sweet boy has his heart in 2 places.

Dinah has stopped laying in the floor and pitching fits! Praise the Lord!

Ruth and Dinah are back to taking showers instead of baths like they got in the US.

John would wear his dress up clothes everywhere if we would let him.

Ezra sleeps with a pillow.

Showboat

2011-12-12T14:34:00.000+03:00

I just found these pictures, and realized I never posted them.

You can see why Papa has called Ezra "Showboat" from the time we brought him home!

French Braids

2011-12-12T14:25:00.000+03:00

This morning as I was brushing Ruth's hair, I realized it's probably long enough to french braid. She was looking at a book so she sat still long enough for me to do it. And it turned out so cute...

Ornaments

2011-12-11T20:11:00.002+03:00

We put the Christmas tree together yesterday and the kids have been asking ever since to decorate it. We finally pulled the action packer of ornaments out this afternoon and decorated the tree. I had semi-forgotten about these ornaments that we got when we were in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in March. They are black pottery with hand painted designs. I think they are my new favorite ornaments!

We're Here!

2011-12-10T21:31:00.000+03:00

We just got our internet working last night so sorry for the delay in posting that we arrived in Nairobi Wednesday night.

Our plane landed around 9:50pm here. That's 1:50pm EST.

We deplaned and made our way to the visa line to get a visa for Ezra. We've never seen so many people in line! We waited about 45 minutes in line, and we were in one of the fastest moving lines!

Thankfully Paul, a fellow SP mechanic, was wearing a pilot shirt and was able to come into the baggage claim area. He had 21 of our 22 bags stacked up by the time we got to the baggage claim area!! The 22nd piece was just coming around when we got there.

We found some carts, loaded up, and headed to immigration. Praise the Lord! They didn't even say a thing, just let us pass right on through!

We packed, and I mean packed, 2 cars and headed home.

I think we made it home just before midnight.

We unloaded, found everyone some pajamas, got the kids in bed, had a shower, and then made it to bed around 1:15am.

Whew.

It was long.

We were tired.

Dinah, John, and Ruth did really well.

Ezra did as well as can be expected of a little guy who is constantly on the go when he's awake.

We've been unpacking, getting groceries, sleeping, seeing friends, and rearranging our home the past few days.

Sleeping is going better as long as Ezra gets in bed with us.

Three precious families have made great meals for us the past three nights!

We are glad to be back.

Although traffic is H.O.R.R.E.N.D.O.U.S!

Guess we have to readjust our thinking back to Nairobi traffic instead of Wilkes County traffic. :)

Anyway.

We've had a great day and we are just about exhausted once again.

Good night!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-07T05:02:00.000+03:00

Pray for Us

2011-12-06T07:05:00.001+03:00

If you think of us today, please pray for us.

We'll begin our journey back to Kenya around 8:30am.

We take off from Charlotte at 2:20pm, beginning our journey through Chicago and then London.

We'll arrive in Nairobi around 9:45pm on Wednesday night Nairobi time.

That's 1:45pm your time here.

The luggage count stands at:

14 action packers,

1 suitcase,

1 big cardboard tube,

3 boxes of homeschool books,

2 carry-on suitcases,

2 adult backpacks,

3 children's backpacks,

1 stroller,

and 1 infant carrier.

It's a long journey for us and our kids.

We've learned patience is the key to making it all work.

So, if you think of us, please pray.

Happy Tuesday, Everyone!

Getting Ready to Go...

2011-12-06T02:52:00.001+03:00

...means taking a break to have an ice cream date with Mimi and Papa.

Getting Ready to Go...

2011-12-05T23:53:00.000+03:00

means lots of luggage from the Roberts family.

I think my man could be a professional packer. He does an A.M.A.Z.I.N.G job!!

I gather up the stuff and he does the packing of the action packers. SO thankful he does this part!!

Getting Ready to Go...

2011-12-04T19:34:00.000+03:00

...means getting creative in our packing.

Chocolate chips, pecans, and coconut filling space in our camera bag.

Today's Pictures

2011-12-04T04:23:00.000+03:00

Nana has been asking for some new pictures of the kids for her wall. We were getting the kids bathed and dressed for the Christmas performance this afternoon, and I thought it would be a good time to get some good pictures. So...

Getting Ready to Go...

2011-12-01T22:53:00.001+03:00

...means family picture time.

Wordless Wednesday: First There was ONE, Now There are EIGHT!

2011-11-30T07:55:00.000+03:00

An Update

2011-11-29T23:48:00.001+03:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. Can I just say we've been super duper busy? We've been visiting friends, spending time with family, shopping, packing, and just trying to maintain daily life with our four kiddos.

As for the update...

We were scheduled to depart the US today. However, due to the strike planned for tomorrow at London's Heathrow Airport, we rebooked our tickets. We will not be leaving the US until next Tuesday, December 6.

We were and still are pretty much packed and ready to go. We are ready to get back "home". The kids keep asking when we are going to Africa. Mommy and Daddy are ready to sleep in their own bed. We are all ready to start the adjustment process with Ezra in our most permanent home. And Mommy is ready for some Ethiopian food. But...

We are thankful for some extra time to relax, let our kids get over their coughs, Mommy get over her cold, enjoy a few more days with our family, and tie up a few more loose ends before we leave!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-25T04:11:00.002+03:00

Cheryl's Orphanage in Narok

2011-11-14T17:23:00.000+03:00

Many of you know that we are raising money for the orphanage in Narok that we have done some work with. We have been recently raising money for a fence to surround the property to keep the bad animals out and the good animals in. We've raised over $2500, but we need at least another $1000. Please help us reach our goal! We have added a "DONATE" button on the top left corner of our blog so that you can donate that way. Please pray about how much you will be able to give. Thanks!

Fishy Lips

2011-11-10T06:01:00.000+03:00

Ezra makes fishy lips all the time. It's really cute. We've tried to get a picture of it before and couldn't. Tonight he was doing it constantly. Isn't he cute?!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-09T05:57:00.001+03:00

A Hayride

2011-11-09T05:54:00.000+03:00

We got back from Kansas on Friday evening, spent the night with Nana and Poppy, and came back to Wilkes on Saturday morning. The kids had naps, we unloaded the car, and then, we went to Mimi and Papa's church for dinner and a hayride. A first for all the kids!

Ezra trying on his hat.

Bundled up and ready to go!

Mommy and Dinah.

Ezra hanging on.

After the hayride, they had a fire to roast marshmallows and hot dogs.

Mommy and John roasting a couple marshmallows.

Nathan's attempt at an artistic picture. :)

It was a fun evening and all the kids enjoyed their first hayride, especially the roasted marshmallows afterwards. :)

Samaritan's Purse - South Sudan - A Lifeline for Emergency Relief

2011-11-08T17:57:00.000+03:00

South Sudan is calling!

2011-11-06T17:50:00.002+03:00

The Penguin

2011-11-03T04:13:00.000+03:00

The past few days the kids have been painting with water colors. I've been trying to get them to paint animals that we saw at the zoo on Sunday. John painted this penguin yesterday and I thought he did a super job! He's not as into drawing and painting things as Dinah is so I was super proud of his picture! He has a special person in mind to give his penguin to, and I know that person is going to act surprised when she sees it! ;)

A Ballerina, A Lady Bug, and Spiderman

2011-11-02T18:17:00.000+03:00

We don't celebrate Halloween. But our kids do like to play dress up. So, last night we went to Target to get some Halloween costumes on clearance. I tried to get them a little bigger so they can wear them for a while. Seems I did pretty good on the girls, but not sure about Johns. They are having a blast playing in them this morning! They've been playing they are going on an airplane to Ethiopia and Indonesia to pick up their new sons. :)

The Never Ending Job

2011-11-01T17:41:00.000+03:00

I had all the laundry clean on Friday afternoon. By Monday morning, this was the pile of laundry to be washed. It's a never ending job. But I'm so thankful for every one of the people I do laundry for!

Corn Dogs

2011-10-31T20:52:00.000+03:00

When we were at the store on Friday afternoon, we found veggie corn dogs. We haven't found that option in NC. We thought the kids might like them since they like veggie dogs and corn bread. And we were right! They enjoyed them and even split the 4th one that was in the box. Yay for a new treat!

A Day at the Zoo

2011-10-31T05:53:00.000+03:00

We spent most of today at the Sedgewick County Zoo. We had a great time. I'll try to narrate the pictures tomorrow, but for now you can enjoy them without narration.

Our Morning

2011-10-27T23:48:00.001+03:00

You may or may not know, we are spending this week and next week in Kansas. Nathan is doing some aviation training that lasts 2 weeks. The only way he could do it was if we all came with him. It would have been hard for Mommy to take care of everyone 24/7 for 2 weeks, plus it would not have been good for him to be away from Ezra for that long this early in our attachment and bonding. So, we all made the trip. We are blessed to be staying in the pastor's home of some of our friends and co-workers in Nairobi. They are out of town and graciously offered their home to us for the entire time. It's more than adequate and we are blessed to be able to stay here. They have a few toys and books so I have had to be creative in keeping the kids busy.

This morning I pulled out the coloring books and crayons we brought along.

Ruth finishing up her yogurt.

If I'm around, Ezra wants to be held. I can't seem to do anything with a 25lb. baby on my hip. So this morning I pulled out the Beco and carried him around until naptime.

Tuesday night we went to Target to get some bubbles and small toys to keep the kids a bit more busy.

They insisted on blowing bubbles this morning in the 40-50 degree weather.

But their little African bodies didn't make it long in the cold.

We didn't bring enough warm clothes to be prepared for this kind of weather.

But they enjoyed it for a few minutes and got rid of their desire to blow bubbles this morning. :)

Then I found a roll of sugar cookie dough in the refrigerator so out that came to buy some more time.

I even found sprinkles and that kept them really busy. Ruth liked to put a lot, John just a few, and Dinah was in the middle.

They look pretty, but don't let them fool you. They are nothing like the homemade ones we are used to. But they did keep the kids busy for a bit and for that I'm thankful!

Woohoo! Tomorrow's Friday, and we'll have Daddy with us for a couple days!

Fun at the Park

2011-10-27T05:42:00.000+03:00

Nathan got out of class early today, so when he got back, we loaded up the kids and went to find a park to play at. Enjoy the pictures...

Our Children...

2011-10-27T04:22:00.001+03:00

Ezra is now signing "more."

Ruth says, "Mommy?"
I say, "Yes, Ruth."
She says, "I like you and I love you all day."
She does this about 10 times every day. Very cute. :)

John calls breakfast "brefkast."

Dinah pulls up her shirt to check on her tummy to see if it's empty or full.

Despite having 2 more teeth trying to come through, Ezra slept through the night last night! Woohoo!

Dinah, John, and Ruth are all having a hard time understanding all the traveling we are doing. The are constantly confused whether we are in America or Africa. From being at the beach last week to being in Kansas this week. Poor kiddos. :)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-26T16:40:00.002+03:00

The BEACH!, Day 4

2011-10-24T05:04:00.000+03:00

This morning we got up and went out for breakfast before heading to the aquarium.

But we forgot our tickets so Papa had to run back and get them. We had a few minutes to wait for him outside before he got back.

Then we loaded up and headed to Ripley's Aquarium.

Ezra feel asleep on the way there so he was still in the car for this picture. Aren't they cute?!

The kids didn't want to pick up the horseshoe crab so Papa picked it up for them to look at and touch.

Ruth wanted to slide down the sharks mouth slide. At least I think it's a shark.

This was the biggest part of the shark exhibit. Can you see the bubble thing? You can crawl under the tank and stand up and look at the sharks.

It was pretty neat. Mimi and Papa both crawled in with the kids. :)

Mimi and John looking at all the fish in the tank. They said they have over 1000 kinds in there.

Then the lady got in to feed them. They feed them every other hour 7 days a week. They are spoiled!

I tried to get some more close ups of individual fish, but they just didn't turn out. This was the best one. It's too bad because there were some really pretty ones.

Then we rode on the moving sidewalk through the tunnel. That was really cool until we came to the eels. I really don't like eels.

They did have a cool turtle and my picture turned out pretty good.

Ezra really liked this part. He liked being able to look right at the fish.

We came back around to the horseshoe crabs and looked or "petted" them again with Daddy.

Here's where you could pet the sting rays. Although it was kind of far for the kids to reach down and touch them.

The end. :)

Then we headed back to the room for some lunch and naps. Papa and Daddy went for a bike ride while we all napped.

Then we went for a swim. Boy, do we have some little fishies. Ezra even likes the pool. We finally got a float for him to sit in, and he likes floating around with us.

John was running a fever and feeling the best. He sat on the step while we swam. At least it was heated and was pretty warm.

Ruth likes to lean her head back in the water and will even put her whole face under the water.

It was getting a bit too windy outside so we switched to the indoor heated pool.

Mimi with Ruth and Ezra. Ruth liked swimming with Mimi. :)

It was a crazy busy day so we ordered Dominos for dinner so we didn't have to cook!

The BEACH!, Day 6

2011-10-22T05:24:00.000+03:00

Another beautiful sunrise! We've had an awesome time having an ocean view room!

Morning faces...

It was pretty chilly this morning so we decided to go for a walk on the beach and collect shells instead of going swimming. The kids really enjoyed looking for shells.

Ezra likes to eat sand so he was carried most of the time. :)

He did get down a few times to get a shell.

You had to look hard to find a pretty one. It was fun to watch the kids and see what they thought was pretty. Pretty to them is much different than an adult who is looking for a perfect shell.

Daddy got Ezra to walk along without eating too much sand.

Awww...

Dinah really likes the sand. Can't keep her out of it even when it's cold. :) She drew several pictures in the sand with her finger.

On the way back to the room, Ruth was walking along with her bag full of shells slung over her shoulder.

Nathan took Ezra back to the room for a nap so we took the big kids to the playground for a bit. Dinah is finally getting the hang of monkey bars.

What kid doesn't like a slide? Ours really enjoy them.

Ruth showed us a trick on these bars and so Dinah had to come up with one, too.

What a cutie!

After the playground, we headed out for a seafood lunch. We went to the Sea Captain's House down near Myrtle. It was a bit more expensive than yesterday's lunch at Ella's, but it was a whole lot better, too! Dinah likes her hushpuppies with butter on them.

So does John.

After we had stuffed our tummies with some amazing seafood, we had our server take a picture. If you are ever in Myrtle Beach, you should definitely try the Sea Captain's House! Awesome view with delicious food!

After lunch, we walked out to look at the ocean and let the kids run around a bit.

How sweet.

John and Mimi.

Our sweet little boy. He had to be up on the rocks with everyone else. No stopping this boy!

We drove down to Myrtle Beach just to see how things change. They have this awesome ferris wheel. This is the kind of ferris wheel I would feel comfortable riding on!

After we got back, we took pictures and then headed to the pool again. Boy, do we have some little fishies. They've worn us out at the pool all week!

Family Photos

2011-10-22T01:39:00.000+03:00

The BEACH!, Day 3

2011-10-19T04:28:00.000+03:00

Nathan does a great job taking pictures of the sunrise!

Ruth was sitting on the balcony this morning eating her apples and somehow managed to spill them into the lazy river just below us! It was funny to see it floating along around and around.

Dinah really likes playing in the sand. Every day she asks to play in the sand, Ruth asks to go to the pool, and John asks to go to the hot tub. Ezra just goes along for all of it.

John was trying hard to play in the sand.

Papa tried to block the sun off Ruth since she got a little red yesterday.

Getting a little more tired...

Papa, Nathan, and Dinah ventured into the freezing cold ocean water.

So he just decided to lay down and wait for Dinah to be done playing in the sand.

Finally John made it to the hot tub!

Nathan must've thought it was hot! :)

The BEACH!, Day 2

2011-10-18T05:35:00.000+03:00

Just about another perfect day at the beach! Enjoy...

Good morning, sun.

2011-10-17T14:35:00.001+03:00

The BEACH!!

2011-10-17T05:14:00.000+03:00

I know I'm totally skipping a lot of posts I need to make, but these are just SO cute. We just arrived at the beach this afternoon and took these when we went out on the beach. Enjoy...

We Need Help

2011-10-14T21:43:00.001+03:00

Many of you know we work with an orphanage in Kenya. We have been trying to raise money to put a fence around the building there. The fence will cost about $3000USD, and we have about $1000USD so far. We just received an email this morning from Rosemary about the urgency of this need. They have had hyena and a leopard in the yard at night. The night guard is scared and won't come out of his building. Who wouldn't be scared of them?! A hyena actually came in the yard just the other day during the day. It scared the housemother, she couldn't go out of the home to use the bathroom, and was scared for the children coming back from school. The children are not able to go out of the home to use the outhouse either. So, they have to use a bucket inside. This is a real need. And we need help. Can you help? Please email us if you are interested.

Our Children...

2011-10-14T05:07:00.000+03:00

Ezra points and screams at things he wants.

Beware of personal questions when Ruth is around.

John likes to growl.

Ezra sleeps on a pillow in his crib.

Dinah makes up songs having to do with Jesus, salvation, souls, heaven, and God.

John likes to sleep in just his underwear. Particularly his new boxers.

Ruth likes to cuddle up with Daddy on the couch when she wakes up in the morning.

Dinah, John, and Ruth always check Papa's shirt pocket when he comes to visit to see if there is a candy for them.

Ezra kicks his balls around like a soccer ball. And pushes cars around making "vrroom, vrroom" noises.

Visiting

2011-10-14T03:47:00.000+03:00

We headed to Charlotte after church on the 18th, we cooked a quick lunch, loaded up the car, and headed to Charlotte for a visit with Nana, Poppy, Uncle Todd, and Auntie Beth.

Sunday evening Auntie Beth had a surprise birthday party for Uncle Todd.

Let the party begin...

The birthday boy. What a good sport to wear his hat!

They brought their new puppy with them to Nana and Poppy's house. The kids really enjoyed playing with her!

Monday night we met our CWA case manager for dinner at an Ethiopian Restaurant in Charlotte. We totally forgot to take a picture eating dinner, but we did take a picture of downtown on the way.

Tuesday morning we headed over to visit Whitney, Ethan, and Kellyn. Talk about getting baby fever!

Ezra playing with Whitney.

Our kids liked playing with all the new toys.

And holding baby Kellyn. I think they have baby fever, too!

Then Whitney made grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. We had a blast hanging out with all of them!

Then Tuesday night we went to eat seafood with Poppy, Nana, Uncle Todd, and Auntie Beth.

We had a great visit in Charlotte and are looking forward to another one!

The Birthday Party

2011-10-13T22:15:00.001+03:00

The weekend of September 18 we had a combined birthday party for Ezra and Ruth. We invited all the grandparents, aunts, uncles, and the Chilsons.

Before we left Nairobi, we were out one day and the kids saw a clown. It was all Ruth would talk about for a while. She even said she wanted clowns for her birthday. So, here are the clown cupcakes.

Papa, Adrienne, and Uncle Wes.

Nana and Poppy brought her a "Happy Birthday" shirt.

And it had to go on right away. :)

The party food.

The six oldest Roberts and Chilson children....Asher, Joshua, Ruth, Dinah, Lydia, and John. What great Bible names our kids have!

And Ezra having some fruit. He really likes cantaloupe!

And everyone enjoying the food!

Ezra even got another cupcake!

And Ruth with her cupcake.

She even blew them all out!

But Ezra had to have help from Daddy.

Mmmm...good.

He was just getting started.

But he downed it all again. And tried to share with Uncle Wes.

Then Papa told the story of Jonah with the balloon.

Then it was time for presents. Ezra still hasn't figured it out, but I know it won't take long before he does.

A strawberry shortcake scooter...

A new pair of rain boots (which was on her list of things she wanted from America)...

AND a...

...clown for her birthday!

They had a great day with our friends and family and so did we! We had a great time celebrating our precious blessings with all of you!

A Willing Reader

2011-10-13T22:05:00.000+03:00

Our kids can talk just about anyone into reading a book to them. Here are a few of the ones that we have captured on camera...

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-12T22:21:00.000+03:00

Behind

2011-10-09T05:12:00.000+03:00

I am certainly behind in keeping up with the blog. Please forgive. I'm going to try to do better and I have a lot of back blogging to do so just be patient as I try to catch up. We are having a great time here in the US. We've been very busy and blogging has just been put on the back burner. But I do have a bunch of pictures to share so stay tuned...

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-06T03:40:00.002+03:00