Its Always Sunny on Tuesdays (part II)

My sister flew down all the way from Alaska with her three kids! I am so excited and blessed. For the first time in four years, we have everyone together in the same place at the same time. Evangeline loves to chew on her two fingers…perhaps taking after a certain aunt who is holding her in this photo? The cousins are having a blast together and we make quite a ruckus with 10 kids age 9 and under.

Tucker and Uncle Jeremiah. Like the pink wall? Jeremiah thank you for bringing your family to see us before we leave…

Hope working on her swing! Last softball game of the season tonight. We are so thankful for a great coach who patiently instructed a team of 7-8 year olds…through the scraped knees, pre-game butterflies, and a few tears.

I am proud to announce that Gert is now a US Citizen!! We started this process back in September and are so blessed to see our hard work come to fruition. Yes, he is a citizen just in time to leave the US. This is crucial for our family as we prepare to go into missions. Now, we will all hold the same passport [big sigh of relief]. Amazingly enough, even though we were told it wasn’t possible for him to have dual-citizenship, he was granted permission by S. Africa and can retain his citizenship there too. Sometimes its good to not take ‘no’ for an answer. There were 31 nations represented at the Naturalization ceremony, from places like Liberia, Congo, Vietnam, Belarus, Ukraine, Canada, the UK, Mexico, El Salvador and Burma. All in little ol’ Spokane, WA. The judge welcomed the newly naturalized citizens with unexpected warmth and good wishes. We truly have a great nation as we embrace new nationalities as part of our own.

Its a great Tuesday so far. How are you experiencing the favor of God on your life this week?

Its Always Sunny on Tuesday

Chewelah Valley

Dressing up Baby Evangeline. G loves to pick out pretty dresses for her sister to wear.

Spring in the Japanese Gardens at Manito Park

Enjoying the WA heat wave

Waitts Lake

Action Shot. Et actually caught some air here.

Did we really just have lunch and swim with my missionary friend back from the Ukraine? I am utterly amazed and totally blessed! God is so good to arrange us being in the same place at the same time together. Our kids hit it off beautifully and our husbands found much in common between a love for good steak, ice cream, and American wives.

Its been unusually hot this spring in Washington. As a result the lilacs are blooming early and the mosquitoes are thick and heavy. Gert and I celebrated our 12th Anniversary by running 12k’s on May 5th. We participated in Bloomsday, one of the largest races in the country. It was quite an experience with 50,000 people and since I couldn’t walk properly for 2 days, I felt my t-shirt was well earned.

Our kids are doing so well in school, even Gabrielle is beginning to read. I’m amazed at this as she has had no formal instruction, just picking it up from her siblings. Homeschooling is such a natural and rewarding way to teach and learn. Our evenings are full of meetings, softball games, late-night hotdog roasts, and collecting my children from their bikes and neighborhood playmates.

I am trying to fully enjoy each day here, time is going quickly. For some reason, Tuesdays have never been may favorite day of the week. The productive ‘to-do’ list is finished from Monday, and its not mid-week yet. Tuesday is just sort of a filler day. As we say down to breakfast this week, Hope said to me, “Mom, its always sunny on Tuesdays.”

So get out and enjoy the sunshine of Tuesday and all the little moments that make up what we call life.

Give Forward

https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/l922/hansenhealing#

Meet the Hansen Family. Steve and Tonya with their children Samuel, Rachel, Hannah and Daniel. Tonya and I crossed paths in Nepal, when she was serving an internship for her Bible College and I was serving with Operation Mobilization. Even then, her faith and strength in the Lord inspired and encouraged me. She was living with the nationals, dealing with far more immersion into the Nepali culture than I was. Now and then, she and I and another American friend would sneak away to the tourist district of Kathmandu for a brownie fudge sundae. Somehow those brownie fudge sundaes would sooth the ache of homesickness enough to face to crowded, jostling, smelly city for yet another few weeks.

I wouldn’t have imagined what God might call Tonya to do. She is the mother of four beautiful children, two of whom have cystic fybrosis. Their lives have taked a dramatic turn as she and Steve minister to their children. We are asking God for miracles for this family. For a supernatural healing. And for a financial miracle. The medical expenses are staggering. A fund has been started for the Hansen family. If we can all donate $20, even $10 to this family, it WILL make a difference. Read their story here.

I would like to humbly ask you to prayerfully consider helping get the word out about this fund. We know that you have your own facebook network of people, churches, etc. Would you please consider sharing the link and the need to your networks, churches, prayer groups etc to give if they feel led too? It doesn’t matter the amount, as you know every penny counts and is greatly appreciated.

Again, here is the link. You can copy and paste this link into any FB post or email that you would share with your friends so people would go to their fund website.

Blessings!

Molly

Natural Healing

I started, like most new moms, rushing my hurting little ones to the pediatrician at the first sign of fever, runny nose, or cough, usually coming home with a round of antibiotics for an ear infection. Somewhere between then and now, I grew tired of round after round of antibiotics and the multiple trips to the doctor. It seemed like my kids were always catching something. I am exceedingly grateful for good medical care. But as I learn more about how food can heal our bodies, I am learning how there are other, natural ways to ward off infections and heal from various colds. I also purchased an otoscope and learned to identify the early signs of an ear infection developing. I give credit to my good friend Mariel, my go-to natural healing guru, for this natural healing remedy. I am using this on my four older children, all of whom developed colds with a cough, runny nose, and low-grade fever. GOOT stands for Garlic Olive Oil Treatment.

Goot
1/4 cup chopped garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup extra-virgin coconut oil
5-6 drops oil of oregano

Blend all in blender until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve. Put in a glass jar and store in refrigerator. Wait one hour before using. It will stay at full strength for two weeks. Put on soles of feet and also on the chest for colds. I’ve applied behind the ears for ear pain/infection.

My kids smell like spaghetti!

Note: My two month old also developed cold symptoms, with a very congested nose and sinuses. After further research, I decided to apply to soles of her feet and used a cotton swab to apply around the inside of her nostrils. Almost immediately I noticed an improvement in her breathing. Its important to strain the Goot through a fine sieve if you use in nostrils or around ears.

*Please follow your doctor’s advice and recommendations. I am not a doctor, nurse, or offering medical advice. I am a mom looking for a way to help my kids get over their sniffles naturally!

Not a Hero…wiping the mud off today

Today is Easter Sunday. I had grand plans for this weekend. We were going to put on a play, re-enacting the crucifixion. I was going to get up early and take the kids to the sunrise service and family breakfast at our church. But then just like dominoes falling, my kids got sick. I medicated them enough to get us to church, mostly so they could wear their easter outfits they’d been saving in their closets for the better part of a month. I tried to contain the hacking and coughing and snot to the back row. Maybe I shouldn’t have taken them to church. I’m missing my husband today especially. We are not even half-way through his month long trip to Africa and I’m ready for him to come home now. Our king-sized bed has been taken over by one child who is waking up with nightmares and insomnia, another who no matter how many times I return her to her own bed she re-appears in mine, and another sweet baby whom I nurse to sleep. I’m usually too tired to return her to her crib so she cuddles with me. Shhhh…don’t tell anyone. I wake up in the morning wondering if I went to sleep.

I should feel more spiritual than this. After all, Easter Sunday is the pinnacle of our faith. The resurrected life. Someone called me the ‘hero missionary’ the other day and I can’t explain how wrong this is. I am no hero. Since we have determined to move our family to the mission field, I have struggled more than I can remember with my flesh. I feel like I’ve been found out. I’m not in as good of shape as I thought. My spirit has been conditioned to having my needs met and being under-challenged. Now that more is being asked of us, my spiritual muscles are proving to be sore and not strong enough. Living a life of faith is tough. God knows we can fake it, when our needs are being met. But what happens when things we depend on our stripped away? Where do we turn for strength? Do we lash out at others? Raid the bag of leftover peanut m&m’s? I’m afraid I’m guilty of both.

Jesus, in your wisdom and loving touch, wipe the mud off my eyes today. I want to see clearly the hope you’ve laid before us. You endured the pain and suffering of the cross without blaming anyone, without complaint. Your heart rested in obedience to the Father. Today let my heart rest in obedience to you. I don’t put confidence in my flesh and I thank you for strengthening my spirit. You know what lies ahead and the endurance we will need.

My middle daughter asked if she could wash our feet on Good Friday. This wasn’t in my plans. As she carefully washed and dried our feet, smiling from ear to ear, my heart burned within me. Jesus came to serve, to find joy in doing the dirty work no one wants to do. He did not come to be served, to be the hero-God and live a lavish life. He didn’t strive to ‘be somebody.’

I am so grateful our God is alive. He is the hero. He gets the glory.

Settling into Steven’s County

An early spring has lightly rested on us in Eastern Washington. Its beyond wonderful to rest and enjoy the beautiful mountains, pine needles and tall evergreen trees. I even fought my way into my running shoes this week and made it all of two miles. Part of me wants to just pick up 20 acres of this amazing mountainside and settle in here. But there is a restlessness to our life, a feeling that we don’t belong here. God is keeping the fire burning in us as we prepare to move overseas. Here are a few pictures of our month’s activities!

They LOVE Awana. There’s something for everyone, and my kids are learning the Word of God at a rate I’ve never seen. This is an unexpected blessing to our family.

No one can make her laugh like Hope can.

Little Eva…or Bluejay…Evangeline has a myriad of nicknames so far. We’ll see which one sticks.

Quilt my mom made for Hope, with one of her old shirts.

St. Patrick’s Day wreath. For the first time EVER I am having fun doing crafts with the kids! The messes used to stress me out too much. I guess it took 5 kids for me to quit caring if we paint the walls with glue and glitter.

Chloe before we bottle-fed the calves (thank you for the hats Pat Sherman!). Last week we got our kids dirty on a friend’s dairy farm. It was a great adventure! We had so much fun. This is what I love about homeschooling.

Hope, the only brave one. And yes, the kids did make the connection between mom’s nursing the baby and milking a cow! There have been some great conversations around our household lately…

Born just 12 hours ago

The Pantry. Toshelle is amazing! I could learn so much from this girl! She does it all…dairy farmer’s wife, canning, sprouting, grinding grain, yogurt, cheese-making, the whole bit.

The Latest

Main Street, Chewelah, WA. As my sister says, our own little Shire.

Valentine’s Day Tea. We served our guests rooibos and oh-so-good sugar cookies, brie, and green apples.

Lake Roosevelt in February. So many memories here. It was a privilege to share this experience with my kids.

Ferry to Inchelium, WA on the Colville Indian Reservation. We shared at Inchelium Community Church and drove through St. Michael’s Mission. Our childhood home looks much better in my memory before we moved off the reservation!

Baby Evangeline is four weeks old. We cannot imagine life without her! Thank you God for a new life and new destiny in you. You have ordained praise from her lips to silence your enemies. I am feeling much better after a quite awful post-partum experience. My husband is glad to have his wife back! We are plugging away with homeschool hoping to catch up from the 5 weeks we took off in December. We love and miss our dear friends in Missouri and our little house in the woods. But we press on toward the goal in Christ Jesus! No looking back. Hugs from the Roets’.