Giving Thanks...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We were blessed with a fun, relaxing day with our team and other friends. Feel like Thanksgiving kinda sunck up on us. We have been so busy with the house. (Bought our kitchen sink Thanksgiving morning - that is a first.) Our whole family really enjoyed our holiday. We had a wonderful traditional feast, the kids played, adults sipped coffee and talked, we all played games, ate some more, played more, ate some more...and all of the sudden it was over. Oh, I am always sad when good times, special days go too fast.

Our house continues! It was buzzing this week at the house; fence, solar, well, painting, plumbing... Josh and I were there everyday. Well actually we tag teamed. He would go in the morning, then I would in the afternoon so someone was with the kids at home. Sometimes our whole family went. Usually things are going well and we feel strengthened and under control even excited. But then there are times we are so overwhelmed and tired that we want to cry. Can we do this? Here?

The day after Thanksgiving, instead of shopping :), our team helped paint our house! It was so fun to have everyone there working together. And we got almost the whole house painted! Thanks team!!!

I am thrilled with my rock shower, fire place, and colors which make it feel like home. I have been at the house so much this week that I feel like I don't have time at home to pack. People were encouraging me to start packing so I began to stress out about all I needed to do. But they were also encouraging me not to worry about all the details, when we move, and take it one thing at a time. I'm confused. How do I get ready and not stress? So I continued on - organizing, packing, finishing the house. Now my house in Soroti is bare and looks sad. I want to be putting up Christmas decorations instead I am packing things up and have to live here for a week or so yet. I am not very good at this. I just want to move! I want the house to be clean so I can make home and enjoy this Christmas season.

In the mist of all of this, our little Emalai got sick. She has had a fever since Wednesday. Friday morning she threw-up so I put her on my back for painting day. Last night her temp went up to 104 degrees. I hate high fevers! It makes me scared. We gave her medicine, put a cool cloth on her, and prayed over her. It was a long night. Today the fever wont go under 101 even on medicine. We had our friend look at her and test her for Malaria since we don't have other symptoms. We got a faint positive line for Malaria so we started her on the treatment. Malai hasn't eaten but nurses. Sometimes she is miserable and doesn't look so good. Other times she perks up and plays a little. Mostly she just wants to be held. Pray for healing for Malai!

I just want to add how thankful we continue to be for Sarah our teacher - and SO much more! She is exactly what we needed in this season in our life. She is an awesome teacher, so willing to help in any way, loves our children, and enjoys being apart of our family. I cannot tell you how often she has blessed us. Yesterday she held Malai as we finished up painting, today she came over to help me pack or do anything helpful (she always knows when I need her the most), and many days last week she watched the kids while we did house stuff. Sarah, we love you! And we appropriate you!

Happy Thanksgiving! We thank God for all of you!

Special Thanksgiving with Larry and Suzanne here

We did manage to put up our tree - just lights and tinsel until we move. (Yup, we will stuff the tree as is into the back of the van to the new house.)