OCTOBER - FALL'S HERE!

 Hi Friends,
   It's been quite awhile since I updated the blog.  I hope you didn't give up on me!  Believe it or not, I've been home nine days out of the last six weeks!  We've been travelin' the world checkin' on projects and visiting our missionary, Cari, in Uganda.  What a joy that trip was.  We went back to Kampala and Pakwach.  Jim Folsom, one of our Heart of God board members, went with us.  He brought along two friends, Steve and Kim, and we all had a really great time getting to know one another and seeing all the work that Cari does.  Cari is doing well and the school is exploding with little students!  She had six preschoolers last year and this year - 60!  We traveled about an hour north of the city with her to look at land that she would like to purchase to build a boarding school on on the outskirts of town.  It all looks good and we're excited about what will be happening over the coming year.  One of our families in bootcamp will be moving to Kampala in January to serve there and help Cari with the school.  I can't tell you how high the excitement is here on campus over this work. 

   Things are changing here on campus.  We're beginning our transition from a bootcamp atmosphere to a missionary retreat center.  We're starting to slowly redo the rooms and turn them  into something comfortable and we hope inviting!  We're also overhauling the kitchen area and the pass through will become a den like area with big comfy couches and a huge tv to watch movies - or the weather on.  Oklahoma weather.  It still blows me away (literally):  scorching heat, 70 mph gusts of wind, tornadoes, hail that made the northern part of the city look like a war zone, and now fall and winter!  Believe it or not, there's snow predicted for the panhandle tonight.  Crazy!  I'm looking forward to  getting a bit of snow this year.  It's been so hot.  It was a record summer with highs hovering around 105F for weeks on end!  It's cooler out now and the trees are beginning to turn.  I do love autumn.  Here are this months round of pictures!

The big tree...  Not much color this year but it's still a beauty in the late afternoon sun.

We were all out last night enjoying the cooler temperatures.  Audrey is on the move!  She'll soon be walking.  Maia is in Idaho this month so we think that Audrey has decided to wait for her to return before she decides to walk!  She turned one two weeks ago.

Katie was working with Asha teaching her a few tricks.  She can give a high five and roll over now!  She just turned 5 months old.

Jewel came down to play but got some hugs and kisses from Eric first!  James...poor James.  He was at the dentist getting fillings.

The trampoline is always in use.  Ainsley and Mercy were having a good time last night.

What's up with that hair!  It had more fun than she did!

The boys were lookin' cool on the patio.  That's Benji.  He's headed to Uganda in January!

Now there's some beautifin' goin' on too.  James and Steve have the place lookin' spiffy!

Here's a before and After.  This is before...

And here's the after!  How do you like it?

Wednesday nights are date nights so Jael comes down and hangs out with the kids while we go out.  On this night, Tom, Rikki, Eric and I went to Soda Pops.

Have you been there?

They've got like over 600 different kinds of soft drinks from all over the United States.  They even have an imported section.  It's tons of fun picking out one to drink with your dinner.

Now on to more serious stuff.  Here's Maia and Katie in the missions office.  Ok...so like this was taken six weeks ago right before we left for Uganda.  I just didn't get it uploaded!

And here's the bootcampers in class listening to a guest speaker we had on campus.  He talked about Hernnhut.  I just thought nobody knew how to spell around here.  Turns out it's Dutch!

I caught them talkin' during class.

But Jamie would have none of that!  "Boys!  Hush!"

Tonight we had a big pizza and pumpkin carvin' party.  It really was a blast.  Before it was over we carved seven pumpkins!  Seven!  We had one rule - no throwing the pumpkin snot!  Everyone obeyed - even the boys.

All the bootcampers and staff got involved with this little project.

We needed the dads to do the heavy carvin' for us.

Spider Man showed up.

You know the slimy stuff is kinda gross...

Jewel thought she might eat some for $1....  But then Eric grabbed the whole thing and put it in his mouth!  Oh my gosh!  The stuff he will eat!  We all gagged but he didn't care.  He just chewed on!

Believe it or not but Spider Man did not want to get his hands all sticky.

But Ashley and Mercy didn't mind.  They ended up carvin' the whole thing themselves!

That's Bootamper Scott.  He's going to Uganda in two months.  Uganda - are you ready?!

Grant found Scott amusing!

There's Rikki and Annie!  Hi Rikki!  Are you havin' fun?

Jewel's creation.

Carvin' went on for quite some time.

Hi Annie!

There's Jael and Grace carvin' away. 

That's Benji and Melissa.  They're headed to Uganda in January too.

Now for the pizza party!

Did you know that Cici's has this new Bavarian dessert pizza.  I must say it's scrumptious!  When you come home - try it!

Feelin' fruity...

The temperatures were beginning to drop.  Baby it's cold outside!

"I think we need to build a fire.  We need two sticks and some leaves."  They can do anything you know.

Little Grant and Ainsley loved being pulled around in the wagon.

Ahhhh....  Now that's better.

This is Sarai.  She's from Monterrey, Mexico.  She came up from Raul's Heart of God campus to learn some English before she heads over to India.  She's really sweet and we like having her around.  Welcome Sarai!

Hey Grant!  Where ya going?  It's time for pizza!

Ainsley thought they were great!

And they were too!

The temperature really fell.  We need some hot chocolate!  Anybody got any?

   As I write this the bootcampers are still huddling around the fire watching it die down.  It has been a good week on campus.  It is such a blessing to work with such great friends and serve along side you.  Do you know that we talk of each one of you often?  Do you know that you're loved and prayed for?  If only we could come see you more often!

Happy Fall!

Staci