Price Family Updates

2008-04-09T13:49:00.001-07:00

PASSPORT BLOOPERS

2008-04-09T13:29:00.001-07:00

Here are some pics of some of the fun times we had over Spring Break -- we got the chance for playdates and other fun we don't normally have time for! It was really a great time, and we were thankful for the break.

My friend Jena had the great idea to open up the gym for a skate/ scooter/ bike night for those of us who were sticking around over Easter weekend. The kids had so much fun! (Frankly, so did the adults!) Matt was gone to jail ministry, but the girls really enjoyed their first physical activity following the surgeries!
The row of toilets had been a real novelty for all the students as they left for break (They were being replaced in one of the buildings, and the were all lined up on a wall of landscaping bricks in the front yard...) We had to chuckle as we drove in to find that someone had a little fun sculpting this not-so-bashful snowman.

Only in Wisconsin...

Emmy and her friend Stephanie had a fun playdate... Isn't their sign adorable?

Chloe and Abby had their own simultaneous play date... but I never heard a peep from them!
It was great for them to have the chance to giggle and craft together ;)
And Lanes? She's a bit of a free spirit... She's so funny lately with her pretend play, her songs, and her hilarious quips... She got a playdate, too, but I think I spent more time playing with her little friend than she did! She keeps asking me when it's time to go to "Uh-souri," and she is bent on going to all her friends' houses! She loves her little friends here, though... hope it's not too hard for her to understand when we leave. She recently went to her first drop-off birthday party, and one of her most frequent lines is "I big now, I can ________!"

2008-04-09T12:56:00.001-07:00

EASTER

We had a wonderful Easter, even though it was so hard to be away from home!
The girls, as always, enjoyed decorating eggs and telling the story along with the "Resurrection Eggs" that Chloe made last year. There were some tears, however, when Laney, excited and gejust getting into the idea of egg hunts, opened Resurrection Egg #1 and promptly stuck the old chunk of cracker in her mouth! I yelled "STOP! NO!" as I saw this whole process unfolding, and I think I scarred the poor thing. You're supposed to get to eat the treats inside, right?? We remedied the situation with "Gramma Crackers" for all and went on with the story.

At church I helped with the "Juniors," which include Laney and Ems. Pretty gutsy to dye eggs in their Easter best, huh? We had a great time. Laney cozied up on her pal Elijah's chair. The two are two total partners in crime... they could amuse each other for days!

So sweet to see them love each other :)

He's got the suave wink down pretty well, huh?

We were thrilled to be invited to our pastor's home for Easter dinner. We watched what looked like a blizzard outside (luckily, it only lasted about half an hour!), had Mike's infamous ham and some traditional Chinese foods, and just had some great times with some of our dearest friends from church. We had a little worship time together and the kiddos sang a song they performed in church. (Unfortunately, our girls hadn't been up to the performance -- they weren't quite recovered -- but they love the song and it was sweet to hear them all!)

We will sure miss everyone we love in Wisconsin! We are so grateful for the friends we have met, but it is hard to always be leaving!

2008-04-09T12:34:00.001-07:00

Spring Break

So while most of our friends headed to Florida or some other exciting WARM place for Spring Break, we didn't want to just hang out in our dank little rooms staring out at the 16 inches of Easter snow...

So we headed to the Wisconsin Dells for some off-season fun! It actually worked out great. Even though pretty much everything is closed down, we found a $49 special at a hotel with a fun pool area for the kids. We spent a full couple of days splashing around, and we had some great laughs together. The hotel was certainly no luxury getaway, but we had our own bathroom, a fridge and microwave, and a cheese store in our parking lot ;)

We were super thankful for the chance to get away and relax a little.

Laney, who really misses just having baths, had a great time just splashing in the shallow pool.

There were several times we had the pool area to ourselves, and the girls had fun with an imaginary game that it was their house ... this polar bear was their pet/ work animal ;)

Here Ems seems to be modeling the earplugs they had to wear. I was a little worried about keeping them in, but I let them pick out the color and they were so excited that I never even had to remind them to put/ keep them in!

Contrary to appearance, Laney loved the slide. She was very adamant that she needed a partner to ride with, though. She's a bit less fearless than last year!

These girls had a ball together and remembered how fun being sisters can be ;)

2008-04-09T12:09:00.000-07:00

And we thought we were already there...

We visited "Circus World," the historical wintering grounds for the Ringling Brothers Circus.
No animals or shows in the winter anymore, but there was a fun museum with some rather interesting photos and circus garb...

Besides the museum, there are also about eight original buildings and a model circus. Our favorite parts of the whole place, though, were the museum of old restored cars and the workshop where the restorations take place. They were so amazing and intricately carved! And, perhaps the biggest perk for Chloe and me -- it smelled just like Grandpa's shop!
In the building with the mini circus were some cars the girls could actually climb on. None of them understood my cracks about getting carried away in the Paddy Wagon, though ;)

Convincing, eh?
Laney was really struggling to pose as the "Big Man"

One of Chloe's favorite cars :)

2008-03-19T11:53:00.001-07:00

Fishing Stories

Our friend April took these pictures in chapel the other day, when Matt spoke. He did a wonderful job, and the girls were feeling well enough that Chloe and I left the little gals in the nursery and went in to listen.

It is so exciting to be reminded what we have to look forward to. Though I know many more trials will come our way, all have been met with His faithfulness and protection. There is no substitute for the confidence He builds each time we're brought through the fire!

2008-03-19T11:11:00.001-07:00

...Recovering...

Emmy had a belly ache for several days. Poor thing was waffling between being hungry and being nauseous. At one point she got frustrated and said, "But why can't I have any GOOD food??" as I offered her popsicles and sherbet... She meant healthy food. My find of girl ;)
The first few days were spent mostly just lying around, trying to keep the pain controlled... They faded in and out of sleep, but were in a lot of discomfort. Aside from the birthday party that first day and a couple of walks (rides) for Lanes, they were mostly in bed. We were So thankful for the mattresses on our floor, especially as we played "musical beds" all night long.
Chloe actually slept for two straight days. She was fighting off her fever, I think. She didn't even want to be read to! Laney was a monster-child. Emmy cried a lot and was pretty miserable most of the time, but we had some laughs... She had "The Buns" to keep her company. She did cry several times that she wanted Grammy, or she missed Grant or Mia, or she wanted to go to Mrs. Susan's house... or she wanted her "White Buns" (The original, well-loved, faded pink bunny we lost this summer) We read books, watched movies, and tried tons of soft snacks and cool drinks.
A dear friend sent this package, which distracted all of them for a good hour as soon as we got it. It really brightened our day. It came at a perfect time, because Chloe had finally woken up and they were starting to get really irritable and tired of being cooped up & feeling bad.
We were so thankful for all the friends who brought dinner, or sherbet/go-gurt/italian ice, were thoughtful enough to take me away from the trenches for a while, or brought by cards and let us know they were thinking of us. What an encouragement! It especially warmed my heart when, after an especially long night, there was a knock on the door. I opened it to find Mrs. Jena and the entire pre-school class, with this huge card and individually colored pictures from each kid! They were so excited , and it meant a lot especially to Emma, who slept with the card by her head that night ;)Chloe is still weeping about her ears hurting quite often, but she went back to school yesterday and did okay -- they just give her pain meds at lunch. I know she is glad to be back to her friends and teachers.
They all went to the Dr. for a checkup yesterday, and he said the little girls were healing well and the swelling has gone down quite a bit. They still sound like little chipmunks, but it's a lot better than it was!
Our biggest issue?? SLEEP. The big girls are only waking up once or twice a night, when the pain is really bad. Laney, on the other hand, has not slept more than ONE hour at a time since the surgery. (And my record at this point is three consecutive hours -- so it's been pretty tough!) We were really starting to worry about her. She gets up and wanders from place to place screaming at the top of her lungs. The Dr. assured us this is an effect of the anesthesia, and that it will go away with in the next two weeks or so. That seems like an incredibly long time!!! Nights are very stressful, and obviously days are pretty rough, too -- it's worse than having a newborn! We even tried Benadryl, as the Dr. suggested, to no avail. She will drape herself in some horribly uncomfortable position for a few seconds and then move onto the next, screaming, until she finally conks out until the next hour's performance... So we are still praying for Chloe's swelling to go down/ healing, for their pain to subside, and most of all for some rest!

Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers!

2008-03-12T13:27:00.001-07:00

Last week I took Laney for a vapor bath to help her feel a little better (She'd been running a 102-104* temp for several days). I couldn't help but notice how straight her gorgeous little eyes are! They still turn just slightly if she goes long without her glasses, but I am thankful to be reminded (especially right now!) how great it is that her eyes have been corrected and what a huge difference this will make in her ability to see. Hopefully the current surgeries will be just as successful with their hearing! (And sleeping, and breathing...) We are thankful to have the opportunity to get these things taken care of now. Certainly not fun -- but hopefully worth it!

2008-03-12T13:18:00.001-07:00

I think we may have cleaned the hospital out of pospicles! They were so good to us. When the little girls, who had been getting small chunks on spoons, saw that Chloe got a whole one they started asking for "one on a stick!" They each had about 5... but I was really thankful later (when they were refusing them!) that they had gotten so many.
Emmy had to stay on the IV a bit longer and get some extra fluid to try to perk her up.
Chloe did pretty well and has now been sleeping for two solid days. She is running an elevated temp, but at this point the doctor is not too alarmed. I'm afraid she still has a touch of the flu we had last week.
While Emma was miserably denouncing the idea of tonsil removal, Chlo and Lanes snuggled, ate popsicles and watched cartoons.

2008-03-12T13:11:00.001-07:00

Amazingly, the day didn't even drag -- with the constant whirlwind of nurses and girls being brought in and out, we stayed pretty busy! We spent a couple of hours after all the surgeries doling out popsicle chunks and snuggling while everyone rested a little. Not so bad!
Ems and Laney were united in mutual contempt toward the IV. At one point Laney tried to help free Emma from hers... What a helper!
"I have to cough and I can't!" Poor Emma... I really feel bad that they all have coughs, but she especially is having pain. She cries whenever she needs to yawn or cough.
The night ended up pretty horrible, complete with vomit and at least one girl waking up screaming every hour. Hopefully it will all be worth it and they will be better able to breathe and swallow soon!

2008-03-12T12:33:00.001-07:00

Chloe wanted me to carry her to the surgery ward like I did with Laney -- but we convinced her to take the really cool opportunity to get wheeled around in a bed ;)
Laney had been brought back to us just before Chloe got taken... It was a little unnerving for Chloe. Laney kicked, screamed and writhed for a good 20-25 minutes in my arms.

...Then she nestled down in Matt's arms for the next couple of hours.

When Emma got back she was very quiet. I think she felt a little exploited -- she told me "I didn't even WANT to get my tonsils out! It sounded a little different, though. Her tongue is still swollen and she's not talking very well. It was pretty funny when she saw the gift one of her teachers had brought. She got all excited telling Laney what was in the bag, and none of us had any idea what she was saying!

Emmy and her ice necklace

I am glad to say that Emma is doing much better than she was. We were a little worried about her, since she was so listless and pale and kept complaining of pain and nausea. She is not bleeding and is doing as well as can be expected.

Even before she told me she hurt, Emma asked "Where's my Laney?" and "Where's my Chloe?"
They were happy to be unhappy together.

Pitiful as they were, it was really sweet to see them console each other even in their own pain!

"I need to get my tonsils putted back in!" Emma cried.

2008-03-12T10:47:00.001-07:00

SURGERY UPDATES

We have had a long few days, but everything went well in the surgeries and at least we have them behind us now! Thanks for your prayers! Also, we have really appreciated the little encouragements -- cards, calls, balloons & treats. A friend even set up a dinner schedule, and friends have been so kind to bring dinner to Matt and me this week. What a blessing!

Here are the details and some pics for those who are interested:

We got to the hospital, where they were WONDERFUL to us, and we all stayed in one cozy room with bonus sunshine and construction going on right outside the window, so it was fun to watch the diggers and dump trucks. As you can see, the girls were a little apprehensive, but we mostly enjoyed the nurses and had some laughs together while they got them prepped.
Their biggest complaint was that they were HUNGRY! They couldn't eat or drink after midnight Sun., but their surgeries weren't until 10:30, 11:15, and 12:15. Pretty long wait for little girls who clamor for breakfast first thing every morning. It didn't help that while Laney was already crying for breakfast, Daddy broke out a bowl of cereal and ate it right in front of her... and then we got to the hospital and Rachel Ray was on in the waiting room! They made it, but barely ;)
The tech brought them each a little bunny. Emmy was especially pleased. She informed me that hers has the prettiest collar in all the world! It was a great distraction for the big girls while they waited through Laney's surgery.

Emmy had lots of questions and then had to reflect on the answers...

...And even when you're seven, it still helps to have your trusty friend at your side.
(Yep, that's Old Sammy... still well-loved!)

Technically, we had three beds -- two normal hospital beds and a crib, but that was just a formality ;) We got a lot of good cuddle time, since there were almost always two of us in a bed together at any given time! Here Chloe and Em cuddled after praying for Laney (who wasn't too happy about being taken in the "back room" alone). Luckily, they both thought it was really funny when, after taking the Silly Juice, Emmy's legs decided to take off on their own...

...Flopping this way...
...Flying that way......And that...They had a half hour of mutual giggles!

...Good thing Chloe is so serious and calm ;)

If the staff didn't think we were crazy for bringing in all our kids at once, they might have after this! (Actually, I was the only one questioning whether it was a good idea to do all this at one time... a lot of the nurses told me it was a smart idea, but I'm still not so sure!)

2008-03-07T10:20:00.001-08:00

Conference Weekend

Most of you know we helped out with a conference -- we actually plan and put on a separate conference for the children. We did it last year and had a great time, so we were really looking forward to it this year, too. We missed the friends that we co-led with last year, but it still turned out really well. We told so many stories and we gave so many lessons and instructions that Matt was completely hoarse by the second day!

Our girls had friends to look forward to this year! As you can tell, Laney's pretty proud of her friends.

(Although not necessarily very attentive during story time!)

We broke up the lessons with games and crafts. Unfortunately for Emma, we stepped in a huge puddle on our way in and she had to go barefoot all night while her shoes and socks were drying. Once she got past the initial cold, it didn't phase her, but I had to laugh at
our little hillbilly :)

These little gals were champions in the three-legged race! They even held hands when it wasn't their turn -- pretty precious :)

Note Emma's game face below, though!

Chloe and her friends did a great job, too. Especially since they were "four-legged!"

2008-03-07T10:14:00.001-08:00

Saturday Afternoon

We had a small group for the afternoon, and we had the best time sharing OT Stories, making crafts, and playing games.

Emma and Stephanie are peas in a pod!
They shared a lot of laughs.

The children really enjoyed the lion masks. They were excited to don them and show off how they were each unique.

I have to say, the curly beard was pretty innovative!

2008-03-07T09:42:00.001-08:00

We had some really good times and got some precious chances to get to know some of our friends a little better!

It was certainly tiring (especially with using every spare minute to plan and prepare ahead of time, and we have been sick ever since!), but it was SO worth it.

What a joy and privilege to get to teach these kiddos and have fun with them, too!

The little guys were real troopers, since it meant late nights and long days!

"Uncle Matt" even put in some good time coloring while he discussed things with the older boys.

I was told Sarah, above, couldn't understand English very well... but I don't know how many times she said to me, "Teacher, look!!!" or "See what I made!"
We are continually thankful for the chance to get to know our friends and learn about their culture.
We not only thoroughly enjoyed the kids portion,
but also the time we got to spend with our friends Nancy and Judy, as well as the chance to talk to some other people in our same business.
What a special opportunity!

2008-03-07T09:30:00.001-08:00

Emmy had fun checking out the lakefront with her binocs while Jed and Jenny were here. She's pretty serious about exploring!
I took the pictures below to show Emmy her tonsils, so she can understand why she has to get them out. They're not the most attractive, but you can see why they present a bit of a problem. She has even refused food lately! (Not like her, of course!) Monday, March 10th she and BOTH her sisters will get adenoids and tonsils out and ear tubes put in. Please pray for their comfort and recovery and my sanity!!!

Keep in mind, she's saying "Ahh" in all of these, so her throat is opened up a little!

Hopefully, after having them out the sleep apnea (esp. for Chloe) will subside and we will all be able to get a lot more rest! (And I'm hoping that will also mean less persistent sickness and more ability to fight off the myriad of germs thrown at us in this building!)

2008-03-07T08:33:00.001-08:00

Remember Catty, our huge caterpillar/ caccoon? We were surprised to hear noises coming from his container one night -- and even more surprised that he had hatched into a big, fuzzy moth! Above, Chloe is examining him -- if you look closely, you can see him in on the left side, above the leaf.

We rushed to set him free, eventually nestling him in the inner branches of an evergreen. Emmy wasn't so sure about him. As much as she enjoyed playing with him as a caterpillar, she was a little apprehensive about the fuzzy flying guy. She was very sad, however, to see him go. He IS like a family pet ;)

On a completely different note, this is a picture of the flooding in the streets that happened as a result of several inches of ice and a warming (42*!!) that caused a couple of feet of snow that was on top of the ice to melt... Plus it dropped to 35* and was pouring rain. Not to worry; it didn't last long, as the temperatures kept dropping and a regular old snowstorm ensued...

This is a picture Chloe drew on a school worksheet -- it depicts the Passover. I just thought the little blue-eyed lamb was awfully sweet.

2008-03-07T08:22:00.001-08:00

Some friends gave us this toddler bed, since Laney had become a total hazard with the acrobatics in (on/hanging from...) her crib. What a blessing! I had just told Matt how much I longed to be able to lay with the kids when they're sick, etc... Since we can't all lay in our living room, and our bed is nowhere near big enough, I just get tired of not having anywhere I can snuggle them and read books. Now her bed is part of a triple-bunk, but the girls have camped out on the floor next to her or I can curl up with her and read her a book! We are so thankful.

Apparently, though, she misses the crib at times ;)

Shortly after the bed, we got a care package from Aunt Ellen and Uncle Chris. It was a big hit!
...And we had a wonderful visit with Jed and Jenny. Can you tell we have a heart shaped pizza? It was only the beginning of lots of fun over Valentine's weekend! Sometimes we have to remind ourselves how lucky we are to have people we are SO sad to leave!

2008-02-05T21:04:00.001-08:00

Hello!

Boy, we are still riding high after the chance to see so many people we love over Christmas break! And then we felt additionally blessed to be able to come back to great classes and classmates, teachers we hope to spend more time with, and absolutely wonderful friends here! I am sad to have had to give up my women's bible study, but all of our other activities are still in full swing. We are busily preparing for our departure, speaking at the girls' schools, getting ready for another fun filled weekend with the MCCC kids... Matt started Jail Ministry and is teaching our small group Hebrews. The little girls and I got to visit Chloe's school for International Day, which of course was very special. (They were learning about Italy but she insisted on wearing her Chinese dress from the Tsos and Emma wore a brazilian pig's tooth necklace!) We are looking forward to "Senior Retreat," when we will get to have an ENTIRE weekend of fun, family time, and much coveted time with classmates and teachers. I picked Greek back up, which is a struggle but well worth the effort. We had wonderful meetings with our agency and have lots of paperwork to get done!

On the health front, I just keep being thankful I'm not throwing up! I was really sick for a week and a half, but am on the mend. Emmy has an ear infection, but the girls' coughs are going away. Laney's eyes are great! The latest news is that BOTH Emma and Chloe will be getting tonsils and adenoids out and tubes put in their ears! This will happen March 10th. It certainly can't be any more stressful than having Laney have surgery with all the considerations of her possibly going blind, having to stay away from light, not running and jumping, etc. So how hard can two grumpy sore girls be?? There are a few considerations like, say, the fact that their beds are 6 and 9 feet off the ground, but we will figure that out. I am just glad that this can be taken care of so quickly. (It came out of left field -- fluid has always affected Chloe's hearing and they snore, etc., but it turns out Chloe has sleep apnea and the ENT pulled a ROCK -- not kidding! -- out of her ear. The kid really does have rocks in her head!) Anyway, please keep them in your thoughts as Chloe especially is nervous.

Laney moved into a big girl bed, thanks to our friends Tom and Darong. She's so excited! She actually told me she was tired in the middle of the evening just so she could get in her bed! We now have a triple-decker bunk and a little more playspace.

Oh, and we are expecting 14 inches of snow over night... and Matt's on "Snow Crew." I said it's much better than the 35* pouring rain we had yesterday, but of course he has a different take!

2008-02-05T20:48:00.003-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We looked forward to the Chinese New Year Celebration with great anticipation. I really hyped it and Emmy's teacher had just happened to find a book to lend her about the Chinese New Year, so Emma was espousing all types of wisdom ;) We enjoyed our first family day since Christmas break and it didn't even matter that we missed the dumpling making demonstration and most of the events listed on the flier...
We DID catch the dragon (which terrified Laney!), saw the lion dance (Emmy decided it should be called "The Dragon Dance" and it henceforth became such in our conversations), and managed to score some half-price spring rolls when they got cold -- DELICIOUS!
There were many dancers in beautiful costumes, some dignitaries, and the unveiling of the Beijing Olympic Mascot! Our little friend Christine was one of the dancers, so that was especially neat for the girls to see.
Here they're posing with the dragon head after the lion dance. They also got traditional little red envelope souvenirs with chocolate money inside (traditionally it's real money!)

Here's the Olympic mascot... not sure what it is????

2008-02-05T20:43:00.001-08:00

As we were walking in, Chloe said "I think this is goind to be the most fun EVER!"

The girls loved seeing the pretty ladies dressed in festive dance costumes.

...Naturally, they loved the crafts!

...And they met some new friends, too!

2008-02-05T20:32:00.000-08:00

LANEY'S FIRST HAIRCUT

One night we went downstairs to find the NTBI Barber Shop open. It's a room with an ancient barber's chair that we can use to cut hair. I said, "Laney, isn't it neat? Maybe someday Mommy can cut your hair in this room." and she replied excitedly, "Yah, that sounds like a grabe idea!!!" After much dancing and excitement, I decided I would go for it right then. I rounded up clips and my kitchen shears and settled in to try my hand at home haircutting :)

We had to be careful; the chair is broken and flies out unexpectedly if you lean too hard on it! (Only slightly dangerous...)

She was SO excited and loved the cape, but she started to get a little sleepy staring at herself in the mirror.

The first cut!

2008-02-05T20:23:00.001-08:00

This picture's hilarious, but you have to give her credit -- she had practically fallen asleep in the chair... but she was being a trooper because she wanted to "show Gwammy"

What a cutie... She looks so big!

Unfortunately, Matt was convinced the first cut was uneven (It was a little -- her hair curls to one side)... so I tried to even it up and ended up cutting it WAY shorter! She's still cute, but Matt said it looks like a weed whacker got a hold of her :( I definitely wasn't gifted in the art of beauty, but hopefully my skills will progress! Good thing she's young and forgiving.

2008-02-05T20:09:00.001-08:00

RICKSHAW RIDIN'

So one day I let the girls play in the hall after school while I got lunch ready...
My neighbor came to knock on the door and said "I think you ought to see this!"
Emmy had devised an ingenious little method to transport her sister up and down the hall. Hollie, our neighbor, said "It looks like one of those Asian cart things. Maybe she's getting ready for Asia!" She's certainly in the spirit! She even had to get off and drag her little preschooler's rickshaw up the "hill" in the hall!

These two are quite the team! Emma thinks of some great ideas, and her sister is usually ready to ride right along...

Little Miss Independent

Miss Lanes was so proud to show me how she made her own PBJ -- completely of her own accord. Quite a mess, but not bad for a 2 year old!
(She did finish off most of our carefully rationed homemade jelly from Bob & Mary...)

LIBRARY HOUR

We FINALLY visited the Milwaukee library. Since the girls love the library anywhere and the architecture and amenities are amazing, we spent part of a nice Saturday watching Chloe's terrific puppet shows and reading some books.

Pretty magnificent stairwell, huh? Can't compete with the Camden County librarians, but it sure was a neat experience. We want to soak up as much library time as possible, to kind of store up for the next few years!

2008-02-05T19:57:00.001-08:00

"MAMA ANN"

All of us were so excited to see "Mama Ann," our friend and RA whom we have missed terribly this year. She surprised Chloe and walked her to the bus and then enjoyed some coffee and cuddles. It is so hard to believe that Laney was still crawling when we came here. Losing all of our beloved friends one by one as they move on reminds us how much has happened in these two short years -- and yet it seems like yesterday we were all getting acquainted!

This is a shot of Emma and her pre-school teacher, Mrs. Cerfus. She is wonderful! Yet another great blessing we can be thankful for. This was her musical program, which was precious. Emma was so thrilled because she got this beautiful fancy dress that very day -- when I was helping our pastor's family pack for their move and Hilary found some special dresses in her girls' closets for both Chloe and Emma. Yet another little blessing! It was perfect both for the occasion and for little Blue Eyes ;)

"The Beadsy Twins"
All of the girls had a great time practicing their fine-motor and design skills with this cute little wooden beading kit. Thanks, Uncle George!!!

2008-02-05T19:07:00.001-08:00

Here are just a few shots from our week of "down time" over Christmas break. We really packed in the fun ;)

We had the best time bidding farewell to our pastor's family ;) We feel so blessed to have gotten close to them this year. This was actually one of many "last chance" great times with them before they moved out of state. We relished the chance to introduce them to this big hill! The girls had a blast showing them the ropes, racing down the hill and digging in our never-ending supply of snow!

We also had the chance to have several people over for dinner, an activity we don't normally have time for! Here is a pic of our friend Daniel. He's great fun. Unfortunately, this particular raucous episode ended with Emma exclaiming, "First of all, I TOLD you not to do that and second of all, I KNEW that would happen!" ...Yep, her trusty big wheel was in a heap...

We had a couple of random dress-up days, too. It was nice to just have time for the girls to just play and be friends.

That's one contemplative duck...

(I found this great costume at a garage sale --unfortunately, it met its demise in the laundry. We got some good use out of its first!)

2007-12-13T11:38:00.001-08:00

... So we've had some snow lately... I guess it can be expected in Wisconsin in the winter, but it's still somewhat shocking for us that the snow just STAYS. I finally took Laney out to swing and play (with restrictions) while the big girls went sledding. This week she actually flew down the hill with me I think she actually liked the swinging better ;)

Chloe even had a snow day one day! We got an inch of ice over several inches of snow, and ice is fairly unusual here. Even more unusual, I looked out during chapel to see fist-sized snowflakes pouring down. Angela and I skipped out on the end of chapel to show our kids. (How often does that happen???) Unfortunately, the huge ones had stopped by the time we drug everyone out, but it was still fun.

It's so much more fun to sled when the snow is fresh!

2007-12-13T11:27:00.000-08:00

Laney went to the Dr. yesterday and got the okay to be a normal kid again! Her eyes look great, although she does have a pretty distinct occasional outward turn, and we are SO thankful!

Missing school and friends was pretty hard (for both of us!), but she was great to meander around the building and keep her shades on. The whole toddler class came up one day with cards for her. It was precious. Emmy said "Thank you for coming to see my sister! That was so nice..." I think she was even more impressed than Laney, but there were numerous long goodbyes as they toddled back down the hallway ;)

Emmy and Lanes did find some very interesting ways to amuse themselves as they passed the time... After about a week I let Lanes saddle up the horse, asd long as she kept it to a walk or trot!

We finally got out for our small group. Emma was relieved for some time with friends, too!

2007-11-29T15:25:00.001-08:00

LANEY'S SURGERY

Matt & I got up super early and once again relied our our great friend Angela to take care of the big girls' getting to school. When Matt pulled Laney out of her bed she was so sweet, and she asked "Where are you taking me, Daddy? What are you going to do with me?"

I think after the initial tainting against medicine (following her biopsy at Shriner's last year), Laney's wide exposure to Dr.s has become a good thing -- she actually had a lot of fun getting ready for surgery!

This was after the purple happy drink...

...Can you tell??

Laney forgot she had sisters, counted nine fingers on Daddy's hand, and said "Joseph" (the guy with the colorful coat!) would be overseeing her care that day ;)

2007-11-29T15:18:00.001-08:00

After the hours of screaming and fighting (she's still hoarse!), we had some moments of calm. Poor baby was exhausted but kept waking ballistic...

We had to break out the "ba-ba" again... Thankfully, we had this and her beloved blankie to fall back on.

She vehemently refused the sunglasses I took, so the nurse gave her these super sporty shades

We "watched" a whole movie before she finally fell asleep, but then she got a good couple of hours of rest. That first day I didn't leave her side unless Matt relieved me. We were afraid she'd fall off the couch in her altered state or rub her eyes and pop the stitches. It was stressful, but pretty nice to spend the time with her.

I think Daddy enjoyed it some, too ;)

2007-11-28T17:48:00.001-08:00

Laney's doing well today. Her eyes are much less red & she is healing well.

We put up our Christmas tree & made snowflakes to decorate it. Yesterday Laney got to pick out a couple of ornaments at Walgreens. That was fun for her.

We are still trying hard to protect her from herself. She doesn't make the connection between running/ jumping and hurting her eyes. She also can't see too well to avoid walking into things. We're super cautious on the stairs, but last night she took every opportunity to pop her shades on to go get water, etc. and visit ;)

Her eyes sometimes turn outward now, but this is normal for the first couple of weeks and we won't know if the surgery has remedied the problem for about a month. As she grows she could require another surgery/ successive surgeries.

Today when we went out to get milk everyone we saw told her she looked like a movie star... this helps keep morale up concerning wearing her shades ;)

Her little tears are still a tad pink, but much less drastic than the red ones the other day!

She has been a little crabby, but mostly very sweet

She generally only cries or fusses when the eye drops and the "sleeper hold" come out!

Today we went out for milk, read some books, watched a movie & pretended to call Grammy :)

...We even started using our lamps last night (progressing from candlelight!)
I'm just glad this sweet girly is still smiling :)

2007-11-28T14:39:00.001-08:00

Emma took this one before the Thompsons got here :) Don't we look happy in our anticipation?? Actually, she was taking it because I got my hair cut for Locks of Love FINALLY. I'll post the severl-pound braid later ;)
Our little Indian Princess was thrilled to have her buddy Grant around. He, on the other hand, isn't looking too thrilled. He wasn't feeling quite up to speed, but he sure came around. They spent countless hours in the ladies lounge (since no one else was really around), playing the day away and breaking only for food!
Laney could have help Garrison all weekend. We got to enjoy his squeaks and smiles! And she was already donning one of her gorgeous hand me downs from Meri. Thanks, Donna!

These two were so cute! Look at him holding her little hand... Little G reminds me of Garrett, always wearing just one sock!
We were blessed with snow for Thanksgiving. We convinced Shana to go sledding in the dark -- what a blast! She was a madlady on those hills ;)

We sure missed our families and friends at home, but we were so thankful for a terrific Thanksgiving with some of the best friends we could hope for!

2007-11-28T13:19:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! It's been a long couple of days, but Laney is doing great! She struts around in her little Huey Lewis & the News style glasses and I have to keep my thumb on her just to keep her from running and jumping! She's still a little out of it, but it is so encouraging that she at least seems like herself and a normal, healthy little girl today :) Her energy level may have something to do with the box of NERDS I bought her... Yes, I bought my child candy!! (I think this is the first time ever I have actually purchased candy for my child, unless you count the times on vacation or our Philippines trip when I bought foreign goodies for the novelty...) I figure when you go under the knife you deserve a little treat ;)

The doctor said the surgery itself went really smoothly. I started to get a little nervous when it went a little long, but she successfully rotated the eyes, cut the muscles (detaching them completely), and reattached them. Laney was sweet as pie going into it, really funny after she drank the happy juice, and then completely ballistic for about 2 hours after the surgery. It was pretty rough for a while, since I could barely hold her body, let alone her appendages. She was fighting to rip out her IV's, tear off the splints on her arms (to keep her from scratching her eyes), etc. She even refused popsicles! She was screaming and straining so hard I worried she'd pop her stitches, but then she threw up a few times and was generally calm for the rest of the day. (Save whwen we tried to put her splints on for rest --we decided it was easier just to stay within reach of her at all times! -- or put in her eye drops...)

We had candlelit dinner of soup and then watched a movie together in our pretend rocket ship (the couch & loveseat scooted together). The Hestons were so sweet to bring by cookies and a balloon. She was too out of it to notice at the time, but she is enjoying them now ;)

The hardest thing now is keeping the little gal from running, jumping, or generally being a 2 year old! She's done great keeping her shades on, and the post-op visit went really smoothly. Her eyes are tracking together. As long as she doesn't exert herself or bump her head (both of which could pop the stitches), there shouldn't be any complications. Praise the Lord!

I will post pictures later this evening, hopefully ;) Sorry to those of you who have been missing pics lately ;)

2007-11-26T21:57:00.000-08:00

Laney is having eye surgery tomorrow, the 27th, at Surgicenter of Greater Milwaukee. It is affiliated with Children's Hospital and we really like her Dr., but we are praying 1) That this surgery fixes the problem so she doesn't require successive surgeries and 2) Obviously, that her eyes don't hemorrhage, as there is a slim chance she could go blind. Chloe asked me a lot of questions tonight, and when I explained the procedure she was really unsettled. "But Mommy, that will hurt so bad!" she said. I'm bracing myself for when she sees the bloody tears...

Laney has done a great job patching, and it has improved a lot, but not enough to correct it. To have any hope of preserving her vision in the right eye, the surgery is necessary. The problem is that the muscled connected the eyes to the sockets are malformed and/ or misplaced, so the Dr. will go in and cut those muscles to stretch and reform them in the hopes that the eyes will straighten and start working together.

Obviously, she will be put under. As long as there are no complications, it will be strictly outpatient. She will have double vision, nausea, pain, itching, etc., for several days as well as being in double arm splints to keep her from scratching at the eyes. (The stitches leave that foreign-object-in-the-eye sensation). So needless to say, all of these things will probably add up to a very cranky little girl. Since she cannot be around bright lights for a week or two, we'll pretty much be holing up in our room with our lamps on, which I'm praying doesn't mean a really cranky Mommy! I am hoping to be able to soothe her and actually make the recovery time enjoyable, as I can (hopefully) listen to my classes while I do other things and be able to take the time to read to her and do things we normally don't have time for.

Honestly, I am not scared about the surgery itself. I am aware that some pretty terrible things could happen, but I also believe that God is big enough to get us through them. I just hope we can make the most of this time and I can soothe her as needed.

I have been pretty stressed out lately with various concerns, constantly needing to remind myself to trust Him and push on with what really matters, but I have been so encouraged by our great time with the Thompsons, as well as with the way several of you have reached out, mailed us letters, and taken care of some of our practical needs in the past couple of weeks. THANK YOU! I can't describe how important that has been!

Thanks for caring about us and supporting us as we pursue Him!

Erin

2007-11-26T21:11:00.001-08:00

Our Sweet Little Raggedy Ann... This was handed down from cousin Hannah and we all absolutely loved it. Unfortunately, this picture doesn't show the super cool socks ;) We had so much fun with Mia here to go to the church festival with us and then we got together with friends and had the chance to dress up again!

This was "Pilgrim and Indian Night" at AWANA. Luckily, we had Chlo's old Indian costume in the dress up box & I was able to pull together a Pilgrim suit in a pinch. They were so cute together, and Emmy was especially proud of her "Very fwagile" beaded dress!

We were persuaded to go to the NTBI carnival, thanks to Angela! We had a great time. It's basically a conglomeration of whatever people are willing to do/ sell/ auction/ make into a game. This year we had sumo wrestling suits. Angela and I went down and played in them before the event actually started -- it was hilarious; wish I had pictures! Summer and Em were the proud recipients of some high skilled face painting... And the girls all loved Skeeter the clown, who is actually one of our classmates that makes the best balloon animals I've ever seen! The "Win a goldfish" booth is always popular --all of our girls actually won and the fish were refused, but Bob and Linda were so nice that the girls gladly accepted the 6 that were left at the end of the night ;) They live in our neighbor Tamara's bowl now...

2007-11-26T20:39:00.000-08:00

I know it's been forever since I posted, but our internet is out & things have been pretty crazy!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We sure did. It was sad not to be able to go home and we missed our family, but we were so thankful to have great friends (The Thompsons) come visit us. We had a blast, from the adults in the group (who sledded in the dark the night before Thanksgiving and got a little too into BOGGLE and pie) to little Garrison, who got no shortage of love from the girls ;) Grant and the girls had a great time making forts and playing house in the Ladies Lounge :)

We went to Chloe's school performance and just generally had a great time finally having a break! We are sure looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible over Christmas, though!

Love you all!

Erin

2007-10-13T16:17:00.001-07:00

We spent Labor Day at a local park/ lake with our friends, the Ketchams. Angela and Joel and their kiddos have been great friends. We enjoyed them last year but didn't really get to spend much time with them; this year they have become invaluable friends and we can have tons of fun with them, now that we really feel like we know them. Sometimes it's pretty hard to be the ones with three little kids -- especially since we happen to be two of the few families who still live in old style apartments, with no running water, etc. It's hard to get tight with people when you rarely see the outside of your apartment, save frequent running trips to the bathroom, etc :0) It's a strange place to be in, having left so many great friends and family to come to a place where the families are super busy, all transient, and you don't have much time to get to know people. It's great to have friends that can identify, and they're loads of fun, too!
Josiah and Laney are the little beefcake twins! Laney loves "'Siah," and I have to say I do too! He's so happy. He's a real go-getter, and I think Laney admires that about him ;)
Safety first! Actually, not a life saving device -- but she was certainly prepared for something! I think she just enjoyed being decked out in the Ketcham's gear...
We may not have cut the hot dogs. but she would have floated had she fallen in the water ;)

Ah, it doesn't get any better for Emma!

We really did have a blast. We tried to hike a trail and had to turn back because the mosquitoes were so thick -- in the light shafts through the trees it looked like when the sun streams through the window and you see all the dust particles.... pretty thick! It was great to get away and relax a little anyway. I had actually been burning citronella candles in our living room to cut down on mosquitoes in our place at night, so as long as we were going to be subjected to Wisconsin's "state bird," we might as well have some fun!

2007-10-13T15:53:00.001-07:00

Emmy and her friends had a ball being outside (despite the plague of mosquitoes!) digging in the sand and splashing in the water!
They all got pretty into building and excavating...
So much so, that when we left Joel was without shoes... Summer had decided to bury them and all the kids chipped in to help...
...A little TOO well, which is why we spent 20 minutes searching when it was time to leave. Chloe remembered the approximate vicinity, but one was buried so well we almost gave up.
Does this smile look strained?? He's actually very good natured. Joel was finally the proud re-owner of his prized Brazilian flip flops. (He swears they really are superior.) It was a funny end to a really fun day ;)

2007-10-13T15:34:00.001-07:00

This was a great time with our friends Mee and Bah and Aubri, Diana and the great people at All Nations. We had a Filipino pig roast and lots of fun games. It was a great break from the stress of moving in & trying to get all the paperwork/ meetings done before starting school.
I thought the girls might be slightly disturbed by the creature on the spit, but Emma especially had no problem cozying up to the pig ;)
Laney loved her first taste of pancit bihon.
Emmy enjoyed the "fortune" verse cookies...
And her balloon, which Mee made EEEExtra long for her ;)

2007-10-13T15:24:00.001-07:00

Emmy's friend "Catty." We got out one day to play frisbee golf at a local park & I found this guy (about 5" long) in a walnut grove. He was fascinating for the girls to watch, but Emma was especially engrossed. She held him, sang to him, and showed him her artwork ;) If a girl can't have a dog, at least she can make due!

To our surprise, he actually made a caccoon that night -- so we didn't free him like we had planned. Now hopefully we'll get the joy of seeing him emerge in the Spring!

2007-10-13T15:10:00.001-07:00

This is a random post, but I wanted to say thanks for all of you who were concerned & caring about Emma, who added insult (smashing her finger in a heavy stairwell door jam) to the "injury" of having to leave her home & friends again ;) She was SO good about the broken finger. She shed many more tears about missing her Grammy, or her friends, or losing her sweet and much-loved cousin Elizabeth. But she wanted to show you all the anatomy of a lost fingernail! (She was actually kinda proud of the purple nail.) The gravel stuck inside after our trip to the beach never caused an infection, and by the time the nail finally fell off she had 1/3 of a new one already!
You could barely tell, once the swelling went down a little, that it wasn't just the purple nail polish Miss Jena put on her in the nursery ;)
This was later on in the peroxiding-to-fight-infection stage -- nearly off!

Emmy is excited that once her skin heals we'll paint the nail stub and her skin!

2007-09-25T10:47:00.001-07:00

Laney must have been contemplating the beauty of creation!
After our first two weeks of craziness (Staying up till 3 am for a week trying to get settled, Emmy breaking her finger by smashing it in the stairwell door, orientations and logistics of starting school in 3 different places...) we really seized the chance to take advantage of some beautiful weather over Labor Day weekend. We went to a nature center in Milwaukee and then grabbed a "Hot N Ready" from little Ceasers for a picnic on Lake Michigan ;) The water was COLD, but the girls had a blast playing on the beach and running in the water. (Chloe was actually the first to plunge in in her clothes, as she was balancing on a log and fell in!)

A little covered in sand and seaweed... But I relish the chance to let them play outside at all!
"Mommy, this is the biggest sandbox EVER!"
Some craziness was mixed in in all this fun -- little did we know, Lake Michigan was full of REALLY STICKY, paper mache - type seaweed! Notice how Chloe's hair looks gelled?? If you look closely you can see the little bits of green ALL over and maybe even the overall green tinge :) I washed her hair THREE times, tried to strip it with lemon juice, and eventually just had to spend hours combing out little spinach-y chunks so she didn't smell like dead sea creatures for the first day of school! There were a few tears, but some major laughs! (Emmy's wasn't so bad, and I let Matt deal with his own hair!)

Note the frothey green run-off... after rinse #3! Good times...

2007-09-25T10:23:00.001-07:00

For Chloe's birthday we went to a charming "country fair" at Old World Wisconsin, which I believe is similar to the Amana Colonies. We had a great time, even though it was rainy and 54*. We pet the animals, toured the schoolhouse, watched the blacksmith at work and visited at length with the shoemaker. We enjoyed the band, and watched a lady comb wool and spin yarn.
Chloe really enjoyed combing the wool and separating it out of the brush. I think it made her miss our Sammy dog ;)
The girls enjoyed a little snuggle time in the fancy two-hole outhouse!
Once the crowd cleared out due to rain, we really got to spend some time with the animals. Emmy liked the piggies best. Chloe liked the calf. Laney thought it was all hilarious.

We had a great time. It was nice to just slow down for a few hours and be together as a family! (Something I'm not sure we did all summer, save for a few great nights with friends grilling, catching fireflies, or having swim parties!) Old World Wisconsin was worth the splurge. The only down sides were getting our umbrella stolen and the restrooms, which Emmy said smelled "badder than repulsive!"

2007-09-25T10:03:00.001-07:00

As we first raced through the "Frogger" path of traffic in Manilla, we had to laugh at all of the aggressively piloted jeepneys emblazoned with hand-lettered 'How's My Driving?' signs!
This picture appears to be a random shot of one of the Hagen boys' new toys -- but check out the bicycle to the left. The kid is probably 12 or older, and his bike is approximately Emma's size...
It's not uncommon for grown men to ride a bike like this one. (This particular model also has no brakes!) One guy put Jen and I to shame as he zipped up the hill past us while we were riding the Hagens' ten speeds... Matt outran a slew of dogs on this little beauty. I have just one word... RAD!!!
...Also not uncommon for the trikes to be ablaze with names, family names, nicknames, Superman symbols and other American icons. I saw New Orleans Saints gear everywhere, and the FOX symbol was big too.

Here's a heavy laden trike -- these little things do big work. It's no wonder there are so many Vulcanizing shops along the roadside!

2007-09-25T06:47:00.001-07:00

We traipsed over the Island of San Migel to a little village to find a "Sari Sari" store for some supplies. We had a parade following us as looked from little store to little store...
This oddly named establishment was a larger "convenience store" in Iriga City.
The rice bins at the market were of remarkable magnitude! They stretch far back into the tent, with a variety I never would have imagined.

These were a random novelty marketed at the Manilla airport -- real toads shellacked into handsome coin purses, complete with google eyes! Makes the cute little leather fish seem so mundane...

2007-09-25T06:12:00.001-07:00

Ah, the meatstall... in the afternoon! We quickly realized the importance of buying your meats early in the morning, especially in the open air in the tropics...
This is the entrance to the Iriga City market (across the street). Inside it spills open into tent after tent of random items and food. Everyone clamors for your attention, especially if you're a foreigner.
Here Chloe was fishing out her every peso for a coin purse for her friend Laeli. She carefully checked each stall until we found the perfect item for the right price ;) All of the stall owners loved showing her their wares!
Obviously, there's no shortage of food -- we shouldn't be going hungry here! I'll be doing most of my shopping in the open air market, as we will eat a lot of fruits and veggies, and buying beans in Manilla since they aren't readily available down south. Also, I'll probably buy peanuts (like the ones in front of Chloe) and making my own peanut butter. Since it's Emma's favorite food and our staple here at NTBI, it would be pretty difficult to quit cold turkey :), plus I'd like to avoid the meat stall as much as possible!
I don't have a copy of my pictures from the actual grocery store trip -- they're still on the Hagen's computer -- but this gives you an indication of some of the strange products you might find on a Philippine shelf.

2007-09-25T02:04:00.001-07:00

Luxuries and amenities for one Filipino family
This man was lucky enough to have a caribou to help with the work! We saw many rice field workers and men out plowing with these oxen and wooden implements.
Laundry day at an Agta village. They get things amazingly clean in these stagnant waters!
This is the woman Steve and Matt took to the hospital... only to find out they needed to track down blood for her too. It's quite a story! Goiters like this are quite common, but the doctors feared hers would be detrimental to her breathing.
This is the chieftain from Ipil; he proudly took us up the mountain to see his vast fields and his old home. His arthritis now bothers him too much to live up the mountain, so his youngest son has taken over the old home and the chieftain built a new one in the village. Notice the gorgeous and isolated placement on the mountainside!
The trek to get up to that house had not been easy -- and Matt was carrying Ben not only because he was tired, but because we didn't want to chance him falling off the side of the trail and down the mountain! Zach and Mikayla were way out in front, but Chloe hadn't yet fully warmed up and was laggin back with me, behind Steve, Matt, Ben & Jen.

The opposite side of the mountain was more densely populated. To give you an example of the size of this home, notice the white-shirted figure in the doorway. She is a young woman about the size of your average 12-14 year old.
Something I left out of our post on eating in the tribe... The chicken who roamed through the waste from the chieftain's toilet was also very adept at sneaking food from their fancy stove! (This stove, like the fan and TV, were luxuries in stark contrast to the rest of the villagers' homes... and the chieftains own dirt floors & open sewer.)
This was actually at a classy resort where the Hagens go for family swims. There are buckets by the toilet, and you fill them at the pump in order to force flush the toilets. The girls had a little too much fun with this...

2007-09-25T01:32:00.001-07:00

Here we have a pretty standard idea of the Agta house, though some of the tribe are alleged to be still hunter-gatherer in the more remote areas. This is a beautiful example of the hut, and it has the one living/ entertaining/ bed room and then a small side room, also with a smaller split bamboo bed.
This is the neighboring house in the same tribe. The little child played in its "basement." She was actually six, but smaller than Emma.
This is the "kitchen," though the well is a considerable walk back the trail.
This is the only well I saw, as the other tribes had access to rivers/ creeks/ lakes. The matriarch was bathing at the well when we arrived. I suppose it's more a cistern. Yet another huge safety hazard that stretches the American Mother!

2007-09-25T01:15:00.001-07:00

Each of the Agta villages we visited was starkly different from the others, and each study had a different feel and level of excitement (though Steve taught the exact same lessons to each). This village had a handful of attendees, but each seemed very interested and the children were extremely interested in ours, not very shy.
Ipil was the largest and probably the wealthiest village (though still completely destitute by our standards and even those of the average Bicoloni). They were extremely eager to participate and to learn farming practices as well. They had by far the greatest turnout, and they were willing to read and answer questions with some prompting.
This village consisted of only a handful of family members. They were extremely shy and didn't even seem to be paying much attention. It turned out that they had not eaten in several days, so when we left we got them some rice to get them by. Severe storms and minimal agricultural knowledge can really take its toll on these communities. Though this one was only about 1/4 mile off the main thoroughfare, it was completely isolated and removed from society.
Even those who didn't attend the studies were quick to welcome us.

2007-09-25T00:48:00.001-07:00

One thing that struck me about the Filipinos were the joys of childhood and the contrasting early aging/ hard lives of adults. In many ways the Filipino children, especially the Agta, had very difficult lives, but they seemed to take advantage of lots of freedom to explore and find fun. Notice this little guys goggles -- they are homemade! They're cut from coke bottles and then fitted with rubber and fishing wire. John Paul is one of the children I enjoyed spending time with on San Migel Island. I loved taking pictures of and observing their fun, and they slowly worked up the nerve to bring me shells, come sit by me, enjoy the shade of my umbrella and examine my features, including the hair on my knuckles! ;)
They seemed to have contests and take great pride in their abilities to run up the side of the pier and jump!
One interesting novelty in Bicol is "Coke in a bag." Even I must admit I enjoyed the drink on such a hot day... We got a round for everyone after our trip back across the lake from Ipil.
Though most dogs are not friendly pets, these children in one of the villages in which Steve is teaching were enjoying a litter of puppies. Since even public school incurs supply costs, the need for lunch, transportation, etc., children in these villages did not attend. We were met by a large crowd here -- I think they were less timid because they could all gawk at us from across the river, and also because they all wanted to witness it if we were unsuccessful in making it across the log bridge!

On a side note, you may have noticed that many children only wear one article of clothing (very often, a shirt with no pants). Keep in mind that all of these children were dressed in their very best for the American visitors. Also, you may have noticed the little boy's swollen testicle. We're not sure exactly what the problem is, but many of the children and adults have medical problems and deformities that they simply don't have the means to attend to.
This is the "jungle gym" at Ipil. One naked little boy was especially skilled at flips and hanging upside down... This was located precisely where the Chieftain's toilet drained and the livestock ran. They all had a great time, oblivious to these facts, and they sang some great songs for me while they climbed ;)
One of the villages is directly across from a cock farm, and they have a few roosters alongside their huts as well. The Filipinos attach blades to their feet and let them slice and fight, betting on the winner. Our kids had fun playing rooster limbo... I insisted Chloe not be a part of poking and harassing the poor thing, but it was fun to watch him fly if they lifted the stick above their heads.
These are the roosts... Though it was across the river, between the hundreds of roosters over here, the handful by the huts, the kids playing and the pig chained next to Steve, the study was very interesting!

2007-09-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

I prepared myself for a lot, but I have to say I was a bit alarmed by the little boys playing in the road, considering the number of accidents and near accidents...

Matt was amazed by the bamboo furniture the children were turning out at the shop where Jen and Steve had some things made.
In the market, there were children everywhere. This little guy was just hidden in some of the furniture orders, snoozing away.

Many children are off foraging for a portion of food to contribute, as was this little girl. She spent hours wading out, catching fish in the much-coveted plastic grocery sack.

These young men refused to pass us on the steep mountain trail, though they could no doubt have made it home much more quickly. I wasn't sure whether this was out of sheer politeness, timidity, or an interest in arriving into the village following the outsiders ;)

2007-09-23T15:54:00.001-07:00

Well, the boys had fun scooting around on the Hagen boys' toys...
But this was a far more common mode of transportation. These "trikes" were often loaded with upwards of 20 people, some of whom sat on the roof. We were fairly cozy with Matt and I and the two little girls!
This was an anomaly -- no traffic and a clear chance to cross the road! Not only is traffic insane, but there are many fairly odd unwritten rules. For instance, pedestrians are not responsible for ensuring the coast is clear before crossing the road. As long as they have not made eye contact with drivers, they are entirely absolved of responsibility. Therefore, most pedestrians cross the road with their heads down, not looking at traffic!
Many of the areas in which we will be working require a water taxi such as this one.
Here's a less fancy version of the trike -- no motor...
The "jeepney" is a modified jeep left from WWII, which they have now started manufacturing directly. The get SO crowded, and all are decorated with art, Americon Icons, and sayings.

2007-09-23T15:12:00.001-07:00

What are the donations for?? Probably the people who labor in the rubble, as they most likely receive no wage to do so.

Most men used shovels and sifting pans, and some took advantage of the must prized caribou.

You may remember earlier pictures from this site -- just a little further explanation. Across the little makeshift bridge (essentially a log with a very flimsy bamboo railing) is the ancient Catholic church and shrine, at the foot of Mt. Mayon. A small stream used to run down from the volcanic mountain; now a rushing flow drives through the area where entire communities once resided. As was the case with every other site of destruction we visited, men were working hard to rebuild and/ or dig out supplies or loved ones and belongings from the rubble. Mind you, the typhoon and landslide happened last November, but many individuals still search and labor in the destruction daily.

2007-08-06T08:51:00.000-07:00

These are more pics from that first mountain tribe... this little girl really captured my heart. They were all dressed in their finest for visitors, and later after running through the stream she was wearing this dress backward ;)
This is EMMA... when she told me her name I didn't think I had heard right! Jen translated for me to tell her that Chloe has a sister name Emma. This Emma was very shy, but she posed for a picture to show my Emma :) She is the same age as Chloe. Chloe is tall, but Emma is an average/ large size for a Filipino.

As we hiked up the mountain we encountered this woman bathing with her child. The chieftain ad a very rough toilet, but that was the extent of indoor plumbing.
This was the Chieftain's youngest son, Jo-Jo. He seemed especially eager to hear about possible farming techniques and plans.

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Hey Everybody...

I have LOTS more pictures and stories to share about our trip -- I am actually trying to upload some photos right now, but the connection isn't quite good enough -- but we have some requests that are fairly pressing and we wanted to pass them along.

In less than one week, we are planning to fly home from half way around the world (an even longer trip than coming, since we have an overnight layover), get home from an airport 3.5 hrs away, reunite with our little girls, have a birthday party for Chloe, pack for Wisconsin, thoroughly clean our house, say our goodbyes to friends and family, visit THE FAMILY one last time, and move back to Wisc. in the middle of the night so Matt can finish training for his new job as a bus driver before school starts. This actually involves a lot more details than it seems, and there's no way we can get it all done on our own! Throw in a tropical storm (not yet a typhoon) here/ along our travel path, some serious jet lag, and the Grandma factor as our girls readjust to our care... and things could get pretty hairy! Oh, and when we left home we had a broken water main (outside, luckily) that was hopefully repaired while we were gone and our family vehicle was being repaired after a motorcycle ran into us. So please petition for our strength and stamina in the next week, as well as for adjustments as we head back to Wisconsin and school.

2007-08-06T02:08:00.000-07:00

After meeting the Chieftain and some of his family members, we started our hike up the mountain. We quickly encountered this crew, trying to pull out a large boulder in order to build a new house on this plot. Matt, Steve, and another missionary named Ron jumped in to help tug... to no avail. We did find out later that they successfully pulled it out, though -- we were amazed!

It was a steep climb in places, but not slick. We had a liesurely hike and were rewarded with fantastic views!
This is the chieftain. He was very eager to learn about new farming techniques to improve their yield and his village.
Chloe skipped along the trail, eager to see around the next bend. What an exciting opportunity to see the home of the people we hope to help and experience some of God's most magnificent creations!

2007-08-06T01:53:00.000-07:00

In order to get to this particular tribe, we traveled to the town of Buhi and then took a ferry, like the one in the background, across to the island.
Chloe and Mikayla were sleepy but enjoyed the relaxing -- and very gorgeous -- ride!
This old man, who had been the boatmen for the Hagens previously, rode along and made fast friends with Matt and me. Part of his friendliness, I'm sure, was do to the excessive drinking that was apparent at first sniff. He told Matt all about his house, where he fished, etc. He kept giving me a thumbs up. I asked if this was a cultural sign, and Steve said he had never seen it before. I generally try not to recipricate gestures when I am unsure of their meaning, but I think he was just trying to do something American :)

This was once the boat "docked" at the island -- we walked down the little stairs into the water.

2007-08-01T06:31:00.000-07:00

This if the Chieftain's grandaughter. I believe her name is Ji-ki-mel. She is an absolute doll. She gets around pretty quickly in this fancy little walker. (It's kind of like the base to a papazon chair with a rag tied in it for a sling. She slides on the smooth concrete floor.) Also, like many kids in the third world, she doesn't wear diapers. I was willing to hold her anyway, but she was a little shy. She gave me plenty of smiles from the safety of her walker!

Dinner

I guess I can't really call this dinner with the Chieftain; it was more dinner at the Chieftain's with everyone in the village trying to peek in to get a glimpse of us weird foreigners. I was a little worried about how Chloe would handle this; I warned her just to take a little and eat whatever she got. The dish above was right next to us, as you can see in the picture below, and she gobbled up the fish! I was a little nervous myself, but by the grace of God my stomach didn't even turn once! Ironically, the only thing Chloe turned her nose up at was the yellow tomatoes ;)

2007-08-01T06:07:00.000-07:00

All in a Day's Drive

We have done a LOT of riding and driving in the week we've been here. It seems there's always at least one volcano somewhere in view! We've been on the go to lots of great places, but so much of the beauty has been straight from the road...

Chloe sometimes points out the beautiful scenery -- and it
can be dizzying at times, since every direction holds a breathtaking view, a funny sign, a quaint vision of a little child or a trike loaded with 20 grown men...

I took this shot out the window during one of the few times we were actually clipping along at any notable speed. Every curve brings a new perspective but a similarly gorgeous view!

Jen took me for a bike ride yesterday. It was so gorgeous, but part of the beauty was a storm approaching. We didn't make it far before turning around. The guys had gone to take a tribal lady to the hospital for goiter surgery, (It turned into a full day's adventure, as they ended up having to track down some blood for the surgery, too! ... That's another story...) but when they returned we took Matt with us and ended up seeing the beautiful sunset over the rice fields.
It was worth the mosquito bites (I think... when I mentioned them, Jen immediately told me the incubation time for malaria... I guess it's a pretty practical thing to know around here.) Also, we were introduced to the commonality of vicious dogs at nearly every house. Jen and Matt laughed at me because they picked up rocks and sped through; I approached quietly, hung back, or let the owners call them off. It worked well for me, but I figure that approach can't last forever. I guess if we're going to come here I'll have to become a little more assertive!

2007-08-01T04:52:00.000-07:00

Devastation

It's been nine months since Reming (the largest Typhoon in 150 years) hit this region of the Philippines. The devastation that still remains is harrowing. We've seen several areas of major devastation. Whole villages were completely wiped out by landslides and flooding was rampant. Above, you can see one of many examples of a house dug out of the silt. People work hard to dig them out when possible and then continue to live under those conditions. It doesn't seem like the best choice, but in most cases it is the only option they have.
Here is a house that was dug out but sustained some major structural damages.

Part of the position we are considering would involve distributing supplies and helping with relief efforts. Since the area is still reeling from Reming, subsequent typhoons of average size could cause exponentially greater damage than they normally do.
...Another example of a home that continues to be surrounded by settled rock, ash, and debris...

2007-07-28T15:35:00.000-07:00

Market Day...
Yesterday we encountered the market in the local town of Iriga City. It was a wonderful, though slightly stinky, experience. (well, it was actually VERY stinky, but it was such an exciting chance to see Philippine culture!) I was a little hesitant to take pictures, but when I did someone always asked me to take one of them! The Philippines are full of very friendly people. Though they can sometimes be shy, we have an automatic celebrity status and almost everywhere we go people call out things like "Hello, Mam!" or "Whoa!" or "Americans!" I'm sure it gets old after a while. I felt really awkward at first, but I enjoy the chance to smile and say hello. This was inside the fish market... Piles and piles of fish! It was later in the day, so very smelly but not too crowded. I asked this sweet woman if I could take her picture, and she laughed and covered her mouth in embarrassed excitement afterward :)

No, that is not a mask behind them... it actually is a real pig's head! This man was a little more outgoing -- he asked me to take his picture. It is technically a meat market, but this is one of few stalls that was not entirely fish.
Steve bought some seaweed here... but it wasn't quite what he expected and we ended up not eating it... I'm up for trying new things, but if Steve's not willing to eat it I don't feel a compelling need to outdo him ;)

2007-07-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

After a good night's sleep we headed out again, to try to track down our luggage (still no success) and do a little more sightseeing. The Hagens are fortunate to have 4-Wheel drive for their adventures... Steve was determined to make it up this hill in the mud...
He and Matt ended up having to push, but we made it!
It was worth the road and the fairly steep, slick hike...
... to see this gorgeous waterfall!

(although, if you'll look closely, you'll see the rain pouring down on Matt's swim!)

We were all exhausted as we left the shadow of yet another volcanic mountain!

(Mikayla was sleeping on my shoulder as I snapped this one!)

They were revived long enough for Steve to show Matt his favorite little wakeboarding haunt, too... even Mikayla participates!

We have really enjoyed all these fun times, getting our questions answered, and meeting the people Jen and Steve look to for guidance and moral support. But we are really looking forward to meeting the people they plan to reach. We will keep you posted!! Please pray for our safety, clarity in the decision whether to come long term, and our physical and emotional ability to make it through two more weeks of adventures and a whirlwind, jet-lagged three days before returning to Wisconsin for more training! We are really enjoying our time here, but now that I know how hard jet lag can hit, I am a little nervous about getting back to school in time for Matt's bus training!

2007-07-27T09:05:00.000-07:00

The kiddos were up for an adventure! They led the way across this bridge to Cagsaua Cathedral

2007-07-27T08:58:00.000-07:00

People are still carrying on everyday life right underneath the volcano...
We went past reconstruction to explore an ancient catholic church
(in the volcano's shadow)
The workmen ask tourists for contributions

After leaving here we saw more beauty and devastation, went to a several hour long prayer/ fellowship meeting of local missionaries, went to the mall for some supplies for the Hagens, went out to dinner (the restaurant had toilet paper and soap, and we all ate for around $12), and stopped at the market for groceries on the way home. We were exhausted! I actually fell asleep during prayer! I didn't know jet lag could be so brutal, but we were generally successful in staying awake and thus we fell much better today.

2007-07-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

Mikayla and Chloe were, as always, fast friends... I'm afraid Ben may have been disappointed, though -- he was expecting Matt, myself, and a purple dog from Clifford! (named Cleo)
The Hagens had a busy day planned to help combat jet lag! We immediately went to a beautiful mountaintop to view the airport and the volcanic mountain that ended up taking to many lives last fall. You can see the areas where the mudside slid down the mountain...
... and how populated this area is!

It took out whole villages along what used to be a little stream.

2007-07-27T08:13:00.000-07:00

We've reached the Philippines!!!!

We have had a very exciting trip so far!

DAY 1-3

We were so touched to have so many people we cared about to see us off. Before we left I asked Emma if there was anything in particular she wanted Chloe to find out about for her, and Emma said, "Umm... I want to know everyshing..." We don't know where to start!

We got to the airport and waited... and waited... and waited. (We were at the airport 6 hours before our plane ever took off...) We ended up checking the bags I had so carefully packed into carry-on size, since delays meant we would be sprinting to catch a plane in LA at 1:30 in the morning hauling three backpacks, the Hagen's computer, and a very sleepy girl! Matt commended me for my foresight in grabbing a couple pair of underwear, swimsuit, and change of clothes before checking them... And it's a good thing, because nearly four days later we still haven't seen them! (That's right... NONE of our suitcases are here or even accounted for... Jen & Steve have been very gracious to try contacting the airport repeatedly, but so far to no avail.)

Once we got on the plane in LA we sat back, caught our breath, and settled in for the 15 hour flight to Hong Kong. Matt and Chloe especially enjoyed the complimentary ramen noodles on the flight ;) We tried our best to sleep. but it was awfully hard! (My hip has been bothering me a lot with all the sitting, so please pray that this will not interfere with our visit and that I will not be too distracted or have headaches, etc., that sometimes result from the consequent back/ neck aches.) We were pretty ready to get off the plane by about 2 hours into it, but Chloe did a great job and we had some fun times with her.

Chloe pointed out the sunrise as soon as it was the least bit noticable... then we watched it progress and then saw the misty mountains and the gorgeous city of Hong Kong unveiled through fluffy white clouds! It was quite an adventure. We also enjoyed a two hour break before getting back on a plane for 2 more hours to Manila.

We stayed at a guest house there. We saw our first spider -- the size of Laney's head!!!! -- and Matt killed a 4" cockroach in the night. Chloe was a little unsure what we'd gotten into! But we were so blessed to be able to meet several of the staff and to spend some time with Steve and Jen's bosses, the Harveys. They were so sweet to not only show us around their company, but also to take us to the Mall of Asia (That's Chloe with her new underwear, since we were running out of clean options!) and to dinner. It is a very interesting city and we enjoyed the Harveys. They got to laugh at us as the jet lag set in! We went to the supermarket for Matt to buy deodorant and Chloe, who had fallen asleep in the car and at dinner, was so tired she appeared drugged. The poor thing was stumbling, bowing her head, and rolling her eyes! A lady in the store actually asked if she was alright. "Well," said Matt, "we haven't really slept in 2 days... And we just flew half way around the world... and we really need deodorant..." Obviously, it was starting to hit him, too!

We got up and left by 5:15 am to board our last flight. We flew in to a gorgeous airport where the Hagens were waiting for us and met them with teary hellos. It is SO exciting to be here with them, to meet the people they work with and experience the culture that surrounds them!

2007-06-24T15:09:00.000-07:00

BREAKING NEWS

For a summary of our ministry, our "Price Tracker" newsletter is available now. If you'd like one emailed to you, please email matt_erin_price@yahoo.com and we'll put you on our mailing list!

We are SO excited to be HOME!!

We are busily and excitedly preparing for our short term mission trip to the Philippines in July and August. We have to get immunizations still and we are still waiting on Chloe's passport to arrive. Unfortunately, I have to buy quite a few things still for myself and Chloe to wear. We also have to buy sunscreen, bugspray, aloe, etc. here and mail it ahead due to airline regulations/ lack of availability there. We have to update our will just in case, etc. So keep all of our practical considerations in your prayers, please, as we try to balance all of these things, work, church, family, while trying to make the most of our time at home ;)

We are excited to announce that what was intended as a practical missions trip/ encouragement to friends/ chance to see how missionary families live has now also become a SURVEY TRIP! We are so thrilled about what seems a very clear answer to our prayer to show us the most effective way we can serve. Jen Hagen recently phoned from the Philippines to tell us how excited they were to see us, as it has been a very difficult couple of years for them and they just don't have anyone they've connected with strongly in the field. They are so excited to be beginning bible studies among the local tribal peoples, but they very much need some companionship and encouragement, too! The next day we got a fairly cryptic but excited message from Steve about an email they'd sent us. It turned out to be a job request for a 2-3 year term with them in the Philippines! We were floored, as we had never even considered this possibility -- and yet it seems such a good fit, as we could encourage them while fulfilling our own role!

Within about a week's span surrounding this, we were recruited for two other very exciting positions to serve the Lord as well. Matt was particularly excited about one that would involve enabling partnerships to further work amongst mission agencies, a way of revolutionizing how missions agencies and missionaries approach missions and help empower the native peoples. While it seemed a great position and we would be able to live at home while he served in this role, we had some reservations about it because we strongly feel the Lord is calling us to overseas service at this time. The Hagens called us when they heard about this opportunity to say, "We are so excited about this because we've been wanting to get involved with this agency, too, and maybe you can be involved in some capacity while serving in the Philippines!"

There is a lot of excitement from both ends about the possibility of a term in the Philippines;) Please pray with us about whether this is really God's plan for us, and for practical and financial needs as we prepare both for the short term trip and our continued training/ screening!

We hope to see many of you this summer - it is quickly passing!

Please keep in touch. Our mail is being forwarded from Wisc., or reach us at
The Ministry of Matt & Erin Price
c/o Osage Hills Church
5237 HWY 54
Osage Beach MO 65065

Hope you're cherishing your summer as much as we are!

Love,

Prices

2007-06-24T14:56:00.001-07:00

Chloe & Mommy enjoyed a week together in Wisconsin after Daddy and the little girls had headed home. (He hurried home to start working and took Emma and Lanes to Grammy's.) Though the week was packed with plenty of work (packing everything we'd need for summer, deep cleaning our apartment, and tying up loose ends with fees, paperwork, etc...), we took advantage of the opportunity to spend time together. We had several dates with friends, saw a pre-screening of a movie (neither of us had been to a theater in at least a year!), went on Chloe's class trip to the zoo, and attended Fiddler on the Roof at a local dinner theatre. (I had won the tickets through the radio station, but Matt & I never had a babysitter to be able to use them. I tried to give them away b/c we were so pressed for time, but I am so glad now that no one took them and we were able to use them!) Chloe loved the dates with Mom! And, though I was exhausted, I definitely enjoyed her, too ;) It's not often we get 5 minutes together, so this was really great!

2007-06-24T14:48:00.001-07:00

After a week at home for Matt and about 30 hours at home for Erin, we turned around and headed to CO Springs for some quality time with Matt's parents and brother. George was graduating from the USAFA. We were so proud of him!

We watched lots of ceremonies and got to attend the Academy Ball.

It was quite a shock to have this time without the kids, as Grammy and Grammy kept them. I think everyone enjoyed it!

2007-06-24T14:37:00.001-07:00

Though Chloe and I were anxious to FINALLY get home, we all enjoyed some time in Branson while Matt had a conference. We celebrated Laney's birthday, Grammy Barb got to spend a night with us, and we visited Chris at the fire department! (Chloe got the grand tour, but we couldn't tear the little girls away from the cab...)

2007-06-24T14:31:00.001-07:00

LANEY'S GLASSES

I know I am partial, but I think Laney's glasses are just adorable. She picked them up in her bikini and she tells me every day that she will keep them on her "dace" (face). She has been so proud of them , which helps -- it's hard enough to keep glasses on two little girls, so I was praying she'd like wearing them! She puts them in a little purse case before nap and bed time! We are hoping the glasses will correct her muscular problems enough that she doesn't require surgery, but we will take her back to the Dr. in September.

2007-06-24T14:19:00.001-07:00

Babies to meet and friends to see!!!

2007-06-24T14:08:00.001-07:00

Little Garrison Thompson has quite a following in the Price clan :)

The girls were thrilled to meet "cousin Ebizabef," as Laney calls her. She is SO sweet!

2007-06-24T13:58:00.001-07:00

Summer Fun ;) Laney loves playing "nurse" in her b-day scrubs from Grandma Kathy. She helps Mommy and sisters water flowers every morning, too!

She got a little time to "joke" with cousin Taylor recently...

...And sing some beautiful songs and share some laughs with Grandpa Bill!

2007-06-24T13:43:00.001-07:00

Birthdays!!!!

June is the big month in our family -- Emma, Laney, Mommy and lots of extended family, too ;)

We celebrated #2 and #4!

2007-06-24T13:28:00.001-07:00

We are so thankful to be home with our family and friends! Matt has been working VERY long hours and we have had some adjustment difficulties, but it is such a blessing to have time and space for the girls to play and to enjoy summer days with sisters and friends ;)

Laney got this little ballerina suit for her birthday from my friend Cari, and she has enjoyed the freedom and space to play dress-up ;)

Emma is thrilled to have playdates with friends -- here she's playing "Princesses of the Mountain" with friend Mia. This was immediately followed by a joint bath!

I can't say enough how thankful I am for time with loved ones and the chance to just let my kids be kids!

2007-05-09T06:35:00.000-07:00

Let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever.
Protect them so all who love your name may be filled with JOY...
Ps 5:11

2007-05-07T22:14:00.000-07:00

Hey Everybody! Hope you're enjoying Spring as much as we are!

We are busily wrapping up our schoolwork and activities and trying to tackle a whole lot of details for summer plans and just plain details of life that have been put off until summer -- can't believe it's almost here!

Tonight Matt and I met with some of our friends and a couple from Indonesia, who gave us a presentation about the works there, etc. It was neat to hear about their experiences and some of the pluses and minuses of that particular field. We are still considering the possibility of going there, but also heavily considering China, the Amazon, and Africa, all while remaining completely open at this point! It is exciting to see what God is doing in so many areas, and the great need everywhere leaves so many viable opportunities to be used!

We are very excited to announce that Chloe, Matt and I will be heading to the Philippines this summer for a short term mission trip to the Bicol region. We have been considering and praying about the idea of going since last August. It became apparent to us earlier this Spring that we should definitely take the opportunity to serve and learn, and we really feel this is what God would have us do despite the seeming financial irresponsibility and the many details that still need to fall into place. We are thrilled to be able to help friends Steve and Jen Hagen with practical needs and encouragement while also getting a taste for what a tribal missionary does as well as hopefully meeting several support missionaries in the field. After the devastating typhoon last November, there is still much work to be done, and we hope to free the Hagens from some of that work so they can progress in their ministry! Please pray for us as we prepare for and make this journey, late July -Aug.

Other happenings around here include getting Chloe's passport, Matt studying for his CDL (Yes, he IS going to be a bus driver! Chloe is hoping he'll get to drive her route!) ... A new baby across the hall (which means we get to experience all those cries in the night and extra tantrums from brother and sister, too -- but sometimes also get the pleasure of watching her while her Mommy does laundry, etc.) ...Packing and organizing what we'll need for the summer in all our various locations ...Oh, and Matt now has to go to another floor to go to the bathroom, as they have ripped out one of the other girls wings' bathroom and the overflow is using ours...

We feel so blessed lately, despite all the craziness. Emma won a $75 grocery card in a Mother's Day contest (3 weeks worth of groceries!!!). Chloe got into the dental hygiene clinic at the Technical College, where she's been on the cancellation list for a couple of months. She was so good during the super long appointment and so proud of the sealants she got! We've had the chance to get involved in church and get to know our wonderful small group. I have been checking out preschools for Emma, about which she is very excited! I've been doing pilates as regularly as possible with a single girl on our floor, which is a huge help for my hip and back after my car accident. Matt will leave with the little girls in only two weeks, and I will have a busy week of packing, cleaning, wrapping up some church activities, having Chloe's (early) birthday celebration at school and accompanying her on her class field trip!

Everything is going well and we are so looking forward to the next few weeks, going home, and to the Philippines! Please pray for our transition as we head home, especially as our family will be apart for several weeks this summer, that details will fall into place for our mission trip, and that Matt will be able to work! Also, please pray that time spent with loved ones at home will be profitable!

Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers!

Love,

Prices

2007-05-07T22:08:00.000-07:00

Chloe, like the rest of us, is enjoying the post-thaw weather ;) Once the thermometer breached 55* it was hard to even keep her in long pants! (She is her mother's daughter...)

2007-05-07T21:57:00.000-07:00

The school had a "rummage" (garage sale) this past weekend and Chloe and I decided to have a bake sale fundraiser for the Philippines. I put in a lot of hours of baking, but it was definitely worth it for her to have such a great time AND get excited about our upcoming trip and helping people! Plus she enjoyed getting to help prepare!

Here's Laney at a party at the house of some friends from small group. It was such a great chance to relax and spend some time getting to know them a little better... plus we got some family time on the trampoline! Our small group has been such huge blessing.

2007-05-07T21:44:00.000-07:00

We have been loving everything about the abruptly Spring weather! ...But one of our favorite things to do is visit "Mama Guck" we have actually found several nesting mommies lately, but this was the first and we have adopted her and love to stop and feed her and "chat" with her... The little girls and I actually found her one day on the way to the Salvation Army thrift store. Laney said "''Ome 'ere, guck!" and waved frantically :) Mama actually lets us get REALLY close, though we have seen her get pretty protective if another bird gets too close. We are anxiously awaiting baby "gucks".
One huge blessing that came out of Laney being sick so long was the chance to get out more often and take walks. (last Sunday we even inadvertently got in on the MS walk!) I couldn't really get work done here and strolling along kept her content, plus I let them out to play in the grass away from other people at the park. There aren't many places here to play here where I don't have to worry about infecting the few people who MIGHT not have been exposed yet, so we were thankful for the beautiful weather (50's -70's!) and some open fields!

2007-05-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

The girls had a blast taking their Missouri licensed cars to AWANA Drive In Movie Night. They also had their awards ceremony last week; I had to stay home with a very sick Laney. (Part of her 9 days of flu!) Matt said Emma was especially funny because her timing was off from the crowd as she said her Cubbies Motto and key verse. Maybe she was just showing off how well she knew it ;)

Laney's getting so big!!! I was floored to realize that she will be TWO in less than a month... hard to believe! She is pretty well over the flu (we went to class today for the first time in two weeks!), and her eye teeth are nearly through. At home she spends most of her time either singing "Jesus Loves Me" or "I'm in the Lord's Army" complete with actions or asking us to read her a book (usually "Blue Hat, Green Hat" by her favorite author, Sandra Boynton.)

Her eye is still turning pretty distinctly most of the time. We hope to get her to a specialist while we are home this summer. I guess I should explain that after my last post (about Emma's geeezer glasses) I took Chloe in, only to find out that they appear to have a genetic problem with the actual attachment of muscles on the eye itself. So, while we could take them to an optometry specialist who charges $300 per initial visit and would require $6,ooo+ therapy, only Chloe is old enough to really benefit and Laney would most definitely need surgery.

2007-05-07T20:56:00.000-07:00

The girls' surprise glasses ;) The novelty wore off after a couple of days and Emma already broke off a nose piece, but they were SO excited about them at first!

Emma's should correct her problems, but we have to go back for a 6 week check to see whether Chloe's are helping or we need to pursue surgery (Or the $6k + therapy) Ouch...

2007-05-07T20:43:00.000-07:00

The girls have moved up in their chores! They all feel like they do "big girl" chores now that they've been promoted. Emma loves to help Laney "spot mop" the floor ;)

Laney now treks to the bathroom to brush teeth like a big girl, too. (Though the duck boots are optional...)

2007-03-29T20:13:00.000-07:00

Emma in her "Geezer Glasses" -- Aren't they fitting??

So every time Matt leaves for a few days, crazy things happen... The fridge stops working after I finally shell out for a bunch of meat at the grocery store... The baby gets a cast up to her armpit...

This time I found out Emmy needs glasses! (And the girls' closet broke, and Laney needed two emergency baths before school yesterday, and Chloe now has a 103* fever, and when I finally decided I couldn't wait any longer to leave them & go to the bathroom this morning, Laney ate half a bottle of Baby Magic - don't worry, magically nontoxic!...etc...)

Oddly enough, she's the only one about whom we haven't worried about a lazy eye... but she has one! So these are the cool glasses they gave her when we left since her pupils were still dilated. It wasn't until she was excitedly telling Matt about them that I realized this: After trying on and deliberating about tons of frames, she thought THESE were her new glasses ;) I guess they technically are, but we can look forward to a more permanent pair next week...

PS She's actually very excited about both these and the real thing. She's just trying to look like a very serious driver in the second picture!

2007-03-29T19:46:00.000-07:00

This is a Laney update... to say we have no updates! Lots of people have asked lately -- thanks so much for caring! The good news is she does NOT have OI; the bad is that we have no idea what has caused her breaks & low density. I did take her to the hospital for her bone density test. It was failed before it ever started b/c the technicians were convinced she was too little to hold still enough for the progressive X-Ray, even though she did it perfectly four months ago! So we're kind of at a loss b/c her pediatrician was waiting on those results to determine what might be causing the low bone density in the first place (narrowing down the possibilities by figuring out whether it's staying constant or deteriorating...) The Dr. at the hospital didn't really seem bothered; he thinks as long as she isn't having continued breaks it's not a problem. So let's hope that's the case!! Thanks for all your prayers and concerns!

2007-03-29T18:45:00.000-07:00

Laney's eyes have been turning in and seemed to be having a focusing problem that increased in frequency and severity during the past few months.

I finally got her to the eye Dr., and her eyes looked nearly perfect for the first time in nearly two months! He couldn't find any significant difference in prescription and said she doesn't need glasses. We are kind of at a loss and tired of all these "Unsolved Baby Mysteries," so if anyone has any insights (there was truthfully no pun intended there...), we'd really appreciate it!

2007-03-18T21:34:00.000-07:00

I also wanted to share some growth that has been going on in my life. It may seem really petty to some of you, but it may also encourage others... I have loved helping out with Emma's age Sunday School here -- I missed my little Basic Training kids, being called "Teacher, Teacher," (even though they all know my name) and the fun and enthusiasm we share, plus I wanted some good time with Em. Anyway, I have just been an assistant with the 25-30 kids in the class. We are preparing for a musical on Palm Sunday (complete with sign language and actions!) with the 4's and 5's, so we practice together during Sunday School time. Today the music leader went through the songs once and then said "I have to go sing in big service... so one of your leaders will take over for me!" ...and then pointed straight at me. After looking over my shoulder in shock and confusion, I jumped up to the plate and had a great time with them. The reason this is significant is 1) I can't sing and am not terribly coordinated, either -- even the pre-school moves are a little beyond me ;) 2) I may not care what people think of what I'm wearing, what kind of car I drive, etc. but I am self-conscious of how people might perceive my motives for doing things and also of being in the spotlight outside of my normal element. So I found this silly little incident somewhat ironic, but it wasn't until an incredulous Matt remarked on it that I stopped to really think about it...

If there's one thing I have learned through all the struggles, adjustments and truths here, it is the importance of living beyond yourself. I felt like I had a decent handle on this before, but I have come to realize that I have come a LONG way -- and there's so much further to go!! Even a year ago that was one area where I would draw the line and say, "Oh, not me!" instead of "If I can serve that way, great!" But what's more, I would have worried that the other leaders would have thought they should be doing it, that I wouldn't do a good enough job, that someone would think I was showing off, etc. The point is that these silly but real worries all come down to selfish thinking. They all show that I was more worried about what others thought of me or my intentions than whether I was giving Him all I could. Who cares what people think about me? Certainly, I don't want to offend anyone or let anyone down, but if I am doing my best at something for the purpose of glorifying Him (and I don't just mean singing, but anything in daily life), then it certainly would not please Him for me to waste my time obsessing about what others might think about me or let the fear of what others might think hold me back! A lot of times I have not communicated, or not served(or have done so trying to squeeze into a mold that doesn't quite fit) because I was a little too worried about whether it would please men... and it often seemed I didn't anyway! I have also failed to initiate conversation or fellowship for fear of pushing myself on someone who may have really needed me! What I have learned is that walking before Him in your actions (even with the slip-ups of our human natures!) and truly seeking His nature affords a peace that cannot be rivaled -- and a freedom, too! If we are living by the Spirit in us, we should not fear we won't be good enough or fail to follow the Spirit's leading when we are prompted to do something, say something, or reach out to someone!

So is there something from which the fear of man is holding you back?? Something you waste time doing because you feel you have to meet a standard? Break free! He made us for His work, not for something so empty as pleasing men. However you might struggle with this, the commitment to overcome it is to the His Glory! And you will reap the benefits of being liberated from the selfish nature. (Even if your hang-ups don't seem selfish, they are self focused -- and focusing on yourself will never bring fruit!)

If you have questions about this, it just plain weirds you out, or you aren't sure what I mean, feel free to send questions my way!

Have a great week!

Love, Erin

2007-03-18T21:32:00.001-07:00

Hey Guys --

We wanted to share some of the excitement from this last very exhausting but encouraging week. We had a lot going on in classes, with at least a test or a paper every day, and we are getting a lot of information thrown at us since we are wrapping up another block this Friday (3 large tests that day and several more papers/ projects this week!) I take Laney back to the hospital for testing all day tomorrow to find out why she has the low bone density and whether it is deteriorating. I also need to squeeze in an eye doctor's appointment, as she appears to have a lazy eye or some sort of focusing problem. Her Dr. recommended an opthamologist through children's hospital, but it is VERY pricey and we wanted to see a regular eye doctor first anyway and go from there...

Anyway, the main excitement of our week was a conference we put on with friends Jon and Joy for the children at CCM. It was so fantastic! Although preparing for it combined with our classwork, etc. meant I got no more than 4 hours of sleep per night all week, it was SO worth it. They were largely enthusiastic and they are all very smart and most are mission minded, but we had the privilege of challenging them, encouraging them, and just plain having fun with them, too...

2007-03-18T21:19:00.000-07:00

Our girls love this House. I have always been amazed at how Emma just runs right into the crowd; whereas when we go to other fellowships so much like ours at home she is shy and clingy! They seemed to feel very at home with the people here, even before our friends Jon and Joy were attending!

2007-03-18T21:12:00.000-07:00

There's never a shortage of food at the Chinese gathering! Emma is surrounded by a lot of other children who love to eat as much as she does!!!

The really funny thing is that all of our girls love the authentic Chinese foods (Laney can't stop asking for "nummy"...) and using the chopsticks, but the Chinese children often opt for pizza!

Ice cream, however, is a universal treat ;)

2007-03-18T21:01:00.000-07:00

By Saturday night, we had moved from "Mr. and Mrs." to "Uncle and Auntie," at least three kids had told their parents they want to serve, and they had all learned a lot about the call, needs, and the great advantage they have for reaching people in China and around the world. It was pretty successful!

2007-03-06T10:20:00.000-08:00

Chloe dressed up for her 100th day of school!

Convincing, eh?

2007-03-06T10:12:00.000-08:00

We received three of the four packages we've gotten since we came here -- all within two weeks of each other! Thanks, Grammy Barb, Aunt Jaimie & Co-Cos... They all came at just the right times to lift our spirits and meet some practical needs, too!

Emma especially liked the "Zim's Crack Cream" for little chapped hands!

Unfortunately, Laney got Chloe's "bap 'tick" before Chloe could relieve her chapped lips ;) "Mmmm...." Laney said.

We all loved the office supplies, Valentines & hygiene products!

2007-03-06T09:49:00.000-08:00

We've tried to put the fun back in some daily tasks, like bath time...

Laney loves her "obe" from Mrs. Diane and her "bip-bops" from Grammy ;)

The big girls LOVE to help everyone with their campus ministries (work detail).

"Go ahead, guys -- you take a coffee break... We'll take care of this!"

2007-03-06T09:37:00.000-08:00

Laney inherited Emma's "Here Comes Trouble" shirt ;)

Also, I realized that (oddly enough) she has had very little exposure to snow. I took her out Sunday. She clapped and sang... and occasionally complained "ode...ode" (cold). She did alright until she fell face down in the snow. That ended our fun... I guess we'll have to increase her snow exposure more gradually :0)

2007-03-06T09:25:00.000-08:00

The girls got right up to the big cats!! That was definitely a good time...

And Emma had so much fun, she fell asleep while eating her PBJ on the way home!

2007-03-06T09:13:00.000-08:00

We recently took the girls and some of our dorm kids to free day at the zoo :) Everyone had a ball. Laney did her monkey act for the apes and made fish faces all through the aquarium... Emma was impressed by the big snakes we might live with someday ;) We saw just a few things outside, and Emma reminded us again just why she wouldn't cut it as a farm girl!!

2007-03-06T08:54:00.000-08:00

Emma and I recently swung by the beach on a trip to pick Daddy up from the airport. It was exhilarating, for sure! The phrase of the day was, "Emma, next time we'll have to bring your snow pants to the beach!" Wish we could have seen it the next day... with two feet of fresh snow and some 14 foot swells! What an amazing testament to God's power and love for us in the glory of Creation!

2007-03-06T08:45:00.000-08:00

Recently, Matt was working in the garage (his Campus Ministry) when his supervisor, Frank, told him an encouraging story. Frank said his daughter had contacted him to let him know that her family and others in Indonesia were praying for a couple here at the Bible School. She wanted to send him their picture so he could be praying for them, too. Frank opened the email attachment, and who did he see?? The Price Family ;) It's hard to express how heart warming that was! A few weeks later I was bringing the girls in from a walk when Jeff, our resident computer wiz, called to me from his office. "You'll never guess who I saw today!" he said, and went on to tell me the names of a couple I didn't know. "Oh yeah, they asked about you!" he insisted. Come to find out, they were also from Indonesia and knew of us because they, too, had been praying for us! These sort of things are so remarkable and really keep us going...

2007-03-06T08:13:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone! It's been a while.... This semester has been even crazier than last. I think there have been a couple of classes that I've only been to two or three times due to sick little girls, which means a lot of listening to class recordings and trying to catch up, but the good news is we haven't had any stomach flew this time ;)

We are so thrilled to finally have a church to be a regular part of our lives. That really helps to make life feel stable! I (Erin) am helping with the 3 yr old Sunday school every week and doing "Mom Time," a bible study with other moms one evening a week. We are involved in a small group -- something we missed terribly! -- and have been to Middle School youth group, but we're praying about whether we should commit, since I felt torn enough between little kid and youth ministry sometimes at home and now we have so little family time. (Seems backward since we're physically together in such a small space, huh??) Also, a friend at school invited Chloe to AWANA -- so she and Emma were thrilled to start that!

We are also excited to see Grammy Barb, Jaimie, and the "Co-Co's" over Easter Break. They are coming to visit and will either get a condo nearby or bunk in the beds of some of the single girls who will be gone;) We are really looking forward to seeing them, and then we are also looking forward to some relaxing time for our family. Every time we've had a school break so far Matt has gone to a conference or we've been on the run, so Spring Break should be a nice time to stop and catch our breath!

Matt will be attending a conference the end of this month that we are very very excited about -- thanks to Ohills and the Walters for helping make that happen! He will get the chance to hear a lot more about the Amazon region where our church is hoping to start some church planting, get some insight into the animism that permeates the culture, and get together with a group of lawyers interested in enabling the tribal people to have more of a say in requesting missionaries for the area. He is also just plain excited to spend time with some of the other guys from home who will be going!

We are looking forward to helping with a missions conference at the Chinese Church next month. We will basically put on a separate conference for Pre-K thru 5th grade, so it should be very interesting but exciting! (Emma especially loves the Chinese church, with the foreign foods, singing, and teachers she can't understand... She is fascinated. One night I made stir fry and she asked me if I got it from the Chinese Church ;)) If you have any ideas for presentations, lessons, etc., let us know -- it will be about 7 hours over a few nights.

We have managed to find a little more opportunities for family fun this semester. We've made a big deal of "family night" once a week -- we play a game or watch a movie together and have a treat. This is much anticipated by all! The girls and I were fortunate enough to visit some of my aunts and cousins recently in the St. Paul area. It was so nice to see people we loved and have some purely recreational time! Emma and Chloe (and I) were very opposed to leaving!

We continue to pray about where we might end up (esp. Indonesia or the Amazon), preparation for the hearts of people we will encounter, whether or when we could go help the Hagens in the Philippines/ possibly visit Indonesia, financial details (renting or selling the house, selling the car, paying bills, whether to send Chloe to the Christian School again next year...), and practical planning for how to most effectively use our summer break. We are so thankful for all of the chances to see God's faithfulness so far. We continue to pray for you whether or not you've given us specific requests, and we would appreciate your prayer, too!

Love,

Prices