Summer 2016 in America (Week 2)

After a week with Joel's family we headed 2.5 hours southeast to my family in good ol' Lancaster County, PA (where we were both born and raised).

We will be doing a lot of back and forth between our two families this summer, but we are so thankful that the drive isn't too far!

Enjoy the pictures :)

Bunnies + cousins = a perfect afternoon!

My MOM! So happy to be together again!

Vienna and her cousin Eve in the old clubhouse in the woods that I played in when I was a kid.

Life is certainly an adventure with this one!

Joel and my dad. We can never quite get a smile out of him :)

Fun times with Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop!

Water gun battle fun. Well, it started out as fun, pretty sure there was lots of crying till it was all said and done.

Twinning!

I LOVE being on the farm. Since the last time we were in America, my parents moved out of the farmhouse and into my grandparents house (just up the street) and my brother and his wife moved into the farmhouse. My brother planted an orchard on the farm and we have so much wandering through it and picking fruit off the trees for a yummy snack. 

 

Brooks and cousin Paxton

Nightly Bingo with Mom-Mom

Vienna practicing her braiding on Eve.

SLIP AND SLIDE! 

Love my niece. She is the sweetest!

"I see you!"

Checking out the fish in the creek

Paxton hit it off with Colson right away!

We made it!

We are here and having such a sweet time with Joel's family. The flights went smoothly and overall the kids did great. They are at much easier ages to travel with than the last time we flew to the US (3 years ago - and Brooks wasn't even born yet!!).  

But since we've been here, the stomach bug is making its way through our family, taking us out one by one! No fun at all! And I feel horrible that we have also passed it on to Joel's dad and sister. Boo! But even though there has been lots of sickness, we've still managed to squeeze in tons of fun with family.

Yohanis standing under the traffic light that his Grammy and Pop met under. Joel's dad bought it from the borough one year as a surprise for Joel's mom. He has it set up in their driveway and it works and everything. So neat!

Fourwheeler rides with Pop. Definitely a highlight.

Cousins! I asked Reagan and Brooks to smile for the camera and this is what I got: Reagan smiling so sweetly while Brooks drank the pool water.

Joel's parents' beautiful home in the mountains.

Sidewalk chalkin' it up with Grammy!

Isaiah loved showing Pop how strong he was by climbing up the rope.

All the kiddos with Grammy & Pop on their 37th anniversary.

Love!

Our big boys were all about Cornhole

Oh my goodness, just give these boys some soapy water and they are happy campers.

These two. Brooks was NOT happy about the hug from his sister.

I love a good campfire! What a beautiful evening. The adults chatted by the fire while the kids ran around and caught fireflies. Is that not the epitome of a summer evening or what?

Sweet boys.

Isaiah with cousin Kaylee.

Vienna and her Uncle Torrey

Joel's dad bought Yohanis and Colson buck knives and had them engraved with their names. And before he let them use the knives, he gave them a 1/2 hour lesson on knife safety. These boys were over the moon excited about their knives and Colson declared it his best present ever!

Crazy cousins on the hammock

Joel and his little sister Leah.

What Joel has been working on so far. We will have another pottery auction at the end of the summer. So excited to see these pieces after they are glazed.

Water park fun!

Joel and Torrey

Love this picture of Brooks and Kaylee!

Having fun on a date with Torrey & Ashley!

Leaving

So last Friday this happened! Yohanis graduated from elementary school and I now officially have a middle schooler!! What?!?!


We leave for the US in 2 days and we'll be gone for 2.5 months. Today I have been packing and trying to wrap my mind around that fact. It is hard. I'm happy and sad all at the same time. But what I feel most thankful for is the fact that it is so hard to go. The other two times we went to the States since moving to Turkey it was so easy and I was SO ready. But the Lord has worked in my heart so much in the last 3 years and this time it is truly so hard to leave Turkey. It feels like home to us. 

Over 3 years ago, when we were in a really hard season, Joel asked God for 3 things. He wanted these three things or else he was ready to pack up and head back to the States. He asked the Lord to help me to be happy and thrive in Turkey, for community here and for a role in society.

And God has done every single one of those things AND MORE over the last three years. I am so thankful for the way our Father loves us and gives us good gifts! It moves me to tears and when I look back over the last few years and realize how much the Lord has done for us. He gave Joel an apprenticeship at a local pottery shop for a season that was so life-giving for Joel, he gave us a community of friends and family that are the best we could ask for and I really couldn't live without, AND I really am thriving here and loving the life to which God has called us. 

And all I can do is humbly say thank you Jesus for the way you take care of us. You never promised it would be easy, but that you would always be with us!  

May in pictures

Having fun with Yohanis at the exercise park

Birthday coffee date with my sis!

Wedding time

Mother's Day flowers

So fun to finally meet sweet baby Nehir. These our some of our dearest friends in Turkey and we had prayed for this baby for so long!

My silly boys. Right before I took this picture Isaiah told me, "I burped apples out of my tummy!" Oh, life with boys!

Backyard livin'

Can you spot the turtle in the grass? Isaiah found him and named him Flaxseed. Sadly, he only lasted as our pet for a few hours before he wandered off :)

Zoo day with best friends! I should have taken a picture before they were all tired and grumpy ;)

Saturday fun with good friends.

Brooks having fun with his favorite neighbor. Watching the two of them together is so sweet.

I was in the yard one afternoon when my 10-year-old called me to come inside. This is what I found waiting on the table for me. So sweet! I have some pretty amazing kids and I'm so thankful that I get to be their mom!!

Love them so

Notice anything missing? Isaiah lost his first tooth a couple weeks ago. He was SO excited and went to visit the "tooth fairy" aka Uncle Adam right away. Call us party poopers, but we have never done the tooth fairy, but at least they know they can go right next door and get some money for their teeth. Haha.

Yohanis took this picture and I love it. So thankful my kids are growing up right next door to their cousins and there is a party in the backyard pretty much every evening!

Fun times with friends that come together once a year from all over Turkey. It was such a special few days. A highlight was that Joel helped baptize the daughter of some of our good friends.

Oh sweet boy, stop growing up so fast!

Our backyard has seen many kids this month! From friends visiting from far away, to neighbors that come everyday, it really is the place to be! And I love, love, love it!!

Special times with friends.

Friends enjoying Joel's latest project - the fire pit :)

Girls sleepover!!

Our picnic table is not only for eating, but also for performing dances to Uptown Funk. Haha.

Cousins and neighbors meeting up after school in the yard to play a game.