January encouragements!

First we'd like to say thank you to all of you who are praying for us.  We are settling in to life in Michigan and have had several confirmations of our calling to Thailand!  Let me share a few:

1). On our first Sunday in attendance at a local church, Max got a bit talkative while sitting on my lap, so my mom took him out of the sanctuary so that I could hear the sermon.  After the service she said, "You need to meet someone."  Apparently this church sent off a missionary family with 3 kids to Chiang Mai, Thailand in 2013 (and they homeschool!).  We were introduced to the mom of one of the missionaries.  How cool!

Our family (minus Max) making snow angels on the frozen lake!

2) It snows A LOT here!  As a result, church was cancelled one Sunday, so we drove until we found a church that was open.  While walking past their missionary board I saw a picture of a missionary we met in Thailand!  Ken and I were shocked, but the story gets better.  During the "greet your neighbor" part of the church service, the woman next to me introduced herself as the pastor's wife. I asked her about the missionary to Thailand and she said, "Yes!  We are her sending church!"  We were so encouraged by seeing God's hand again!

3) We recently joined a homeschool co-op and presented our ministry to close to 200 people there.  One woman stopped by and we chit-chatted a bit. We have a mutual friend in common (a new friend of mine) AND she knows 2 missionary families that we have been in contact with in Chiang Mai!  After a bit more conversing we realized that she lives about 5 minutes from us and has a boy that is Jack's age.  (Thank you to those of you who have been praying for friendships for us!)

Jack isn't in pain...his eyes are sensitive to the camera flash :)

4) We took Callie and Jack sledding at a nearby park.  Within 2 minutes of being there I met a woman and we talked for about 20 minutes.  She knows the missionary family stationed in Chiang Mai, sent from the church we are attending!  She also lives about 5 minutes from us and attends a local church and wants to get together some time and introduce us to her neighbor (who runs the children's programs at her church and has 3 boys of her own.)

There are good things around every corner!

These are just a few examples of the Lord placing people in our path to confirm our call and encourage us forward.   We're excited to grow where He's planted us right now and look forward to more outreach and perhaps discipling opportunities.

DIY Snowman game

We've been studying "weather" in school right now.  Today I came across a bag of cotton balls, so I made this counting game to teach Callie number recognition. It should be an easy game to make in Thailand when we won't have snow!

1. First I took an empty oatmeal container and made a face and buttons with markers.  I added a scarf (we used a pair of doll tights!)
2. Dump the "snowballs" on the ground.  (You could have older kids explain how snow is made).
3. Roll the dice (this is a wooden cube with stickers, but any dice would work).
   
   
4. Count out the number of snowballs you rolled and put (or toss) them in the snowman.
5. Continue doing this, taking turns. You must get the EXACT number to end the game.                 
   

   

   Callie rolled a 2!  She wins!

                            
6. Whoever gets the last of the snowballs in snowman wins and gets to put his "hat" on (the lid).

                 It's just a simple game, but the kids asked to play it again:)