What busy happy days!

Well, we haven't posted for a long time, and a lot has happened in the last few weeks. So here are quite a few pictures of life at our house!

Grandpa and Grandma Wenger came for almost a week, and we sure had a good time! The girls loved coloring with Grandma. . . And Grandpa and Grandma took us many fun places as well, to the plaza, the zoo, the "playground restaurant" etc. . . We were glad that Grandpa and Grandma Wenger could be here for Elisabeth's 6th birthday! Here are Elisabeth and Mama making her choice of chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting and M & M's. Then right after Grandpa and Grandma Wenger left, we headed out for the long trip to Lima by road. We had an enjoyable trip with Anna, Serenity, and Merlin. . . but then had a sad good-bye! Sniff, sniff. . . we miss them lots! Thanks for your months of love and service! Lima was HOT. But thankfully we got all of Isaiah's documents done, as well as many other documents that we needed to work on taken care of. Praise the Lord!!

Then we picked up Grandma Howe, Helena Howe and Rebekah Esh in Lima and brought them back with us. We spent a happy 10 days with Betsie's Mom. Here she is making cookies with the children. We also went on a picnic with Bob and Noel Rich, the missionaries that we are staying with. They are almost like a second set of grandparents to our children, so it was a special day.

Here are Helena, Betsie's 18 year old sister, and 19 yr. old Rebekah Esh, who plan on heading back to Velille with us for the next 5 months. Helena, Betsie, Samuel, and Rebekah making supper. Charo and Hipolito came over to meet Betsie's Mom. It was a nice last visit before they headed back to Velille, where they only plan to spend a couple of weeks then head on to the jungle for the year. We may not have much contact with them in the next year. Please pray that the Lord keeps on working in their hearts. We are so glad to see them continuing to seek Him. Here we are with our sons, Gadiel 3 weeks and Isaiah 6 weeks.

Grandma got quite the pictures here. . . A picture of all four children:

Samuel says, "I'm bored."

"But what is this? Tickle, tickle tickle. . . "

"Now this is fun!"

Poor Isaiah! You have to grow up fast with 3 older brothers and sisters!

But snuggling with Grandma is still a safe and happy place to be! At 6 weeks old, Isaiah is quite chubby! Here he is in a sweater that his Great-great-Grandma knitted in her 90's! Special! ..................... And that is all for now!

Charo and Hipolito with their new son, Gadiel.

Thank you for your prayers - Gadiel was delivered by C-section on Thursday, March 6th. We were able to be alongside them for their 6 day hospital stay, and are so glad to be able to tell you that Mother and Baby are fine. Please do pray that Charo would continue to heal well. . . . Pray too that this whole time would be drawing them to the Lord! He has had such mercy on them! Praise His Name!

Here is 2 day old Gadiel next to 3 1/2 week old Isaiah. Three weeks sure makes a difference at this stage! Though they were less than a pound apart at birth, by this picture they were already about 4 pounds different! Two sweet little boys!

For the "Greats" with LOVE!

(In case you wonder about the title! These pictures are put on here just especially for you great-grandparents! With both sets of parents visiting in the next couple of weeks, I, (Betsie) might not have taken the time to post these pictures. . . if I hadn't known how much you great-grandparents enjoy these pictures! So here are some just for you to enjoy! We love you!) Elisabeth loves to hold 3 week old Isaiah. He is wearing another Peruvian baby outfit that we got as a baby gift from a poor native Sister from the church here. It has been a real blessing to see the love of the Brothers and Sisters here at the church in Arequipa over this special time in our lives. We continue to enjoy getting to know the church family here, (we have stayed in the Rich's apartment off and on for a week or two several times over the last 6 years.)

Susanna, at 3 1/2 is our sweet sunshine! The other day she was talking excitedly about something that she wanted to tell, "All the English speakers back in Velille!" (She still speaks English better than Spanish.) We asked her puzzledly WHO were "all the English speakers" back in Velille? She instantly exclaimed, "Monkey!" (her dog) than added after a moment, "And Sandia, (the cat) and allll my guinea pigs too!" Smile!

"I need a Haircut!"

"Much Better!" (Don't you think so?)

A sleeping darling!

Isaiah is growing so fast!

At 3 weeks old, he weighed 10 1/2 pounds, since he was 7 lbs 11 oz. at birth, that nearly 3 lb increase means he is growing almost a pound a week! As you can see, he is almost too big for his little "tote" cradle already! We have to lay him in diagonally now! Thankfully we have a larger tote waiting in Velille to be his cradle!

Smile!

We enjoy his one little dimple on his left cheek :)

Here he is happy in Susanna's arms.

The first time that I tied Isaiah on my back, all three children wanted to tie their babies and stuffed animals on their backs too! Once we get back to Velille, carrying Isaiah this way will probably be a daily thing!