Photobook of snow fun pics

Make a Smilebox photobook

Last Day of November Snow Fall

What a great way to start a Sunday morning! The snowfall was absolutely beautiful. Large flakes drifting to the ground. The snow heavy on the trees and evergreens as we headed into town, totally awesome. Pastor Viars said, from the pulpit, that the snowfall is thrilling the Stilwell children and that the congregation would gladly endure foot after foot of it for us. When he asked them if that was right many said, "no." Ha! I cracked up laughing. Of course in that service there are several senior citizens who don't really want any snow. As you can see the children took advantage of the snow this afternoon. It is a very wet snow so it made great snowmen. I think we are going to have to invest in snowpants for them. My mom had 2 pairs of boots so the girls each had a pair on. They, Ben, nor I have boots yet. That will be a need to fulfill this week.

Snow, Sledding, Sore

First time to touch snow in 5 years!

What goes down must come back up again.

Benjamin tries out the snowboard, pretty cool!

Jacob absolutely loves the snow and sledding.

It isn't ice cream but it is cold!

I know for many of you, snow is the last thing you want; in our case we are more than anxiously awaiting it. We had our wish come true this past weekend. We were ecstatic to arrive at Hills Corners Bible Baptist Church in Buchanan, MI and find about 6 inches of snow on the ground. An early snow for them? Yes, but what a blessing for us. Another huge blessing was the wonderful family we stayed with. They have 3 young girls and 2 older sons still at home. Their girls were wonderful in getting my children outfitted for sledding. Sledding!!! Yes!!!! The children spent about an hour on Saturday night and about 2 hours on Sunday afternoon sledding til their hearts content. Yes, they came in cold and sore but quite happy. We can't wait for more. Last night on our drive home from there we did drive through some heavy snowfall, that wasn't as fun but the children said it was like Star Wars and going into "hyperspeed." Now to invest in some snow boots!

One Foot to Stand On

For those of you that follow us, you know that I have an ongoing saga with my feet. My feet were not shaped right at birth. During my early childhood years I wore corrective casts, braces, etc. but to no avail. In 4th grade they did corrective surgery to straighten my left foot. The right foot needed to be done but the surgery was so painful that I refused to have it done. I have had various injuries and problems over the years. Over the past 2 years I have had pain in my right heel and arch. I have very high arches as well. Finally after various steroid injections, corrective boots, ice, etc. I, yesterday, had plantar fascitis surgery. I am so excited to be able, hopefully, walk without pain. I am on crutches for 2 weeks then back in the boot for another 2 weeks. I may have the other foot done before we go back to Peru in July since it also is bothering me. The bummer of it all is that I can't be in the kitchen working on Thanksgiving goodies.

Rebekah's 14th Birthday

Happy Birthday Rebekah Jo! We love you!!

Rebekah and her Grandma Johnston

Wow, it has been quite a long year for Rebekah and she is looking forward to a new year. It is hard to believe she is 14 today. It was definitely a different birthday for her. At school signs were put up all over the place (it had a picture on it from when she was 3), she received balloons during her study hall (from her mom), they sang to her at lunch, and everywhere she went someone was telling her happy birthday. Pretty cool, I think! After school we went to the community center and swam then headed to Subway, her favorite restaurant, for supper. After supper we headed back to the school for the Marroon and Gold games where the men teachers played the varsity guys basketball team, the lady teachers played the varsity girls. Other teachers were cheerleaders while the real cheerleaders were also present. Since Steve and Molly and the cousins joined us that made the time extra special. The girls spent a lot of time running on the walk/run tract up above the basketball court. After the games we headed out for ice cream. We closed that place down! Then, we took Rebekah and Abigail to Uncle Steve's house where they had a sleep over with their cousins. It was a full, great day for her. She received nice gifts, more grown up gifts too. She is a wonderful daughter who loves her Lord very much. Please continue to pray for her, she sees the hand surgeon again on December 1 when a plan for surgeries will be made. She is ready to have her hand look as normal as possible again. Oh, her nickname at school is...JH or Jelly Hand. Now don't be shocked. One friend asked her why the graft side was so squishy and she told him it was filled with blueberry jelly, hence jelly hand which has been shortened to JH. Soon that JH should be going away.

Krispy Kremes donuts for breakfast

Her birthday balloons

My beautiful girl

The new FCS cheerleaders

Rebekah, Abigail, and Lili with the Eagle

Ice Cream, yes, even when it is COLD outside

Ben and Tali are always hangin' together. Here she confiscated his fruit drink :)

Even Caleb woke up for ice cream!

Jacob doesn't usually hang with the girls :)

Craft fun

It has been pretty crazy around here lately. We have been traveling a lot and Rebekah especially has had lots of homework. We decided that today would be a fun day. We would do some crafts. Since David and Benjamin traveled it would be an even better day for crafts. Rebekah made an elegant Christmas wreath, Jacob made a fun Christmas wreath and Abigail made a Thanksgiving wreath. It did take as long as I had hoped but they enjoyed it none the less.

Football fan

Jacob is big time lovin' football these days. He has quite a good throwing arm. Thanks to a gift from one of our supporting churches he was able to buy this outfit. Go Colts!!