Talent Show

Last Friday night we participated in a church wide talent show. Timothy recited Psalm 133. Gabrielle sang a song in Spanish. Raimy did one in English. They all did a fine job. After the whole show was done the Washington’s got up and did a few songs together as the grand finale. We did all the actions and had a great time. Tyler stayed at home. But in the next few days he tried out some talents. We are sure that cooking is not one of them. Pepper in the sugar? No thanks. Maybe he should just stick to the technical lean like his father. After all he is not even two yet and he knows how to run the DVD player.

Enjoy the slide show!

Doing What They Do

My ten year old trying her hand at oils for the first time. She is an artist. Her preferred style of expression is pencil drawing. But anything pertaining to creative arts is her outlet. She loves dance, music, painting, crafts, clay, sewing, drama, making books and whatever else she can do to create.


My eight year old doing a word find. These or sudukos are his choice these days. Anything that is building or constructing he enjoys as well. I am amazed at what he can do with his legos and other building sets. He is a thinker.


My six year old doing her lessons in school. She is a worker. She says to me, "Mama, I want to work hard in school today." Her undaunted approach to tackling problems is inspiring. I am wondering what God is going to do with her life. It will be amazing to see, I am sure.


My eighteen month old licking a book. So far he has tasted: deodorant, hand lotion, crayons, bubbles, all the furniture in the house, door handles, books, and seat belts. I can't complain because this flows over into his eating of actual food too. He will eat anything!

This was a glimpse at what my kids like doing. What did you do today that was YOU?

Laguna de Alalay

Yesterday for Fun Friday we went to the Laguna de Alalay, a man made lake in the South part of the town here in Cochabamba. Since it was Good Friday there were many families out walking, biking, playing soccer, picnicking, and fishing. My kids especially enjoyed forging a way to the shore line. It was hard to find because parts were flooded and overgrown. I let them take the lead exploring and eventually we made it through. There were piles of old lily pads that had been pulled out from last season that we had to climb over. The fish water smell was not as strong thanks to the breeze. Wild horses grazed on the banks as the men with bamboo poles waded in knee deep to catch fish for their families seated on the grass under the shade of the trees. There was even a man selling ice-cream out of his styrophome chest. The kids pulled up the large water plants and inspected the long hair like roots. God really has surrounded us with fascinating creations. As evening set in the mosquitoes awoke and were hungry so we left. As we were walking to the truck my son pronounces, “Thanks for a very fun Fun Friday mom!”

Yay for Art Day

Thursdays are Art Day here at our home school. We have been having a good time creating together. Usually some of the kids of another home school family who live a few blocks away walk down to do the art project with us. It makes for a fun time for everyone involved (teacher included). So far we have made: me posters, rubbings collections, potato prints, slot sculptures, color spinner pull yo-yos, and woven paper. Each week we learn an art vocabulary word. I make the oversized vocab cards with card stock. The top line is the term, the second line is the definition and finally the card has an example of the term. Some of my projects I find at the Art Attack web site. I love art!


Getting all set up


Raimy with some of the vocabulary cards


Gabrielle working hard


Timothy finishing up


Aren't they lovely?! (The art is pretty nice too)

My Eight Year Old Boy

Yesterday I took the kids up on a mountain for our first Fun Friday field trip. I let them take pictures and we will be posting their slide shows on our family site. I got some great pictures of Timothy while we were up there. I think that eight year old boys are some of my most favorite people in the world.

Peanut’s Plan

Last night my four little nuts and I were eating our dinner. I said, “Guys, after you go to bed tonight…”

Peanut-butter interrupts rolling her eyes with a little grin on her face, “I know, I know. You are going to go out.”

“I know where she is going! She is going to see papa bowling!” Peanut-man declared triumphantly.

“Nu-uh! You don’t know!” Peanut-butter stated trying to get the upper hand.

Peanut, ever the peacemaker, raised her voice above the din of the argument brewing across the table, “There is a way we can know! In the morning we can go into mama and papa’s room. If there is a trophy there that means that papa was bowling!”

Cheers of approval from both sides of the table revealed their enthusiasm as to the validity and rightness of this plan to verify mama and papa’s extracurricular activities. The unanimous observation was completely founded on logic (in their heart): If papa is indeed bowling then a trophy will be the sure proof of this activity.

In conclusion: Papa bowling = a trophy won.

All in their jammies this morning my little nuts gathered around the gleaming white trophy in the shape of a bowling pin. The comments were varied.

“You got another one?” Peanut-butter clarified.

“How many of those do you have now?” Peanut asked with proud grin on her face.

“Is this one bigger than the last one?” Peanut-man implored with eyes wide inspecting the first-place, city-wide championship prize.

Nutmeg just watched and listened, contented to be in the middle of the mix as his papa showed the trophy to his ever adoring and most faithful fans. Someday they might actually get to see him win one of those things; when the championship is not held past their bed-time.

Birthday Boy

I think 8 year olds are some of the most wonderful creations God decided to place on his great green earth. Really, it is such a fun age. Well today my Timothy is now 8! Here is a picture of him at the restaurant of his choice Panchita, a chicken joint with a huge play area to crawl around in. His lunch is nuggets and fries on top of his pop; the straw sticks up through so you can sip while you munch. To see a video of his record obstacle course run click through to our family blog here.

Like This Child

Gabrielle and Timothy on the walking trail this winter.

Basement Beginnings - 4

Part 4 – Santa Cruz, Bolivia
(Maids quarters)

Youth is marked by three outstanding characteristics: invincibility, omniscience and hope. Without these one would never risk it all in pursuit of a passion. The Neverlands and Narnias, Wonderlands and Lands of Oz would never be discovered were it not for these three magical spells that have been spoken over all wide-eyed girls and boys.

DaRonn and I were enchanted and our mysterious land yet to be discovered was Bolivia. After a 10 day trip with a group from church to help with a crusade in the spring of 2001 we were ever so much more convinced that we were to spend our internship time in Santa Cruz, Bolivia with a missionary couple that were connected with Tulsa’s Victory Christian Center. They graciously extended the invitation for us to come and we spent the summer months in preparation.

A few significant things took place. In July we decided that if we were really going to live overseas fully supported by donations then we must practice now; so DaRonn stopped working his temp jobs that he might dedicate his full attention to the fund-raising process. August brought us our third child; she was 10 weeks old when we moved to Bolivia. In September the twin towers were hit; thus changing airport procedures forever.

We were red-flagged because of the five one way tickets we had purchased for our family. Our bags and babies were searched at every checkpoint. I landed in humid Santa Cruz exhausted and hoarse after the journey that took close to 24 hours. Trying to make use of all our carry-on and check-on privileges we had checked 13 duct-taped rubber tubs and had 10 hand bags. Three-year-old Raimy and two-year-old Timothy each had a little rolling bag to tote around. I had the baby on a front pack and a back-pack on the back keeping my hands free for my toddlers. DaRonn carried the rest.

We left October 31 and landed November 1, Bolivia’s “Day of the Dead” on which they celebrate their dead ancestors by visiting the grave sites and sharing a meal together, leaving the leftovers for the spirits to enjoy. How odd it was as we drove into the city to look around and see every person dressed in black. Due to the fact that I had completely lost my voice I was unable to carry on a conversation with the missionary that had kindly picked us up from the airport. I was left to my thoughts. The main theme running through my mind was, “These people need Jesus.”

The missionaries had benevolently offered for us to stay with them until we could find our own place. The home they lived in, along with their four children, was in a neighborhood with dirt roads and high walls around all the houses. We were directed to a room behind their small place in the maid’s quarters. There was a bathroom attached to it. A double bed and a small table took up three fourths of the room. There was a closet and some wicker furniture as well. This was to be our home for the next six weeks. We shared it with the mosquitoes, spiders, quite an impressive variety of ants, biting flies, lizards, and scorpions.

Our next two years in that city were filled with adventures and challenges that could cover many pages. We were placed over the bible school operations, a public school outreach program and the children and nursery at the church. This couple had founded all of this work in the seven years they had been there at the time of our arrival. All the while we were learning Spanish and learning the Bolivian culture. Our internship was useful and I am grateful for it.

We knew that eventually we were going to launch out with a separate work. The instances that led to this breaking away will be saved for a later date. Suffice it to say that I am happy that we left the “maid’ quarters” stage of our missionary career. Cochabamba was the next destination as we packed up to move in November of 2003.

Funny Fruit - Pacai

About 6 or 7 soft, fuzzy, little, white pillows of fruit pods make up the pacai. There is a bit of juice and a big black seed in the middle of each pod. The outside looks like tree bark. The taste is sweet. It is the best straight from the tree and warmed up by the sun.

Roots and the Jungle

These past 2 weeks I have been working at decorating my boys' room. I still have a couple things to hang on the walls; but the main part is done. I painted a picture of a jungle. It matches the quilt that my aunt made for Tyler when he was born.


The fact that I am decorating my home shows that I have matured. Before, I had a nomadic attitude. I didn't believe in decorating. I didn't want to put down any kind of root because I thought it would hurt too much if I had to pull them up for some reason. But this attitude touched some dangerous areas that went much deeper than simply not decorating the house. I guarded myself from making any friendships. Thus I isolated myself. I mistakenly assumed that I would be fine if "Jesus was my only friend". God graciously helped me to grow up and value the human relationships I have. He is helping me now to learn how to be a good friend. I am so grateful to Him that He has also brought to me good friends.


So, the fact that I have painted the boys' room shows that I am not afraid of putting down roots. I am pleased with the results. Timothy helped me paint the little yellow squares on the sides. The middle section is about 150 cm (almost 4 foot) tall.

Funny Fruit - Pomelo

One of my friends from the States came with me to do my Saturday market shopping this weekend. It was interesting seeing familiar things through new eyes. We had fun. And we found a great funny fruit that I thought would be fun to share.

This is a grape fruit! It is huge. The taste was the same as any other grape fruit. It was not as juicy as I expected; but I did get 2 cups (500 ml) of juice squeezed out of it. There was only one seed in the whole thing. I was reminded of the story in the bible when the spies came back from the Promised Land describing the huge fruit that they found. This was probably something like what they saw.

In Bolivia this fruit is called Pomelo.

A seven year old boy’s philosophy about extra terrestrials

So this morning my son made me an origami Tulip from the kit that he got this Christmas. Thus began the discussion about this type of flower. My five year old girl was convinced that this type of flower did not exist because she had never seen one before. So I explained that Tulips didn’t grow here usually. And she asked, “They grow on another planet?” I said no, they grow mostly in a place called Holland. She said, “The planet Holland?” she is my kidder. Timothy, my seven year old, found it necessary to interject, “No. There is nothing on the other planets. God just made them because He wanted to.”

teeth

Here are the fun before and after shots of the happy day when two of my kiddos lost teeth, last Friday afternoon. Raimy was so glad that this tooth didn't hurt at all. Timothy didn't want to be left in the dust so he worked on his tooth and finally yanked it out when he was supposed to be going to sleep. They are such dolls!