Sept thru the Tober

I'm going to combine September and October pictures together so I feel sorta kinda caught up. :) So here's what our life (normally-kinda) looks like here lately.

School is in full swing. I teach every Wed. and Thurs. from 8:30-10:30. I love my walks to school, and seeing my 6th grade class for Art. They are such a great group of kids and I'm so thankful that Andy can stay at home with our little Z's during that time.  Andy did start teaching an SAT prep class a couple days a week too, which he has also loved seeing the kids and other teachers at the school.

When Andy is not at school he is either up in our spare bedroom studying language, doing shopping runs, or going to visit his K. friends. His favorite visits are with our neighbor, Fallah to the University where he teaches.

Andy also does a few Physical Therapy Treatments a week. If you remember this boy that you prayed for last year. Be encouraged because he made huge improvements from the last time Andy saw him and we were able to pray and thank God with him for his healing grace on his arm!

I spend the rest of my weeks looking something like this.......

But Henry and his mommy come over once a week to play, nap, and talk. :)

We try to get together with our team at least once or twice a week. Here's all the ladies....

and here's the men!

Weekends are Friday and Saturday here.... Usually we try to take a Sabbath Friday morning. Starts by making a yummy breakfast (these 2 months we almost always ate outside)

Then during Zephie's am nap we listen to a Grace community church, or John Piper message. Then we EACH can pick something we want to do- burden free. Zander almost always chooses a video. I usually pick uninterupted online time (reading blogs: obviously not updating my own, pinterest, meal planning, etc) Andy usually does a project or plays guitar.

In the afternoon we try to do something fun out of the house or go out to eat....  This day has been so important to us spiritually and emotionally as a family here.

Saturday's (before basketball camp started) were spent going to fellowship (house church) in the morning then usually something "cultural" that afternoon....

HIGHLIGHTS from Sept thru the Tober.

* We traveled to Erbil for a little "get out of duhok trip" we were able to hang with a couple other families while we were there and a huge highlite..... ordering a LATTE at a pretty legit coffee shop! Ahhhhh.... 

* SGI also came to visit us this month! We LOVE and APPRECIATE every chance we get to spend time with them. We truly admire and respect all they do. While they were here we ate REALLY well, visited Alqosh (ancient monastary here, tomb of prophet Nahum in the village) 

went on a sunrise hike 

Played games, had a campfire, and laughed a lot!

*Basketball Camp with CSM kids started middle of October. We do one session with girls which I am in charge of but get the help of Helen, Sarah, and a national teacher.

Then two boys sessions which Andy leads but has John and other male coaches help out as well.

This has been super fun, we have even learned the mental toughness of playing in the rain :)  We'll see what God has in store for us regarding basketball in this city in months to come!?!?

Thanks for reading and looking at this long update! :) Actually I didn't include the last week of October because that's an update in itself... so Good-Bye for now! 

Buh- Bye

The Capture

It's been crazy looking back at these pictures from this past summer. One of my favorite things about pictures is how they can capture a memory, actually more times than that they help to HAVE a memory. I would often forget events, people, sites if it weren't for pictures.  So I try to remember my camera often to try and capture that photo that I will look back on time and time again to help me to remember. Here, Zander and I often sit down in front of Picasa and look back on pictures from Iowa (one of the reasons I think he has such a great memory of people and places)

Another funny thing about pictures is how we tend to look like this.....

and think Wow what a great time we had.  It was beautiful that day, hiking in the mountains with our great friends, what a great memory.  But really what we didn't keep or capture, was this part of the hike......

 REALITY! A whining, tired little boy.  Parents who are frustrated most of the hike because they wish their boy would "QUIT WHINING"  He is just better at showing outwardly what is going on in that little heart of his.

That's exactly how I felt looking back at this summer, creating a few collages to help remember our times. I feel happy looking back at the memories we were able to have in Iowa. Thinking wow, what an amazing life we have that God has so graciously given us.  But often I wonder.... Was I really living in THAT captured moment?   Or were the cares of the world, or the fear of man, or my mind on other things I felt like were important.  I want to slow down, enjoy life, enjoy the moment, be IN the moment.

May God give me eyes to see, a heart that is thankful, and a mind that can remember His goodness.... with or without a camera.

Ms. Zephie: 11 months

Grandma... Do these bambi sheets look familiar? I found them here at a second hand market! I just had to get them because they reminded me of you!

 Not quite walking yet. Cruisin' along very contently though!

and "helping" mom in the kitchen frequently. 

 Giggles alot at Zander

Zander ignores her about 5% of the time, then makes her cry about 45% of time, BUT then makes up for it by loving her about 50% of the time.

We all love this precious girl!

11 months old already! Love you Sweets! 

I mean look at what a big girl she is! 

Arriving in Duhok Aug. 2012

On August 24th, 2012 we left Iowa for the 3rd time to go to Iraqi Kurdistan. 

Typical travel posture.... with not enough leg-room for Bishop legs. Trying not to covet 1st class recliners :)

It was Zephie's 10 month birthday on the second half of our travel day so she wore her little 10 month old onesie to celebrate!  It was of course a long day, but thankful for God's grace throughout the day!

The site that we are about to land in Iraq. Lots of emotions when we see this...... but mostly causes us to say "Hallelujah, Glory be to our Great God"

After we landed, we were greeted by a familiar face (always a blessing in itself) who had a bus ready to take us to Duhok. We loaded our bus that only had one thing missing.... Our other teammates, The Nelson family :( So it was our family, and Helen and Sarah with all our luggage.

A few of the sites on our way to Duhok......

 (photo collage by Sarah)

We were immediately welcomed by our excited neighbors with "Chowani?" (How are you?) 

 It was so wonderful to come into our home, that had beds made, and in pretty decent order. (Thanks to our last year's roommate, Emily)  It made it much easier to get back in the swing of things. 

Then the Nelson's arrived.... Zephie was really excited to be reunited with her little buddy again :)

In the first couple weeks.....

We brushed up on some Kurdish

Ate at some of our favorite although quirky restaurants

Breathed in lots of hot-dusty air while we went shopping for some of the main necessities.

We tried to get our kids to know the difference from night and day. The first couple of weeks are always rough with little sleep, so we tried to get outside during the day as much as possible and enjoy the city.

No strollers or car so lots of walking with my little cuddle love. 

Here's to the start of a new year in Duhok... doing ministry and life with these rock stars!

August 2012

K- this is REE-DIC-U-LOUS-LY LATE..... but it's done for the "scrap-book"

The last month of our time in Iowa for summer 2012 was one filled with vacation, family, and friends.  Not to mention moving once again.

First off, we went to Colorado (most of the pictures were in my "Ada Post" but another HUGE highlight of our trip was to see one of my bestie high school friends, Erin and her new little baby boy, Camden who was less than a month old at the time: I can't believe I didn't get a picture of him :( but here's us girls!

Not sure which picture to call "normal" for us?

On the way home from Colorado, we stopped at Omaha Zoo and had a blast!

The next weekend, we enjoyed a total chill weekend with the Bishop's for last time in 10 months.........

Then it was the Kriener Family's turn.....

Here are some more highlights from our time in Iowa during August. 

then.... our last few days.... movin' and packin' but still enough time for some fishin'!

Next stop.... Iraqi Kurdistan