MK Christmas Special--Elementary Musical

 Last week was the elementary Christmas musical: "The MK Christmas Special."  Here are the students practicing for one last run-through before the big show on Friday night!

Here is a photo that I smile at.  Mr. Becker is directing there, and in front of him is our son, Elijah!  It is the first performance in 9 years here that our son is actually in the program!

 Father and son, matching outfits!  Elijah and I both spotted this shirt in the store, and we knew we had to buy it!  Now they can be twins!

 On the day of the performance it was Miss Roseboom's birthday party in Kinder class.  Elijah is sitting at the far table with the light blue shirt.  Notice that Malachi and Luke wanted to join the class and are sharing a chair as guests.

What a blessing Miss R has been to our school this year, and especially to our firstborn son!

 Malachi loves to bake!  Here are the gingerbread boys ready to share at "Elijah's concert".

On our way to the concert--3 ladies, 3 trays of cookies and 3 kids!

 Let the show begin!  When I see pictures like this I still praise God for His provision of an auditorium with stage, lights and sound!  We did this same musical 8 years ago on wooden platforms on a covered court outside.  What a difference!  Thank you, Lord!

It was great to do the "MK Christmas Special"especially since it teaches our "missionary kids" that there are others like them in other countries around the world, like Latin America, Africa and Australia.

The music was powerful in teaching the kids (and audience) many of the names of Jesus that we can worship: "Jesus the Bread of Life", "Jesus the King of Kings", and "Jesus the Living Water", to name a few!  It was precious to hear our Malachi learning the songs at home too, and his eyes fixated on the performers.

 "Mama is proud of you, Elijah!"

A fun preschool photo of our gingerbread house activity.  Let the count-down to Christmas begin!  Merry Christmas everyone!  We are thankful for YOU!

Totally Christmas

 A week has already flown by since the performance of "Totally Christmas"!  Nate and his high school vocal music students worked hard to prepare for this special night.

Aldeza, Amor and I also performed that night!  I did sign language worship to "Wonderful, Counselor..." and the 2 ladies did a few worship dances to other songs.  Lovely to praise the Lord with dance and singing!

 I love this one with the ribbon dance.

 Candles are always lovely!

Mr. Becker--what a handsome director!  I love to be his wife!

 Later that week, Malachi and I went to choose a Christmas tree.  "Hmmm, should we pick a pink tree? Purple? Blue??  Black???"

Malachi was excited about the cute little green "Linus" tree--2 feet tall for 45 pesos ($1).  He had fun decorating it at home in his room with lights and ornaments!

 Here's our 4 kids decorating our living room for Christmas.  Malachi is working on setting up the nativity, Elijah is sporting the Santa hat while putting ornaments and lights on the little 3 foot 99 peso tree, and Luke is sharing something with Emily.

The boys put "Baby Jesus" on Emily's lap.  She's wondering, 'Hm, what are these crazy brothers up to behind me?"  Fun kids!

For a great free song praising Jesus for this advent, go download this for yourself.  I love this one:

http://thegospelcoalition.org/exultinthesaviorsbirth/

Cornets, Clarinets and Claves in Concert Concoction

 Last Friday Nate directed the middle school band concert.  It is so exciting to see the band program growing and the students learning so much music!  I am so proud of Nate!  Thank you, Lord!

 Thank you for partnering with us in teaching these students.  We get to help them in their formative years develop as musicians and as young Christians.

 Pray that another fine arts teacher will be able to come join us here at Faith Academy Mindanao.  Nate has had a full load this year doing everything in the department from grades K-12.

Pray also for Nate for his heart to be strengthened by grace and to grow in faith.  Pray for health and stamina to continue in this ministry.  Pray for our family to continue to stay unified in Christ and keep Jesus at the center!

Concert--Chiortastic Improvarama

 Nate's vocal music concert was a fun evening mixed with some improv from the drama class.  It was a smaller setting, almost like a relaxed Sunday evening in the living room.

 My limited artistic skills include cutting paper with scissors and using tape.  (You may recall my costumes during spirit week!).

 I am much better at singing than decorating.  It was fun to join Nate and the students in the"8 bar canon blues".

 This is a pic of Nate warming up his students in his classroom.  What a great bunch of mostly-Korean MKs!

 The love-birds!

I posted an album on facebook, so pardon my delay in blogging!  Sometimes I blog first and then forget the Facebook...some people do both, some only do one.  I am trying to keep up with the "languages" you all speak in the West!  Thanks for reading!  Another post coming soon (Sorry to my cousin, who said of my blogging "when it rains, it pours"--that is true!).

Mother's Day, Random Recent and Last week of School

Here's some random recent pics starting at the end of Elijah's birthday and just before Luke's birthday.  I post this one for my mom so she can see the fun of getting the package for Elijah's birthday.  

Nate and the 3 boys! 

 Mother's Day was a very special one for me--maybe even my best one ever.  Nate woke up early, got the boys ready and made breakfast.  (Notice he put the "I love mom" shirt on Luke that we got from the Becker clan when Elijah was his age).  Cute how he dressed the older two in matching shirts (presents from Grandma Becker--thank you!).  

Look at the card Elijah is holding...amazing.  Nate got paper, markers and scissors and had the boys do an activity to make me cards, all while I got to sleep in!  Excellent!  Then later they each got me a balloon and you cannot see my roses in the picture because Luke is blocking them, but very lovely.  I can imagine how cute the picture would have been of them all on the bike each holding a balloon and Nate holding flowers.  Precious!

On his own initiative Malachi noticed the dishes needed to be washed, so he got an apron on, moved a chair over to the sink and actually spent an hour washing dishes with bubbles.  So sweet! Little servant.  Love you, Malachi!  This guy is only 3! 

 Luke got a haircut finally, so I had to take his picture.  He loves to play piano and play the "Low notes".  What a musical guy!

One day E and M were playing nicely without fighting for more than an hour.  Wonderful blessing--thank you, Lord!  I thought it was SO cute how they decided the couch cushion was a big ferry boat and they had loaded all their cars onto the boat--working together and sharing.  Photo moment!  (We do not have photos of all the other fights and grabbing, so let's remember this is a unique photo moment!).

This was our last week of school.  Here Mr. Becker is leading the high school instrumental music class final performance.  I'm so proud of my man!  So handsome! 

 I loved the flute "octet" (though one girl was missing).  There was a great variety of ensembles and music.  Well done! 

 A unique chance to have a brass ensemble--they also played for the graduation ceremony.  I loved the Tuba--so smooth and a great foundation.  These instruments still remind me to praise God for His provision of each one (and the stage also!).  Thank you, Lord!

The other day Malachi spent literally 45 minutes in his room trying to dress himself.  He kept saying, "Mommy, close your eyes, don't look!"  When he finally presented himself I was so proud of him!!  His socks were on inside-out, but it was the first time he ever put socks on himself.  He even chose a matching outfit--I was impressed!  The best is how he preferred to have the buttons going down the back, I couldn't bring myself to make him switch it.  What's the big deal anyway?!  I let him wear it like that the whole day.  Precious boy! 

Graduation!  Congrats!  So fun to have watched these students grow for the past 8 + years.  Now they will part ways and go on to various paths.  Pray they will keep in Step with the Spirit and follow Him wherever He leads.

Mr. Becker got to present the music award to Josiah.  Great job!  

Starfire Night Concert

 Here's some pictures from the Starfire Night Band Concert.  I was so proud of Nate and the students!  What a performance!

 Mr. Becker conducting.  Like the decorations?  My helpers and I helped Nate with that.

 So much energy and joy!  It's great to see my husband thriving at what he does.

 This is how I make it through a concert.  I bring a stroller, two helpers and some suckers.  If you sit through 12 songs you get a sucker.  We sat in the back, and amazingly the boys were quite behaved!  Yay, Papa!  Clap, clap, clap!  It's good for the boys to see what Papa is up to at school!

Here's Nate before the concert in his classroom warming up and coaching the students.  Thanks for all your prayers and encouragement!