Malachi's 3rd Birthday--Niagara Falls

 Malachi is 3 years old!  What a precious boy!  I love you, Malachi Tyndale!

 After staying with other people for most of the months of June, July and August, we were thankful to have 2 nights just the Beckers 5!  What a gift!  Thank you,  Lord!  Your creation is breathtaking!  Nate and I were here 4 years ago on our 3rd wedding anniversary.  We had baby Elijah with us.  Now in the same place we have 3 boys!

 The place is for tourists, but I have noticed how many things in the world are clamoring for my attention.  You have to get through the gauntlet of greed to finally reach the glory of God's creation at the falls!  Lord, please don't let my heart get drawn to the world, but keep my eyes on Jesus!

 4 years ago in this same place....a special place with my special man!

 Oh, another special little man, Malachi!  Happy birthday son!  Mama loves you!

CLICK TO SEE CANDLES, PRESENTS and RAINCOATS

Good-bye to Pennsylvania

 Our time in Pennsylvania has come to a close.  It seems like a REALLY long time ago that we left.  So much has happened since then.  But I had no internet time to blog.  I hope you enjoy just 4 pics of our last days there.

Good-bye Grandma and Grandpa Becker and Grandma Maynard!  We love you and miss you!!!  Thank you for everything, and you know how long that list is!!

Boston, MA & Ottawa, Canada

I got to take a 5 day trip by myself!  It was a lot of driving, but it was definitely worth it for several reasons.  One blessing was that just before sunset I reached the Atlantic Ocean!  I could smell it before I even got a glimpse!

It's not enough to see it.  I had to touch my feet in the waves.  I would have loved to walk along the beach at sunset with Nate, but he was holding the fort down with the boys back in PA.

That first night I had the blessing of visiting one of our former students at Gordon College.  Then the next day I found myself in Boston!  I got to hear a long-time friend preach and then at another church I heard another friend leading worship.  I'll let them remain anonymous, but thank you, friends, for the warm welcome!  I praise God for the ministry you have!

I was too tired to drive all the way to Ottawa, so after sleeping in Vermont I woke up at 5 a.m.  I love the "Bonjour!" I got in Quebec!

Friends together again after 4 years and 5 kids.  It was great to see Triscilla's neighborhood playground and to have fun with her 2 precious girls.

CLICK TO SEE MORE PICS OF CANADA!

Family Times: Dates, Biking and Hiking

Nate and I enjoyed a lovely date one evening, just the 2 of us!

 We got tickets to a local music festival, which was excellent!  These musicians pictured are married from Romania.  Mom, I thought you would especially like the passion this guy plays the fiddle with.  Very entertaining!

 This was the best cello quartet I have ever heard.  I was so soothed by the music, it felt almost like I had received a full massage--relaxing!  Perfect ending.

 The boys love to bike, so these are an answer to prayer.  It is funny how the Lord answered our prayers.  The one Elijah is riding here we saw for $5 at a yard sale!  Then we prayed for another one.  We saw a bunch of bikes in someone's back yard, and when we stopped to see the possibilities for borrowing one, it turned out the lady went to our church!  Then we found 2 helmets for sale at the goodwill (E is not shown wearing his!).  Hours of fun.  Thank you, Lord, for answering prayers!

CLICK TO SEE MORE FAM PICS, INCLUDING A HIKE IN THE PA GRAND CANYON

Watkins Glen--Family Day in NY State

 After our road trip East, we had a bonding day at Watkins Glen State Park in New York, just a short drive from our base in Northern PA.  Here are the guys ready for the hike!

 Here's the fam, Nate's parents, and the Beckers 5 (so make that Beckers 7!).  It was a perfect day with great weather, strong bodies to hike and wonderful memories.

 I reached down to grab a walking stick for Malachi, but almost grabbed this instead!  Ah!  A snake eating a frog!  Ewww!  Some of you may wish I hadn't posted that, but for others it will be your favorite picture.  We have to keep the male audience interested you know!

 Here is the beautiful scenery!  Apparently there are 19 waterfalls!

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Eastern US Road Trip--Nate, Jessica and Luke

 August 13-20 Nate and I left our older 2 boys with Grandma and Grandpa Becker, our longest apart from them as 2 parents.  Luke was a peaceful guy, who wouldn't want to be left behind.  We had our map quest print-outs and had finally coordinated with just about everyone we would visit.

 First stop--New York City!  If you read my previous post, you'll see we are staying in a small town.  Amazing the contrast you can see in one day!

 Taxis and bridges--I was sorry Elijah had to miss this.  He would have loved it!
TO SEE MORE PICTURES, INCLUDING DC AND RICHMOND CLICK:

Smalltown, Pennsylvania

I've almost always lived in cities.  The only exception is when I went to college at Briercrest in Canada (lovely town!).

Now for the month of August, I have been getting to know this small town in Northern Pennsylvania.  It is very cute and classic, almost like a setting for a movie.  The Pennsylvania Grand Canyon is nearby, so the tourists keep the town up-to-speed (with things like wireless internet and MacDonald's).

TO READ MORE, INCLUDING A LIST OF SMALL TOWN EXPERIENCES CLICK:

County Fair in PA--Many Firsts!

 It was our first time to a county fair with the boys!  I have tried many times to explain a "Ferris Wheel" to the boys, but this time they actually got to go on one. 

 Malachi peeks over the bar on the ferris wheel.

 Nate and Luke are buddies in green.  See the lovely view beyond?  PA is such a pretty state.

 These really long, fast slides you ride down on a potato sack.  Malachi looks nervous!  CLICK TO SEE MORE PICS FROM THE FAIR

Family Mems in OH and PA

 Nate's sister, also named Jessica, and I!  She is expecting her 3rd son also!  Fun cousins for our 3 boys!

 Malachi and his 2 little cousins feeding the ducks together.  Buddies!

 Nate pushes E and M through the park.  Such great parks in America!

 Malachi is such a fun boy.

 On the road heading through Pittsburgh, PA.  The boys did better than I thought they would.  Praise God for that!  Keep praying for our travels and visits =)

 At Grandma and Grandpa Becker's house in North-western smalltown, PA.  Fun tractor rides with the grandkids.  CLICK TO SEE MORE PICTURES, INCLUDING SOJO's VISIT!

Wood to Fire

"As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,

so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife."
Proverbs 26.21

We had all been at each other's throats for a couple of hours.  It seemed like we were constantly quarreling: Elijah against Malachi, Elijah against me, me against Nate, Malachi smashing Luke...

The 5 of us were in the car and decided to buy firewood for the smores.  While Nate and the 2 boys were out getting the wood, I turned on the Kindle for a few quiet moments alone to resume my Bible reading for the day.

I thought it was totally ironic that

Uninviting or Welcoming?

I was on an early morning walk with Luke through a neighborhood of Ohio, when this sign struck me. It is something I have noticed in American culture that really strikes me as unwelcoming.  I thought, "Gosh, I guess I will stay clear of that area!  I wouldn't want the dog to come get me!"

In Asian culture people are much more welcoming of kids, but in America they seem to be in the way.  I must try to hush them or apologize for them.

In Asia they have a view "There's always room for more", and you can see them squeeze a whole neighborhood of people onto a Jeepney.  In America they ask how many kids you can have based on how many car seats fit in the car.

I'm risking a little here, putting my real thoughts out there on this one, but I am going to give it a shot anyway.

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Ohio---Becker Blast--30 Pics

 For one week we stayed with 5 couples and 5 little kids in this cottage at Maumee Bay State Park in Ohio.  It is bigger inside than it looks outside, though it can be a challenge to sleep under one roof.  Nate's parents were gracious to sleep in the living room!

 It was a joyous reunion--the last one was in 2008 when Elijah was only 2 months old. Now there are 5 grandsons (Grandpa Becker is peeking out below).  This is one of the grandfathers that Luke's middle name, Robert, was named after.  Nate is on the left, Stephen (his bro) in the middle and Tim (his bro-in-law) on the Right.  Malachi pictured also.

 Here's the whole clan!  What a loving family!  We had family devotions and dinner each night.  Then we did various other activities during the week.

CLICK "READ MORE" TO SEE MORE FAMILY PICS FROM OHIO!

4th of July and 7th Anniversary

 The boys had tons of cultural experiences on the 4th of July--their first one in America.  We saw a parade, with floats and tons of interesting things passing.

 They were happy to learn that parades included people throwing candy at them.  Just looking around at all the people and seeing what they wear, what kind of strollers they had and the various tents for shade was a lot of "America" at once for us to take in.

 Malachi wanted to decorate his bike for a parade too!

 That afternoon at Sarah's house the cousins had their own 4th of July parade.  So fun!

 Sisters!  We were so happy to see each other many times while we were based in Omaha.  I love you, S!

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Refreshment in Orlando, FL

 I got to meet John Piper in Orlando, FL!  He has encouraged me so much in my thirst for the Word and in scripture memory.  I am also currently reading "Desiring God" for the first time.  This leader loves the Lord and His glory!  It was neat to sit in the second row right behind him in worship and to know we are all raising our hands to Jesus together.  "The ground is level at the foot of the cross," and yet it still is fun to meet him in person!

 Here is the huge room that I got to sit in for a weekend and just soak in the feast of the Word and in worship!!!  There were 3,800 women who attended "Here is Our God", the first women's conference with "The Gospel Coalition."  I felt like I was under the Niagara falls of spiritual refreshment!  I kept crying at all kinds of random times as I feasted and worshiped and soaked it in.  Nate was wonderful in helping with the 3 boys while I attended.

 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/07/10/now-available-audio-video-from-tgcw12/

I totally recommend you click this link and try to listen to some of the sessions.  It was a conference "For women but not all about women."  It was about God.  I am so hungry to know Him more!  They walked us through the Bible, from Exodus with Moses on the mountain, to the temple in 1 Ki. 8, through the Psalms and Isaiah 6, into the NT with the Transfiguration, and to end in Revelation!

CLICK "READ MORE" TO see MORE FAMILY PICS FROM FLORIDA!

American Experiences

 Nate had an awesome time with his college buddies hiking and camping in the Grand Canyon!

 Elijah discovered that he LOVES biking around all the smooth cement sidewalks in Omaha.  How fun to have time with his uncles too (here Uncle Micah)!

 Uncle Daniel gave Elijah the experience of playing with a "nice" dog, Jack.  I had trained my boys that  we cannot trust the dogs in the Philippines, so they were happy to meet one that was trained.

 Uncle Daniel reads bed-time stories with his nephews!  Precious moments in America!

 Grandma takes the boys to the zoo!  So many new experiences!

 Luke discovers a real shark.

We love the beautiful parks and landscaping all around the city of Omaha!  So many places to go and things to do and see.  Thank you, Lord, for these blessings!