Emily Amor--One Week

 Today on Emily's one-week birthday, we opened a present from her great-grandma, Mary Emily, one special person she was named after!

 What a cute green box!  We will have to use this to put her little socks in!  What's inside?!

 "OH!"  Emily loves it!  She is dramatic like her Mama!  Haha!

 Thanks, Great-Grandma Mary Emily!  I love the cute little outfit--just in time for my one-week birthday!

 Emily's first little panties--cute!  The boys are not used to seeing those around here.  Precious!

 Thank you, Father, for my little girl!  One week ago, you were born, Emily!  I'm SO glad you are here!  We enjoy every minute with you.

 Mama loves to hold you!  Elijah calls her an "itty-bitty cuddly little doll."

 Emily's wonderful midwife, Joy, came for her one-week check up.  Now Emily is 9 pounds!  Growing girl!

The boys love to try on her little hats.  Silly brothers!  Emily is wondering, hmmmm.....

Welcome Emily Amor!

 We rejoice and praise God for the birth of our beautiful baby girl, Emily Amor Becker.  She was born July 6, 2013 at 2:12 a.m. at home in the Philippines.  She weighed 8 pounds 9 ounces--my biggest baby!

I have an album on my Facebook page if you would like to see more pictures.  I am "Jessica Nell Becker".

 Papa was the first to catch her and see her looking into his eyes.  This Papa is in love!

 When the boys woke up, they got to meet their sister for the first time!  Now we are the Beckers six!  These guys are thrilled!  Do we really have 4 children?!  What a blessing!

 I love when she looks at me!  What a small live doll!  Thank you, Lord, for so many answers to prayer in her birth and life.  May she trust you, Jesus, at an early age and follow you all her days.

 Emily was named for 4 special people.  My sister, Sarah Emily, who was named for our grandmother, Mary Emily, who was named for her grandmother, Nannie Emily.  Each of these 3 women have/had faith in Jesus Christ which they passed on through the generations.  Amor is love and is also the name of our faithful helper of 4.5 years, who has helped me with all 3 of our boys.

We pray Emily Amor will know the love of God for her and will share that with others.  We pray she will follow in the faith of the women she was named for.

 July 10, 2013--our 8th anniversary.  Our 4th baby is just 4 days old!  Thank you, Lord, for your blessings!

Emily's 3 older brothers love to help their new little sister get dressed.  I love seeing my four children all together.  My Mama heart melts!

To see a great blog post of when the boys first met their sister, visit our student's blog at: http://lightonmylens.blogspot.com/2013/07/emily-amor.html

We Are Ready

 Here we are on June 1st, with just a few weeks to go!  We are SO excited to meet our baby girl!  As of today I am 39 weeks (no photo...feeling huge and slow!).  I feel her moving and kicking, but still she is cozy inside!

 Happy Father's Day, Papa!!  We love you!!  These fun guys are also so excited to meet their sister (and Papa his daughter!).

 What silly faces!  Elijah likes to be funny and then see the picture of himself.  Papa joined in the drama fun.

 Malachi helped me organize the baby's clothes.  He had fun trying on the duckie hat =)  Funny boy!

 The 3 boys put their blankies under their shirts in their "wombs", and we all lined up here ready to give birth.  These fun boys are excited!  Can you believe I am a mother of 4?!  Nope, even I can hardly believe it.

Here is our baby girl's room!!!  It is the first time I have ever prepared a room for the baby.  Usually the baby sleeps in our room for 6-9 months--yikes!  This time we thought we'd try something new so we can keep our normal routine in the other room.

When I go in here I feel an emptiness, an ache longing to hold my baby.  She is not here yet!  I miss her!!  Yet, I am joyful to know she is coming soon.  I know she is inside me and she is with me, and I don't know when she is coming, but I LOVE HER!  I can't wait to meet her!

This really reminded me last night of Jesus.  I know He is with me, I know He is real and is coming soon, but I don't know when!  I love Him and long to see him face-to-face!

1 Peter 1.8 "Though you have not seen him, you love him;

and even though you do not see him now,

you believe in him and are filled

with an inexpressible and glorious joy..."

First Ever Davao Orchestra Camp

 Thanks to everyone who prayed for us and helped to sponsor the first ever Davao Orchestra Camp.  Here is Mr. Becker greeting the students and helping to get the camp started.

 We praise God more than 80 students registered for the camp.  Many of them were Filipinos to mix in with some of our Faith students.  We also praise God for scholarships for many of them.  Pictured in front are the 2 directors:  Mr. Becker and Dr. Garcia.  What a blessing that Nate got to work together with this wonderful Californian, who shared his time, talents, raised his own support and shared his original compositions for the music.

 Here are the 2 directors listening to the lovely pregnant lady (me), while I helped give out the thank you gifts at the final concert.  I am proud of my husband!

 Each day there were sectionals for the various instruments.  We also praise God for the many volunteers who helped us during the week to teach and lead the camp.

 Here is Dr. Garcia conducting one of the two orchestras.

The last day of camp we had a huge concert.  There were so many students and instruments that we seated them where the audience normally sits and put the audience on the stage.  I like how Nate is in the middle of this picture, taken from the balcony.  We're praying and hoping to be able to do it again next year!

36 Weeks and a Date

 Nate and I are excited to meet our first daughter soon!  Here we are at 36 weeks ready for our special date.  (As of today's writing I am now 37 weeks!).

 Some friends invited us to a lovely French restaurant for a "dinner for a cause", which was to put a new roof on a school that got ruined in the typhoon.  The menu was rolled up like a scroll, tied with a lovely ribbon.

No photo of the appetizers, but it was:
Hot Chili Gambas (no idea what that was)
Salmon Mousse with Caramelized Rhubarb (never ate Rhubarb while in the Philippines before!)
Homemade Cured Tuna

 First Course:
Neptune Mousseline of Surgeon Fish, Gindara & Bangus Belly
Adorned with Crab Veloute' Sauce
Complimented with French Green Beans & Rice Pilaf
a la Jean Pierre Dujay Chef de Cuisine

 Second Course:
Roasted Pork Rack with Ginger Scent
Infused with Herbs de Provence and Palawan Honey
Sauteed Apples in Calvados Brandy
Marbled Potatoes & Buttered Vegetables
a la Jean Francois Lacassagne Chef de Cuisine

 Dessert:
Souffle Glace au Grand Marnier

It was better than a wedding reception.  What interesting titles and tastes for the food!  Nate and I had a lovely time relaxing and enjoying the restored mansion where the restaurant recently was moved.

After dinner we enjoyed lovely live music by a piano player (Mozart, Chopin and Debussy); mixed with a "Voce Octava" (8 voices) opera style!  We heard excellent vocal music written from all around the world...what an international night!

 "Buntis"=Pregnant in Cebuano.  Cute little baby belly!  Feeling bigger and more ready!

A picture of me not on a date, not dressed up, and with all 3 boys.  Do I look different?! (Answer: Yes, more tired and no make-up!).  These guys are excited to meet their sister!

Joy, our wonderful midwife, who helped with the birth of Malachi and Luke...now checking the baby with the 3 boys "helping".  Precious moments!

We're thankful to God that the baby's head is down, the heartbeat and ultrasound are all good, and there are no concerns at this point!  Pray for a safe and healthy delivery! sometime around July 2nd!

Luke's 2nd Birthday

 We had fun making cupcakes for Luke's birthday.  Notice all 3 boys are licking frosting in this pic.  Thanks to Shirley for the package from America; we saved this mix for 2 months!

 Papa and the 3 boys ready to go on a boat!  Excited for Luke's birthday trip to Samal beach.

 We were bummed to miss the first boat, but totally glad that the second boat was a pirate boat!  Our first one (Elijah's first--he was most excited).  Ready to sail!

 We went to a place we'd not been before, Blue Jaz.  They had a swimming pool, beach AND watersides.  Fun!  Beckers 5 + 1!

 Luke was so glad his 2 special Ates could join us!  What fun ladies!

 Ate Aldeza and Luke had a blast going down the watersides.  The 35 week pregnant Mama just stood on the side taking pictures.  Nate was taking the older kids down the bigger slide.

 Our special friends, the Stevensons, came with us to celebrate.  We love our friends!

 Blow out the candles!  2 years old!

 Later that night we got to open Grandma Bruce's present that we saved for a month.  What's inside?!

 Luke loved the airplane ball popper!  (I post this one for my mom).  =)

 We actually celebrated his birthday 2 days before, since on his real birthday (Monday 27th) Nate had his first day of the big Summer Music Orchestra Camp.  But on his real birthday I took Luke on a little breakfast date.  What a handsome guy!  We praise God for Luke's little life!

 Holding Mama's hand--what a gentleman!

 We went to MacDo for a breakfast date--just me and Luke!  Very fun to take time just to enjoy one boy.

Happy Birthday, Luke Robert!  2 years old!