A mini mission trip [training] + PHOTO DUMP ALERT.

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Wow like where do I even start???

June 23-30 was probably one of the best weeks of my life. I learned so much, and made so many new friends. I became an 'Auntie' to 5 precious little children. 

On 6.23.17 I went to AR to stay with a family we had met the previous month. I stayed with a family we are really good friends with, and every morning I went over to the Z's house to help out. I cleaned and cooked and took care of some of the children for the mom to get a nap.  (she said that changed her life, lol!!) These people were so much fun, and the best memories ever were made!! 

It was my 'training' for going to Africa. My first 'mission' trip. I missed my family so much, but now that I'm back I miss them SO. MUCH!!!! *cries* We really need to visit them! *sniffs*

I've decided not to put all these pictures in exact order. I'm gonna do more in other posts, cause there are around 200 I think. I'm planning on getting all of them printed out and put into an album, to forever keep. ugh i miss them so much!!!!

The very first day we went to a turtle race...I never thought I would be so excited about turtles!!?! #onlyinMO/AR 

ISN'T THIS THING ADORABLE?????

David's big brown eyes steal my heart! He's the cutest little man everr! I love him so much, and told Maria to make sure he grows up calling me 'Auntie Paige' <3333 (I also made that hat for him jsyk)

I love this little 'Science Kid'!!! (otherwise known as Hosanna xD)

anddd this is Michael..the mischievous little boy! He's a real sweetie tho and always calls me his Sweet Heartie <333

My first Mocha Frappe. omw we joked forever about this thing!!!

Me and Zipporah, the oldest. 

Scarlet..such a cutie!!!

...we joked forevs about these too....

I also had asparagus for the first time..IT WAS SOOOO GOODDD! (this was when I made dinner, it was fried fish with  veggies! :3

We went swimming at Bull shoals. It was flooded o it was like a water park!! With the slide and swings which were so much fun!!

this crazy dude is known as Pappa Pepper to all the internet folks...HE IS SUCH A GOOF. 

Luci came over while I baked dessert and heated up lasagna. She's a lot of fun!! (and btw Betsy if you're reading this ya need to give me your email lol!)

Hannah came over with her adorabs  children and we got to catch up. She is so sweet!!!

This was the very last picture I took..driving down the dusty long driveway from New Life. My emotions were pretty mixed up, terribly sad that I had to leave, but so happy to be going home.



-Memories made with the Z's-

>Catching turtles and snakes in swamps
>Mocha Frappes and the worlds best gummy worms 
>Shopping for food and ending up getting at least 17 headbands..
>David staring at me with his huge brown eyes
>[New Life] talking with everyone there...I miss them!!
>Hosanna grabbing me in a big bear hug every night before I left 
>Scarlet and Zipporah helping me with dinner
>Swinging with the girls
>Michael giving me hugs
>All of them showing me their animals {woodchucks, baby ducklings, turtles and rabbits}
>Seeing a little chick that hatched (sadly it didn't make it)
>Snorkeling and swimming under the slides and swinging above the water then jumping into it XDD
>Crocheting with Zipporah 
>Joking around with Pappa Pepper about the fried fish I made...
>[New Life] Holding all the babies! Isaiah, Abbi, and David..I'm convinced that babies love me!! xp
>Baking brownie cookie things with the girls and exploding the brownie mix EVERYWHERE. It covered my outfit and half the kitchen! :O
>Telling [Mr. K] that I'd been craving Chinese food for 3 months and then eating THE BEST CHINESE FOOD!
>Speaking Spanish and French with Oscar
>Mom calling me and saying that it was like a huge iceberg was missing from our family while I was gone <333
>Eating ice cream and cookies before I left :) = :( 

And Pappa Pepper- when you read this tell all those crazy cuties running around your house that I miss them immensely and YOU NEED TO COME VISIT US!!! I miss y'all!!! 

Joel 2 || ◇◇ Devotional

For the day of the Lord cometh, it is nigh at hand.

Okay, if you're like me, when you come to a Bible reference or anything like, that, a certain chapter in your Bible study, you will say , I have already read that..so what's the use of reading it again?? ..and then move on without much of a thought. You might feel guilty at first, but soon it is forgotten. Guys, this is an AWFUL habit. I'm trying really hard and praying a lot about it this month. I'm on day 25 of my Bible study and really enjoying it.  Tip: When you are reading something that seems useless and boring, imagine the whole picture in your head. You can do this with practically any part of the Bible! So here we're practicing that with Joel 2.  When you are reading this part of chapter 2, act like it's a book. That didn't always help me because as y'all know, I don't really like reading. But nonetheless, the picture it painted was crazy. Moons of blood and starts that withdrew their shine...God is seriously the best author..of everything.
	Joe 2:2	A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.
	Joe 2:3	A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
	Joe 2:4	The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.
	Joe 2:5	Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.
	Joe 2:6	Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.
	Joe 2:7	They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:
	Joe 2:8	Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.
	Joe 2:9	They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
	Joe 2:10	The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:
	Joe 2:11	And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
	Joe 2:12	Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
So, what did you think? And it wasn't even that terribly long eh?	Joe 2:13	And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

Introducing...Charlie Ann!!!

Woulda just look at her adorable wittle face?!!! Isn't she a cutie?

6.6 oz  

June 15th at 9:48 (I don't know the exact time.) :) 

Both her and Momma are doing good!! My first little girl cousin in a while! 

Y'all. This is my new cousin!!!!!! *squeals* Me and Mom got to cuddle her when she was one day old!! 😍😊😆 (cause we were on our way to NE)

So I know this is shoortttt. But after I upload the millions upon millions of pictures I need to upload...THEN I will do those long nice posts..with lots a pictures. 😳

Low Country Boil<< || simply worshiping Him

^we are the crazy bffs who have at least a million inside jokes...^

potatoes, corn on the cob, shrimp, and sausage = FINGER FOOD!!! 

It was so wonderful just worshiping the Lord and praising Him. Last night was a great night! <33

-of late

{{photo from google}}

                       

Hello all! Today I'm doing a dandy little post of what I/we have been up to lately. Quite a few of my friends have done this now, but it's been in my head as an idea for a while! *wiggles toes*

Of lately....

Learning...

-how to make clay

-that God's plan is always greater

-Tunisian crochet

-fractions, decimals, percents and more fractions and division. 

-latte art 

-this.... (IT IS SO HARD HELP!)

-and this  - IS FASTTTT

-FRENCH.. 

{{photo from google}}

                                                

Dreaming of...

-meeting Hannah (left my heart in Africa)

-cofffeee

-going to Africa

-seeing the ocean ...(it will happen someday!)

-graduating..LOL!

-meeting my sponsored sister

Reading...

-a 60 day chronological Bible plan

-Breakers Reef, by Terri Blackstock

-[[we're going to go to the library soon, cause otherwise I have no more books to read..]]

Miscellaneous/Random...

-we got a cute little kitten <33

- getting another pet but that's a whole different story..*leaves you hanging in suspense*

-me and my friend taking a walk in our filed to talk, and ending up eating hundreds of wild blackberries and then jumping on the horses and laughing our heads off! #quitethepair #bffs

                            

       

Looking forward to...

-our family vacation in August 

-seeing people from New Life again (I miss them already :'( )

-what the Lord will do with my life next <33

-the future.

                                              Something you are learning?

                                           looking forward too?

                                             dreaming about???

j u n e ^ MONTH OF OPPORTUNITY || goals, highlights + rambles about enjoying life

^messy hair- literally don't care^

this month was literally the best month evah..
I mean yes. we all have our sad moments but it seems like all the amazing things that have/are happening blur them out a little.
There has been so many amazing opportunities to help people and be a light. So many amazing encounters and things that are happening. Life is just rolling on and good things are around the corner.
Make yourself comfortable cause I'll probably ramble....


soooo many of the craziest things have happened, some bad and some wonderful. I have learned that I don't have to post everything and try to make sense out of things. I don't have to post every couple days to keep people happy. I don't have to worry about not checking the internet at all for 8 days because of life.
now this my friends-this little thing called life is a wonderful thing to live. Because sometimes this whole different online world is a lot to take. replies and comments and emails and alll this stuff that I used to be worrying about, worrying that I would be a bad blogger if I wasn't always caught up with everything. I've learned that its okay to go without posting for over a week and to enjoy life. I've been going through a little dry spot in my relationship with the Lord. I haven't felt like reading my Bible and I'm not praying like I should. I'm always on the look out for opportunities to show His love, but hen it comes to full heatedly seeking Him I've been failing.  It was wonderful to have so much time to talk with Mom about this going back and forth to NE. She told me how God actually uses those dry times as lessons, but Satan says that I am just not good enough to live the 'Christian' life. In Iowa we walked around Hamburg with my Aunt and had a God-centered conversation. I don't know why, but something about that evening motivated me to search the Word deeper and make an effort. I started studying prayer, because prayer is our lifeline to our life-giving God.
I got a new journal and changed my room around so that I like to study in there. I've become more organized about things I need to do in following months. I really feel like this month was a smallmilestone to the goal that we have all set. To grow closer to Jesus-to be organized-to get more sleep-to drink more water- etc.


whoa. Now I read this {book} that i just wrote and can't believe it actually sounds like what it is. like what I feel.
ok. onto funny stuffs xxx



r a n d o m/funny  {aka, a whole bunch of stuff that was funnier in real life}

Little bro: Do firemen put out forest fires too??

Lilli : *sees a pic of people praying * "They fell asleep!"

Me: Je suis tellement declur! 
Mom: Oh great, here we go with another language! (It was funnier in real life 😛)

David: Man, adulting was supposed to be fun. 
Me: Whoever said that??!? 
David: I did...before I was an adult! :( 
#lol

Figuring out how to make this heart -> ♡ and being ecstatic! ♡♡♡

Betsy: I want ice cream..
Me: ME TOO.
Betsy: Let's go get some!
*runs off to eat ice cream and talk all night* #twins [she's the best peeps!]

Ash: Whoa, your hair is a mess lady!!
Me: I know
Ash: You really need one of those shirts that says Messy hair don't care..
Me: yeh, except it needs to say, LITERALLY!!
*3 days later*
Ash: Close your eyes and hold out your hands! *gives me a messy hair don't care shirt* 
Both of us: *cracks up laughing* 


Elias: Levi, what would you rather pick: help me with my table- or DIE???!?

Me : you know how when you pass a car and the other person looks at you and makes eye contact?
Mom:yeah....
Me: I always get really close to the window and stare at them and it freaks them out. But we'll never meet in real life, so why not? 
Mom: Okay, that's a little bit out of my comfort zone.😨

Me: WOO HOOO I'M 4% FLUUUEEENNNTTT  IN FRENCH!!!!!!! *whispers* I'm now 15% fluent!!!
Mom: yay!! 
Dyaln:  .... .... that's just funny... *shakes head*





R a n d o m/ other 
riding roller coasters at Worlds of Fun with Mom (!!!!!) It was so bizarre awesome!

swimming at a flooded park in AR (the slides were literally covered with water!!)

spending time with amazing friends at New Life <33

eating chips and homemade salsa *love*

Micah srsly not letting me go my first day home after a week :3

Singing in the car with Mom

Walking with Micah amongst millions of wildflowers

Singing the most beautiful french songs of worship♡

Walking around Hamburg IA looking at old buildings and having deep conversations with my Aunt. <3

Sitting Micah down and him turning and reaching his arms out for me *melts*

David ( the tiny wittle baby) looking at me with his huge eyes every day when I hold him 😍😊

Dancing in refreshing, warm rain 

Seeing an old friend and running to give each other a hug in the parking lot <3 (we were separated for a long time) 

Helping a mom with 5 of the sweetest children for a week + being able to hold her  tiny 3 week old! 

The smell of horses 

Cleaning our school room and getting rid of hundreds of books out of our hundreds UPON HUNDREDS of books...😩😩😩


H i g h l i g h t s ^^
^screaming with hundreds of people as we drop 175 feet in the front car riding the Mamba
^crocheting tons and actually making progress for my shop
^completing all my goals
^ the Lord giving me so many opportunities to show love
^cuddling my newborn cousin one day old <33

Goals for J U L Y:

Finish crocheting for my shop

Journal everyday

Read two books

Finish 2 skeins of yarn- at least!

How was your month??

Who else can't believe we are half way through the year???? (I can't!!!)