Daddy’s Little Pumpkin couldn’t decide what she wanted  to dress up as today, so we tried both of her costumes on.  First, she thought she liked the pumpkin the best, but then she realized that she couldn’t crawl or pull up or do anything fun because her feet were confined in the body.  Then she tried on the Pooh costume and thought she looked pretty cute in that as well, but found that it was suffocatingly hot in that pretty little outfit.  Finally, she decided that for her first Halloween it was either screaming pumpkin, squalling pooh, or happy, cutest baby ever just being her precious self!  Lucky for us, she decided to be Happy, Pretty Baby today! We’ll see if she changes her mind before tonight….

In other news, we are all having a great time here in Virginia. EB is getting more attention here than with her grandparents - she has a “grandmother” in our quad that she loves to cuddle with, and 7 aunts and 4 uncles on our small group that think she is the greatest thing ever. DB and I have made friends too - people we hope to continue to develop friendships with for years to come!

Please pray for our time here that we would absorb all of the mountains of information we are learning, get all of our homework done, and have good quality time with each other and EB.  

I heard a great quote today with regard to adversity: It’s not the elephants that get you, it is the termites. How true is that? It has been my experience that the big trials (elephants) that come my way have resulted in extreme growth and have given me more depth in my walk with the Lord. Not to diminish how hard those times were, but those hard times almost always produced fruit in my life. On the other hand, it is the little things – the small, repetitive annoyances that have resulted in my weakest moments, the times when I get most angry and lash out, or fall prey to the temptation to worry and fret. Why is this? Part of it, I think, is that when we are in a desperate situation, we turn to God because we can’t make it without Him.  Can you identify with this statement?  What are some ways that you do to keep the little frustrations form robbing your joy?

It was a cold, blustery morning as EB and I made our way to the nursery building.  EB knew something was up because she had been woken up quite a bit earlier than normal, and she was bundled up and like the kid on A Christmas Story.  Riding along in her stroller, turning frequently to look at me as we walked the quarter of a mile to her classroom. EB must have sensed her mommy’s trepidation.  Wiping tears away, I kept telling EB how exciting the nursery is and how much fun she is going to have with her new friends.  The thing is, for the past two months, we have spent time with and then left everyone EB loves except DB and me.  I just thought when I left her at the nursery, she would think we were leaving her too.  By the time we arrived in her beautiful, toy filled classroom, tears were streaming down my face and EB was beginning to stutter through some sniffles and tears.  I handed her off to a wonderful, sweet, patient, loving teacher and by the time I left the room, EB was talking up a storm to her new friend.  I checked in on her twenty minutes later and she was playing and smiling.  Today when we arrived at the nursery, EB nearly lept out of my arms, clapping and smiling, ready to start her fun day of playing.

It hasn’t been as hard as I thought for me to leave her.  She is loved and happy where she is, and DB and I are learning great things.  We are all settled into our “apartment” and have 6 other women sharing a living room with us.  They are all very nice and all going to the same part of the world as we are. 

Pray for EB!  She has a hard time with all of the hubbub at meal times - she is kind of fussy, and needs lots of extra loving and attentions these days.  We are very busy and have a lot of work to do all the time, so we are working at finding a balance in getting everything done and spending good quality time with each other and the little girl in the midst of 384 other people.

Pictures to come!

Uncle DK couldn’t have taught me any better if he had tried.

 

 

After a series of weird, unfortunate events ignited by my fire loving husband and fully supported by his father, a crazy flying squirrel got loose in the house last night.  What followed cannot be described fully, but let me try to paint a picture.

Squirrel darts across the room toward innocent Jeni sitting on the couch.  The words “bat” and “watch out Jeni” are heard and there is a definite scurry over Jeni’s foot.  Jumping, screaming, and running ensue.  Jeni stands on the stairs watching the rest of the festivities from safety.  Armed with tennis rackets, large spoons, and a small bucket, DB and his dad proceed to chase the squirrel all over the house, trapping him under things and in corners, only to have him dart away to another part of the house.  In the kitchen, moments away from being caught, the crazy soot-covered squirrel ran up DB’s leg, around his body and into his face before bounding off of his head and into the living room.  After an hour and half of moving furniture and turning things over with Jeni peering through the bannister from her safe, arial view of the whole process, the squirrel met his fate.

Of course, after I realized my life was not in danger and the squirrel could not make it downstairs to the baby, DB and Big Dave enjoyed my running commentary and picture taking to record the event - they said I was a big help!  And in future years, when the Great Squirrel Caper of 2008 is recounted as one of the Wright family great moments, my small, insignificant role will no doubt be heralded for such calm, rational behavior.  

Tonight we had a BLAST with our friends Brandon, Christie, and Eden.  DB has been friends with Brandon and Christie since middle school - you wouldn’t believe the stories they can tell on my husband!  We have enjoyed spending time with them a couple of times - if we lived here we would definitely hang out alot!  Tonight Eden and EB painted pumpkins.  Eden is 15 months and a very cute, sweet little girl - she actually understood the whole finger painting concept.  EB, of course, has to taste everything.  She liked the blue and pink paint as much as the pumpkin.  Don’t worry - Christie is a great mom and got non-toxic, non-staining paint and after a quick bath EB was back to normal - and it was totally worth the mess - I am thinking finger painting should be a regular activity for our little girl - anyone want to volunteer your home as a creative outlet for helping the little girl develop her artistic abilities?

Brandon and Christie are great parents and great friends - they are currently planting a church in LaFollette - we are so excited to see how God is using them and moving in amazing ways to provide for their ministry. If you are in the area and looking for a place to join a community of believers who are seeking to follow the Scriptures, Brandon and Christie are taking part in some amazing leadership of a great community.

Jeni and I will be speaking to their community on Wed Night @ 7pm about what God is doing in Central Asia among the Tajik People.

We might show a few pictures, but we will not drone on and on - we will be short and to the point. We will talk about where we are going, what we are doing, and even answer questions you have. Let me go ahead and answer the biggest one you might have…YES, we ARE taking the baby! Everyone is invited

One perfect week in the smoky mountains…beautiful weather, ideal scenic cabin, hot tub, sweet baby girl, husband grilled out each night, hot tub, reading, reading, reading, walk in the woods, hot tub, no phone or internet…a truly great week in the Smokies!  

Now we are in LaFollette and then Jellico with DB’s family and then Virginia for training on the 20th!  I will update more often hopefully.  Coming soon…Videos of EB Crawling!!!!  

We are excited about speaking at a church in LaFollette Wednesday night - we love talking about the Tajik people and encouraging others to pray for them. 

So DB went to the dentist today and had to have a SECOND root canal.  Unbelievable!  We are so thankful to have these taken care of here in the states - at least that is the “silver lining” we are choosing to focus on. OK, it is a lot easier for me to focus on the positive - I didn’t have my teeth drilled today…

I promise, this will not be a boring, drawn out step by step description of every aspect of pictures in slide shows.  We have all been to a service where someone shows 200 hundred pictures and says things like, “this is the first hill we drove over…this is the second hill…the is the way the sun rose over the hill on the first day…”  We might show a few pictures, but we will not drone on and on - we will be short and to the point.  We will talk about where we are going, what we are doing, and even answer questions you have.  Let me go ahead and answer the biggest one you might have…YES, we ARE taking the baby!  Everyone is invited - we would love to see you there - come learn how you can pray for our family and the Tajik people!

When: Wensday 8th 7:pm

Where: Near LaFollette Middle (more details to come)