One last visit with RK and KK

It has certainly been pretty quiet here at this blog sight lately.  Our last few weeks in the USA were crazy busy, just as they are most of the times when we transition between countries.  Then as soon as we arrived back to Thailand, we landed with feet running.  Mike went with Jon and Marisa and one of their supporting churches to do a project with our kids home and island work in southern Thailand. So that Marisa could get some time with the team, I took on "Nina" duties and stayed with the Foltz-4 for four days. It was a good way for me to make up for the months away from them.

Those goodbyes with the grandchildren in the USA are always the hardest.  Ruby Kay and Ellie Faye (ages 3) will change a lot during these next nine months when we won't see them and Lola Mae and Kennedy even more as they grow from age 1 to almost 2.

Before we left in mid September, we were able to squeeze in one last (one day) visit with Seilers. Kennedy was almost 10 months, such a fun and hug-gable age.

I love seeing my babies with their babies. 

I will savor every memory and photo, until we meet again. (even the ones with windblown hair), because every time we are together is special and worth the trip.  Missing you all  so much already!

Pops

Pops has a signature collection of 700 soda's and ice cold drinks. 

It was located on Route 66 on our way from Stillwater back to Texas, so we stopped to check it out with Jen and Ben.

They also have a 50's style diner with great food.

Out front, there is a  66 foot sculpture of a soda bottle complete with a straw and covered in LED lights for your night time viewing.

While waiting for our table, we enjoyed the souvenir and gift shop and checked out all the bazaar flavors of soda's. 

Pops originated as a gas station and the gas pumps are still used today.

We love our times with these sweet girls.

While in Stillwater, we also got to go with the Seilers to their new splash pad.  Ruby Kay was intrigued watching her daddy and Papa in a water fight.

Thank you Seilers for a quick "short and sweet" visit!  We love every moment with you!

Ruby Kay and Kennedy....proud grandma post

I haven't had much time for blogging these past few weeks, although I have plenty of photos from our visits with people in Dallas, Orlando, and Ohio.  Those may come later, when I eventually get some down time. It's been a whirlwind of a trip.  During our time in Texas, we snuck away for two days to visit our granddaughters in Oklahoma.

Kennedy had just turned 8 months and the last time we saw her was when she was 4 days old, before our return to Thailand.

God gave me a fun little gift of a surprise while there.  Jen went out to do a quick errand, and I stayed behind to get Kennedy after her nap.  When I walked in the room she was trying to pull her self up to standing in her crib for the first time.  I just stood back and cheered her on as she slowly wobbled her way up to standing, and then snapped a photo to send to Jen. She just wanted to 'show off' one of her firsts for her Nina.

I decided it was time to grab my camera and capture more photos of this milestone.

She was proud of herself, the little "doll-baby".

Such an adorable age with those big blue eyes....

....and cute little grin.

I decided to snap away as I have so many photos of RK (first born) as a baby, and few of KK.

Ruby Kay had just turned three and is at such a fun age. She's a real talker now and we have such interesting and legit conversations. 

I gave her a new skirt from Thailand and when she discovered it was a twirling skirt, she spun and twirled like every little girl likes to do.

Profiles are my favorite and I love her little face.

It was so fun to watch these two interact as sisters.  RK is such a good big sister to KK and Kennedy lights up when Ruby Kay plays with her.  Sisters are the best!

missing those four baby girls

I am pretty sure  most of you know that one of the greatest sacrifices and challenges for a missionary is being so far away from their family. We've only been away from our grand-babies in Arkansas and Oklahoma for three months, but it's feeling longer. They change so much at these ages.  We said good bye to Kennedy when she was just four days old and now she'll be three months this week. Michael sent us a photo of Lola Mae today and we could see that she had changed so much too.  I told him "she does not look like a newborn anymore", and then I was reminded that she will soon be six months.  

While Jen was in the hospital with Kennedy, one of those "for hire" photographers came around, and I decided "why not?".  Knowing that we had to say good-bye, I wanted some nice photos to bring back with me.  These were taken when she was not even two days old. We left two days later and this is how I remember her.

Oh, I love those squishy little newborn cheeks.

I also arranged for someone to come in and get photos of Lola Mae soon after her birth, and realized that I never shared them yet. Time moves slowly but passes quickly!

This precious baby girl just had her first bites of food today and Ellie Faye is jabbering up a storm now. Like I said, they change so fast.

I love my family and each photo that I get of them. And yet, I am so very thankful for all the ways that I can watch them grow and change in this new world of technology. There is not a week that goes by when I don't see our darlings on our computers or phones. 

The girls were together last weekend, and got this photo for us of the four of them together. You can bet it's my new screen saver. 

Two 2 years olds, a 3 month old, and 6 month old! I can hardly stand the cuteness here.  Keep those pictures coming Bethany and Jennifer! We miss our babies!

Kennedy's birth day

Three weeks ago right now, we met our precious baby Kennedy for the first time. Life has been a bit of a whirlwind for us since then, between travelling from Oklahoma to Iowa and then returning to Thailand. It's a day I do not want to forget.

Being Thanksgiving weekend, the Seiler's were able to have Ben's parents, us, Lori, and the Allens all in town. Family was in and out of the hospital before and after Kennedy's arrival. The ice storm that weekend added a little excitement to the travelling, but they all made it before the birth.

Ruby Kay meeting her baby sister for the first time soon after the birth. 

They shared the name with us for the first time once we were all in the room and we even had the Foltz family join us via Face-time. 

It was so special to have the whole family gather around as the two new grandpa's prayed and dedicated this new life to God. 

This is one proud, thankful and happy Papa with his 8th grandchild. 

Ruby Kay and Ellanora (Allen) are just 6 weeks apart and now there are two more cousins close enough to grow up together.  Lola Mae and Kennedy are 11 weeks apart and their mama's already had them in some matching sleepers at the hospital.

Thank you again God, for the safe arrival and perfect timing of our healthy baby girl Kennedy Frances!

Thanksgiving- 2015

As we draw near to Christmas, our family Thanksgiving of 2015 will always be a memorable one. It will be remembered as the Thanksgiving weekend that God gave us a new baby.  It was challenging planning the logistics of the holiday, because of Jen's due date 12 days before Thanksgiving and our return to Thailand 12 days after Thanksgiving.  Being a missionary family and having to spend so many holidays separated from each other- since we were all in the same region of the country, we wanted to be together.  Jen and Ben graciously offered their home as the meeting place and we knew we all would need to be flexible with the plans.

The day before Thanksgiving, Lori and the Allen's drove from Texas and Arkansas to meet us in Oklahoma.

We enjoyed a fun evening together and 2 month old Lola Mae was the center of attention since we all had not had much time with her since her birth. 

She is one of the happiest lovable babies and was passed around the whole weekend. 

Jen was so gracious (being 11 days over due) to let us invade their home.  She set a pretty table and eagerly helped us as we all prepared the meal together. It was continually on everyone's mind, that this baby could potentially come at any time, but we had a mixture of feelings between carrying on life as usual while trying to keep attitudes of patience and contentment while waiting. 

In spite of missing the Foltz family in Thailand, we were so thankful to get the ten of us together and enjoy a meal of turkey, dressing and all the fixin's. Every single meal prayer ended with a request for labor to start and especially on this Thanksgiving day, as a testimony to the grateful hearts of the whole family after much waiting. 

We went bowling that evening and came back to play a hilarious board game at the house. Jen was such a trooper as she bowled two full games and just kept going.  Ben thinks it was all the gut wrenching laughter during the game of "Things" that finally brought on labor that Thanksgiving night.  

The next day, a relaxing morning around the house and then some "Black Friday" afternoon shopping kept the contractions consistent and a threatening ice storm that evening added some excitement to the timing of it all.  Since the hospital was 1.5 hours away in OKC, the doctor suggested she come on in that evening to avoid the storm. Off to OKC they went, checking in late that evening at 13 days overdue.  They knew that they still had a long night ahead of them and yet it was a relief knowing that baby girl would be arriving soon, making this Thanksgiving one to never be forgotten by all of us. 

Announcing the arrival of ......

Kennedy Frances Seiler

November 28, 2015

5:05pm

7 pounds, 10 ounces

20 inches long

God answered so many prayers concerning Kennedy's arrival. Jen was 13 days overdue, but because of that all the family (here in the USA) was together.  She actually started labor on Thanksgiving night after we had been bowling.  They made it to the hospital in Oklahoma City safely in the midst of an ice storm. Her labor and delivery experience was just what she had asked God for.  Both Mama and baby are doing great.

They are back home from the hospital now, and we are enjoying just two more days with them before our return to Thailand next week. 

Ruby Kay is very fascinated with her baby sissy and looks around to find her each time she walks in the room, and then gives her kisses and loves.

Kennedy had mixed feelings about this first bath at the hospital, but I love her newborn-ness here so much.

Experiencing Kennedy's birth was just as amazing as my other grandchildren. Our bodies are incredible and so intricately made, that I always find it breathtaking as I watch them take their first breath. The miracle of birth is one of God's greatest miracles to me and one of God's greatest blessings.  Thank you God for our new precious granddaughter.