so. i'm back.

So, in the few months I've been home from Africa, I have taken a blogging break. 

Just time out to just plain enjoy life and not write about it all the time. :) But, now that I've had a breather....I'm ready to continue what I love! Photography and sharing tid bits of my world with you. 

Last year I created another blog, and that's where I'll be posting for awhile now. 

So check it out. 

simple pleasures

God Bless!

together again.

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

other time out.

Kid History came out with these short films they call "snippets". 

HILARIOUS.

'Nuff said.

:)

living water.

While we were in Africa, Dad had a certain way that he would explain, to the villagers, their need for the Word of God.

He would tell them that God's Word is called Living Water, and just like when plants are far away from the Zambezi river and become dry and barren.... without God's Word in our hearts, we also become dry and barren. 

But, when we drink from the Living Water God offers us it's like living by the river where everything is lush and the grass grows tall and green. Our hearts are able to live and thrive on God's love and promises. :)

Tonight we read Psalm 1:1

Oh, the joys of those who do not

follow the advice of the wicked,

or stand around with sinners,

or join in with mockers.

But they delight in the law of the LORD,

meditating on it day and night.

They are like trees planted along the riverbank,

bearing fruit each season.

Their leaves never wither,

and they prosper in all they do.

But not the wicked!

They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.

They will be condemned at the time of judgment.

Sinners will have no place among the godly.

For the LORD watches over the path of the godly,

but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

african moments.

This Friday....instead of this: 

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

You get this:

(these moments)- a friday speciality. A few photos - no words - capturing some of my favorite moments from the past few weeks. Simple, special, extraordinary moments. Moments I want to pause, savor and remember. :)

home.

We're back! After and unexplainably, amazing past three weeks....we're back!

It's been a whirl-wind past few days of traveling home. We left Friday morning (Zambian time) from Livingstone. We got on a bus that took us the 7hrs to Lusaka, where we waited 7 hrs, before heading to the airport. Our plane left at 11:50pm and it was a 10hr, redeye flight to Amsterdam. From there it was another 10hr flight to Atlanta, Georgia and then a 4hr flight home to Portland. We arrived at 6:30 Portland time, but it was 3:30 in the morning in Zambia. We were SO TIRED, (and our bodies were in this werid shock/dejavu. We all knew that we had once lived in this place and lead other lives and had familes.....but we kinda forgot that we still did. We were so tired....we had no idea what time it was or what money to use....) but it it was so great to be home after all that traveling. A bunch of friends and the rest of my family were all waiting for us. We all hugged, talked, laughed, grabbed our bags.....and then hugged again. We all headed to Red Robin to eat the real American food we had been craving. We had a great time catching up with everyone. When we got home I gave Mom and Joelle their gifts. Joelle was so sweet. She had cleaned our whole room and made my bed all nice. :) I literally fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow and didn't wake up until Dawson woke me up at 4:45pm Monday afternoon!! I was SO TIRED. We talked and looked at pictures until 10:00  when I fell back into bed. I woke up at 4:30am this morning and couldn't go back to sleep. (4:30 am here, is 1:30ish pm in Zambia). It's now 8:00 and I've just been watching I Love Lucy, eating American food and downloading pictures. :) 

Here is a sneak peak..... ;)

 ...walking to the falls...

...us at the Falls with Mike....

...Brock, Ken, and Mike.....watching the sunset at the Sun Hotel just up river from the Falls.....

...our last afternoon in Africa.....

....swimming with George, Mike, and Charity in the Zambezi river in Ko-men-yawn-ah village...

.....the back of the Canter just before our last ride back into town..... 

...I love this picture because it  portrays how we all felt.....tired, happy, sad, hungry, silly, squished, joyful....Mike loves this picture because he thinks he looks so cool. ;) 

I really didn't want to come home while we were leaving Africa, but....now that we're home it's so nice to be back. I really hope I have the opportunity to go back soon! 

So many more pictures and stories to follow!!!

:)

racing away. (in more ways than one).

We had to wake up early sunday morning, but we got to run at a beautiful park, with great friends, and raise money for a great cause! 

A few years ago some friends of ours lost a their little baby to the disease CDH. We all decided to support them and run this race in memory of little, baby Grace. :) 

CDH occurs in 1 of every 2500 births. 50% of the babies diagnosed with CDH do not survive. The cause is not yet known, but we want to change that! There was a great turn out for this fundraiser so we are praying that the money will help with research and hopefully a cure will be found soon!

This was right after we got our bib numbers.....can you tell I was still a still a little tired??

 There were a bunch of photographers there, and I got these pictures off the website. 

One lady told us, "you guys are my most excited group so I need a picture". 

Bethany and Luke showing off her new engagment ring!!!! Haha, they were goofs..... "look a camera what should we do..... oh ya LOOK AT THE RING!!!!" ;)

Our pose was a little less dramatic..... hang loose, a wave, and ....nano-nano. :)

It's only been a few days since the race, but now a whole to exciting day is upon us....... tomorrow.....(drumroll please.......)..... WE LEAVE FOR ZAMBIA!!!!!!!!

It will be my 

-too-many-times-to-count, time flying.....

-my 2nd time leaving the country.....

-my 2nd mission trip and my 2nd time flying over the ocean....

BUT.

It will be my

-1ST TIME IN AFRICA!!!!!

I recently saw a sign that said, "It's a disaster when your country has an obesity epidemic and a skinny jeans fad". It's scary how little most of us actually know (and care) about the cultures and people in 3rd world countries. We're so obsessed with too many relatively unimportant things. On this trip I'm hoping to gain a new perspective on life, and learn all I can from the village people. I've been praying about being open and hearing God lead, and so far I've felt him pushing me towards Africa, and towards this trip.  I'm so excited to see what He's got in store for me there!!! 

I'm way to excited to say anymore, except that.... you will be swamped with a bazillion photos when I get home. :)

So, this is me, the person who is to excited to sleep and to nervous to eat (and just plain giddy), signing off. 

See you on September 2nd. 

~Makenna :)