Easter and 90th Birthday Party

Easter at the Brets was also Harve's 90th birthday - so it called for a grandiose party!

There was of course dinner Shrimp and Chicken

The Easter Egg Hunt....only Judah and Janey moved slow enough be captured by the camera

The big kids had to wait for Two Whole minutes!

There was a bit of Romance!

Then we played some great silly Nancy games!   Like the Kleenex Pull - One at a time - first team to pull them out was the winner - girls against the guys!

Fun to roll in them too!

 It proved a challenge for some...believe it or not...it was a tie!

These are the girls putting a cookie on their forehead - trying to get it into their mouth just by using facial movements

Good Job Christa!        

The Book on the Head Walk relay                        The egg on the spoon relay

And the balloon walk relay

And of course...Cake!

What a great day - thanks everybody

Mission Trip to North Carolina

The Third week of March we traveled to Waxhaw North Carolina to work at JAARS...The support site for Bible translation of Wycliffe.   They train and support missionaries that are working on translating the Bible into the heart language of many groups throughout the world.

While our work was in support of house renovation and building a playground for families that are there for training or on furlough - it was rewarding to hear the first hand accounts of God at work through many heroes of faith we were able to meet.

 Each of these bookcases contain completed new testaments or full Bibles each in a different language - at this time there are about 1800 languages yet to be translated and written down...which means they still have no written communication - no alphabet whatsoever.

Due to cold rainy weather - we worked indoors at a house being readied for a new family - it had not been remodeled for many years....hmmm a lot like home.  Nancy and many of our workers painted and stripped wallpaper - and fixed tile and plumbing projects...I was trimming out the windows that never got finished after being installed.

They have a full airplane shop where they modify and repair airplanes

 These are not Bombs - although they look like them - they are aerodynamic cargo compartments....vital when space is limited

 The Cab of this Helicopter is being used to learn how to modify it so that a person can be airlifted out in case of medical emergency in places a plane cannot land.   They are working to be able to get a full sized stretcher in there - which it's was not designed to be able to do... 

In many places - rivers and lakes are the only runways

 They have two runways - one regular...and one "Jungle style" so pilots can practice and be trained to land on a grass hillside ...On this sunny day we there were many takeoffs and landings as pilots and mechanics tested the planes

 Help Wanted here!.   This old fire boat is being refurbished to transport people and goods from the islands.  It will replace the dug out canoes as the only means of transportation that are still used for Ocean transport...to the peril of many.  They are in need of fabricators - and tarp sewers - and boat painters for an ocean craft made of aluminum

This is the beginning of the playground structure that will resemble an airplane.

It is located in view of the runway so kids can watch planes and dream of flying themselves.  It also will serve as a place for families to connect with each other.  It is located by a swing set - a soccer field - and a sand volleyball court.    I will send out a picture when it gets finished - wished we could have done more.   Maplewood church donated all the funds to bring this to completion....   

We were so blessed to be able to experience this.

floored transformation

Some Transformations are slow in coming - but you can see the wait was worth it

Before

After - New Floor - Paint - no stinky carpet

more snow pics of Michigan

One Day we had sun

The difference a few weeks makes on the depth over the mail boxes

The piles of snow from the roof...we had to shovel it off - about four feet deep on the roof

we spend as much time clearing the roof as we do the driveway.

Spring Soon!!!!????

Judah's stay at G&G Doug and Nancy's

Judah came over for a few days - since he missed out on the last time due to sickness - he had a lot of play time to catch up on

It is important to count all your train engines and line them up for inspection and safety checks

 Of course there are cookies to make

 Dusting to do

 Then some vacuuming

 Looks like Grandpa tracked in some salt and sand

 And there is a railroad to run

 and check the mail...hey valentines from my brothers and me!

Hey I earned this meal!

Snow Walk

 1-5-14

 We had a Real Winter Storm Warning - and  at this  point were in the midst (day 1) of about a foot of snow so far.   So we took a walk.  This is posted for those of you in Florida or California that moved away.   I know you miss this!

 These Three from the back yard

 A Nice Rest Stop

Enjoy!...This is why we have Jeeps!