Familia Marcum, Operation Ecuador

Sunday, December 01, 2013

Happy Holidays

Photo Card

View the entire collection of cards.

A tradition in Josh's family is for everyone to write a Thanksgiving Psalm - even being far away from each other, we send them back and forth by email. This is the first year that I had the girls participate too, and was blessed to see and hear their thankful hearts - spelling mistakes and all :) Happy Thanksgiving. "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Julie's Psalm:

Tis the season of lights...

Father of heavenly lights -

You do not change like shifting shadows

When everything around me changes

You gave me birth through your word of truth

Making me a kind of first fruits of all your creation.

O happy day!

Every good and perfect gift comes from You.

Grace upon grace,

One blessing after another,

One million gifts,

Starting with the life of your Son -

Grace and truth -

Who made You known.

Father of heavenly lights - Light of the world -

Illuminate us.

Micheala's Psalm:

Thank you God my Savior every day of my life.

You are so porerful you can do anything. Thank you

God for my brother and sisters. Thank you for my

friends and my teachers. My family and cousins.

I love them all because they mean so much to me.

I love my grandparents and my pets. My warm

cosy bed and my mom and dad. I'm glad we have

a garden and my own room! I snugle up in my blankets

and my PJs. I'm thankful for my school suppplies. I am

thankful for everything in my life. Love, Michaela

Eliana's Psalm:

Thank you God for my famly.

Thank you for my cousins and my frends.

I love my school. My brother to.

He is so funy he makes me laugh.

Thank you for Jesus. I love you!

Jana's Psalm:

God, thank you for my brother

and thank you for my sisters

and thank you for my dogs

and thank you for my mom

and thank you for my dad.

I love you, God.

Friday, November 08, 2013

In February, Josh and I had an experience of a lifetime. We were able to organize and accompany a group of some of the medical mission personnel on a trip to the Galapagos, accompanied by John and Cynthia Clayton. It was an amazing trip! 5 days touring one of the most unique biological environments on earth and seeing some of God's amazing creation - kid free! From the fascinating marine iguanas, to Galapagos turtle research facilities, nights spent aboard a yacht, hikes through the interesting Galapagos terrain, bird watching from skiffs, and the best snorkeling I have ever done in my life (swimming with sea lions and sharks and sting rays!). We had devotionals every night on the deck under the stars with discussions about the sights of the day and the incredible ways that God displays himself through His creation - and only someone who has lived in Africa will understand this when I say the stars were as bright as the stars over the African plains.

February

In February, we had some more fun family activities. The girls got to go to the Middle of the World with one of the short term mission groups. This time, they went to the interactive museum and were able to do some Equator experiments like standing an egg on it's end, and watching the water go down the drain opposite ways.

Michaela finished her first season of t-ball and got her first trophy!

And we celebrated Jana's 5th birthday with a Hello Kitty party. The kids got to decorate their own cupcakes; we had a piñata and played some fun games with her cousins and friends from school.

And finally, we celebrated Carnaval with a cousin water and foam fight.

Monday, June 24, 2013

January's Fun Family Pics

In January, we welcomed Jenny and Erik and their family from Bolivia. They helped out with the medial campaign in February and the cousins spent lots of time playing at Nana and Papa's house. We even got a couple good family pictures!

Christmas 2012 - Top 20 Pictures

December was a month filled with wonderful family time. We celebrated an early Christmas with Josh's family, who had to leave for the US for the funeral of a dear friend. Then, we were blessed by a visit from my parents. We spent a lovely Christmas day together with my sister and her family (even though I was SICK with a stomach bug) and then took several days of family vacation and a trip up river to Kumanii. Here are my Top 20 pictures from December.