Eight years ago, life looked a little different. They were facing the daily excitement of life in a big city in Africa (traffic? check. smog? check.), they were hosting 30+ teenagers from around the world every weekend for Youth Group, they were bouncing around the Rift Valley in a Land Rover and facing the goat-induced…

“Oh, I know we might not get any shots of all the kids smiling at the camera,” she said while she sewed buttons on a coat, wiped breakfast’s oatmeal off a face, vetoed one outfit, approved a different shirt, refereed an almost-argument, whipped a brush through some curls, and shooed the cat off the table. …

    With (almost) more paint on their clothes than had landed on the canvas, Mom had one more message to share with her kiddos.  While they were distracted by a few more chocolate donut holes, she painted a few letters letters…one word…and a quick arrow. Its not easy to create art on a moving,…

Her time in the limelight started strong.  The attention of an entire room was revolving around her sparkling blue eyes and mischievous grin. She loved the attention, but secretly. She enjoyed the spotlight, but not entirely.  It wasn’t right.  Not as right as it *could* be.  Her best friend, her favorite playmate, her most idolized…

She squirmed away from her mom. So quickly, it almost looked easy. Who needed a new jacket, anyway? The old one was perfectly fine. Miki, for one, didn’t mind that her tumble in the mud puddle had “ruined” the turquoise. Mom did.  She’s the one who wanted Miki to change outfits.  Miki wasn’t super excited…

He is often forgotten. Very unappreciated. He houses the sparrow’s nest and protects her nestlings and nurtures the fledgling. He takes care of sheltering the flowers below while letting the squirrels play in him all they want (and lets them hide many a winter nut in his cozy corners). But, most importantly, he guards the…