Milestones

We have been busy! Our sweet Anna turned 10 in January just before our BIG MOVE! She enjoyed celebrating with family and Grammy Glo fixed all her special requests. Uncle Jason made these balloon hats and such to celebrate. It is hard to believe how fast our girl is growing up. We love you Anna. You are so full of life and interest in everything. We love watching you grow up and pray you will love the Lord with all your heart, mind and strength!
Our Katie also lost her first tooth a few days before the BIG MOVE. She has actually lost a second tooth since. We learned that it is the custom here to throw a lost tooth onto the roof!

We have been very stretched during this BIG MOVE and it has been a bumpy road. Sickness, less than ideal circumstances, the challenge of adjusting for both older kids and a baby have been combined with laughter, answers to prayer, and lots of thankfulness for help from brothers and sisters both here and in the States. I have been so thankful that no matter what or where, the Lord is with us and I am surrounded by my precious family. What is there to complain about?!?

We are enjoying a few days in a neighboring country in order to get our visas in order. Back at home, internet is weaker and I haven't even been able to get on our blog much less post anything. So, though I want to keep posting, will just have to see what we are able to do!

Thanking God for Michael!!

Yesterday we celebrated Michael's 8th birthday. Here are some memories of him as well as pics from his 8th birthday party.


Michael was born overseas in our country #1. He was a very sweet and easy going baby. Big sister Anna was 19 months old when he was born.





Michael turned one in our country #1. We had a big party for him with some of our local friends.


The month before Michael turned 2, we unexpectedly returned to the States because of complications with my pregnancy with Katie. So, he turned 2 in St. Louis MO.


Looking forward to Katie's arrival!


On birthday # 3 and #4 we celebrated by roasting hot dogs in our home in overseas country #2. Since we were basically with the same people doing the same thing, I'm not even sure if I got these pictures in the right order!!



Birthday #5 we were in Boston, MA having just arrived for Aunt Heather and Uncle Mike's wedding. Unfortunately, we lost those pictures when Scott's hard drive was wiped out. Maybe some of you Spence family members have some????


Birthday #6 we spent in Thailand. We were there for a conference and a vacation. Instead of cake, we had ice cream at Swenson's at the mall!



Birthday #7 we were in Illinois and we went to Chucky Cheese with the Pittman clan.



And then came yesterday, birthday #8. We let Michael open presents for us after breakfast so that he could enjoy them all day while I prepared for his birthday party.

Another birthday with a pregnant Mommy, this one six years later!

At the birthday party, Scott (with the help of our guests) giving Michael a birthday blessing.



Michael had a great party eating pizza and cupcakes and playing with friends.


There was quite a crowd for opening presents!

Michael really wanted me to make donuts for him. He remembered me making them in country #2.

Happy birthday Michael! We love you so much and are so thankful that God gave you to us. You are an energetic yet thoughtful and kind boy and we pray that you will learn to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength!

Anna's Birthday

Anna turning 9 this week in Iowa. She is an energetic, artistic, lovely girl. We love you, Anna!


Anna decorated this horse cake for her 9th birthday.


Turning 8 and celebrating with the Pittman family in Illinois.


7 years old! This was with her friends in Central Asia. There were a lot more that came that day!


This was another party for turning 7, this one with her English speaking friends.


And another..... this one with her Grandparents who were also living in Central Asia. She especially loved that you can see that her hands are decorated with henna in this picture.


With Grammy Spence.

Unfortunately, we lost the pictures in Central Asia for her 6th birthday, though we do have video of her party with local friends. That was a COLD winter and were unable to leave our town for any additional celebrations that year!


Here's the princess turning 5, also in Central Asia. She's holding silk flowers that were a gift from local friends.

This is also at her 5th birthday party. The few local girls we invited said, "Isn't she going to dress up?" She didn't look quite fancy enough and the princess dress (which actually would have satisfied her friends perfectly, hadn't arrived in the mail from Grandma yet!)



Turning 4 in Minneapolis, we were there for a couple of weeks visiting friends with baby Katie.


Here we are in Illinois with Grammy after our trip to MN, another beautiful cake!


3 years old in Central Asia, and we were able to celebrate with Papa and Grammy Spence.


Here are the kids we invited for Anna's third birthday, our neighbors. I think I served them hot dogs and french fries! Mikey is the baby sitting in the older girl's lap.


The top picture is Anna's first birthday and the bottom one is turning 2 in Thailand. We went there for a conference and vacation with Anna and baby Michael.


One years old! We had just arrived a few weeks earlier to our first home in Central Asia.

Some Recent Highlights

In January, we celebrated Anna's 8th birthday in IL and then traveled to Texas for a Spence family gathering (where we celebrated Christmas and birthdays again!) We were thrilled to see our nephews/ cousins for the first time. Here is Mikey and Parker riding a tractor at the Stockyards.


Longhorns at the Ft Worth Stockyards

This is baby Jonathan Spence.


Here's Anna with her Grammy at her birthday party.


And again with Great Grandma Rankin