tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33032660566413351362024-03-13T23:11:21.529-04:00Share the WellJake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-19347092997923706132010-05-11T17:03:00.004-04:002010-05-11T17:22:37.557-04:00April UpdateI'm surprised to find that May is almost half over already. This happened to me last month too! The months are just speeding by and I can hardly keep up!<br /><br />I wanted to share a bit about what we've been doing. April wasn't nearly as busy for us as March was. Here are some of the highlights:<br /><br />We enjoyed Easter with both families. It's nice that our families live so close to one another because we never really miss a holiday or other important events because of distance.<br /><br />Jake finished up leading a Sunday night home group at church in Bellevue. We really enjoyed meeting with these folks and miss our time with them. We all attend the same church, but there's something about a small group that's just really nice.<br /><br />We (finally) wrapped up the Awana program at Jake's home church with a Grand Prix. We were supposed to have the Grand Prix at the end of March, but there was a power outage at the church that night and we had to reschedule for mid-April. Anyway, it was amazing! We had so much good help from volunteers at church. The kids loved it too! This was my (Erin) first experience with a Grand Prix and I was amazed at how much of a big deal it is for the kiddos! What a great time! (So sorry that I don't have any pictures of the night. I forgot my camera.)<br /><br />We were so happy to have some professional 'belly pictures' taken this month. We're so glad to have this part of our lives documented like this. (Especially since we're SO terrible with taking pictures!) Jake's cousin took the pictures and she did a great job!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/S-nKhBnddgI/AAAAAAAAAL8/Nqkr5QMjH6k/s1600/Ketchum_3_sepia.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/S-nKhBnddgI/AAAAAAAAAL8/Nqkr5QMjH6k/s320/Ketchum_3_sepia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470125891136615938" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On the 17th, our church in Bellevue hosted an Indonesian dinner. About 90 people came out to eat an all-Indonesian dinner and then stayed after to listen to Jake speak about his trip that he had taken there earlier this year. We were very happy with the turn out and I think people learned a lot about the country.<br /><br />We also finished up our childbirth classes in April. Now we're experts and TOTALLY ready to have this baby!! =) (haha! Okay, maybe that's a bit exaggerated...)<br /><br />We were able to meet with a couple from NTM that does member care in our area as well. They kind of keep up on the NTM missionaries who live in this part of Michigan and are there for support and encouragement. They were traveling through and we met them for breakfast one morning. It sure was nice to meet them face to face and we had a nice time together.<br /><br />Erin had her first of three baby showers at the end of April. Jake's home church put it on and it was such a nice shower. And boy, were we showered with gifts! Wow! We are still stunned at the generosity of people. I think that practically, we are just about ready for this baby to arrive!<br /><br />Finally, the last Sunday of April was our last Sunday of teaching the high school Sunday school class at Bellevue. We sure will miss those kids a lot but we needed to step away in order to be available for speaking in other churches for our partnership development.<br /><br />Thanks for reading our update. Hopefully next month we'll have some really big news to report! =) (And some pictures too!)Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-31861414586557572992010-04-22T12:23:00.002-04:002010-04-22T12:26:37.617-04:00Belly Shot!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/S9B4EcnkUjI/AAAAAAAAAL0/hNXyXcrx6rs/s1600/Picture+1.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 237px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/S9B4EcnkUjI/AAAAAAAAAL0/hNXyXcrx6rs/s320/Picture+1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462998365797372466" border="0" /></a>This picture was taken on April 16th. I was about 33 weeks pregnant. Jake's cousin, Kelly has a photography business and she needed a model for some belly shots. We were happy to help her out! We should be getting more pictures later on, but I wanted to post one so that you could see it. I think she does great work!Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-13888152396872748702010-04-12T14:18:00.002-04:002010-04-12T14:44:12.709-04:00What have you been doing?I can't believe it's already mid-April! This year is flying by so fast for us. Only about 7 weeks until our baby is due and we are so excited!!<br /><br />March was a very busy month for us. I thought that I'd update you on some of the things that filled our calendar in case anyone is interested. =)<br /><br />We started attending Childbirth Classes once a week in March and we will finish with them in April. We've learned some good things and had our eyes opened to some of the realities of giving birth. Yikes! =)<br /><br />We were involved with our first missions conference at First Baptist Church of Sebewa. This was a great time for us. While we didn't speak at the conference, we were sort of highlighted as missionaries there (since FBC Sebewa is our sending church). We were <span style="font-style: italic;">very</span> encouraged by the other missionaries who were there and shared about their ministries. <br /><br />During the same weekend as the missions conference, we took a day to help out with Word of Life's Teens Involved. We served as judges for two different events. Jake judged preaching and Erin judged puppets. If you're not familiar with Teens Involved, it's a way to get teens involved in ministry. They work on a particular "thing" (like a sermon, a puppet show or a drama) and practice it over and over again. They then 'perform' it at Teens Involved where they are judged (by people like us) and given advice and encouragement on what they did. It's really a neat way to get teens to not only think about ministry, but a way to actually do it.<br /><br />Speaking of kids, we continued to lead the kids program on Wednesday nights at Sebewa. We were supposed to end the program at the end of March, but actually we'll be ending <span style="font-style: italic;">this</span> week (4/14). I'll write more about that in another update!<br /><br />The last Sunday in March, we were able to present our ministry to the people at FBC Sebewa. Yes, this is our sending church and they do already know what we're about and what we're doing, but they were so gracious to let us use them as guinea pigs! So, we practiced our presentation to a live congregation in a real Sunday morning service! We'll make a few adjustments, but with that under our belts, we are (we think) ready to branch out to present this ministry to other churches.<br /><br />Some of you may know that for the last 7 months or so, Erin has been babysitting for a friend of hers. Jennifer has twin boys who just turned two years old. At the end of March, Erin had to stop babysitting for the boys because of her big pregnant belly, lower energy level and an increased energy level of 2-year-old twin boys! =) She really enjoyed the time with them and watching them grow. She also learned some good tips on parenting. Thanks, Jen! =)<br /><br />Erin continues to see the doctor every two weeks to check on her and the baby. Things continue to go well and we are so thankful! It's amazing that there hasn't been any sickness or complications or even too much discomfort so far with this pregnancy. We are truly thankful to the Lord for these things!! Pray with us that things will continue to go well. We're also praying for a safe, healthy and relatively quick delivery! =)<br /><br />Thanks for taking the time to read our update. March sure was busy for us. April is looking a little more calm but we know that things won't stay that way for long!Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-3253470265523224872010-02-17T10:06:00.004-05:002010-02-17T10:26:45.572-05:00UpdateSince the garden last summer, we haven't had much to write about! Okay, so maybe that's not true. Maybe we've just been neglecting our blog!<br /><br />Things are going well here in Michigan and a lot has happened since our last update. Instead of writing about it all now, we'll update in segments.<br /><br />Most of you probably know our biggest news and that is that we're expecting our first baby on June 3rd! We couldn't be happier and we're so excited to meet this little one! We were told that the baby is a girl and we're very happy about that too. In case you're wondering, we plan to keep the name a secret until she makes her appearance. Erin is feeling very well and hasn't had to deal with any sickness so far in this pregnancy for which she is VERY thankful! At almost 26 weeks she's feeling a lot of movement. Even the doctor has commented on how active our little girl is! =)<br /><br />Well, that's the update for now. Hopefully we'll be a little more faithful in updating our blog in the weeks to come. Thanks for reading! =)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/S3wJsIhdHTI/AAAAAAAAALs/3sCmMWpuTaU/s1600-h/2:10:10.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/S3wJsIhdHTI/AAAAAAAAALs/3sCmMWpuTaU/s320/2:10:10.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439233103763414322" border="0" /></a>(This picture was taken on 2/10/10. About 24 weeks along.)<br /></div>Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-31942653557074628502009-07-20T10:15:00.002-04:002009-07-20T10:21:32.033-04:00An important gardening lesson...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SmR8CwcDvoI/AAAAAAAAALg/UUhIIiz6GBw/s1600-h/DSCN2975.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SmR8CwcDvoI/AAAAAAAAALg/UUhIIiz6GBw/s400/DSCN2975.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360545843281903234" border="0" /></a><br />This is what happens when you don't check your garden every day this time of year! It's been about two or three days since we last checked the veggies so we went out this morning to see what we could see. Here's what we picked today:<br />23 cucumbers<br />13 potatoes<br />4 zucchini<br />4 jalapenos<br />2 kohlrabi<br />1 green pepper<br />a bunch of pea pods<br /><br />We are very thankful, especially because the deer have been having a heyday with our corn, carrots and melon. Our green beans are ready to pick in the next day or so. We are concerned with one thing: we'll be gone for about 6 days next week. I think we need someone to pick for us while we're away!Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-90458580166541613572009-06-25T14:06:00.003-04:002009-06-25T14:24:19.329-04:00Races!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SkO-WAYxc6I/AAAAAAAAALY/FHKskNQ0qfM/s1600-h/Picture+2.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 237px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SkO-WAYxc6I/AAAAAAAAALY/FHKskNQ0qfM/s320/Picture+2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351330067516584866" border="0" /></a><br />A long time ago, I posted that we were training for a 5k (3.1 miles) race in Grand Rapids. Well, I just realized that I never posted the results! =) We did actually run the 5/3 River Bank Run on May 9. Jake's brother, Jon and (his then fiance, now wife) Summer ran with us. We trained long and hard for it and had a great race. We both surprised ourselves with our finish times and we were very eager to run another race. Erin ran the race in 32:46 and Jake (with a bum knee) finished in 36:37.<br /><br />It didn't take long for us to sign up for the Cheetah Chase at <a href="http://www.binderparkzoo.org/5k/index.htm">Binder Park Zoo</a> in Battle Creek. We will be running this 5k on Saturday, June 27th. Our good friend Megan is running with us this time. We're hoping to beat our times from the last race, but we'll see what happens! Jake's knee is feeling much better so hopefully he'll be able to run this race pain-free! It should be a fun race and the surroundings will be much different than the last one. Our last race had about 4600 participants and we ran on the streets of downtown Grand Rapids with thousands of spectators. This race will have about 700 participants running through the zoo with lots of wildlife watching us! =)Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-67338187827278798952009-06-24T14:30:00.002-04:002009-06-24T14:39:15.700-04:00The Mystery of HistoryTo be or not to be obedient!!<br /><br />This week our mornings are busy volunteering for Vacation Bible School at my (Erin's) home church in Bellevue. This year's theme is The Mystery of History. We've been studying key stories in the Old Testament and the big question is always whether or not the main character will be obedient to the Lord. We are helping out with the 5th and 6th graders this year. Today was our third day and it's going well. We've had a steady amount of kids coming and they seem to be learning a lot. Some are even asking some tough questions which shows us that they're really thinking and paying attemtion!<br /><br />If you think of it, please pray for us this week. We only have two days left and then a program on Sunday morning, but it's such a valuable time. Most of the kids in our class don't go to church so a lot of this teaching is new for them. Also, I think that most of what<span style="font-style: italic;"> I </span>learned about the Bible growing up was because of VBS. It's amazing how the things you learn as a child, one week out of the year, can stick with you for the rest of your life. <br /><br />Our VBS is done by <a href="http://www.rbmministries.org/">RBM Ministries</a> every year.Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-52491684049273232632009-06-13T12:44:00.004-04:002009-06-13T12:57:04.755-04:00First Fruits<div style="text-align: center;">Our garden is growing quite nicely and we even harvested our first vegetable on Thursday! Here's a shot of the garden where you can actually see things growing... =)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SjPYMK4-fgI/AAAAAAAAALQ/SDF_Yp9SzPY/s1600-h/DSCN2875.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SjPYMK4-fgI/AAAAAAAAALQ/SDF_Yp9SzPY/s320/DSCN2875.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346854886212271618" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On the left is the lettuce, to the right are some potato plants and in the middle are our radishes.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SjPYL1QHYAI/AAAAAAAAALI/n1rgLwmfhoU/s1600-h/DSCN2876.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SjPYL1QHYAI/AAAAAAAAALI/n1rgLwmfhoU/s320/DSCN2876.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346854880403742722" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Pulling up the first radish!! (Don't worry, the snake doesn't bite.)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SjPYLnk_Z4I/AAAAAAAAALA/ZT6d9c6qsrM/s1600-h/DSCN2880.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SjPYLnk_Z4I/AAAAAAAAALA/ZT6d9c6qsrM/s320/DSCN2880.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346854876733204354" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Hooray! Our first veggie!!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SjPYLSCLmOI/AAAAAAAAAK4/uFmkJGEjoPk/s1600-h/DSCN2881.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SjPYLSCLmOI/AAAAAAAAAK4/uFmkJGEjoPk/s320/DSCN2881.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346854870950058210" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Shortly after this picture, we took the little thing inside, gave it a bath and ate it. I have to say that it was the spiciest radish I've ever had in my life!! I even had to drink some milk afterward to extinguish the flames! haha! Do you think it's because the radish is of a certain variety, because it's very fresh or some other reason???<br /><br /></div>Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-76418297706272987132009-05-23T12:42:00.007-04:002009-05-23T13:17:22.380-04:00Growing Up!Despite not having any rain since we've planted the garden, things are starting to grow!! The first thing to pop out of the ground is the little radishes.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/Shgup4e9LlI/AAAAAAAAAKo/SzK3PDt_i5I/s1600-h/DSCN2799.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 306px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/Shgup4e9LlI/AAAAAAAAAKo/SzK3PDt_i5I/s320/DSCN2799.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339068655319461458" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShguppLjLaI/AAAAAAAAAKg/gMLE0R1uLwg/s1600-h/DSCN2801.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShguppLjLaI/AAAAAAAAAKg/gMLE0R1uLwg/s320/DSCN2801.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339068651211533730" border="0" /></a>Yeah! Also, we had transplanted a cucumber 'plant' that hadn't germinated yet, but that too is up.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShgupQEpYPI/AAAAAAAAAKY/lO12XqmbLLE/s1600-h/DSCN2802.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 218px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShgupQEpYPI/AAAAAAAAAKY/lO12XqmbLLE/s320/DSCN2802.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339068644471693554" border="0" /></a>Now, to keep the birds away. We're trying a few different techniques, but we're coming to the realization that it's going to be tough to keep the birdies away from all of our seedlings. Hm... we'll keep trying the tips that are recommended though!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShguJcxI3dI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/4iOh5Z4k40A/s1600-h/DSCN2803.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 277px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShguJcxI3dI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/4iOh5Z4k40A/s320/DSCN2803.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339068098123718098" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShguI8I3pHI/AAAAAAAAAKI/rQjtiZRd61c/s1600-h/DSCN2804.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShguI8I3pHI/AAAAAAAAAKI/rQjtiZRd61c/s320/DSCN2804.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339068089364882546" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShguIgdQ_dI/AAAAAAAAAKA/-0IMv9tE-os/s1600-h/DSCN2805.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShguIgdQ_dI/AAAAAAAAAKA/-0IMv9tE-os/s320/DSCN2805.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339068081934237138" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShguH5xH1iI/AAAAAAAAAJw/_ovRhI6xEA4/s1600-h/DSCN2806.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShguH5xH1iI/AAAAAAAAAJw/_ovRhI6xEA4/s320/DSCN2806.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339068071548540450" border="0" /></a>We're also praying for rain. =) Jake has been hauling a 5-gallon bucket of water out to the garden every couple of days to give the plants a drink. This reminds us too much of our slop buckets at the MTC. =) We'd surely appreciate some rain!Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-52861136608498549662009-05-19T21:07:00.008-04:002009-05-19T21:36:48.338-04:00Our Garden!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNZoPUNGwI/AAAAAAAAAIg/02TfaNNIPyg/s1600-h/DSCN2713.JPG"> <img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNZoPUNGwI/AAAAAAAAAIg/02TfaNNIPyg/s200/DSCN2713.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337708531205085954" border="0" /></a><br />First, they staked out our garden. 60 x 60 because that's how wide "the sprayer" is.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNZomS0mXI/AAAAAAAAAIo/ZX3gHL4-ArM/s1600-h/DSCN2716.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNZomS0mXI/AAAAAAAAAIo/ZX3gHL4-ArM/s200/DSCN2716.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337708537373301106" border="0" /></a><br />At first, it just looked like a huge dandelion garden because they mowed around the garden.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNZozHCM8I/AAAAAAAAAIw/PwyXB5RGnUk/s1600-h/DSCN2740.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNZozHCM8I/AAAAAAAAAIw/PwyXB5RGnUk/s200/DSCN2740.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337708540813521858" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNZpGNQMJI/AAAAAAAAAI4/xHEZ3735Mbk/s1600-h/DSCN2752.JPG"> </a><br />Then, they sprayed it with a weed killer. All the dandelions grew back except for in the garden area.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNZpGNQMJI/AAAAAAAAAI4/xHEZ3735Mbk/s1600-h/DSCN2752.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNZpGNQMJI/AAAAAAAAAI4/xHEZ3735Mbk/s200/DSCN2752.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337708545939878034" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNZpZsCb5I/AAAAAAAAAJA/wvwTQ1XhFiM/s1600-h/DSCN2763.JPG"> </a><br />Norman plowed it for us. Jake is out there watching and it sort of gives you an idea of the size of our plot. (For all you Jungle Campers out there, you could fit about 9 JC houses inside our plot! haha! I think that's crazy!)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNZpZsCb5I/AAAAAAAAAJA/wvwTQ1XhFiM/s1600-h/DSCN2763.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNZpZsCb5I/AAAAAAAAAJA/wvwTQ1XhFiM/s200/DSCN2763.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337708551169273746" border="0" /></a><br />Next was to cultivate it. Again, thanks Norman!! Now it's ready to plant!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNalDbekmI/AAAAAAAAAJI/TMA1rZr9DyU/s1600-h/DSCN2769.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNalDbekmI/AAAAAAAAAJI/TMA1rZr9DyU/s200/DSCN2769.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337709575986385506" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNaluc76LI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/ci7UEj-0TWE/s1600-h/DSCN2773.JPG"> </a><br />We mostly bought seeds, but we did start with a few plants.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNaluc76LI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/ci7UEj-0TWE/s1600-h/DSCN2773.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNaluc76LI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/ci7UEj-0TWE/s200/DSCN2773.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337709587535227058" border="0" /></a><br />A LOT of planning went into this garden so we wanted to stick to our plan. I think we did a pretty good job!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNamCnMCVI/AAAAAAAAAJY/_-Bx0yA3kek/s1600-h/DSCN2776.JPG"> </a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNamCnMCVI/AAAAAAAAAJY/_-Bx0yA3kek/s1600-h/DSCN2776.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNamCnMCVI/AAAAAAAAAJY/_-Bx0yA3kek/s200/DSCN2776.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337709592946936146" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNamS25YvI/AAAAAAAAAJg/un8Z0s_Ch6s/s1600-h/DSCN2784.JPG"> </a><br />We marked out the rows, dug a little trench and started planting the corn. Oh yeah, that pile of stuff in the corner is manure. There's a lot of it around here so we get free fertilizer!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNamS25YvI/AAAAAAAAAJg/un8Z0s_Ch6s/s1600-h/DSCN2784.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNamS25YvI/AAAAAAAAAJg/un8Z0s_Ch6s/s200/DSCN2784.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337709597307790066" border="0" /></a><br />Putting in a cucumber plant that some critter picked the leaves off of that very night! grr...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNanL5RjAI/AAAAAAAAAJo/CxMdkNPcnJo/s1600-h/DSCN2788.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/ShNanL5RjAI/AAAAAAAAAJo/CxMdkNPcnJo/s200/DSCN2788.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337709612618583042" border="0" /></a><br />The end of day one! Most of the garden was planted at the end of the first day. We finished it up for the most part the next afternoon. There are only a couple more things to put in and we'll be finished!<br /><br />If you're curious, here's what we planted:<br />Corn (Thanks, Pa)<br />Pole Beans (Thanks, Lydia)<br />Peas<br />Green Beans (Thanks, Barb)<br />Yellow Squash<br />Zucchini<br />Cantaloupe<br />Tomatoes<br />Cucumbers<br />Broccoli<br />Cabbage<br />Bell Peppers<br />Jalapeno Peppers<br />Kohlrabi<br />Spinach<br />Potatoes<br />Sweet Potatoes<br />Parsnips<br />Radishes<br />Beets<br />Onions<br />Carrots<br />Lettuce<br /><br />Also, a few herbs in a planter box:<br />Basil<br />Lavender<br />Mint<br />Parsley<br /><br />We still have room in the garden (go figure) so we may add some watermelon and lots of flowers!Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-64659143488901856852009-03-02T23:17:00.005-05:002009-03-02T23:42:25.080-05:00We emerge triumphant! =)For seven days we were under the law of a detox diet. Now, we've tried this diet about 3 other times before and the longest we had made it was about 3 days. But this time we were not to be defeated! I found that there are a few simple keys to getting you through those tough times when you just want something that you cannot have. First: Make a complete menu. Every meal and every snack. Second: Hide the things that you cannot have! =) Seriously! It worked for both of us on more than one occasion this week!<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SaywvfOieuI/AAAAAAAAAHw/lpKi0mGo-pk/s1600-h/DSCN2013.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SaywvfOieuI/AAAAAAAAAHw/lpKi0mGo-pk/s200/DSCN2013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308812390645791458" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SaywvmWVejI/AAAAAAAAAH4/MT1xem4lcCQ/s1600-h/DSCN2014.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SaywvmWVejI/AAAAAAAAAH4/MT1xem4lcCQ/s200/DSCN2014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308812392557541938" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/Saywvygav2I/AAAAAAAAAIA/emwTTuMDOj8/s1600-h/DSCN2015.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/Saywvygav2I/AAAAAAAAAIA/emwTTuMDOj8/s200/DSCN2015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308812395821055842" border="0" /></a><br />(This is the other stuff- coffee, chips, cereal, salt. It was in a box on the fridge last week.)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We started the week off with making some snacks right off the bat. We made granola, smoothie pops, and hummus.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SayyJl2qBVI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/yyui0QALpYU/s1600-h/DSCN2034.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SayyJl2qBVI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/yyui0QALpYU/s200/DSCN2034.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308813938612897106" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SayyJ7uurAI/AAAAAAAAAIY/mdKgkMtxSso/s1600-h/DSCN2042.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SayyJ7uurAI/AAAAAAAAAIY/mdKgkMtxSso/s200/DSCN2042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308813944485227522" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SayyJT5f-MI/AAAAAAAAAII/DyluTXxFLH4/s1600-h/DSCN2021.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SayyJT5f-MI/AAAAAAAAAII/DyluTXxFLH4/s200/DSCN2021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308813933792983234" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Although we weren't completely free of temptation this week, we managed to make it seven days without cheating! However, a detox diet is supposed to kind of clean up your system and I'm pretty sure it didn't work. We still felt very tired and sluggish despite following all the rules. Oh well. At least we tried! In case you're curious, I'll post a list at the end of what we could and couldn't eat last week.<br /><br /><br />What we COULD have:<br />Fruit (and fruit juice)<br />Vegetables<br />Beans and lentils<br />Tofu<br />Oats<br />Potatoes<br />Brown Rice, Rice Noodles, Rice Cakes<br />Fish<br />Unsalted Nuts and Seeds<br />Plain Popcorn<br />Live Natural Yogurt<br />Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar<br />Garlic, Ginger, Black Pepper and Herbs<br />Honey<br />Water<br />Herbal and Fruit Teas<br /><br />What we COULDN'T have:<br />Meat (Although we still had chicken)<br />Milk, cheese, eggs, cream<br />Butter and margarine<br />Bread and wheat products<br />Chocolate and other sugars<br />Processed foods<br />Coffee and Tea<br />Sauces and Dressings<br />Salt<br />"Fizzy Drinks"<br /></div></div><br /><br /></div>Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-31076994845552887092009-02-21T18:12:00.005-05:002009-02-21T19:49:53.988-05:00Preparing for the Detox Diet!! =)Every so often, we decide that it's time for a detox diet. Now, just for the record, these aren't crazy diets where you only drink hot sauce and eat peanuts or something. No, no. Our detox diets are pretty much just eating REAL food and leaving out a few things like dairy and sugar, etc.<br />Well, we're planning to start this diet on Monday. So what did we do today? Made Cream Puffs of course!!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SaCfCrKDpmI/AAAAAAAAAHI/aEXVRrKrfo8/s1600-h/DSCN1974.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SaCfCrKDpmI/AAAAAAAAAHI/aEXVRrKrfo8/s200/DSCN1974.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305415229335905890" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SaCfh3xhYSI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/T0XhcFvldKU/s1600-h/DSCN1984.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SaCfh3xhYSI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/T0XhcFvldKU/s200/DSCN1984.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305415765298602274" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SaCfiao-jRI/AAAAAAAAAHg/jW3w9Ic3QVo/s1600-h/DSCN1995.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SaCfiao-jRI/AAAAAAAAAHg/jW3w9Ic3QVo/s200/DSCN1995.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305415774658006290" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SaCfiAWzwYI/AAAAAAAAAHY/hB-5c7fbot8/s1600-h/DSCN1993.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SaCfiAWzwYI/AAAAAAAAAHY/hB-5c7fbot8/s200/DSCN1993.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305415767602479490" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SaCfilIeLII/AAAAAAAAAHo/2gqrZUy4How/s1600-h/DSCN2003.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SaCfilIeLII/AAAAAAAAAHo/2gqrZUy4How/s200/DSCN2003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305415777474456706" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />I think we're both ready for our detox diet now!! Wish us luck!! =)Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-25895033864699113862009-02-20T15:25:00.009-05:002009-02-20T16:04:36.240-05:00Preparing for the FieldWhile we're doing our deputation at home, we've come to learn how faithful God really is toward us. In more ways than we enjoy, God is preparing us for the mission field. =) <br /><br />You see, we're living in a really old farmhouse (that we honestly are so very thankful for) that has it's own personality. Especially in the winter time. Although the house was only vacant for a few years before we moved in, we recently learned that no one has lived here during the winter in at least 50 years! No wonder we've seen our share of 'winter woes'! =) <br />So, what does this have to do with prepping for the field? Well, let me share some of our 'woes' and perhaps it will all make sense to you.<br /><br />First, our water pipes froze and we were without water for about two days. I like to tell myself that I lived without running water for a year so I could handle it. Well, during that year I still had a shower and other bathroom amenities! Lucky for us, it was only a few days and the problem was solved. However, during that week, we lost water one other time for a leak. Maybe God is prepping us for life REALLY without running water.<br /><br />Next, probably my favorite, is when our washer started to act up. I was doing a load of laundry one morning and I went to put some fabric softener in when I saw water spraying everywhere! Again, living in an old farmhouse, the plumbing isn't exactly...code. Anyway, the pipe that drains the water OUT of the washer was frozen up. So, with a washer full of water, what were we to do? Enter the buckets.<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SZ8XaPkEBsI/AAAAAAAAAHA/VocAe3WyDRA/s1600-h/DSCN1949.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SZ8XaPkEBsI/AAAAAAAAAHA/VocAe3WyDRA/s320/DSCN1949.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304984625687561922" border="0" /></a>It was quite entertaining actually. We could have gotten really frustrated, but we just laughed as we raced bucket after bucket outside to dump it in the yard!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SZ8XaPkEBsI/AAAAAAAAAHA/VocAe3WyDRA/s1600-h/DSCN1949.JPG"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SZ8Wer2mQrI/AAAAAAAAAGw/s8fP4ngoR7w/s1600-h/DSCN1948.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SZ8Wer2mQrI/AAAAAAAAAGw/s8fP4ngoR7w/s320/DSCN1948.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304983602489344690" border="0" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> It's amazing how much water you use in every load of laundry!! I was reminded of Jungle Camp and washing my clothes in a bucket with a plunger. It doesn't sound so bad compared to racing buckets of water outside! Maybe when we're on the field I'll opt for washing our clothes by hand. haha! Maybe. =)<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Last (for now) is our most recent episode. It's very interesting because on Wednesday, we were talking to our friend Hemp in Thailand. She was saying how it can sometimes get pretty cold there at night, like 40F. She's from PA and no weenie but 40F with no heat and no insulation can seem pretty cold. Thursday morning, our heat stopped working. And we have no insulation. I felt like I could really sympathize with my missionary friend, Hemp! I thought "maybe someday this will be real life everyday." Fortunately, our heat was fixed this afternoon (Friday) so we don't have to endure this harsh Michigan winter without it!<br /><br />The Lord is definitely preparing us spiritually, relationally, and financially, but He doesn't forget the <span style="font-style: italic;">practical</span> side of missionary life either!<br /></div></div>Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-17791619607997353842008-10-25T22:30:00.008-04:002008-10-25T22:56:55.402-04:00A Little Vacation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SQPXH6rt6sI/AAAAAAAAAEE/RQF9JA3nKHg/s1600-h/DSCN2569.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SQPXH6rt6sI/AAAAAAAAAEE/RQF9JA3nKHg/s320/DSCN2569.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261285320710548162" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SQPXIM2B-wI/AAAAAAAAAEM/pcX0Up9WBC8/s1600-h/DSCN2573.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SQPXIM2B-wI/AAAAAAAAAEM/pcX0Up9WBC8/s320/DSCN2573.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261285325585644290" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SQPXIqirQkI/AAAAAAAAAEU/YXcksg1xs0k/s1600-h/DSCN2578.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SQPXIqirQkI/AAAAAAAAAEU/YXcksg1xs0k/s320/DSCN2578.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261285333557527106" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SQPXI4aK3eI/AAAAAAAAAEc/UB5ZyL4J4ZU/s1600-h/DSCN2596.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SQPXI4aK3eI/AAAAAAAAAEc/UB5ZyL4J4ZU/s320/DSCN2596.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261285337279946210" border="0" /></a>Last week, I went to Mackinac Island for a ladies conference called Win-some Women. I went with Jake's mom (Barb), my sister-in-law Elisa and our friend Sandy. It's such a fun retreat! We were spoiled at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island that propels you back in time when people dressed for dinner and a horses and carriage brought you to your hotel door.<br />In addition to being treated like queens, we had some amazing speakers that we listened to. Tony Campolo was the keynote speaker and he was so great! I was pretty excited to hear that he was going to be at the conference and he didn't disappoint. Another great speaker there was Gracia Burnham. She was pretty happy to have 'ran into' some fellow New Tribers in Elisa and I. We loved listening to her speak and enjoyed sharing dinner with her. It was nice to just hang out and ask her questions.<br />These are some pictures from the trip. The first one is the view of the hotel as you walk up the sidewalk. It was rainy when we got there, but it cleared up the second day. There's also a picture of our room which was small but nice. We felt like princesses in our canopy beds. :) The flowers in the picture with me on the porch (the world's longest, I might add) are geraniums. At the Grand Hotel, practically everything is decorated with geraniums!<br />Here's a link to the Win-Some Women website if you're interested in checking it out.<br />~Erin<br /><br /><a href="http://www.win-somewomen.org/">http://www.win-somewomen.org/</a>Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-13874945007390209002008-10-25T15:22:00.003-04:002008-10-25T15:29:33.194-04:00The Cows are Out!First of all, I have to say that I'm so sorry that I didn't get a picture of this!<br />A little background info: for those of you who don't know, we're currently living on a dairy farm just north of Battle Creek, Michigan. It's a pretty big operation where they milk about 600 cows 24/7. There are in total about 1,000 cows that live on the farm. <br />Last night, my sister (Sarah) came over to help us unpack some boxes (no, we still aren't unpacked yet). I was trying to explain to her what life on a farm is like. Like how LOUD cows can be. Occassionally while we were unpacking things in the house I'd stop and say "can you hear that" and sure enough, there'd be a really loud "moo" coming from our back yard.<br />Sarah asked if the cows were close by and if they ever got out. To which I responded "no". She then said, "well, there's some in your yard right now". We looked out the window and saw about eight young cows 'running' around in our front yard!! What do you do when the cows get out?!?! Well, it didn't take long and we saw a Gator come speeding by and they quickly rounded up the cows back into their barn.<br />Quite an exciting night for us! :)Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-24329105054823353622008-10-23T13:03:00.003-04:002008-10-23T13:12:54.407-04:00Training.So in the spring, there's this race called the 5/3 River Bank Run and Jake and I have decided that we're going to run in it. At least a 5K (3.1 miles) and maybe a 10K (6.2 miles). Now, neither one of us are in the best of shape, but we're motivated and have some friends who will be running with us to keep us accountable! We live in an old farmhouse on a beautiful country road which is awesome for training. It's hilly and curvy with very little traffic and it's pretty much a runner's dream! We've also discovered a couple of great websites for tracking your progress and tips for training.<br /><br />Anyway, that's our new venture. We're having fun training together and are hoping to keep it up even through the winter months. (Southern Michigan doesn't get nearly as much snow as Durham does!)<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.53riverbankrun.com/">http://www.53riverbankrun.com/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/">http://www.runnersworld.com/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.livestrong.com/">http://www.livestrong.com/</a>Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-65833961486728044042008-05-19T09:18:00.009-04:002008-05-19T09:59:21.327-04:00Lobster!We've made some good friends here in Canada. One of our friends is Jacob. He's from Nova Scotia and when he lived there, he worked as a fisherman. Specifically lobster. Last week he invited some friends over for a lobster massacre... I mean, dinner... and showed us how it's done. It was a pretty fun time and definitely cultural! Here are some pictures of our dinner.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SDF_rjI8aTI/AAAAAAAAAC8/LXXaY06SnDY/s1600-h/DSCN1846.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SDF_rjI8aTI/AAAAAAAAAC8/LXXaY06SnDY/s320/DSCN1846.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202079430733490482" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Our unsuspecting prey!! Before dinner, the boys had the live lobsters cutting our carrots with their claws!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SDF_sDI8aUI/AAAAAAAAADE/c_YeucO431Y/s1600-h/DSCN1848.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SDF_sDI8aUI/AAAAAAAAADE/c_YeucO431Y/s320/DSCN1848.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202079439323425090" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This, according to Jacob, is what a cooked lobster is supposed to look like. :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SDF_sjI8aVI/AAAAAAAAADM/-SC5q6hQoQE/s1600-h/DSCN1849.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SDF_sjI8aVI/AAAAAAAAADM/-SC5q6hQoQE/s320/DSCN1849.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202079447913359698" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />First, you break off the tail, then dump out the "tom nelly" (whatever that is!), and scoop out the meat from the tail.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SDF_szI8aWI/AAAAAAAAADU/JM5lJRrLB2s/s1600-h/DSCN1852.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SDF_szI8aWI/AAAAAAAAADU/JM5lJRrLB2s/s320/DSCN1852.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202079452208327010" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Then, Jacob showed us how to chop open the claw to get the best meat out. It wasn't so bad the first time we hacked open a lobster claw, but it started to get pretty messy!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SDF_tDI8aXI/AAAAAAAAADc/TWXvfvkhRlg/s1600-h/DSCN1854.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SDF_tDI8aXI/AAAAAAAAADc/TWXvfvkhRlg/s320/DSCN1854.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202079456503294322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The little tiny legs have pretty good meat in them too, believe it or not. And despite the look in Jason's face, he really liked his lobster!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SDGFkTI8abI/AAAAAAAAAD8/U2NlNOduavI/s1600-h/DSCN1855.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SDGFkTI8abI/AAAAAAAAAD8/U2NlNOduavI/s320/DSCN1855.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202085903249205682" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Greg and Leah did a pretty good job of dissecting their oceanic friends.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SDGC4TI8aZI/AAAAAAAAADs/iFZb2WNvH44/s1600-h/DSCN1858.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SDGC4TI8aZI/AAAAAAAAADs/iFZb2WNvH44/s320/DSCN1858.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202082948311706002" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />That's our friend Jacob in the red shirt, I think he enjoyed watching us fumble our way through eating the sea bugs!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SDGC4zI8aaI/AAAAAAAAAD0/lrjzHOmmvC0/s1600-h/DSCN1859.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/SDGC4zI8aaI/AAAAAAAAAD0/lrjzHOmmvC0/s320/DSCN1859.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202082956901640610" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The aftermath. Quite the mess, eh? Believe me, this picture doesn't do it justice. I think there were lobster parts on the ceiling...<br /><br />Thanks Jacob!!!Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-39573048787969043192008-03-25T13:27:00.009-04:002008-03-25T14:23:00.825-04:00Making Maple SyrupWell Spring is officially here, or at least that's what I'm told, and with it comes maple syrup. Each Spring, for the last couple of years, some friends of ours have been making maple syrup. It's quite a process and we're not experts, but the gist of it is simple: collect sap from maple trees and then boil it down until you end up with syrup. It takes around 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup so a lot of time and energy is involved. The other day, the two of us had a chance to join our friends, Matt and Joan, while they boiled sap.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/R-k-MbYLubI/AAAAAAAAACc/dXPTKtkFo2Y/s1600-h/DSCN2413.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/R-k-MbYLubI/AAAAAAAAACc/dXPTKtkFo2Y/s320/DSCN2413.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181741229495007666" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I know what you're thinking, but no, this isn't<br />a still.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/R-k-9rYLucI/AAAAAAAAACk/ofIdUUIAqMQ/s1600-h/DSCN2420.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/R-k-9rYLucI/AAAAAAAAACk/ofIdUUIAqMQ/s320/DSCN2420.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181742075603564994" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />What better way to pass the time than with a<br />little bannock.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/R-lAe7YLudI/AAAAAAAAACs/gU1RvyKWDEU/s1600-h/DSCN2422.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/R-lAe7YLudI/AAAAAAAAACs/gU1RvyKWDEU/s320/DSCN2422.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181743746345843154" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Bannock is a type of bread. We cooked it by<br />wrapping balls of dough around the end of a<br />stick, and then baking it over the coals of the<br />same fire used to boil the sap.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/R-lCGLYLueI/AAAAAAAAAC0/2X95YVpDpDU/s1600-h/DSCN2426.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/R-lCGLYLueI/AAAAAAAAAC0/2X95YVpDpDU/s320/DSCN2426.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181745520167336418" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Add a little butter and jam and bon appetit!Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-71571598634711629812007-12-01T20:24:00.001-05:002007-12-01T20:35:32.783-05:00Time fer some hockey, eh?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/R1ILUxsc1KI/AAAAAAAAABM/FuirWnovDFY/s1600-R/T-cats.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/R1ILUxsc1KI/AAAAAAAAABM/pEMffi4Q3HI/s200/T-cats.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139182576348222626" border="0" /></a><br />After dinner last night, we went out with some friends to enjoy a truly cultural experience. The Saugeen Shores Winterhawks took on the hometown Durham Thundercats at the Arena. We sat with the faithful fans who (I think) <span style="font-style: italic;">live </span>for hockey season. They were full of all sorts of encouraging words for the refs and the opposing team! Sort of. Anyway, it was a pretty good hockey game. Both teams have good records but unfortunately, the Thundercats lost 4-2. After that game, I think we understand Canadians just a little bit better. ;)Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-52904725547312307352007-12-01T17:14:00.000-05:002007-12-01T17:21:59.265-05:00Spasibo!(That means 'Thank You')<br />Last night the second year students and staff here held a potluck dinner for our language helpers. Right now, Erin is in a practicum where she uses the language learning skills that she has learned so far. The instructors pair the students up with people from the community who's first language is not English. For this practicum, Erin is working with a lady named Lydia who speaks Russian. We had a fun time at the potluck last night with Lydia and her husband Erich along with all the other students and their language helpers. It was our chance to say thank you for all the time and effort they have put into this practicum.Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-57177512767835543302007-11-12T15:03:00.000-05:002007-11-12T15:28:29.474-05:00New Arrival!<a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/Rzi3KlOyRVI/AAAAAAAAABE/Q56R-WXaKeQ/s1600-h/ko.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132053167809381714" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/Rzi3KlOyRVI/AAAAAAAAABE/Q56R-WXaKeQ/s200/ko.JPG" border="0" /></a>Wii have a new friend at our house now! :) Some friends of ours from church <a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/Rzi1ClOyRSI/AAAAAAAAAAs/xQz-L4mGGfo/s1600-h/DSCN2150.JPG"></a>thought we needed a <em>useful</em> wedding gift, so they bought us the treasured Nintendo Wii. I'm sure most of you are familiar with the Wii, but if you're not, it's<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/RzizlVOyRQI/AAAAAAAAAAc/_w-sIQQYZe0/s1600-h/ko.JPG"></a> basically an interactive video game that requires you to use more than just your finger muscles!<br />In this picture, Erin is training for a boxing match. It's so much fun and we're looking forward to being able to share this fun toy with all our friends! :)<br /><br /><div><div><div>Special thanks to Roger, Phyllis, Dan and Greg!</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-42050409944964406772007-11-07T14:31:00.001-05:002007-11-07T14:36:43.542-05:00First Snow!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/RzIS0kJaRrI/AAAAAAAAAAU/aM7TbNej4K0/s1600-h/first+snow.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 211px; height: 158px;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/RzIS0kJaRrI/AAAAAAAAAAU/aM7TbNej4K0/s320/first+snow.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130183619794060978" border="0" /></a>So it's not really a novelty in Ontario, but we got our first real snow of the season last night! I peeked out the window this morning before heading to class and saw that everything was white! I thought that the windows were just fogged up until I saw the outline of our van and realized that it had snowed. It only accumulated about an inch, but right now, at 2:30pm, it's still hanging around. Looks like old man winter is here to stay!Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-42476501464503254162007-11-05T13:25:00.000-05:002007-11-07T14:31:23.159-05:00Going On<div>Our trip to Wisconsin went very well. Although tiring, it was great to be able to interact with students at the Bible school to share with them about the Missionary Training Center here in Durham. The overall point was to encourage students there to consider how they can use their lives to serve God, specifically in the area of indigenous tribal church-planting. Overall the trip was a success!<br />It wasn't all just business though. We were able to socialize with old friends at the Bible school. While on the campus, Erin met up with 9 other people who were on her Interface trip to Papua New Guinea in 2005. We spent some quality time crammed in a van with our fellow classmates and friends too! We also got to visit our favorite store while we were on the trip: REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.). <br /></div>Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303266056641335136.post-60095449375817596842007-10-29T16:16:00.000-04:002007-10-29T16:33:13.608-04:00We're 'Home'<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/RyZDcoHL4RI/AAAAAAAAAAM/6h37JvKZp5M/s1600-h/Mr&MrsJake.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126859384890843410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Rzs3paGL59k/RyZDcoHL4RI/AAAAAAAAAAM/6h37JvKZp5M/s320/Mr%26MrsJake.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Hello friends! </div><br /><div>Thanks to those of you who were able to make it out to the wedding. We loved seeing everyone there! Our honeymoon in Missouri was nice and relaxing. We flew into Springfield and stayed in a beautiful lake house for about five days. Niether one of us really wanted to leave that place. The house was amazing and the view was spectacular. We flew into Michigan late Thursday night and spent some time with our families. It was nice to have a day or two to reconnect before heading back to Canada. </div><br /><div>We returned to Durham on Saturday night and have spent Sunday and Monday unpacking and rearranging and unpacking some more and relaxing too! It's nice to finally be in a place of our own. Monday and Tuesday are down days for us. Jake is still out of the office and Erin is missing a few more days of class. </div><br /><div>Wednesday morning, dark and early, we head for Wisconsin for five days. We're looking forward to being there with the people, but we aren't very excited about more travelling!</div><br /><div>We'll post again next week and let you know how the trip to Wisconsin went. Thanks for reading! :)</div>Jake and Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17827914777240362821noreply@blogger.com4