Try this thing again.

Hey all,

I'm going to give this map thing another try. My computer has been acting up some, so that may be the problem. Just got to love this vista!! Anyway...

We finally got our Christmas stuff put away this past week. Ron was able to burn the brush pile, so I took all the decorations off the tree, and after scouring it over real good to make sure we got them all, Ron took it and put it on the burn pile. No sitting around for weeks/months this year to get it burned!! (we get a real tree every year, if possible. So far we've been able to avoid the fake ones!!) Ron has been working on making end tables for our home, to go with the new furniture we got a while back. We are hoping to finish one this week. We were able to get some black walnut wood at a good price, and I am excited about what the end results will be. For sure there will be pictures of the finished product!!

We had a good holiday season, starting with Thanksgiving and ending with New Years. This year for Christmas, we stayed home and did Christmas with just us. This is the first year we haven't "shared" Christmas with anyone, and we really enjoyed it. It was a little "lonely" but we thoroughly enjoyed just us time in spite of that.

New Years Day we went to a world birding center and were really "lucky" to be able to see a parauque (pu-rock-ee -- short u sound). It's a night hawk that lives on the ground and is a master of camouflage!! They blend in so well with the leaves and twigs that you have to know what to look for to see it. They are so comfident in their camouflage that if you're careful enough, you can get within reach of it. I was able to close enough to use the macro setting on my camera. I did startle it after a little bit, and it moved some, so I backed off. We had never even heard of this bird before, let alone saw one. Someone there pointed it out to us, otherwise we would have walked right on past and never got to see it. We also saw several other kinds of birds and reptiles and got some really good pictures. I was wishing I had a bigger camera!!!! Below are pictures of some of God's creation we were blessed to view. The first ones are of the parauque.

We are planning deputation this summer, so we are gearing up for that. We plan on using some of the time for vacation as well. We will be able to see our families again, and get to spend time with them and friends as well. I am starting to look forward to it some, so maybe by the time it's time to leave, I'll be ready. It's just hard getting in the attitude of traveling 1000's of miles presenting the work here to countless people, some of whom are strangers. It's a necessary part of mission work though, and we are trusting God to be with us every step of the way.

Not much else going on. I was reading a friends blog and was introduced to a Home Management Binder. I think I might try that, or a version of it, and see if I can't get more time in my day for Bible Study. I feel like I'm extremely lacking in that area. God has been helping me get time in for devotions, but I need time for more in depths study, so I need to implement a schedule in my lifestyle, and then discipline myself to stick to it. I am hoping that I can get to that and get that organized before the month is out!!! I keep dangling the Bible Study in front of you all (at least I feel like I am. I don't even know who all is even interested in it), and so I will be doing my best to get the first posting in the next 2 weeks. So, stay tuned!!!

That about wraps up the post for this time. I'm giving a spelling test, so need to get off here. Hope everyone has a great week!!!

Until next time,

Esther