A little about me!

I have been tagged by Melissa over at Melissa's world!! http://wonderfulworldofmelissa.blogspot.com/

1) 10 years ago! Wow. Nikolas had been home 1 year from Russia and we were just spending tons of time getting to know him. You can see his picture up above!!!

2)5 years ago: 5 years ago on October 24th we add another daughter from Russia. Ekaterina! Hard to believe it will be 5 years ago this month!!!! You can see Katies's up above also.

3) year ago: LOL I am begine to see a patter here!!! We had just brought home our newest Daughter Hannah!!! You can see her referal picture up above too!!!

4)Yesterday: I babysat Jeff and Michelle Janssens children so they could spend the day up at the hospital and then last night went to Mission Mobilization

.5) 5 snacks I enjoy: Chocolate, Peanut butter cookies, chips and cheese,.Cheri's whoopies pies that she makes (YUM!!!!) Peanuts

6) 5 things I would do if I suddenly had $100 million: Pay off all our bills and start a foundation for adoptive families, start another foundation for people and families to go on mission trips, Buy an airplane so we can just pick up and go, Pay off my friends bills so they could all go with me!!

7) 5 locations I would like to run away to: Russia, Austraulia, New Zealand, Haiti, Switzerland

8) 5 bad habits I have: getting mad at people who (in my opinion) are bad drivers, eating too much, eating junk food, talking instead of listening, Yelling at my kids too quickly

9) 5 things I like doing: hanging out with my friends, being online, reading, listening to music, Camping with my family

10) 5 TV shows I like: mm...this is hard, I don't really watch TV, Deadliest catch, law and order, House hunters, Emeril, ?

11) 5 things I hate doing: dusting, Laundry, helping with math homework, Mowing, cleaning my 3 bathrooms.

12) 5 biggest joys of the moment: Knowing that Jesus loves me, Knowing I have awesome friends, Having a wonderful church to attend, Knowing that some good friends will be coming in a few weeks to stay with us, Knowing that our 17th anniversary is coming up in a few weeks.

I tag Kimberly, Tori, Tammy, Kathy F.

Nothing new for today

I do not have much to post today so I thought I would share some of the pictures of the Livesay Baby shower that we had in Haiti. We had so much fun!!

Kimberly made up these shirts for the kids! They were so cute!!!

















Phoebe is sooooooo cute!!!!






We even had food at our baby shower! That was fun and interesting!!!

My Weekend

Wow!! A girl doesn't post for a few days and I get nailed to the wall! LOL Glad to know I have such caring friends out there!

We actually left Friday evening for a weekend of Camping. We went to Muskegon State Park and the weather and the park were just beautiful! Nice big campsites. We were right across from a large sandune and the kids just spent hours on it playing. Which made a nice quiet weekend for me.

However I made one big mistake! I left my camera at home again. Ugh! I was so mad at myself.

So that is where I was and no update.

:)

Well my dear friend Cheri http://www.cmnah.blogspot.com has tagged me for 10 things that make me smile.

1. Jesus

2. My kids actually getting a long with each other and using their imagination

3. Getting together with friends on Tuesdays.

4. Tammy B helping me with Kingdom cove!! Yes that gives me a great big smile.

5. The friends that God has given me in the last 3 years!! Wow! God you are so good to me!!

6. Getting away with just my husband. (It would make me smile if it ever really happened.)

7. Fall is my favorite time of year. Cider, Pumpkins, donuts, apples! YUM!!!

8. Our praise team at church!!! They Rock!!!

9. dancing, singing and acting crazy with the kids! They think were nuts but is fun!!

10. Camping in the fall with the family.

I am tagging Tammy B, Kathy F, Kim J get to work girls!!

School pictures

I did my own school pictures this year. I just could not stomach paying
$150 for the pictures that I needed. They are not professional but I am
Happy with them!!
Ekaterina age 9
Caleb age 6
Heather age 8 (9 in 6 weeks)
Nikolas age 10 (soon to be 11)

Hannah age 7

The weather has been so beautiful!!!! I hope that everyone has had a good week. Its been a nice quiet week for me!!! Thank you, Lord!!

I won an award!!!

I won an award!!! Its the nice Matters award!!

I am so excited as I never win awards!! LOL

thank you Mari http://marislittlecorner.blogspot.com
I could not get my links to work so just clickon Mari to read another nice blog!!!

Also here are a friend that I recommend for a "nice award"

Tammy http://bergys.blogspot.com

She is just starting out and adding some pictures! Maybe this will keep her motivated!! LOL

God moments

Quite awhile back I got this super strong feeling that God wanted me to pray with my children before School. I would get this feeling in the middle of the night and would wake up usually and not even think about as the busy day would get going. Well last night I kept getting the same feeling that we needed to start our school day praying (not just me praying silently for them as they go off but as a group together) and when I woke up it was soooooo strong and so just before school we all met in a circle and held hands and prayed. I prayed and then offered the chance to the kids and they were a little shy but i know as the days go by and they get used to it they will take part. It was such a beautiful feeling and one of the best parts is that as I was leaving the room Caleb came running up to me and said can I pray with just you. So now the tears are coming and I said of course. Do you want me to pray or do you want to?? He said I would to. He had the sweetest prayer for a 6 year old!!! I had a nice good cry and praised God for this idea and thanked Him for not letting me !! I wanted to share it because first I want to give God the glory for always being there and in case anyone else is stuggeling with their morning before school!!!

We had homegroup last night at our house and Nik took Lauren outside and
and she was asking lots of pumkin questions. Wanted to know what those orange
things were! Too cute!!!!! I love this picture!!

Saturday

Not a ton going on today. Nate worked in the yard and Katie and I went to get groceries.
Like I said not much too exciting!!

Tonight we are going to a friend from Churches for supper. Sango and Karen are cooking us a tradition Kenyan meal!! I cannot wait!!!! Hope you are all having a great Saturday!!

This is Hillsong United live. They are singing the song "solution" on the All of the above album.
I am thinking that this is the winner for the next Haiti video. Read the words below. They are so powerful. Let me know if it touches you as it touches me. I sit in my car and cry everytime I hear it.

It is not a human right

To stare not fight

While broken nations dream

Open up our eyes, so blind

That we might find

The Mercy for the need

Singin Hey Now

Fill our hearts with your compassion

Hey Now

As we hold to our confession

Yeah

It is not too far a cry

To much to try

To help the least of these

Politics will not decide

If we should rise

And be your hands and feet

Singing Hey Now

Fill our hearts with your compassion

Hey Now

As we hold to our confession

Woah-oh-oh,

God be the solution

Woah-oh-oh

We will be Your hands and be Your feet

.Yeah, yeah

Higher than a circumstance

Your promise stands

Your love for all to see

Higher than protest line and dollar signs

Your love is all we need

Only you can mend the broken heart

And cause the blind to see

Erase complete the sinners past

And set the captives free

Only you can take the widows cry

And cause her heart to sing

Be a father to the fatherless

Our savior and our king

We will be your hands, we will be your feet

We will run this race

On the darkest place, we will be your lightWe will be your light

We will be your hands , we will be your feet

We will run this race for the least of these

In the darkest place, we will be your light

We will be your light (we’ll say/sing?)

We will run we will run

We will (run with the solution?) (2x)

We will be your hands we will be your feet

We will run this race for the least of these

In the darkest place we will be your light

We will be your light

Amy's dancing in Haiti

Finally after several weeks of trying I have been able to get this uploaded!!! Enjoy!!!

Some fun videos from Livesay baby shower

I am going to work on getting some more videos from Haiti up on the blog!!

Faith
Adam and Heather

Skillet and Toby Mac

Skillet
Toby Mac
Nik and Grace
Michelle
Rosemy, Julie and myself (yes that is hot chocolate in my hand!)

I am stealing pictures from Julie as we didn't bring our camera. So sorry Julie but your pictures were great! If you read both of our blogs then I apologize!! LOL

We had a great time last night even though the heavens opened up and poured on us!!! While the bands were playing I didn't really feel the rain. I was able to keep warm by dancing around. I also realized that during Toby Mac the rained pretty much stopped until the very end! Thank you God for that reprieve!!!

I have to say I went mostly because I love skillet and I like some of Toby Mac songs on the radio. However I LOVED Toby Mac! I would see them again in a heart beat. They have a great stage show and the kids just loved it!!! It was our summer family splurge and I am sooooo glad we went!!

Toby Mac/Skillet

Tonight we are going to the Allegan county fair to see Toby Mac and Skillet. Nathan and I love skillet and the kids love Toby Mac (I like a lot of his stuff but not sure about the really rappy stuff) It should be a fun time. We are going with friends and some of their kids as well!

Please pray for NO rain. I can handle a little bit of cold but not rain.

For those of you who do not know who skillet is here is one of their videos from youtube.

They have a great message for young adults and at the last skillet concert we went to they really proclaimed Jesus Christ!

Not much going on!

Not much going on today here at the Yonker household. I am just working on cleaning up the house as we have some people coming over for dinner this evening and then we are going to "Authentic" at chuch tonight. This is a service for our college aged ministry. I know, I know I am not college age anymore but I LOVE it!!!

I do not have much to post but thought I would put a plug out there for my business today.

I have never done this on my blog but thought it might be fun.

I have been an Avon rep for over 4 years now. It is so hard to believe that I would last this long doing something from home. It has been a good way for me to have some fun money over the last few years.

Also for those that have not seen a book in years its not just makeup anymore. We have toys, clothes, shoes, Jewerly, purses, ect.....

If you would like a book just email me at telltheworld5@gmail.com and I can either send you an online link for the books or I can get a book to you.

Also you can check out my website at www.youravon.com/byonker If you live in the Allendale, Hudsonville, Jenison area I can deliver your items right to you door. If you do not live in the area but would still like to order anything all you have to do is put in my name/phone number and I will still receive 25%. If you would like to do that email me privately and I will give you my number.

Also we are always looking for new reps to sell avon and I can help you with that. It is only $10 to start up and you do not have to do any home parties, no inventory and its hasn't been a hard sell! :)

Thank you to all my dear friends that have kept me in business for the last 4 years!!

These are just a few pictures of some of the Haitians that I just loved!!
Peter was one of our translators!! He was so genuinly nice!!!!!!!

This was the worship leader at church! He could really
get them fired up. Notice the heavy suit. A reminder
that it was 115 degrees that day!!!!

Tipap and Marilian. (I spelled his name wrong I am sure)
Two of the lifelines employees!!

More Haiti pictures

I am working on putting some more Haiti pictures on the blog.

This is where we stayed. It really quite nice.

It has a kitchen, living area, nice belcony, laundry room, 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and
and office.

Kimberely took this picture of us while in Haiti.
We really were there together! LOL This was a really
hot day!!

Caleb and Hannah's first day of school! They were so excited!!

This is Ryan. Caleb's best friend. He lives right across the street!!
It was his first day of Kindergarten today too!! We are very blessed that they
have the same schedule and the same teacher!!!

Hard to believe its the first day of school!!! The kids were very excited with only a few butterflies!!!!
(I was very excitd to find my batteries and charger this morning still packed away in a suitcase that was already put in storage!)

Caleb and Hannah do not go to school until tomorrow.

Cannot believe that Nik is in 5th grade this year and Heather and Katie are in 3rd!!!

At the bus stop with friends!

Well Tori! You are right those videos are very cool and yes they are a week old! LOL However we just got back from a long time of camping and of course since we have arrived home from Haiti we can not find our battery charger and extra batteries and my camera went dead just before camping so NO pictures. Of course today is also the first day of school and of course no camera. Sigh.

The kids are so excited about going to school this morning. Parts of me are very happy and parts of me are a little sad. The summer went so fast.