Fun with Chalk

We have been enjoying the beautiful weather by spending some play time outside! We have a nice play area outside our townhouse, but sometimes it's nice to contain the kids in our little patio. Reece is a great chalker, so we make whole towns for her horses and other play people and animals. You can see the sun she made in the middle of this pic. Kelly was over this day to help us color. Thanks, Kelly! :)

Fun times!

Fun at Grandmama's and Grandad's House

These pictures are actually from February when Daniel and I went to Austin for the weekend. I just got the pictures from my mom's camera. I don't think Reece and Joe missed us much! They had many fun activities at Grandmama's house AND they got to go to their cousin Will's first birthday party!

Reece doing some kind of painting project.

Dancing maybe?

Jumping with cousin Rowan!

All dressed up and no where to go...

Making Valentines purses with Rowan. This came home full of chocolates, which we are STILL eating!

Waiting for some dinner!

These two had a blast on their grandparent vacation! Joe used to cry when we went over to their house, but now he just runs right in.

Thanks SO much Mom and Dad/ Grandad and Grandmama!!

Thoughts Worth Thinking About

About a month ago, I got on a house cleaning kick. I started receiving the Fly Lady emails everyday and was enjoying a good routine of cleaning. It was fun to get her emails and it has been good to clean things out and "de-clutter." But, after about a month of this, I started to get the itch to fill up my free time with something I really enjoyed doing and don't get the chance to do very much...READING!

I LOVE to read and I'll read basically anything. I have a bad habit of reading the first few chapters of a book or skipping around in the book reading only what looks interesting. (Hey, if you're a busy mom, you'll understand and you wouldn't want to waste your time on a chapter you didn't care about!)

I just finished Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and I today I finished Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot by Elisabeth Elliot.

This was a very thought provoking book. I would recommend it highly. It only took me about a week to read. It's a very easy read and very interesting. Jim Elliot had a lot of ideas that I have been thinking about lately, and here is one I'll share with you...

"I am now aware that my reasons for not being engaged [to his future wife, Elisabeth Elliot] are hidden in the counsels of God's Spirit. I simply know it is not for now-that knowledge is inward, God-given, and to be obeyed at whatever cost. There are no explanations except that God leads, and He does not let a man know why He leads. Faith binds a man to what he knows inside, like may coming to Ecuador. the world could not shake the persuasion. 'The just shall live by faith.' Faith-not alone in facts and a rational apologetic-but in the reality of the inward work of the anointing which he possesses though the gift of the Holy Spirit. I must maintain a surer belief in the Spirit of God. It is no mere tenet of faith that He indwells the believer. he does indwell, and there He accomplishes His work of informing the spirit of man."

Taken from Shadow of the Almighty, page 174&175

I can apply this to so many area's of my life right now. If we are "dwelling in the house of the Lord...gazing on His beauty," and, "seeking His face," and waiting on Him, He will lead and guide us. This is SO good and comforting to me!

Some other books that are in line for me to read:

Oxygen (given to me by my mother-in-law...not sure what it's about)

The Poisonwood Bible

Three Cups of Tea

I also really enjoy reading books to Reece (and I would love reading to Joe, too, IF he would sit still for long enough!) We go to the library about once a week and get as many books as will fit into our library bag. I think I'm just as excited to read them as she is! Then, we end up loving one or two of the books we've read and I have to put in on our Amazon wish list! :) A few books on this list right now are:

Where is Bear?

Puff the Magic Dragon

Skinny Brown Dog

Dora and the Magic Snow Princess (Reece's pick :)

Big Brown Bear's Birthday Surprise (and other Big Brown Bear books)

The Missing Chick

We have also been getting a lot of audio books, too. Haven't found many we really like, though.

Do you have any favorite books for either me or Reece to read? What about audio books? Any suggestions?

New from the Perez Family

Hi, Friends!!

Here is our March Newsletter! We hope you enjoy reading about our family and news about MAF.

love,

becky

Video

So, it seems that the MAF video I posted is a little finicky about working. If you are still interested in watching the video, you can go here to see all the different MAF videos. I like the "evangelism and church nurture" one.

For your viewing enjoyment

This is a quick 7 minute video that does a great job of summing up what Mission Aviation Fellowship is all about. Enjoy!


We had a GREAT week at the CBC missions conference. We especially enjoyed our time meeting with small groups on Friday and Saturday night and Sunday morning. Thanks so much for your interest in our ministry.

If you have any questions about this video, please let us know.

We are working on our February...err...I guess now March :) newsletter, so that is why it has been quiet in the Perez blog-land recently. There is only so much creativity here, people!! :)

Our Valentines Weekend

DANIEL AND I RAN THE AUSTIN MARATHON ON SUNDAY!!!

now, THAT'S love!!

It was SO fun!! It was thrilling for me to finally run a marathon! We were able to run most of it together so we could talk and enjoy the run and all the people watching and cheering. It was a pretty hilly course at times, but also very scenic and the weather was perfect for a run!! This is something I've ALWAYS wanted to do, so I feel very accomplished. I was so glad to get to run with my supporter, encourager, best-friend and coach! Daniel had already run one marathon before this, but he's just THAT amazing and did it again with me. I could have never done it with out his help. He always let me go out on my runs, he watched the kids for me, he gave me so much advice and encouragement, and he always changed his schedule around to meet my needs. What a guy! :)

Okay, I'm not gonna lie...we are hurting today!!! We stayed the night last night in Austin so we wouldn't have to drive home right after the race and now that we're home, we are having issues going up and down the stairs! Thankfully, Daniel got me a massage gift card for Christmas, so I will be cashing that in tomorrow!

We went up to Austin on Friday (the race was on Sunday) and stayed with our fun friends Justin and Cindy Girdler. They took us around Austin, cooked for us, and let us stay in their beautiful new home. It was SO fun to talk and catch up with them. Reece and Joe got to spend three whole nights with my parents. They had a blast, but they both were sick and on all kinds of medications, so my parents were SO nice to still take them in and care for them. We really missed them, of course, but it was so nice to not have to worry about schedules, naps, bed times, meals, toys, diapers, and all that stuff just for a few days. I'm so glad to have them back in my arms again, though! I missed them so much I even had dreams about them every night we were apart!

We are already searching for marathons in Indonesia. Anyone want to come and visit and run the Bali marathon with us??? :)


Daniel got this hat and matching gloves at wal-mart for $3 the day before the race! He had to dump them along the way...hopefully someone is enjoying them now.PUMPED UP!
WAY too excited!

AFTER: we spent a lot of time lounging in the hotel room!