Various and sundry, and the post that didn't post

Over the last week or so, I have tried only about a thousand times to upload a post that refuses to be published ... so, my apologies for the recent silence on the blog front - I really did try, though!

A couple of highlights from the last two weeks:

Valentine's Day package from Tiffany and the girls! (and I'm sure Luke was also heavily involved in the selection of candies and stickers and the making of cute crafty gifts for the kids... :) ) It arrived on the evening of the 14th, stuffed with goodies, and made our whole week. Never in my life have I made a tin of honey roasted almonds last this long ... and it's *still half full!!*

And a week later, we (along with most of the other parents here) had A CHILD FREE DATE NIGHT!  Apparently we have the most thoughtful group of teenagers on earth living on station with us, because they planned a fundraiser evening involving not just taking kids for the evening and keeping them fed and entertained (hey, I'd settle for just keeping them *alive* if it meant an evening at home to ourselves!), but they also cooked for each couple and delivered a hot and delicious meal to our homes so we didn't have to cook or clean up after ourselves.  So, we enjoyed an amazing four-course, all-from-scratch meal complete with cake and chocolate dipped strawberries for dessert, in the comfort of our own home, without ONE SINGLE INTERRUPTION in our conversation, no diapers to change or dishes to wash or crumbs to sweep up afterwards ... it was glorious.  (And yes, we were delighted to see our beautiful children again at 9pm when they were brought home for bed :) )

PNG power contributed to the romantic atmosphere by interrupting electricity provision for the evening..!

This last Saturday, we had our first skype date since getting here! We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the video (although we've since been warned by those more seasoned than we are not to expect that every time, ha), and LOVED getting to see four of our favourite faces again for the first time in a month and a half.
Since we pre-purchase our internet data in bundles and pay per MB of data that we use, we weren't sure whether it would be feasible to indulge in video calls.  However, every few weeks a 'double data day' is announced by our internet provider, when we can buy two data bundles for the regular price of one.  So we think we will be taking advantage of those days whenever possible, and are looking forward to 'seeing' some more of you over the next couple of months :)

On Sunday, Mark was on call at the hospital. While this wasn't necessarily a highlight of the week (!), the kids and I also had the opportunity to spend some time there for 'church'.  The highschool students (again - our teens rock!) planned a morning of praise and worship, Bible stories and prayer with patients, and invited anyone who was interested to participate. So a group of us met at the hospital and got to spend time on the wards, bringing church to patients.  This definitely took me out of my comfort zone, but is something I really hope to be able to do on a more regular basis.  It is one thing to pray for patients whose stories Mark shares with us at home (and I love that in this way we can affect the lives of those we can't physically be with) ... but sitting on the edge of someone's bed while his wife tells us he is dying of cancer and asks for prayers for strength - that's a little different.

So, that is some of what we have been up to in the last couple of weeks.  Also, lots of playing in the mud, taking care of 'our' kittens, Levi narrowly avoiding hospitalisation because of breathing difficulties, homeschooling with Anna, and inching our way closer to being a family of five extra-utero people!  (On which subject, we are hoping I deliver a little early since my doctor has to leave the country slightly before my due date.  If it doesn't happen there are several other doctors who could very capably deliver, but since Dr Bill was in the delivery room when Mark was born, we've been hoping he could be there for this one too! We'll see... only three more days till I'm officially term, woohoo!)