Merry post- Christmas! AndCarrie's sick

We would really appreciate your prayers for Carrie.  She hasn't felt well for many days, but just in the last few has started having symptoms of vertigo, where the world seems to spin whenever she moves her head.  Since everything here is closed down until Monday, the 4th, we won't be able to get a blood test sent to Australia until then, and the results would be several days later.  Given her current symptoms, that seems like an awful long time.  She had a blood test a couple days ago (a simple one they can do here) and it showed she is fighting some kind of infection, but there is concern with possible thyroid problems, iron deficiency, etc.  Please pray for wisdom, strength, healing, endurance, for all of us.

Fortunately, the kids are mostly feeling better, with the exception of David having a tummy ache.

We had a nice Christmas with my (Gavin) parents and some other good friends here.  Sadly, though, we will be bidding my parents farewell on Monday as they finish of their fourth year here in PNG.  We will miss them very much!  The kids have loved having them around so much, them dropping in here, going over to their house, going out on walks or drives, etc.  We have truly enjoyed their presence here in our lives, working alongside them and having family times together.  They will be missed by more than just us!

Some pictures will follow.

Thanks for you thoughts and prayers!

Gavin

Coughing fits and other news

There's a cold going around right now and our kids have the coughing fits pretty badly, especially Gracie and Seth. If you read this and want to take the time to pray for them, we'd appreciate it! Seth's poor BPD (bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or chronic lung disease) lungs sound crackly and "wet," but he's keeping his blood oxygenation up, thank God! It's nice to see him start to outgrow some of the stuff that used to land him in the hospital or at least on oxygen supplementation and steroids. He is better today than he was yesterday, for which we praise God as Gavin is on an overnight far, far away in the village of some Bible translator friends of ours. He has a full two days of flying, starting at dawn today with a medevac of a heavily pregnant woman with expected delivery complications. I'm so glad he gets to do these "rescue" trips, especially when I think about how excruciating even uncomplicated labor usually is!

We're humming along here at home, winding down the school term (tomorrow is the last day for Isaac) and looking towards a two-week break. It's lovely to have Gavin's parents here still, although his poor dad has been sick for going-on-five-weeks now due to a parasite that resulted in extreme lethargy. We also appreciate prayers for him, especially as they are only here for three more weeks!

We've been having glorious rains which we do not take for granted! The food shortage is still really bad as the people wait for their sweet potatoes to grow, and it's a really fun honor to get to be involved in some small-scale relief efforts. I just wish larger-scale relief efforts would ramp up! Things have been promised but haven't come through yet, to the chagrin of those who are just hanging on.

Okay, some photos, then off to bed:

David loves to "build" things while Gavin is also working in the workshop. He laid down all these pieces of scrap lumber and had Gavin help him move a box to where he wanted it to be, talking to himself the whole time about the best way to set it all up. He has a lot of plans that his siblings often foil, so this is a nice creative outlet for him and a bonding experience with his daddy.

Aunt Katie (my sister) sent the girls these darling headbands. We had a fun little photo shoot before church last Sunday:

Gracie trying to kiss Marcie (who had already kissed Gracie) but Marcie is too busy arranging her hair to notice

They love each other so much!

Gracie's facial expression isn't great here, but Marcie's makes this photo worth posting

Silly, happy sisters

Enjoying watching the horses at our Ukarumpa paddocks on Saturday

Beautiful "ballerina" Gracie. The girls are either ballerinas, princesses, puppies, mommies, babies, or "just a girl," depending on the moment.

Isaac swinging the boys with his feet

At the annual Aviation Christmas party

Quints on the tire swing

This is at our store:

Catching up on family fun

Getting into Daddy's car tools

Two handsome boys with beards - David tried to draw his own on!

Riding their horsey - Jason.

David with a Mega Blocks creation

David with his Daddy-made axe. He was clearly in the mood to pose that day.

Where's Seth?

The kids love the train paraphernalia at Marmi and Papa's house

Will enjoying the tent at Marmi and Papa's

David showing off his balloon sword at our high school's "Carnival"

Isaac strutting his Nerf stuff. He loves dressing up goofily.

Just having fun on the rug, nothing special except they are multiples and best friends (and sometimes enemies, although they really stand up for each other if one of them is being a bully!)

David at a restaurant in the coast city of Lae during a quick weekend trip

David on a shiny new tractor in Lae

Enjoying the tire swing at the Store. Don't you love Will's butterfly wings?