Prepare Yourselves, if you can

I found a website called Yearbook Yourself 2008. It rocks. You download a picture of yourself "face on" to the camera, and then pick which picture you want. It's hysterical. Without further ado, I give you Dan's and my yearbook.

1952

1960

1964

1969

1975

1982















1994







1996

Grace Kathrine

Miss Grace Kathrine was born on August 26th! She weighed 7lbs, 7oz and is 20 1/4 inches long! She is welcomed by her Mommy, Daddy and big brother Luke!
Congrats Andrea and Dave!
(She looks adorable with her dark hair)!!!

Kylie Quote

Last night, while Dan was doing math homework with Meggie, Kylie kept trying to jump on him and play, so Dan figured he would incorporate her into the homework:

Dan: Kylie, would you rather have $10 or $2?
Kylie: $2
Dan: Why $2?
Kylie (shouting in Dan's face): BECAUSE $2 IS $2!!!!

(Dan was hysterical and thought I should post this...and he kept imitating her all night long)!

Super Mom (Aunt Tiff)

Because, apparently having 4 children 8 years old and younger and being almost 7 months pregnant with another one is not enough of a challenge for Aunt Tiff, she decided to throw some "excitement" into her life by breaking her foot :( I am sooooo sorry that you have a broken foot and that I'm sure you are (a) in pain and (b) not comfortable with a temporary cast (or a real one when you get one)! I'm sorry we aren't there to help with kids or bring you chocolate!!! We love you and hope your foot heals up fast!!! We'll be praying for you!

Here's an excerpt I recently found and thought you would appreciate Tiff!

A good piece of chocolate has about 200 calories. As I enjoy 2 servings per night, and a few more on weekends, I consume 3,500 calories of chocolate in a week, which equals one pound of weight per week.

Therefore...

In the last 3 1/2 years, I have had a chocolate caloric intake of about 180 pounds, and I only weigh 165 pounds, so without chocolate, I would have wasted away to nothing about 3 months ago!

I owe my life to chocolate.

(Author unknown)

Inday continued...

Here's an email from the pastor with whom Inday is staying in Manila.

Dan and Kristen,

I was about to email you this morning to check on developments when I saw your message this morning. I printed a copy for Inday to read. Monday was a holiday here in the Philippines.

We've been in prayer with Inday and interceding for her and your family. We told her that there is a purpose for all of these. God is accomplishing something in and through her life. The question is not, "Why Lord?" But rather, "What is your message Lord?" In fact, Inday was used by the Lord to introduce to us two of her friends (Carla & Rexil Tayuba: sister & brother). We had an opportunity to share to them the message of salvation. They both attended our church, Word of Hope (under Assemblies of God). Carla prayed to received the Lord before she left for Thailand last August 20 and Rexil is now asking how to be saved and promised to attend church again and bring his cousin this coming Sunday. Evelyn and I plan to give him a copy of the Purpose-Driven Life Book by Rick Warren.

We would see Inday cry several times and would console her by telling her God will bring it to pass. He is in control. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith is simply relying on God promises.

What you said on Inday's plan to go back there as a tourist is a confirmation of what we already told her that God would want her application to be clean and in order. We told her that you, we and her have done what we could. We just have to leave the rest to God and wait on His timing. The petition portion of our prayers is over. It's now time for the claiming portion.

Blessings

Megan's Pedicure and Jack's Haircut

Yesterday we took Jack to get his haircut. He has needed a haircut for 3 weeks now, but we couldn't find a place to cut his hair, because he is a boy. Don't ask. We're not really sure what the deal is, except we think that only men usually cut men's hair. Here is his Before:

And his After:


Miss Megan wanted to get a manicure and a pedicure today, because Kylie did. So, when we took Jack to get his haircut, we had Meggie's nails done. Unlike Kylie's pedicure, which consisted of them cutting her toenails, buffing and putting a basecoat on before polish, Megan had the full works for her manicure and pedicure. Feet and hands soaked, massaged, all the stuff Kylie had done and she chose a melon color for her nails. She really wanted to get designs on them, and we decided she could get it done some other time for a special occasion, but the lady said she would give Megan a little flower on each of her thumb and big toenails :) She loved it! (Megan's cost $4 because it was both and a little fancier than what my 2 1/2 year old would sit through)!

I can't resist

Isn't he so sweet! Another picture of our little cousin Max!
(Don't you just want to kiss all over his sweet face?)

My fun pink cell phone Dan picked out for me! Did he do a great job for me, or what?

The picture Dan painted for Jack at his classroom! Dan did everything but the trees and heart! We are going to hang it up in Jack's room!

Kylie went for her 1st pedicure yesterday! Our friend Katie invited us to go with her and her little girl, Kylie's friend Abby, to get their toenails done. It was cute to see two 2 1/2 year olds getting pedicures! Abby wanted pink, with french tips and flowers. Kylie was done by the time they had filed them, buffed them and put a basecoat on. I had to sit with her on my lap and hold her and she chose blue. Blue! Then the lady asked if she wanted sparkles and that made her day. Oh, and with tip, it cost us $1.50. Can't beat it for a fun girl day! Now Megan wants to go, too for her first ever pedicure! (can't blame her, I haven't gotten one here in Thailand yet, either)!

Pearls, Rickshaws and Back to School Night

Dan just got back from his first trip...it was short, only 3 days/2 nights (so that was nice). The country he went to is known for inexpensive nice pearls, so he brought his 3 girls back necklaces, bracelets and earrings (so nice and smart of him)! He bought Jack a bicycle rickshaw toy that he loves!

He made it back just in time to meet me at Back to School night! We got to meet both Meggie and Jack's teachers and Jack's speech teacher...Megan had left a letter for us on her desk and we wrote one back to her for her to read this morning and Jack did a painting for us (we painted him a picture and wrote him a letter)! I will have to post the picture Dan and I (mostly Dan) painted - he painted a yellow helicopter and our yellow scooter. It rocks! I told him that now I know where Meggie gets her artistic talents! I think I'm going to make him paint a picture for Jack's room!

Since I wasn't sure what time Dan would actually get to Back to School night (because he was coming straight from the airport in rush hour), I took a taxi and Dan drove our scooter up. He drove me back home on it (with me riding on the back seat)! Totally crazy and it made me think that even if i become proficient at it, I probably won't be driving it anywhere anytime soon...I'll leave the scooter driving to Dan :)

P.S. Can you guess which one of my children did NOT want their picture taken last night with their presents from Daddy?

Yum

Inday

Hey Guys, we are currently in the process of hiring a maid here in Thailand. We interviewed a maid who has previously been working in our neighborhood for 3 1/2 years for a family, but the family moved August 8th. Her name is Inday (pronounced In-Die) and she is Filipino. She is also a Believer, which is great because it means that we don't have to worry about what she will be bringing into our house or how she will treat our kids. She is currently back in Manila awaiting getting her visa processed to work for us (she has postponed her flight 2x's already and that is maximum before another new ticket will have to be purchased). What was supposed to be an easy process has just been made more difficult due to stuff here in Thailand and Inday is "stuck" there until we hear back from the proper agency...who can take as long as they feel like. She is staying with the family of our next door neighbor's maid, who are also Believers.

Please pray with us that the papers will come through and Inday will be able to come back here to work for us.

Here's an excerpt from the email we just received from the pastor she is staying with "We appreciate your reply. Now, the more we are convinced that God is accomplishing something in Inday's life.We are affirmed that God is moving. God causes all things to work together for good thos those who love him. Before Inday left for Philippine Airlines today, we prayed. I told her that we have done our part and that we just have to leave the outcome to God. But we will continue to be on our knees until He will bring this to pass.

Working together to be heard for His glory!

Pre-OCD?

Megan likes cleaning and organizing everything. Our house, her room, the toys, other peoples' rooms. It both cracks me up, makes me nervous and impresses me. She makes her bed every morning, complete with accessories (i.e. a blanket covering her pillow to look like a new pillowcase) and mostly makes Jack's bed. Occasionally she will go in and make Kylie's bed, which is okay, except she folds all the blankies and puts them in her drawers and then Kylie and I can't find them at nap time.

Last night, she went to bed without her teddy bear, Whittles. I went up at my bedtime and tucked Whittles into her arms, as she was fast asleep. When I went in this morning to wake her up, Whittles was nicely laid on top of a pillow at her feet, covered up with a bandanna (sorry Pappy, we never got it back to you). I asked her when she did that (between 11pm when I went to bed and 6am this morning). She said she had to make Whittles a nice place to sleep in the middle of the night because she "doesn't like things messy". Seriously??? Fixing your covers and making a bed for your teddy bear in the middle of the night? She's crazy (but I love her).

Thing-a-ma-bob

Kylie calls things she doesn't know the word for her "Fingy fingies".

Jack calls it a "Ping-a-ma-doo".

Either way, it should make Grandad proud, since he's the king of made up names (switcher-changer-machiner).

The Weekend

Our weekend began with us going to Megan and Jack's school on Friday night to see ES IDOL! Some of the elementary school kids auditioned and competed in an American Idol-type evening. It was sponsored by Boy Scouts of America and Girl Guides of Thailand...and it was a lot of fun! It was fun to see the kids and their talent...maybe Megan will try out for it next year! As we left, we had every intention of walking and getting a late dinner at our favorite pizza place...but to say it was dumping rain is putting it mildly. We sat under the awning at the school for about 15 minutes, waiting to see if it would slow down. It didn't, so we figured we would just hoof it and be wet. So we made it to the front gate of the school and a random car stopped and wanted to know if we needed a ride...we accepted and it was a guy named John who has lived in Bangkok for 6 1/2 years and will be leaving in a week for Singapore...he dropped us off at our pizza place and we were only mildly wet! Yay for John!

Saturday, after a week of trying to find a place to cut Dan's hair, he succeeded! Apparently most women won't cut men's hair (and are aghast that he would even inquire about it) so it's taken us a while to find someone. He tried 2 places near us and a place near work...but finally found someone! It costs around $8. Then, after naps, I talked Dan into going back to the Made in Thailand Fair but that this time, he and the kids came with me! We found the elephants that we want to get sometime in our house...they match the one Dan bought Jack 3 years ago, but are quite a bit larger. Someday we'll purchase them, since they will cost us around $200, but they are beautiful and hand carved Teak. I got some more fun bags...and really should have bought 10 of them because they are so cute!!! And then we found a backpack for Dan to take on his 1st trip this week and some cute roosters for our living room! They are handmade by a village here in Thailand and are filled with Thai spices! So fun! And I talked Dan into eating the yummy Indian Butter Chicken curry!!! SOOOO GOOD!!!!

Sunday we went to church (and managed to find a ride there and back)! Then Dan took the big kids for an "a-benture" on the scooter while Kylie took a nap! They took water and snacks and went to ISB to play on the playground and ride around! How fun!!! Then we went swimming, had a yummy dinner and I worked on riding the scooter (and almost hit a lamppost - thankfully I haven't left our neighborhood or had anyone ride with me - and that Dan has reminded me that he has been driving stuff since he was 12...and actually has his motorcycle license - I'll get there eventually)!

Here is a picture of Kylie dancing to "Barbie's 12 Dancing Princesses" - notice how she even dances on her toes! She cracks us up :) Oh, and a watermelon Kylie poked at while sitting in the grocery cart!

I think we've realized that (a) it's not real easy getting around in taxis to go far distances around the city and that (b) as much as I want to go to all the amazing places Bangkok has to offer, it's pretty hot and humid here, and because it's the rainy season, you never really know when the sky is going to open up and pour. So, we haven't gotten to do all the things I've wanted, but will try to make a point to do them in the next couple of months...the Grand Palace, Chinatown, boating down the Chao Phraya, the Wats. Hopefully we'll figure out how to do them in the heat that never really leaves Thailand and with little kids :) At least we're all having fun and good family time, even if there are not too many adventures...

As soon as I posted the previous pictures, they sent out more pics!

Here's the new De Vido Family!


Here's the Daddy and son!


Max Andrew

Pics of Max Andrew

Here he is!


My parents now have 3 grandsons! Cole, Jack and Max!!!


Sarah's Dad, John, holding his 1st grandchild!


So cute...and another boy to carry on the De Vido name!

Max Andrew is here!

My brother and Sis-in-law had their 1st baby today! Max Andrew!!! Congrats Bri and Sarah!!! We are so excited for our new cousin!!!