Just a little video of the boys reading together. It's a little fuzzy because I exported it on the lowest possible setting because our internet here is so slow. Keenan has memorized this book and before Elliot's nap today he really wanted to read to him. I also had to turn off the fans in order to hear them clearly and I think that Keenan kept having sweat go down his neck so he kept trying to wipe it off by rolling his head around. I love watching these two together!!

The Holidays are here!!!!!!

Merry Merry Christmas season!!!!!! Our trees are up, the house is festive, and the boys are excited!!! Cant you tell :)!
Rewind a bit to Thanksgiving. Due to all the ins and outs at the hospital and all the pain that both Craig and I were in we didnt really fully get to experience Thanksgiving dinner or even get to make anything to have the house smelling like stuffing and pie. Craig and I did make it over to our friend's house to participate in the eating for a little while before the pain got too bad for me to sit still anymore and we were definitely grateful for that, but it just was not the same. It was a bit hard but our dear friends graciously gave us all of the leftovers and we had our Thanksgiving dinner at home the next day with our team. It was so delicious even the second time around!!!!
Then on Saturday I was feeling better and up for decorating the house a bit so we put up the trees and lights together.
The boys super interested in everything going on
Just playing with the ornaments. I am extremely thankful that they dont make glass ornaments here. They are all shiny plastic balls. The biggest reason why Im thankful for this is the way that Elliot thought the tree was supposed to be decorated. At first he would just take as many as would fit in his little fists and dump them on a branch somewhere. When he saw that they were all just falling to the floor and not staying on the branch he changed methods to throwing them one at a time as hard as he could at the tree to see if they would stick that way. Finally with some coaching he got the hang of it and decorated one branch of the tree very very nicely :)
Ahhh, still dont know why it puts everything out of order but this is just a sweet picture of the boys and their enormous train track playing together.
Elliot's spot on the tree.
Even though it's fuzzy I love the look of sheer concentration in his sweet face!
Keenan LOVES Christmas!
Reading stories together under the tree
Spiderman even showed up to help decorate :).
As a quick update on our health Craig is doing great and healing well finally. He still has a bit of sensitivity in his stomach but for the most part he is doing really well. As for me I tried getting up and doing some small things for a couple of days but began having stomach cramps again so I am back in bed pretty much full time. It has been a roller coaster of emotions where one minute Im doing fine and feeling good about even getting some things done (like posting pictures on here) as I rest but there are other times when the boys come in and want to go swimming or run around in the backyard and I have to say no with tears in my eyes because I just want to play with them. I really miss my family being stuck in my room all the time. I have to remind myself 100 times a day that I am fighting for this little life growing inside me and for me to be in bed is the greatest healing, fighting and helping that I can be doing for our little girl for the moment. So, while praying for patience and understanding, I stay put and so has baby girl thank the Lord! Two more weeks...two more weeks...two more weeks. We'll make it:)

Bouake

Our trip to Bouake was absolutely incredible!!! We loaded up two nine passenger vans with students and the kiddos and drove through the potholes for hours on end until finally we were in the town of Bouake! The kids did great in the car which was such a blessing and the ministry that we got to do while on the campus there was refreshing and gave us a new passion for campus ministry once again since the campus here in Abidjan remains closed. We were able to meet with the English students and share the Gospel openly numerous times which was so fun as well. We were able to encourage the students that lead the ministry up there since there is no staff on that campus and that can be challenging and they communicated over and over how much they appreciated the recasting of vision and training that we were able to do while we were there. Craig did a great job leading a seminar about stress that was written by our good friend Tom Dorsch and with that we were able to have Gospel centered conversations with the springboard of how the Lord controls all and deeply cares for our every need. It was great to have deep conversations about the Lord once again especially for me since most of my ministry is home with our boys or with students who are already connected in the ministry here. We all really really loved our time up there and plan on traveling up there a bit more often when we return to work more closely with the students there and hopefully watch the ministry up there flourish!
On the way up we go through another town Yamoussoukro and it is tradition that we stop at the campus director's house there for drinks, to share the news, and to pray together. Here is Keenan playing with Bill their son.
Here is Craig teaching one of the seminars
The boys patiently listening to their Dad :)
Another picture back in Yamoussoukro. The lady that I am talking with is the directors wife and the sweetest lady with the most generous heart! She was absolutely delighted that I was pregnant again and even more so that it was a girl. She nicknamed our little one Blessing which turned into Bennie which is french for to bless.
Me sharing with a group of students while Keenan colored quietly beside me. The kids did so great as we were in conversation groups with students and wondered from group to group hanging out but not in the way at all. I loved having them there to hear the gospel being shared and at one point Keenan was with Shane's group and he repeated to the whole group, "Jesus died for you. For your sins." Amazing little boy.
Elliot making the rounds to Matt
Keenan leaning on Micheline
Keenan decided on this trip that he wanted to use the camera himself. A lot. There are about 500 pictures of ridiculous things but every once and a while he caught something great like this sunset. He was so proud of every picture, good and bad.
Elliot hanging out with Dad
One of Keenan's masterpieces
And another
And another


And another
The most flattering picture of me with all the thanks going to our little photographer :)
The boys were very much loved on the whole time!!!


This was a fun trick that I found on a blog. I put the camera on timer mode and then spun the kids around and around to catch their little faces. Many were blurry but a couple came out.
The cheering section for the soccer game that the students had. This was a funny moment because Shane asked if there were any cheers or chants that they normally did to cheer on your team during soccer games and Im pretty sure it was all lost in translations because the Ivoirians just started singing praise songs, dancing, and clapping. I was just laughing but they all loved it.


At the place we stayed there were turkeys everywhere and the boys thought it was great fun chasing them around the property


We all arrived home safe and sound, refreshed and tired all at the same time. It was a wonderful trip to have before the chaos hit with the next post :)

God is Gracious

Brief Summary...details below

This past week has been a wild one to say the least and we wanted to send you an update so that you can be praying more specifically.

From Craig having an appendectomy to Bryn having contractions to Craig's back pains to Bryn's back pains, going in and out of the hospital, and doctors visits we have been pretty busy. We are both home now and our precious boys have been doing great through it all, but it has definitely been a week of chaos. We are so thankful for the three guys that are living with us and the missionary community that surround us here in Côte d'Ivoire (Especially the Livingstons and Harrisons). They have stepped in and helped in tremendous ways. A good friend of ours Kevin Dennis has been able to send out email updates for us from afar but we know that many of you have not received any of them and we are sorry. We have had again more problems when trying to email out news (please pray for that as it is a spiritual battle of it's own). We are so grateful for you!

Prayer Requests

*Pray for the pains Bryn continues to feel in her back.

*Pray for our return flight to the US (We plan on flying back December 14 to have the baby in the US but may need to move that date up for health reasons)

*Pray for Craig's body to continue healing from the appendectomy and back pains.

*Pray for the boys in the midst of all of this. They have been champs through it all and incredibly sweet to both of us but pray that they would continue to love well and have understanding beyond their years confident in the Lord. Also Keenan loves school and we just found out today that because of a training at the school, classes won't start up till December 12 just before our departure so pray that he would not be too disappointed and not too bored being home all the time with a mom on partial bed rest and guys working.

Details

FIRST UPDATE
We wanted to give you a quick update about an unexpected event this week. Recently Craig started feeling pain on his right side and food didn't seem to be affecting how he felt. We went into the doctor and discovered he had an appendicitis (swelling of the appendix). Yesterday he went into surgery for an appendectomy and it went well. Craig is recovering at the hospital, and he should be able to return home tomorrow. Thank you so much for your prayers as Craig heals and recovers, and for our family and team! We are so thankful for God's continued care and provision. We hope to update you again soon!

SECOND UPDATE:

I'm sending this update on behalf of Craig & Bryn as they don't currently have access to email. Bryn recently began having stomach pains and some contractions, so earlier today they went to the hospital to run some tests on Bryn and the baby. All the tests are looking good except Bryn's white blood cell count is high. They believe this is likely because her body is fighting some sort of an abdominal infection. They do know that it is not preeclampsia. They are currently giving Bryn medicine to help slow and stop the contractions, and Bryn will likely be on bed rest at the hospital for the next 3-7 days.

God is graciously caring for them in this. Their SOS international insurance service has been great in helping communicate with the doctors and ensure the best care. They have assured them that the hospital they are at in Cote d'Ivoire is doing everything that a hospital in the US would be able to do for them, and thus they are in a very good place. Some great friends of theirs are also taking care of the boys while they are at the hospital.

Please be praying for Bryn and the baby, that their health would return to normal and the baby would continue to fully develop to the expected due date in January. Please also be praying for Craig's full recovery from his appendectomy. Besides some lingering pain in his stomach, he is doing well. -Kevin

SINCE SECOND UPDATE:

After spending the day with Bryn in the hospital Craig was walking to his car to go get Keenan and Elliot and go home when breathing was becoming increasingly difficult. He couldn't take deep breaths at all because of the pain that he was experiencing in his back. He called SOS (International Insurance) and they suggested that he go back in to have it checked out. The urgent care doctors immediately decided to run a bunch of tests and admit him into the hospital for the next 2 days. At least Craig got one day out of the hospital! Meanwhile Bryn was still slowly recovering from continuous contractions and pain. Thankfully the boys were in safe hands with Laura and Jeter Livingston.

After running multiple tests (inlcuding a cat scan, x ray, EKG (twice) they concluded that Craig must of had some sort of horrible muscle spasms or pinched nerves since all the tests were negative and no fever. Craig was able to leave the hospital Monday afternoon while Bryn's doctor wanted her to stay just one more day to monitor things. Bryn returned home Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday the weirdest thing happened. She began to feel the same horrible pains in her back when she would breathe (piercing pains). There were also signs of an infection from Craig's appendectomy forcing them both to head back to the hospital for a doctors visit.

Sadly these doctors visit just so happened to be when Thanksgiving dinner was to take place at our friends place. By God's grace we didn't have to get readmitted into the hospital but just a thurough cleaning of Craig's wound and some perscriptions of medicine for Bryn. It has still taken another 2 days for those medicines to truly help Bryn's pain subside but finally we are seeing what seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. We have so much to be thankful for. God had taken care of us through all of this and we are full of joy. Though a little cold we were able to take part in the Thanksgiving feast a couple hours late Thursday and on top of that they graciously gave our team all the left overs to enjoy last night. Craig is feeling much more energy and Bryn is moving around the house today even to the point where she wants to cook again (to which she was quickly told "no" that she might continue to soak in the time of rest).

What comes next? Well we are taking each day at a time. We plan to still leave back for the US December 14 but are praying for God's guidance through it all. What we do know is that God always gives us enough light for today and that today has enough worries of it's own. We continue to soak up his love as he continues wrapping his arms around us!

IN Christ,

Craig and Bryn

So hot!!

I dont have a lot to report from over here in hotville, just wanted to upload some pictures! We leave in the morning to head to Bouake, a city about 5 hours or so from here to do some ministry up there and wont have internet until about Sunday so I wanted to get some things up before then. The University campus is open up there so we will be able to go on campus a few days and share with students there while meeting with and encouraging the students that are involved in the ministry. There is also a church plant that was started when we were up there last year with the big conference Pamoja that the National staff want to meet with and encourage. We are so excited to go but at the same time a bit nervous to make the trip. The roads are iffy and with me being large these days I am praying that my back will stay strong and no damage done. I'll let you know when we get back how everything goes :)! But here is what we have been up to lately: WATER!!! We have been trying to cool off in many ways with water fights and pool time. We have a little plastic pool that some friends gave the Glendennings a while back and it has been great to have in the heat but this one day I asked if the boys wanted to go swimming and they said no, just wanted to run around outside for a while. Well, the night before it had stormed hard and a bunch of water had collected on our front porch and where did those crazy boys end up?! Swimming.
Craig wanted to get the water off the porch so we used a dust pan to scoop it all off and then onto the boys who thought that was hysterical



Then Saturday afternoon we had a huge water balloon fight and it was so so so so much fun!
Getting ready
Keenan launching one at Shane
Matt swatting them away
Squeeeeeeze
Blocked!
Earlier that day Elliot had fallen off a step in the backyard so he now has scabs on his face. Poor guy!!


I guess what goes around comes around. Shane got me!!
This was a water bottle from the fridge and was COOOOOOLD!! Love Elliot's face here!
The intensity!



All of us happily cooled off afterward