Brave Little Campers

All of us!




My Knight!

Something worse than the outhouses, Yuck!

Getting ready to hike!

The Crew

First I want to say that I am so excited about this blog. I stink at sending pictures to my sweet friends and family and now I don't have to, they can just click and see:

Okay, so my friend Zona and I had this great idea to take all of our children camping by ourselves for one week! Oh did I mention that we took 10 kids?? We had so much fun. We didn't set any rules except for NO electronics or phones, which worked well because we didn't have service anyway. We loaded two Yukon's and a trailer and headed for Woods Canyon Lake, about 38 miles past Payson. The days were cool and the nights were cooler (sometimes freezing for our Arizona bodies).

The day we arrived we started to set up camp and it began to rain. None of us had ever put up a tent, so it was quite the laugh. However, we were "brave little campers" and we pulled through and did it!

Everything was going well until...."The Thursday Flood". It began at dinner time and we were hustling to get dinner to all the children in their tents before our dinner washed away. After dinner was served, came the flooding of all the tents. First the girls tents, soaked sleeping bags, clothes and pillows. Then the boys, tents, they were quick on their feet and used some of their clothes to save their bedding. After about an hour or so, we evacuated the children to our trucks. In the mean time Zona was in our tent with Chloe and Cyilea. I decided that we might have to go to a hotel and went to get the car started and warmed only to find a dead battery. After Trevor and I jumped the truck, I thought I would check on Zona and our dripping tent. I found her safely on our raft (blow up mattress) with my two girls, and buckets placed strategically to catch the rain. Zona assured me that we could brave the storm, and that is just what we did. The next morning, thankfully, our knights in shining armor were there to save the day and re-set up camp. After several hours of drying we did it!!

I think that it was awesome memory builders with some of my favorite people. I give praise for the rain and all the excitement it caused, because it is something my children will not forget.

God's Provisions

Our Flotation Device

Amazing Love

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. Psalm 139: 13 & 14

Today is a day that I will soon not forget.

Since I was a little girl I dreamt of delivering babies. I started college focusing in this area, and then decided to get married and have children of my own. Although I never finished my education, the Lord has grown my love and knowledge for medicine through my own personal circumstances. I have had the privileged of caring for elders, my grandma, my mom, and special needs children.

Over the past few years, the Lord has also grown my love for his nations. We are to teach the world of His good news, Matthew 24:14 says;"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. I have often wondered how to couple this passion for medicine and the lost people of this world. I really had no tangible solution until just a few weeks ago.

A friend of mine, whom I admire greatly, is a midwife. I have been interested in learning more about midwifery for about six years when I first met Carol. The timing was never fitting given the circumstances in my life, so this desire had to sit on the back burner. Sometime in March or so, my desire to get in touch with my friend grew to new heights. I began to wonder how the Lord could use me in my gifting, to bring glory and honor to him with no formal schooling. Through a 'divine' appointment, I met up with Carol at a home school convention. She began to tell me about her ministry to third world countries and the women there. She teaches general health and midwifery techniques to midwives that are less fortunate and less educated, on safe procedures. I began to share with her my desires, and we agreed that this was meant to be and we decided that I would study under Carol's teaching.

Today was my first day as an apprentice to a birth of new life. I have coached labor before, but today was different. This was the first time I was ever remotely responsible for anything of this nature. Although my part was very, very, very, small, I was left with an overwhelming feeling of awe, and a humbled spirit. God is so great that he took the time to knit each and everyone of us together in our mothers womb. The word says, that the Lord has searched us and knows us. He knows our sitting down and our rising up. He understands our thoughts and comprehends our paths, He is acquainted with all of our ways.

Aren't we blessed to have a God that is living and ever present in our lives? He knows our paths and give us the desires of our hearts. That is, when we seek Him first, He gives us His desires for us, all we have to do is obey. I am blessed to have the opportunity to serve Christ in this capacity, I know that I am inadequate, and am praying for Him to open the eyes of my understanding.

Today was a day I will soon not forget.