Thanksgiving, Prayer Retreat, and Lily's 4th Birthday...

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in Lusaka with our missionary family! The food was amazing and the fellowship was refreshing! After Thanksgiving we had a 2 day prayer retreat that was a huge encouragement to us as missionaries and a sweet time with the Lord. Below are pictures and stories of Thanksgiving, Ladies Retreat, and our precious Lily's birthday party! We are so blessed. We are returning to Nyimba with hearts full of encouragement and refreshed spirits!

Easton was so excited to eat such good food! He was ready to eat the minute he sat down!

Lauren really enjoyed her first Thanksgiving! I was so glad that she had cut 4 new top teeth so she could really eat some GOOD food! She chowed down on some of Aunt Amy's Carrot Souffle, turkey, green beans, and of course...pumpkin pie!!

Daddy and Easton before the feasting began!

Lily, Lauren, and Mama loving life!

Lily sat next to her sweet friend, Abby Bowman, who is a missionary with her mommy and daddy in Luwingu, Zambia. To learn more about their ministry visit The Bowman Family blog.

The ladies of the Baptist Mission of Zambia (minus a few). We had a special retreat together after prayer retreat. This was such a precious time of fellowship and laughter with my good friends! I am so blessed to serve among such precious ladies!

Our family with Michael John who led our mission family in worship during prayer retreat.

On December 2, we celebrated our sweet Lily's 4th birthday! This was such a special party for Lily because we were in Lusaka and all of the missionary families with young children were in Lusaka. There were about 35 people at her party! That is a BIG deal and Lily was beaming the entire party!

On the morning of December 2nd (Lily's birthday), I was away at the overnight women's retreat. Immediately upon arising that morning, I called Lily to wish her a happy birthday. As she answered the phone her sweet, small voice brought tears to my eyes. "Good morning Lily, I love you!" "Morning Mama, I love you too!" "Happy birthday baby girl..." "Thanks Mama" "What do you want to have for lunch today since it is your birthday?"

"I want to have peanut butter bread, the way you make it at home because its my favorite!"

Tears filled my eyes because I expected to hear "Tea Garden"! At that moment, I realized that as a mommy, its the simple things in life that are so wonderful to our children. Lily could have chosen anything she wanted for her birthday lunch, but the first thing she asked for was peanut butter bread (a.k.a. peanut butter sandwich). She decided later that she preferred to have a chicken salad sandwich at the Tea Garden, just as I had suspected!

Lily with Abby and Anna Bowman. We have decided that Anna (far right) and Lily look a LOT alike, and from the back you cannot tell them apart! What a blessing that God has given us for Lily, Easton, and Lauren to have friends that are their ages serving in Zambia at the same time God has called us here!!
The BOYS!!!

Easton, Caleb, Hutch, Isaac (minus Luke and Amos)

Another MK picture!!
Kelsey, Abby, Anna, Lily, Easton, Isabel, Abigail

Easton wanted to help Lily blow out her candles and she was so sweet to let him help! Funny because he did not want to blow out his candles on his birthday!