I’ve been really into making (and eating) applesauce lately. It’s one of my favorite summer-time foods and you just can’t get the good stuff here. So I make it. And the last time I made it, I also got to read a letter from my Grandma Druber. What a perfect afternoon. I’ve also been spending [...]

Not my own original thoughts, unfortunately, but those of Carl Medearis, who is one of my missions heros and has influenced and articulated what is in our hearts a lot over the last few years. Carl has been working in the Middle East for many, many years and is refreshingly unorthodox in his methods and [...]

It’s been a pretty slow week actually. We spent most of the weekend painting my office, had a few friends over for dinner and watched a really interesting movie called Traitor. Since our little community is becoming more firm and established we’re also spending more time doing actually “pastoral” work too – meeting people for [...]

Well, the cookout on the 4th was a smashing success. At least, we had a good time. I think the 28 other people there would say the same thing. The weather was gorgeous, if a bit windy. We ended up eating left-overs for about 5 days after because of the abundance of food. And here [...]

You probably noticed that the blog is looking a little different these days. She’s been so neglected and mistreated lately that she just had to paint up her little face and get a haircut to try to get our attention. Hopefully it will work and you’ll hear from us a little more often. Tomorrow we’re [...]

Hi. This is Laura Swartzendruber, Ange’s mom. We’ve been back home 2 weeks since visiting Ange & Mark and I wanted to catch you up a bit on their doings.  An amazing event was attending Ange’s ultrasound and seeing Baby Beaker at 19 weeks! What a miracle!  Have you seen an ultrasound?  The technician points [...]

We were driving home Saturday night from a friend’s house. It was very late and we were surprised by the beautiful, though somewhat blinding, snowfall. Giant flakes, actually sticking to the ground. We gawked at the beauty and let it sink in on the 30 minute drive home. Snow rarely falls in Newcastle, even when [...]

Our beautiful mountains are covered with the most lovely dusting of snow today.  I took a picture from my favorite spot by the house, but it’s so covered in cloud that you can’t see the mountain at all! Oh, well. It’s still pretty, don’t you think? And while we’re on pretty mountains, here’s one not [...]

It’s been a happy, normal day here.  Have done some deep cleaning around the house, some cooking and meal planning, and not much else.  I did manage to get out and take some pictures, though.  It’s so easy to forget what a beautiful place we get to live in, so it’s fun to pay attention [...]

It’s been forever since this poor blog (and all it’s sweet readers) has heard from me.   The last few months have been so full – visitors, decisions, holidays – and because it’s so overwhelming to try to catch up, I’m just going to start fresh and easy.  No large sweeps.  Just a slow move forward. [...]