Babies cont.

As promised here is Hannah Whitlark... she's grown a lot since these were taken, but my computer ate these files for a while


you wouldn't guess from this picture that Jeff is actually afraid of small babies


The beautiful Whitlarks... and Jason - just kidding, much love for the beard =o)


This is Elyse and Caden, he's going to be walking soon!!! I can't believe it!

Isn't he adorable?

Jeff is heading to South Asia for a couple weeks on Monday. It is going to be a great time for him and his team of 2 other guys to do lots of male bonding as they bike through the Hindu Kush mountains for 12 days. Be praying for endurance and wisdom for them as they spend time in villages with locals and are able to share stories about Jesus with them. I'm sure he would appreciate your prayers as they are traveling and biking. Look at these funny pictures I took of Jeff recently...


This is Jeff on the 4th of July making hamburgers for everyone. They were grill-tastic ummmm.... never mind.



This is Jeff and his cookie - he loves cookie cake. In high school I used to give him a hard time about saying 'supposedly' correctly because he would always say 'supposably' so I made some kind of deal with him where if he said it right so many times I would make him a cake. And when he did I made him a big cookie cake that said 'supposedly' on it. Isn't that stupid? I was such a dork - sure glad I grew out of that... I'm sure he is too.


This adorable one is Caden my nephew. He multiplied in size since the last time I saw him a couple months ago! He's sooooooo cute!

Babies!!!

Here's to you Brett, my faithful blog checker...

Aren't they beautiful! Meet Ellia May Gibson




She is SO beautiful!


Aren't they cute?!

I had some pictures of Hannah Whitlark I wanted to put up here too... but they have temporarily disappeared? I'll work on finding those...

OKLAHOMA...

where the wind comes sweeping o'er the plains? Is that it? I've actually never seen that musical or even heard the whole song. But here are some pictures from Oklahoma a couple weeks ago:


This is in the grandparent's backyard. My parents wedding reception was back here.


well... this would have been a good one. This is at Murphy's home of the hot hamburger!


This is at the Kiddie Park - where the last train ride is always free (instead of 50 cents)


This was at the OK Mozart concert - Stephen used to play one of those horns and Elyse... well there's just no good reason for that.


Bartlesville night life errrr - or something like that.

I'm back...

Hello Friends! Well, I'm back at work and in America ... I thought I was really ready to come home but the more time that passes the more I look forward to the future and what God has called me to. Don't get me wrong, I love having endless amounts of electricity whenever I want it and eating good food and drinking non-parasitic water, these are all good things, not to mention my family and loved ones that are here. So, I'm glad that I have some more months here before I move to the Middle East. However, what I find myself missing is the urgency, the power, the purpose, the sense that life isn't all about me and doing whatever I want. The more time I spend overseas the more I am convinced that God is the hardest to find in America - at least for me. Life is HARD over there. Not in a complaining, pitying kind of way, but in a way I had never experienced first hand before it is just difficult and undesirable - speaking from the flesh. I was reading the other night and God gave me something to hold on to about what life will be like to live there every day:
'Count it joy, Erin, when you encounter trials of various kinds for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing.' James 1:2-4

I really think that at the end of my time in Iraq I will have found that I am more complete than I would have been if I had not chosen to go there. All that to say that as I've struggled with what to tell people about my experiences there this is the conclusion I've come to. It won't be easy, it will be pretty hard, but Jesus us undoubtedly worth it and has promised his perfect provision in the midst of hardships. That's all I got... and here are some more pictures from the trip:


this is a picture of statue in the city that I think is such a picture of what Jesus wants to do there.


It was GREAT getting to spend time with my team. I am very thankful for them and their commitment to me and for their own personal devotion to Jesus that has changed me.

That's all I got for now. Thanks for your prayers and let me know if you want to see more pictures - I got em.

Get your Kurdi on...

So, today was really fun! We went to the University and were hanging out with some friends we met at the dorm. They asked me if I had been to the bazar and found clothes that I liked there... Well, honestly - no way! Not digging the fashion here, but I couldn't say that, so instead I said 'oh yes! I love the Cili Kurdi' meaning - I love these crazy, fancy, kurdish dresses you wear to special occasions. So, then they insisted that I try one on and before I knew what was going on there were girls taking my clothes off and dressing me in one of these outfits and because Elyse is my twin - she had to do it too! Here are some pics of the event:

This is one of my friends dressing me with with jewelry and all!


dressing Elyse - she however refused to take off her clothes, whereas it all happened so fast I didn't really get a choice.


This is the wonder of the Kurdi!! It consists of genie in a bottle pants, a little dress that matches the pants, a long see through dress with beads and sequins and some sequiny belts and things.


These girls are all sisters that let us wear their Kurdies! They are so sweet!

It was really fun and we got some great pictures but the moral of the story is don't say 'I love Cili Kurdi' unless you are willing to put one on - right then.

we're here!

Here are some pictures from our time in the Rock so far...



This is me and michelle in front of our house


This is me and Elyse at the site of the women's center


This is all of the girls at the girls dorm at the university


This is me and Emma playing at the park!

We're having a great time - minus the ridiculous heat! Thank God for your air conditioners today, no really - do it. =o)