The First of 2008

As you can see this is a real variety of pictures I am including on this blog, but mostly it is my brag list. I have the very great opportunity to live in a land where I can catch very huge fish (1-2xper year) and take them home, smoke them and enjoy them all year long. I have a beautiful family that, although we tried to cut our own tree this year was satisfied with going to a tree lot and picking one that was already cut. We had a great time doing it! And the trees were so fresh it was almost as if they were just cut earlier that morning... mmmm... the smell of fresh pine (don't worry Ben, we have a pre-lit tree already donated for our use this next year when the family comes to our home for the Christmas holiday!)
And speaking of Christmas, it was great to get to be with you all at Jenise's graduation, and I am looking forward to all of you getting to see all of my family this next one. They all miss seeing you and ... you know ... Christmas will been here again soon enough.
We changed Hannah's school and now she seems to be enjoying school again. Nothing quenches a little girl's spirit for learning and being excited for school like tons of paperwork, no playing and being told she is a naughty girl multiple times per day. So glad we got her out of that!
Love you and will write again soon.

DENWA: A Great Way to Communicate

Hey family, I'm in your country now! It's a strange and wonderful feeling. See this pictures on the right? That's a denwa, or in English, a telephone. Telephones are a great way to communicate, and I am thankful for all of the times that you called me or communicated with me in some way while I was in Japan. You guys are awesome!!

So far, I've been blessed to be able to fly into Abilene and spend a few days with Nic and Vanessa Mount. Jenise and Jon came to see me but I missed them! (;_;). The time in Abilene was good. I studied a lot for the GRE and, thanks to your prayers, the results came out pretty favorably, I think. Just spending time with Nic and Vanessa was great, too. One night we ate huge steaks, and that was deeeelish.

After that, I flew up to Washington to be with Butch, Erin, Hannah, and Ella. They were so welcoming, loving, warm and fun! When Erin and Butch picked me up from the airport, we went to this great restaurant called, "Claim Jumper." Never heard of it before, but that didn't keep me from enjoying its delights. The three of us had some great conversation, and then rushed off to enjoy an amazing evening at a Casting Crowns concert. Going to the pumpkin patch with the whole family, and seeing Hannah and Ella's ballet practices were definite highlights. Those girls are SO cute and full of energy and love!! I also really enjoyed playing "Uno Attack" with Butch and Erin. I was able to do a presentation of our work in Sendai for the church there, and was encouraged by people's responses. Early Thursday morning Butch, Erin, and Hannah took me to the airport.

My flight to Buffalo was at 6am! I arrived there safely at about 4:30pm (had a layover in Atlanta). Joel came to pick me up and we stayed the night at his parents home in St.Catherines. Oh, I forgot to write that I got a cold/flu in Washington, so I lost my voice! So most of my conversations with Joel, his family, and now with the Strakers up in Bramalea have been in whispers. I didn't sleep very well last night, so I got up a little early just to write out this little blog. Today (Sunday) Joel and I are doing a presentation up here. I think that Joel will be doing most of the talking. I am so thankful to this congregation for all that they have done for us. They have especially been prayer warriors for our team. I pray that I can express my appreciation for them somehow today.

Well, I'll be here until Thursday. Thursday I fly out to see Erica in Colorado! Am I excited for that?? He he.

I love you all! God is faithful. Oh, and even though I'm not the best communicator, let's keep trying by phone, e-mail, facebook, telepathy, or whatever!!

Here is Ella in her Momma And Me dance class. She is enjoying dancing with streemers. She loves to dance and be active in her pretty ballet outfit!
Here We had a little Vallentines party at our house and the girls are making cupcakes with their friend Meghan. They love to help make food, and love to help eat it.

In these pictures Hannah is enjoying her nacne class where she learns jazz and ballet moves. As you can tell she definately has the berry-love-attention genes!

Relaxin On a Sunday Night

It's still cold enough here in the evenings that we have to light the stove. It's been quiet since the youth from Ibaraki left today. I really love those kids. They are such good kids with good hearts. I wish that we lived closer and could spend more time with them.



I've mostly been sitting here doing this and that on the computer tonight. I installed my webcam so we can skype with each other now! I'm excited about that. Also added a couple new things to my blog, so check it out if you have a chance ;)



Not really a lot of news here. Just been thinking about all of you. I love you guys and I miss you! Here's a couple three more pictures from Cambodia.

And After......
Malachi Taylor Agnew Grottis, born March 17th at 10:06 am weighing 8lbs 6ozs, and 21 inches long! We are such proud and happy parents!

Before.......

Kitchen to be, or not to be?

Have you heard the most extremely strange, awesome total Blessing from the Majestic Lord of All that has happened most receintly in our meager little lives? A week ago today (Friday) as I was headed out the door for work, I got a call and this random woman wanted to speak with Erin. I told her she was busy (thinking she was a telemarketer) and asked if I could take a message. She proceeded to tell me that she was calling in regard to a drawing we had entered at the Puyallup Fair (in September!) and that we had won either $1,500 cash or a $10,000 kitchen makeover! I was so stunned that I took her name and number and said I would have Erin call her back, still not believing what I had just heard. Would you? So, I took the phone and number to Erin and relayed to her my doubt as to the authenticity of this call but, hey, may as well call her back and see what the catch is. She called her back. No catch. We win! The people are coming out this next Tuesday to look at our kitchen and tell us what they can do for that amount of money. I posted these pictures of our kitchen so you can see what it looks like before then we will do it again for an what it looks like after. Whoooeee, I'm Excited! Praise the Lord!
We had snow, sleet, hail and big hail, rain and fog this week. Crazy. Here is Ella enjoying some of it in our back yard. See the hose in the back ground? Our dog loves to chey, eat, drag it around the yard as if it was a python that wanted to attack the children and it is her responsibility to protect them by destroying it and every other piece of landscaping we have done to the yard over the past 3 years.

Here are the rest of the pics, I had trouble loading them all at once. I got em now!

Here's more recent pictures of me, well, from yesterday, at the park! Last weekend we went to Abilene so that Jon and Sherwin could lay new flooring in their house, it was a big job for the guys, but they are so handy, and we all had a great time! I had a baby shower last night, put on by a couple ladies from my church, at sister Savoies house, it was a lot of fun and there was some really great food, and a beautiful cake, with lots of great gifts! We are so blessed!