Author: monstauffer

The Happiest, Biggest Littlest

Today you turned 6, Eden! I still can’t believe it! I mean we all expect you to just keep on growing, by the grace of God, but at the same time it is so utterly shocking that you are getting SO BIG!

Today we celebrated you with letting you open those presents early this morning that you had been DYING to open for months now. Nope, we didn’t make you wait a second longer than we could drag Daddy from bed (sorry, Matt) because the rest of us were all up.

And yes, naturally the ducklings needed a front row seat.

And then we just let you play, play, play: dolls, house, princesses, magic wands – your morning was filled with much imagination and love. Breakfast wasn’t even on your radar once the gifts were opened and there were games to be played. Even the ducklings took a back seat to all the excitement… temporarily before they were introduced into your game. Ha! (Sorry, ducks- there is too much love for you guys.)

Our day held our online conference, a special birthday message from your kid’s class teacher, and an afternoon of more play fun (and even taking your dolls to the library!).

The birthday dinner of your choice this year was nachos, which left everyone enjoying the fruit of your great pick. Mmm.

“Did you only eat all the black olives off of your nachos?”

Eden’s silent response:

😂

Purple cupcakes, of course, and a side of moose tracks ice cream (ahh, one of the wonders of America, Eden!) and you felt thoroughly celebrated and honored as we went around the table and shared what we love about you.

Oh Eden-girl, you are such a wonderful kid. We all adore you and your genuine little heart. Life is so wonderful and has so much to offer in your joyful world. You utterly delight over the simplicity of being given a piece of candy when others wouldn’t think anything of it. You dance and sing at all possible occasions. And you are so snuggly. The world has all been the same playing field of a learning curve for you. Mozambique has so many layers of culture to learn for the first time and America as well. But you embrace both with open arms and much courage. I admire your willingness to try even when you hold Daddy or my leg for a little more reassurance in a shy moment. I’m thankful that you know our legs will always be there. We are in this together, Beeden! You are quick to say thank you, going out of your way to say it many times and in different ways in an outpouring of gratitude. And I absolutely love that you find just as much joy in homemade gifts as in store bought ones. You wear your heart on your sleeve, loving others deeply and intentionally. And you bust out silly dance moves when you’re happy with zero shame. Haha. Be your awesome “lost five teeth in two weeks” self, kid! I hope you never stop hugging ducks and squealing at how adorable every animal is that walks by. I hope you never stop laughing uncontrollably at absolutely nothing. I hope you never stop giving monster hugs to people you met yesterday, but have proven to be trustworthy in your loving worldview. I hope you never stop singing at the top of your lungs when you don’t know any of the words to the song but have 300% confidence that it doesn’t matter because you’re going to have a great time regardless. Eden, you are an absolute delight of a child and it is an honor to get to be your mommy. Thank you for being my little Eden-Beeden. And Happiest of birthdays, sweet girlie. I cannot wait to see what God continues to have in store for you in year six!

I love you, my little sweetness! 😘
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Another Decade Crosser

Today Abi turned 10 and I’m still trying to wrap my mind around it. Over the weekend we enjoyed a Star Wars themed party with family.

She was spoiled by family love without a doubt.

Complete with Jedi training course (and Yoda in the backpacks, naturally).
My little Leia may be blinking, but that smile was there permanently this past Saturday.

Today, we celebrated with Aunt Jes, Uncle Nayt and Rori in Minnesota.

We had some great backyard water play.
Later, lasagna was her birthday dinner of choice. (Yay for being in a country with the ingredients this year!)

And who wouldn’t pick angel food cake with strawberries and chocolate whipped creme instead of birthday cake?

Abi,

You are an absolute gem of a child. You love others so well, thrilling in going out of your way to serve them. Whether it’s bringing your almost two year old cousin downstairs to play Baby Shark music and dance with her because you love her squealing excitement or spending your allowance money on this to spoil your sisters, you have such a pure, giving heart. You think so much about others and pay attention to the little things that bless them. You are a lover of bike tricks (28 seconds with your hands off the handlebars in your record), all things Star Wars and Legos. How quickly you run to help and how blissfully you dance to ballet songs and sing at the top of your lungs in the car to the Phantom of the Opera. You are just my chill kid, happy and calm. Your hands are always open to others and your smile is an outpouring of your heart. You’re quick to give bear hugs and the first to share your stuffed toys (even giving one of your four away to someone younger than you because it brings them joy). Sweet girl, you have the heart of Jesus in you and it’s so amazing to watch you learn and grow in faith through your consistent reading of the Word.

Precious, Abi, you are such a sweetheart and I’m so blessed to be your mom. Never stop seeing the best in others, beautiful girl, and know that your mommy is applauding your every dream, every passion and every childhood delight. I couldn’t love you more, beautiful Abi. Thank you for being such an amazing kid. Can’t wait to see what year 10 has in store for you.

Love you, Abinov.

🎉Happy 10th Birthday, Love.🎉

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Online with Mrs. Susan

Mrs. Susan,

I am sure that when you recorded your Sunday School message for your Preschool/Kindergarten class you thought about each of the faces in your class. But four more faces wanted to join your class and were DELIGHTED to sit under your teaching again.

All on their own they gathered supplies, helped each other plan out and tape the scroll ends, selected extra Bible verses to add to their scrolls (because apparently one is just not enough), wrote all the Bible verses on the board so everyone could see, copied the verses onto their scrolls, lightly colored and distressed their scrolls (it’s all about affect, people), and helped each other roll and tie the scrolls (complete with cat supervision, naturally).

Our Abi may have long since graduated from your class (and our sixth grader, Rachael, even longer than that!), Hannah also skipped right over your class jumping from the toddler class to Africa to second grade Sunday school, but Eden was THRILLED to learn that she would probably be in your class when we, Lord willing, get to visit back to the States.

These guys may not have a chart in your class for a sticker, but they wanted to repeat the summary verse. (Sorry it’s dark)
And Hannah wanted to look the verse up and read it from the Bible.
❤️ We love you, Mrs. Susan, and thank you for a wonderful lesson and a fun project. We can’t wait to see you and hug you in a few months, Lord willing. ❤️

P. S. Thanks for ignoring our pajamas and bed heads. We do real life here and your lesson was too exciting to bother delaying while we got ready for the day. 😉
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Ask God for Mercy

 

Please pray for Africa when you wash your hands again today for the millionth time.

How the discomfort of chapped hands is getting old, I am sure!

And what a blessing to have fresh water that you didn’t carry on your head back to your home.

What a blessing to have soap. Any soap at all! Let alone ones that smell so lovely.

Ask God for mercy to protect the poor who would wash their hands with soap if they could.

(some local “toilets”)

 

Please pray for Africa when you take your extra vitamin C and daily vitamins.

I know we’re all doing what we can to avoid sickness.

And what a blessing to be able to avoid HIV and tuberculosis as a baseline before this virus.

What if HIV weren’t a choice? What if vaccine access was inconsistent?

Ask God for mercy for the immunocompromised people.

Please pray for Africa when you avoid public places.

Going from busy days to quiet hours can be maddening, I understand and have been there. It takes time to adjust and find new purpose in the quiet.

And what a blessing to be able to avoid crammed public transport – the very transport to get to the hospital after walking an hour to get to the pick-up spot.

Ask God for mercy for fellow Africans to be able to get to COVID-19 testing facilities, that the facilities would be equipped, and that those sick would not infect the entire transport vehicle.

America, my words are sincere.

I understand the legitimate challenges of this virus. This inconvenience and even this fear.

The beauty I have seen as you all make the sacrifices to protect the vulnerable is admirable.

Our African brothers and sisters are praying for your sick and your vulnerable populations.

Please pray for Africa too. Ask God for mercy.

No one gets to pick where they’re born. Ask God for mercy.

My heart is broken for you, brothers and sisters, there in America.

And my heart is broken for our brothers and sisters waiting here in Africa.

Viruses aren’t population selective.

The challenge is different and strong all over the world.

We’re praying for you, America.

Please pray for Africa.

Ask God for mercy.

 

IMG_8224.JPGrdw1

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You May Live in Rural Africa if…

– first name options include objects, Holidays, and days of the week.

– you have to look up a picture of a squirrel on the internet to explain the American school worksheet to your Kindergartener.

– you no longer barter for your daily produce because they know you’re not a tourist.

– buying said produce involves a semi-formal conversation regarding the vendor’s welfare.

– your name is your job title and your child is respectfully referred to as “girl”.

You may live in rural Africa if…

– you can’t remember what version of British, Kenyan, South African, or American English vocabulary needs to be used in the big city.

– you wake up confused because the rooster did NOT crow at 4a.

– you begin talking to your English-speaking friend in the wrong language without realizing it when trying to figure out directions.

– said directions involving no paved roads and a downed tree as a landmark doesn’t make you flinch.

– you’ve been asked to name a stranger’s newborn baby you just met.

You may live in rural Africa if…

– at least one child has arrived at a destination without shoes, you’re not Afrikaans, and you only notice because the sand is hot.

– all-day shopping only involves a store or two that takes three hours round trip to visit and has 3-4 total aisles.

– your kids giggle while eating broccoli because it’s a rare find of a treat during tourist season.

– a tropical Christmas season is only announced by the Chinese store music and has no curb appeal to the nationals.

– you are asked to carry a 50lb bag of rice, a large grocery sack of raw peanuts, and a sheet-wrapped bundle of ? to someone’s cousin because you mention driving through that city in a few hours.

You may live in rural Africa if…

– the next public toilet is three hours away so you warn the kids to “go now or forever hold your…”-well, you get the idea.

– the stars are brilliant street lights when the sun goes down at 5p.

– you sweep your Sunday school space with a tree branch, kick out rotting fruit, and chase away chickens before laying down a tarp floor for your class.

– finding strawberries or blueberries once a year needs a national holiday marker on the calendar.

– you go to bed a half hour after your kids because, let’s face it, there’s nothing to do.

You may live in rural Africa if…

– you have witnessed unexplainable joy amongst what could be cast off as desperate ruin, but is actually greater depth of perspective than material satisfaction could ever know.

Oh, rural Africa, how we love you despite all your quirks. Thanks for putting up with all of ours as we continue to learn how to live as acceptable foreigners

out here in beautiful, rural Africa.

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I Already Have One

As Matt and I plan to visit back to the States we have taken the opportunity to reflect on the past term of living in Mozambique. Some beautiful stories have arisen amid long car rides as we have seen God’s hand at work. Sure the challenge still remains and we’ve had our fair share of reflecting on overcoming and living in those challenge tensions too.

In the spirit of preparing our hearts, we’ve also taken on the healthy task of decluttering again. After having given away 70% of everything we owned before moving to Mozambique and having lived a year in Quelimane “virtually out of suitcases”, we have grown and continue to grow in living simply.

As we were giving away some things to a precious friend, she graciously and thoughtfully made her selections from the things on our table. I loved listening to her thinking through the dishes and hearing her vocalize leaving things for others. But one phrase caught my heart as I listened. I had picked up a coffee cup from a reputable place which we both knew was a quality make. “Oh, I won’t take this one. I already have one and it has lasted me for years.” She placed it back down on the table contentedly. But the words hung in the air.

How quickly would I have thought about keeping a back-up cup? How quickly would I have thought to replace mine with the hope that the one on the table would outlast my old one? But here the lesson spoke truer, “I already have one.” It’s a lesson in contentment. A lesson in simplicity. I already have ONE. And she literally means just one.

Matt and I are still learning to live in the one, trusting not in our own provision but just… trusting. There’s nothing wrong in replacing the broken or the tired- in fact I’m thankful for a team coming in a couple of weeks that will be helping us replace some three year old items that are beyond limping along. But I just wanted to share this story in hopes that it could be an encouragement to others. Simplicity has been so freeing and so faith growing.

We are learning what to keep in extra. (You know, like a spare tire? 😉) And how to find contentment and freeing joy by a less full shelf. Because as it turns out, that shelf is as full as it needs to be. It truly IS enough.


The first year we were here in our current city, I sat down with the girls for a little stenciling fun. The girls made fun princesses, nature scenes and cute little animals while I made this reminder for our wall. Dear ones, I am still very much learning this lesson, but I can speak from my heart that this lessons is so incredibly freeing and true.

Lord, please continue to grow my faith. Please mature me, Father, like my sister who graciously and with a heart of gratitude returned the coffee cup to the table. I trust in Your provision, even in the little things. You are and will always be MORE than enough. Thank You, Lord. HOW You provide. I am overwhelmed. Thank You for the reminder through my sister today.

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