Spontaneous Getaway!

outside of me going to Thailand, we have only gotten away for 1 night since we have been here, which is now 10 months. we have taken for granted the need to let off steam and re-envision. by the middle of the week last week we didn't think we could make it through, Paul and Erin were feeling the same way, so we packed a few things (a giant car load actually) and headed to the mountains. We shared a cabin and backed into this park area. it was perfect for the kids who spent hours and hours playing. Paul and Erin also donated many hours to play and love on our kids. we are so thankful for them!

Toby got a few tips on becoming an awesome volleyball player like his Daddy

i couldn't resist taking pictures of all the amazing colors in nature right now. they were an amazing balm to my dry soul!

the awesome alpine slide didn't hurt either for a quick rush!

who could resist these happy faces?

this is a natural spring or "Kani" in Kurdish...my name! we saw this same spring in the fall when we stayed overnight and it was not nearly this big. it was awesome. i could hear the rush of the water as i got to sit on the edge of the canyon and spend time with Jesus. i was completely overwhelmed by having some true quiet time every morning. Tim let me go away for a couple of hours the first morning. i soaked in the natural beauty and so did the kids. several times they were commenting on how beautiful it was! which has got to be rare for young kids to actually notice their natural surroundings! i like to think it's my amazing influence, but honestly it is probably just a lack of scenery and color and nature where we live and their little natural selves were thirsty for the Creator's beauty!

family shot #1...of course i had a death grip on our kids the entire time we were there and grabbed them back several times and was a wreck by the time we finished viewing this natural beauty...since it was completely unsafe!

the spring was overflowing everywhere and it was FRESH, COLD water! how does it come right out of the mountain?? i had to wonder if this was the spot Moses hit?

God knows. God is good. these two things resounded in my heart this weekend. we got to stay right across the way from a family with this little girl, Farah, who spoke English really well. Annie ate it up! she played with her so much and enjoyed every second of it. i am so thankful for a God that cares about the little things, including giving my little girl a special dose of happiness!

this is part of the area we decided to spontaneously climb up and i am proud to say my kids were leading most of the way...again i was a little panic-stricken the entire time....

....but the only thing that rolled down the hill were these rocks that tim and the kids and Paul were joyfully rolling down.

i wish i had a picture of them after the rocks slammed down the hill and made giant, echoing noises and chattered into pieces at the bottom. they were giddy school girls!

family shot #2...nice! i believe this is after the lecture to toby about smashing snails...a slighty violent display in my opinion of "just being a boy"...he had a little lesson in not destroying God's creations just because and he tearfully asked God to forgive him and then declared that God said he was forgiven. i am thankful for teachable moments and a boy that has such a sensitive heart.

the boys and Mr. Paul...what can i say about Mr. Pa as Jesse says...the boys hang on his every word and are constantly begging him to come play transformers or something active. which he almost always does! this weekend Mr. Pa let me go to the canyon, while he mixed up the pancakes, flipped them, fed the kids, dressed them and by the time i came back they were all outside playing and happy! again...i am so thankful for a God that cares about my kids' happiness and for team members that genuinely love and care for my kids even with all their chaos and whiny voices.

my little hikers and explorers

the flowers were out and i just couldn't resist getting a few shots of my girl amongst them

the poppies here were purple...(alissa...poppies...they are here in Iraq...hint.hint.) amazing.

and a few pics of my boys hanging over the canyon...defying death once again!

this is a picture taken by Toby of us, obviously, but he was holding the camera at a crazy angle...i believe tim is trying to tell him how to hold it correctly and i am trying to stretch to stay in the picture.

and last but not least...the purple poppy up close! breath-taking! inspiring! amazing! I was reading this "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." as i was contemplating what delight meant and trying to align my desires with His heart, i turned and i saw this purple poppy and immediately felt that feeling you get when you know your heart has aligned with his. i was delighting in the beauty surrounding me and he was saying, this one's for you! that is the desire of my heart! to be loved and known by Him! i can't wait to go back!