As the days begin to blur...

After returning from our stay in Bancalaan, we realized, now more than ever, our days in Brookes Point were numbered. But we tried not to focus on that. Not that we aren't looking forward to coming home for the holidays...it was mainly the goodbyes that went along with that that made us keep our focus on other things.

Our last Sabbath was relatively uneventful. We attend the Barong-Barong church because they were hosting some PFM training sessions during the week and some of our PAMAS bible workers were taking part. So we attended church to support them. JM woke up that morning vomiting, so Sheilah had stayed home with him. However, later when we arrived back at the house with Angela and EJ, JM was suddenly feeling well enough to run around and play (at least until dinner time, when he insisted he needed to be served dinner in bed. lol, I love little boys!!)

LOL, these girls are a never-ending source of amusement. I can't bare the thought of saying goodbye just yet :(

Sunday we were finally able to celebrate EJ's birthday. Though her birthday was 3 days earlier, we were never able to celebrate it with the group, so Sheilah spent the day in the kitchen making your basic Filipino Birthday meal (which always consists of Pancit and Spaghetti. Yum!) and to top it off. Some moist, delicious, American chocolate cake! My sister, Sam, had donated boxes of cake mix and frosting to give to Shielah when we arrived in October. EJ's birthday (and the fact that LeAnne and I had been BEGGING for chocolate cake for the last week or so) was as good a reason as any to break into the stash! 

LeAnne and I bought EJ's birthday present on our way back from Santiago. It was a little difficult, 8-years old is one of those ages that you have to start questioning "Will she really like this?". We wanted to buy her something that was her own, that she wouldn't have to share with her brother, and that she wouldn't grow out of in the next couple months. After receiving many different suggestions, we finally took advice from Lisa Mae and bought her a collection of "beauty products". We bought her a purse and filled it with hair tyes, hair clips, a head band, a little thing of perfume, and a comb. We were pretty proud of our gift and EJ seemed to really like it.

The birthday dinner was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed spending a night dedicated to a very special little girl! Happy Birthday, Miss Elaika Joy!

The days are going by quickly, in the next 2 days we'll have to pack up everything and say our goodbyes...I don't know that I'm ready for this. I really wish the days would slow down, but it seems they go by even faster as the our last days near. Everything seems to be blurring together...I just wish it would slow down, so that these last moments could be remembered always :/

"May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light."

~Colossians 1:11,12