my very first baby shower

Thanks to some VERY sweet ladies here in Tanzania and Kenya, I had my very first baby shower and it was great! It was for both me and a friend, Erin, who is due in March. We had so much fun. We played games, got advice about raising kids in Africa, ate some great snacks (Paige made my very favorite...funfetti cupcakes! Thank you!) and opened gifts. Everyone was so generous and I cannot believe how much stuff we came away with for Zoe.

Here is a picture of me and Erin with our sweet friend Emily at the shower



Here is all the stuff we got for Zoe! Such a blessing!

 This past weekend we also had a prayer/marriage retreat in the mountains. It was wonderful! We arrived on Friday afternoon and everyone brought a Thanksgiving dish to share, so we were able to have a "family dinner." It was up in the mountains, which was even more wonderful, because we got to escape the heat of Morogoro for a few days. For anyone who doesn't know...the seasons here are opposite of in the States...so as you are cuddling up to each other beside a cozy fire, we are sweating it out in the heat, praying for cool breezes.

Anyhow, one of my favorite parts of the meeting was sharing praises and prayer requests. When it was Nate's turn, he shared that he needed prayer over not just being a new father, but a new father to a little girl. He said he didn't know why God wanted him to become one of those guys that is wrapped around his daughter's finger. He also told everyone at the meeting that if their boys decide to come knocking on our door one day, it would be work-out and sharpen his machete day. I'm so excited...he is gonna make a great daddy :)