Long - Awaited Malawi Recap

Hello ALL! As most of you know our July and August were very busy with planning and going on a trip to Malawi. We saw a facebook status posting requesting a team to lead the "kids program" at the July SIM Malawi Spiritual Life Conference in late April. We quickly decided we should persue this opportunity. It took several weeks for us to put together a team, but by the beginning of May we had a group of 5 people willing to go. That left us a very short amount of time to raise the funds needed to get us there! God is good, and many of you have helped us raise the monies needed. THANK YOU! We left July 21 for Malawi. After over 20 hours in a plane and one overnight in Johannessberg, we arrived in Lilongwe, Malawi on July 23rd. We were hosted by missionaries for 2 nights, and shown many ministries in the capital city that the missionaries are involved in. We were able to meet and get to know some amazing people while we were there! Brenda Jansen was our "guide" and was a fantastic at making sure we all had places to sleep, eat, and see. We toured two different clinics, a Children of the Nations feeding place (for orphans), and the Crisis Care Nursery (for abandoned babies). We also spent a full week at the Kamuzu Academy a few hours north of the city. This was the location of the Spiritual Life Conference. Each year all the SIM missionaries for Malawi meet to recharge and connect. During the mornings sessions, the missionary kids were in our kids program, which is pretty much a VBS. We had a great time with the 24 kids we had. In addition to our team of 5, we also had 3 others helping us. So, in all there were 8 leaders and 24 kids (ranging in age from 22 months - 13 yrs). On the way back from the conference we stopped by Lake Malawi for the afternoon. It's gorgeous, and was a great relaxing way to end the week! On our last Sunday in Malawi we attend an African Evangelical Church (AEC), where Bryan preached. There was an English Service and a Chichewa service. He also taught the Sunday School. We had a great lunch at the home of the Young's (who live on the AEC grounds). After, we went back to the church to check out the fund raiser they were having. It was lots of fun. Basically you give money to hear a certain choir sing, or to join them, or to have them sing something else, or to have them stop singing. Diane Young made sure we all got the chance to join in. The day was wrapped up with a short visit to the zoo in town and dinner with the Fielder family (more missionaries).



We returned home on Tuesday, August 4th. Kathleen, who had taken care of the children while we were gone, was waiting for us with an awesome dinner! We were happy to be back in our own beds! The rest of the week was busy with a bible study, mid-week church service, wedding rehersal & wedding service. Then Bryan left on Sunday for a full week in Michigan. He went with a group of teens and leaders to run a VBS in Cedar River, and then on to Watersmeet to lead a 2 day VBS and a 2 Night Youth Rally. He just got home this Sunday. We are ALL glad to have him back. It seems this summer has zoomed past, but, what an exciting summer it's been. Soon the kids will be back in school. We are going to a new school this year, and the kids are so excited. Winter will be starting 3rd grade and Creedon is going into kindergarten. :) It will be a bit quiet around the house this September, but I'm sure the quiet won't last - it never does in the Faltynski house!

June!!!! AHHH

Well, June is nearly over, and it seem like it just began! Winter turned 8, we had a week of Vacation Bible Camp, Bryan&Laura are planning a trip to Malawi, and we are taking a quick trip back to Green Bay. Does life ever really slow down? :)

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll spare the words, and fill 'ya up with pictures :)

This last Saturday (the 20th) we had a family day. We did a few errands, then hiked Chester Creek. It was VERY hot and muggy, and the kids had a case of the "I'm too hot & tired" whiny-pants, but it was actually a really great day. We came home and the kids (all 3 ran in the sprinkler), Bryan made dinner, and we all went to bed happy and tired!


Last week was our Vacation Bible Camp. Laura was the director and of course Bryan did most the hands on work. He was in charge of music and general happiness. The theme was "The Tower of Truth". The kids had a great time in adventures with princess', dragons, and knights. They played "draw-bridge tug-o-war", rescused Princess Shannon from the dragons, watched a skit about a bumbling forgetful prince, and learned priceless truths about who God is. This year we wrote/created our own VBS. The teenagers who helped did AWESOME! And the adults in-charge of each area were amazing at catching a vision and creating something super. We also had tons of small group leaders who were able to spend time with the


And just one final picture that I love. It sums up summer in Duluth. Eating a brat in late June with gloves and sweatshirts and rain at a graduation party.

April - Blizzards, 70 degrees, singing and towers - what a month!

Spring has finally sprung in Duluth (well, it's ALMOST sprung). If you look really really close at the trees you might see buds. MOST of the snow has melted, but there is still muddy, slushy, icy patches under trees. We've been able to get out and enjoy the gorgeous weather we had the last week and a half. (but alas, today it is sleety, raining and snowing intermittently-sigh).

The Saturday before Easter we took the family out Enger Tower and Leif Erickson Park to get some video of "towers" for our Vacation Bible Camp promo video (The Tower of Truth). And just this Friday we took Creedon and Jonas out to Chester Creek to test out our new frame pack baby carrier we got for Jonas. I must say - Bryan says it's mighty comfy! And hopefully Jonas will not be able to climb out of this one!!! We found it on Craigslist - of course we just saw another one for sale for far cheaper than we paid (but, that's Murphy's Law - and it was a good deal either way). On Easter, we went to our friends, the Mains' for lunch. They had an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids - OUTSIDE!!!! (last year it was cold and wet out). Jonas LOVED it. Winter re-hid eggs for him several times, before we finally had to come in. He threw a major fit when he had to come in. - of course!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

This Sunday Winter was able to sing "special music" for church with Bryan. She sang "I Don't Know" from Enter the Worship Circle 3. She LOVES that song, and sings it all the time. She did a great job - despite nerves. I did record it, even though I didn't want it to be a "talent show" type of thing. I think I was discreet enough :)

Dress up, Dragons & Dancing

January can only be described as crazy! So, to typify our month I thought I'd open the blog with this hilarious video of Jonas. He loves to make people laugh. He thinks giving "sleepy eyes" is super funny, and apparently hitting himself in the head is a great joke too! Good thing it was with a very dull baby fork :)

Kathleen came to visit in the middle of the month for a whole week. It was a very good time for me to hang out with my sister. We, of course, did lots of shopping (but only for super great post Christmas deals), and stayed up late being totally goofy. It was a great time! The kids had fun playing dress up with her too! We played games, shopped, ate, and gabbed!

On February 7th, the kids had a special "Dad Day". Bryan wanted to do something special with Creedon and Winter before he went to Mexico for a 11 day mission's trip. In the morning he and Creedon went to a movie (which turned out to be not so great so they left early) and then went to the Duluth Children's Museum. Creedon got a dragon painted on his face. They ate at McDonald's and Creedon even got a Happy Meal (that's a special thing in our family, usually, we don't get happy meals-just dollar menu stuff). They ended the afternoon with chocolate shakes.

Then Winter and Bryan went to the Father Daughter Ball at the DECC. They had a great dinner, dancing, and an all around special time.

Christmas 08

Well, I've not only finally settled in from Christmas, but I'm actually updating the blog too!!!! We finished December on a calm note after much craziness. The kids Christmas Program went great. After having to postpone it a week because of a major blizzard, everyone was ready to go! Even though it was nearly postponed that week too because of ANOTHER snow storm. Oh, well, I guess - it is Duluth. Snow has been the major topic lately. It seems if it's not below zero, it's snowing. The kids love it. The plowed hill at the back of the church is getting higher and higher! Perfect for sledding and king of the mountain!

We went home for a quick visit on Christmas. We were only there 3 days, but it was nice to see everyone. My brother Ben let me play with his camera at christmas, and so I got some great pics of the kids.

Ben & Susan

Bryan - suave

Kathleen - very excited

Jacob & with the girls

Emily

Winter & Nora