Christmas is coming

In Swedish:
Det är snart jul här i Mississippi och det känns direkt när man går ut. Vi har det lite kyligt med ca. 18 grader varmt och sol...ingen jul känsla direkt! Vi har det bra och jag njuter av att min termin är slut. Nu är det bara 14,5 poäng kvar, vilket innebär att jag blir klar i Maj nästa år. Härligt! Samuel leker frenetiskt och har fullt upp med att läsa böcker, hoppa i sängar, leka med sitt brio tåg, klättra på Kelty, m.m. Återkom snart till bloggen för vi håller på att lägga ut en vidoe-jul hälsning. Ha det så bra!

In English:
this is actually Laurie writing, which doesn't happen that often. I chose to write in English because my Swedish may not be comprehendable. Well, Mississippi has already headed for Spring. We will have 70 degree weather for the next week or so. I am still very busy at my job. Admittedly, overworked, but truly knowing that is where God has placed me for this time. Everytime I hear or see a child find a family, every minute is worth it. We have friends in Albania right now working on getting there daughter home, and I know that the Lord is working mightily. Today we celebrated with a friend who is trying to bring home 2 children from Russian. We were celebrating because she received her approval from the USCIS. I know that the Lord continues to work for the smallest in His kingdom. I am very humbled and truly grateful for the child He has given Andreas and I. I am continuing to work on setting up Nepali adoptions for New Beginnings. It looks like I will be making a trip to Nepal this Spring to tour some orphanages and possibly sign papers to start our adoptions. I can't take credit for any of that, the Lord has done everything. (literally, ask me sometime and I will tell you of all the provisions He has put in place.)

It is official!!! We have begun work on our second adoption. Our goal, a little boy from Guatemala. We had our homestudy update meeting this past Tuesday and I am working on our dossier. I think this week we will also send in the paperwork for USCIS approval. Please pray for that!!!! I hope by next year we will be celebrating Christmas with two little boys.

Ideas for Christmas gifts!!! Go to Samaritan's Purse on the web and look at their gift book. You can buy a child out of slavery and give them a safe place to live. You can buy milk for a child for a month. You can send books in a native language to teach people about Christ. You can by a bike to help a pastor go out and reach people and so much more. You can do all of this and put it in honor of someone and Samaritan's Purse will send them a card. It is much better than that sweater that Aunt Edna is just going to return anyway!!!!!

thank you for your continued interest in our lives. this next year will be an amazing one!!! All I keep thinking is that I am so small and the Lord has given me so much and intrusted to me so much. I know that I am not worthy, but I pray that I will always be thankful. This Christmas I remember that last year I was given a son for Christmas. And over 2000 years ago, God gave his son. As I ponder this I realize that I am searching for the Christ child, and my King. I pray to pass this on to my son(s) (and daughters) someday. We would love to hear from you all. Until then you are in our prayers.

Love,
Laurie

Christmas parade

Some pictures from the Christmas parade where Samuel got to be baby Jesus. It was very cold, 40F and 5C, so he was bundled up really well. I'm sure Jesus would have enjoyed such clothing in that manger...

We've been to Disney World

Hello friends,

We just came back from Florida where we spent Thanksgiving with Laurie's family. We stayed with her grandfather for a whole week and had a great time. Laurie's cousin Dawn got us in for free to Disney World -Magic Kingdom. How awesome of her!

Samuel had a blast! A full day of rides, food, and trains. We enjoyed greatly as well and can not thank Dawn and her friend enough. Here are some pictures.

Exciting news

Dear friends and family,

God has done some amazing things in our lives recently. We are overwhelmed to the point of silence and praise.
First, we are adopting again!!! This time, thanks to the incredible generosity of an anonymous person who donated all the money, we are starting the process of adopting a little boy from Guatemala or Peru. We should have him home by September 2007. This is super super!

Second, though it is not for sure, we are going home to Sweden early fall 2007 to start our new ministry. Everything has been provided by the Lord, using wonderful people, and we have everything we need to get started in Sweden. This includes money for cars, travel, startup money, etc. Incredible, again!!!

There is much more to tell in the longer version of the story, but we wanted to share with you the wonders of God and how we thank him for everything. We are doing just fine. Samuel is growing and talking and running and playing hard every day. Laurie is busy busy in her new job but is doing wonders with setting up new programs for international adoptions. My school work is keeping me very busy, very engaged, and very humble. God is moving me closer to himself.

So, that's us and our lives right now. How are you people doing?

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Laurie and Samuel in Nepali outfits for Adoption Celebration!

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More pictures from farfar och farmor's visit

Samuel on farfar's shoulders

Samuel och farmor och farfar by the Elvis lake

The first part of this movie was the last part of the evening. They clips got reversed in the process of putting it on the web.

Sam and the polar bear

Pappa, farfar and Samuel downtown Memphis eating dinner

Farfar och Samuel at the Zoo, watching pandas

Farmor and Sameul walking around the lake behind the house.

Samuel out camping

A very short film about Samuel in his new pack!

Picnic vid Elvis sj�n

Farmor och Samuel vid Elvis sj�n

Farmor och farfar har kommit och h�lsar p�!!

The creek near our camp. We had fun playing in it, but it was really cold.

our campsite, with Samuel attending the dinner cooking. As it turned out, this site was a channel for rainwater, not a good place...

In my new pack in front of mommy's favorite tree, the forest magnolia.

Our camping trip

Hi everybody,
We just spent three days in the Sipsey wilderness, camping in the woods with Samuel. Below are some pictures of that adventure. Due to lack of sleep and heavy rains, the trip left some things to ask for. But it was a good start.
Hope you are doing well, and that we get to see you soon.

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Samuel's 2nd birthday

Hello everyone!
Today Samuel turned 2 years old! It is hard to believe that he is getting older! He had a great day with gifts and cake and friends. He is starting to realize that the Happy Birthday song is for him.
He is beginning to talk much more, and he can connect several words together, though it is hard for people to understand him, except mommy and daddy.
We love you and appreciate you taking the time to read this blog. I hope you will enjoy the pictures of his birthday.

Andreas and Laurie

Check out the shoes!

Sam dancing

How about this hat?

Do you like my hat?

In the icecream truck

What did I do?

Videos are now working

The videos are now supposed to work just click the "Play" button" Let me know if they don't work.

Nu fungerar video snuttarna. klicka på "Play" knappen.

Videos are now working

The videos are now supposed to work just click the "Play" button" Let me know if they don't work.

Nu fungerar video snuttarna. klicka på "Play" knappen.

Cautious Sam

Samuel and the slide

Daddy and Sam at the Elvis lake

Samuel jumping in bed

I am....very good looking.

pleeeease

Hiii

how to get water

Come to me!

more play

"-Ahhhhhh" ...Samuel loves you

Beautiful boy posing hard ;)

The Tester...testaren (inside Swedish joke)

Jumping with the jumping water

Arms up!

Cool cat

Pleeeease

This is our home for now. We live in the right part of the house, i.e. the right door.

we are at the Elvis lake here in Tupelo...Elvis wasn't here...

this is the back of our house...nice pond, eh?

monkey man...

climbing away

kiss me!