Find Us On Facebook!



Hello Friends! In an effort to streamline my life i have decided to try something different... The Croslands are now on Facebook! So many people have told me that they find it difficult to check in on blogs regularly but almost everybody checks facebook right?? i hope this is an easier way to stay connected and more interactive~ which is what i LOVE!

We are notoriously hard to keep up with...and putting together a whole blog post has become almost too much right now. But i'm pretty sure i can handle a 2 sentence update or picture upload every day or so... just click the like button on our new Facebook page to get more regular family and ministry updates. i'm SUPER excited and i hope some of you shy little beans will pop over too!

Come visit: The Croslands In PNG

LOVE, Tiff

Go Read This Now

[my friend Judi with baby Miani, Evie with her buddy Clive, and our tiny tree :) ]



If you haven't been inspired yet this Christmas, you must go read Ann Voskamp's post on Christmas giving ! Go check it out and tell me what you think...
XOtiffany

{P.S. you may have heard by now of the 7.1 magnitude earthquake we had yesterday...we lost a few dishes but we are fine. it was a big one.}

December Newsletter

no news is good news…

     Sorry, we haven’t posted anything in a while. It has been very crazy around our house, packing up, flying back, and then unpacking.

      Our new house was finished when we got back, that was quite a relief. I will share some pictures of it later. For now these pictures are of the bilas, or decorations, the workmen put on our house to celebrate our return.

     We appreciate all of your prayers during this time.

A Train Ride

We finally got to go on a train ride! We rode up the mountain into the Australian rainforest on this historic train. We heard all about how the tracks were carved out by hand and what life was like working on the railroad. We always have to hold our breath through all the tunnels. We rode all the way up to a town on top of the mountain and had a yummy lunch and did some window shopping. We came down the mountain on the skyrail! It was a blast!! I'll post pics of the skyrail next time...

xotiff



Anxiety Vs. Contentment Part 1

Here is my confession...

i am anxious about returning to PNG with a newborn.

For all of the reasons you could imagine...malaria (#1), the distance from good medical care (what if he gets sick??), lack of social outlets, lonliness (can i handle it?), everything i was dealing with before plus the new baby and the issues that come with bringing him into a third world sistuation (i won't make a list).

So, i picked up the book Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow from the "one of these days..." pile beside my bed. i've been meaning to read it for years. It's a humdinger.

 She says our anxiety can be traced back to lack of contentment. Hmmm...i didn't really get it at first but upon further introspection it's true.

Do i really believe "God...is the blessed controller of all things, the king over all kings and the master of all masters." (1 Tim.6:15), and that "i am strong for all things in the One who constantly infuses strength in me." (Phil.4:13)?

Psalm 16:5 says "Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure."

Who's in control here?

You are God.

Is He trustworthy?

Um, yes. Forgive me Father.

Elisabeth Elliot says:

"I know of no greater simplifier for all of life. Whatever happens is assigned. Does the intellect balk at that? Can we say that there are things that happen to us that do not belong to our lovingly assigned "portion" ("this belongs to it, that does not")? Are some things, then, out of the control of the Almighty? Every assignment is measured and controlled for my eternal good. As I accept the given portion other options are cancelled. Decisions become much easier, directions clearer, and hence my heart becomes inexpressibly quieter. A quiet heart is content with what God gives."

That is what i crave. A quiet heart.

So, from the book, here is a prescription for contentment:

*Never allow yourself to complain about anything- not even the weather.

*Never picture yourself in any other circumstances or someplace else. (ouch.)

*Never compare your lot with another's.

*Never allow yourself to wish this or that had been otherwise.

*Never dwell on tomorrow- remember that tomorrow is God's not ours.

This is my goal:

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strenghth." (Phillipians 4:11-13)

I am becoming an expert in contentment, and the queen of the quiet hearts.

Anybody out there with me??

XOXO tiffany

[i have more to say on contentment...someday soon...]

Ever Have Days Like This??

There is a post growing in me about anxiety and contentment. Hopefully soon i will have the time to get started on that...but until then enjoy this golden oldie:

this sums up anxiety pretty well, non?

<3 t



5ive Weeks

Miani is already catching up with his 2 1/2 year old sister! She only outweighs him by 10 lbs. now...

Get a load of these cheeks. Perfect for kisses! xxx

He is such a roly poly. Look at those arms! EEEeeee! He's so sweet and pudgey my mouth waters...is that normal?

XO tiff

The 4 year old fish

      It should probably not be very surprising to me that kids have things they are naturally good at. It’s just the way God has made us. We all have different giftings. 
     A couple of years ago when Isaac, who had just turned 4, declared that he was going to ride his bike (never rode on 2 wheels before). Tiff said, “ok, I will come out and help you once I get the baby to sleep.” She put the baby down and went outside, figuring she would be running beside a bike for the next hour. but, when she got out there she found Isaac riding laps around the apartment building.
     Since we have been at Tree Tops, Isaac and Matthew have become quite good swimmers. This was not too much of a surprise. They were on the verge of swimming on their own when we left PNG since they both only had one arm floater that worked.
     The real shock was, 4 year old, Silas. He has always used a life jacket when swimming. One day Mae decided to take it off of him just to see what he could do and this is what happened:

Silas swims across the pool

     Sorry, for the beginning, he jumped in before I was ready. But, as you can see he swam across the pool. I was shocked the first time I saw him do it. Like Isaac, he just took right off.
     So, a couple of days later Tiffany and I were talking to the older ones about learning to dive and Silas said, “You just do it like this” and he dove in. He can dive better than any of the rest of them. it is crazy. Here is another video.

Silas diving

     No, telling what Evie and Miani are going to do but we will keep you posted.

matt

Get in my belly!!!!

 

{3 1/2 weeks old}

     It’s bad when your cheeks hang lower than your chin, but it happens. I mean after all, when all you do is eat, sleep, and poop you are  bound to get bigger. Don’t get me wrong I LOVE fat babies. There is noting better than a big fatty. I weighed him this morning and he tipped the scale at 6.2 kg or 13 lb 10.5 oz. He is busting out of his 3 month sized clothes. Carrying him around is like toting a sack of mud. He already weighs more than half of what Evie (our 2 1/2 year old) does.

     We are all doing well. I had a root canal and crown done this week. It was not a lot of fun but I guess it is better than the alternative.

     We have gotten Miani’s passport back and sent it off to the PNG embassy in Brisbane to get his visa. I have heard that they have not been processing them very fast right now so we might be pushing it close on time since we have already bought our return plane tickets. If he keeps getting bigger at this rate they might make us buy him a seat for himself.

      the other thing that I just thought of is that I probably ought to tell you how to pronounce his name. I think phonetically it would be something like this:                Mee-aah-nee

matt

Oh Yes, He Did.

It's the PNG national crest. It's not quite healed up yet, still red and a little scabby. Do you have any tatoos?? What do they mean to you??



Proud Big Brothers

{Miani Zion 20 days old}

It's hard to believe our boy is 3 weeks old already. He's growing fast as you can see. We're still waiting to see if he keeps his blue eyes. All of the other children are brown-eyed like their daddy... it's a long shot with Matt's mom being the only blue eyed girl in the whole family but my side is green eyed so we're hoping for some recessive mojo... 

With just a few weeks left in Australia we are tying up loose ends and waiting on paperwork for Miani. We have his birth certificate and passport etc. now we are waiting on his PNG visa...

hurry up and wait...hurry up and wait....

XO Big Love XO

Mama + Miani Z. = L.O.V.E.

{16 days old}

i thought i'd take advantage of this free, fast internet we have here in Cairns while i can...so i'm posting tons of baby pics! what could be better?  XOXO



All Is Calm, All Is Bright

Isn't he lovely?

Made from love...

xo~ t



Where have you been?

     The other day while we were walking through Sydney I was thinking about how small our world has become. I thought about how many of the worlds largest cities I had been to (only 6). This made me curious about how many you all have been to.

     So, I want to play a little game with you. Below you will find a list of the 100 largest cities by population according to 2008 figures. I want you to go through the list and count how many you have been to. I know this gets kinda funny so here are the rules. You have to have put your feet on the ground off of the Airports property. Transferring planes in an airport does not count. Once you have your number you can fill out the survey to the right and or post on this blog. I would love to hear about some whirl wind trips and some exotic cities you have been to. Also if you have a big number I would love to see your list. I am guessing some one that has been to Asia is going to hold the record here since there are so many Asian cities on the list. have fun!

matt

1. Tokyo, Japan - 32,450,000
2. Seóul, South Korea - 20,550,000
3. Mexico City, Mexico - 20,450,000
4. New York City, USA - 19,750,000
5. Mumbai, India - 19,200,000
6. Jakarta, Indonesia - 18,900,000
7. Sáo Paulo, Brazil - 18,850,000
8. Delhi, India - 18,680,000
9. Õsaka/Kobe, Japan - 17,350,000
10. Shanghai, China - 16,650,000

11. Manila, Philippines - 16,300,000
12. Los Angeles, USA - 15,250,000
13. Calcutta, India - 15,100,000
14. Moscow, Russian Fed. - 15,000,000
15. Cairo, Egypt - 14,450,000
16. Lagos, Nigeria - 13,488,000
17. Buenos Aires, Argentina - 13,170,000
18. London, United Kingdom - 12,875,000
19. Beijing, China - 12,500,000
20. Karachi, Pakistan - 11,800,000

21. Dhaka, Bangladesh - 10,979,000
22. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 10,556,000
23. Tianjin, China - 10,239,000
24. Paris, France - 9,638,000
25. Istanbul, Turkey - 9,413,000
26. Lima, Peru - 7,443,000
27. Tehrãn, Iran - 7,380,000
28. Bangkok, Thailand - 7,221,000
29. Chicago, USA - 6,945,000
30. Bogotá, Colombia - 6,834,000

31. Hyderabad, India - 6,833,000
32. Chennai, India - 6,639,000
33. Essen, Germany - 6,559,000
34. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - 6,424,519
35. Hangzhou, China - 6,389,000
36. Hong Kong, China - 6,097,000
37. Lahore, Pakistan - 6,030,000
38. Shenyang, China - 5,681,000
39. Changchun, China - 5,566,000
40. Bangalore, India - 5,544,000

41. Harbin, China - 5,475,000
42. Chengdu, China - 5,293,000
43. Santiago, Chile - 5,261,000
44. Guangzhou, China - 5,162,000
45. St. Petersburg, Russian Fed. - 5,132,000
46. Kinshasa, DRC - 5,068,000
47. Baghdãd, Iraq - 4,796,000
48. Jinan, China - 4,789,000
49. Houston, USA - 4,750,000
50. Toronto, Canada - 4,657,000
51. Yangon, Myanmar (Burma) - 4,458,000
52. Alger, Algeria - 4,447,000
53. Philadelphia, USA - 4,398,000
54. Qingdao, China - 4,376,000
55. Milano, Italy - 4,251,000
56. Pusan, South Korea - 4,239,000
57. Belo Horizonte, Brazil - 4,160,000
58. Almadabad, India - 4,154,000
59. Madrid, Spain - 4,072,000
60. San Francisco, USA - 4,051,000

61. Alexandria, Egypt - 3,995,000
62. Washington DC, USA - 3,927,000
63. Wuhan, China - 3,918,000
64. Dallas, USA - 3,912,000
65. Guadalajara, Mexico - 3,908,000
66. Chongging, China - 3,896,000
67. Medellin, Colombia - 3,831,000
68. Detroit, USA - 3,785,000
69. Handan, China - 3,763,000
70. Frankfurt, Germany - 3,700,000

71. Porto Alegre, Brazil - 3,699,000
72. Hanoi, Vietnam - 3,678,000
73. Sydney, Australia - 3,665,000
74. Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep. - 3,601,000
75. Singapore, Singapore - 3,587,000
76. Casablanca, Morocco - 3,535,000
77. Katowice, Poland - 3,488,000
78. Pune, India - 3,485,000
79. Bangdung, Indonesia - 3,420,000
80. Monterrey, Mexico - 3,416,000

81. Montréal, Canada - 3,401,000
82. Nagoya, Japan - 3,377,000
83. Nanjing, China - 3,375,000
84. Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire - 3,359,000
85. Xi'an, China - 3,352,000
86. Berlin, Germany - 3,337,000
87. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - 3,328,000
88. Recife, Brazil - 3,307,000
89. Dusseldorf, Germany - 3,251,000
90. Ankara, Turkey - 3,190,000

91. Melbourne, Australia - 3,188,000
92. Salvador, Brazil - 3,180,000
93. Dalian, China - 3,153,000
94. Caracas, Venezuela - 3,153,000
95. Adis Abeba, Ethiopia - 3,112,000
96. Athina, Greece - 3,103,000
97. Cape Town, South Africa - 3,092,000
98. Koln, Germany - 3.067,000
99. Maputo, Mozambique - 3,017,000
100. Napoli, Italy - 3,012,000

Our October Kids newsletter

We try to put out a newsletter every month or two. Every other one is a kids newsletter written by my daughter (with a little help from dad when needed). if you would like to recieve it via email you can send us a private message with your email address and I will add you to our mailing list.

blessings,
matt

Daddy

Brothers



Mae & Evangeline Meet Miani

 

 

We are SO in love.

It Finally Happened

(taking a break from labor to have a spot of tea)

The baby is here. It is a boy. 9lb 9oz., 21.25 inches. He arrived at 6:48pm October 5, 2011. His name is Miani Zion Crosland. As you may remember Miani is the name of my best friend in PNG (see this post: I want my EMTV!!!). It is kind of a big thing in PNG to give the baby the name of someone close to you (mostly family members or friends).

( moments of after birth)

Both mom and baby are doing well. The baby’s head is very bruised but he’s ok. As you might imagine with a baby this size, he is a hungry boy. He has been eating like a champ since he came out.

(weighing in)

More to come later.

matt

GET OUT OF HERE!!!!

 

Ok,  so that’s not really how it happened, but it could have. We went to the hospital this morning for our scheduled induction. We are pressed for time because of all the things we have to get done after the baby comes (birth certificate, passport, etc.) so we scheduled the induction.

We got there about 6:50am and they put us right into our room. We sat around for a while, filled out the meal plan for the next day or so, they brought some breakfast and we watched Myth Busters.

Then the doctor came in and said  that the hospital had been very busy the night before and all the birthing rooms were full. He said we could wait until around lunch and he would do the induction then or we could come back in the morning. We opted for the morning since a lunch induction would probably mean a birth that went well into the night. When I say we I mean Tiffany with my support. I don’t have to do any of the hard work.

So with that they gave her a day leave from the hospital. Tiff’s dad came back and picked us up and here we sit, at home again, waiting. Come on baby.

 

matt

It’s a girl (or so you say)

      Ok, I guess you have settled it. Girl won! Now we just need to come up with a girl name. We won’t even worry about a boy one.
    Since you were all so helpful with determining the sex we have another task for you.We want to know how big the baby is going to be. We want you to vote again.
     But first let me give you a little information to help with the decision. Here are the weights of the rest of our children:   7lb 10oz, 9lb 5oz, 8lb 15oz, 8lb 13oz, 8lb 8oz. I am also giving you a picture of the belly at 39 weeks (below). Tiffany is due in 3 days. Ok, that’s it, cast your vote on the right.

matt

It Is A Choice!

{i read this article years ago, written by Serene Allison, beautiful and vibrant mother to 8. i have since met Serene, her mother and 2 sisters personally a couple of times and know they practice what they preach! Are you ready to shift your perspective for the better?... this is for all you mamas out there who need an encouraging word today :) - BIG LOVE to you! xotiff}

Moanhood Or Motherhood? “Who can find a virtuous woman for her price is far above rubies.” Proverbs 31:10 I am often drawn to this text as I pray for God to mold me into the woman He desires me to be, no matter how much against the stream of normalcy it seems. My Interlinear Bible, which is translated directly from the Hebrew, inspires me when I read, “Who can find an able woman? For her value is far above jewels.” The word “able” hit me with a giant thud. I wasn’t as pricked by the word “virtuous” as virtues seem to abound in the feminine sex! I’m only being slightly sarcastic! But “able”! “Able”? As mothers and wives we often spend wasted brain space mulling over just the opposite. Do these words sound familiar? “I can’t do it anymore!” “I don’t have the energy!” “I’m drained! I have nothing more to give.” “I’m too tired! I’m completely exhausted and wasted. I can’t do one more thing!” We talk ourselves out of any last vestige of energy, and by the power of our minds we feel even more tired than we really are! “Honey, not tonight! Actually I’ve got a headache. No, it’s a migraine.” “Oh, I just need some time for myself.” “I feel so used. Nobody appreciates what I do around here.” “I’ve got to get out. I’ve got cabin fever.” “I didn’t get a good sleep last night. Come to think of it, I never get a good sleep. It’s all making me old before my time. I found a new wrinkle this morning.” Ugh! This is putting me in the doldrums just writing about it! How can our husband value us more than jewels when our lives are one big complaint? It is true that we talk ourselves into more than half of our problems. How can we be “able” women and how can our husbands and children truly value us above jewels when our lives are one big complaint? I think the key to being “able” is more about being positive than it is about all the talent and intellect we can possess. There are many gifted people who never accomplish half of what the mere motivated and persevering achieve. How can we be positive mothers when we have made a career of being professional moaners? Have we embraced moanhood instead of motherhood? Just as negativity is a habit, so is a positive and happy heart. The more we think on the good things, the more they become naturally part of our nature. The negative muscles become floppy, weak and slowly deteriorate when we don’t use them. Philippians 4:8 tells us to think on things that are pure and lovely. If we make a habit of thinking about the lovely things, in turn, our lives will be a lot lovelier. We can become negative by worrying about the future. We may dwell today on all the work we have to do tomorrow or even in the months to come. Again, the wisdom of the Bible frees our minds and makes for a happy mother when it says, “Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34) God is very interested in our thought-life and in the confessions of our lips. Here are just a few quotes: “A merry heart does good like medicine.” (Proverbs 17:22) “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21) “Gird up the loins of your mind.” (1 Peter 1:13) A positive attitude breathes life into our soul and body and actually gives us energy. A positive attitude breathes life into our souls and bodies and actually gives us energy. Satan is all to eager to plant seeds of negativity into our minds because he knows they are seeds of death and make us unable. Negativity is based upon fear, which chokes the very life out of its victims and renders them practically immobile. Negativity holds us captive in a prison of gloom. Being positive frees us to succeed and thrive. Some people see their negative outlook as being realistic. This is another trap of the enemy; a smoke screen to blind us to the truth that will set us free to really live and enjoy life. There are always two ways to look at things. I exercise everyday as part of my job description as a fit, healthy and happy wife and mother. Many times while on the treadmill in my kitchen I start thinking, “I feel awful. My legs are burning. I can hardly breath. I feel like pulling the plug.” With every second I grow more tired and soon feel completely drained. The fact is everything I’m feeling is truth. However, when I “gird up my mind” I remember how good I’ll feel afterwards and that 30 minutes isn’t that long. “I’ve only got 15 more minutes to go. I’m breathing really well now, and hey, this is easy. I feel great. I’ll race anyone. I’m going to pick up my pace. Wow, look at me go!” There is as much truth in this second thought process and I injected myself with a bunch of energy and ended up with a full tank. You may get up in the morning, sigh and drag yourself to the coffee pot confessing, “I was up with the baby for four solid hours last night. I can’t make it through today.” This may be true, but the other side of the story is that you had four good hours of sleep. We can feel just as good as we can feel bad. Thinking negatively involves the “me” word. It makes one too introspective. My mother always says, “If you are feeling depressed, go and do something for someone else. You’ll soon forget about your own problems.” The negative “so called” facts are not truth at all. They are the enemy’s poisonous darts. To contemplate them digs their venom deeper into your mind. The truth is: we are new creatures in Christ. We are to crucify the “flesh man” and live by the Spirit. The fruit of the Holy Spirit such as patience and longsuffering are now our new character traits. In Christ we can bear way more than the level the devil deceives us into thinking we can handle. The second line of Proverbs 31:10 reads, “The heart of her husband trusts in her so that he has no lack of gain.” The New Living Translation reads, “She will greatly enrich his life.” How can we enrich our husbands when our own lives are anything but enriched? We can’t give from a drained pot. Often we feel empty and exhausted, not because of our tedious workload so much as the state of our mental reflections. How can a husband feel enriched if his wife is not contended and happy? How can a husband have “no need of gain” if his wife isn’t happy and contented? If we greet him at the door with a tired expression, a list of complaints, and quickly pass off all the children to him, his welcome home will not be very enriching. It may make him want to retreat! Home should be a solace from the worry and stress with which the world assails him. It should be a place of enriching, a gas station to fill his tank before venturing back into his world of business and stress. Our homes should be an oasis where our husband can take a cool drink of the water of peace, love and laughter. We should meet him at the door with a bright smile, a warm welcome, and with a cheery atmosphere pervading the home. If he asks how our day was, and we remember how Suzie cut off her little sister’s hair, how Johnny peed on the clean folded clothes, or how the baby spread the surprise in his diaper like peanut butter around the crib, we might feel compelled to say it was a “bad day”. But wait a second! Let’s get out of our negative tunnel vision and see the big picture. There were no major accidents. We are all still alive and breathing. Suzie did really well at her reading lesson and Johnny picked some weeds from the garden and said I was a “beaubibul laby.” It was a lovely day. Come to think of it, it was a great day! When the atmosphere of our home is filled with optimism, our husband and children will feel they can do anything. The Proverbs 31 woman “opens her mouth with wisdom and the law of kindness is on her tongue.” As hormonal creatures, we women can sometimes become so emotionally pent up that when our husbands come home we vomit our feelings all over them before they have a chance to take off their coats. We were made to be our husbands’ helpmeets. We were made to complete them and enrich their lives. God did not create man to be the woman’s emotional counselor or hormonal dartboard. The more we press into God and become positive-thinking women, the less we will be inclined to emotionally regurgitate. Spurting out a bunch of negative goo gah is not opening our mouths in wisdom. Nor is it kind. It is like serving our husbands a glass of gravel instead of giving them a refreshing drink of happiness. Men are not emotional sorts and just don’t get the problem. My friend told me how she told her husband that she was feeling “out of sorts.” He replied, “Don’t feel out of sorts.” This reply was the right answer but not the one she wanted to hear. Men are wired differently so when our skies look gray we need to go to God first and then maybe call a close girlfriend who will lend a listening ear. Proverbs 31 continues with its description of the able woman. “She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms… she extends her hand to the poor. Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy…strength and dignity are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come… she watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.” A hardworking woman doesn’t have time to waste in negative contemplation. She has more important things pressing on her mind. If we are truly busy we won’t have time to stop and moan. I can’t picture Mother Theresa complaining about how tired she was or turning away another child. I love the way the curtains draw on the “able” woman. “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” The Hebrew word for “praises” is “halal”. It means “to shine, to make a show, to boast, to rave, to glorify, to make renown. The root of this word has the idea of radiance.” Are we worthy of such acclamation? Let us take on a spirit of rejoicing and do away with negative gloom. We will then be free to be ‘able’ women whose value is above jewels. SERENE ALLISON Primm Springs, Tennessee, USA

When it rains it pours!!

     I guess I’ll start at the beginning. Before we left the States we all went to see a dentist in Spartanburg. He said that I had a molar that needed some work. However, there wasn’t enough time for him to do it. So he said that when we reached PNG we needed to find someone to work on it. After we finished our training we went to Ukarumpa (the largest mission center in the world). There was a Papua New Guinean dentist there. I went to see him and he started the work but we left to go be on staff at POC. He said when we were able to come back he would finish. But while we were in Madang I got an email from him saying that he was leaving to go to school and he would not be able to finish. I didn’t have much option but to wait.

     Fortunately, I didn’t have any problems with it until we got here. A couple of days ago it started getting really painful. It kept me up last night for a while so I decided that I’d go see the dentist today.

     She gave me the bad news. I needed a root canal and a crown or I could get the tooth pulled. Seems like a no brainer right, who would get their tooth pulled out? Well, the root canal is a little over $2000 Australian dollars while the extraction is just over $200 Australian dollars.

     This is a tough one. We are already in a tight place with the upcoming birth so we are weighing what to do. I really don’t want to loose my tooth but if that is what we can afford then that is what we will be doing. Please, pray that God will make it obvious what we should do and that the pain will subside until I can get the work done. Also, she found two other cavities that I will have to get taken care of.

matt

THE MUMPS

       {this morning}                                  {2 days ago}

     Yesterday, Isaac was complaining about his cheek and jaw hurting. I didn’t think much about it because the rest of them have been passing around a cold (nothing major). But this morning he woke up with a swollen face (pictured above). Tiffany insisted that we go to the doctor immediately so Isaac and I walked to the doctor down the hill. I thought it might be a tooth infection or something but much to my surprise the doctor said he had the mumps. I was pretty confused by this because  he has been vaccinated. The doctor said you can still get mumps after being vaccinated. He also said that he contracted them here in Australia not in PNG. The way he talked there are still people here who get it.

     He said there wasn’t much that we could do for him. Just give him Tylenol to ease the discomfort and watch him. He also said that it was very contagious and we should keep him away from other kids. When he said that I just laughed and said there are 4 others at home. He just shook his head and laughed too.

     Please pray that it will pass quickly and that the others will not get it. Also, pray for protection for Tiffany and the baby.

matt

 

(this is not funny. tiff)