My husband decided to start a business in Mozambique, Africa. This is a dream come true for us; ever since he served his mission in Mozambique, he has desired to go back and do something great for the people he came to love so much. This past year, he came up with a business idea and came into contact with the right people until everything was lined up just right to go and do it. His business is called The Frozen Cheetah and he will hire locals to sell vanilla ice cream in Maputo, the capitol of Mozambique. He hopes to grow the business into a cold food storage company that transports cold food items to the southern countries of Africa (that's according to my own understanding of it all...).
On November 1st, he took off for Maputo for three weeks! The night he left, he gave me a blessing that I would be able to handle the rigors of parenthood without him. He also gave Hazel a blessing since she was not taking his leave well. He blessed her to be a special help to me while he was gone. It was quite an emotional parting! Then he took off for a 21 hour trip to Mozambique...
It was amazing to see those two blessings be fulfilled while David was gone. We were blessed to get a good connection through Skype so that we could talk to one another twice a day--once around lunch time and again right before bed. How heavily we relied on those calls during the day! It was amazing to hear about the experiences he was having out there; not only starting the business, but reconnecting with so many people he had taught on his mission. The girls seemed to be extra helpful and we created some good memories together while we counted down the days until Dad came home...
I visited a great friend and past companion from the mission at the Gateway Mall with the girls and Hazel insisted on running through the water fountain. I love how she's peeking out from between her fingers.
This wee one did everything she could to win over Papa Kevin's heart. She followed him everywhere and then held up her little arms for him to pick her up. He fell for it every time.
Hazel and I went on a date, just us, on our last Saturday before David came home.
We also made time to get lunch at our favorite place, Great Harvest Bread, and enjoy it at the nearby park. I think that's chocolate chip pumpkin bread all over Charlotte's face.
And on the 21st, he finally came home!! We picked him up at the SLC airport around 10:30 pm and headed straight on from there down to my mom's in Cedar City. The next day we got back on the road and made our way to Phoenix, AZ to spend Thanksgiving with my extended family.
November: what a crazy month!
On November 1st, he took off for Maputo for three weeks! The night he left, he gave me a blessing that I would be able to handle the rigors of parenthood without him. He also gave Hazel a blessing since she was not taking his leave well. He blessed her to be a special help to me while he was gone. It was quite an emotional parting! Then he took off for a 21 hour trip to Mozambique...
It was amazing to see those two blessings be fulfilled while David was gone. We were blessed to get a good connection through Skype so that we could talk to one another twice a day--once around lunch time and again right before bed. How heavily we relied on those calls during the day! It was amazing to hear about the experiences he was having out there; not only starting the business, but reconnecting with so many people he had taught on his mission. The girls seemed to be extra helpful and we created some good memories together while we counted down the days until Dad came home...
We made this countdown chain with our favorite things to do with Dad written on each link. I saved each one because it was so cute to see what Hazel thought of, such as "wrestling together," "playing baseball", "eating dinner," etc. Charlotte didn't really understand much about her Dad being gone, but Hazel relied heavily on pulling off a link every day and knowing that she was getting closer to seeing her Daddy again.
We stuck with our usual routine of Joy School and gymnastics and trips to the library, but every day around 5pm, we headed back up to Kevin and Vicki's to stay the night. I couldn't have survived the month without them!
I love this picture. Just collecting some of nature's treasures on a lovely fall day.
We went outside to collect leaves and we found a leaf BUG!
I love Hazel's face in this picture. It a mix of being excited and a little creeped out by this thing.
I asked her what we should name him and she said, "Polly."
A few days after David left for Africa, my step-dad came to visit with me and my little brother, Bradley.
He taught Bradley and I how to make our favorite family meal: macaroni and meatballs.
I grew up having this meal for Christmas dinner and for any other special occasion. It's amazing and a lot of work goes into it. There's no written recipe, so I had to take very careful notes as Gary showed us how to pull off this great meal.
Gary grew up surfing in Santa Barbara so we thought we'd take him to the closest thing to the beach right here in Ogden: Flowrider! It was fun to watch his skills (even now with a bad back) and see Bradley try surfing for the first time.
Hazel waiting with Grandpa Gary for his turn on the water.
(I'm dying to try this when I'm not pregnant!)
Kevin and Vicki came down to our house to enjoy the macaroni and
meatballs with us on Sunday evening. Hazel and I made delicious apply
pies for everyone. We made a large one for everyone to share and a
little one for just her.
(Isn't she beautiful?)
Once the family left, our routine
resumed once again...just us girls.
(Charlotte always chooses to listen
to the same Berenstein Bears book on the computer and she obviously takes it
very seriously!)
Meanwhile, David was making great
things happen out in Africa...
I think he forgets how white he is
and doesn't use sunblock when he should...
And those Tom's shoes were brand new
when he left.
One of the greatest experiences he was
able to have was with a family he'd taught in an area called T3. The mother, Felicidad,
was the poorest and happiest woman he'd ever met. She had a daughter, Daisy,
and a new son, who was named after a very special missionary,
"Phipps." Unfortunately, he'd lost contact with this special family
shortly before he left because Felicidad's husband had lost his job and they
weren't sure where they were going to go or what they'd do to survive. We've
talked a lot about this family and thought much about them throughout our
marriage. Just a few days into his trip, David traveled about 16 hours north to
another city called Beira to meet with another contact about the business. When
he arrived, they ran into the local missionaries at a chapel and when they
heard his last name, one of them said, "Phipps? That's so funny, I just
met a little boy named Phipps." David was nearly speechless as the elder
gave him Felicidad's phone number. By "chance" she had just returned
from India where she'd started a small business of her own and she was staying
in Beira with her two children while her husband worked back in Maputo, where
David had met and taught them. So in a city, 16 hours away from where they all
met, my husband was reunited with this incredible family. Phipps is now seven
years old and Felicidad still has a huge smile on her face and in her heart.
What a blessing that David was able to find this small family and see them with
the light of the gospel still in their eyes. (And of course little Phipps was
offered any help he'd need to get a great education in the states if he did
well in the local schools there in Mozambique!) What a blessing.
Back
at home... I started painting the bunk beds for the girls' room. What a pain!
They took forever, but I was really hoping to make some progress on this room
before baby boy comes.
And Ellie just got cuter. She always
does this little head slant when I'm feeding her as if she's saying, "Look
how cute I am!" She would get really excited when she heard her Dad's
voice on Skype and would try to climb onto the computer.
I visited a great friend and past companion from the mission at the Gateway Mall with the girls and Hazel insisted on running through the water fountain. I love how she's peeking out from between her fingers.
Kevin and Vicki were amazing. They cooked
dinner for us and helped me bathe the girls, read stories to them and get them
ready for bed.
This wee one did everything she could to win over Papa Kevin's heart. She followed him everywhere and then held up her little arms for him to pick her up. He fell for it every time.
There was quite a bit of snow in the
valley; enough for Hazel to make her own snow man.
Like I said before, we LIVED for our lunchtime and nighttime chats with Dad...
David and Elder Mateus. He was twelve when David served his mission in Mozambique. David taught his mother the gospel.
Land O'Lakes Dairy Project
Jaime Massango and his family. Served with David in Mozambique and works for the Church now in Mozambique. David has asked him to work for the Frozen Cheetah business as well.
Bro. Sheriff. A member of the Church David became good friends with on his mission.
David and partner, Ben, with members from Mozambique.
More sunburn on that lovely white Phipps skin.
See how they sweep the dirt around their homes? It looks immaculate.
David met this family through some members of the Church and is wanting to work with them in his business as well. He said this was the first time he met a Mozambican family that used real diapers, baby food, and a bottle. He enjoyed getting to know them.
Milion Magaia and his wife. David baptized him on the mission and he later served a mission. He now works with David on the Frozen Cheetah project.
David and Elder Mateus. He was twelve when David served his mission in Mozambique. David taught his mother the gospel.
Land O'Lakes Dairy Project
Jaime Massango and his family. Served with David in Mozambique and works for the Church now in Mozambique. David has asked him to work for the Frozen Cheetah business as well.
Bro. Sheriff. A member of the Church David became good friends with on his mission.
David and partner, Ben, with members from Mozambique.
More sunburn on that lovely white Phipps skin.
See how they sweep the dirt around their homes? It looks immaculate.
David met this family through some members of the Church and is wanting to work with them in his business as well. He said this was the first time he met a Mozambican family that used real diapers, baby food, and a bottle. He enjoyed getting to know them.
Milion Magaia and his wife. David baptized him on the mission and he later served a mission. He now works with David on the Frozen Cheetah project.
Hazel and I went on a date, just us, on our last Saturday before David came home.
There was some ice cream involved of
course.
We also made time to get lunch at our favorite place, Great Harvest Bread, and enjoy it at the nearby park. I think that's chocolate chip pumpkin bread all over Charlotte's face.
And on the 21st, he finally came home!! We picked him up at the SLC airport around 10:30 pm and headed straight on from there down to my mom's in Cedar City. The next day we got back on the road and made our way to Phoenix, AZ to spend Thanksgiving with my extended family.
He was one an exhausted boy.
November: what a crazy month!
And one that made us even more
grateful for David
and how much we LOVE (and need) to
have him around.
