Flying Home to Legazpi

On our way home from Cebu, we had a beautiful, clear day. Thought I'd share a few pics with you.

Legazpi City, with Mt. Mayon in the background

...just in case you were worried!

Cebu - Part Three

Here are the last of the Cebu pics.

Jamin....just being Jamin!

Rob and Jesse

Jesse

Ok, so I really hate this picture, but Carly wanted me to include it.

Hey! We found the Love Boat!!

I guess this pic speaks for itself! Only in Asia!!

(FYI - We DID NOT eat here!!)

Cebu - Part Two

Here are a few more pics of our day out on the boat.

Connie and Jesse

We're not sure if Jamin is more monkey or fish!

Either way, he loves the water and loves to climb.

Notice the blue starfish among all the different types of coral.

If you look closely, you can see we found Nemo...or at least his distant cousin.

Yes, they really were this close!

Trip to Cebu

After our time in Bacolod in May, we spent a few days in Cebu with the Murphys. This picture was taken at a restaurant on Mother's Day. After lunch, Wade and Robert kept all the kids for the afternoon so Connie and I could have some "girl" time! We enjoyed the time to visit - we just wish we could do that about once a week.

Aren't these some cute kids?!

Well, that didn't last long!

These do-nuts were a special Mother's Day treat!

While we were with the Murphys, we were able to rent a boat and go snorkeling for the day. This isn't actually the boat we rented, just one nearby. Ours was quite a bit smaller.

Carly and her daddy

Caleb and Mom

(Don't you just love the hair? Gives new definition to the wind-blown look!)

Carly begged me not to put this one on here because she says her hair looks bad! But I think it's a great picture of my little girl who's growing up too fast!

While we were home last year, a wonderful church gave us a new, waterproof digital camera. This was the first time we actually used it underwater, and we were able to get some great pics of the fish and the coral.

We discovered a great way to get the fish up close and personal....bagels!

We could swim out to them, holding a bagel in one hand and camera in another. (The bagel didn't fall apart when it got wet and was easy to hold on to.) But when we broke a piece off to feed them, they'd go crazy! It was really cool!

Caleb enjoyed the boat ride, but wasn't quite ready to take on snorkeling in the open sea! He did at least get in the water once - a step above last time - but quickly decided to get back on the boat! (He's a water chicken like his mama!)

Somehow, he found a way to pass the time...Ruffles and Crunch & Munch!

Trip to Bacolod City

After arriving back in the Philippines on May 4th, we left 4 days later and headed for Bacolod City, on the island of Negros. Some visitors from the States were there, including our boss and his wife, Bro. and Mrs. Grady Higgs.
While in Bacolod, we were able to attend a conference and hear Bro. Higgs preach, along with Bro. James Speer. We also had time to visit with our other missionaries and churches in Bacolod.

This is actually a very rare picture!! Pictured here are all the BMA missionaries to the Philippines, except for the Newsoms who had left to go home the day before we arrived. Very seldom are we all together in the same spot at the same time, so this was a special time of fellowship.
Bro. Doyle & Mrs. Linda, Darlene, Wade & Joanna, Robert & Connie

Caleb loves his Tita Dar!!
("Tita" is the Filipino word for "Aunt.")

Our family with Bro. and Mrs. Higgs

The young man here with the Higgs is from Cambodia. He was a translator when our first team went to Cambodia and through that experience, trusted in Christ as his Saviour. He had come to the Philippines to be baptized and to receive some training before going back to Cambodia to serve as a church planter.

Somehow Bro. Speer always ended up getting the best of Carly. I think it has something to do with her being ticklish!

Praying together before the Higgs and Bro. Speer flew back to the States

Caleb got one last hug before Bro. Speer went home!