A Quick Update

Hello everyone... yes, it has been over a month now. We actually started to write this post over two weeks ago, and didn't get around to finishing it. We are pretty swamped right now, so here is the "highlights" version of what has been going on over the last month (in no particular order):

1. Jake had a concert at school, in which he was a duck, and sang loud enough that Mommy and Daddy could hear his voice over everyone else's, even 10 rows back from the stage! We included a pre-concert and post-concert picture of him here.

2. Tricia's best friend Amber had a baby boy, Levi Rush Dickson, on November 5th. For the curious, you can see pictures at http://ladickson.blogspot.com

3. Jeremy went on his first trip outside of South Africa in the 22 months that we have been here. He spent 4 days in Nairobi, Kenya working with the Africa East Field leadership and World Mission Communications team to set a strategy for how media can best be used on that field in the future.

4. Jake has been practicing riding his bike without training wheels and is getting pretty good at it!
A video clip of one of his rides is below. Here's what he is saying during the ride: "Hey, I'm all right! Oh no, here we go again... oh, we're making a turn, ya lousy bike. My bike is lousy! Oh, watch out, comin' through. Comin' through... whoooooaa." We don't know where he has heard the word "lousy" used in context, but it sure was funny!

5. Tricia is starting to feel a little bit better as far as nausea goes, but those twins have her worn out almost all the time. Please continue to pray for her pregnancy.

6. Jake is going to be having surgery to put tubes in his ears again, as he is having problems with his allergies and hearing again. He has his surgery on Wednesday of next week, so please remember him in prayer as well.

7. We are getting a chance to head back to the U.S. for Christmas this year, so we are leaving on December 8th and will be back in South Africa on January 2nd. Please pray for safe travels for our family during this time.

8. We met a young couple from Canada at the mall tonight, here with Athletes in Action. The guy is a professional soccer player and they are trying to organize the Christian professional athletes here in South Africa for some big outreach activities during the 2010 World Cup, which will be held here. It's always nice to make new friends!

Well, that's about all for now, we'll write more when we get a chance!

Jake's Quote of the Week (or is it Month?)

Worship Leader: "Who wants to go to heaven one day?"

Jake (in a loud voice, after the "amens"): "Not me!"

(And yes, the whole congregation heard it.)

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia and Jake