Happy Birthday Becca!!!

Just so everyone knows it is Becca's birthday today. And since it is her birthday I wanted to let her know how much I love her and list the reasons I love her. She holds our family together and makes our home a peace full loving place even though we are in the middle of a war torn country. There never has been a day when I don't looking forward to going home after my work day is over. Having never left the United States, I wasn't sure how Becca would react when I told her that I wanted to work for the State Department and live overseas, but she knew it was something I wanted and supported me, even when we found out we would be going to the Congo. And even though she doesn't understand the language, hates all the spiders and cockroaches and doesn't like dealing with all the street kids knocking on our car windows asking for money, she has stayed here with me. She is constantly surprising me what she likes about this place.

Becca is wonderful, beautiful wife and mother who is always looking out for others. One of the things I admire about her the most is how much charity she has. She is always wanting to help those around us, and it was amazing to see her at the orphanage on Saturday, talking to the kids, asking questions about the program and trying to think of other ways we can help out.

Spencer loves his mom very much, in fact most morning when he wakes up he calls for her and if I go in there he says that he wants his mommy. Spencer is a good kid, and it is Becca's patience and loving personality that has put Spencer on the right track. Spencer wanted to right a few things so here is his message:

Spencer says "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Mommy, Happy Birthday to you" Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Halloween and Happy Birthday. All of that stuff. Kisses, Kisses, I love you. I think my mommy is the greatest because she carries me, builds houses with me. Mommy is sharing and loving and she plays gold fish with me.

More Spencerisms....

I'm thinking we are going to start having weekly "Spencerisms" posts on here. What can I say...he's 4?!?! Kids definitely say the darnedest things. So here are the stories for this week.

-My mom wasn't feeling great this past weekend, and we called her on Sunday to see how she was doing. Spencer got on the phone and said, "Hey Grandma, how's that leg of yours going?" What kid begins a conversation that way?? :) Ours. He was remembering how this summer she had foot surgery and we were there, there was nothing wrong with her leg this time.

-Another one that happened on Sunday was at church. And the teacher asked Spencer if he was going to see his Great-Grandma Rigby in a couple of weeks. I reminded him that she is the one that played ping-pong with him. He said, "Yes I'm going to see Grandma, but Poppa died. It made me really sad and I cried. It still makes me sad sometimes." He is talking about my Grandpa Rigby who passed away in August. Although I told him that he had passed away, he didn't go up to Logan with me for the funeral or anything. It amazed me that he was so perceptive to realize what was going on. These little ones are special spirits that's for sure.

-Last one. Today Spencer and I had lots of boxes at the house so he figured out to use them as a car, and we cut and taped and got a big car made. Well he also decided that the car was going to drive us to the United States (his words not mine). I told him there was a big ocean between here and the United States. So he decided his car would be a plane also and could fly. Anyway, we start on our adventure and we "drive" to the airport, get our suitcases and proceed into the airport. He says to me, "Oh I hope we didn't miss the plane, we have to hurry." Then he gets up to the ticket counter (the coffee table) and asks "Are we too late?" We find out we just made the plane. So we rush onto the plane and put our suitcases in their proper places, have drinks, and watch TV. He then told me we have to take 3 planes to get to Ally's house (that's where we were going, Utah). So we continue rushing up to counters making sure we weren't late, and getting on airplanes, putting suitcases away, drinking drinks, watching TV and sleeping. Finally after our third airplane we get off the plane and he goes into the living room looking up and asking, "Now which one is it? Number two? Yes it's number two, it's this way Mom. We can get our suitcases there." Now....how does a 4-yr. old know these things!?!?!? Obviously one that has spent WAY too much time flying during his life. It's crazy!!! Finally we see Ally, which he runs up to (imaginary) her and we get into a car (that looks just like the one we made in Africa) and go to their house. He looks all around their house and went down for a rest. WHEW! What a morning! :) But look at all of that imagination!!! I love it! But really.....do any other 4-yr. olds play airplane/airport? I think we do at least once a week.

Spencerisms

Spencer keeps us laughing everyday, but last night he was on top of his game! So I decided to write some more stories of Spencer.

-We were having Chili last night for dinner, and this was mine and Spencer's conversation:

Spencer: What are those things? (pointing at the chili)

Mom: Beans.

S: And what's that?

M: Other beans, and there's meat in here too.

S: It's like salsa.

M: Kind of, but it's called Chili.

S: But it's hot. Why do you call it chilly if it's hot???

M: I don't know...that's a good question.

S: It should be called Bean Salsa, that's what it is.

-For Family Home Evening last night we had Spencer write a letter to Santa Claus, to tell him what he wants for Christmas. He asked me to write, since he doesn't know how to read or write yet (and yes, he did say that to me). So I start writing his letter: Dear Santa, I want for Christmas is a bouncy ball and a new big bike. Oh by the way I'm going to give you milk and cookies. (the funny part about this is, that he actually wanted me to write Oh by the way. I had to have him slow down so I could write it all, and he let me finish the first sentence and I asked him what was next and he said "Oh by the way..." it was dang cute). I tried to be a good boy this year. (Tyler told him to write something about how he's trying to be good, so Spencer came up with this sentence, but while I was writing the sentence he said "I tried to be a good boy this year, but I just didn't do it." I told him I was going to write that and he kept saying, No Mom, you can't write that, then I won't get presents, I've been good.) Then we finished the letter. But it was so funny to hear him say "but I just didn't do it" after saying he tried to be a good boy. :)

Well hope this has brighten you day some. Spencer is getting VERY excited for Christmas to see all of his family and his cousins.

Info on the Congo

Our good friend Alexis Cox works for a news program and saw this AP article come across the wire. Hopefully it will provide you with some information you didn't already know. Thanks again Alexis.

Eastern Congo's brutal conflict is a result of decades-old ethnic tensions and a modern-day scramble for the region's mineral wealth. Some questions and answers on the region's complex history:

Q: Who are the Congolese?
A: Congo's population of more than 66 million is made up of more than 200 ethnic groups. About 70 percent are Christian, 10 percent Muslim and the rest adherents of indigenous beliefs. French is the official language, but dozens of African languages and dialects are widely spoken.

Q: What is Congo's economy based on?
A: Cobalt, copper, diamonds, gold, silver, tin and coltan, the essential ingredient of cell phones, make Congo one of Africa's most mineral-rich countries. It is also rich in coffee, rubber and palm oil. Its wealth, however, has only partially been exploited due to poor infrastructure and years of conflict.

Q: What is the origin of the conflict in eastern Congo?
A: The roots of Congo's instability trace back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which hundreds of thousands of minority Tutsi were slaughtered. Tutsi rebels from Rwanda then overthrew the Hutu-dominated Rwandan government in an ensuing civil war, forcing millions of Hutu to flee to Congo.

Among the refugees were top Rwandan army and government officials, as well as militias who together had orchestrated the mass slaughter. They later set up bases on Congolese soil, where many remain today.
Rwanda invaded Congo twice in an effort to rout the Rwandan Hutu extremists, first in a 1996-1997 war, and again in a 1998-2002 war. Many accused Rwanda of getting sidetracked, however, in pursuit of diamonds, gold and other minerals.

Q: Since 1994, Congo's civil war and tribal conflicts have left some 4 million people dead through fighting, famine or disease. Who is behind the current fighting?
A: The current fighting pits Congo's army against rebels loyal to Laurent Nkunda, an ethnic Tutsi.
The former general quit the army several years ago, claiming the government of President Joseph Kabila was not doing enough to protect minority Tutsi from Hutu extremists, whose continued presence has given him a reason to fight.
Nkunda has accused the army of allying itself on the battlefield with the Hutu militias. The government denies the claims. Critics say Nkunda is a proxy of Rwanda's government and has exaggerated claims there is a serious threat to Tutsi in Congo. Nkunda's army has been accused of numerous human rights abuses, including rape campaigns and attacks on villages -- as have army soldiers and militias.

Q: Why has violence escalated in recent months?
A: Nkunda's forces signed a Jan. 23 peace deal, but mistrust remains deep. The deal committed all armed groups in the region to an immediate cease-fire, followed by the pullback of fighters from key areas that would then become a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone.
But the pullback was messy, with government forces routinely facing off with Nkunda's men. The rebels have since accused the Congolese army of abandoning positions to Hutu militias. Caught in the middle, villagers have fled en masse.

Q: Why the recent attacks on U.N. buildings and tanks?
A: Villagers feel the 17,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping force has failed to protect them. The rebel and army pullback was supposed to create U.N.-monitored buffer zones, but few, if any, of these zones are operational. In many areas, the pullback led to an escalation of violence.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

I hope you are all having a great halloween. I miss being able to carve pumpkins and see all the halloween decorations, so I decided to decorate our blog. :) And I'll share Spencer's halloween costumes he had for last year and this year. We are going out trick or treating tonight and it will be hot, but we'll love it! Happy Halloween to you all!!!

This was last year's halloween costume, but the camera that had the pictures of him in it last year was stolen. But he still (kinda) fits in it!!! :) He LOVES the Care Bears, and still wants to wear this one this year. This is Bedtime Bear. Isn't he just darling!!! :)

This year's costume is Spongebob Squarepants. I'll put that picture up tomorrow after I get another picture of him in it. Whenever he puts the Spongebob costume on he just starts to laugh, it's quite funny. So look again tomorrow for that picture.

Fall Carnival

Yesterday the American and Canadian communities in Kinshasa had a fall carnival at the US Ambassador's house. As we were getting ready for the carnival and walking over to the Ambassador's house in 90 degrees weather I couldn't help but laugh. Having grown up in Wyoming and Utah, where half the time for Halloween you might as well be a skier or an Eskimo for Halloween since you were going to be wearing gloves and a parka anyways because it was going to be cold and even snowing, it was funny that I was attending a "Fall" carnival in sandals, shorts, and a short sleeve shirt, complaining that I didn't wear a hat.

Usually when I think of a Fall I think of leaves changing colors, pumpkins, warm apple cider, corn mazes, hay rides, and maybe a haunted house. So it was very strange that we had a BBQ for a "Fall" carnival. We had grilled chicken, potato salads and pasta salad. To drink, we had ice cold soda and everybody was searching for shade. There were some carnival games like throwing darts at balloons, ping pong balls into buckets, and a fishing pond. So at least the games brought some nostalgic memories of going to the church culture hall and playing some of the same games.

I do have to say I was quite impressed with Spencer and his ability to win tickets in the carnival games. One game as mentioned above was throwing ping pong balls into 5 different buckets. The buckets all had different point values, with the closest being 1 point and the furthest being 5 points. With Spencer's first throw he won two points and with his second throw he won 5 points. The lady running this game said he was the only person so far to make the 5 point bucket. He ended up with so many points (they could be turned in for prizes) that we ended up giving like 10 of his points to some other kids.

For all those who keep up with the news you might have heard that there has been increased fighting in Congo between rebels and the military. Rest assured that the fighting is all happening in eastern Congo far away from where we live. I have noticed it pop up on yahoo news every once and awhile. Anyone that wants a good web page to visit to get news on the Congo, please visit www.monuc.org.

On a side note, both Becca and I now have callings. Becca is the primary teacher for the English speaking kids, Spencer and three kids from another family. My calling is Young Men's Consultant. Not yet 100% sure what my calling responsibilities are, but so far it has been helping out the young men's presidency on Sunday and translating for two investigators who don't speak french. Last of all we thank everyone for their patience while we were held hostage by the ABA, they finally let us go so thanks for your support.

Go JAZZ!!!

Okay so the basketball season is about to start and we are Jazz fans. As such, we are planning on going to a Jazz game when we are in Utah for Christmas. We are trying to get the best seats possible. The reason for this post is to see if any of our friends happen to know anyone with really good seats who would let us buy two tickets from them. I have looked online and they don't sale the tickets we want at ticketmaster. We are looking for tickets that are courtside and within the first few rows. I did find a ticket exchange webisite where we can get 3rd row, right behind the visitors bench, but wasn't sure how legit that was. So if anyone has any ideas, let me know. Thanks
Tyler