Matthews Family Herald

Well, it's time again to post lots of photos with updates mixed in throughout. It has been a really busy time and so much has taken place. Mother's day, I was promoted, a home fellowship group is starting to grow, a women's encouragement group has launched with my wife and some other ladies, Micah has turned 15, Jacob turns 11 very soon, many of the kids have enrolled in things like scuba diving and gymnastics, and we (Heather and I) are gearing up to start a kid's group called "Keepers of the Faith." It's a real time of expansion and challenges as we grow. Just a little less than 2 months till the baby is to be born and we are very excited.

This first photo (above) took place back in April when Dad (me) went down to the river near our home and the kids threw a few stale loaves of bread into the water for the ducks (lots of cute lil baby ones recently hatched there.)

While we were feeding the ducks, one of the kids came across these very large leaves from nearby plants and began playing around with them. It caught on quick and soon just about everyone had a large leaf to be silly with.





A couple of the kids needed new bikes for their birthdays so we purchased them a little early. Warmer months here in Germany are cherished things so waiting till August, for example, was just not an option we wanted to take. Here Jacob has posed for me on his bike just after I re-adjusted the handlebars. He's growing quick, just like all of them.



Here's Hannah with her beautiful new bike. Streamers on the handlebars and everything. She began learning how to ride solo just a little while back and now rides like she's been doing it for years. I thought of Pawpaw as I helped trained her. I did it just the same way as he did with me; holding the seat and running along giving encouragement, etc. Being patient when she felt frustrated. She did so well.


Nathan is very proud of his brand new bike with awesome training wheels. He likes going uphill better than downhill since he can control the speed a little more that way. Very independent only allowing minimal help. Anytime he balances on his own we praise him alot with things like "you did it for 3 whole seconds that time!" He's coming along fast.



Jacob received a cool Roman costume for his birthday and doesn't he look awesome here?! This boy is very athletic and has a strong interest in anything military. Micah is athletic also and both the boys have been doing something called Parquar lately. It's a french word and I may be getting it wrong. But it's a combination of martial arts and gymnastics it seems. Reminds me of Spider Man. We've picked up several items of sports equipment and enjoy, as a family, playing baseball, frisbee, throwing the football, some tennis a bit, and things like that of late. My wedding ring flew off into a field while catching a football lately so we ask for your prayers in helping locate it.


Eden is so adorable and is just so talkative lately. Some folks laughed a bit when I posted her latest phrases on Facebook. "Don't take my property!"was one of them. I recall Rachel said some funny things at that young age, like "Impossible!" one time she blurted out in the back seat of the car, during a time when she had been into some sort of spy investigative cartoon thing.






Here the boys were "roughing it" from inside the house roasting hot dogs over an open stove burner. I remember thinking how funny and cool it was all at the same time. I quickly shot a photo of Micah and then found Jacob doing it also about 5 minutes later. Tastes just like you did over the grill. They used chop sticks here to hold the hot dog.







Isn't he growing up so fast?! He's an awesome guy. I enjoyed spending all of last Friday with him. We started off playing football with my unit, then had breakfast and hung out till lunch, when we ate with a co-worker who came to the US as a boy from China with his mother. He and Micah hit it off and seem to be good friends. I felt like Micah and I enjoyed lots of good conversation and I appreciate him even more. I love that boy.






We went for a family walk in the woods recently and this Soldier jumped out of the wood line throwing pine cone grenades. Micah took up a position and began to return attack. This Soldier, Jacob, almost got me here. Even though I am a reporter, I still did the truly right thing and got involved.




What could be cuter than Eden or Hannah? Eden and Hannah together, of course. What a sweet photo of some precious daughters.










A person can get thirsty trekking through the woods.








This stroller didn't last long on those sometimes harsh trails but this photo's appeal will last and last. Eden and Nathan here rode together. Awe.






One of the homes we pass en route to the trails had a tree with all these painted eggs hanging from it's leaves. Here's a close up of one of the eggs. All of them were painted with just about the same picture. Kinda like a sonogram if we were to paint the image onto our pregnant wive's bellies, maybe? No?







Here's an image of it further away so you can get a more overall idea. I guess that would be octuplets.










You know, the great thing about having your kids own an ELECTRIC guitar is that the thing needs an amplifier in order to be loud. If they can't keep it down, you just take the amp and "ah, peace and quiet." Not anymore! Someone gave Micah a birthday gift that plugs into the amp slot and has this little battery operated speaker. Wait! Battery operated? Okay. There's still hope... Seriously, Micah plays very well and respects the rules of quiet time too. I thought you might want a close up of him resonating his amazingness, and to get a good look at the mini amp thingie also.

Here's Micah, our Jacob, and their friend, Jacob L., playing hard in the band they have formed. Good times and good tunes for all!

Awe! A crown for sweet "Ebby" that I'm pretty sure Hannah made. Hannah makes all sorts of things and is very creative. She crocheted a purse with strap for herself recently and is always coming up with creative ideas for making doll clothes, etc. Industrious like her Mother.

Micah here with his plant leafe ears. I told you this guy is lively and funny. I like this guy.

Well, nothing ends a good day like a good time with the Lord and then Mama reading sweetly to you before bed. I'm blessed to have a wife who takes this kind of time with the kids.

Like the title of this post says, Heather and I realize this is a time for growth and expansion in every area. For us and for now during this time, the Lord seems to have warned us that saying "I'm overwhelmed!" may as well be a sin for us to say. "I am enough. My grace is sufficient. I'm doing great things through you so resist Me no more and move ahead" is the prevailing theme of late. It's largely also been about doing the two things we see in Isaiah 41:6 "They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage." The two things we need to say to each other are "How can I help you?" and "You are awesome! You can do it!" It's time to focus on speaking comfortably to one another. The World and all those we interact with "in the field," as well as our own feelings of condemnation at times over failures, etc., are more than enough negative. We need to bind one another's wounds more, hold and help. Those are the things we've been hearing. Expand, push, endure till the end of the season, a great harvest is coming up and you want to be ready.