Wednesday, February 16, 2011

New Truck!

After much debate, dealing, shopping, negotiating, pondering and getting asked to leave a dealership...We got a new rig! We (I) are the proud new owners of a 2010 F150!  It is awesome! Way nicer than anything I originally imagined.  Thankfully, year end deals and rebates helped us out a lot. 



Life continues to be hectic. Tory and I have yet to have a free night in the last 7 days! We love it, but it starting to take its toll.  I could use a spring break is the thought I had yesterday.  That we be awesome.


We got hammered with snow last week, and yet this week we have seen high's in the 70's. Welcome to Arkansas. This is good news for the ham business!  Warm temperatures will aid in salt absorption and that means I can go hang my hams this weekend. They should be 100% cured at this point. They have been sitting in the salt since Jan 9th. This weekend I will wash them and hang them up to start the drying process.

Tonight we are having "George of the Jungle" over to the house along with the group I went to Suriname with. George is the Suirmaccan missionary to the tribes along the Suriname River.  he is about 5 feet tall and is the biggest ball of energy you have ever seen.  He is passionate about his ministry and loves God.  He is an absolute joy to be around.

V-Day was sort of a bust at the Lewis house. We basically decided to get each other a truck for V-day! How romantic?  Tory told me she bought my card on the way home! Love was defiantly in the air!  None the less, I love my wife with all my heart and I hope I am able to show it even on non-Valentine occasions!

Hopefully some more exciting news next week!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Snowing Again!

Winter has hit Arkansas in force this year!  This is our 3rd snow this winter and it is a dandy! Fortunately, we are home, we have electricity, and have no where we need to be! Being an "adult" it is hard to admit that I still fight the urge to run out and go sledding.  I can picture me now standing at the top of a big hill waiting my turn in a line of 10 kids that are 1/2 my size and 1/3 of my age! It would be awesome!

Being young with snow on the ground are some of the best childhood memories!  I would stay outside with Tate Finkbeiner until we could not fill our hands or face.  When we reached our breaking point, you simply went home got some hot chocolate, loaded up on junk food, got your clothes out of the dryer and headed back out.  I bet on a snow day I walked 15 miles up and down hills. We inevitably wanted to build a ramp of some kind that usually was more hard work than the ramp was worth.

I was one of the fortunate ones who had a sled that you could steer.  I am still not really sure where mom and dad got it because you never see them for sale in AR, but it was an good one. Especially on ice! I could fly down a hill on ice!  I wonder if my parents still have the sled?

On another note, this week was Narcisse's Birthday!  So...we celebrated in style!  Lasagna and birthday cake!  Hard to beat.  My parents, the Smiths, Dina, and Theophile were all able to make it! Narcisse of course was excited and appreciative. He even told Theophile "not to be jealous" of all the attention and activities! It was a great time!

I am heading back to the Jungle in June.  I am really excited about the opportunity and adventure.  Plus I am co-leading with my buddy Lee.  This trip is unique and I have never been on a trip like this.  It is a relationship building mission.  Our church is the only church that is active along the Suriname River!  We have been going in for the past 8 years simply with medical teams to do a little evangelism and medical services, but this past Sept we built a permanet structure in the jungle for a missionary family to live in from our Church. They have been there for 2-3 months now and are really starting our ministry there.  This is where the trip comes in!  Our goal is to go and interact with the tribes along the river learning about their culture, history, and practices. We will also be planning future church trips and identifying needs and opportunities.  It is exciting being on the front line of a jungle church plant.  You really are on the front line of a spiritual war and it is an amazing place to be because God always shows up!  More to come on Suriname in the near future!

P90X update: I have already lost 10 lbs! in only 3 weeks!  I am in a rest and recovery week thankfully!  only 8 more  weeks to go!


 Birthday Boy!  The Big 21!


Landon Michael Smith decided to join the party!


Wonderful cook and host!


This picture just makes me laugh.

Narcisse wanted to wear everything he got!

Tory and I bought Landon this outfit! Love the frog!

Home Office! Look at the snow in the background!