Buy Esther's House on DVD

If you enjoyed the series and want to get a copy, you can buy them online for $20. Half of the proceeds from your purchase will go to support the orphans at Esther's House.

You can buy them here.

Episodes 4 and 5

We are winding down to the end of the series. If you have been watching and enjoying what you see, let us know over at puremission.org. It will help us as we determine the success of this series and the potential for more like it in the future. Here are episodes 4 and 5.

Kids will be Kids...

Hope you are enjoying the series. If you haven't gone to puremission.org yet, go this week and click "LIKE" on the facebook section. A donor has agreed to give $1 to Esther's House Orphanage for every "LIKE" up to 10,000. The deadline is Sunday, and it is a simple way to send a dollar to Esther's House.

Episode Two

The second episode aired yesterday, and will air again in about 1 hour on Daystar so you still have time to catch it if you want to watch it on an actual television. There are only four more left, so please spread the word about the program to your blog-friends and family.

Here is the second episode if you missed it.

The First Episode

If you haven't seen the first episode yet, here it is. Episode 2 is coming up on Sunday, and it deals with how we settled into life in Africa, if you ever really settle in. Honestly, just living in a third world country takes up so much of your time and energy that there is never an opportunity to really get settled. At least not in the two months that we were there.

There are no restaurants, no grocery stores with everything in one place, no local supply of mac n cheese. Everything took four or five stops to find, and then several more hours to prepare. That was if the power stayed on the whole time. We definitely returned with a new respect for those on the mission field in the most challenging places, giving their lives to share the gospel. It takes a strong heart and a lot of patience. And in those challenging places, you realize how little patience you actually have within you. It can bring out the best in you, or expose the worst. Most days, it did both.

Premiere Eve

Tomorrow is the big day for the launch of "Esther's House, Africa." If you haven't set your DVR yet, it will air on Daystar at 4:30 central tomorrow. If you don't have Daystar, you can view all of the episodes online as well at puremission.org. I will post all of them to our blog also, so you should have plenty of places to find it.

The more we get into the editing of the footage the more I am reminded how much I miss our Malawian friends. We hope to go back soon, though this time without all the kids!

By the way, this post is coming to you from the Greatest City in the World as Erin and I are getting some much needed time away. Big thanks to Grammy and Lovey for watching the kids for a few days. You are the best!

Here is a quick taste of what is coming tomorrow. We created one minute spots on the kids we care for at Esther's House and will feature their stories on the show. Here is the story of Linda.

Esther's House Sneak Peak

We have been working for some time on the first few episodes of the reality television project we shot last summer. It is set to air soon, as early as May 2nd if all goes as planned. We will post more information on where and when you can see it as we get closer to the actual air date.

For now, here is a short promo that includes some of the footage from the pilot episode.

Sophie gets stuck...

We break our blogging absence to tell a funny story about none other than Sophia. But first, here are some recent pictures of the kids.






Now for the story:

Erin called me at work this afternoon.
"Hey, how is your afternoon?"
"Things are going well, you?"
"Do you have a hand saw?"
"Why would you need a hand saw?"
"To cut Sophie out of the chair she is stuck in."

I drove home as fast as I could and here is what I found.

We walked her out to the garage so we wouldn't get sawdust all over the house. I chose to use a jig saw as it was much less intimidating than a huge hand saw.




We are still not sure how she got into the chair like that. And, knowing Sophie, it wouldn't surprise me if she managed to do it again.

Sophia gets her hair cut

I think it made her look smaller and younger. It is most definitely cute. She tells everyone that it is just like her momma.

2009 in Review

I am a few days late but 2009 was a great year. I won't bore you with typing much because there are a million pictures ahead...

This is how 2009 started. The ice storm.

My husband during his mid-life crisis.
(if you can have one of those at 27)

This is what Sophie likes to do during nap time. Organize!!
Unfortunately, the naps came to an early end this year.

Some of the cousins!

Our first annual girls weekend with Lovey while the boys were away at Father and Son camp.

The twins turned five.

Their annual birthday trip to Tulsa.

Catherine's dance recital

Love these kids!

We LOVE summer!

Easton started T-ball

Sophia turned 3. Here they are with Cousin Mark.

Addis' day in court!

All the cousins on Erin's side got together for the yearly Kid Camp at Grammy's housed.

Addis and his best buddy Jeb

Random family picture

Real family picture

I love this picture. The kids were about to get their shots for Africa. This was the beginning of a long 2 months. That camera followed us everywhere.

My flower girls and ring bearers

First day of Kindergarten

Off to Africa!!

Back home for just in time for Halloween

Thanksgiving program at school

My little cheerleader

Sophie can't be serious

Christmas picture with Lovey and Papa

Christmas morning!!

We had a great year, one full of changes. I think after going to Africa for 2 months we should have known we were in for a lot of changes in our family. You really can't go and come back the same.

Thank you all for being a part of our 2009. Here's to 2010!

Christmas

I know, I know, it has been way too long. Well, here are a bunch of pictures from the last month or so that should make you like us again.

Sophie did her first Christmas music program. She is not very fond of these sorts of "public displays" and she generally chooses to protest her attendance by doing the opposite everyone else around her. Dance recital this year should be awesome to watch!

This is my favorite picture from the day. She is looking at her friend next to her like, "What in the world do you think you are doing?"

Our kids are blessed with lots of cousins on both sides of the family. Here are all of the cousins from Erin's side.

The Girls

The Boys

Christmas was extra special this year. Addis was old enough to get into it, Sophie had the time of her life, and Catherine and Easton are old enough now to actually remember some of these moments later on in life.

Everyone participated in making Santa's cookies. Addis spent most of his time eating spoonfuls of icing, but he did manage to get a few cookies done.

It is a Kennedy family tradition to wake up WAY too early on Christmas morning. My brother and I used to be up and ready to open by 4:30 am. In order to keep the tradition going, we wake our kids up at the crack of dawn. We let them sleep till 6:30, but as you can see, they were still VERY asleep when we went to get them up.

Merry Christmas Everyone!