Swart Life Continues: June 2018

Disclaimer right up front!! Long post--lots of pictures due to lots of activity during the month of June! I tried to do the post in chronological order so it goes back and forth between Arkansas where I was and the Dominican Republic where Jeff was.

The first is a collage of our beloved 9 grandchildren 💖💖

Saylor Faye at 6 weeks 💓

Avi leaving for her first church camp experience (and she loved it! 👏)

Sunday, June 10th -- having a special prayer for our Mission Team that would be leaving on the 13th.

The FBC Mission Team of 12 had a wonderful and blessed trip to the Dominican Republic! This picture includes their 2 translators that they quickly learned to love.

While Jeff was gone to the DR, I went to Andy & Carman's to help out with the kiddos! My first opportunity to hold baby Mack! He is precious! 💙

Jeff and the Team were greeted at the airport by our Missionaries, the Hales.

Their baby girl, Lydia immediately went to Jeff--he must looked like a Grandpa to her. He wanted to bring her home with him at the end of the week 💟

Back in Arkansas -- I love how Carman braids the girls' hair! I never learned how to do that with Rachel's long hair 😪

This boy - he's something else!! 💙

Josh and Michelle sent their nephew this blanket with his name. We all loved it!

I took these 3 to the Amazeum on Friday.

We had a fun time!

They have one area they change out every few months. This visit it was slides and other things made out of scotch tape. Pretty cool! We spend the majority of our time in this area as the kids loved it.

Saturday, the 15th - Mack is one week old!!

Sunday was Father's Day (and the day Mack was originally due)

I'm so very thankful for a godly dad who raised his children in a Christian home and had them in church every Sunday. I'm the oldest of the 3 girls. I have a wonderful legacy!!

And the legacy continues with Jeff also being a godly dad who raised his kids to love Jesus and serve Him!

Very thankful for 2 sons and a son-in-law who love Jesus and want their kids to know Him!
All great Dads!!

Our oldest son, Josh

Our middle son, Andy

And our son-in-law Jonathan

The Team worked very, very hard on repairing and painting one of the church buildings. The weather was extremely hot. They also canvassed the neighborhoods inviting children and youth to the evening events and they had great crowds and services! On Sunday, they attended church services both morning and evening in 2 different churches (Jeff was blessed to preach in the evening services).

And in the afternoon, he was honored to baptize the Hales' oldest son, Colton! 💙

Jesse, Rebecca, Colton, Elisha and Lydia with Jeff. The Hales are doing an amazing work in the DR! They were an active part of our church family before becoming missionaries and still a part of us. We love them and are proud of them!

Back in Arkansas, I was blessed to go to church with Andy's family. Mack's first time in church (and he did good!)

Sunday night, we received the devastating news of Jimmy Gipson's death. 😪😪😪 Jimmy had fought a tough 9 month battle with cancer but tests, etc., were all showing improvement, so it was a shock to his family and to all who love him when he passed away.

Definitely put much sadness in my heart in Arkansas and our Team's hearts in the Dominican Republic. 😪😪😪

A couple of miscellaneous pictures of my time with the family. This girl is a great helper. She loves holding baby Mack.

Laine is sure growing up and is such a sweet girl! She too is a big helper to Mom!

Back in the DR -- this is Monday and the painting/repair work has been done and the church looked wonderful!!

I took all 3 kids to the park Tuesday morning and then took the girls to the Bentonville Community Center water park that afternoon, while Shep napped. It was a cool place!

During the day, we got word that Eisley was in ER. She had been sick off and on for a couple of weeks 😪😪 Sure pulled at DeDe's heartstrings wanting to go to Ft. Smith to help out.

Thankfully, she was sent home and has been doing better. Doctor thinks it's a food allergy, so they are eliminating milk products for 2 weeks to see if that is what it could be. We sure appreciate your prayers for our sweet girl!!

On Tuesday, the team got an "off" day and went to the beach. It was well deserved!!

And Wednesday they headed home -- they still were speaking and still love each other 😍. They definitely now have a special bond from serving together on this trip (In fact, they had a cookout together last Sunday after sharing their testimonies during the morning worship service). We are all rejoicing at the souls that were saved during their time there (approx. 18) and they were of great encouragement to pastors and wives and to the youth leaders of the churches.

Wednesday, all 3 kids had dentist appts., so Mack and I stayed home and DeDe cleaned house. He was a good boy for her.

Avi dressed for 80's night for her Wed. youth group 😍

I also headed home late Wednesday (and drove in a terrible rain storm-whew!)

Jeff and the team did get safely home around 3:30 a.m. Thursday morning.

Thursday evening, we got the "gender reveal" from Rachel and Jonathan and kids for baby #4!

It's a boy!! 💙💙 And he will be greatly loved like all the rest!!

On the 22nd, this cutie turned 2 months old! 💖💖

They will be coming to Arkansas the end of July. We are so very anxious to see her and the rest of her family!

Saturday was our State Assn. Meeting at our church.

Then the memorial service for Jimmy was Sunday afternoon. We are so thankful he knew Jesus as his Savior and we will see him again someday!!

Please continue to pray for his wife Lori, their children, his parents, his siblings and all the family. Definitely difficult days for all of them 😪😪

Monday, Jeff just insisted on going to Arkansas to see Mack, since he hadn't held him, etc. We were both pretty exhausted but grandbabies are all worth it!! Mack had his big "C" later that morning, so we stayed with the older 3 and then met them in Rogers for an enjoyable lunch. I guess I was brain-dead as I didn't get any pictures with the other kids.