Ireland 2

 Greetings to all our dirks blog readers...anybody out there?  As Tyler mentioned in a previous post it is a bit trickier posting to our blog here in Ireland as our little abode in Kilkenny doesn't have wi-fi.  Yes, there is wi-fi in Kilkenny, but getting to it is another story.  But, alas I am able to post now as we Dirks five are spending a few nights in a B&B in Tramore (with free wi-fi).  We are here with the Kilkenny Pres. Church youth, however they are camping in tents, we were not so brave with three little ones and have taken cover in a hostel/B&B nearby.  As I type the kids are taking naps all around me.  Haven is usually our only napper, but with promises of riding rides at the beach pavilion tonight, the older two hunkered down as well so they can play longer tonight.  So, aside from this little jaunt to Tramore (close by to Wexford), what have we been up to you may ask?  Well, we have done a lot of hanging out in Kilkenny with the church folks,  at the castle playground (castle pic above I'll post playground pics soon), shopping at Lidl or the Eurospar, and hanging out with our four fabulous interns (Rebecca, Katie, Megan and Jacob) and hoping for sunny days!  Oh and catching mice, as our "wooden house" has a rodent problem (three so far...i know gross).  We have enjoyed many Sunday afternoon lunches at various church members homes and been to some beautiful places in the process.  The people here are lovely and very hospitable.  We are thankful for them and the kind church body at Kilkenny Presbyterian Church.  The kids are doing well, but missing Charlotte (especially Henry).  He keeps reminding us that Ireland is not our home and tells us often that he is looking forward to going home.  They have been battling sicknesses these past few weeks and at one point they were all three sick at the same time!  We have had some hard moments here but we are positive that this is where the Lord wanted us to be this Summer.  Thanks for all your prayers, keep them coming.

 The kids love picking flowers here and are giving them to me constantly.

 Haven isn't walking yet (and she doesn't seem to be very interested in the activity at all), but she is getting cuter and cuter.  She's got these two great little upper teeth with a big gap in the middle that are precious, and make her smile that much better.  She will be turning one July 8th!  I can't believe it has already been one whole year that this little munchkin made her debut.

Love from Ireland to all of ya's!

First Post From The Emerald Isle

So the Dirks Family Blog is usually Carrie's deal, but here on the Emerald Isle an internet connection is harder to come by than in the U.S. of A.  Carrie has not had many opportunities to get online these days, and thus our blog posts have come to a halt.  So - after much delay - Tyler is running the blog show just this once ...buckle up. - - - > 

On Sunday a gentleman by the name of Robert Harper had us out to his farm (Cobbler's Hill Farm)!  His lovely wife (Colleen) was not able to join us because she was in the Northwest of Ireland tending to her daughter who had come down with a case of pneumonia (we missed Colleen dearly, but alas her nursing duties were required on the other side of the country).  Robert was a marvelous host, treating us to a variety of grilled meat (which we ate sitting at a gigantic stone table), fantastic conversation, and he even got the tractor out for the kids!

Cobbler's Hill Farm is incredibly picturesque ...so we thought it a good idea to snap a Thrive Team 2012 Photo!  From left to right:  Megan, Rebecca, Henry, Katie, Tyler, Maggie, Jacob, Carrie, Haven!  What a bunch!

On Monday we visited Dunmore Cave.  Inside the cave we found this Buffalo.  All you Garden City KS readers will most certainly enjoy this!

The Irish love Guinness, and so what would an Irish cave be without an overflowing pint of Guinness!  They call stalagmite "The Market Cross," and many have interpreted it to be a pint of Guinness (foam overflowing the pint glass and running down the side), and/or a harp (which is an important icon on The Emerald Isle).

Haven thought the Dunmore Cave ROCKED!

It rained off and on Monday, but during one of the sunny portions of the day we went for a walk along a trail beside the River Nore!  Here is a pic of our crew at the beginning of our trek.

Maggie ran most of the trail!

Henry was in a contemplative mood on Monday, so he stopped to think for a while on these rocky stairs (most likely Henry is thinking about "The Thing" ...or as he calls him "Rocky Man" in this picture).

10 Months

10 months old already and into everything.  Each month it seems we have to step up our baby proofing as Haven's skills increase.  This month she started exploring cupboards. The cleaning supply stash is the only area off limits and of course that seems to be the one cupboard she is most interested in.  Still no (new)teeth but I think I can see some blanching on the top two slots.  We hope to gain some Irish teeth this Summer as we leave for Kilkenny on May 27th.  We will celebrate months 11 and 12 overseas as well.  We look forward to celebrating Haven's first year in Irish style.  Not sure how much posting I'll be able to do while we are there, but I will do my best.

randomness

Easter came far too quickly this Spring. We did manage to paint some Easter eggs and tackle 3 or 4 Easter egg hunts during the holiday. We read and discussed the story of the resurrection and continually pray that the truth of the Gospel and the power of the Gospel would penetrate our children's hearts and our own.
I captured this funny shot of Henry at 10pm or so when I was on my way to bed. I usually check on the kids before bed and half the time I find them in incredibly hilarious positions. In case you can't see it, Henry is half standing half laying on his bed and fast asleep.
Maggie used her birthday money from her great grandparents to go to build a bear and make a fairy bear. She had fun stuffing it and picking out her accessories. Thanks to the Nietfelds!
And, finally here's our cute crew on Easter in their finest apparel. Grandma and Poppa gave the girls a slew of matching dresses for their birthdays and so Maggie picked out the pinkest for them to wear on Easter morning. And, of course who can resist a cute southern gentleman in a bow tie?

Beautiful 5 year old!

Our sweet Maggie Muggins turned 5 years old last month. What a sweet little girl we have. To celebrate the occasion we had a fairy/princess birthday party. We had some fun friends over for crafts, games and a tea party/dinner (we dined on turkey sandwiches and blueberries as requested by the birthday girl). Maggie just had her 5 year old doctor's check up yesterday with her sister. She weighed in at 38 pounds and was 42 inches tall. She was 35% across the board for weight and height. (Not sure how much longer I can post those sorts of stats now that we'll have an elementary schooler on our hands). She continues to be such a sweet heart. She has a sensitive, servant nature. Her nurturing and caring personality is a blessing to all of us. Her best friend right now is Henry and they have some amazing adventures together in the back yard, mostly climbing our pathetic little trees and collecting caterpillars. We love you Margaret Grace and pray that the Lord continues to pour His grace onto you as you grow into a Godly young woman.

9 months

Nine months old this month. Where does the time go? Haven is crawling around everywhere, eating table food, climbing on everything and trying her very hardest to keep up with her big brother and sister. At her check up yesterday she weighed in at 17 pounds (19%) and measured 28.5 inches long (82%) and her head size increased to 17 1/4 inches (46%). Her weight corresponds exactly to how much she likes to eat and drink...not much. This girl is far too busy to stop and eat or drink. Not to be concerned though, the doctor says this is perfectly fine. She continues to be such a blessing and we are so thankful to have her in our family. She adds so much joy to our lives, 9 months is such a fun age. Still only two little bottom teeth, I'll keep you posted if any more come in. P.S. I just got these pictures taken of her this week, so family members don't fret, I will put some in the mail ASAP so this cute little face can brighten up your home.

8 months!

How is it possible that my newborn is 8 months old already? This month has been a busy one, that's probably why I have done very little posting this month. It started out rough as Haven grew two new little teeth. She wasn't the happiest camper during this time. She also had her second ear infection. The combo was killer. She has started climbing stairs (as you saw in the last post). She is trying her darndest to keep up with her big brother and sister. And of course they love it. This girl has got people in her face 24/7. She is indeed loved by all of us. We can't get enough of this little bumblebee. In fact I overheard Maggie praying in the car yesterday for another baby...this time a baby brother. Good Gravy!!! But, for the time being she will have to enjoy her new cousin coming this July! Baby boy number three for Christine and John. Congrats guys!