My Beautiful Family!! -- and some updates

This is my mom, holding my newest niece Rachel (born about one month ago!). 

Isn't she precious?! She looks like she is smiling in this photo, I love it.

My niece (3 1/2) and nephew (1 1/2) in Amish Country, while I was home. Aren't they so cute?!

This is me (left) with my dear friend Lydia, who got married while I was home. I have photos and will down load them when blogger wants to cooperate. Dad said he wanted a picture of me on here because he forgets what I look like. 

My brother Daniel and his new wife Julie on their wedding day. It was a BEAUTIFUL wedding, and fun reception dancing all night!

And now the photo you've all been waiting for... (you have been waiting for this, right?!)

My family. My great big happy family. I will attempt to tell you who is who from left to right. 

Me (Anna), Christina, Seth, my sister-in-law and good friend Bethany (sorry your face is cut off Bethany!!), next to her is Greg, and in front of Gregory is Andrea, and my niece, Daniel and Julie, my dad, my mom, my brother Sam, my sister Bonnie, my brother Joel, my sister Cara, my brother-in-law Braden holding my nephew. That is the 10 C children, plus 3 sibling-in-laws, and a niece and nephew (this was before the newest niece was born). 

Merry Christmas my dear family! I miss you all!

And now for a weather update from Maputo Mozambique: Today's high was 105 degrees!! Yes, that's right, and it is December 13th!! A-hem, I do believe snow should be in order... how can we make snow men and snow ball fights in this heat?! I am sweating and the heat really takes away your energy.

Today's happenings:

This morning I went to visit an elderly man in the community. I help look after him, and he is unable to walk, and you can't tell what he is saying, but he's really sweet. I knew him before his speech was bad, and I have seen God really work in his life! He used to hold allot of bitterness and unforgiveness towards his family, because when he got sick they rejected him. He now knows the Lord, and is full of joy. I usually read to him from his Bible, pray with him, clean his house, get him water from the well, and make sure he has been fed. On the walk there I stopped and bought bananas for the girls for a snack tonight. On the walk home several  little boys who attend our school were playing outside one of their houses. When they saw me coming they came running to give me hugs. They are so sweet! Then one of them asked me, "Mana Anna, out of all of us here, who do you like the best?"  I don't think my response, "I like you all the same! You are all very special and important," is what they wanted to hear. They really wanted to know which of them was my favorite!

This afternoon I cut about 400 finger nails and toe nails on the girls. Then my nail clipper snapped so I had to stop. Oops!

That's the news from this side of the world. What's going on at your end?!

(by the way, 12 days to Christmas!!)