Unexpected New Year's Eve Day!

This will be a New Year's eve to remember for sure! Not the way I would have chosen to spend it, but oh well, this is life! Last night about 8:30 pm I began to have unbearable pains in my stomach...tried everything to make it go away but to no avail. After laying in the bed til 2 a.m. when I finally woke Donn and ...said, "please take me to the hospital" 

Then the fun begin..blood tests, cat scan, diagnosis if acute appendicitis, then surgery at 8:30 this morning for the dr. to find a very nasty appendix. Spent the day in the hospital, but just broke free to spend New Year's eve with Donn, Donnie, Teresa, Jacob, Aidan and Jolie!

Surgery was success, I feel a billion times better and have some heavy meds for the next few day! God is good, all the time! Happy New Year's to all our precious friends. Still livin' the life!

 

Broeker bunch at Christmas!

It has been 7 years since the last Christmas we were all together to celebrate Christmas.  What a joy to have all our kids and their kiddos with us this year!  I must admit having 15 people under one roof for several days can get a little crazy, but worth all the work, noise, cooking, cleaining up and preparation.  I have the coolest daughter and daughters in law that jumped in to help nonstop...what a blessing.  We wish you all our friends and family a Happy New Year full of joy, adventure with Father and peace!

Lots of snow at last!

     This has been the strangest winter for sure!  Up to this date just a smattering of snow here and there with days 40 or above!  Last year at this time we had at least 30" of snow on the ground.  Finally we are in the snow, just as winter should be!  There are lake effect snow warnings until tomorrow evening with the promise of several more inches of snow!  YAY!  Being back in Michgan now for 2 years I have come to the conclusion that I am a Northerner through and through, no doubt about it!
Winter is my favorite season!  A time when windows and doors are battened down to face the howling winter winds.  The fireplace is now a cozy spot to snuggle down into my chair and sip yummy hot chocolate.  Comforters are piled high on the bed....ahhhh...to sink into the cavern of covers with only my nose sticking out!  Love it!
Smells of gingerbread, snickerdoodles, pumpkin pie and homemade rolls complete the winter indoor feel.  Oh yeh, also popcorn and a movie!

     It doesn't matter what time of the day or night, the minute a large storm hits our area I bug Donn to pull out the heavy coat, clunky boots, hat and mittens and go for a walk.  How blessed I am to have a husband that loves me so much to humor my impulsive tendencies!  I could go on and on about my love of our winter wonderland but I will stop for now!  So winter is finally here, what is not to like?  I am certainly totally truly livin' and lovin' my life!  Until next time...Dianne

   

Home at last!!

•      30 hours filled with taxi, 2 planes and a long long car ride finally brought us to our doorstep.  The trees are bare, the temps are cold, the sky is cloudy with bursts of rain or snow  but my house is cozy, comfy and smelling like home!  

     How awesome to see old friends, taste the most amazing food on earth and explore new cities!  One of my favorite restaurants in CC serves huge lamb legs.  I have thought about eating one for the past 2 years.  We walked from our hotel about 1 mile to the restaurant..the whole time I am praying it is still there!  To my joy, it was!  As I held the foot long leg in my hand and gnawed the delicious roasted lamb meat off the bone I kept saying, oh man, this is good...whoa, I love this!  Needless to say, we revisited the Mongolian restaurant on our last full day in country and I ate not 1, but 2 whole legs!! (Who knows the next time I will have the opportunity).

     In one city that has an awesome Russian market I bought a bunny scarf.  My dear friend Joy bought a matching one..so as we strolled the streets shopping, both attired in our long black coats, bunny scarfs and black hats I am sure we were mistaken for Russian women!  So fun!

     At a city by the sea an old lady had a tired looking misplaced camel.  For 5 yuan I was able to sit on it and have my picture taken.  I couldn't resist. So far I can say in my adventures abroad I have ridden on the back of a yak, rode an elephant, lifted by an elephants tusk as a chair and now sat on a camel!

     Many stories filled with trips on trains overnite, meeting old and new friends,eating countless true food, sleeping on rock hard beds, and walking a million miles  made for  3 weeks jam-packed full of adventure!  How blessed Donn and I feel to enjoy life to the max where ever we go!  Until next time and hopefully some more hours of sleep, I hope you all step out of your comfort zone and walk the path HE prepares for you each and every day!  Livin' the life...Dianne

  

Walking once again in the land we love

Precious Partners on the Path,



The moment my feet touched the ground of our beloved country Donn and I felt immediately at home. The journey here has begun and we are having another awesome adventure with Father!


Four nights were spent in our hometown on this side reconnecting with old friends and easing our traveling buddies into the life here. Just seeing with our own eyes and hugging those we love and did not know when our next meeting would be was like heaven to me. I know that is what we will feel when someday we pass to the other side. An unexplainable joy and happiness to be in the presence of long departed loved ones and family and finally see HIM face to face!


As we visited our neighborhood eating spots, my anticipation built to gigantic proportions to taste REAL Chinese food. I was not disappointed! I must have said, "ahhh" a million times with eyes closed, savoring each delicious bite!


The work is going great in our city and we see our local friends prospering in the endeavor to reach and teach! We are so grateful to Father for that!


Linda and Mike had the chance to exercise and dance with the locals early early one morning in the park...:), an experience we captured on film, very interesting!


Traveling to a city further north we were able to spend time with a former teammate, a dear friend. Joy brought us to one of her English corners (Linda and Di) and that evening we introduced a new brother to our Dad. How wonderful it was to tag team with Joy again doing the thing we love to do! She said, "it feels like normal now with you here". It was good.


The next day we went to a school led by a brother and spoke to 27 teachers, sowing and spreading seeds.


The experiences are daily and endless. M & L are keeping journals also, so those of you in MI will be hearing exciting tales of their adventures when we return.


An overnight trainride with all of us in a small compartment with lower and upper berths followed. The clackety clack of the rails and swaying motion once again rocked me to a much needed good nights sleep.


Two days ago we ventured to the city we are pr*yng about adopting. I feel in love with it immediately! It is a seaside area. The contact we had that guided us is not yet a brother but "on the way". We spoke to him of our Dad, and feel one day he will accept. His name is Robin, please remember him and his new wife of one month. He introduced us to his sister, Betty. She owns an English school teaching children 4-14 years old. She also is anxious to meet with us and has opportunities for us to work some with her students.


Last night Donn and Mike shared with a local group in yet another city. Please remember this group led by 'sally'.


Our journey is only half over, with many more stories to tell. Please continue to lift us up for continued good health, safety and divine appointments.


Be asking Father how you can be involved in this BIG privilege of working on this side of the world.


We are blessed, we are blessed, we are blessed.


Walking again in the land we love....


Love, Dianne and Donn

Puffball Prize!!

Life is full of surprises for sure!!  Sunday while visiting one of our churches someone brought in a gigantic puffball from the woods near their home, which was only one of about 30!!!  I had never seen such a large one!  Usually we come across the tiny ones that are all ready to be tromped on and spew the brown dusty stuff all over.  Found out this treasure was edible and a friend shared with us.  We sliced half of the puffball and slowly cooked it in butter.  I loved it!  Probably for the other half I will add onions and garlic as it cooks.  Isn't life fun?  I am hoping MY woods will pop up with some of these treasures next year!
Life is good!  Di

"Owl" get over it....but he won't!

It is a scarey place to be when you are traveling down the road at 70 mph on a dark autumn night and out of nowhere a HUGE bird is in the middle of your lane!!  That is what happened to me tonight on my way back from Grayling where Donnie was speaking at the church.  A loud thump, a few feathers flew and that was it.  Fortunately I did not swerve and the bird did not fly up into the windshield.   Close to home when I turned a corner we saw a wing flit above the hood!  To my horror, the large bird was lodged in the grill of my truck.  Donn removed the grill and Mr. owl was dislodged.  It has a wingspan of a couple of feet and it's claws were enormous with long talons.  I really feel horrible having killed this beautiful bird!  Guess it is just one of those things that could not be helped!  Another night, another story to tell and I am thanking Father Donnie and I were not injured!  So far my truck has slaughtered a deer and an owl..whoa..enough!

Woods Treasures

    
       Tramping in the woods is way high on my list of fun things to do!  You never know what new flowers, ferns, or fungi are going to pop up from the forest floor and greet you.  After spotting these huge mushrooms scattered about at the edge of the woods, I began searching my mushroom book to try and identify them.  While living on the other side of the world, we were able to eat many many types to my delight.  It is kinda scarey to attempt to fry up something you are not sure of...thus my hesitation of picking and serving these!  I believe they are shaggy parasol, but not 100%.  If you happen to be reading this and know, I would love to hear from you.  Hope you are enjoying your day, the weather here in NE MI is awesome, nights are beginning to dip down into the 40's and the days are 65-75.  
    Saturday Donn and I attended our annual Associational Fish fry at Killion's landing.  About 100 people again attended this year and 10 of our 15 churches were represented.  It is so satisfying to see people from our scattered small congregations fellowship and growing together as a family!  Tomorrow our newest pastor is moving up with his wife and daughter from Arkansas.  Please pray for Bro. Alan & Jean as they adjust to northern living and culture!  
    Beginning Saturday we will be hosting an OMC with 10 missionaries sharing their stories with our churches.  Pray for health, safety, participation and for God to even call some to missions or deeper commitment to reaching people for HIS kingdom.
    We currently have 3 pastorless churches, Onaway, Prudenville, and West Branch.  Join us in asking Father to bring exactly the right man to shepherd these flocks.  Thank you so much for your prayers and care for our work.  Have a blessed day!  Please either comment or email me and let me know what is happening in your world.  My email is:  dazydi@pobox.com
   Livin' and lovin' life.....Di 

Victory !!! Di vs. Chipmunks!

This is my victory picture of the sunflowers that made it past the battle I waged this spring with what I used to consider "cute little critters".  In fact, all winter long I allowed them to prance and dance across my deck to steal the food from the beaks of my bird friends!!  Well, that cuteness wore off very quickly after planting at least 2 large packages of various sunflowers in my gardens and day after day finding the baby plants eaten and torn from the ground!  Ahhh, I overlooked the first couple of times....let them have the little treat of my seeds and plants.  Soon they saw their enemy, me!  Many, many met their match with methods I will not at this time reveal to you :).  It was a daily battle for many weeks, but now the payoff is a troupe of strong TALL mighty flowers with their heads held high looking towards the source of their strength.  Hmmm...lessons from the sunflowers!!  Have a victorious and sunny day full of HIS power!

Lovin' the life...Dianne

Laborless days at the Cabin!

One of the many things I love about Donn is that he is always ready for a spur-of-the moment adventure...thus our life has been filled with spontaneous little and big trips!  Sunday a.m. about one hour before we headed out to church the decision was made to escape to my dad's cabin in the woods later that day.  It is amazing how much I can do in 50 minutes when I really set my mind to it!  After a flurry of make-up, hair curling, clothes selection, ice chest filled with food and clothes for the woods packed, we hopped in the car first for church and then 80 miles to our get-away!!  Love it!  Flexible and fun, that is my life!  
The day was hot at last and we finally were having summer!  Who cares if it is September, let's jump headlong into this time!  Bathing suits on, Donn began to fish and I hunted for blackberries.  Note to self:  next time wear long pants and sleeves!!!  Those berry prickers sure can dig in the skin.  Full of berries and woods tramping I lounged on my float in the pond forever.  We fished several times a day, catching and releasing perch, bass and even a catfish..Donn went as far as buying me my own fishing pole!  There s nothing like reading a good book snug in the folds of a strong, tree strung hammock, munching on cheetos and dozing off for as long as you like.  The cooler evenings called for a campfire to roast big, juicy chunks of smoked sausage and ears of corn.  Full moon nights with only the sound of crickets and water splashing from the artesian well in the pond...I must store up these sights, sounds and smells of summer for even now the trees are beginning to flash brillant fall colors!  Thank you Father for each season of our year and of our life!!  \

   Livin' the life...Dianne

It has been soooooooo long since I have even considered writing in this blog!!! The summer has flown by with my house loaded with nonstop people starting the first of June until just about a week ago!! Seriously we are talking family, kids, grands, pastor and wife with 4 children and once even a dog visited!! I totally loved having the company but must admit by the end I was extremely exhausted and ready to just retreat to the bed.
There were times of camping, outside night fires, swimming, kayaking, shopping, eating, grilling, eating, playing, eating, talking - did I mention eating? After the last toy was picked up, the final bed washed and remade, and my house whipped back into shape, I rested and rested and rested. We are up and ready for more excitement now! The kids are all scattered about this Labor Day weekend so we invited one of our pastors and wife to a lunch on our deck, it was a good day! Tomorrow is our last day at one of our small pastorless churches we have been working with the last few months. We praise the Lord He has provided a shepherd for this flock and it is time to move on to the next church in need of our ministry. Donn and I are truly loving the work we do in this association. It is home and we are able to get to REALLY know the members of the churches we work closely with while they are without a pastor. God is good, all the time and has blessed us beyond our imagination! Three of our churches now have new pastors who are becoming Michiganders!
We would appreciate your prayers as we will be traveling back to the other side of the world in October for a 3 week vision trip. Some friends, a pastor and wife will be going with us! Excitement is building for all that Father will do as we seek His will and divine appointments. I look forward to taking our friends to the land and people we love! Have an awesome Sunday worship!
Living the Life.....Dianne

Here We Go Again!!

Almost 3,000 miles were added to our car and bodies these past 2 weeks! We said farewell to beach, warm temps, friends (old and new) and many church visits on the way. The farther north we came, the more we saw evidence of our world. First there were traces of snow, then blotches and finally piles.
What a joy it was to walk through our door, our quiet familiar home welcoming us with a warm peace.
Our bags are unpacked, fridge is restocked and the news is warning us of a winter storm headed our way tonight and tomorrow with a possibility of 10 new inches of snow. Time to dig back in and hunker down for a bit 'til our next adventure headed towards the sun.

Alabama dreamin'

The farther south we drove the more we were able to shed the winter clothes and begin to thaw OUT! We enjoyed swimming in a pool,walking on the beach and eating fresh seafood. One of the things I love to indulge in are raw oysters on a half shell, which I did today! Ah, how good they were! We have 4 days to relax, unwind, watch the sunrise and sunset. Then it will begin our trek back to our world, our snow, our home...til then we enjoy!

Joys of "nanahood"

My day was filled with baby dolls, dancing, cartoons, storybooks, snacks and nonstop talking with our 3 year old grand-daughter! What a joy it is to be a "nana". Nothing is better than a little one to make chocolate chip pancakes for, read a story to or do a messy craft with! This is just too much fun! We are blessed with 7 grands so far and look forward to spending special alone time with each one! Children truly are a gift from God and grandchildren are the added treasure!

Still Sliding at 58

Lots of people say things to us like "Man too much snow" and "I would go crazy" or "What do you do all winter?" This little clip shows one of the ways we can fight the cabin fever. Doesn't matter what your age just layer up and hit the hills.