Departure Day

It is crazy to think that this day has finally arrived! I have been collecting items for this trip for almost a year now (I got tuna fish packets for a steal this time last year!) and we have been packing for nearly a week off and on. My mom and sister surprised us and came up for the day on Sunday to help which was SO appreciated. We ended up a little heavier than we would have liked (we are taking three extra trunks- one with medical supplies and two with extra food, diapers, and toys), but we think these items will come in handy to us and others over the next few months. We have eleven trunks total today that we will be hauling to the airport along with four carry-on pieces. We are thankful to have both of our parents here to see us off and to help us get checked in at the airport. I am pretty sure I have never traveled with this much luggage before. :) Along with all our "stuff," we are also taking hearts and minds that are very excited and ready to see all that God is going to teach our family in the coming months. We hope to see how God is working throughout the world drawing people to Himself through Jesus, and how he chooses to use ordinary people like us to help show others how great His love is for them. We are also eager to grow closer to God through the hardships and challenges that await us. We know that we are guaranteed some trials and difficult days, but we also trust that God will be right there with us walking us through those moments as individuals and as a family. I hope you are excited to take this journey with us! We are praying that God will use our story to teach each of you something along the way as well. Next stop.... Niger, West Africa!

Last Stop: Ashland, Kansas

We are finishing up the last leg in our few weeks away from home. Marc has been covering the ER in Ashland for the past 4 days and we came along for the fun. This is actually our second trip out to this tiny, tiny town. You can read about our first trip here. There is now a permanent doctor here so Marc was just covering for him for a few days over the holiday. It has been windy and cold so we have spent most of our time inside our apartment. We are staying in an apartment in the assisted living community. It has two bedrooms and a kitchen and has been a great set-up for our family over the past few days. I packed all our food and have even cooked up a few yummy dinners. :)

We did attempt to brave the cold and wind for one very quick trip to the park.

We ordered a pizza from a local pizza pub on New Year's Eve (the only restaurant open all weekend). Eli helped me make some cookies after dinner, and then Marc and I finished the night off by watching Captain America (the pizza place also rents movies; it's great to find "all in one" places in a small town like this. :))

Hailey is teething so bad right now. Both of our kids have had only one or two teeth by their first birthday and then gotten a ton in all at the same time shortly after. Hailey currently has EIGHT teeth cutting through and four of them are molars. She has been a little fussy and irritable (and loud at times) and I was afraid that we might be bothering our elderly neighbor. So, I baked up some cookies and took Eli over last night to offer up our peace offering (which he proceeded to drop on the floor shortly before she opened the door; most people still follow the 5 second rule, right??). 

It amazes me how God can place us in someone's life at just the right moment. This sweet lady found out yesterday that her daughter has been given less than a week to live in her battle against cancer. In the past two years she has also lost a son, a husband, and a sister. I think she really enjoyed our company (who wouldn't be entertained by a 2 1/2 year old pretending that the chairs in the room were cars and that a walking cane was the gas hose to fill up the cars??). We hope to stop in and see her again before we leave. Will you pray for this woman that she might still see how deep God's love is for her even through all this pain?

Florida with the Millers

Happy New Year! I almost got all my 2011 posts in time, but I am extending myself a bit of grace with our recent travels. My grandparents will be celebrating 60 years of marriage in February and they wanted to take our entire family to Florida in honor of the occasion. Marc and I honestly did not know if we could feasibly fit this trip in considering everything else we have going on right now (I am typing this from Ashland, Kansas where Marc is working until Tuesday and then we return to Wichita to start packing for our departure to Africa!) but my dad helped us get a three-way flight that made it possible for us to make it. We were so glad it all worked out! Even though our time there was short, the warmer weather and ocean breeze were refreshing, and it was great getting to catch up with some family that we don't see often enough.

Nana and Papa D were really excited to get to see Eli and Hailey.

A balcony view

 My dad was getting a little time in the sun in his jeans since the high was only 60. :)

All 33 of us went out to eat at the Back Porch in Destin one night to celebrate Memaw and Poppy's marriage. My aunt had a cake made and our waitress (yes, we had only one waitress for our entire group!) took a picture of us all together at the end of the night. It was wonderful to see everyone all together.

It was fun getting to see Brandon and Stacey (and Stacey's little baby bump!)

 I adore my Memaw and Poppy.

The picture on their cake was screen printed on. It was from their wedding 60 years ago.

A kiss from my favorite little boy at dinner.

 We caught the two love birds on our last day at the beach enjoying the sand and waves.

Happy 60th Anniversary Memaw and Poppy!

Our Christmas

We are currently in Florida enjoying some warmer weather and ocean views. We have had a wonderful time at every place we have been over the past week and our kids have been the best little travelers even with a few Delta delays along the way.

On our way to Illinois for Christmas we tried out our new carrier with Hailey in the airport. I loved our Baby Bjorn when Eli and Hailey were little but it is not friendly on the back with bigger babies. I settled on this Ergo carrier that holds babies up to 40 lbs. and it felt great all day long. It took Hailey a little while to warm back up to a carrier but she ended up liking it by the end of the day.

Marc's mom found Hailey a beautiful little dress for the Christmas Eve service at church and we all enjoyed getting dressed up and taking some family pictures before heading out.

It is lots of fun when all the cousins are together.

We opened a few gifts after church and then saved the rest for Christmas morning! Eli got so excited for himself and everyone else opening presents. It was really cute to watch.

These two kids loved their time with Mama Reenie and Papa over the past week, and Marc and I enjoyed the free babysitting. We were able to get away for a hot chocolate date and also a movie night which was so fun for us. :)

Thanks to the Carrigans for giving us a wonderful Christmas with lots of memories. We'll miss you so much while we are gone and look forward to seeing you again in June!