Family life.

As I type this we are having a "tropical downpour". We are happy that we have been having a very generous Dry Season.

It has been very hot for many days but we have had rain in the late afternoons on some days. It is an amazing reminder of God's power to watch the rain sweep down, hearing thunder and watching the clouds illuminated with lightening.

Yesterday Evan and I went on a ride into the hills around Ukarumpa. It was a warm day and beautiful. I loved going through the villages. It sort of felt like we were in a parade or celebraties. All the kids in any given village could hear us coming and would come running to the road. They would shout and wave and try to get high fives as we passed.

It was a lovely ride, though I am a bit sore. There was only about 2 miles or something of paved road, the rest ranged from gravely dirt to mud pit. I am grateful to have a strong husband who can carry me on the back of his bike through the majority of the terrain. I only had to walk two or three places. Bridges that were just few planks for instance. :)

The boys in the meantime had a good time with the babysitter. Miss Alice. She is a national woman who has worked at SIL for many, many years. She works at the preschool during the week, but she is free on the weekends and seveal of my friends use her. She had the boys playing and laughing before we were even out of the driveway. Next weekend we will use her services again as Friday is my birthday, Saturday evening we are having a dessert party with some friends.

Friday we are hoping to go into Kainantu. One of the local towns. It will be the first time leaving the boys in the day care here. But the ladies are very experienced and I am confident the boys will have a good time. And when the day care ends at lunch our friend Mandy will pick them up. We will hopefully be back in time for naptime! It will be my first PMV ride (the public transport).

Many friends in the states are getting married, having babies and going through many life changes that it makes me a little sad to not be there. But then I look at my boys, and see how happy they are here (though Liam did get a bit sad after skyping with grandparents today - he wanted them to come here).  And I love what we are doing and the people. I love my house and my friends. It is right for us to be here, but we are planning on things we will do when we come home on furlough.

I am looking forward to and sort of dreading the holidays. My mom pointed out to me the other day it is first birthday I have been away from home since almost 10 years ago, when I was in University in New York.

It will be the first Thanksgiving apart since we went to the south when Evan and I went to visit friends the first year we were married. And we have NEVER been apart for Christmas. I plan to take lots of video.

But I am REALLY looking forward to the decorating, parties and fun that comes with the holidays with all our new friends and family. We will also be that much closer to POC training!

I have added lots of new pictures to the flickr photostream. Here is the Link. The ability to be outdoors has been tremendous for the boys. We recently aquired a sprinkler, though the only chance we have had to use it Liam was the only one awake thus there are just pictures of him. But they are great, if I do say so myself.

I guess I will end on that note. Please send your comments or questions. I am sorry to those who commented on the last posts. I didn't realize I wasn't getting notices for when people comment. I have remedied that.

Keep the e-mails and letters coming!