Toys

Check out my new toy! Since I can kind of stand up on my own, mommy and daddy thought I might enjoy an "exersaucer." They were right, I love it! Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Hayward for thinking of me at the store when you saw an extra one! I can turn all the way around and jump up and down and throw toys everywhere. The best part is that my legs are getting stronger all the time, and yesterday I think I might have figured out that I can actually go places on my own instead of having mommy or daddy carry me...wouldn't that be great?! Just think of all the places I could explore! I don't have it down quite yet, but I'm going to work on it....

I also got some cool Easter presents from Grammy! My bunny hat is so soft and I love chewing on my new book. Daddy said I couldn't have any of the chocolate bars yet, so he ate them.



I like that it's warm now too, no baby should have to feel that kind of cold. Mommy and daddy try to go for a walk every day--there are so many new sights, sounds, and smells I haven't discovered yet. Sometimes it's just too much for me and I get really tired, and I just close my eyes for a little while. I don't know what the big deal is, but sometimes daddy gets really excited and tries to show me something far away up in the air. He calls them "airplanes," and says that I should like them because he likes them.



But really, I just like looking at all the things close to me right now and talking to other people when they walk by. When there's nobody to talk to, I just talk to myself or the stroller. I may look like my daddy, but I'm like my mommy through and through. I love people and I'm happy all the time. Well, it's about time for my afternoon nap....until next time!

Furlough

So, just for fun I decided to plot a course for a possible furlough based on where most of our supporting churches and individuals are located. I was a little surprised at the results!


View Larger Map

That's 7,214 miles --OR-- 117 hours of driving time, with stops in at least 7 US states! I can just imagine...we finally return home after 290 gallons of gas, 2 flat tires, leaving a small suitcase in Lincoln, Nebraska, and endless bathroom breaks! This is the ultimate "Are We There Yet?!" On the other hand, I'm really encouraged that so many people from so many different backgrounds have come together to join our team and serve with us through the ministry of MAF. It warms my heart and eases my worries to know that folks literally all over the country are praying for us regularly! What a God we serve!

Changing

Ever heard of a bee called a mud dauber? It looks like a wasp and stings like a wasp, but it builds its nest out of mud and is commonly found around the corners of the house or attached to a barn or shed. They have a saying here in Quebec that involves the mud dauber, much like Punxsutawney Phil in the US is supposed to tell us how much longer winter will last depending on if he sees his shadow or not. Well, the bees tell people in Quebec if it's going to be a brutally cold winter with lots of snow, or more of a mild winter depending on where they decide to build their nests. So everyone around here watches the bees in October/November to see what they say about the upcoming winter, and surprisingly, they're quite accurate. Most of the nests I saw were pretty close to the ground. All that to say, it's been pretty mild here; most of the snow is gone and it's been in the 40's for the past few weeks. We've also been seeing a little more sunshine, which is very welcome! We can't wait to get out and start taking walks again.

Last week we had a mid term break, and it was nice to take a little pause in the french learning and "sleep in" (as much as you can with a 5 month old). Speaking of 5 month olds, our's is doing pretty well. She's quite the animated little girl, and just like her mommy, she loves people! She's rolling around, talking nonstop, and can't stop wiggling!

This week is quite the busy one. We have tons of homework to do, newsletters to write, and I'm in the middle of getting most of my immunizations for Africa. I also have to give my testimony this Wednesday morning during chapel (all in French mind you). Our monthly support is still about the same as it has been; we still need about 20% to be released to the field. We would appreciate your prayers in these matters. For now, I have to go get poked and prodded!

All Is Quiet

For now! Both of my girls are napping at the moment, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to write another update.

School is in full swing again, we're coming up on our first big exams of the semester this week. I have a written and an oral exam tomorrow (maybe I should be studying instead of doing this!) It's a lot of fun to see our progress and realize that we actually are learning some things and can understand some of the morning services at church. It's a great feeling to be able to listen and respond to people (i.e. have a conversation), and tell them your likes/dislikes and how you feel!

It's hard to believe that February is already here, soon we will be heading back to the US and finishing up the long long list of last minute details and packing before heading to Africa. It seems a little surreal sometimes as I look back over the last 8 years of training and preparation. I think of the hundreds of people involved in getting us to this point, and all I can really say is an inadequate "thank you." I think of the countless folks who are constantly on their knees praying for us--how humbling. I think of all the Bible courses and technical training and now learning French! But we've learned so much more. We've learned that our God is faithful in all things; we've learned the power of prayer and the Holy Spirit; we've learned that being "missionaries" happens not only in Africa, but wherever we find ourselves at the moment. We've experienced the joy of being able to encourage our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and the hope that comes from being on the receiving end of such encouragement.

We are hoping to leave for Africa sometime in September of this year. We still need to pack our shipment and I have a class or two that I still need to take for working on airplanes. We also need to finish up our ministry support; it has climbed a little since we've been here in Sherbrooke, but we still need about $500/month. This has to be taken care of before we are released to the field. Please pray with us about these things, and continue to pray for our language learning and the parenting lessons that Kaitlyn gives us on a daily basis!

"Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape."

Tradition

It's a sunny Saturday morning around 8am. The air is crisp, the sun is shining brightly and the thermometer reads 5 degrees. Someone is unraveling a stiff garden hose, making his way to a big, empty tank. He turns on the water and begins filling the it, then gets this great idea to shovel 5 or 6 scoops of snow into the tank. The fire in the wood stove has been going for hours, making the warm house almost unbearable. Preparations are underway....

It's now 11am and the temperature has steadily risen to a balmy 10 degrees. A crowd has gathered around the water tank, which is still being continuously fed with scoops of snow. The crowd is getting anxious...and then....finally, the announcement is made and one by one, people begin to emerge from the warm house wearing everything from bathing suits to full costumes...the crowd goes wild.



That's right, today is the annual "Polar Bear Plunge", where students *willingly* jump into a freezing tank of water in the dead of winter. Most learned from their blunder and only did it once, for some it took another try before the cold sank in, and a few even dared to take the plunge three times in a row!



Most of them didn't have to say anything, their facial expressions said it all!



We even had a few brave representatives from the US!



And then...there are the faces:

Discoveries

Hi everybody, it's Kaitlyn! Guess what?! I'm learning so many new things and discovering so much of my surroundings. Mommy said that since I can somewhat sit up on my own, I get my own chair at the dinner table, that's exciting! I always like dinner time because that means I get to play for a little while. Mommy and daddy give me a bunch of plastic things that are all connected together; some of them even make funny noises when I push them in a certain spot. I've never heard a lot of these noises before so they're kind of strange to me.



I'm also starting to discover what mommy and daddy keep calling my hands. They're pretty interesting, and really useful for lots of things...like chewing on and holding my toys. I'm also learning what it means to be "cold." Every time we go outside mommy and daddy say that it's cold. All I know is that my new-found fingers feel like they're going to fall off and it gets hard to breathe.



One thing me and daddy have in common is that we get kinda cranky when we're sleepy, so when we get on mommy's nerves, we just take little mini naps together.



Well, that's all for now! Thanks for listening!

Holiday Pictures

Here are some photos of the past few days:



This is me and my brother, and Kaitlyn of course, on Christmas day after we opened all our presents.



There have been plenty of games to play, from "tri-ominoes" to tripoley, we've kept busy!



Grammy and Kaleb look like they're having a good time!



Even Joy's mom flew in to spend Christmas with us here in Ohio.



This is my nephew Sam, growing growing growing!



This is my multi-talented sister-in-law, Aly.



And what Christmas would be complete without a little wrestling?!