Family Get Together!

We have been so blessed to see family, and it was great to be able to see Bill's brother David and his wife Kara and their four kids. They live overseas and arrived back in the States for a visit on July 26th for two weeks in Crown Point, IN.  Two days after they arrived, Bill's sister, Mary and husband Roger and two of their grandkids came to visit as well. Bill's aunt and uncle and cousins even got to come which was really great.  We were able to get a family photo.  

  

Fishing

 Today, Carolyn took the kids fishing at the lake right outside their back fence.  Jonathan caught his first fish! Katrina caught a 6 lb. bass!  It was fun.

EWWW.... you want me to touch that?!

At Bill's parents' house

  It's so good to FINALLY  be with Bill and Carolyn, after being in the States for exactly one month now.  It's great to see them, and we'll be staying with them for about 2 1/2 weeks.  

Camping Trip

  We got back today from a camping trip to Washington State Park with my parents and brother, Ben.  We had SO much fun.  It was Bill's first time to go camping in America and he loved it.  Although there aren't any  lions or elephants here, we did run into snakes... I'll get to that in a minute!
   We arrived Tuesday afternoon and it took all afternoon to set up camp, cook hot dogs on the fire, and then go to sleep in the tents.  Wednesday, we had alot of fun!  In the morning, we took a hike (a short one) after a pancake breakfast. Then, we went down to Big River and the kids played in the water for 2 hours. We got ice cream afterwards at the camp store.  My dad made a camp special-- potatoes, eggs and cheese on the campfire.
   Wednesday night, we thought we'd take the girls to see the stars, and some Northern constellations.  Our family and Ben waited until it finally got dark at 9:30 PM (We are used to 6am sunrise and 6pm sunset year round in Arusha!!).... we drove around the park trying to find a good spot to see the stars. Finally, we pulled into an empty parking lot, only to see two vans, and several people... and a HUGE telescope!! Seriously, at first glance I thought it was a cannon!  We got out and started looking up at the sky, and he just came over and invited us to look into his telescope... um, YEAH!  We were all so excited to be able to look through such a big telescope. We got to see Saturn, including the rings and moons! Wow! That was a once in a life time experience.  The girls were so thrilled, but Jonathan was asleep in the car through the whole thing.  Oh, well.
    Thursday morning, we torn down camp. The kids, my mom and I took a short walk along a paved road when... Jonathan stepped on a COPPERHEAD SNAKE!!  I screamed and pulled him back before my mom even saw what was wrong.  Unbelievably, the snake just lifted its head and that was all.  Perhaps it was  too cold to move yet, or there was an angel holding his mouth shut.  Either way, my head was raising for hours thinking of what that snake could have done to Jonathan. We quickly left the snake.  Later, Bill and Ben weren't able to find it again, so he must have moved on.  PRAISE GOD that nothing happened to sweet Jonathan.  Not many people can claim they stepped on a Copperhead and not gotten bitten.

   We got home safely Thursday afternoon and unpacked.  It was so fun, but it's good to be home!

We're back in America!

  We arrived back safely in St. Louis on May 30th, exactly one week today.  The kids all slept during the first flight out of Nairobi which left at 11:30 PM.  After a 5 hour lay over in London, the kids were awake and restless during the 8 1/2 hour flight from London to Chicago.  Jonathan cried and cried about wearing his seatbelt.  He fell asleep though, and I was able to buckle him up.  In Chicago, we enjoyed our first taste of McDonald's in three years!

      We have enjoyed staying with my parents.  This first week was full of fun and adventures: garage sale-ing, hiking, shopping for new clothes, going to the library, getting new bikes and going on bike rides, and just spending time with family.   Bill was able to pick up our new (to us) van the day after we arrived with the help of my dad and brother Ben.  

     Being back so far as seemed like being in a wonderland.... all the smooth paved roads, fast food restaurants... in general everyone seems so courteous (especially drivers), and everything is so CONVENIENT!  

What is home?

This is a picture of the kids and I right before we left for Tanzania at the beginning of this term in 2009.  They've changed alot!

It will be two months shy of three years that we have been on the field this term.  And, we have 20 days until we fly back "home" to America.  Of course, for Jonathan, he has spent most of his life here so it won't really feel like home him.  Katrina has spent half her life in Africa and Heather has spent all but one of her birthdays here.  So, what is "home"?

Katrina has been thinking about this as well.  She asked me, "Is home where you grow up?  Or where your parents grew up?"  That is a good question.  What is home?  Where you are currently living?  Where your parents are or you grew up?  Where you went to school?  For many MK's and TCK's (Missionary kids and third culture kids), the answer to all of these questions are in different places, usually different countries.  And, it's one of the questions that MK's most dread.  I know because my husband is an adult MK and he still hates that question..."So, where are you from?"..... I'll get back to you on that....

Why I Love Arusha

Our family with Mt. Kilimanjaro in the background

As we are preparing to return to America on furlough at the end of this month, I am thinking alot about things that I have missed in America such as MY FAMILY, certain food you can't get here (peaches, pears, horseradish sauce, etc.), and just the convenience in general.  But, there are also going to be things that I miss here (in Arusha) while we are gone for a year. I really do love it here in Arusha.

                   Some of the reasons I love it here in Arusha:

1.  We have made lots of friends here since we arrived in 2005. I love also that most people aren't so overscheduled that they don't have time for you.  The "busy-ness" level in general seems a little lower here.

2.  I love that we are here to do ministry and help others.

3.  I really, really enjoy the weather here.  Year round, it is mild temperatures, 70's-80's.  It may rain and be a bit cooler, or be dry and a little hotter.  But, in general it's the same mild, moderate temperature year round.  And I LOVE that!

4.   I love being able to get FRESH, and very tasty tropical fruits within walking distance of my house anytime I want such as: bananas, coconuts, avocados, pineapples and mangoes.  YUMMY!

5.  Minimal media influences for our children.  Our kid's friends don't have iPods or laptops or cell phones, and neither do my kids.  I love that their free time is spent jumping rope, playing  hop scotch, playing in a sand pit, and riding bikes with their friends.

6.  Cultural diversity.  There are SO many cultures and people groups represented here in Arusha.  Besides Tanzanias, you will find many Indians, both Muslim and Hindu; white ex-patriots from countries such as America, Canada, Australia, Denmark, and Germany;  Africans from other countries here working for the UN; it's never boring!  When Katrina was in preschool here, she was the only American in the class that included Tanzanians, Finnish, German, English, and Maasai children.  My kids are used to being the only "white" children in a group, and have friends from all races and cultures.

6.  Language diversity.  See above!  The national language here is Swahili, which Bill and I know and the kids speak a little of.  But, there are so many other languages spoken here, and most of our kids friends speak English as a second language. They have never thought to tease someone for having an accent, they are just happy they know English!

8.  Living here is like living in a huge, lush garden.  Where ever you look, there are flowers, and trees.  Along most of the streets in town there are flowers and plants for sale along the side of the road, and the streets are lined with trees.

9.  I LOVE the view of Mt. Meru that we can see here from our house (and all over Arusha) daily.  It's gorgeous.  If we drive a little bit out of town, we can see Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa.  Quite stunning.

10.  Hospitality.  Guests here are welcomed with outstretched arms.  And no need to call ahead of time.  Guests are considered a blessing, not an inconvenience or interruption.  If you go to someone's house unexpected they will stop what they are doing to offer you a meal.

There are many more reasons that I love it here.  I sometimes wonder... why doesn't everyone want to live here?!  But, I will be enjoying roast beef sandwiches from Arby's, and going to Target while we are in America!

   I truly feel that I have two homes now.  Arusha, and America.