Returning to the States

This is our guard and one of Ben's favorite Africans. Pray for JB while we are gone.

Here is T B RAY another guard. He'll miss us as well, so pray for he and his family.

Benjamin is not too sure why all of the leaves are falling off of the tree, but he thinks it's pretty funny!!

Bring on the toys!!

Fun with family

Benjamin can't figure out why God made all of his family white!!! "Let me out of here!!!"

Boys from any culture can enjoy a good old game of CARS!

I've meant to write a million times already since the last time I posted. There has just been so much going on that it has been impossible. We've taken the long flight across the big pond, visited doctors, dentists, grandmas, aunts, great grandmas, friends, churches, cousins, etc and attempted to devour all of the food we've been missing. We're also trying to pack in all of those fun things we can't do in Africa. Poopa took the kiddos fishing in the rain because it wouldn't stop and missing the opportunity was unacceptable! We've been on a hay ride and had weenies and smores around the bonfire and it was COLD!!!!! We went to the national peanut festival and enjoyed the sights and sounds, well at least some of them! We've enjoyed days with family, just being a part of normal everyday family life. It's fun to know that if somebody has a big job and needs our help, we can just swing over there and do something about it!

I can't really express to you all the range of emotions it's been to me in coming back. It's really hard to leave friends and "family" across the ocean. Our teammates are family and we miss them. I have friends that are to me like sisters and I miss them. People will go on with life there and we'll miss all of that for these months. Hard times will come for them and we can't do anything about it. On the other hand, we've missed our friends and family on this side of the ocean for so long. I have friends here that are also like family and we are so looking forward to connecting with everyone here. We've had so many joyful reunions with our loved ones already and can't wait for those to come.

It's a strange and yet familiar world here. I'm different (surprise, surprise) and yet I am who I've always been. I can't even begin to relate what it is like to be back. Suffice it to say that often it is GREAT and sometimes, it is hard.

We've been introducing Benjamin to all of his cousins, aunts, uncles, grands, great grands, family friends, foods, animals, and places we find familiar. He's not too sure about most of it, but he's being a good sport for the most part. I just hope that when we go back home to Africa, we won't be having to reintroduce him to everything and finding that world unusual too!

We'll be at the TBC in Knoxville, TN next week. Please come and see us if you are close. We'll be in Gastonia, NC for a week starting November 13. We hope to see you if we can. We'll be back in TN for Thanksgiving and the first part of December. We'll be in the panhandle of FL for Christmas to be with family. Needless to say, we're burning up the roads. There's just so much to see and do and so little time!

We love you and hope to see you soon!
Heather