On my way

photo taken on July 27 one week after we entered the US.

Many of you know that I (Janice) am Canadian and the rest of the family are American.  So far we have managed fine with a greencard.  However that card is due to be renewed in February 2017, I know still four years away... however we are planning on being back in Niger this summer until June 2017. So I will not be in the US to renew it.  In speaking to an immigration officer this morning, he advised me to go ahead and get my citizenship.  He said if we do not leave the US for the next 8 months I should be able to get my citizenship before we are due to go back to Niger in June/July.  Please pray with us that the timetable will be right and that we will be able to go back as a family next summer all with US passports! :)  We went ahead and put down $250 dollars to start the process! I am excited and feeling like I just stepped off a ledge, hoping the net of citizenship will catch me before I land!  Stepping out in faith.  He is able.

spooky spiders! Anyone?

Anyone know what kind of spider this is?  We have three of them at the front of the house!

We are already ready for hallowe'en!  Look at his shadow!

worlds collide

On Tuesday we got a message from Mikaylah's 1st and 2nd grade teacher at Sahel Academy.  She is on home assignment and was going to be in Indiana.  We were excited to see her, she came for supper and stayed for breakfast Wednesday morning.  It was a quick visit, but much appreciated,  Thank you Beth Botheras!

By the time she was four she had lived in five different homes! but ages 4-8 all same home in Niger!

Mikaylah got to make a time line of her life for school. She only had 24 inches of timeline to work with so we had to be picky when choosing pictures!

Happy Autumn!

Our kids were fascinated with this unscarey scarecrow

They wanted to pose with the pumpkins too!

Missions Conference

This weekend we had the opportunity to visit the very first church, Waterman Bible, that agreed to support us. They have been with us since before Jayson was born! They went through language study with us and have always welcomed us with open arms. We had a wonderful time sharing our passion with them and they loved on us and on our children!

Matthew (the five year old of the family we stayed with) and Jayson on the hammock

Mikaylah and Jayson on the hammock with Savannah and Matthew

We had a picnic at Dave and Chris' ... this is their beautiful kitchen

Matthew's Mom, Abagail, Chris, Janet (pastor's wife) and Deborah in Chris' kitchen

Campfire at Dave and Chris'

Kids got hot chocolate and s'mores!

Waterman Bible took us to this restaurant on Sunday afternoon, kids loved it!

Quick weekend trip to Ohio

Aunt Vicki bought a new outfit for me and for Mikaylah, here is her purple outfit!

Jayson's favorite food: tomatoes!

Jayson and his cousin's cousin (no relation-- but they sure hit it off and even look alike!)

Tim spoiled his niece Hailee while his sister was spoiling Mikaylah and me.

Yum!  Chocolate cheese-cake!

13 year old niece fell asleep in the backseat of the car! ha ha!

New Life in Kokomo

Mikaylah saw this butterfly and took the picture herself-- its in our new backyard!

New Boots for Labor Day!

Our Beautiful daughter is growing out her bangs!

Celebrating a la Deborah style!

showing off her new boots!

Grandpa and Grandma Phillips came for the weekend!  Mmm Culvers!

Spencer's birthday

Spencer only lives 45 minutes away. So for his 20th birthday we showed up. Here is his HUGE dorm, there is even an elevator!

Here is Spencer's room. His bed is SO high up, he actually sleeps on the futon!

We had lunch at Ivanhoe's... no icecream :( but he promised he would have icecream later with his buddies!

Cousins!

This past weekend we drove to Cedarville to visit Tim's brother and family.  Jayson and his cousin G had a fabulous time!  It was the first time they met since G was born two months after we arrived in Niger.

Mikaylah Jayson and G in G's backyard

Jayson and cousin G in their Niger soccer jerseys.

The house was full as Tim's sister and family came down from Michigan to bring their son to school. We put a tent up in the backyard and the kids all slept in the tent. Mikaylah was glad to have another cousin around who was a girl!!

Mikaylah and her cousin A.  Tim's sister D brought their son N to the 'ville for his freshman year.

Tim's other sister lives 45 minutes away. We were able to visit them too, although their girls are all grown up Mikaylah spent the night feeling like a big girl!

The kids love their big cousins, H and J.  J was our flower girl 11 years ago.

Guess who else we saw in the 'ville... Suz and Theo!

School Bus!

Even though we only live five blocks from the school the bus goes right by us and we agreed to let them ride.  They are the last stop to be picked up and the first stop to be dropped off.

Waiting on the rock for the bus

The anticipation!

So intent they wouldn't even turn around for a picture!

Caught Jayson before he sat down, Mikaylah's hand!

Can you see Jayson's face above the 14?

Living in Limbo-2

We have finally moved into a very nice house house on the south side of Kokomo

We get to use half of the double garage, can you guess which half?

Jayson is enjoying the sunrise in our large backyard that backs onto a bean field

back of house showing Mikaylah's bedroom window on the right

Kitchen view from side door and view of laundry/bathroom

Kitchen view from sink of kids eating breakfast

Living room view from kitchen doorway

Living room, notice Mikaylah's shoe :)

Office behind living room couch

back porch off of the kitchen

Master bedroom, see highboy in the mirror.

Jayson's room

Mikaylah's room