Well, it was sometime between 1 and 2 am when we finally got to bed last night. But it was all worth it, because we were bringing Hannah home from the airport!
She wasn’t really supposed to be that late, but the plane was just about to take off when someone noticed a problem with the motor. So we’re very glad that they stopped to check it out, even though it meant Hannah waiting for an hour and a half on the tarmac.
But at least our van worked this time, which wasn’t the case the last time she came home!
Anyway, she arrives on a busy weekend – more on that later. But the short story is, we’re happy to have Hannah home for the summer!
Well, midsummer (summer solstice) has arrived here in the northern hemisphere. Since I haven’t had much of an opportunity to write lately, I’m taking a moment to look backward and forward to catch you up on what’s happening.
The last Two Weeks
Daryl and my Dad check out the new shed we assembled.
I just finished a brief trip to Canada, to help my parents move. They just moved a few blocks away – within the same town – but if any of you have tried such a thing, you know how challenging it can be!
Thanks to Daryl and Iwona, and many from the local churches, who helped so much (and are still helping as my parents finish up the move!).
I also had a chance to see Hannah, and Shari’s parents, and many others in Three Hills before I took off back to Mexico.
During my absence from Mexico, lots was happening as usual! You’ll want to check out Rod’s post about the team that he and Mayra took down to Oaxaca – A Wonderful Week in Oaxaca.
“Regular” ministry continues, as I get ready for Sunday’s continuing teaching on the Ten Commandments, and of course Hebrews.
At the beginning of July, Hannah will be coming home for the summer! Yes, we tried to time it so that we could both come back together, but it didn’t quite work out. So, as Hannah finishes her exams, we will prepare for her arrival!
On the side of practical matters, Avant and Camino Global are rushing toward unification as one mission. There are a thousand details to talk about and work through. The official date of launch is the 1st of July.
If you receive our newsletter, and if I have your email address, I will try to get some information out to you on or before that date. Otherwise, hopefully you’ll be seeing some changes here on our website shortly with more information, and we’ll get a letter to you by snail mail next month.
So, yes, a lot is happening right now! But it’s the longest day of the year – I should be able to get something done, right? 😀
Thanks so much for your encouragement and prayers. I’ll try to keep you up to date as I’m able.
This past weekend was Nathanael’s 15th birthday party. No, no fancy clothes and massive parties for the boys, as there are for the girls. However, we did want to do something special.
So – the detective theme was born. As the invitation said, “A criminal genius and an absent master detective . . . Can you solve the mystery and celebrate a birthday at the same time?”
And so, after some hot dogs and burgers, Nathanael and his friends went into the “mystery room” – a kind of home-made escape room (though no one was actually locked in), where the group had to figure out the name of the criminal, where he had hid the bomb, and how to diffuse it. In 60 minutes.
They did quite well, unlocking and unscrewing, reading invisible ink, solving puzzles and even working something called a “cassette player”, to discover the truth. Hannah even got to help with a clue via telephone! Here you can see the first few minutes (in a few seconds!) of their search for clues…
And here they are, with the photo of the criminal genius after solving the mystery:
Of course, after all that hard work, a cake was needed. And thanks to Shari, it did not disappoint…
We also enjoyed the company (and help!) of the group that was visiting from Still Water Community Church, along with Rod (and his BBQ – thanks, Rod!). I admit we were a bit distracted, but it seems like they enjoyed their visit, and we did have a bit of conversation in the midst of the chaos!
As we did with Hannah, we also made Nathanael a “Heritage Book”, with stories and pictures from the men in the family back many generations, and personal letters from many of the men in the family who he has known growing up. Thanks to all those who helped!
And now, the house is more or less back in order, and all the 15th birthday parties are over. The mystery is – where in the world did all those years go?!
Hannah had the opportunity to be in a choir this year, and thanks to Sheila Adkins you can watch/listen to a recent performance! Below are three videos for you to enjoy. 🙂
By the way, the first song is just the senior high girls. The other two are junior and senior high together.
Usually I check a little more often, but this time I didn’t. So by the time we were ready to leave, we realized that Hannah’s flight was arriving very early, so we were running late.
Meeting at the airport in Mexico City
We had only driven a few feet when I remembered that I had left something in the house. So – quick re-entry, and back in the van, and – it would not start. Not even close. Waited a minute or two – no go.
SO – we ended up picking up Hannah via taxi. And we’ve learned that taxis are VERY EXPENSIVE on Christmas Eve (though, thankfully, a lot cheaper in Mexico than in the rest of North America).
But, after all that, we were at the airport in time to greet Hannah coming out of the gate – about 10 minutes to spare.
There were a lot of unexpected adventures. The van? Well, turns out it was the battery. So that was changed (by me).
The traditional low water pressure was a part of our holidays. Hannah and Nathanael wanted to sleep in – and hence found it very hard to get showers, because the water was generally low to non-existent during the day. Doing dishes takes a looooooong time.
And then on New Year’s Eve, we woke up to cold showers – the water heater was on the fritz. So we found a plumber to come and fix the tank (probably should get a new one, but no money for that). Thankfully, it was fixed without a lot of fuss, the same day.
Hannah enjoying some REAL tacos!
Actually, we’ve had a lot of household/appliance problems in the past few weeks – and many more that we would probably take care of if we had the funds. We’re just hoping we’ll get a few months break – but who knows?
Anyway, aside from these things, we had a good time together. Tomorrow Hannah heads back to Canada (and cold temperatures! – about 33 degrees colder than here on Tuesday, according to the forecast).
We really enjoyed the service on Sunday. People had a lot of time to share, and we sang “requests” for the music. It’s always good to hear what people are learning, and to reflect on our hopes for our church in 2019.
So there you go! Just a little news. On Monday, the whirlwind of work begins again for all of us. It’s going to be a crazy week. But let’s not think about that. 🙂
10 years ago – right now – we were at Zoofari, in the state of Morelos. Zoofari, as you might guess, is a safari/zoo/petting zoo type place (Southern Ontarians, think African Lion Safari). Shari’s parents were still here, so we were doing the tourist thing with them!
So it may not be the most interesting picture, but I think it’s a good one, so I’m going with it. You can see some animals in the background, but in the foreground are most definitely two PEOPLE!
