My life is busy and yet I REALLY miss writing!! I am setting a goal for myself once again to write once a week. I think the main reason I stopped was because it is hard for me to not share ALL the details and our lives lead towards the direction of not being able to share everything… So here goes it.

There are a few things I am really appreciating about life right now. I have my own home again. I know heaven is the best, but while I’m on earth I have to say it’s really nice to be with my stuff again! We were separated for 1 1/2 years!! Although, when I’m looking for something, for example my amazing natural face-mask stuff I bought a couple years ago, I can’t find it! The question often pops up “Is that is California, in Florida or Africa?”… Little sigh of frustration and then I move on with my life. Back to my stuff. Why is it that as a woman, wife, and mother my heart is grateful and settled when the house looks like a house and is not just livable but beautiful? My husband has helped me make our house a home, he’s so amazing! We may still be living out of our suitcases because we don’t have wardrobes yet (SO EXPENSIVE!!!) but my living room is pretty and the kitchen very operable and bigger than I would have planned! Little by little, and month by month we will get the furniture that we need. “petite a petite” as they say here.

Something that was hard to attain while on our break in the States was a schedule. We LOVE all you people and spending lots of time with everyone, but I can’t tell you how nice it is to have Mae go to bed by 8 every night and the girls soon after. We are able to actually start school in-between 8 and 8:30 instead of 10 am… hahaha!!

But by golly I need Jesus every morning! Teaching 3rd and 1st grade at the same time is challenging, especially when there are behavioral issues. But we are working on it and God is gracious. That is a fact. I am being stretched and I know that God is calling me to trust him in this too.

I’m just trying to catch you up to speed. We just finished week 4 of language study, and Friday was our first day speaking! It was brutal, and revealed that we need to spend a lot more time listening. Where do we fit that in exactly in our day? I’m not exactly sure, but TJ and I are discussing how we might do that, as it is one of the main reasons we are here. Thankfully our language helper is so gracious and patient with us!! She is a wonderful older lady, and we are loving getting to know her and her family!!

We have taken a few trips out to the village, which is always an adventure. We are praying for the right land and the right neighborhood for our family. We are trusting God through it all. There are so many cultural hoops to jump through, we are learning to ask a lot of questions and remind those who are helping us that we know nothing and are relying on their wisdom and guidance.

Things that happened this week: I made lots of yummy food, and am feeling more at home every day. A week ago we went to the village for the day. This week, the chief of our village was in our town and called us, he came to our house for the first time, and we were honored.

TJ went to the beach on his motorcycle with friends and swam in the ocean. We keep trying our Jola on people and anyone who speaks it lights up with excitement, and they quickly surpass our language understanding with their questions. Every day we learn more. We have a tailer in or neighborhood by way of our language helper… celebrate yay!! I went and ordered curtains. I’m hoping to order my first chickens today!

That’s it for now. Check in next Monday for an update.

Taking advantage of green bean season

Someone likes getting in her toy basket!

being creative with food.  Hummus! 😍 as of yet i don’t regret bringing my nutribullet with me this time!