New link

Check out the new link to Niger weather on the right. It auto updates so you can see the weather in Niger LIVE!!!

Catching some air time and the never ending packing

So here we are now, 5 weeks or so away from our departure for Quebec. Our house is sold, now we have to have a humungous garage sale, store a few items, and give others away to good homes. We still need to buy 220 appliances, still need a shipping company who will committ to not lose the stuff we ship, and we have lots to buy to bring there. I am also still working on finishing a course on language use in development (choosing to use national (or "tribal" languages as a tool in development work). So we have our hands full. Thank you so much for all your notes of encouragement and your prayers. You are an important part of our team.

My last day at work was Thursday and it feels good. I spent 8 years there and loved it, but am so excited for this new direction that we have been working towards for so long.

This past weekend Paul and I took hang-gliding lessons. This was my Christmas gift to him. It was so much fun, although much harder than it looks to control a 70 pound, 40 foot wingspan in gusty winds. We really had a blast and even caught some air. Now Paul is busy trying to figure out if we can fit one into our shipping container. Catching the glides of the sand dunes anyone?? Enjoy the pictures below.

3 months to go!

So now that so many of you have this web blog, I figured we better update it more. Fear not, as soon as we are in the field we will be posting here a lot as we keep you all in the loop and use this as a major way to share the journey. So far we are just still in Calgary, and unless packing and paperwork is really your thing, we dont have much to say.

We are getting all of our stuff together and doing a lot of shopping for all the supplies we will need for the next 4 years. Niger has open air markets, but there are certain things that we really cant buy there, like 220V appliances, many toiletries, good quality clothing, medecations, certain household items and some things for our kitchen. Ive bought multiples of packs of taco seasoning, basil, ice tea crystals, and maple syrup (Paul wouldnt make it 4 years in Niger with no syrup for his satruday pancakes). Also, you cant buy baking pans, muffin tins, etc there - so ours are making the journey! Overall, I have a binder of lists that I am slowly making my way through. Overwhelming at best. The house will go up for sale sometime in the next few months or so too. We havent decided when.

I am still taking two courses and Paul and I are both still working too. I am not sure yet what our quit dates will be as there are lots of variables that we arent in control of. Our team would like us to take an Islam course and a general linguistics course in May as well. With everything we have to do, I am starting to think cloning doesnt sound to bad.

We are looking forward to Quebec. That will mean all the packing is done and the container is sent! Also we really like the team there and will really enjoy spending time with them while Paul takes classes.

During this time we are so thankful for all the support we are getting from our family and our church. You hold us up.

Here is a new family photo. Bennett just turned two last week!!