Thursday, March 7, 2013

Lizard, Chin Chin, and Rainy Season

Greetings from Cameroon!!!

 Things have been busy these past couple of weeks! The kids are getting back into the swing of school. Jen has been working long hours this week! There is a visiting ENT doctor from John Hopkins here for two weeks. Randy has been busy working on the different computer systems at the hospital. As everyone knows the internet here can be very frustrating here!! So it makes Randy's job that more trying!! I have been keeping busy with the kids and my new fun thing to do is make tortilla chips!! It is a never ending job but they are so good with fresh salsa and fresh guacamole!! The kids are doing great! They all are growing up so much!! Especially Gretchen!! She has become such a little lady!! They all miss home and our family and friends a lot but have really adapted to life in Africa!! There is a snack that they make over here called Chin Chin! It is hard to explain but all three of them really like it! Gretchen was having some the other day for a snack and she got down to start playing and Jen said to her "Gretchen sit down and eat your chin chin!" We both looked at each other and Jen said did you ever think that would be a saying that came out of our mouths!!!! 


Our family picture!! This was taken at SCA on graduation night! The only way Gretchen would get in the picture was if the scooter could be too!!!


While we were away at SCA, we had a house guest!!! A lizard decided to make our home his home too!!! It took some getting use to but we didn't really mind him too much! He would startle us and we would scream (well I would scream) but it started to become a game. Who could find lizard tonight?!?! He usually stayed in the school/play room or the bathroom so we kind of thought it was cute!! Well then Jen found him in her bedroom!!! Not so cute!! As Jen and I shared the same fear of him crawling across our faces at night!!!!!!! We are definitely sisters!! So Randy being our Hero as Megan says captured the lizard in a strainer!! It was quite a sight!! 


Lizard!


Randy and the lizard heading for the door!!

Gretchen has been taking after her big brother and I think they try to see who can get the dirtiest!! 



Mid-day scrub in the sink! 





The kids got a basketball hoop! Rene the man that built the swing set built it. We had it put on the side of our house under the car port. Now they can still play even in the rainy season! They will be ready to play "horse" when we get home so you better start practicing Uncle John!!!

The Rainy Season!
We are at the beginning of the rainy season. Everything is already starting to get green. I like that part! Everyone says that the rainy season is so beautiful! Everything is so green and flowers are blooming. The thing that will not be nice is all the mud!!! 


Elliott is liking all the rain!!!

Our backyard! 

Our front yard!


Adjusting to life in the rainy season!! Gretchen and Megan had a little more fun than Randy!!


On Tuesday we got more chickens!!! They are little chickens! Marlis said it will be about 2 months until we can eat them!! We thought it was hard to kill the other one wait until the kids have 2 months to get attached to these!! They named them too!!

Roger let Elliott and Megan help him put the chickens in the shed! Gretchen tried to help but I told her she could just pet them!!


KFC, Iron Chick, Phil, and R2-Chick2



Helping get them settled into to their new home!!

The other day Marlis killed a chicken we had bought. We stayed inside while she killed him. After a while I had to go outside to get the laundry hanging on the line. Gretchen always goes with me out to the clothes line. So this day was no different! We started around the corner of the house and she stopped and didn't move! There was Marlis with the chicken in one bucket and all his feathers in another bucket! The chicken still had his head and feet but he was naked! Gretchen looked up at me and goes It Dead?!? I said yes but now we can eat him! She said Good I like to eat chicken! I thought maybe she was going to be grossed out or scared but no she thought it was pretty neat to see the chicken like that!

Thank you for the support and prayers! Prayers for family back home as we get ready to celebrate Gretchen's birthday next week! I know it is hard for all of us to be away on a regular day but it is especially hard on holidays! Prayers for Randy's dad Jim who started chemo this week! Prayers for Thad Ferry as he left today on a 10 month deployment!!!  I am praying for you and love ya!!  Prayers for Brandi his sister! May God comfort you during this time!!!! Wish I was there to give you a big hug, Bran!!! Prayers for safe travels for Jim and Carolyn Brown who are leaving to go back home for a month long visit! Prayers for the patients at the hospital and all the doctors working to take care of them!

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.   Psalm 139:13-14


2 comments:

  1. Just got caught up = Thanks for sharing all your adventures and your daily life! It's so nice to see pictures too! Tell Megan we are preparing for the Reading Competition - which will be March 21st - we miss Megan so much!! I hope she's reading alot!! The family is looking great! I can't wait to hear all about it when you get back too! Again - Thanks for sharing -
    Jill Frederick

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  2. Hey everyone! Love reading the blog. This is randy's cousin, Valerie. My kids participate in AWANA which is a weekly bible memory verse club at a church in our area. Anyway, in order to complete their books, they need to ask some questions to a missionary. Obviously, I thought of you. I sent an email to you too but I wasn't sure the best way to reach you so I thought I would comment here too. Love to hear about your adventures and how God has placed you there to do His work.
    Valerie

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