Now What?

The kids and I have been in the states for three weeks.  We landed Mother’s day morning just in time to attend church and celebrate Mother’s day with Nana, Noel’s mom.  Our first week we worked to put a dent in  finishing our school for the year, getting over jet lag and enjoying Nana and Papaw’s hospitality.  On Saturday, we headed to Iowa where we have been for the past two weeks.  Our main task is finishing up school for Winter and David.  David should finish this week and hopefully Winter the next.  In the meantime, Noel has been working 6 days a week flying and helping Pactec do what they do best.   He is enjoying the work.  We are enjoying time with family but we all miss being together as a family.  We hate being apart, but we are thankful that Noel has the privilege of flying during one of Pactec’s busiest month.

In just a little over a week, Noel will meet up with us in Texas.  We are looking forward to some family time and time with our good friends there.  Teresa will have a Calculus workshop one week that she is  excited about.  Noel will have some much needed rest and then also work on some things for Pactec like programming or manuals.   Noel will then leave at the end of June to head back for another month in Kabul.  All the men are rotating in and out to help keep the flights going to the different areas of Afghanistan.  Noel will then return to the states at the end of July, and if all goes as planned, our family will return together to Afghanistan in August just in time to get ready for school to start.

Here are a few pictures of our time.  Without wives to get home to, the guys treated the national airport workers to Cherry Berry.  Cherry Berry is a yogurt place where you have frozen yogurt with toppings that you pay for by the weight.

This is a picture of Noel’s future suppers.  We are thankful that they have a cook at the airport who takes care of the guys’ breakfasts and lunches.

During our time in the states, Winter is getting more experience in driving and has enjoyed doing some errands for both her mom and Grandmother.  David has enjoyed learning to mow the lawn using Grandma’s fun lawnmower.  He has also learned to drive her ATV.

This past weekend, the church I grew up in celebrated its 100th anniversary.  It was a blessing to see people from my growing up years and to see how God is working in their lives now.  During part of the celebration, they released balloons into the air.  My sister and her kids were also here for the weekend.  We have enjoyed celebrating and remembering together this weekend.  This morning we took the kids to the cemetery to put flowers on their grandpa’s and other relatives’ graves.  The picture below is of my mom and sister.

Thank you to all of you who have been praying for our family and especially for Noel who is still in Kabul.  Continue to pray for good communication for us as we are apart.  Pray for strength and endurance for Noel and the rest of the guys.  Also pray for the run off election that is scheduled for June 14th.  We are hoping all will be peaceful and the election settled before we come back in August.  Pray for the kids and I that we will be good guests and also see the opportunities God gives us to serve others.  Pray for me to be disciplined in trying to keep up my language skills.    Many Blessings, TJ