Pressing On

We were asked to put together some pictures of Lael during the year of 2007. We thought they were so cute that we would share them with you.

We are leaving for Cotonou early in the morning for a few days. Not sure yet if we will have internet access so we thought we would post something tonight. We are heading to Cotonou for multiple reasons, to deliver furniture and various items that people have purchased from us, to handle paperwork dealing with the purchase of our car, to potentially have a visa interview, and do some shopping for our upcoming visitors who are coming to bless and support our family and the Aja Christians in our final days together in Benin. We could not be more excited about their arrival!

Our thoughts and emotions are so diverse within the day. We are so thankful to be on your minds and in your prayers at any given moment. Tonight my sweet Tori was really having a hard time processing what is taking place. We had already put the kids to bed and about 30 minutes after everyone else was asleep, she came into the hall and said,"Mom, I can't sleep because I have so much on my mind." I could see the tears in her eyes and so we stayed up and talked for awhile. She is grieving the upcoming loss of her friends. She plays with these friends every evening and has done this for as many years as she can remember. They reenact Bible stories, pretend they are having church, set up medical clinics, wrestle and play hide and seek. Today they held a funeral for a frog they killed. She meticulously watches the clock every day for the hour to arrive when she can go out and play with these 10-12 friends. Tori has already helped put together gift sacks for each one of them. When she thinks of friends in the world, right now, this is who she thinks about. Tonight in her tears she said, "I have 98 friends here and I only have one in America." (Smile) Obviously Tori knows well that she is loved by friends and cousins in America but this statement shows where her mind is at this moment.