Family Update

I'm working on some room updates, we spent a few hours today landscaping, and I have several decorating projects up my sleeves, but I need to spend another post updating my friends and family on some recent travel and personal events. I'm learning just what a poor communicator I am! Ouch.

Last weekend found us in Michigan, camping near Lake Michigan. Warren Dunes, to be exact. We got in late on Friday night and the campground was crowded, but we decided to just go for it. We set up our giant tent by our car's headlights, but the weather was perfect and we're so glad we stayed!

On Saturday we spent some time on the beach. The sand was warm though the lake was cold--and I have  pictures on my real camera, but I'm saving those for another post. That evening back at camp we had hot dogs and s'mores. What else? The boys had so much fun and officially love camping.

On Sunday we drove to Berrien Springs, MI, to get settled into a condo where we lived all week. The purpose of the trip was to attend Orientation for Adventist Frontier Missions (AFM).

The condo was so nice! Our unit had a full kitchen and open living area, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The units are quite new and very well done. Clean, well-maintained, simple. We felt very much at home and look forward to staying there for the three-month training session next summer.

Then, from 8-5:30, Monday-Friday, Gary and I were in training here at AFM's Headquarters. We learned about AFM's history, mission and method, got to know the staff and a couple other missionaries.

On Wednesday, we were officially offered a position with AFM as missionaries in training to the Celtic Peoples of the British Isles. Vague, perhaps, but exciting too. More about that in a future post too.

To celebrate, we took the boys out for pizza and ice cream!

Except if you're my brother, then the story is that we took them out to celebrate your birthday.

The boys had a fun week with their babysitter. They waded in the river, rode bikes, walked to the park, played in the sand, etc, etc. They would wait for Mrs. C. to drive up in the morning and RUN out the door to her, even our youngest. We felt great knowing they were having fun and in good hands too.

Berrien Springs is also home to Andrew's University where Gary went to school. This sculpture wasn't there when he attended, but it's pretty cool anyway.

Gary majored in Aviation and Flight Maintenance, so we drove by the airport for old time's sake--and to see if any planes were landing. They weren't, but it was still fun.

Saturday found us driving a couple hours north to Great Lakes Adventist Academy for the 11 o'clock Sabbath church service. It was well attended! I thought it was fun to go to a camp meeting that my mom and aunt and uncles used to go to when they were little!

 We were there to meet with a missionary family currently on furlough from Ireland. We had a great time getting to know them and are looking forward to possibly working with them in Ireland in the next couple of years. (Because of how AFM works, it'll be at least 15 months before we leave the states.)

 

We drove back to Berrien that evening where we spent one more night before packing up and heading home to Ohio on Sunday. Since it was Father's Day, we had brunch out.

Jared takes breakfast seriously. ;)

Josiah, pay no attention to the backside photo-bombing your pretty baby blues!

So there's our week in a nutshell. I know many details are still missing, but at least now you know where we were and what we were doing.

I'll keep you posted!