Reading and the Family

This past weekend I was so blessed to be in Wenatchee with my immediate family. Everyone was there all 14 of us now. We gathered to celebrate Spencer's birth. We celebrated Spencer's birth as well as Jessie's first birthday. It was also a great time just to be together.

I had lots of opportunities to hold little ones, read books and even attempt to learn chess. I guess my favorite is cuddling up with one or two of the nieces or nephews and read a good book. This last week and next week is the Reading Festival at Numonohi Christian Academy in PNG. As I read to my nieces and nephews I wondered how all the students were doing with their reading goals.

Many times I am tempted to be dissatisfied with having my life torn between two places so far and separate from each other. Really I need to be thankful for the blessing I have - being connected to so many different people from all over the world. I am getting ready to move down to Oregon and will be reconnecting with yet another section of the people that have touched my life. I look forward to visiting the school I taught at before going to PNG as well as the church and many friends.

A New Nephew

On Sunday January 21st a special little boy came into this world. We have been looking forward to Spencer's arrival for so long that it seemed like Christmas all over again. Lindsey, my sister-in-law delivered a beautiful baby boy at 8 am. Spencer and Lindsey are both doing very well and have been home for over a day now.


I am really thankful that I was able to be here. I have missed the last two births by being in Papua New Guinea, so it was really fun to be living in the same town. I was able to see him Sunday afternoon and twice on Monday. I may even go over again today.

US vs. PNG - Produce

Wow! I wish I could keep track of all the things that are so different from one country to another. I was grocery shopping with my mom this afternoon and stood in awe of the produce section. Everything was so clean from the floor to the fruit, and the shelves to the vegetables. Items were stacked neatly, with clear pricing and even a bit of spray at times coming from hidden locations.

It isn't that we don't get good produce in the highlands of PNG but more on how it is presented. In Goroka we buy lovely lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, pineapples, avocados, broccoli, strawberries, and so much more for very reasonable prices, cheap actually. However these items are strewn about on plastic in the muddy ground of the "market". The fruit and vegetables are rinsed with contaminated water from the typhoid infested river near by so that they have a nice, shinny look. This is to appeal to us and encourage us to buy them. Well once you bleach the fruits and veggies at home then they seem very much like the ones you get in your local supermarket.