We are settling back into life in the States. However, much of our hearts is still miles away. We are fortunate to be able to stay in touch with our friends in Nigeria via the internet, but it is still just not the same. We feel so blessed to have fallen in love with so much and so many that we feel the pain of being so far away.
As many of you have requested, here is a brief update on our lives:
We are living in Pleasant View, TN, just a wee bit northwest of Nashville. We love our home and are enjoying slowly reconnecting with friends and family. Right now we are all in a rush to try to find warm clothes to wear since we've lived in tshirts and flipflops for the last 2 years. 60 degrees seems much colder than I remember! The cooler weather is allowing us to enjoy our favorite time of year for the first time in a long while-and oh, how we've missed the turning of the leaves, tobacco smokin' barns, pumpkins all around!
Jon is enjoying working at VCE. He doesn't mind the bit of traveling he must do because he loves cruising around in his dream vehicle, a black Rubicon.
Lauren is taking a full load at Austin Peay State University after graduating from high school a year early. She has had the joy of jet-setting around the country to visit friends she met in Nigeria. In less than a week, we will be celebrating her 18th birthday!
Mattie Grace continues to play her flute in the middle school band. She enjoys her new friends at school and is looking forward to high school next year!
Naomi is running for middle school Vice President. She has a platform of changing the school, community, and world with some lofty ideas. She spent the summer at various camps, with her favorite being the Herbitology one-where she learned about played with snakes, lizards, etc.
While I am job hunting, I have been fixing up our new house by stripping wallpaper, painting walls, and enjoying cooking while watching wild turkeys and deer walking through our backyard.
This month holds so much to look forward to:
Visits by different family members and friends
Helping with Shoot for the Future
Lauren's BIG birthday
Camping with friends
Fall Break
Weekend in the mountains with my girlfriends
High School reunion
Preparing for the upcoming holidays!
There is the update. More to come later.
