May count down -

It's May 5th and only 3 weeks left for my kids in school.  We have been traveling every other weekend.  That is kind of crazy!

Chris returned from North Africa and the Netherlands for conferences/workshops and we immediately went to Jacksonville, Florida.  I didn't take any pictures at Grace Anglican Church in Fleming Island, FL, but we enjoyed our time there! Thankful they sponsored Chris's trip.  

Quick stop in Rome on the way - yeah for longish layovers!

Chris with his Peeps

Patty took us out on her boat!

The cousins swimming

Mom's soon-to-be new home

One afternoon at the beach

The owl that lives in the boathouse

And Will wins again!

Wednesday we left for Hampstead, NC

The long walk to the river

Sandra at Grace 210 helped with the ice cream social before we presented our work

Friday Kristin was hired for her first job as a balloon animal maker for her Art teacher's child's birthday.

Then there was Easter and Chris was sick.

Hunting eggs with our neighbors

Back to North Carolina to Friendly Methodist Church and my cousin Katie, followed by Westminster Presbyterian in Burlington.

Hi Katie! No pictures of church here either....

Yum!

Powell Sykes - I've known him since I was 5!

The kids finished up their state testing.  (SOLs - who thought of that name??)

This weekend it's a wedding in Raleigh, and then north of Charlotte for a small group presentation.

Next week is:  AP exams (French and European History) for Noah, Choir concert and Ballet recital for Kristin, and Band concert for Ben.

Meanwhile we've gotten a storage unit, my mom has found a place to move to in Orange Park, Florida, and we are organizing for the return to Cameroon.  That means throwing out, selling, and re-boxing and soon filling our storage unit we now need since mom is moving.  We found fellow missionary to give our van to on their furlough just after we leave.   We had both vehicles fixed.

So, if you are on our prayer list, well, I haven't written much lately, but we are still praying!

I'm starting to look forward to the new house we will be in, friends I'll get to see, and all that is Cameroon.  I'm not ready to say goodbye yet though!  Too much to do in between.

Skypeing with Anna in Cameroon

Talent show at the high school

French writing competion

The winners

Mike and Rocky came to visit

The MC took care of Ben!

Science day at Randolph College

Science day

Christy Ware came to visit!

Meeting Ezra

Dinner with good friends

The fox is in the yard!

The Fryburgers visit

Spring

Science day

More Fryburgers

Our storage unit....

Thanks for reading!

Pray for :
travel safety,
for the last bit of fund raising,
good heath,
good family relationships,
friends - for each of us in Cameroon, and goodbyes here,
visas to enter Cameroon,
plane tickets,
logistics of moving and sorting and selling and giving and throwing away stuff,
the people of Cameroon to worship God in their heart language and sounds.

4 1/2 months out

March marks the beginning of the logistical steps to return to Cameroon.

The whole time here in the States is really in preparation for going back - sharing our story, classes, connecting with family, friends, supporters and churches, and searching for new partners in missions.

Chris has returned from Dallas and 2 long months of intensive courses at GIAL (Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics) where he took courses in Scripture Engagement, and Arts in Trauma Healing. He also visited a few churches, saw old friends and family.  He spent a short time at the offices of Faith Comes By Healing whom he will be working with in his new part time position as head of Scripture use department in Cameroon.

Now step 1: Passport renewal for the kids.
Unfortunately children under 16 must get their passport renewed every 5 years. Our kids' passports expire in August.  Even though we should be in Cameroon by then, most countries don't allow you in if there is not at least 6 months left before they expire.

So, time for paper work.  The first of many forms~

And for an update on the rest of life....

Ben was a wrestler this year.

We went to Sewanee for our niece Elizabeth and Neil Raman's wedding.

The boys may or may not have been up to mischief 

We got to stay at Aunt Maureen and Uncle Jeff's home
and play cards with cousin Paisley and Aunt Marie

One good snow in January~

The ice won't break mom....

My kitchen help hard at work~

 And going to the Sadie Hawkin's dance

My mom packed up the family china to give to my sister and me in preparation for her moving to Florida (sometime after we go back to Cameroon).

I took a walk by our local LOVE sign~

 Beautiful sunsets

 Kristin tried on my mom's wedding dress. It's 50 years old!

Our church did a paint/craft/game night. FUN~

Chris met up with old friends in Dallas.

Chris and Cathy smile to say hello from Dallas

Thank you for reading!

Please continue to pray as we will be traveling a bit this spring.  We hope to go to 4 churches in NC, a wedding in Raleigh, and a church in Jacksonville, FL. We also need to visit a few more college campuses for Noah.

We still need about $1,600/month and more prayer partners before we return to Cameroon.

Chris will be in North Africa for a Scripture songwriting workshop and The Netherlands for a conference leaving March 18 - April 7.  Please pray for safe and fruitful journeys.  May God be glorified in all his work.