As service missionaries, we are able to return to the United States to visit our children. It has worked out to be about 3 times a year... spring, summer and Christmas. For our spring visit, we were scheduled to be gone for 19 days and to return on May 11th. To make a long story short, due to potential political violence, we received word that we should not try to come home for another week. (It was reported that 14 people were killed in Kinshasa on the 10th, near the road from the airport.) On Easter Sunday, the 16th) we flew to Chicago and checked our bags in to go to Paris, our next stop on the way to the Congo. We rented a car and went to a Sacrament Meeting. When I checked my messages after the meeting, there was a message from Alan Rudolph (our director in Special Projects, for the church) saying that he agreed with Stan (the owner of the construction company who is building the temple) and we should not return to the Congo for a "few" weeks. Wow! We got our bags back from the Paris flight and switched to return to Raleigh-Durham and make new plans.
We had a marvelous time playing with our kids and grandchildren for the time we were home. We were able to visit all 6 families, in 5 different states. (Char & Lani in North Carolina, Chuck in Virginia, Mitzi in Utah, Tiffany in California and Amy in Alaska.) Highlights included:
Attending general conference with two of our granddaughters, Zetta & Tara. (Mitzi's girls)
Brooklyn's Baptism... (We have missed attending 2 others this year, so we appreciated being able to be at this special occasion.)
A golfing trip to Saint George with Ed's brothers, Ernie & Ken... and their wives. We are very blessed to have these 2 couples as our dear friends!
Our first trip to Costa Rica... seeing the gorgeous country, golfing 72 holes in 2 days, and some great relaxation.
A last minute Eastern Caribbean Cruise with 2 of our daughters and their husbands, and Ed's brother Ernie and his wife, Linda.
We finally were cleared to come "home" to Kinshasa, the day after Lani returned home from the hospital. It was great to spend time with our kids... but it was also great to get back to build the temple!
We had a marvelous time playing with our kids and grandchildren for the time we were home. We were able to visit all 6 families, in 5 different states. (Char & Lani in North Carolina, Chuck in Virginia, Mitzi in Utah, Tiffany in California and Amy in Alaska.) Highlights included:
Attending general conference with two of our granddaughters, Zetta & Tara. (Mitzi's girls)
Brooklyn's Baptism... (We have missed attending 2 others this year, so we appreciated being able to be at this special occasion.)
A golfing trip to Saint George with Ed's brothers, Ernie & Ken... and their wives. We are very blessed to have these 2 couples as our dear friends!
Our first trip to Costa Rica... seeing the gorgeous country, golfing 72 holes in 2 days, and some great relaxation.
A last minute Eastern Caribbean Cruise with 2 of our daughters and their husbands, and Ed's brother Ernie and his wife, Linda.
But the highlight of the trip was being able to help Lani and her family during the birth of her 5th child... What a blessing to be "Grammy and Papa" and to be able to be there!
We finally were cleared to come "home" to Kinshasa, the day after Lani returned home from the hospital. It was great to spend time with our kids... but it was also great to get back to build the temple!
No comments:
Post a Comment