It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

And this year not just because it was Christmas, but because Eric’s family came to visit!

We filled up our days with 7 extra people: Joe and Diana (Eric’s parents) and Doug, Crista, Ella, Annabel and Charlotte Reaves (Eric’s sister and family).

Wow! How to cover what we did in 2 ½ weeks...

I will hit the highlights and low points...

Highlights:

Birthday parties- 2 of them! Cole turned 9 and Ella turned 8!

 

A “coming out” party! No, probably not what you are picturing! When boys are around 13-15 they get circumcised and go away to camp for a month, “coming out” as a man! It was filled with food, lots of waiting around, rain, speeches, cramming 70 people into a room and everyone eating stale cake off the same fork. Oh yeah, and trying to get home down a muddy hill in pouring rain. What could be more fun!?

                                                       Climbing Mt. Longanaut! (not the kids)

Christmas Caroling at the Hospital and a fun party.

Christmas Eve- climbing Mt. Motigo, yummy dinner, church and games!

Christmas Day- good food, gifts and relaxing and sledding on fake snow :)

 Bosto Children’s Home- going and putting on a Christmas fun program for kids in an orphanage

Safari!!!! No more needs to be said, except for some members of the family did not LOVE the fact that 6 lions were circling our jeep.

Dr. Joe and Dr. Crista going to work with Eric.

 Haircuts for all by Nana! (thanks Nana for that ministry to Tenwek!)

Going to Regina’s house to learn how to chop wood,  make ugali and cut sugarcane.

NYE homemade waffle cones, fun and games.

Going to dedicate the house that we mudded a month ago, so that Amos can move in!

Lots of game playing, laughing, reading, hiking, food prep, and fun!

Low points:

Discovering Crista’s passport was not valid for travel at the airport so she ALMOST didn’t get to come! Stress! Thankfully she was able to come one day late.

Doug tore his Achilles tendon the FIRST day they were here! :( Limping and not as much fun for Doug. 

Lost reservations at the Fairmont= almost NO safari.

Stomach bugs, bee stings, allergic reactions.

Torrential rains that got us stuck lots of places.

Flat tires. 

The good far outweighed the bad and we are so glad they were able to come! They were a huge blessing to us just by taking time to be with us and love us well. We miss them so much and look forward to seeing them again in 6 months!