It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

It feels like Christmas is here!   Lindsay (daughter) and Sherlynn (niece) arrived last night to spend the Christmas week with us!  We couldn't be more excited to have them.  Moussa, our faithful taxi man, as well as #16 baggage boy were thrilled to welcome them with us.

 It was a long trip and they were exhausted last night, but isn't it about time for them to get up this morning????  We have so many people to see and places to go.  But since it's only 6am, I guess I'll let them sleep a bit more...just a bit!

Our family is a bit scattered this Christmas.  Erika and Kyle are in Kansas and just made the trip up to Bird City to see Grandma Dorsch (she's actually living in St. Francis now). I love this picture they sent us.

Andrew is in France with the newlyweds.  He is still on a high with getting to fly business class all the way.  He has been regaling us with stories of his experiences.

And Lindsay and Sherlynn are here with us.  What joy!

We had some late evening company so Sherlynn learned quickly how to attach a "pagne" (wrap around skirt).

More tomorrow after today's adventures.

Two Wedding Celebrations

What a fun week we were having!  The Kansas Wedding Day had finally arrived.

 

 

Special Treat!  We got to celebrate a second time in Rennes, France with Joel and Melissa's friends.  After a rainy week, it was a gorgeous day.

We forgot our blow dryer so Erika was filling in! 

We started the day out at the hairdressers.

After the ceremony, a reception was held outdoors. 

Missed Andrew at the French wedding

 

At 7pm, the dinner was served.  The little "hut bells" were a special touch from Niger. 

 

 We loved visiting with friends that came from a distance (at both weddings).  We were also incredibly grateful for all the help from so many people.  We couldn't have done it without them.

The weddings are over and we are back in Niamey, Niger...looking for new happenings on Mulberry Street.

                                                                                       (Photos courtesy of Jean LaCombe, Cassie Allen, Nathan Kellum.)

The Wedding Week

The anticipated wedding week  arrived and WE WERE READY!

1016 meatballs were made and in the freezer,     

the flowers were planted and growing,

the lawns were mowed and re-mowed to look perfect

and Command Central was full of "to-do lists."

Our first guests arrived from France on Monday night of the wedding week and the next few days were filled with airport runs and lots of visiting and more wedding details, of course.  

Andrew and Joel did their share of work as well.  With a bit of  exaggerated drama, of course.

Tuesday night was the wiener roast in the ole tree stump turned fire-pit. A first for many.  Seating was straw bales from the barn.

Wednesday  morning several awakened early to make a special appearance in Lindsay's French classroom while others went shopping.  Wednesday evening was the "Farm Tour" with Cousin Jon. What a fun time!

Checking out my brother's hog farm

Learning all about soybeans

  

The beautiful moment when Cousin Jon gave his cousin (the bride) a beautiful bouquet of sunflowers.

Exploring the cattle farm (at another brother's house)

        Thursday night was wedding rehearsal and then a good ole barbecue at our house with 60 friends and family.  The wind calmed down, the yard was beautifully decorated and we celebrated.
My sister and her husband and two daughters grilled the hamburgers, put the food together and decorated the tables.

(Thanks, Nathan, for the photo.)

The Summer of 2015 Part 1

For months I've been anticipating the activities of The Summer of 2015 and now they are mostly history and I'm enjoying the memories.  There have been so many momentous occasions that I will post in segments.

Leaving the heat of Niamey on July 13 was soooo welcome. Leaving Tom there for a couple more weeks was not so nice.  My first stop was in Paris where I met up with Melissa and Joel.  Melissa and I were continuing to the States together but first we got to celebrate Bastille Day in Paris touring the gardens at Versailles.  Lovely. Huge. We walked for hours.  Amazing fountains and sculptures. 

Melissa and I flew together to Kansas, starting the first of many "to-do" lists.

But before too much serious work was done, we had a Girl's Weekend in Kansas City, planned by Lindsay and Erika.  Lots of laughing, talking and other activities made the hours fly by.

The next week Tom arrived and we made a quick trip to Bird City to visit Mom.  It coincided with Bird City's annual Thresher Show, which meant visiting with lots of friends and seeing the old style farming.

Uncle Normie demonstrated the old threshing machine.

Pleasant memories came crowding back when Tom climbed up on this tractor that he used to drive...not that long ago! 

The next weekend found us in Minneapolis for a get-away weekend with Andrew.  Lindsay came along and we were treated to an incredible stay in a lodge in Two Harbors.  It was a bit chilly for these "Africans", but the fresh, cool air was rejuvenating.

Andrew's favorite game from years gone by.  If you've never played it, you are missing out!  

The mornings contest:  "Who can keep their feet in the icy water for 1 minute?"

What was so painfully cold for Tom and Lindsay, was apparently not the same for Ando! 

In between the travels the pre-wedding work was moving right along.  Next post:  Pre-Wedding!