Trains, Planes, and Automobiles!

Trains...

Planes...

...and automobiles

Imagine taking enough trips in a year to travel by plane, train, and automobile all in the same year!  That is the kind of year it has been for us.  Beginning with last Christmas, when we flew to ND for deputation and vacation, followed by a summer trip by automobile to ND for more deputation.  Then an unplanned and spontaneous flight (in the Kodiak!) to ND, again, while Renae spent time with family and Tyler spent 11 days on the Kodiak touring the east coast. Then ending with our recent expedition, yet again, to ND on the train for the week of Thanksgiving to spend holiday time with my (Renae's) entire immediate family (which we were not able to see earlier in the summer).  Talk about being traveled out!  We are ready for a nice long break from traveling now as we settle back into our routine again in Spokane. 

We are so thankful that we were able to spend lots of time last week with my brother and his family, as well as seeing extended family for Thanksgiving, and sharing a Christmas celebration with all of my immediate family.  Unfortunately many of us shared in spreading the joy (or dread) of the stomach flu!  It managed to pass to most of the kids and some adults, making the trip a little less fun but just as memorable.  Poor Caleb caught it the morning we left on the train to come back to Spokane.  Oh the joys of catching throw-up while traveling on a train!

Here are some pictures of our time with family:

Caleb on the train with a bucket near by

Family picture

Everyone is helping with the puzzle

Renae's sister Andrea and Tyler's cousin Jonathan, who happen to be married :)

Renae's brother Ryan and Mindy with their twin girls Emma and Aubery

They all wanted to play piano

Aaron was happy to just standup and grin

All the little babies of the family, just missing the three older kids.

Today is Tyler's last day at Spokane Turbine Center.  Tomorrow (Friday) he will move his stuff out of his office there and transfer it over to Moody Aviation.  We are excited at this next step towards preparing to join MAF.  Tyler is tentatively schedule to take his technical evaluation (TE) with MAF in October of next year.  Please being praying with us that he would be able to adequately prepare for the test, and that God would overcome our burden to student debt so that we will not have that obstacle still in our way in a year.

Thank you so much for praying with us and sharing in our lives. 

holiday blessings (and hopefully not such a long wait until our next blog...)

the Schmidt's