We have spent the last month with the high anticipation of Christmas, seeing family, preparing for two long trips of travel, and making sure we are ready for our candidacy classes with MAF starting January 7.
Caleb looking out at the scenery on the train
We spent 20 hours on a train traveling to North Dakota to spend almost two weeks with Renae's family for Christmas. What can we say except that the boys LOVED the train so much it almost made Caleb cry to leave it. He continues to talk about the train ride, and when we ask him if he needs to go potty he says, "I already did on the train!". Let's hope it hasn't been 5 days since he last went! With lots of little toddlers around we enjoyed a cold but uplifting time in North Dakota. Renae's family continues to expand, with 8 grandkids already and two more on the way, there will soon be 10 kids and 8 adults! While we enjoyed lots of time playing with the kids, we also played many games as adults and enjoyed sweet fellowship.
Less than two days after we got home to Spokane on the train, we packed up (half our house it seems!) and drove to Nampa to spend the next 5 weeks here. We are enjoying our last vacation time with Tyler's family and soon will move into the MAF apartments for the next 4 weeks of candidacy. While we are excited about this next phase, there are a lot of transitions for us and the kids that we would appreciate your prayers for. Especially all the moving from house to house to the one-room apartment we'll be in soon, and also for the kids to adjust to not being with Mommy and Daddy all day for the next four weeks as we will be in classes. By the middle of January we should also find out where we will be going, and appreciate your prayers during this time while they examine all the candidates and pray about where to send us.
Opening gifts with the kids
Trying to get kids to pose is like herding cats, but we did get a good one
The Wissink family portrait
Caleb and Aaron hanging out in the stable
High chair row
A stable of Schmidt's
Playing our new card game "Dominion"
The whole Schmidt clan together for supper
Kids playing with Uncle Trevor and Aunt Kristen
No comments:
Post a Comment