2014: The Last Quarter

October, November, & December went by so quickly. More quickly than I even had planned. We just wanted to give a little update on our lives these last three months.

October: We started the month apart - with Chandler & Kristen in South Africa & Trey headed to the US to start vacation. The girls then made a 16 hour flight {that is 16 hours… in the air… on the same plane… with a toddler!} to meet with Trey for vacation. We had a great time with family & friends - splitting our time between Pensacola & Panama City. We were even able to get in a FSU game while we were there.

November: We returned back to Benin to the end of rainy season and the beginning of dry & hot season. Thankfully we had a few more rains before it completely stopped. Our friend Anthony joined us for a few weeks in November. We, along with our supervisors and another colleague from West Africa, hosted an evangelism training for Baptist churches in 3 different cities. We traveled the furthest north we've ever traveled in Benin to Parakou. We ended the month with 2 Thanksgiving celebrations - first, at the US Ambassador's house and second, at our supervisor's house.

December: Based on our schedule, we thought this would be a slower month… at least until Christmas. Boy, were we wrong. The first two weeks we were just doing language. But then Trey got sick. He was sick enough for our IMB nurses & doctor to put him on the next flight out to get medical care in a better place. Kristen & Chandler went to spend time with Little Man and our friends in Sakété while Trey spent a week in Kenya getting all sorts of labs & tests done. He arrived back in Benin just 2 days before Christmas. We were thankful for a quick diagnosis! But it did change our Christmas plans a bit. We had planned to travel to Ghana & spend Christmas with colleagues there. Trey didn't get back in time for us to apply for the Ghana visas, so we changed our plans & spent Christmas in Sakété. We missed our friends in Ghana, but we couldn't have asked for a better Christmas. More to come about this in our next post! Trey then celebrated his 27th birthday at the beach! And we wrapped up 2014 with the loudest firecrackers we've ever heard {setting off firecrackers in-between a concrete wall & concrete house will do that}.

Here's to 2015 - a year that holds lots of anticipation, excitement, uncertainty, and faith.

Chandler Renee - three months & Owen Willis - one year

Today is a special day in our family, not only because Chandler is 3 months old, but because her cousin (our nephew) is one today!! We are so thankful that Owen entered this world one year ago today. We were in Vancouver at the time and patiently waiting his arrival announcement. One of the best things about being able to go to the states to have Chandler was meeting Owen. He wasn't too sure about Chandler in the beginning, but eventually warmed up to her. Happy Birthday, Owen!!

I am loving watching Chandler grow. This month has been a big one for her. We started using cloth diapers (check out BumGenius diapers!) and she loves to sit up in her bumbo. At 2.5 months, we got on a plane and moved back to Africa with her in tow. You wouldn't believe how much baggage a baby adds (ok, maybe you understand). Within 2 nights of landing, she had adjusted to the new time zone. She slept through the night here before we did. Chandler is really great with people. She doesn't mind being passed around and will give just about anyone a smile. She gets lots of attention here. I'm afraid of what will happen when she's back in the states and doesn't get that much attention. :)

This month she continues to roll over from front to back. She's started reaching for her toys on her bouncy & play mat. She's also started gnawing on her hands... which I read is NOT a sign of teething, but appropriate development for her age. Just yesterday while on her back on her play mat she rolled up on her right side. She's definitely strong! She's also started a real laugh that doesn't sound like a cough, but you may have to work for it.

Excited to get on an airplane!

First day in Africa

Chandler Renee

Having a baby made me a little MIA in the blogging world. Not because she's a difficult baby, but mainly because when she's napping I just like to stare at her :) We became proud parents on March 13th after a long day of inducing labor. The doctor didn't think she would be born on that day, but instead early the next morning. I told him she had to be born on the 13th because then she would have a cool birthday! (3/13/13 - I mean, isn't that cool!?) Later someone pointed out that if she was born the next day it would be Pi day... you remember from high school, 3.14?! Anyway, about 10 pm on the 13th Chandler decided it was time. She was born at 10:52 pm weighing 8 lbs 5 oz and 20.5 inches long. We fell in love with her immediately! The first thing I said when I saw her was, "Awww, she's cute!" Like I was surprised that she was actually cute, ha!

We have been completely blessed by this little girl. She's a wonderful baby. At first, we knew she was pretty easy, but over and over again people kept telling us we had an easy baby and telling us their stories of their "difficult" babies. That's when we knew we had it good! Hopefully she won't be the complete opposite in her teen years :) Our parents and family and friends here cannot get enough of her - like us! We've found that people don't care to see us anymore, just her. I'm sure I'll have more stories and pictures to post, but for the time being, here's some of her first pictures (because I've taken probably 500 in the last 3 weeks). As you'll see below she's got lots of family & friends that love her so much! These pictures are from our short time in the hospital & as she met the rest of the family throughout her first week! There are so many others who have met & held her, and of course, I took a picture with each person :)

first family picture 

with BB

with gramps

with the grandfather who hasn't
decided what she'll call him!

uncle allen

aunt kristen

aunt ashley & owen

with leslee

with cyndale

great aunt lisa

great uncle brian & brianna

with mrs. debra

great-great aunt frances

with anna

with maria

great aunt carla

nana (great grandmother)

papa (great grandfather)