To Africa and back.... And back again!

A lot has happened since my last blog post. Nathan was in Africa during Christmas so it was that was hard. Owen, Riley, and I spent the week before Christmas in Austin with our family! We had so much fun! Owen and Riley got ton see the Zilker Christmas tree where Uncle Moomoo and Lala got O a surprise... A light saber!!! Needless to say he was super excited. He cleared out a good 10' radius around himself swinging it! Great fun!

Then we were back in Richmond for Christmas day. Nathan got to see the kids open their gifts from Santa using FaceTime. It was awesome! My parents, Grammi and Cody joined us at the house. Next stop was my parents' lake house on Lake Livingston. Lee, Ashley and Kara met us there where we all had a blast!
December 28th I headed to Luanda. I had never been and wasn't too sure of what to expect. The city was overwhelming. Our drive to the hotel seemed dangerous for all the people walking dodging traffic selling their goods. I came to realize that the people do this everywhere. The women are amazing! Most carry a baby on their back with a huge load on their heads. It is phenomenal the different things they can carry!

The poverty in the city versus the wealthy is extreme. There are so many people literally surviving everyday in hopes of clean water and food. But you see these same adults and children laughing and playing. There's quite a lesson to be learned from them. Here's an interesting article from BBC. It explains Luanda.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16815605

We were unable to visit the Schlumberger compound in Luanda Sul until day 6 of my visit. Days 1-5 were spent crying unable to imagine our life here. It just couldn't picture how we would even call the city home for our family. Once we got to the compound and saw our house, every negative feeling about moving settled. I knew we would get a little taste of home with a big backyard and community pool.
So with us actually moving, January became crunch time. Nathan and I had list upon list of things to get done. It has been a crazy busy month.

We were able to squeeze in a Going Away Party. It was fantastic! So many family members and friends were able to come and send us off with smiles and tears. We love you all! I painted a baobab tree with 4 monkeys in it. Our family and friends added all the leaves with their thumb prints. I can't wait to hang it in our new home!

We also got to have a mini birthday party for Mom and me. Grammi, Clair, Misty, Owen, Riley and Nathan helped us celebrate early. It was so fun!

Our flight date is upon us. I got a pedicure a few days ago and my big toe got infected.... Mom and I went to the emergency room right as the Super Bowl started. The doctor did a procedure.... Skipping on the details. It's hard to walk and hurts a ton. Talk about terrible timing!

We fly to Frankfurt, Germany tomorrow and land Thursday morning. Late Thursday we fly to Luanda and land on the 10th. I'll post pictures and an update as soon as I can!

Work rotations & Christmas don't mix...

Work rotations are no fun. Nathan flew back to Luanda yesterday. =( He will miss Christmas with us and I'm so sad about it. The thing that keeps my spirits up is that I don't have to wait 4 weeks for him to get home. I'm heading to Luanda after Christmas. We get to celebrate New Year's Eve together! Yeah!

The kids are getting really excited for Christmas! Owen mainly since Riley's still young. She definitely knows something fun and exciting is going on. They love the tree and decorations. Before Nathan left, we visited Santa. I love the pictures we got! The truly capture the experience this year.

Yesterday was Owen's school Christmas program, Happy Birthday Jesus. It was so adorable! We had lots of family (B, Grammi, Jido, Aunt Ashley and Kara) come for the play. Owen did fabulous and was such a character on stage. It was pretty apparent he was over the whole thing about 10 minutes in. But he sang and did the hand motions with everyone and did amazing!

We're gearing up for our big move to Luanda. We've had a few moving estimators come to the house and are working on a home for Lilly. I've been really emotional when it comes to her. She's a member of our little family and we're having to give her away. We think we found a wonderful home. We're meeting them tomorrow. Fingers crossed they are perfect! (And I don't lose it in front of them! Ugh!)

Thanksgiving 2011!

Thanksgiving was wonderful! We spent the holiday with family from here in Katy, San Antonio and Austin. We had quite a bit of driving but the kids were champs! We had SO many great pictures it was hard to pick for the collage but here's what I ended up with. 

Day 24

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

Psalm 95:2

Day 24: I am thankful for Thanksgiving Day. It gives us a reason to gather with family and enjoy each other! Thank you God for my family! 

Day 22

And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.

Isaiah 12:4-5

Day 22: I am thankful for the rain.

Day 21

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

Psalm 100:4

Day 21: I am thankful for the patience my husband shows me.

Today we were very busy! Since Nathan will be in Africa for Christmas, he wanted to set up the tree today. More days for him to enjoy it before he heads back. Typically he's COMPLETELY against doing ANY Christmas decorating before Thanksgiving. But with the timing of his rotation, WE PUT UP OUR TREE!

After 6 years of our artificial tree, it just couldn't make it through another Christmas. So we packed up and went to Target (best said with a French accent). We got a beautiful new artificial tree sans the artificially added scent you can buy.

I've never seen a kid more excited than Owen helping us set it up and put the ornaments on. He was absolutely a precious angel. Seeing things through a child's eyes is such a spirit-lifter. Riley joined in on the fun after her nap. She mainly wants to take everything off the tree and bring it to us. She doesn't quite get that "uh-oh" doesn't apply when SHE's the one taking them off. It's really cute!

So Merry early Christmas to the Mery's! I'm thankful we get to share some of the Christmas spirit as a family before Nathan heads back to Luanda.... even if it's before Thanksgiving. =)

Day 20

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

Day 20: I am thankful for unanswered prayers. Sure we all immediately think of the Garth Brooks song... But if you stop and think of past prayers, I bet you're pretty thankful God didn't answer in the way YOU wanted.