We started the first week of August in Albania. It was such a gift to have a week without programming (all programs go on hiatus in August). It allowed us to focus on finishing up so many necessary reports, backlogged office work, preliminary travel planning and medical appointments for the USA, prepping our home for an extended absence, and packing our bags for America.
We squeezed in extra fun times with folks we wouldn't get to see again for a while, like this game of laser tag! (below)
The day before leaving we made what we thought would be a final trip to the orthodontist. This was supposed to be Ellie's "before" pic, before the removal of her braces... but alas, no. The dentist was not happy with a small gap on her front left side of her bite so they will stay on another six months! After four years, we were ready for them to be finished. We will patiently wait a bit longer!
I always get a bit wistful before each transition, loving different aspects of the places we call "home." It was in one of those moments that I snapped the photo below. This time, I was loving the lush shade and privacy afforded by our grape arbor, knowing that when we return in January it will be just a few naked vines! I'm also hoping that our lemon tree is still living!
We only live about 20 minutes from the airport and with our busy summer of hosting guests have made more trips there than we can count. Imagine the stress and surprise when we encountered an hour-long delay in stopped traffic to get there!
What a relief to finally reach the airport, check-in and clear security! Below, Reni gives the 'thumbs-up' upon reaching the gate.
This trip home was quite unusual in that it was cheaper for us to leave mid-afternoon and overnight in Frankfurt rather than take the normal pre-dawn, same-day (back-to-back-flights) trip to Peoria. So we booked rooms at the airport hotel in Frankfurt and enjoyed a simple supper of sandwiches in our room. After all the stress to get out the door and finally reach the airport, a quiet evening in the hotel room was a nice treat. Of course, the kids had to get a pretzel too!
It was a breeze to walk from the hotel to our check-in for the Frankfurt-to-O'Hare flight. On the way, Ellie posed for a pic with Einstein. My mind must have already flown across the sea because I thought it was Mark Twain, lol!
We were met on the other side by my mom, Nathan's Dad, our two sisters, and our nephew, Elisha!
These angels (aka Joe and Judy B) welcomed us home the next day with fresh sweet corn from their farm!
Gigi treated the kids to Crumbl Cookie. Excuse Reni's lack of shirt. Mom can afford Crumbl Cookie treats because she refuses to run her AC, ha ha.
An American lunch worth photographing: BLTs, sweet corn, and Vernor's ginger ale.
It did our heart good to work at the farm! We wouldn't move into the farm house, though, until September.
Saturday morning found us wandering around Peoria's river front, starting with the Farmer's Market, then the Riverfront Museum and Caterpillar's visitor center to see our friends, Norm and Sue!
Sunday, after church, we visited Mom Waggoner's graveside and saw her newly-installed headstone. Dad did a wonderful job selecting a tasteful marker. It would eventually include a vase for holding flowers.
Mom really wanted us to enjoy her weekly summer tradition of attending a free band concert in the park.
We attended the last concert of the season, but it was sadly rained out before it concluded.
We LOVE going to the library when we are home. This summer we had to transfer our membership to Peoria as our permanent address moved with Mom and Hannah. The library is only two blocks from their apartment!
Ellie requested a pic since her shirt matched all the fall decor out for sale...
KENTUCKY
About a week after returning to the US, we hit the road for our first trip to Kentucky! We stopped over in Louisville to see some dear friends. Up first, Abby and her family! Abby came with us in 2013 to teach Ellie and Reni for their first year of school in Albania. Abby still teaches, though to high school students.
Next up, we saw Peter, who served on our student cabinet at Asbury. Now he's a medical doctor who takes regular medical mission trips to Brasil! We had a lovely time visiting while perusing the stacks at Barnes and Noble.
While in Kentucky, we stayed in the guestroom at the WGM center. James was so sweet to let the kids see their old bedrooms in the director's apartment. We were tickled to see that the light switch that Nathan installed for toddler-aged Reni was still in place and functional in his old bedroom!
Visits to Kentucky are a bit like getting to gorge on an all-you-can-eat friendship buffet.
Below, visiting Asburians, Skip and Sarah Little and family!
A Friday night pool party got rained out, but we still had a lovely visit at the Karenbauers!
Reunited with 2022 volunteer, Hannah R!
Saturday night missions night at First Alliance!
Sunday morning we were part of the missions weekend outreach fair. Sooo many good friends from 14 years of attending church here!
Reunion with 2022 volunteer #2, Mari Grace!
So much love and respect for these WGM colleagues who modeled missionary hospitality exceedingly well to us from their home in Hungary, long before we moved to Albania. (below)
What a fun surprise to meet the daughter of an old college friend! I needed no introduction -- I saw her face and immediately knew to whom she belonged!
One evening we were treated to dinner (our first taste of Chick-fil-A in 2 years!) over planning with DJ a spring visit from the FAC "Greenhouse" crew!
Of course, we had to reconnect with John again!
We shared at the first Global Cafe of the semester!
It was held outdoors, so we were thankful the rain held off! What a great group of university students!
Ellie really enjoyed walking around Asbury's campus. She was especially thrilled with the stacks and stacks of music books in the lirbary.
Posing next to the original Asbury building...
One afternoon we enjoyed coffee with these current and former WGM family/alum... they practice hospitality splendidly!
Another day we delivered the chapel message at Summit Christian Academy. Thank you for the invitation, Nathan Sharp!
We also checked out Wilmore's newest coffee shop, Drinklings.
It's also a treat to catch up with family. Below, Nathan's cousin, Paul -- along with his wife Cheryl, and her mother, the dear Mrs. Barker.
The kids also started classes online through The Potters School!
We are so grateful for this educational option that works with our unorthodox lifestyle! And the classes are academically rigorous!
And thus we wrapped up the month of August in Kentucky. We would return to our base in Illinois on the evening of September 1st, after an initial visit to Shriner's and a meeting to discuss options for Reni's next set of legs! (We will cover this next month!)
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