To The Beach!

It was a huge treat to get to take a break between periods of chaos last week and go to the beach with our friends and teammates, the Henrys. Their family has been an amazing provision for ours the past two years. I've found a kindred spirit in Crystal, Emmy absolutely adores her best buddy PJ, Tim and Paul have become good friends, and even Asa and Calvin stop grabbing toys from each other long enough to have fun sometimes:). And not to forget "Baby Dell", as Asa calls little Adele, with whom he is completely infatuated. Yesterday he was composing music in her honor, hitting spoons together and chanting rhythmically, "Ba-by-Dell, Ba-by-Dell" (she wasn't here when this was happening, but she seems to be ever present in his thoughts!). It would be hard to overstate how much their friendship has meant to us as we've built a new life and new relationships here over the past two years. When we return from the U.S., they will soon be leaving for seminary, so this is truly the end of an era for us, but certainly not the end of our friendship.

Some snapshots of our time...

This was our homemade "sala" (Thai for a covered pavilion), providing much needed shade from the sun- made from a tarp, bamboo, and tree! We felt so native.

I'm not sure what he's doing- looking at an airplane?- but I love this picture!

There was lots of golf on the beach...

Almost 19 weeks now!
There's definitely something happening in there...

PJ and Emmy enjoying Ronald's company and waiting for an after-dinner ice cream treat.

Have I mentioned how much we're going to miss these friends? We love you, Henrys!