We are blessed! I cannot tell you how good it feels at this very moment to be a part of a family (not just blood, but our spiritual family too), especially when I know they’ll always love us and never forget us even when we step on an airplane and travel across the ocean to a cluster of thousands of islands in Asia. Here are a few fun moments from our latest transition:
This is my Sunday small group, minus a few people. We didn’t usually look silly like this all of the time, but I feel like this picture represents their true, inner personalities which I love so much!
This is Kim taking a very active role in our cross-cultural training on a random Wednesday night. She brought in preserved eggs that she enjoys and made sure we tried them. It was interesting–honestly, it wasn’t bad, just not a flavor I grew up on! Now I won’t be as afraid of odd foods in the future, right?…well, maybe still a little.
Speaking of eggs, Payton requested a duck egg since his dad had told him they were good and you could eat them like scrambled eggs. Well, on my usual trips to the local Asian store, I’d seen them, so I told him I could get one. Well, “Duck Balut” is not the same as a regular egg. At the register she said, “You know this has baby inside, right?” Surprise, surprise. I bought it anyway. I was going to let Payton crack it open without telling him, but I finally told him and we all took it outside to have a look (I’ve heard of such things overseas, so I figured we needed to gain the experience). Kim’s 100 year old eggs (picture below) were tame in comparison to this little creature. It was not something I’d like to see again, so I’ll need to learn the word for fertilized, big duck egg really quick, so as not to order one up at a restaurant in the future!
These are guys Payton got to know through the basketball ministry and at church. Kevin’s hat adds a nice addition to Payton’s usual garb, don’t you think?
Felix and Jennifer took us out for some authentic cuisine–the guys finished the meal by sharing a flan and we shared tres leches.
It was amazing…especially the Tres Leches. Jennifer must have sensed my enjoyment because two giant cakes appeared at potluck the next evening–soooo good. I even smashed a piece into the cooler for the road.
And let’s not forget the family ritual of a campfire and singing which ended the final night before we left Michigan. 
Didn’t I say we were blessed? And I have about 60 more pictures to prove it, but I’ll refrain from slowing down your internet!
Great job on the website! I love it.