Home Sweet Home

We're back home! 

Our hearts are full. It had been such a long time since we'd seen our family and friends. This visit was just what we needed. Then, right before we left Oklahoma, we received a very nice invitation to the first Bible School for Christian Couples in Guam (and probably the last, since the schools are changing!). We are so excited and surprised at the same time!! Our 24 classmates (and friends) are all serving in islands in the Guam branch territory.  It starts in early February! 

Just Us Chickens

Our little family of girls turned into a big family of boys!

This is the first time since I left home that we've all been at an assembly together. What fun!

Mama and Daddy

Joanna and her boys

Bekah and Luis 

...and their boys

One of the highlights of the time in Oklahoma

Friends and family

All of us girls have known each other since we were very young. Now, most are raising kids that all love each other too. Within this group are kids that are learning or know Spanish, two are learning Chinese, two are applying for Bethel in short order. The sky's the limit! They are all so nice and special to us and their families.

Jimmy and Desiree

They were serving Matt and Tif's congregation the weekend we visited. They worked on the branch in Guam in 2005. They brought old photos of our congregation. It was so nice to meet them.

John and Maddy

She couldn't get enough of him all day. I think the feeling was mutual!

The boys

The City Is Still There, Just Where We Left It

Same old neighborhood, New view

Brother Wischuk, my dear friend from my first congregation in NYC

Tony, my first overseer at Bethel

Brother Wischuk reminded us that Cedarhurst congregation meetings were the night we were in Brooklyn, so we took a drive out there and surprised some of our old friends. I was in this congregation from 1990 till we got married in 1997. John got to be part of this congregation for one year.

Francois and Denide just made us come! They moved to Cedarhurst a few months before I did from a French congregation. Denide couldn't speak much English and I don't speak French, so we cooked together, went in service together and became close friends. It was so wonderful to spend a few hours with them. 

Jonathan, (JoJo) is their youngest son. He was about five when John joined me in Cedarhurst. He was the cutest little baby and growing boy. Now he is a ministerial servant and regular pioneer in the Creole congregation in NYC. He was so encouraging to us.

John met up with his dear friend and basketball buddy, Joe

Reggie and John go pretty far back in time together...

As does this group

Our nephew, Michael, is serving at Wallkill. He and his friends work in the bindery. That's where I used to work when it was in Brooklyn. Wow! So much has changed. We had a good time exchanging bindery stories. It is so amazing to see the amount of work done by fewer people, but the camaraderie is still the same.  

Brother Foster was the overseer of the bindery while I was there and he is still the overseer. It was so great to see him.

We were so encouraged by our visit with Bob and Randi.They are so busy in the ministry and at Wallkill. It was thrilling to hear of all the expansion and growth at Bethel.

And thanks for marrying us! 

There Were Lobsters in New Hampshire!

Lobster Mondays at Mom and Dad's

Mom and Dad, John and his sister, Valerie

Most everybody 

Mom passing on the card gene  

Nathan was baptized 

Here he is with his whole family. We were all so happy! The lovely lady is John's sister, Cristine.

We were there!!!! 

And so was the family! All of the rest of the family attended the same day at different Kingdom Halls. What a moment!!

  Look at us pumpkins

Dan and Cynthia (our niece) with their fast-moving kids

Dad and Justin 

Makayla 

At her Nepali class

She's 14. 

Makayla's class

Mom and Dad's backyard