Moving Part I

After 7 weeks of enjoying the Bontrager Hotel & Spa, we have packed our bags, loaded our boxes & ventured off down the street!

Many times we stood in "our" new house, wondering just when the time would come. And when it came how would we ever do all the details of daily living on our own!? We need the Ghana version of What-To-Do-When....:) Ron & Audrey are that guidebook for us. We are thankful!

We began moving Thursday. Many van & truckloads later, our furniture & things were unloaded at the correct address. Audrey can see floor tile again. :) She began preparations for two guests, Griner senior pastor John Yoder & Alfie Shrock, who are here to teach the pastors for 2 weeks. I know they will feel as welcome as we did.

A break between van loads. The children kept asking where we were going! This made our fourth "move" in 10 weeks. Whew!..enough for us.
Elle & Rory enjoying cinnamon toast & bananas for a first breakfast on the back porch of house #5. They were watching all the action outside. Friday & Saturday, workers doing concrete work, painting and driveway pavers arrive as early as 6:30 am & work til dark. Kofi the carpenter, John the painter, & Osei & Martha (home owners) were part of our moving in.
My back porch is an extension of my kitchen. I convinced the workers to leave this table for me...they thought I was slightly crazy. But I like it. I'm that predictable, folks. This table looks quite like one I owned in Pa. :)
While moving in, Carter, Max & Sirvanyos (sp?) enjoyed playing hide & seek and tag. Sirvanyos is Martha's son. He wanted to help me clean the pantry shelves. He did a good job, until he spied the biscuits. His eyes got big over jelly & drink mixes. All treats to a small Ghanaian.

Audrey, Arielle & Joy helped wipe windows, walls, kitchen cupboards & floors of concrete dust. Unlike American moving, we were unable to scrub until spotless & then unpack. Our goal was to leave it cleaner than when we started. There is still concrete dust being made, so clean is matter of perspective.
View from my kitchen window. Two guys were patching areas on top of the wall, Kofi was working in the kitchen til dark & Martha still had laundry on the line. :) That is the washline in the bottom right of the window.
Exploring the tree house bedroom! Boxes and bags aside, we are loving the view!
This is our Sunday morning breakfast. Chocolate chip pancakes, pineapple & mango. Due to sickness, it took this long for us all to be present at the table for a meal. And, I'm pleased to say, I did not clean any of it off the floor. A good thing. :)
On the 27th Rory turned 3 years old. My little sweet baby turned rough & tough little man...:) We are going to have a party with Jonathan & Juanita & others Friday night to listen to the Phillies opener. His cake is in the freezer til then.

We love that he isn't too big (or too hot!) to snuggle up.

He is pretty sure by wearing undies Mom means they go on top of his diaper! (Yes, training him is next. Elle is doing really well. One at a time. )

He is the one still asking the questions.

"Mom, when are we getting in the airplane to go to Ghana?"

"Rory, we are in Ghana."

" No, Mom, this is Audrey's house!"

Max says this is the best house we've ever had. Hmm, skateboarding in the house may have something to do with that.

I'm excited to post pictures from the front gate the whole way through the house. But it will have to wait. Like you, I'm starting my Monday with quite a list. Love to all of you!