Memorial Day and changing things up.

Waiting for the Memorial Day Parade

The weather today was sunny, hot, cloudy, and a bit of rain. Good news, bad news, good feelings, sad feelings...a mixed up crazy kind of day.

We sent Memorial Day with family: Memorial Day Parade, hamburgers, swimming, and helping Eli.

Texted a bit with Cory around lunch. On seeing the fence parts yesterday he decided that it would be to heavy for our vehicle and he didn't want to risk damaging the Land Cruiser by taking a load up the mountain.

He now plans on planting only the plants and trees that he knows that cattle do not like. He will try to share a dump truck during the summer to get the fence up the mountain.

He could not get the supplies he wished for finishing the floor of the house but will 'make do'. He plans to head north early next week

We've totally enjoyed every moment with Eli over the last couple of weeks. Last night he applied to be a cabin leader at Camp Beechpoint. Today just after lunch he had a phone interview and shortly after 3:30 P.M. he was at camp joining in with the staff who started training yesterday.

We know that he will be a blessing and that the Lord will bless him for stepped outside of his comfort zone. He will take one week off the end of June to help with the Global Partners missionary kids while their parents attend Reequip training at IWU.

But we mourn the time that we will not get to spend with him.  This also means that I will be doing more driving than I've done in a very long time until Cory returns.

Smile hiding the chattering teeth...

We will be able to connect on weekends and look forward to hearing how the Lord is using and changing Eli. We are very proud.

I spend part of today contacting supporting churches. Added a couple visits to our schedule. Learned htat one of our long time supporting churches will sadly be closing in a few weeks. We will be praying for them.

Fritzlin did school early in the morning so that he could play with a wooden train set borrowed for the summer from his older cousins.

Anna finished up her math for the year! She plans on finishing up her reading tonight which is good timing as her diploma came in the mail today.

Now she can turn her focus toward preparing for Calvin in the fall and driver's education next week.




June 3     A.M.        Hudson Wesleyan        Hudson Mi           Sharing for 20 minutes in service.
June 3     P.M.         Liberty Bible               Pittsford MI          Sharing in the Evening Service.
June 10   A.M.        Woodside Wesleyan    Lake Ann, MI       Sharing in morning

Thankful. Happy Memorial Day Weekend.

Smile for the picture, NOT the weeding. 

After a delay of a day, Cory made it to Haiti on Wednesday and drove to Fauche.

Thursday he drove the loaded Land Cruiser up the mountain to Délice...I think along with at least one of his workers from Fauche.

He stayed in the new house and reports that it is dry!

Family fun.

The puppy vaccines remained cold during travel and Kono received her first dose.

Today he headed back down the mountain and headed to LaGonave.

Anna's space...and school. 

He called this afternoon to let us know he was able to jump on the Breezy Sea to travel to LaGonave.

He was ready to head out for a garden tour with JeanTinny, who had worked for us when we lived on LaGonave.

For the next couple days Cory will participate in the celebration of 50 years of ministry on LaGonave with WISH, before he heads back up to Délice.

Anna and Fritzlin continue to work on school.

Organization and sorting of family belongings also took place this week.

Reading for fun.

Time with family.

Spring weeding and bike riding.

I've added a few visits to our calendar, thankful for our partners and the opportunity to thank people in person, share about our ministry, and answer questions in person.

Enjoying some spring garage sales.

Planning on a Memorial Day parade and more family time.

Week in Michigan...Cory heading back.

First full week in Michigan.

Monday: Cory and Anna went shopping, while Fritzlin and I unpacked and started back to school.

Tuesday: School, office work, organization. We also visited the local library.

Wednesday: My first 'zoom' leadership meeting on line: two locations in the USA and two in Haiti.

Thursday: EXCITING!! We loaded up in the truck and headed to Calvin to move Eli back to Allegan for the summer. A bit of shopping before and afterward rounded out our day. We enjoyed tacos and ice cream to celebrate being back together again.

Friday:  We headed, once again, out to check out Eli's suit, custom made due to his tall, thin frame. Cory bought a phone-so we hope to connect daily during Cory's trip to Haiti. We returned to Allegan and spent some time with a niece and nephew.

Saturday: Cleaning, packing, preparing for our Sunday sharing time, sorting through items and getting everyone's space worked out.

Sunday: We headed to Kalamazoo to share at Lighthouse. We set up our table, shared a few minutes in both services, enjoyed hearing Global Partners teammates sharing about the work in Macedonia. We then shared in one of the adult Sunday school classes while Anna and Fritzlin headed to children's Sunday school. More family visiting in the afternoon and Fritzlin tried out a bike that Cory's folks brought him to use.

Monday: Cory is packed up and will leave soon for his first flight back to Haiti today. He plans to fly into Cap on Tuesday; spend a few days in the north before heading to Délice, and then on to LaGonave for the celebration of WISH's 50th. Due to his being gone and busy...no editing the blog before I post.

Retreat and Michigan

I Read and agree with someone who compaired area retreat with the atmosphere of family camp.

Spending the week both with the Global Partner's team from Haiti as well as Central and South America was good for all of us.

During the morning meetings for the adults, Anna and Fritzlin did crafts with the others and got to spend time with the other missionary kids in their age groups.  The adults attended meetings, country meetings, or workshops in the mornings.

Most afternoons included free time for fun or individual meetings. The last night we celebrated Fritzlin's adoption with ice cream.

We stayed an extra 1/2 day so that I, Kris, could complete 8 hours of leadership training.

Saturday we flew from Tampa to Philipdelphia and then on to Grand Rapids.

A few exciting moments when our descent for landing became a rapid acceleration to avoid a larger plane that we were too close to in the clouds.

Family greeted us at the airport and then we enjoyed a meal together at Cory's sister's house.

Sunday we once again gathered together, this time at my brother Todd's church to celebrate Mother's Day with both our moms as well as Fritzlin's baptism.

Today Cory and Anna headed out shopping for food, as well as for items that Cory needs for his return to Haiti next week.

Fritzlin and I worked on some school work, and unpacked. Fritzlin worked on Lego's while I completed some office work.

This week we will:

• Continue to connect with supporting churches to set up visits
• Work on a new routine
• Move Eli back to Allegan after he finishes finals on Thursday
• Collect needed items for Cory's Haiti trip
• Mail out new prayer cards to the supporters we will not likely not be visiting this year
• Visit the library
• Work on the garden

Pre-travel - Travels

Prior to leaving Délice we finished moving our household items to the new house, and did some major cleaning at the house we left.

Thankfully with the spring rains starting up we could do some laundry and mopping.

Monday we finished up these tasks along with packing for our trip to northern Haiti and the USA.

Tuesday morning we loaded up early and enjoyed the sunrise as we traveled down the mountain.

Anna's cat joined us on this trip as he will be staying at Fauche for the summer.

We made good time even with a couple short stops.

Jean Pierre helped us to set up a small party for Anna's friends to celebrate her graduation.

The timing worked out that the women's volleyball teams returned from nationals that same day.


The three teams came in first, second, and third in their age groups.

Cory visited the trees and gardens around campus before we headed to Children of the Promise to visit Fritzlin's last foster house.

We spent the afternoon reconnecting with the Hope House family.

 Cory and Anna did travel to Cap Haitian to pick up our Haitian residential paperwork that was flown from Port-au-Prince to Cap due to our having to wait 8 days after having our fingerprints taken at the police station.

Thankfully we receive the paperwork before heading to the airport!

Thursday we flew to the USA.

 You can read more about this on our adoption blog here.

Unfortunately  Fritzlin did not feel well all day.

We were all ready for bed by the time we reached our hotel in Ft. Myers.


Friday everyone enjoyed visiting ECHO as we connected with friends and Cory talked plants.

We showed the kids Cory's intern picture on the wall...Fritz was surprised that Dad looked 'like a kid'.

Friday night-Sunday morning we enjoyed time with Cory's Uncle and Aunt. Good food-Chinese buffet, burgers, ice cream! Swimming. Shopping at Good Will.

Sunday we surprised one of Kris' missionary aunts but showing up at Fellowship Community Church in Spring Hill before heading over to worship at Brooksville Wesleyan.

We enjoyed the park for the afternoon before returning to share in the evening service.

Always great to be able to thank people in person for their support of our family and ministry, as well as answering questions.

Good-byes for now.

A few peach palms from Costa Rica seed collected in '14 have flower buds!

Working on learning to swim