Carol's guest blog and an update.

Happy New Year..it has been a few days since we blogged, so will start with New Years Eve.

We celebrated with some special foods and being together.  I don't think any of us were up to welcome the New Year in as many of us have head colds.

On New Years...we took a journey to Fort Drouet and the coffee plantation.

The coffee plantation building were probably built in the late 1700's and the Fort after that...both are really impressive.

The fact there are still walls standing after so many years...and one can only imagine what life was like back then.

To me it was just as impressive as the Citadel that we visited years ago.

 Seeing areas that had large ovens for coffee roasting, bread baking..structures that were large cisterns..walls indicating living area all at the coffee plantation and then a short hike up to the Fort.

One door opening was in the intact outer walls..spaces for windows and for guns, an ammo building...what a wonder.

We had a great time exploring and taking family and individual pictures.  It was all a photographer's dream.  It did give me thoughts about what things last in one's life.

 True, some of the structures that were built so long ago still stand...but no one who was alive then is here.

What a huge effort it must had taken to build the structures..time, physical strength, money..but   they are no longer important, their uses all just a part of history.

 But the people who lived back then...what of their eternity?

 I thought of all the things we put so much of our lives in achieving..but most of them are only temporary, not eternal.

When I gazed at the old ruins...I was amazed at what man had accomplished...but when I think of our heavenly Father, His creation, His great love, mercy and grace for us...I am humbled.

Carol

Kris- update: Asked a couple of the workers today how the mom and babies are doing and they reported that everyone is doing well.

Due to colds and eye infection we've not returned to visit the family.

House progress: 4 more glass panes in place.

One window ready for glass and frame pieces cut for a second window.

More rock cleaning, school work / essays, correspondence, cooking, and cow chasing.