New Years Review

Happy start to what can only be described as a busy year for the Lind family.  So far, we are planning on living in three different countries and adding a new baby to the family…so, you know, we’re trying to sleep now, while we still can!

But, we rang in the New Year in true Lind fashion – without stopping!  We gathered first at our neighbor’s house across the street (from our regular house, versus the Christmas House, where we’re staying until Sunday), which also happens to be our pastor’s house, as they hosted a church dinner.  100 Congolese were counted as present, and we enjoyed the fellowship and the local food very much!

Our next stop was just next door, at the MAF house, where the Francis family was hosting the big party, inviting all of the missionaries in Kinshasa, plus a few other ex-pats.  It was also great fellowship, though this time in English, and such GOOD food from all over the world!

Finally, we (us and the Freys) gathered our sleeping children and headed back over to the Christmas house.  We were joined by a couple of bachelors (both real and geographical) who we know from our Bible study.  The guys all jumped in the pool, while Jocelyn and I had girl talk on lounge chairs and watched the bats dodge the banana trees.  The guys got out and we toasted to 2013 at midnight.  The single guys headed home, while the rest of us sprawled out in the living room (that is carpeted, which is a real treat here in Kinshasa) and turned on Pirates 3…and then we all fell asleep, some more quickly than others.  Matthew and I were able to wake long enough to head to bed after the credits.

Amelia rang in 2013 at 5:50am, but Matthew is quite the saint and got up with her…because my pregnancy symptom is definitely exhaustion.  Baby Ruth and Levi eventually woke the rest of us and Mr. Perky (Matthew) cooked us a fantastic breakfast of hot biscuits, bacon and eggs.  Shortly after, Nick got a call that one of the previous night’s bachelors (the geographical one) suddenly acquired a yacht on the Congo River for the day and needed some passengers.  Nick, Matthew and Levi enjoyed a day on the river, including a little restaurant that would take 2.5 hours to get to by road, but was quite convenient by river.  Levi did great and even got to drive the boat for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, back at the Christmas House, Jocelyn and I fretted over a cranky Amelia, who was refusing to nap, but also refusing to be functional.  She had her cute moments and is currently learning about two new words each day…not all of them English, mind you!  We also back-tracked and [re-]watched Pirates 3, followed by Pirates 2…which total took about 6 hours between the little girls’ needs.  Eventually, the men came home and the Freys departed.

What an excellent start to this busy year!