Maybe I’m off a day…day 30?  Really?  Who takes to the road for thirty days?  Thirty days with two small children?  Surely this is only for crazy people.  Actually, we met another couple staying here that is from the UK (England and Scotland, specifically) who are touring the country for three months to film bands…driving a Jeep Grand Wagoneer, complete with wooden panels.

Anyway, today we were basically at a stand still until Monday as far as reaching people and churches for follow up, so we spent today resting, trying to avoid a pending sickness (thanks, Levi) and seeing more of Santa Fe.  We visited the farmer’s and flea markets, did more downtown wandering, brought home lunch (yay Trader Joe’s!) and took long naps.

We did start to build a facebook page to coordinate with our website and blog…I’m so not tech savvy, so we’ll see how it goes.  It, too, will be called Alaska to Africa, of course, and its purpose would be a more public domain.  It was prompted because the hotel proprietor here thinks Amelia is so adorable and wants to put her on their facebook page (well, she said it about me too, but that is silly, I think).  She wanted to link to us and hopefully give us more traffic for our Africa mission, so we thought this might be a good idea.  I’ve been meaning to do it for a long time…but the thought of maintaining one more online presence annoys me.  Ah well, this is the 21st century.  Yay!

Tomorrow our current plan (and we all know how plans go) is to attend church here in Santa Fe at Christ Church, a PCA congregation.  After church we will set out on the road back to Tacoma.  Well, “start” meaning we have no idea when we’ll get there, but that’s our goal at this point.  We might do one more weekend on the road, but we’ll see how the week goes.

Tomorrow’s Goal: Moab, UT, home of this

After breakfast this morning we headed out to downtown Santa Fe to have a look around town.  We stopped by several adorable shops and had lunch at the same place we had it on the day we got into town.  It is awesome (Del Charro).    We also stopped by the church where we’ll be attending on Sunday to chat with the leadership there.

Matthew and the kids came back to the hotel for naps and I took off for laundry time.  We only packed enough clothes for about four days…and this is day five since I’ve last done laundry, so it was well overdue.  It was also only the second time in my life I’ve ever been in a laundromat.  I’m spoiled, I know.  Did you know that “our” house in Kin has a washer and dryer?  As long as there’s electircity, this should be wonderful!

After that, we got more work done for ministry partnership once we return to WA.  So busy!  We also got an updated financial sheet and budget, considering how our renting costs are half of what was originally budgeted.  We are just over 70%!  This is very impressive, but obviously we’re not done yet.  Are you on the fence?  Partner with us!

The weather here in Santa Fe has been warm and sunny, though each day we were supposed to get rain and snow.  We’ve loved getting to know the staff at this hotel both days during Levi’s naps.  This hotel and her owners have an amazing story.  The owner’s daughter has fallen in love with Amelia (of course!) and gave her some beautiful pink moccasins just because.  And, not to be left out, Levi got a really nifty arrowhead to wear around his neck.

Tomorrow: More good times in Santa Fe!

Picture post below!

So, about the house…we are still buzzing with excitement and nervousness.  Nervous because our program director in Kinshasa says the house is “ours” and that means we have an obligation and a deadline.  We now really need to be there in early April!  That’s only seven weeks away!  We are currently 67% of our financial goal – perhaps you can push us farther?  Back in Nampa they are looking at dates and crunching numbers and we very well may soon have an official leave date, or at least we may be able to get the visa process started.  This such an amazing whirlwind that is really hasn’t even sunk in yet!

We’ve also learned that this house is right near two other MAF families and we are so excited to have friends so close already!  While in many places, missionaries tend to live on a compound or similar situation, that is not the case in Kinshasa, so having other missionaries and ex-pats close by can be a real advantage!

Thank you for your prayers as we hope to make the rest of our time stateside quick.  Please consider supporting us and pray about what that might mean.  We would love to have you onboard!

And as for today, we spent most of it working hard to finalize contacts back in Washington for when we return from our road trip.  We also got caught up on a few things.  The day started out warm and sunny and we were able to wander around downtown Santa Fe after getting lunch at another local favorite.  By this evening, though, there were snow flurries and there is snow in the forecast for tonight!  Levi even got an excellent nap and is starting to feel better.

So, we hope to relax a bit tonight and get right back to work tomorrow!

Tomorrow: Friday marks four weeks on the road!

We are in Santa Fe, New Mexico!  But let me back up a bit…

On Monday, we drove all afternoon, taking a long stop for gas/diaper changes somewhere in western Oklahoma, and then late into the night until we reached Amarillo, Texas right in the middle of the panhandle.  We found a really neat cheap hotel.  Pictures are the only way to really convey it (maybe tomorrow’s post).  It would’ve been extraordinary in 1970…and hasn’t really been updated since.

We awoke to SNOW!  We had about an inch on car…our 65F and sunny streak was over.  Bummer.  It was nice while it lasted, but it seems ironic to break it in Texas.  We left around 11am and got into Santa Fe without stopping at 2pm (yay for crossing a time zone).  We drove around a bit to get our bearings, made some calls to some contacts, and found a hotel for the night.

Matthew headed out to a prayer meeting while I stayed in with the kids.  Levi had a great time just playing and being by himself.  Once Matthew came back (with some local food that was fantastic!) and we had eaten, Matthew and the kids took to the pool – something we’d been promising Levi.

We got to bed late, and it was another long night with Amelia since she has a runny nose just like her older brother.  We enjoyed a hot breakfast at the hotel and spent some time figuring out our next steps here in Santa Fe.  We have a few leads and contacts, but we’re also going to spend the time until Sunday finalizing contacts back in Washington for when we return, along with catching up on some things we’ve been letting slide while on the road.

To accomplish this best, we needed to be in one space for the rest of the week here in Santa Fe (we’ll be here through Sunday), so we spent the afternoon checking out local hotels and are quite proud of our choice.  The room is small, but very quaint.  It’s a local, family-run place, but has all of the amenities we thought might be important for a multi-night stay and we love the local decor!  Again, pictures in a later post.  We’re also five minutes within anything we could possibly want (I’ve already been to Target, ya’ll).

So, I’m completely assuming you’ve seen the post from earlier today written by Matthew about a new development in Kinshasa.  If not, scroll down and read it – it’s big news and will be a challenge.  We’re praying hard for the Lord’s will, but we really want this housing opportunity to work!  We have a timeline goal and we’re going to work hard to achieve it by seeking the Lord and His strength in every way!

Now, tonight, we are feeling moved in for the first time in nearly four weeks.  I unpacked as much as possible, bought some food for the mini fridge, and Matthew set up our projector, speakers and the computer and we split the computer screens – Netflix on one, this blog on the other.  21st Century multitasking!  I am really excited for our little space and the work we’ll accomplish over the next few days.  Please pray for us, for our strength to return as we stay in one place longer than just two nights, and for support to rapidly come in so that we can take advantage of what seems to be a perfect housing opportunity in Africa!

On a side note, a few of you have asked about what EXACTLY we’ll be doing in Africa, since I’ve apparently ignored that fact here on the blog…to answer that question I’ll direct you to our website: www.lindfamily.org and try to update the “About Us” section on the blog to be more specific.  I apologize for the lack of info in the meantime!

Tomorrow: Pictures!

What a whirlwind weekend!  So whirly that blogging got put on the back burner!  Saturday we slept in (yay!) and got ready for our next stop.  Well, it was more like a stop within a stop.  We took a bunch of things out of our overpacked car and only took what we’d need for an overnight.  The car felt so empty (though it still looked so full) and made for a bit of a nicer drive across Oklahoma.  We drove from just south of Miami, OK to Enid, OK.  We had a “bad” experience (sticker shock) in Illinois on the toll roads, so we decided to take the back roads and avoid paying more pricey tolls.  This way, too, we actually get to SEE the land we’re driving across.  Oklahoma is so pretty and seems frozen in time in some of the tiny towns.  Except for brand new Sonics…everywhere.  Many gas stations are closed, their prices still say $1.29/gal.  Back in the good ol’ days, right?  Anyway, we arrived in Enid and met Pastor Mark of Sovereign Grace Baptist Church at the hotel where they were hosting us for the night (the pastor’s house is currently undergoing renovations).

Our connection to Pastor Mark and his church is so fantastic.  Pastor Mark’s daughter married a man who, as a child, went to Matthew’s church when he was a kid and they were friends.  We were reconnected with that couple with they found themselves stationed at Fort Wainwright, just outside of Fairbanks, AK, while we lived there.  They are still there (well, he is currently deployed) and when she saw that we would be in Oklahoma, she contacted her dad and here we were!  Love it!  We checked into the hotel and Matthew spent the evening updating our slide presentation and redrafting a homily that he would be giving at the evening service.  The kids and I fell asleep…

In the morning we went over to the church and met the small congregation.  It was so fun to meet them and they were so welcoming.  They had been praying for us and our road trip and were so excited to meet us.  It was so neat to be welcomed in that way!  Matthew was able to spend a few minutes during the morning service introducing us and encouraging everyone to return that evening (despite some football game on TV) to hear about what we’d be doing in the DRC.

That afternoon we headed over to the pastor’s [temporary] home that he and his wife were sharing with their other daughter and her husband, who were also renovating their house.  We enjoyed a delicious meal and some great fellowship.  Levi had another tough day and didn’t end up taking a nap, which was a tough dilemma, but we powered through.  Matthew and I took turns with him outside enjoying the lovely sunshine and decent weather.

That evening Matthew gave his short message (he did a great job, by the way) ad then we spent the rest of the service talking about MAF, our mission, and our prayer and financial needs.  We also had the opportunity to take questions, which is great because we usually leave something important out.  We got to talk to more people one-on-one after the service and even got invited over for a brief meal and the chance to watch that football game at another member’s house.  We really enjoyed the further fellowship and the relaxing end of the long day.  And the food was great – think taco salad (or haystacks to some of you), except topped with coconut and pecans.  It was quite delicious and I would highly recommend it!

Then we hit the road back to the other side of Oklahoma.  The drive back was tough.  Levi couldn’t get comfortable enough to sleep and Amelia took forever to fall asleep.  However, we made it intact and practically crashed once we got back.

Thankfully, everyone slept in.  Matthew and I were up at 9am and Levi slept until almost 10!  Amelia, silly girl, is going through a growth spurt and could even not be feeling well like her big brother.  Either way, she hasn’t been sleeping well at night.  But, she doesn’t cry, just fusses and moves around.  For example, at the hotel, she and I were sharing one bed and she continually scooted over to be close to me and I continually had to move her back over to have some space.  Oh, and TODAY she is five months old!!  So big!

Today’s project was repacking.  Our sanity was starting to go as we were starting to drown in our car full of stuff.  So, we took advantage of the beautiful morning and Matthew took everything out of the car and repacked it, while I repacked our clothes and got a box of things ready to send home (hint hint, Mom) of things we’ve been given and things we haven’t been using and no longer have room for.  The car is once again organized for us!  Our sanity has been restored!  Okay, maybe not entirely.  🙂

So, where are we going next, and when are we going to be done?  Well, today we start to head west towards Santa Fe, NM.  We won’t arrive until tomorrow, though.  We hope to be there through Sunday.  Then, we will head back towards the Pacific Northwest over the week.  Nothing guaranteed, though, of course.

And, lastly, Levi.  While he is definitely feeling the fatigue of this trip, his mind continues to grow and he surprises us with what he’s learned.  The other day he used a sentence and I counted at least three prepositional phrases in it!  Amazing!  And, as I mentioned on facebook recently, he knows most of his letters, both capital and lower case.  We attribute most of this to his little Leapfrog Leaptop and lots of time in the car, but we have acquired flashcards and made it into a game.  Oh, Matthew just reminded me that last night, during the evening service, he was even drawing a few letters!  Crazy!

Next up: Driving across Oklahoma, Texas panhandle, and NM…

Today marks three weeks on the road!  We are…still on the road!  🙂

Our time in Oklahoma has been fun.  The highlight for today was meeting Matthew’s grandfather for the first time.  We first met him for ice cream (well, coffee for the adults), then we took a little drive to Fort Gibson, which dates back to 1824.  It was really neat to tour the fort and watch Levi run around.  Then we went out for lunch and got to know him a little better.  It was so sweet to see him with his great-grandchildren (the first he’s met!) – he was wonderful with them!

Tonight we hope to relax, catch up on some miscellaneous things, and prepare for more time on the road…especially considering that after Sunday our plans are completely up in the air!  Wheeee!

And now, pictures…

Passing the time last Sunday before church

The church in St. Louis where we presented our ministry in the morning...

Amelia and her toys...she is partial to her meerkat and his nose.

On the way to see the Arch in St. Louis

The base of the Arch

Levi showing his sister the Arch

Levi was being cranky, but I like to pretend it's his serious pose...under the Arch, of course!

Amelia passed out...but proof for later that we did take her!

Matthew and Levi in front of the okapi!

Okapi!

Molly is my (Lisa's) hero...it would take a long time to explain why...

Levi and Asher hanging out...

Levi in front of the Miami, OK courthouse (Miami pronounced my-aa-mah)

Naked baby in the driver's seat!!!

Matthew at Fort Gibson...appropriate.

Matthew and his grandpa, who is holding Amelia

At the fort...

Levi on yet another cannon, this one at Fort Gibson

Tomorrow: Off to Enid!

Levi seems mostly recovered and was in pretty good spirits today, so we’re pretty sure his awful behavior was actually some sort of bug.  Parenting oops…but how would we have known?  We took our time this morning getting ready to leave and Levi had a good time playing outside in the sun.  It’s been so fun being so warm!

We headed out just after noon, headed directly south to Oklahoma.  We took a stop in northeast Oklahoma, to a small town with some family history on Matthew’s side.  It was so interesting to visit one of the cemeteries there and see so many of Matthew’s relatives final resting places.

Then, it was just a short drive to our host’s house.  Levi had a grand time playing with trucks and being on his own and out of the car seat.  Amelia is still sweet and smiley as always.  We enjoyed a tasty home cooked meal and now we’re hoping to head to bed and get a good night sleep.  Last night was pretty long between Amelia’s constant need to eat and Levi’s incredible snoring.  Tonight we have our own room and Amelia has her own bed.

Tomorrow: Visiting, visiting, visiting…