Update on Furlough

It's already mid- April and time is flying by!
I have been gimping along with my computer and finally the funds came for us to upgrade and get 500GB of memory! So now I can unload all my photos and share what we've been doing! Well, that isn't the whole truth...I'm a mom with 4 and chores and blah blah and haven't been able to blog! So here it goes!


We put the kids in a great public elementary school and the plan was to have them attend from the beginning of the year through about now. They are all doing amazing. Makenna is in 5th with a great teacher, who is also family friend and really who God used to encourage us enough to put the kids in! Maddy is in the 3rd and her teacher is also a wonderful gal and Nate is in Kindergarten and reading and writing and doing numbers. Many of the teachers at this school just love Jesus and have such a wonderful work atmosphere. We are truly blessed. The kids walk to and from school each day and it just blesses me each day they go to school and come home with much to say about their day. I am able to spend a lot of time with Hannah and my grandma as well. Also, I'm able to be the cheerleader for a season. It's all been a great eye opening experience for all.

Nate's Kindergarten Class

Nate and his teacher, Mrs. Kassab

Maddy, Makenna and Nate on their way to school in the snow

We have decided to stay until the kids finish school June 14th. In this time, Makenna has been a Kinder-buddy and helps in NAte's class. She's been chosen to eat lunch with the principal for doing great actions. Maddy as well was also honored to eat with the principal a few months back and has also been chosen as student of the week. Nate was also student of the week and enjoyed all the benefits including being line leader! I could not give them this kind of experience doing homeschool in Maribel on the river bank with a few houses. But the Lord knows what we all need!



Spring Break was an adventure as we headed up to Canada for the first time to see all our mission family and friends in BC. It was an amazing time and we were so welcomed everywhere we went. The weather was amazing and we all had a wonderful time! Clyde even got to be reunited with his uncle and cousin after 10 years!

Downtown Portland, Oregon

Kids sacked out to pass the time

Uncle Joe and Aunt Lola

Uncle Joe and Aunt Lola with family near Deception Pass in Washington State

Clyde and Uncle Joe

Deception Pass in Washington State

From the bridge at Deception Pass

Border Control Abbotsford, BC, Canada/Washington, USA

Trampoline Reunion with Bella Bergen

Bergen Reunions ARE ALWAYS a BLAST!!

Annika, Via and Bella with all our kids and our niece, Emilee! They had a great time dressings up!

Hansen, Bergen Reunion in Chilliwack after church on Sunday! Sun came out for us!!!

Janaea and Hannah meet after Hansens had returned to Canada! They were best of friends.

Familiar scene! We mission family are use to community! Watching movies and snacking!

On our way to Vancouver Island on the ferry to visit friends!

Nate officially initiated to Canada by stepping in Elk poo in our new friends yard!

The Reintjes Kids

Koos and Aubrey Reintjes, amazing sweet friends seeking God about serving in Brazil

Ross and Karen, Janaea, Rachel and Zach and Zeb!(with Hannah attached to Janaea!)

Sweet Sandy, who was given a CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH from cancer!!!!!

And her amazing hubby, Dan Thiessen!

Dinner with Larry and Anita Dekkoff

Clyde's cousin Graham, who he hasn't seen in 10 years.

Graham's kids and ours

On our return, Makenna and I had the opportunity to travel to Portland with her 5th grade class to the Portland Science Museum and Zoo. I hadn't been since I was her age so it was a blast to spend time with her. I was a chaperone and in charge of just 3 kids. We explored the Zoo and had a blast with the otters and were a yet sad to see the lions and polar bears so depressed. We spent several hours in the dripping rain going from one place to the next trying to stay dry! All in all, it was a lot of fun. Afterward we went to the science museum called OMSI and it was spectacular all the sites, the fun things to do and the staff was fabulous! We slept there along with several other schools. It was the busiest and most tiring 2 days I'd had. We watched a movie at the IMAX theater, karaoke(which was Makenna's favorite) and a submarine tour in the bay and the most amazing fetal development display with real human baby cadavers that were plasticized. It was amazing to see God's amazing artistry first hand. I have an inquiry into the museum to find out how they attained all those babies at each stage! I'm trusting they were donated after miscarriages or accidents.

My Group: Noah, Haley and Makenna! I had the best kids!

Lions in captivity...sniff, sniff! They are amazing though!

Mrs. Beck (left)and Mrs. Dennis(right), who is Makenna's teacher, being silly!

Sculptures from tiny legos!

Interpret this one for yourself!

I interpret as JESUS is the WAY!!!

Very emotional lego display

These are all yellow legos! I loved this one!

Pour out your heart!

Makenna's group along with many others from other schools learning about earthquakes

A very fun game similar to one we do in Brazil with our kids in ministry. This they applied the earthquake theme and helped the kids waste a bunch of energy! Thank you OMSI staff!!!

Karaoke at 10pm and the kids were still having fun! Makenna loved this part the best!

They sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

Some of Makenna's classmates posing after the submarine tour! We had a great time and we're ready to go home now!!!

Easter was a fun weekend for many reasons. We had Clyde's grand parents visit from Sunnyvale. Easter service outside on the best day of weather yet to GP since winter! Baptisms, family, hunts and plenty of food and candy to celebrate our Savior's resurrection!
It was Hannahs first time really hunt and be with all her cousins. It was fun to see her glow the entire day! Nate mentioned again that it was the "best day ever!!!' We bought the girls bibles with their names on them and Nate and Hannah each got devotionals we can read to them!

Preparing eggs the night before Easter

Clyde's grandparents came for Easter all the way from Sunnyvale, CA. It was amazing to see them!

After the hunt the kids enjoyed looking in their eggs to see the treasures inside!

Uncle Matt and Hannah have a special relationship! Matt is pastor of one of the larger churches in our area. He had an amazing message on Easter followed by a baptism! It was a glorious day!

Counsins from 3 families! Fun times! The weather was so amazing!!!