A Month and a Day!

It has been a month and a day since we arrived here in Coshocton, and you'll know from our last few blog posts that we have been pretty busy during that time setting ourselves up with everything needed for day to day life. It is amazing how much you take for granted when you have years to build up to it! Having to find and furnish a home, pass your driving test, buy a car, find a church, make new friends, adjust to a new culture, and get used to a whole new lifestyle doesn't usualy all happen in a month!

Well, you will be pleased to hear that we really feel like we are getting there! Life is starting to settle back into a routine for us now that we have moved into our home. Driving on the "wrong" side of the road, now feels normal. Walmart doesn't feel so huge, and we are filling our car up with "gas" not petrol!

This last week we have taken advantage on being pretty much on top of things to just have a bit of a relax together as a family. The weather took a bit of a milder turn at the end of last week, the dusting of snow that had been lingering melted away, and the kids were able to spend a bit more time playing outside. There is a little bit of decking outside our living room which lets them get out and about, but still keeps them penned in a bit! Matthew is ever the explorer, and very few gardens out here have fences, so having some way of restraining him is good!! The wife of the pastor at our new church was good enough to lend us some toys for Abi and Matthew, including a little kitchen with pots, pans and plates. The good weather gave them a great opportunity to treat Teddy to a bit of al-fresco dining on the decking!

Saying Grace with teddy...

Being a bit more settled, Heather is back in the kitchen doing what she does! We both promised ourselves we would watch the waistlines when we moved over here, but I'm afraid I married far too good a cook!! Translating all the recipes into American measurements, and sussing out a new oven, mean that we are trying out all sorts of old favourites again. Today it was bread - the first one wasn't quite right, so try, try and try again... very nice!

Fresh from the baker!!

We had a bit of a Christmas get together on Saturday night with the other staff, trainees and families from MMS. It was a really good chance for us to meet up with everyone again, catch up with friends we already know and get to know some other people a bit better. Heather played piano with Paul leading everyone through a few carols, then Dwight (MMS's CEO) shared a few thoughts on Christmas and what it really means. We then spent a bit more time socialising before everyone headed off home again. It was a really good evening - thanks to Dale and Deborah for opening up their home to such a large invasion! I would love to share a few pictures from the night, but we had to go on a hunt around Coshocton for Matthew's shoes before the party (a long story for another time!!), and in the chaos, the camera stayed firmly in the drawer at home!

This week I'm set to do my first bit of MMS work! I won't actually be starting in the hanger until 3rd January, after the Christmas break has passed, but before starting I will have to go through an orientation on all of the MMS manuals, systems, policies and procedures, a bit of a safety induction and a few other pre-start formalities. Some of the orientation will also involve Heather, so tomorrow Keith and Karen will be coming to our home to spend the day running through the books. We had tried a few options for childcare so that we could do the induction at the hanger, but nothing was working out, so we are doing things a bit differently (not like us...)! It will be good for me to get into this (even if parts of it will no doubt be a bit dry!!), and feel a bit more like I have started at MMS; Heather and the kids are busy finding their feet in their new lives here, and I will feel much more settled when I actually start at the hanger and begin doing what we came here to do!

Thanks for keeping up to date with our going's on - we really do appreciate all of your thoughts, prayers and support as we carry on working for MAF over here in Ohio.

Andy