March 13th had finally arrived. We were off. Leaving the girls behind in school and with friends, the rest of us headed for Nakuru, three hours away. There we were graciously served supper by Winfred and Debbie and put up in the guest quarters for the night.
  Tuesday before daybreak we left on the next three hour stretch for Nairobi. About half way there we stopped for some breakfast but the place wasn't open yet, then as we got into the city we sat and sat in traffic. The boys entertained themselves some by waving to other travelers. At one point a bus drove so close, Joey literally high-fived with the driver ! Piki-pikis weaved in and out of the slower vehicles and the boys waved or high-fived those drivers.
  Finally after a late breakfast, a little shopping, and more road time we got to Hampton House, a nice hotel especially geared  towards missionaries. We relaxed there awhile and Jake and Mahlon took a piki to do some vehicle shopping. We treated ourselves to supper at a Dominoes Pizza and Cold Stone Creamery. Cleaned up back at the hotel and at LONG LAST we were headed to the airport. There we had another long way and snoozed in the van but then..there they were! Caleb, Janelle, and little Luke Ramer from our home church in WI !! It was absolutely Wonderful to visit with "home folks" again.
 The next morning after breakfast at Java House we headed another 4-5? hours to the Masai Mara. I was a bit dubious when Jake decided to try a short cut but it proved an interesting ride on a bumpy

Savannah Sunrise /zebra

Lioness getting a drink after feasting on wildebeest

dirt road and got us where we needed to be. The Mara was enjoyable and I was delighted to get to see the leopard this time. such a beautiful creature!

I think this means "no open flame" :)

We got home from the Mara Friday evening and enjoyed a birthday party at Joe Allens for Tiffany who was turning 3. Saturday we did a little shopping, took a tuk-tuk ride, ate out, and did laundry.

Fabric anyone?

We enjoyed introducing Calebs to our church people on Sunday. That evening there was a service and supper at Gerold Millers. Janelle and I mostly went for the food afterwards.
 Monday we piled in the van once more.

Let's just pretend they looked this lovely and pleasant the whole 6-7 hours till we reached our destination :)

It's right about 2 hours to the Ugandan border where we had a wearying time of it. We didn't have the log book for the van among other things and ended up sitting around there for nearly three hours. The food we bought was supposedly edible. Our family shared one plate of food and left most of it on there. From the border we had another 2 hours to the Nationwide mission close to Jinga. We were happy to see Caleb's sister Lois there. The next day we visited their Lamp n Light office, and did touristy shopping. Poor Joshua wasn't feeling well and had bad ear ache or infection but was a real trooper thu it all. In the evening we got to see the school and church and eat supper with another missionary family.
 I was terribly disappointed to miss getting to see my brother Marlin who was on a mission trip about 2 hours from there but with sick children I was ready to head home, which we did after breakfast Wednesday. Thankfully getting back into Kenya was much faster than leaving it, and we made it through the border in less than an hour. Before reaching home we stopped at the doctors office and got some meds for Joshua and stuff for the infection Joey had under 2 finger nails. (yeah, it was sorta weird).
 Since then we've been enjoying a slightly slower pace.

How can we have a 9 year old already?

 (these girls are blessed to be friends. They are from Virginia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Tennessee )

Jennifers Gardens where the men n boys from the compound went camping last week.

Just playing around on daddy's piki-piki

with Lois Ramer where she lives

Joey, Tiffany, and Mahlon trying to be real "African" I guess