Work and More

It's been a while since we've posted anything. Here are a few pictures of airplanes and kids. We're still having a good time, and are pretty comfortable with the place now. Enjoy the pics.


Here are the utterly savage German Shepherds that keep an eye on the place, Rora and Gyro, waiting for a ball to chase. Guess which one is smarter.




This is kind of the outskirts of Maseru proper, just below the airport and looking off toward the west, taken from the front yard of one of our pilots.




I love coming home from work, because Elijah and Tanner like to play outside before suppper. It's a blast! This is in our backyard.





Here I am in the "Old School" backshop with most of the landing gear components of a C206 arrayed before me. They've been stripped, cleaned, inspected, and are awaiting paint. The airplane is in for a 1000 hr inspection, which can be pretty detailed. And yes, that is genuine Alabama Crimson Tide headgear.



Cowling up after a post inspection runup.



This place is beautiful.



She's in for a 50 hour event.



And Elijah is at the age where he really enjoys visiting daddy at work, so he can find any standing water and splash through it.



Notice that the guys are wearing sweaters.... It can get cold and rainy here in a hurry.

More November Birthdays!

November is full of birthdays for our family. Last week Elijah and I (Dana) both celebrated our birthdays on Nov. 18th. Elijah turned 2, and I turned.....well, let's just say I'm 21 and holding!! ha!! We invited a few friends over and had a small party for Elijah. I made another cake from scratch (since some of the cake mixes here are around $7.00-US, not to mention the cost of icing). I also attempted a homeade icing recipe, that didn't turn out so well, but it tasted good.


A quick family photo before the birthday party begins!


Elijah with his presents and birthday cake!


Tanner, ready for the party to begin!


Happy 2nd Birthday to Elijah and Happy 37th Birthday to Dana!


Tanner and Elijah - best of buds (most of the time)!


Elijah, trying to blow out his candles!


Elijah opening some gifts.


He just loves this little dump truck he got!


I don't think it was meant to be ridden, but he has had a lot of fun riding it around the house!


Phil teaching Elijah how to pull the trigger on his toy gun he got.


Tanner was partied out! "Enough pictures, Mom!"


I had to put this one in. Tanner is learning to drink out of a sippy cup. He was definitely enjoying Elijah's milk here! He hasn't quite figured out how to close his mouth after getting a drink though! :)

Phil's Birthday & November Happenings

November has gotten off to a bang! We celebrated Phil's 35th birthday on the 4th. Here are just some miscellaneous pictures of our lives and what we have been doing. Phil continues to work Mon-Fri at the MAF Hangar and is just loving it. Being a mother has been my full-time job so far! :)


This is the 3 bedroom house that we are staying in while we are here - we're very blessed with this nice house and big yard!


Celebrating Phil's 35th Birthday! Elijah is more busy trying to taste the cake than looking at the camera!


Phil and Tanner outside getting some fresh air.


Elijah outside in our big front yard. He loves being able to run and play outside. Thankfully, the whole yard is fenced in!


Tanner smiling for the camera!


Tanner and Elijah playing in the house.


Our family. We met some friends for breakfast at a little restaurant called Living Life, over in Ladybrand, South Africa. Very neat place to eat and the food was amazing!


Phil standing beside an aloe vera plant. This is the biggest aloe vera plant I have ever seen!! If you got burned, there is enough plant to just take a bath in the juice!! ha!


Just a view overlooking part of the capital city of Maseru, where we live.

Phil's Work

Here are a few photos of my work here in Lesotho. I can be found every day at the hangar, maintaining the MAF Lesotho Flying Doctor Service aircraft.

Big doings here. Lunchtime at the hangar. Melvin and Joe man the Braai (South African BBQ). Lesotho Defense Force Bell 412 in the background.


Little Tanner getting a ride from Daddy. He's loving it.



Roger Clark, MAF Maintenance Specialist, shooting a coat of paint on some wheels.



Touthlane, a Lesotho national and a funny guy, working in the hangar. He had me convinced that python was a pretty standard meal around here.



Class 1 avation emergency. MAF requires helmets on pilots, and Christiaan couldn't get his visor up to get his helmet off. Roger steps to the rescue with the ol' Leatherman tool.



The front door of the hangar. The hangar will hold two Cessna 206 aircraft inside pretty easily.



A team has come in from the field, after spending a week out building a church and holding services.

Lesotho Missionary Ladies' Retreat

So, our 2nd weekend here, I was so fortunate to be able to attend a Ladies' Retreat, held at Wyndford Holiday Farm, over in South Africa. This was a retreat for all the lady missionaries in the country of Lesotho. There were about 30 ladies in attendance and it was a wonderful time to meet new people, enjoy some great food, be spiritually challenged, go hiking, and have a great time!
We enjoyed some beautiful scenery driving to and from the retreat!

Sign as you are entering Wyndford Holiday Farm. Thought this sign was so funny!

The view from the beautiful chapel we worshipped in and had a great devotional time.

More of the view outside the chapel. The scenery was breathtaking!

Me and my great friend Amanda.

The neat little place we had tea/coffee in every day at 11am and 4pm.

Some of the winning team after playing Pictionary one night! LOTS of fun!!!

More beautiful South African scenery!

We are here!!!

We have finally arrived in Africa! We started out last Wednesday (10/20/10), leaving from the Nashville airport. We flew from Nashville to Atlanta, and then had a nonstop flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg, South Africa. The boys did amazingly well, thanks to many people praying! :) We stayed 2 nights in Johannesburg, at the BIMS housing (Baptist International Missions). While here, we had some time to meet Mike and Sharol Shutts, who are the missionaries that we are replacing for 3 months. On Saturday morning, we then traveled approximately 5 hours down to Maseru, Lesotho, to our housing there. Although it rained and we had some wet luggage, we all made it just fine, but are still trying to get over our jetlag. We have a 6 hour time difference than EST. We have met some very nice missionaries, and everyone has been so welcoming and friendly. So far, we love Africa!!! Here are a few pictures to keep you all updated!
LOTS of luggage: At the Nashville airport with our 7 checked bags, 2 carry on bags, plus 2 car seats and a double stroller. ~I hope we have everything.... :)


Tanner's first plane ride.


Elijah - ready for this "big trip."


Tanner LOVED the taste of a Magnum Ice Cream bar -- something you can't find in the U.S.


Our family with Mike and Sharol Shutts, the missionaries we are temporarily replacing. It was so nice to be able to cross paths with them.


Our family with Justin and Amanda Honaker, another missionary family here. They were so kind to pick us up from the airport and drive us back to Lesotho. Such a great couple!


Tanner enjoying some beautiful South African weather.


Philip encouraging Elijah to "run off some of his energy" before getting in the car for a 5 hour drive to Lesotho.


One last quick family photo before leavening Johannesburg, South Africa.


Almost to Maseru (which is the capitol of Lesotho), where we are living.