Waaaaaaaay Behind on Blogging!!!

The months of November and December were complete whirlwinds, here in Africa! Thus, I am waaaaay behind on blogging! I am hoping to do some major catching up in the next couple of weeks, so keep checking back!

I know I am doing some backtracking, but we had a great American-style Thanksgiving here in Lesotho. We got together with other American missionaries/ex-pats (almost 50 people) and celebrated Thanksgiving eating turkey, dressing, and all the trimmings. The Peppers were so gracious to host the group, and since it is Spring/Summer here, we ate outside under a big tent. The day also included games, more food, great fellowship and even watching some American football! :)

The Thanksgiving spread! Lots of great food!

Eating some great American-style food!

Fun and games!

Talking and watching some American football!

Maseru United Chuch, where we attend. This is only one of about 3 churches that have English-speaking services in Maseru.

Inside Maseru United Church, very nice people.

BEGINNING DECEMBER

A quick family photo before church one Sunday.

Time for haircuts! Tanner is 10 months old and his hair has been really growing. It's hard to tell in the pictures just how long it was, but it was hanging over his ears! Elijah was overdue for a haircut too!

Tanner getting ready for his first haircut!

He did rather well, for it being the first time, and it looks better already!

Elijah, getting his hair cut. Suckers really help!! :)

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.