Team Retreat and Departure

We are connected to the internet at our home. We are so thankful for this. Time to catch up on the blog.

Backing up...at the first of the year we had a team retreat at Pickwick Lake in Tennessee. It was a good time for us to be together as a team before leaving. We enjoyed planning and playing.




I found Ella like this on the sofa. She tends to get toys "caught" on her arms and legs, or in this case her face. She just lays there and waits on someone to rescue her.



Before the team retreat though, we had to say our goodbyes to Jason's family. We spent one last night in Austin celebrating the beginning of another year with them and the Kohl family. Ella learned to play UNO.




After the team retreat we spent a few days in Memphis. We stayed with "Aunt Kari" and savored a final meal at El Porton with cheese dip and said goodbye to the Kohlbacher boys...





January 7th finally came. We drove to Nashville and spent some time at Emily's parent's home. Several friends came by to say goodbye and then it was off to the airport. The emotions I felt that day are still hard to put into words. Even six weeks after our arrival in Australia, it still feels quite surreal that we are here in Wollongong.





Many have wondered how Ella Rhys travels. She does great. At five months she had flown ten times. On the flight from Los Angeles to Sydney (which is almost 14 hours nonstop), we had a bassinet that pulls down from the bulk head wall. This was a great help - letting Ella sleep and giving my arms a rest. We are so blessed with a great traveler. She also wins hearts as we travel around the world. There is nothing like seeing your daugther bring joy to people just by her sweet smile and innocent existence. Traveling to Australia with her at five months was good timing. I really believe that God in his goodness and wisdom allowed our funding and visa and all that to come together at just the right time. I know we will eventually travel with a more mobile Ella...but for this trip, I am just thankful she was still baby enough and immobile!

The journey begins. Heading to LA...


Waiting to get on the Qantas flight to Sydney. She has NO idea what is about to go down in her life!



And we made it.


Thank you God for safe travels, a happy traveling baby, family and friends who have let us go, prayer warriors and supporters making sacrifices for us to be here.