Invaded!

Sorry to the team members who just arrived, but I feel like we've been invaded! We had a team fly in on Thursday, though they didn't actually arrive until last night, due to multiple delays with the trail. The team consists of one girl and 4 guys, so now we have 6 single guys living in our house! (Including Michael, who has been here off and on the whole time, and Julian, Jere's cousin, who came with the last team and will be staying till February.) It was rainy when they came up the trail yesterday, so last night it seemed like there was mud everywhere! This morning when I got up I felt like I'd been transported to a bachelors' pad--dirty clothes on the floor in the bathroom and kitchen, suitcases, jackets, and a tool belt strewn hither and yon, welding rods and other shop things piled onto the table--wow. I won't dare go peek into their rooms! My dear husband cleaned up a lot of the mess while I started breakfast and laundry. . . Then Leanna proceeded to unload a duffel bag, and when stopped from that proceeding attmepted to relieve a tote of its contents. Guess guys just aren't used to thinking about little people and wondering fingers! :-) But all that aside, it is a lot of fun having more people around again even if it is a little overwhelming sometimes.

And before I forget, we went up to Rhonda's children's home again last night for the last time. Thankfully the rain had stopped by the time we left, but oh, was the trail ever MUDDY! We were all thankful for a driver who knew how to handle bigger rigs on slippery roads--Jere did a great job wiggling through with minimal traction between rock outcroppings on one side and sheer drop offs on the other, in the Land Cruiser that is harder to control than the faithful UTV's we often take. Too many people this time! We had a lovely time once we got there, though the highlight of it all was when we got out the glow sticks that we'd brought along and passed them out to the all the children. They happily ran out into the dark and played till we were ready to head back "home".

And, we are preparing for our trip back home. . . I'm working at our laundry today, hoping I can get it dry before it's time to pack. It looked like rain for awhile, but the sun came back out in force--and for once I'm thankful to be hot! Tonight we're having a birthday party for the little girls--though their birthdays aren't till the 15th, it seemed a shame to ignore that they WERE born on the same day, only a couple hours apart. Plus I think the folks here are ready to taste some ice cream again, and this makes a good excuse! ;-) So today and tomorrow the packing goes on, and Wednesday afternoon we are, Lord willing, planning to head out from here. Thursday afternoon we plan to fly home--arriving sometime in the wee hours of the morning Friday, I'm assuming. The next couple of days will be busy ones. . .

. . . so, adios till we get home to Wisconsin again! We're looking forward to seeing many of you, and having phones to call people again!