Wrapping up a decade...

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It is after 11:00 pm December 31, which means 2019 is almost finished, and I still haven't written our annual letter. I started a few times earlier this month, but at that time, the end of the year still seemed so far away. There were a lot of things that were different for our family this year, but for the most part, different ended up being good!


Tyson and Jori began their home school adventure in January 2019 and wrapped up their last two courses the second week of December. Overall, the year went well, but it had its challenges. The curriculum we were using wasn't the best fit for us and that made for some added stress. However, we learned from these challenges and I am hopeful that the curriculum we chose for 2020 will be a big improvement. It was a big change having the kids around all the time. I am someone who needs my space and solitude and there were many times that I'd send the kids out with Darin to run errands just so I'd have some time alone.

Study Buddy

Hard at work!
While being together 7 days a week wasn't always awesome, I think we grew closer, learned more about each other and enjoyed a life that wasn't built around getting up and out the door early 5 days a week! I found that I really enjoyed knowing what the kids were learning and having the opportunity to talk to them about events in history or information they read in their science text. I also learned that I need to really chill out or our 2020 year is not going to be very fun. As one of my children said in a final reflection essay, "I didn't like it when my mom would yell at us or lose her temper and when she would always push us to do our work." The other child agreed with these sentiments. 

Too Cool For School Art Show!
Focused and totally engaged
Darin had another busy year of travel with Business Connect. In January he spent a week in Burundi, and in February he spent three weeks in Ghana and Kenya. He flew to Germany at the end of  May and went from there to Honduras. In November he drove to Lesotho for a week and then flew to Kenya later in the month for another week. In between these big trips were many days spent in Pretoria and Johannesburg as well as hours of every day on the phone or sending emails to people around the world. In just a few weeks he'll be heading out for a 3+ week trip to Thailand and Laos! I am super jealous, but hopefully will be making a trip with him later in 2020. In addition to his work with Business Connect, Darin continued working with Take Action and Busetsa in his "free time" He rounded out his year with being an amazing husband to 1, dad to 2, and friend to many.

Assessing water needs at rural schools in Burundi

In Kenya with Business Connect colleagues from the US and Rwanda

Training filter distributors in Ghana
Working hard in Honduras

A few days after Darin flew to Germany, the kids and I boarded a plane bound for the USA. We arrived in Oregon on the 3rd of June and were able to visit with my family, see one nephew graduate from high school and another get married before flying to Michigan and meeting up with Darin. We filled up the next week with cookouts, game nights, and catching up with friends before driving to Minnesota to be with Darin's family. We were able to join in on a family reunion, attend the wedding of Darin's aunt, spend time with Darin's Grandma and Grandpa, enjoy the Dutch Festival and visit with the lovely Miss O, who used to stay with us at Tshepo ya Bana. The kids each had a birthday while we were gone, with Tyson turning 15 and Jori 13. We arrived back in South Africa on the 19th of July, tired but full of memories.

Leaving on a jet plane

All of the Van Schepen cousins

Many of the Fey cousins

Reminiscing with Miss O
My folks were out in September/October and we enjoyed exploring a small corner of Botswana with them while they were here. We had the best house guest, Amo, with us for a good chunk of September, October and November. We are so thankful that this little nugget will be turning 9 on the 4th of January!! We are looking forward to more visits from family and framily in the new year, including Darin's mom and the "Edgerton ladies" sometime in March!

The gangs all here

Tyson on the canopy tour in Magaliesburg, South Africa

Rhino in Botswana

#besthouseguest

Nala, the Amo-sitter
The rest of our year was filled with swimming in our pool, catching snakes in our house, dealing with crazy weather and crazy utilities, and enjoying time together as a family. We are thankful for the care and provision that God has shown to our family and friends here and abroad over the last 12 months and look forward to walking with Him in whatever He has planned for our family in the year 2020!

Hanging out, waiting for the power to come back on

Swimming time

Warming up
Our flooded front yard

Collecting water to flush our toilets

Science!

Releasing the python we caught in our garage


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