The transition to Managua

I'm writing from Managua now.  There has been so much that has happened in the past month and a half that has not been documented or discussed on this blog, but here's a quick recap.

Many great times with family, including Cousins Caleb and Baby "Merryberry"

A special get-together with Good family and friends.  Here's a special 4-generation shot of mothers and daughters.

Visiting Grandma (Great-Grandma) and the chickens as well.

 Grammy and Grampop let the kids play with their time-tested toys in the basement.

 New fun with a tag-along bike approach.  Here's Grandpa's action shot.

 Cousins playing football. These pictures aren't entirely in order.

Many days (weeks!)  spent in this room for Orientation and the Leadership Seminar. Lots of amazing people make up the organization and work that is MCC (employees, service workers, (inter)national staff, volunteers, partners, etc.)

Sharing gifts with grandparents on the evening before the flight.

Lia's very special locket with Grandmas and Grandpas inside.  Silas might be searching through the grass for his similar keychain locket that he was throwing in the air.

We enjoyed getting some exercise at this escalator where the "up" side was out of service.  We rode down and climbed up an innumerable amount of times. 

I wasn't sure how the kids would feel about the airplane.  It turned out that it was a thrill for them.  So were all the other ways of moving during the day including the moving sidewalks and shuttle trains (and again, the escalators).

And finally one from Managua today.  Today included lots of unpacking and organizing, our first visit to meet the good people at the MCC office, a grocery run, a potential-school visit, swings and playground activity, and reuniting with toys and books that have been packed away over the last month.  Here's today's solution (a new tradition?) to life without a dishwasher. Thanks to Immanuel Mennonite Church potlucks for training them well!