America - part 2

(Mom, Cyrena, & Bob before heading off to work)

A bit of precious time with family.....

Amidst the work, I got to spend little bits and pieces of time with family. I did my best to grab pictures so I could show the kids once I got home. Thought I'd post them here, too, since we usually don't have the privilege to take their pictures and do so.

The Kinsinger Family

I got to spend an evening with John's family in Elgin before flying out the next day. We did a Skype call to Japan for everyone to talk with John and the kids.....and it was almost like we were all together for a little bit! Enough to tease John with pizza and ice cream, anyway---and so Dad & Mom baked a pizza the next morning and I carried it back for him. It was gone very quickly!

Dave & Lori

Austin & Kelsey (I didn't get to see Courtney)

Roger & Mary Kay

Lexi, Max, and Rex

Mary Jo with Jack & Joshua

(Woodstock is filling in for Matt since he was unavailable for the picture) :)

So I got him the next morning while he was putting a handle on my luggage-box....the last part to our bed that I brought back with me. (Ahhhh! We are sleeping so well now!) Dad is in the background. I forgot to get a good picture of Mom & Dad... :(

Here is a candid shot of Mom while I got a view of their "new" house...an old bull barn that has been remodeled into a one bedroom home. I am in the kitchen, Mom is at the front door, the steps lead up to the bedroom, and beyond Mom is the living room and a bathroom. As small as it seems, especially in American standards, it is still more room than what we have here in Japan. It also helps that it is such an open "floor plan"! And yes, those iron bars were the real thing years ago, herding & holding the bulls.
The morning I left, Sharon met us for breakfast before we left for the airport.

The Baer Family

Cyrena out in one of her flower gardens.

Renae and my cousin Phillip who we saw at the Gateway Sale.

It was a really nice surprise to see him there!

We got him to take a picture of all "us girls"...Renae, Kendra, myself, and Mom

Kendra with her newly "re-found" Vietnamese outfit that we found while going through stuff.

My nephew, Samuel...I believe I introduced him in the last entry. He really wanted a picture with his new tractor we gave him. He and Allison inherited a nice box of books & toys from James, Jesse, and Joy since they were either outgrown or would be too much to get over to Japan. I hope you're enjoying your new toys, Samuel! Like your picture? :)

And here's Allison! I tried so many times to get a good picture of her, but my camera just did not cooperate with her fast moves. She'd give big smiles, and then I kept catching them too late.

Kelly tried to help out by taking a picture of both of them on their front porch....but that was about just as unsuccessful after several attempts...except for us having some good laughs!

Unfortunately, I forgot to get a picture of Kerry & Kelly - although I got a short clip of Kelly in the video below when I finally remembered I had the video capacity on my camera to try to catch Allison's smile, so here it is: I think I startled her when I spoke, though... (Cyrena is making cookies in the background.)