After weeks of trying to get our internet running, it's finally working and we can share all the fun pictures of our new home and life here.  Here are some pics of the first couple days.


 October 17th-  We were up bright and early, packing all the last minute things and then got to the airport at 7:45

 Two hours later we were still there...

 then we made it onto the plane.  The pilot was running late and trying to get to our airstrip before the winds got too strong.

 Gideon was so excited to be on the plane:)

Raquel was our faithful copilot

 and Roman and I hung out together.  

After about an hour and 15 minute ride, we were there.  We circled once and we were able to see our house.  Gideon started to cry because his ears were bothering him.  I told him it was fine because we were going to land and see Daddy and our new house in just  couple minutes.  Well, then we circled again, and again... The winds were too strong to land and the pilot looked back at me and said 'Sorry, we're going to have to go to Wamena and try again tomorrow.'  That's when I wanted to cry.  We had all of our stuff packed and ready.  Four big styrafoam coolers were holding all our meat and cheese etc.  for the next 3 months!  I didn't know anyone in Wamena.  I just wanted to see my husband and go home!

Well, thankfully the MAF people took excellent care of us.  We were able to stay on the MAF base in a house that belonged to some people on furlough.  It was a really nice house and they had a big empty freezer for all our food and the kids had a blast playing with rabbits and chickens and jumping on the trampoline.

 The next morning we made it! 

 This was our first meal in our new house.  Our friend Mel had sent a delicious taco soup with us and we enjoyed it immensely:)

 We set out exploring our new home with lots of friends to help us:)

Checking out a fun waterfall just down the path from our house

Later that day Dylan checked out sick people on our porch.  Dylan and Logan have started building a separate little building across the airstrip where we can do medical.  20+ people a day usually come with various ailments.  We do what we can to help with the limited knowledge we have.  The closest city with any sort of medical facility is about a 2 day hike for them and right now they can't really go at all since they have to cross over territory of a different tribe who is mad at them and would kill them.

 As the sun went down, we began to experience the cool temperatures that Dylan had told us about and didn't seem possible in the sweltering coastal town we were staying in at the time.  Sweatshirts, footie pjs and socks are our friends as it gets down to the high 50's at night time!  We spent our first night in our new house.  The loft wasn't finished yet so Gideon and Raquel each slept in a tent and Roman was in a pack n play with a mosquito net over it.  Dylan put our bedroom wall up that afternoon, so we were the only ones with a 'real' room.  We all slept soundly that first night.  It was such a relief to finally be here!

Over the next few days we began to settle in.  Dylan continued building and I started unpacking.

I'll be posting more pictures soon, so stay tuned...