getting closer...

Well, we've passed the 6th month mark and have begun the final countdown. Here's the latest picture of Parker and Isabelle.

fun times in burkina

This last weekend we traveled to the capital city of Burkina Faso. Our intent was to find some baby furniture and other items for Isabelle's room. While we didn't really find what we were looking for, we did find time for a game of bowling! That's right, we traveled 6 hours, crossed a country border & knocked down a few pins.

Randy, Susan, Mark & I before our exciting night of bowling begins.

And when I say a few pins, I really mean it! Mark says the lanes weren't regulation.

Which is bigger ... the bowling ball or my belly?

And there's no better way to end the night than with a big ol plate of banana crepes and a can of Pepsi!

takin a donkey for a ride

A couple of weeks ago our friend, Christiano, asked us (with tears in his eyes, mind you) if we would take his donkey to the new village where he is moving to. His donkey is his best friend & he was afraid that he would have to leave him in Ayorou when he moves 3 hours away. The only way to get him there was to take him in our truck. So one Sunday afternoon, we tied him up & off we went. We rode almost 2 hours before catching a ferry & the donkey did fine most of the way. About a half hour from the village, the donkey chewed through his ropes & stood up in the back of the truck (as we were driving about 120 km/h). So the pictures you see below is what we had to do to keep him in the truck for the rest of the drive. Needless to say, the donkey made it safe & sound and our friend Christiano is now a very happy man!


We call this technique the "Spiderman."

Pulling the donkey out of the truck.

After they got him out of the truck, the donkey refused to stand or do anything. Yep, stubborn as a mule!