At the end of December we traveled up to Kenya to spend Christmas with family there. Drew also worked on their farm for a day as one of his 12 tasks. You might remember when Josh did that a few years ago. There were other families with kids there as well so it was a good time for all. We also enjoyed a day out with the relatives to Lake Baringo for a boat ride, lunch and swimming.

From that location, we traveled up to Mount Kenya for New Year’s. Jon and Drew successfully summitted Point Lanana, the third highest peak at 16,350 feet altitude (the highest peaks of the mountain requires technical climbing). Jon says it was one of the hardest things physically he has ever done. Mount Meru with Josh a few years ago was 15,000 feet so those last 1,300 feet really made a difference. They both felt nauseous and had headaches during the ascent. They didn’t stay long at the peak before heading back down. But they made it and we are so proud of them.

Meanwhile, Shosho (that’s my mom), Josh, Rachel and I stayed in a little place called Creaky Cottage! It was creaky all right and crooked too. You would have to see to fully appreciate what I am talking about. A little cottage built around a tree with lots of character. We had a wonderful time together. We took a day trip out to the hotel where my mom and I stayed when my dad and brother climbed Mount Kenya in the 80’s for swimming and lunch. Some things were quite unchanged and familiar from all those years ago. We also spent a day in a game conservancy viewing God’s amazing wild life.