Road Trip! and 10 day countdown...

The highway as viewed out the back window of the Palmer's Toyota.

Sorry that we have not kept the information flowing as steadily as usual this last week or two - as you might have guessed there have been a multitude of things to keep us busy. Here are the highlights of the last two weeks -

• Working steadily on furniture we have made the boys beds, desks, and closets. Only our bed, the kitchen cabinets, and a couple of desks to go.
• We straightened out an issue with Nate's mother's travel plans (our national airline changed schedule without warning and without notifying us of the change). The only thing we can compare this process to is four consecutive visits to the DMV... (has someone been praying that we'd learn some patience? :)
• We managed to get a good deal on the milling of our flooring here in Madang. It only took three trips and a few phone calls!
• Nate took a quick trip to Lae - the largest port here in PNG - to clarify a wood order that had been misshipped. He was able to travel with Tom and Corinne Palmer, missionaries here since the 1950s (thats 55 years folks). Nate was happy to have been along to help change the massive blowout that happened along the way. By the way, Nate feels that he could easily write several posts about the trip to Lae (his whole life flashed before his eyes more than once) - especially the trip back in the PMV (pictured below). Here is some video of the part where the driver of our overloaded van is racing two other vehicles over the main highway here in PNG (look in the 'Around PNG' album).

• We have survived the first two weeks of potty training with Elias - he is doing pretty well too.

Well, this post is a little on the long side already, but we just wanted to remind you to be praying as we are within 10 days of the guy's first hike-in building trip. You can be praying especially for health (Nate's ankle just got infected and is twice the normal size), and wisdom as we deal with the many decisions that will be made during our week in the village.

Pray too for the wives as they parent singly for a week - always a busy prospect.

Also, please be praying for Nate's mother as she undertakes a trip here to PNG - that her travel is smooth and without incident.

Thanks so much for your partnership!

Nate for the fam