3 Countries

Well, the Stoll family is officially divided between 3 different countries, on 2 different continents.  Sydney and I left Elena and Fiona in Niger just over a week ago and are now in Togo.  Roger is still in the US waiting on his citizenship stuff. 

I had dreaded leaving the girls at boarding school more than I have ever dreaded anything else.  I must say, however, that it has been easier than I thought it would be.  I think some of it has to do with the fact that I was there, met people, saw the place and got the girls settled in.  The fear of the unknown is always difficult. 

The other reason (and I believe the largest part) has been the prayers of so many people.  I know there are a lot of people who actually witnessed my dread and total lack of desire to send my kids to boarding school, and I believe many of them began praying for us like never before.  That, I think is the true reason I am handling this whole thing better than I expected.  Thank you to everyone who has prayed.  Please don't quit!  It isn't easy and I know the first time one of them gets malaria or has a really bad day and is terribly upset about something, my equilibrium will be upset.  Already I have my worries that, each morning, I give to the Lord--and then again just after breakfast, and again before lunch, and then again at lunchtime, and...  Well, you get the idea. 

Today, Sydney and I went with friends and cleaned our house so we can move stuff in on Monday.  Jonathan and Rose have been incredibly helpful.  (I think Jonathan is just so happy to have Roger return--or at least the promise of his return--and no longer is responsible for EVERYTHING at Mediafrique, that he'll do about anything to help.)  That and the fact that they are just plain, great people and are nice that way.  I'm looking forward to moving into our house and getting settled--finally--but also kinda not ready for all the work it'll be and having that musty smell everywhere for weeks to come.  The end result is what I keep looking toward. 

~Kathy

Elena on her bed in the room she shares with 3 other Freshmen

Fiona next to the bed in the room she shares with an 8th grader.

Fiona and Elena in the bathroom (don't really know why the bathroom), excited to be there--well, not exactly excited to be in the bathroom--but at boarding school in general.

Good-bye, Again

Well, it's that time again.  Today is Sunday--the last full day in Kansas/the US for the girls and I (Kathy).  It has been a wonderful time and we've thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  The girls have made good friends and had a great school year.  Now we are heading for change.

Roger will be staying here for some time (not sure exactly how long) while he waits for his citizenship papers to come thru.  We aren't sure how long this will take, but are praying it'll only be until the end of Aug or so.

Elena and Fiona will be going to boarding school in Niger this year.  Since the school year starts in Aug, I'll go there with them and help get set up.  However, first of all, we'll spend a few weeks with Oma and Opa in Germany.

After leaving E and Fi in Niger, Sydney and I will head to Togo and begin getting our stuff out of all the storage places, cleaning it and setting up our house.  We get to live in the same house we were in before so that should be helpful.  I hope the lady, "Maman Gentil", who sells eggs on the corner is still there!

One would think the fact that we are constantly saying good-bye would make it easier and easier to do.  However, the opposite is true.  I, personally, am finding it particularly hard this time.  We really enjoyed life here.  It was so much more relaxing (even tho my father nearly died 3 times and my mother had knee surgery--tho she's doing exceptionally well--and we've been waiting for this citizenship stuff to go thru).  The changes that are coming up on our lives don't actually help in this good-bye process.

I would really appreciate your prayers:

for the Stoll "Girls" as we travel
for Elena and Fiona to settle well into boarding school
for Mama and Sydney not to be too sad when we have to say good-bye to them
for Roger's papers to go thru in record time and for him to get to Togo sooner than we expected
for all the work of cleaning our things and setting up our house again
for the ability to see God thru all of our busyness, upheaval and change
and lastly, for me to find JOY in all of this

To Braces and Back Again

Being here in the USA this year has held many firsts for all of us, but particularly for Elena and Fiona.  They played volleyball and basketball for the first time.  They ran track for the first time and they got braces.  Both of them had been seen by the orthodontist when we were here in 2010 and he said he thought he could help them in a school year.   When we arrived in Aug, they had an appointment with him and a week later, the day after school began, they got their braces put on.  They went often to have them tightened and I think they were in pain a lot of the time, but...  Well, let the photos speak for themselves.




We are amazed at the transformation.  I think they agree that it was definitely worth the pain.

Sorry that the "After" photo isn't the best.  It's all we've gotten them to sit for so far!

USA TO GO

I have to show these to you. I've never noticed before how connected the United States are with Togo.  Take a look.

All I can say is, "wouldn't it be nice..."

Ode to April

We just got word that our dog in Togo, April, had to be put to sleep.  She was being guard dog to Daniel and Natalie and seemed to enjoy her life there.  However, it looks like she ended up with the same or at least similar problems as her mother, Pip, had.  They tried and tried to help her get better but to no avail.  Our household is a sad one right now.  I don't know what's harder, being there when the dog dies or being away.  I can imagine Daniel and Natalie feel bad that she died while under their care, tho we know it wasn't due to a lack of it.  She just seems to have had the same problems as her mother had--canine cancer.  April always acted a bit "blonde" but we liked her.  She was a good dog and never harmed a soul, even the rat she was supposed to chase.  There will certainly be a lot of changes in Togo when we return.

Daniel and Natalie, we thank you for all you did for April.  She liked you and Henri-the-Cat.  Sorry you had to be the ones to deal with all this, and sorry you no longer have a watch dog!

 On another, entirely unrelated note, I just uploaded 3 photos at the same time and it took less than 30 seconds.  This would never have worked in Togo.  I never cease to be amazed at the internet here compared to there.

Kansas so far

Time has certainly flown these past few months.  Here we are at Thanksgiving already.  I think the girls have finally begun to feel more "at home" in school here.  It looked that way quite quickly but at the parent/teacher conferences at the end of the first 9 weeks, I found out that Fiona hardly said anything in class--and we were worried we'd get notes home complaining about her being the class clown!  Her grades were not the best because she was afraid to ask questions of her teacher and she never volunteered answers even if she knew them.  However, to hear her talk during that time, she really was the class clown.  I guess she was just 2 different people in class and outside it.  Now, however, she's come out of her shell and even had to be moved away from a friend because they talk and distract each other too much.  Time changes things.

Don't know where they are, but anyway...

E & Fi have both gone out for jr. high volleyball and basketball.  As Grandpa says, "The first game [of either sport] they ever saw was the one they played in as well."  For never having played either game, they have done incredibly well.  Fi still looks a little like a deer in the headlights on the court but at least she's out there trying.  E has grasped quickly the idea and is doing well.  She has come SO close to making a goal the past 2 games, I know it'll come.

Syd is has adjusted really well.  She has learned that the reason for home basketball games is to spend time with your friends, forget about those sisters playing ball.  She has a number of little girls she enjoys playing with and talks about when they aren't together.

Sydney and some friends, Abby and Olivia at the church hayride and picnic.

I, personally, am so glad to see the girls having fun with other kids their ages.  It was a rather dry time in Togo without friends consistently.  Praise God for providing them.

Roger has been enjoying the advent of hunting season.  Even though, due to the drought, the pheasant population is sadly depleted, he still likes going "walking" in the fields looking anyway.  He finally got some the other day.

 Some of Roger's work.  Photos later of the finished room.

I am just having fun doing "stuff".  I keep house, help my Mom, run errands, have fun, etc.  I also really enjoy not sweating all the time!!

 My work.  Some things are always the same, no matter where we are.

A Cultural Experience in WalMart

We went shopping yesterday.  Somehow, I ended up standing in front of the room deodorizers.  Trying to choose a fragrance is rather daunting as there are so many but not many smell all that special.  Anyway, I saw one called something like Fresh Linen and there was a picture of clothes on the line.  I find it strange that the only way to get that fresh laundry smell is to get it from an aerosol can!  And, it didn't even smell that good.  NOTHING like clothes that really come off the line. ~k