If you haven’t heard yet, we made it safe and sound to our new home in Niamey, Niger. We had a long 2 days of traveling from Columbus to DC, DC to Paris, and Paris to Niamey with 6 large check-in bags, 6 carry on bags, a carseat and a stroller. We dished out a lot in tips for all the airport luggage porters who helped us. Elena was a rockstar, and other than having a little trouble falling asleep in new places, she did great! On each flight she slept majority of the time, however while we were taxiing out for takeoff, she insisted that was the best time to scream at the top of her lungs. We typically give her a bottle while we’re taking off or landing to help her ears adjust to the pressure change, but this little one could not wait!

Our French immediately kicked in on our flight to Paris. David sounded like he had been speaking for years, meanwhile I was struggling hard. 2 months off of language school can really set you back a bit. Slowly but surely, after a week in country, it’s coming back to me. The trip from Paris to Niamey, and then to our new place was a bit of a blur. I remember stepping off the plane and being greeted by embassy staff, and the long drive through rush hour to our new home where we tried to stay awake for another few hours until it was 9pm, a normal bedtime hour for us.

Our house is about what I was expecting. Outside we have a big front and side yard. They were actually working on finishing the landscaping when we arrived. We’re waiting for grass to grow, which apparently happens pretty quickly out here. So right now most of the yard is dirt, but I hope to hire a gardener to help turn it into a lovely green space. On the side of the house we have a decently sized pool. One thing I was thankful for was that all of the pools have security fences around them, so Elena wouldn’t wonder off into the pool. There’s also an original straw hut cabana on the side of the house which is pretty awesome. There’s an outdoor bathroom and shower, which could definitely use some love. And there’s also a swing-set frame set up already. We just need to purchase the baby seat!

We’ve unpacked and gotten somewhat settled. We’re basically living off the bare bare essentials until our first of several shipments arrives in a couple more weeks. David started work right away, while Elena and I are getting settled into a routine around here. Since leaving DC she has started crawling which has kept me on my toes. And now we’ve begun the process of really pulling up on all the things. So now until we get a nanny, I can only get work done when she’s napping. And in order for me to get things done around the house she gets strapped to me in the baby sling/carrier.

Our first weekend here was filled with shopping, meeting several new families with young kids, an English church worship service, dinner hosted by some missionary friends, and relaxing at the American International School of Niamey (AISN). On the weekends AISN turns into sort of a recreation center for fellow Expats. They have a pool, a restaurant, playground, huge soccer fields and basketball courts, and are in the process of building a new workout center. So I foresee us spending a lot of time there.

So. Much. Luggage.

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Prayer Requests: I know many of our family and friends are wondering how they can be supporting and praying for us, so I want to try and include that in my updates.

• David figuring out a good work/life balance and finding a routine that works for us as a family.
• That we could find a good Nanny/housekeeper who blends into our family well
• That we get all of our household effects shipments and our truck arrives unscathed. They’re currently out at sea somewhere, and we’ve heard a lot of unfortunate stories of things getting lost from others in the foreign service.