Our new friend

If any of you reading this post have ever had the pleasure of meeting our son Colton it doesn't take long to figure out that he is obsessed with airplanes.  (Yes, I know that he didn't have much of a chance being born into our family).  Colton has probably racked up more frequent flier miles than most adults, and can probably figure out the type of aircraft flying overhead more accurately than most adults as well.  Conversations with Colton usually involve discussions about how cool floats would look on a certain type of aircraft and whether or not it is a tail-dragger.  

Our stay at Mission Aviation Fellowship headquarters this summer only put fuel on the fire.  We have a new friend in our house and his name is "Petey the Plane."  Petey is the mascot for MAF and stars in a video telling kids about MAF.  We were sent home with a DVD cartoon of Petey and I am afraid that Colton is going to wear it out!  We also thought that it would be cute to buy him a "Petey the Plane" t-shirt and that he might like it.  He likes it alright!  It has become quite the permanent fixture on Colton and I have coax him and peel it off of him to just to wash it every-once-in-awhile.  

I wouldn't want to deprive any of you out there of the "Petey the Plane" fun so here is the video.  It is actually quite informative and even adults can learn a few things by watching it.  (There is a twist at the end you need to look for too).

Summer at MAF

Our family spent the first 5 weeks of our summer at Mission Aviation Fellowship headquarters in Nampa, ID and can now say that we are official MAF missionaries on our way to Indonesia.  We still do not know the exact location in Indonesia where we will serve, but we are very excited to be able to narrow it down to what country we will be living in!  

The MAF apartments were home for 5 weeks

There were 8 couples besides us going through the same training process that our family was and all of us lived in the MAF apartments right across the parking lot from the main office.  It kind of felt like summer camp, only there was a lot of homework to do!  Babysitters were provided for the kids so that we could actually sit down and listen to the teachers without chasing our kids.  It was the first time that I (Angie) have been away from the kids that long and got to experience what working mothers have to go though every week.  I have to give all you working gals props, because it is HARD to be away from your kids that long!  I do have to admit it was nice to get to dress up and not be called "mom" all day though.

Macie and Jack 2 peas in a pod

The kids were in heaven and had a blast with all of the other MKs (missionary kids).  Macie made a friend named Jack that was only two days older than her and they were pretty much inseparable the entire summer.  Macie and Jack loved to take turns pushing each other in the pedal car.  Macie got a little crazy and was pushing too fast and they had a wipeout the day before we had our passport and visa pictures taken, so Macie is sporting a nice fat lip in hers.  Colton hung out with the older girls (8-10).  One day I looked out and saw him sitting in an inflatable pool surrounded by girls and it made me chuckle.  

Colton and the MK girls

It was crazy HOT and wouldn't cool down until around nine o' clock at night, so the Sonic down the street got quite a bit of business from all of us.  We would sit in the parking lot and watch our friend fly his model airplanes while we sipped on slushies.  This of course has only fueled Colton's obsession for airplanes and it has reached an entire new level!  

Colton by the model Piper Cub

Our family is back home in WA for now and will be sharing with others the exciting ministry that awaits us.  We are also viewing this year as a long goodbye with all of our friends and family.  We are hoping to be ready to leave for Indonesia by November of 2013.