One Last Visit

We've been able to spend a few more precious hours with Drew, Andrea and Andy. 

After arriving here in Spanaway Sunday afternoon, we went with them to worship in a park with the church body they have been attending.  We enjoyed meeting their pastor and friends.  Then today, Judy, Amy and I went with Andrea and Andy and drove into Seattle.  We met Drew for lunch at a chowder place in the Pike Place Market.

By the way, that's apple juice that Judy is drinking!

Drew went back to work while the rest of us spent some time in the market.  At quitting time we went up to see Drew's office.  It's a new job where he's been for about 3 weeks, and he loves it.  Here he is at his desk.

I'll put up a new album of photos on Facebook, too.  Tomorrow Judy, Amy and I head back to Nampa for 3 days of last-minute tasks and packing.

AB

Friends of Nazarene Hospital

Yesterday, we spoke at Grandview Church of the Nazarene.  Technically our home assignment is over, and we are on vacation, but we didn't have any other time, and we have friends in this church.  Two couples, Steve and Linda Elerding, and Al and Carrie Fiedler have both been in PNG.  Steve is a surgeon, and Al is a family doctor. 

We enjoyed fellowship with them and the NMI council from the church Saturday evening, and then a good service Sunday morning.

After lunch on Sunday, we drove to Spanaway to have one last visit with Drew, Andrea and Baby Andy before heading back to PNG next Saturday.

AB

It may be boring for you, but we're pretty excited, and we're going to force you to look at more pictures of our grandson

This past weekend, we spoke in our home church in Marysville, Washington.  Before and after our time there, we have spent time with Andy, Drew and Andrea.  Here are just a couple more photos:

 Baby Andy with Drew and Andrea

The hands are Grandma Judy.

For even more pictures of Andy, go to this link.  You don't have to belong to Facebook to see the pictures.

AB

The Very Latest Very Biggest News

So, look at this:

Ain't that the cutest, sweetest baby you've ever seen?

That's Andy.

Andy Bennett.

Yep, that's his name.  More formally Andrew Raymond Bennett.  Born to our oldest son, Drew and his wife Andrea 2 days ago, May 26.  17 3/4 inches (that's an important 3/4 inch!), 4 pounds, 2.4 ounces.  His birth was induced about 4 weeks early because of some pregnancy complications.  He's small, but doing very well.  We were able to get to Swedish Hospital in Seattle within about an hour of his birth, and were able to stay around for about 2 days.

He'll be in the hospital for a few more days, just until he is growing, taking adequate nutrition and regulating his own temperature and blood sugar.

So, from now on, we respond better to the names "Grandma" and "Grandpa".  If you were wondering.

AB

On the Big Island

I don't really think that I need to blog every detail of our home assignment.  Really, I don't.  But here's a little more about our time in Hawaii before moving on to other things.  We went to the "Big Island" to speak at several events at the Hilo and Paradise Park churches.  We were also able to go to Kona for 1 day of delayed anniversary celebration, and then to speak to the youth group at the Kona church.

 Angel Falls in Hilo.

 With Pastor Rick Ragle at the Hilo church.

 At the Paradise Park church.  We had a combined service with the Micronesian and the English congregations.  Here the Micronesian people are doing a song with marching and motions.  Our PNG friends would have enjoyed this "drama".

 Some old family friends, the Birds, who were in our church in Kalispel, Montana, when I was a little kid.

 We spoke in the chapel service of the preschool at Hilo.

In a Starbucks in Hilo, we saw a poster for Kigabah Estate, the coffee plantation owned by our friends Billy and Joesa Gardner, just down the road from Kudjip.  They were the recipiants of the Black Apron Award in 2005, the award for the best green coffee that they bought this year.  We've seen the poster a few times in the US.

 Judy with Captain Jack, in Kona.

 Shave Ice, a Hawaii specialty.  Judy loved this.  I thought it was a lot like ice with flavor on it.

Speaking to the youth group at the Kona church.  We had a great time there!

Pearl Harbor

We did have some time for sightseeing while on Oahu.  Our priority was seeing the Perl Harbor memorial.  We were able to visit all four of the major sections (Arizona Memorial, USS Missouri, Pacific Air Museum, and the USS Bowfin/submarine museum), as well as several of the smaller exhibits.  Obviously, this was more of a moving emotional experience rather than being fun, but it was a good day together, seeing history, and remembering those who gave their lives, not only for the USA, but for the free world.

 I'm showing PNG on the giant map of the pacific in the entry area at the memorial.

 A long view of the Arizona Memorial and of the USS Missouri, which is now a permanent museum in Perl Harbor.

 One of the turrets of the Arizona is visible above the water.  I assume that this varies with the tide.  Other parts of the ship are vaguely visible below the water.

 Inside the memorial.  There is a large opening in the floor.  The structure blocks a lot of the glaring light, so you can see a little more of the wreckage under the water.

 

The memorial wall, listing the names and ranks of each of the men who died on the ship.  Most of their bodies were never recovered.

 One of those Wallaces was the uncle of our Dr. Becky Wallace.  Maybe great uncle.

 A conning tower of a WWI-era submarine that saw some service in WWII.  The periscopes work!

 The USS Missouri.  She has been de-commissioned, moth-balled at Navy Base Bremerton, re-commissioned, moth-balled again, and now is on permanent display in Perl Harbor.

 The plaque in the deck of the Missouri, marking the place where the Japanese surrender was signed, marking the end of the war in the Pacific.  Copies of the surrender documents are displayed nearby.

The mess in the USS Bowfin, a submarine that is displayed.

AB

Speaking Schedule, Washington

• Sunday, May 1, AM, Gig Harbor
• Sunday, May 1, PM, Camas
• Tuesday, May 3, 11 AM, Seattle Aurora
• Tuesday, May 3, 7 PM, Port Orchard
• Wednesday, May 4, Kent
• Sunday, May 8, AM, Seattle Beacon Hill
• Sunday, May 8, PM, Everett South