The "New"and Improved Office

Months ago, I mentioned that the office where I work was undergoing some much needed renovations. Previously we had quite a lot of peeling paint. Personnel and positions in the office have changed quite a bit in the years we have been here, and some of the offices needed to be shifted around to reflect these changes in job descriptions. Together, we suffered through months of smelly paint, shifting furniture, and the painful business of sorting piles from our desks, but have been amply rewarded by the much improved appearance of the office! Since I had posted some construction pictures, I thought I would include a few pictures of the end results. Amanda who volunteered to take on this enormous task, took some flack at first for her color choices aimed to hide the orange sand that is ever present here, but even initial doubters have admitted the colors have begun to grow on them. Everyone agrees that the office has a brighter and cleaner feel to it.

Here is the reception area. Goodbye, shredded cushions and faded curtains; hello, orange!The kitchen and mail room were moved to a smaller space allowing the large office they were occupying to be used as an office. Amanda's husband, Chad, built the cabinets himself.
This is my new office. I love the green curtains. Though it is not a color I used to be drawn too, since living in the desert, I have grown to love the color green! I used to have a large office way too big for what I needed. With some rearranging of doors, the director now has the bigger space which allows him to have small meetings in his office, something not possible before.
One of my favorite additions is in our treasurer's office. Perhaps this is to prove once and for all that money does NOT grow on trees? The art teacher at the kids' school was kind enough to paint this gorgeous mural for us!This deep blue definitely adds interest to this corner room! With the big windows and two white walls opposite, there is no chance of it seeming dark and dingy. We are all thankful for the many changes that help our working place be one an enjoyable one. We pray that as coworkers, pastors and leaders from around the country visit our headquarters, they would feel welcomed. We want our attitudes and actions to be even more beautiful than our new office!

Kay's Day Out? Up?

Many days our kids see Dad coming and going in his flight shirt, but their days are busy here, and Ian's flights are usually several hours one way, so there has not been much effort or interest for them to hop aboard with him. This year at our yearly SIM conference, however, Kay really enjoyed playing with a girl about her age who lives in Galmi (1 1/2 hour flight). Both of the girls' teachers encouraged them in the idea of a visit during the school week, so we began looking for a flight to Galmi where there was space for Kay to travel both ways and one where Ian could wait around for several hours to give the girls time to enjoy one another. It took a couple of months to find such an opportunity, but in March, the day finally arrived!
Kay was SO excited to fly with Dad! She liked looking out the window, but she LOVED talking in the headset. She came home giggling, "Daddy says I sound like his propeller; my mouth just keeps going and going... !" Miss Bookworm didn't even crack the book she brought along to pass the time. The flying was fun, but if possible, she was even MORE excited about seeing her friend, S, and going to school with her for the morning. They had a fun morning at school (Thanks to Aunt Cindy who was flexible enough to add another student to her fun activities!) and were able to eat lunch together. What a special day! It was particularly fun for Kay to visit Galmi as that is where she was born. Ever since her visit, she's been asking for a repeat ride. Unfortunately, this next school year her friend will be in the US, so it may be Tom who has the next chance to head to see his friend near Maradi...