Settling and Travelling and Generally Living

Our First (and only) Alligator!

Life in Marion County continues, and we are feeling more at home in the bi-polar Florida summer. July saw rain almost every day, but we've finally had a few days in a row where the state had a chance to live up to its nickname. Even the rainy days, though, were punctuated by brilliant sunshine, and occasionally the rain itself fell through beams of light. Very unusual to our midwestern weather sensibilites.





 We've been trying to get outside and exercise as much as possible, because you can only spend so long in an RV and still be a loving family. On Saturday we went with some fellow I-TEC volunteers to kayak the Rainbow River here in Dunnellon. It is a beautiful spring fed river, ending its brief journey in the Withlacoochee (What a name!) river, which heads on down to the gulf.

Aaron is keeping himself very busy between repairs to the RV (The new air conditioner was very welcome!) and his work at I-TEC. He sometimes carpools with the interns here at the house were we have parked the RV. There are three grown men in that tiny truck! Phil is driving, Aaron is sandwiched in the middle, and Chris, an Ecuadoran, gets the other window. Phil and Chris are working in the flight training program, or hoping to very soon when paperwork and such are arranged.

Our other neighbors here at "the intern house" are a young couple who recently had their first baby. Young Issy is the official I-TEC baby, and we are enjoying the opportunity to hold her. Jon and Tasha and great parents who plan to go to Columbia (Jon's home country) as missionaries when all his training is finished and they have raised support.

Aaron will head to Smoketown, Pennsylvania soon for a special air show that has a missions theme. I-TEC will be there along with MAF, JAARS, and other air/mission organizations. The UAV's should be a big hit, and I'm looking forward to hearing all about it when he returns. The previous picture is one of the UAV's as it prepares to receive a coat of paint. We thought it looked like it was smiling and wearing a pretty stylish headdress.