American Vacation

We have started an entry on our vacation in the U.S. several times, but a combination of bad internet connections and demanding children have kept us from it. So now that it's so late, we'll just say that we had a WONDERFUL time from Tennessee to Texas to Arizona to Colorado with all the Smiths and Bishops and Sabeys. Here are some photo highlights:

Saying goodbye to Mchanga, who is staying with a family in Houston for the summer.

We spent A LOT of time in the car - but managed to have fun!

Smoky Mountains National Park - site of the Smith Family Reunion
All the Smiths (except Matt's family - Beckie was too close to her due date to travel)
Whitewater rafting in Tennessee

Smith cousins having fun

Our junior herpetologists always love finding salamanders in the Smoky Mountains, but finding this Eastern Black Rat Snake was especially exciting!

On our way West, we stopped at an old favorite spot in West Texas - Balmorhea State Park

The Bishop Family Reunion in Arizona

The Bishop cousins had LOTS of fun in the woods around the cabin

We explored Lava Tube Cave near Flagstaff

And, of course, we went to the Grand Canyon - the first time for Stacey and the kids

Elijah saved his cousins from the one-mile drop to the bottom of the canyon!
The Bishops all helped Noah celebrate his tenth birthday

Then we headed north to Colorado

How do you get four kids to get along on vacation?
Keep them in four different states!

Four Corners - CO, UT, NM, AZ

It was wonderful to be back in Colorado!

We enjoyed yurt camping at the Sabey Family Reunion near Colorado Springs

And especially enjoyed meeting the newest Smith - Sheri Anna!

Stacey and Jeff were heading for the horseshoe championship, when Zach Sabey topped Jeff's ringer with two of his own and stole the game!

But Stacey and Katie did go home with the Sabey Cup after winning the Rook championship!

This is only a small portion of the great times we had enjoying our beautiful country and our fabulous families. It was awfully hard to say goodbye again and return to Yaounde, but we're glad to have a few more months to get things together in preparation for the move to Dublin.