Highlights from Manitoba
This week we have been in Manitoba and have been making more memories and catching up with family and friends. The picture above shows Arthur's parents' house on the farm where we are staying.

Conrad helping out by cutting the grass on Arthur's uncle and aunt's farm.

Arthur and his dad fixing a door in the workshop.
Playing Mexican Train with Arthur's uncle and aunt.

Our Biggest Highlight:

We joined Arthur's sister who celebrated her last cancer radiation treatment on Friday. (She finished chemo a few months ago.) We decorated in green and ate only green food as a symbol of new life. Before we ate, each person at the table read a phrase similar to the positive ones found in Ecclesiastes: "a time for rejoicing, a time for gathering, a time for life..." Then Arthur's dad prayed a prayer of thanksgiving.

More Fun in BC!

Next we went to Chilliwack to visit Phyllis' parents.

Arthur getting his vest fitted by his mother-in-law.

Mom volunteers at the MCC Store in Chilliwack and we went along with her one afternoon to help out at the store. Erik and Conrad worked the till and Phyllis and Arthur helped organize books.
A view in the store.
The outside of the store.

Chilliwack airport is famous for it's pie so we headed to the airport for pie.

Conrad playing pool with Grandpa.

Finally, for the weekend, the whole family was together again. The last time we were all together was a year and a half ago in Thailand.



We had lots of fun being together. We cooked, went shopping and for walks. We celebrated all of our 2007 birthdays.

Here we are spending time at the used bookstore in Chilliwack.
Celebrating Cyndy's 40th Birthday

Part of the celebration included giving Cyndy the following:
4 T-shirts
4 teas (different kinds of tea)
4 T's (the letter T four times)
4 tea lights (small candles)
When you say each of the gifts, it sounds like "40".

Enjoying British Columbia

Pictured above is Mount Baker as seen from Grouse Mountain.

Enjoying hot dogs in downtown Vancouver with Cyndy.


Erik and Conrad playing in snow on Grouse Mountain.


Conrad anticipating cream puffs at Uncle Ed and Aunt Irmgard's house.

With Cyndy and Aunt Irmgard on Granville Island.

The boys on Granville Island.

Getting eyes checked with Karla - our favorite optometrist in the whole world.

Having a picnic in Lake Country, near Kelowna, with Karla.

Our Bags are Packed...

..but I'm not quite ready to go!

We are heading to Canada for 6 weeks. We are getting excited about seeing family and friends and doing Canadian things in BC and Manitoba.

However, in terms of our work it seems like a bad time to go. Renee is leaving, a new project is being proposed, new volunteers are anticipated and a peace research project is in full swing. Our team is strong and will carry on without us but I (Phyllis) feel that the timing of this trip is not good.