Early January 2009: first 2 weeks in Canada

On New Year's Day, we arrived in Mississauga, Ontario. The trip went very well and quite fast since it was only 6 hours compared to the 10 and 16 hour trips we had made in the last week! We are so happy to be here. This is a view of Toronto from the office that Janet Verbeek works in. Toronto is about 20 minutes by train from Oakville, a small city of around 150,000 where the Verbeeks live.


Another view from Janet's office. The popular sky tower can be seen from the window.

Our first Sunday in Missisauga was a fun one for Tonya. After attending The Sanctuary Church (the new church plant we are helping this winter) Tonya went with LeeAnn and Janet to see a live production of Dirty Dancing, a very popular movie from the 80's. It was a fun show, but we had even more fun hanging out together as girls.

Bruce Verbeek is Dutch, so the family has wooden shoes in their home. Micah loves to put them on and try to walk around in them. Maybe he wants to be a klompin dancer in Holland, MI one day like his relatives!

This is the kitchen/dining room of our basement apartment at the Verbeeks house. We highly appreciate a dish washer back in KY now, as we have to wash everything by hand this winter!

This is the living room, which is used for Micah and Josiah to sleep in as well. Micah sleeps in a pack and play while Josiah sleeps in a pull out sofa in the back of the room. To the right of his bed is an opening in the room behind a curtain where Tonya and Kris sleep.

The local library is a fun place for the boys to go during the week, especially on Saturdays when many other children and their parents are reading as well. We have had opportunities to share with parents we meet, so look forward to every trip.

The Sanctuary Church meets in an elementary school gymnasium. Last year, they only met one Sunday a month and met in a home the other Sundays, but this year, the church has doubled in size and they are able to meet here every Sunday. We have enjoyed reaquainting ourselves with old friends from last winter and making new friends with newer members as well.

The little girl here is Cayce. She is trying to learn English and likes to hang out with the youth girls at the church.

Josiah and Micah have loved playing in the snow on warmer days (when it is in the upper 20's!). Josiah's favorite thing to do is shovel snow in the driveway. He has his own small shovel to use.

Here are the three guys working on a snow fort. They have also built a 7 foot snow man that Josiah named Frosty!

We are borrowing a toboggan from a neighbor and get Kris to pull us! Micah likes sled rides more than anything else, since he gets frustrated trying to walk in deep snow in the yard.

After a 2 hour play time outside, Micah doesn't even make it through lunch! Poor little guy.