Monday, March 10, 2008

Welcome Home Toby!


Friday night was a highly anticipated night all over Tennessee. Our favorite consignment sale was having its pre-sale, the snow was coming...BUT most importantly---Toby was coming home! For those of you confused, my cousin Toby Fleming, has been a Journeyman missionary in Niamey, Niger, West Africa for the past 2 1/2 years. I wasn't even engaged to be married when he left- so needless to say life has changed just a little since he's been gone. Hope and Hannah Chayse were born, I got married, his brother Drew graduated from college, our grandfather Big Daddy died, Noah was born, we found out our grandmother, Nanu, had cancer and she died about 3 months later. Home is definitely different.
Toby has lived in the middle of the desert for a long time. He has made some really tough decisions and relied on God to sustain him and guide him. I am so proud! Toby was born 23 days before I was, and we were partners in crime growing up. We did everything together...Opryland, Vacation Bible School, the trampoline, swimming lessons, GI Joe. I haven't known life without Toby.

OK- so, He's back and that's what this post was all about. We all went to his little Welcome Back party on Saturday. It was really great to see him and hear just a few stories. His feet are permanently nasty and he's pretty skinny, but he's forever changed. Please keep him in your prayers as he adjusts to being in civilization and makes decisions about what's next in his life.

Be sure and check out our web album. I've posted lots of pictures.

2 comments:

NIGER1.COM said...

Message for your cousin Toby Fleming
Please suggest him this website about Niger so he can stay in touch with the country while away from Niger
www.niger1.com

Tricia Hicks said...

I can't wait to meet Toby. I was on his email list while he was in Africa. I am trying to email you an invitation to a party for Tina Braswell this weekend at my house. Email me at work tricia.hicks@rogersgroupinc.com and let me know if you got the invitation.

Love ya,
Tricia
www.hicksinhendersonville.blogspot.com