LUBBOCK, Texas

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Monday we drove an hour to Dickens where our friends (from Lubbock days) run Crossview Christian Camp. Ryan and Ginny were excited to be able to spend 4 days….well, they had no idea what they would be doing, but they were excited about it. I had to hold back tears as we said good-bye to them.

We drove on to Lubbock and arrived at the Davidson’s house mid-afternoon. I wish Ginny would have been able to see their 3 girls again; she would have had a lot of fun. Joshua was the same age as their son and they got alone great. After watching a kid’s baseball game, we had dinner and then Jenifer and I slipped off to a movie.

Tuesday Jeff and I met with a church and shared about what God is doing in Paraguay. We came back to the house and swam. Tuesday evening two other of our friends joined us for dinner. The four of us were in a home group together. I was fun to see these beautiful, maturing, and independent children running around. It seems like just yesterday we were nursing and changing diapers, and trying to figure out childcare for during our studies. We shared about Paraguay. The kids were great listeners as I showed the flag and some money. I taught them a few phrases in Guarani and we practiced greetings (a kiss on each cheek). Then we introduced terere.



Brad and Jenifer Davidson, Jordan 10y, Abby 9y, AnnaLise 7y, and Benjamin 6y
Todd and Jane Bash, Lauren 10y, Megan 8y, and Kevin 6y
Phil and Tiffany Anderson, Corrie 7y and Hudson 6y

QUITAQUE, West Texas

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Saturday morning we drove 2 hours and stopped for a picnic lunch in a small West Texas town called Turkey. We had an American chip smorgasbord – Doritos, Cheetohs, and pork skins.

1 hours drive later, we arrived at the Cox’s house in Quitaque. Jamie and Jeff were in medical school together in Lubbock, they were our neighbors and we attended the same church. We were so blessed last year (almost to the date) when their family came to Paraguay to visit us!

That evening we drove (another 2 hours) to Palo Duro Canyon to watch a fabulous outdoor musical theater group present TEXAS. The way they presented the history of the settling of the Texas Panhandle was amazing. The stage was set into the canyon and the props were incredible. There was a fire scene, cannons shooting, a train, wagons, horses galloping, and fireworks. Our kids sat mesmerized. After Ryan said, “Wow! That was way worth sitting on the steps for!” (We had a ticket “incident” and got bumped to step seating).

West Texas


TEXAS!


Our kids plus Tiffini, Anna and Will Cox


Jamie and Cheryl Cox and us


Sunday morning arrived way too early (we didn’t get back to Quitaque until 1:30am from watching the musical). But church was great – refreshing praise and worship and a powerful message. Sunday evening we had our first speaking engagement. PJ and Jennifer Schmidt, who we knew from Lubbock, invited us to share at their church in Roaring Springs, Texas. The people were so warm and friendly that it was hard to be nervous. After we joined them for dinner in the fellowship hall.

WELCOME TO WEST TEXAS!

Friday, August 7, 2009

3 hours on the road Friday afternoon brought us to Abilene where we stretched our legs and let the kids run off some energy at our alma mater, Abilene Christian University. There have been so many new buildings added and others have been redone, that it scarcely resembled the university we remembered. We showed the kids our dorms and mailboxes, where we ate and where we had chapel. Then we stopped at Dairy Queen (the Texas Stop Sign) and the kids enjoyed chocolate dipped cones.

1 hour further down the road we reached Hamlin and were welcomed by a “Welcome to West Texas” poster made and signed by Jennifer and Chad’s 5 beautiful children. Chad and Jeff were together in Harlingen for residency and Jennifer and I participated in several of the wives and mommy activities together. They now have 5 kids (and one on the way) all about our children’s ages. And, like us, they have 4 boys and 1 girl. We had fun also visiting with a high school friend of mine, Zack, his wife Kara, and their twin 2 year old boys. We then proceeded to stay up way too late talking, laughing and being encouraged by each other.

Welcome to West Texas!


The White's with their 5 kids, the Sheets with their twin boys and us


Learning about Paraguay


Fun!

VISITING FRIENDS in WACO

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

We’ve been able to see two families that were with us a part of the Family Practice Residency with us in Harlingen and now living in Waco. Sunday (Aug 2) we had dinner with the Mindy and Burrit Hess and their 4 children. Burrit and Jeff overlapped one year in the residency and they lived in our neighborhood. Mindy and I would often hang out together and let our kids play (her oldest is just 2 weeks younger than Ryan). They kept Ryan when I went to the hospital to have Ginny. Sunday we enjoyed our time with them. The kids loved the trampoline and Ginny had fun playing with girls (there is shortness in her life).

The Hess Family and us


Tuesday (August 4) we spent time with the Martins. Nelson and Jeff graduated from medical school and residency together. Nelson married Laura just before residency and had their first born was born just a month after Joshua. Jeff and Nelson went to Mexico often together for mission work and they spent many nights playing games at our house during residency. They now have 5 children (like us – 5 kids in 6 years!) who were a joy to get to know. Their backyard is crazy-fun and the kids had a blast while the parents caught on the past 4 years.

The Martin Family and us

TERERE

You have probably read the word “tereré” many times in my blog and wondered what I am talking about. Well, here’s the low down on a very cultural thing….

Tereré is a cold bitter tea made from the leaves of a yerba mata tree that is passed around in small groups. The server (traditionally the youngest) pours water from his termo (pitcher or thermos) into a guampa (receptacle to hold water - sometimes a hollowed cow’s horn) packed with ground up yerba leaves. He passes it to the person on his right. That person drinks from a communal bombilla (metal straw with a filter on the end) and immediately passes it back. The server refills the guampa and passes it to the next person. Paraguayans carry their equipo (terere gear) wherever they go.

When temperatures stay in the upper 90’s for weeks at a time, tereré is a must. Very few Paraguayans drink plain water, so tereré is a necessity for hydration in this humid heat. Everyone takes a break at 10:00 and 3:00 to socialize over the refreshing drink. Paraguayans add various herbs and poha (medicines) picked from their yard to the water. The herbs are for different ailments: high blood pressure, low blood pressure, gall bladder problems, prostate problems, etc...
We have made many friends while sipping tereré, have had spiritual conversations while passing the guampa, and have yellowed our teeth on the bitter weeds….all for the sake of bringing Paraguayans to Christ. But really we don’t mind – we’re addicted to it now.

TRULY BLESSED

Tuesday, July 29, 2009

God is faithful - not that I have ever doubted that - but he has been overwhelmingly faithful in such visible ways since we’ve arrived in America just one week ago.

He has provided housing for us and cell pones.

We’ve been given toys, kids bikes, books, books on CD, travel activity books…..

He has blessed us with a car to use for the entire year.

Ryan was given a tennis racket.

The boys were given several shirts (the best kind – hand-me-downs from their Uncle).

Ginny was given several sacks of clothes and shoes.

Someone bought me several shirts and shoes.

The kids have already been able to do and see some fun things.

AND we have been blessed with so many warm welcomes (I know that sounds silly but when you have been gone 4 years, you wonder if people remember who you are!). We’ve loved catching up with friends and sharing what doing is doing in Paraguay.

We truly feel blessed!

Ginny riding


Ryan driving the golf cart


Joshua and his Oma

SUNDAY

Sunday, July 26, 2009

What a warm welcome we received this morning at Belton Church of Christ this morning!

As we walked into the sanctuary Ryan and Ginny’s eyes got big. Ginny said, “This is so big.” Ryan said, “There are so many people at this church.” In Paraguay we have 30 believers who worship outside.

I noticed that all the moms brought cheerios, coloring book and toys to help entertain their kids. In Paraguay when our kids get antsy, they climb a tree, play in the sandbox or watch the ducks.

During worship, I could barely get through the song How Great is our God. I wanted to shout out, “You have no idea how great our God is! These past few days he has overwhelmed me with his blessings.”

While we were singing How Great Though Art, I looked at Ryan. He was singing the song in Spanish (he doesn’t know it in English).


After church we had a wonderful meal at the Taliafero’s house. We got to visit with Liz (the grandkids call her Oma) who is in town to help Jed get started in college. It had been two years since we last saw her. At 3:00 people started arriving at their house to help celebrate Jedidiah’s birthday/graduation party. At one point, I realized that I hadn’t seen Jeff in a while. As I began to look around the house for him, I saw him sitting on the back porch…drinking terere alone. I guess no one wanted to leave the air-conditioning inside!

We started our home assignment running….visiting and traveling, although we wouldn’t have done it any other way, we are all tired and the two little ones have been sick since arriving in the states.

Lunch with Taliaferos and Womacks


Our family with Oma and Uncle Diah