OUR LAST WEEK IN AMERICA

January 1-6, 2016

Here we go again – packing up and saying good-bye.  Even though it happens often, it doesn’t become any easier.  Moves are stressful.  Good-byes are painful.  Emotions are real.  This mission life is a crazy journey - always in flex between two countries, always feeling a bit out of place, and always wrestling with emotions that most people just can’t fully understand. 

Our year and a half in the states has been good.  More specifically, our last 6 months in the states have been really good.  During those last few months, we were able to deepen friendships, establish routines, and be a part of ministries that we will very much miss when we return back to Paraguay.   

Here’s spent the last week:         

My family (Dad, Liz, my brother Jedidiah and his new bride Kathleen) came to visit January 1-3.  Jed and Kathleen headed back to Arkansas on the 3^rd.  On the 4^th we said a tearful good-bye to my parents.

 We hung out with friends.  Lots and lots of friends.  Lunch.  Dinner.  At the park.  At their house.  At our house.  At the soccer field.  

We’ve loved having this group of boys at our house.  They are fun, polite, always hungry, energetic, and laugh a lot.

Friends threw us a going away party.

 And we packed.

We did lots and lots of packing.  And sorting.  And organizing.  And weighing.  We boiled our possessions down to 21 Rubbermaid containers all under 50lbs.

 Our last day – January 5th – brought a steady stream of good-byes from phone calls, texts and friends stopping over.  The boys went to one last soccer practice.  One last chance to be with friends.  It was 9:30 when the trailer was loaded and the last of our friends left the house. We were exhausted emotionally and physically.

Once the kids were settled and everything became still and quiet.  And once I finally laid down, I cried.  I cried as I said good-bye to this chapter in my life.  I cried just as I cried one and a half years earlier lying in the same bed our first night back in the U.S as I said good-bye to Paraguay.
We mourn for what we leave behind but we press on to what God has in store for us.  We press on to His call for our family.  We press on to Paraguay.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RYAN and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

What?  16 years old already?  Where has the time gone?

The cool thing about Ryan is that he's....a cool teenager.

Seriously.  He is fun to hang out with and interesting to talk with.  

I love him and the young man who he is becoming.

Ryan, Jeff and Uncle Steve spent the morning playing disk golf. 

For lunch Ryan went out with Oma and Opa to Whataburger.

We spent the evening at friend’s house celebrating Ryan and ringing in the New Year.  

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY, CLAIRE!

 12-29-2016

 Claire crawling on hands and knees

Tooth 5 and 6 are poking through

Gives kisses

Loves to communicate

When she babbles she has inflections as if she’s really trying to communicate.

Pulls up to a standing position

Says “bye” and waves

CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS!

 We celebrated with family

 Claire's first Christmas

 As tradition we watched The Grinch.  Ginny was inspired to do a “Julia Lou Hoo” style.

HAPPY 14th BIRTHDAY, GINNY!

December 13th

Ginny turned 14 today.

What a blessing she is to us!

God has used her this year to bless several families through babysitting.  The moms all love Ginny to watch their kids because their kids love their time with Ginny and Ginny cleans too.  She has helped a friend of ours tremendously during November and December as they’ve been preparing to take their family of 8 to the mission field.  She’s cleaned, sorted, organized, and labels many many many boxes. 

Claire at 11 months

Claire army crawls

Started rocking on her hands and knees

Can go from laying down to sitting up

Loves meat, chicken and rice

She’s not too sure about applesauce which is a bummer because I made a bunch in the crock pot!

11-26-15: Claire top tooth popped in

11-29: pulling up to things

Finally sleeping through the night

THANKSGIVING

We are thankful for so many things this season.  We are always astonished at God's provision for us.

We are especially thankful this week to be headed back to Paraguay soon.  We just bought tickets for January 6^th!

I am also very thankful that my baby of almost almost 11 months has decided to sleep better at night and only wake up once.

We are also thankful that God has allowed us to spend this thanksgiving meal with both sides of our family.  My family stayed with us a few days before thanksgiving day and Jeff's family joined us the day of.

Girls in the kitchen cooking 6 pies among other things for dinner.