tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44220145129968089132024-02-18T20:11:14.612-06:00Little Boy BlueNever knew being a mom was so amazing!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.comBlogger166125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-85815937407487677752019-06-24T14:16:00.001-05:002019-06-24T14:16:34.020-05:00SummerThere is no rest for the weary. And I am weary. :)<br />
<br />
I have been on summer "break" for 2 weeks now. I had 2 meetings at work already, and a full week of an Educational Leadership class for my Principal and Director of Instruction license. Today I sat to down to finish some homework and have the rest of this week before kicking it in to summer school gear next week. <br />
<br />
Josh is going to a county camp program this summer 4 hours per day. It is wonderful to have some routine for him. They pick him up and drop him off at home. He is also enjoying a new hobby of magnet fishing with his friends. He gets to ride in the 4th of July parade with a friend of his - that will be fun. <br />
<br />
Chris is working at a golf course for the summer, so he gets some part time hours while he isn't driving school bus. <br />
<br />
We will be spending a few days up north in August and celebrating Josh's 11th birthday. <br />
<br />
Life doesn't slow down, does it? My lazy days are few and far between. Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-76280755213498136102019-03-11T15:53:00.001-05:002019-03-11T15:54:05.725-05:00worst blogger everOver 3 years since my last post - gosh!! I can't promise to do better in the future...but here's an update...<br />
<br />
in May of 2018, we moved to a beautiful new home in a small town just north of where we were living before. This house is perfect for us, and we love our neighborhood.<br />
<br />
Chris is still driving school bus and is looking for some seasonal work to keep him busy for the summer. He enjoys being the "neighborhood dad" and loves having lots of kids over to play in the pool and in the basement, where he has sectioned off an area for Josh. He has some good friends he likes to play video games with on the weekends.<br />
<br />
I am still teaching 4th grade. This fall I will be starting work on my principal and director of instruction licensure, in hopes of being out of the classroom in the next 5 years. I love singing on the worship team at church, and have a few close friends I love to be with. I also recently earned my red belt in karate.<br />
<br />
Josh is in 4th grade and attends a charter school in Madison designed to help meet some of his unique needs. We are so blessed to have a team of professionals working with us to help him be successful.<br />
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-15942204789848972342016-01-09T16:21:00.003-06:002016-01-09T16:21:42.860-06:002016 updateTime flies by so fast...it's hard to believe it is already 2016.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Rj7Jgqomo8Rr3B1mBXlivznQvB6O6tkvwm2UFA7G7AbG2mYqQjTLFE25VREjEr-pbSlxwQpVM81EiGsKHtxv3K4VKdeEREo_BVAVTDdDx8IYHoMEcyw0BqSO7zI6Kn4dicJhhOuY60YQ/s1600/IMG_4344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Rj7Jgqomo8Rr3B1mBXlivznQvB6O6tkvwm2UFA7G7AbG2mYqQjTLFE25VREjEr-pbSlxwQpVM81EiGsKHtxv3K4VKdeEREo_BVAVTDdDx8IYHoMEcyw0BqSO7zI6Kn4dicJhhOuY60YQ/s320/IMG_4344.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Estelle Schiek Photography</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Here's a few things to report...<br />
<br />
CHRIS - is past another knee replacement, and on to bigger and better things. He started a new job recently driving school bus and seems much happier than before. He looks forward to a relatively pain free year.<br />
<br />
RACHEL - I continue working hard at my job teaching 4th grade. I was blessed to have a student teacher this first semester - which is a lot of work, but very rewarding. I also adore singing on our worship team at church and helping out in other areas. I started karate this October and am testing for my gold belt this week.<br />
<br />
JOSHUA - we made it past a rough patch at the beginning of this school year. He is doing much better now in 1st grade with all of the support and help that he receives. We still struggle some regulating his behavior (ADHD) and anxiety needs, but God helps us everyday. He is a rascal - but a sweetheart as well.<br />
<br />
IN OTHER NEWS - not much is going on. 2015 was a rough year for us, as Chris was off work for the last 4 months of the year. We had a few health scares as well, and have been learning how to manage Joshua's mental health and medical needs. <br />
<br />
We still hope for another baby to come to our family this year. Our adoption profile is being shown next week and we hope that it might result in a match for us. I can't help but dream a bit whenever I know our profile will be shown, even though the chances are small. There are 25 waiting couples at our agency, and every one of us wants a baby just as badly. We trust God for His perfect will and timing. In the meantime....a quote from one of my favorite characters:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrB7_YokwqfR5dtQ_CwtctbJj2pBVLlNtHCyYsNAh6oMV9DE2k_1F9B_tiINYllxVpjqV7X3czpcT9Im50uYQ6mzt8lNx_9yGxSnWMYcoFQanxEsoktOk7dMTVB3XWpegwosJMIyxnYQfq/s1600/95ea0e3d0c14169af209b8b26048a531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrB7_YokwqfR5dtQ_CwtctbJj2pBVLlNtHCyYsNAh6oMV9DE2k_1F9B_tiINYllxVpjqV7X3czpcT9Im50uYQ6mzt8lNx_9yGxSnWMYcoFQanxEsoktOk7dMTVB3XWpegwosJMIyxnYQfq/s320/95ea0e3d0c14169af209b8b26048a531.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-67537302715453031562015-04-04T19:11:00.000-05:002015-04-04T19:11:08.390-05:00EasterI haven't written in a while. Life is so busy, time just gets away from me. We find ourselves approaching Easter tomorrow. I'm in a bit of a funk, I think. This is the time last year that we first learned of Carolyn and I've been thinking about her a lot lately. Josh is doing well, but we've been having a few struggles. Work is very busy and other activities are pressing me for time. I feel quite overwhelmed much of the time. <br />
<br />
I think Jesus must have been overwhelmed at the cross. If you've seen The Passion of the Christ, then you have a small idea of what it must have been like. I watched it last night and was reminded anew of how suffering was heaped upon his shoulders, one thing after another. And yet - He overcame. And because He overcame, I have hope. Hope that my funk will not last forever. Hope that there is another baby for our family. Hope that Josh will turn out all right in the end. Hope that for all of my striving and strain, there is peace on the other side. <br />
<br />
In Christ alone my hope is found. He is risen!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wNRFumI2ch0/0.jpg" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wNRFumI2ch0?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-82822722668181527822014-09-27T16:44:00.000-05:002014-09-27T16:44:58.459-05:00HonestyI recently visited a new place. It wasn't planned, and I hope to never go there again. It's the place of anger and bitterness. I've spent the last month or so locked in a battle of wills against myself. All those pieces of me that I usually keep well tucked away have been rearing their ugly heads. I think that's what anger and bitterness do - they shove everything else out so they can take over.<br />
<br />
"God, this was a bad decision. You did the wrong thing. I don't see any good in this situation - for anyone, us, Carolyn, her birth parents..." I finally said it...finally told God how I really feel. I told Him how mad I was at Him, how I didn't believe Him when He said he worked for my good. I told Him I was having a hard time trusting Him. <br />
<br />
He heard me. That I know for sure. He heard. And He is love. He loves me.<br />
<br />
The battle I've been fighting? It's not over. I still don't understand. I'm still not sure why. I still feel angry...but I don't think I'm living in anger anymore. I chose this weekend to let the anger go. I placed this situation - the cause of my sorrow and heartache - in a chair, looked at it, and then chose to watch it walk away. <br />
<br />
Remember in the movie the Neverending Story - when the horse sinks into the Swamps of Sadness? He lets the sorrow overtake him and gets stuck and ends up dying in the swamp. Carolyn is always in my thoughts... I wish I knew she was ok. Truth is, from the few things I have heard, there is cause for concern. And that makes it harder. Harder to trust that He has things under control.<br />
<br />
I've never been in a place like this before. I've always been able to see hope in the midst of despair and see how the situation was for the good. This one has changed me. There is something changed in my relationship with God. A distance. I don't like it and I'm trying to find my way back.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/_AT7wa0tPVU/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_AT7wa0tPVU&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_AT7wa0tPVU&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-76894077353719790942014-08-15T14:12:00.000-05:002014-08-15T14:14:07.783-05:00Next stepsAfter much deliberation and prayer, Chris and I have decided to keep our home study and license open and apply for domestic infant adoption with our adoption agency. We had a taste of what it would be like to have 2 kids, and Josh was such a wonderful big brother. We really didn't feel like things were over and the door was still open.<br />
<br />
So - with the remaining money in the account that was earmarked for Carolyn, and the refund from the unused attorney funds, we had exactly enough to pay the rest of the agency fees to become a "waiting family". What this means is our information, including pictures, is on file with the agency, and when expecting moms come to the agency to make an adoption plan, they may look at our profile and perhaps choose to meet us and have us parent their baby. It's the same process we went through with Josh. Lots of uncertainty, but we believe this is what God is calling us to do right now.<br />
<br />
I am in the process of applying for adoption grants, as there is another large sum due upon placement of a child in our home, which could really be anywhere from now until 2 years from now. Adoption grants will help us gather that money together so we are ready when we need it. We are also working on our profile information which is what moms will see when they are looking to choose a family. <br />
<br />
Please continue to pray for us - these are big decisions with long term effects. We want to do what God is calling us to and honor Him with our family and our lives. We still love and miss baby Carolyn - but are confident that God is holding her close.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0Psnb4m56nEH9CX_WzQl8_yLC7S9mZus9APPPLxYIfL46LFcCjTX9FnZVEl753Po7Bhip2hyphenhyphen8QQDjICPwfX3JAXR-87eoL-XexqURr1Ixn91I1YmyEvR64v1L3BlT75J8XBdaxPscccI/s1600/waiting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0Psnb4m56nEH9CX_WzQl8_yLC7S9mZus9APPPLxYIfL46LFcCjTX9FnZVEl753Po7Bhip2hyphenhyphen8QQDjICPwfX3JAXR-87eoL-XexqURr1Ixn91I1YmyEvR64v1L3BlT75J8XBdaxPscccI/s1600/waiting.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-62389742127720067852014-08-03T18:11:00.001-05:002014-08-03T18:11:06.170-05:00Joshua is 6<div style="text-align: center;">
Happy Birthday!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTduwfF3yVykmN8WQ7I6l7hZLGVPxbONJ8nyPHT_FF0Lnm5aSXgl7c8aO_GxC9RBxiOl9LPXAWzp94M53XI2MCnO6iZ2_5cKlveLRiIKHxa2v6-4NXe3T0x5gGOGucV7rLUderkEAvqZ1/s1600/100_1887.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTduwfF3yVykmN8WQ7I6l7hZLGVPxbONJ8nyPHT_FF0Lnm5aSXgl7c8aO_GxC9RBxiOl9LPXAWzp94M53XI2MCnO6iZ2_5cKlveLRiIKHxa2v6-4NXe3T0x5gGOGucV7rLUderkEAvqZ1/s1600/100_1887.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
August 2008</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqIs62CM3xPhwhRLNg3h4N5A77Scxo6ip7KgPMlPa6aek5EUGJ7NswQBxggMseS2LlhsfwfoI166DrVlP9UZhXmaiFC17BlWknjMC3CPnMSAfKZ44eBgJa5z8bk-tlSxdWrPrpFCVdBjU/s1600/IMG_0913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqIs62CM3xPhwhRLNg3h4N5A77Scxo6ip7KgPMlPa6aek5EUGJ7NswQBxggMseS2LlhsfwfoI166DrVlP9UZhXmaiFC17BlWknjMC3CPnMSAfKZ44eBgJa5z8bk-tlSxdWrPrpFCVdBjU/s1600/IMG_0913.JPG" height="223" width="320" /></a></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-54169765969753439862014-07-27T14:54:00.000-05:002014-07-27T17:00:31.685-05:001 monthCarolyn is one month old. Today is a sad day. I'm mostly ok, but things hit at strange times. I packed up some clothes and things today, but I can't do anymore. I don't understand why things happened the way they did. I have to trust that God has a greater purpose and plan, and He trusts me with pain and heartache for a reason, but I really don't want pain and heartache. Does anyone? We all just want our lives to run the way we've planned them - easy and full of love and joy. <br />
<br />
The hardest part is that I keep waiting for something to happen. Waiting for a phone call telling me it was all a mistake. Waiting for a text that says they changed their minds again. Waiting for some miraculous thing to happen and somehow that baby girl is back in this house with me. I keep getting reminders - like the doctor's office calls to remind me of her 1 month appointment on Tuesday or the email from The Children's Place or Babies R Us because I signed up for their monthly coupons. The final attorney paperwork arrived in the mail and should have given closure, but it didn't.<br />
<br />
It's done. Over - and I have to be ok with that. I can't live my life hoping for things to go my way. "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness". Hope isn't about what I want, it's about what God wants to do. I just wish I knew what it was.<br />
<br />
I want to know how this testing of my faith will produce perseverance, character, and hope. I want to know how this good work begun in me will be completed. I want to know about His plans to prosper me and give me hope and a future. I want to experience being settled in my home as a happy mother of children....notice that is plural - and yet, Josh is enough - he is such a blessing and I am so grateful to have him. I want to learn to be content in whatever state I am - but I'm not. <br />
<br />
I have been a mother to 3 children. <a href="http://lttlboyblu.blogspot.com/2007/12/daniel-82407-112007.html"> Daniel</a>, Josh, and Carolyn - and only one do I hold in my arms - and I would not trade him for a thousand more. Daniel's birth, illness, and passing was difficult, but we knew that in the end he was safe in the arms of God. Both Chris and I say we do not regret the 12 days we had with Carolyn - but I think it makes it harder because we had the taste of what having a daughter would be like.<br />
<br />
God, help me let go.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-59986837800082279542014-07-14T21:29:00.001-05:002014-07-14T21:29:44.168-05:00No sweet, just bitterAt 3 pm on Friday, July 11th, Carolyn went back to her birth family. It was heart wrenching for all of us. We had 12 days to parent her, and in those 12 days we fell in love, although we knew the possibility of temporary was always there. <br />
<br />
I got the call Friday morning, and my mom and I dropped her off later that afternoon. I also returned all the things the hospital had given us as well as some items the birth parents gave us. The birth parent counselor was there as well. I did not cry when I gave the baby to her mother, but cried as soon as I got outside.<br />
<br />
We pray that Carolyn's birth parents will be equipped to parent her, financially, emotionally, and physically. We pray for her health and safety, and that she will be raised to know Jesus. I left a letter for her, but I don't know if she will ever see it.<br />
<br />
I am no longer able to receive updates, but the last I heard she was doing fine. God bless and keep you, little one. I love you!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-13171061006062960822014-07-05T10:18:00.003-05:002014-07-05T10:18:58.814-05:00The story of CarolynSweet girl...it was a long weekend for your mommy and daddy and big brother. Your birth mom called at 5:00 on Friday morning to say her water broke. You were born almost 5 hours later! 9:47 a.m. 7 pounds 10 ounces and 21 1/4 inches long. We went to grandma and grandpa's house to wait until we could see you. We visited you in the hospital at about 6:15 that night. We talked to your birth parents for a long time, and then took some pictures of you and them.<br />
<br />
The next day, we didn't get to go back to the hospital to see you. Your birth family wanted to spend as much time with you as they could before you came home with us. We did have to sign a lot of papers and came back home, praying everything would work out to go and get you on Sunday.<br />
<br />
On Sunday, I went to the hospital to pick you up and bring you home. Your birth mom and dad were very very brave. Once they left, I spent some time with the nurses learning about you, and then you and I left the hospital together.<br />
<br />
We are taking care of you this month while all of the court papers and proceedings are finalized. We continue to hope and pray that you will end up being our forever daughter, and we trust God's plan for our family.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNLdAs_fy7Q1p800Ysh4ASdAXO_mtnsEvdvcx_4l5uj0vqhE5kWNt1UvgQ_hlmSBsqWhJlBEFR-CyD-FQNEQpqjb5Yjg2wM6aSt9uoIvXsF6_fKZhrdUX1TurdOz5FE222xEQEba0Is8hu/s1600/100_1780.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNLdAs_fy7Q1p800Ysh4ASdAXO_mtnsEvdvcx_4l5uj0vqhE5kWNt1UvgQ_hlmSBsqWhJlBEFR-CyD-FQNEQpqjb5Yjg2wM6aSt9uoIvXsF6_fKZhrdUX1TurdOz5FE222xEQEba0Is8hu/s1600/100_1780.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-1175292907343226472014-04-18T06:58:00.000-05:002014-04-18T06:58:20.770-05:00PinkPink is not my signature color...but we are shortly to be seeing a lot of pink around here. On Sunday, April 6, my mom called and said there was a family at their church who wanted to make an adoption plan for their baby girl, due end of June. We started praying and gathering some information, and met with the family on Wednesday, April 16. We are moving forward with an independent adoption through our adoption agency. Please pray for everything to go smoothly and little girl to grow healthy and strong.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-33324768089148498252013-10-01T16:45:00.000-05:002013-10-01T16:45:14.344-05:00Real?I feel a bit like the Velveteen Rabbit. Josh has been asking lately if I'm his real mom. I'm not sure where it's coming from - although we've always been open about the fact that he was adopted, it's not a daily topic of conversation. We bring it up when he asks questions. But this newest questions was a little heart breaking the first time I heard it. My 5 year old is wondering if I'm his real mom? What other insecurities is he feeling? Lord, how do I handle this?<br />
<br />
The first time, I asked him if he thought I was. He reached over and patted me and said "you feel real." :) The next time, I asked him what he thought. He said he thought I was. I said "you didn't come out of mommy's tummy, but God chose us for each other, and I'm your real mom forever and ever." Another time, I asked if he was my real boy. He laughed and said "yes, mom, that's a silly question." We've now decided that we are real, and we know because our hearts tell us so. He still asks, but he knows the answer he'll get. When he's mad, he will tell me that I'm not his real mom. As my heart breaks a teeny bit, I tell him tough luck - he's stuck with me as his real mom who loves him bunches. <br />
<br />
So how do you explain real to a 5 year old? The velveteen rabbit turned real because someone loved him...maybe it works for moms too!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-16966344757814718182013-08-04T07:20:00.000-05:002013-08-04T07:20:01.775-05:005 years oldThere seems to be something about 5. To Josh, he now uses all his fingers on his hand to tell how old he is. To me, I'm not sure why it's different. He's entering the world of big kids, I guess. Even though he has another year before kindergarten, 5 seems like the gateway to school and beyond.<br />
<br />
I'm so proud to be his mom. I've seen so much maturity over the summer even, and I look forward to seeing his successes in 4K this year. He's loving, creative, imaginative, stubborn, affectionate, wild, and even has rhythm. There is nothing I would change about his unique little self. He is his own person, and I'm proud of him for that. I know that God has tremendous things in store for him, and, while I'm not anxious for him to grow up, I am excited to see what he will accomplish in his life, and how he will continue to grow in wisdom & stature, and in favor with God and people.<br />
<br />
We had a birthday party today. First few hours were pretty typical for us...but then came the children. We invited a bunch of Josh's friends over for water party and cupcakes. They had the sprinkler, squirt guns, water balloons, and the kiddie pool, along with the sandbox, playset, and tree swing. We had a pinata and cupcakes and opened presents. Josh was feeling pretty overwhelmed by the end of it - so much sugar and stimulation with little rest and downtime. He inquired of everyone who came if they had a present for him, but did very well saying thank you and giving hugs.<br />
<br />
I have never seen this level of anticipation in him before. He went to bed last night excited about his party, and woke up this morning talking about it. Here are some pictures of his day...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEQNd4X6XlzGOk5KvZ9hSXElA06yQN9xZVpIGSOqBSQZpyku1vuIRutI1yEI0Yf3WdvX211Qe2ZovRn7vGXsqsjIWFV4lp-pbiDlRPki2oAgqDHNhKV_WQoeryCZESt7EuITYjwQeezt0/s1600/100_1661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEQNd4X6XlzGOk5KvZ9hSXElA06yQN9xZVpIGSOqBSQZpyku1vuIRutI1yEI0Yf3WdvX211Qe2ZovRn7vGXsqsjIWFV4lp-pbiDlRPki2oAgqDHNhKV_WQoeryCZESt7EuITYjwQeezt0/s320/100_1661.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMUbpkjEfe1g_vhwfv11XeH4gKygTPfNBVffAoT9nhvf7i-1-LuQtW4DnEVa_d9Aecu6Qor6g5SNhfR_mkaerBs7VjKOB6AOlHH4yobXZKnYQGZKFXzaNTx9Rb4IXnBG50TpI9CYXGF3TZ/s1600/100_1667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMUbpkjEfe1g_vhwfv11XeH4gKygTPfNBVffAoT9nhvf7i-1-LuQtW4DnEVa_d9Aecu6Qor6g5SNhfR_mkaerBs7VjKOB6AOlHH4yobXZKnYQGZKFXzaNTx9Rb4IXnBG50TpI9CYXGF3TZ/s320/100_1667.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_1VWJKi2ubKq2I97f9Oo2pfh_qigRYkLDBk7YnUCg7YlE8-XQ5HwP1iWGUTEwUMa0v6LT1VHLm9WqSnIWIAiX5gbdlYExfd8OQTaL_fo7KEtV9VNefzo1NdL0_VQxnTwn4uxbrN-VfiR/s1600/100_1676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_1VWJKi2ubKq2I97f9Oo2pfh_qigRYkLDBk7YnUCg7YlE8-XQ5HwP1iWGUTEwUMa0v6LT1VHLm9WqSnIWIAiX5gbdlYExfd8OQTaL_fo7KEtV9VNefzo1NdL0_VQxnTwn4uxbrN-VfiR/s320/100_1676.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZXKEsT414pKT4d5mBLOukFjBENd11AtP0BAD1VROnYHivc5ViPXHVHLsMtyt0TqkQyIWVEpgkaFI1lXBr8qLC29UBmOBgDHzifRmgFyP0hbNvs59bya6WmyuLaYnkVNlIIvjSkjD_AwK/s1600/100_1680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZXKEsT414pKT4d5mBLOukFjBENd11AtP0BAD1VROnYHivc5ViPXHVHLsMtyt0TqkQyIWVEpgkaFI1lXBr8qLC29UBmOBgDHzifRmgFyP0hbNvs59bya6WmyuLaYnkVNlIIvjSkjD_AwK/s320/100_1680.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilolAtpvUVMobwgWGGw00KVaPVV03_Fgdx7bjROu0vdMtHEEKwpaFH1hHkbblZh3W0JeSbhliqzrGzn-qPhysMwcmUe9a8mp3W2Tp81OzQgQMIceykOAX4W1ZahgRKxwfvIST8v-d3X4tZ/s1600/100_1686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilolAtpvUVMobwgWGGw00KVaPVV03_Fgdx7bjROu0vdMtHEEKwpaFH1hHkbblZh3W0JeSbhliqzrGzn-qPhysMwcmUe9a8mp3W2Tp81OzQgQMIceykOAX4W1ZahgRKxwfvIST8v-d3X4tZ/s320/100_1686.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2ZCnnh86U63MAzLloR-OtyB7FI8oWeA-lnI9SeFHsRL28bTIfa2HukGF22mg4ULqnvLkXzcM7cNA0zCPG8xAbOkAAbkanuh5EfPFji68cjzQS_p5urNU9jf9jwhXv2fmeZEl-TvyNOvQ/s1600/100_1694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2ZCnnh86U63MAzLloR-OtyB7FI8oWeA-lnI9SeFHsRL28bTIfa2HukGF22mg4ULqnvLkXzcM7cNA0zCPG8xAbOkAAbkanuh5EfPFji68cjzQS_p5urNU9jf9jwhXv2fmeZEl-TvyNOvQ/s320/100_1694.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPr5OO3J-h-Dyt8gOI9zRLxaZt0GPi9NeXZjT2OcOHU4drZN865LyM3LVUFSBuI0gJc2BiGrMl93lssOwUHzkSDi7ssb_4NOvqqbMvYUcvtFr6zScagqTyQDGHCTiBsK8Zpz1k26vzXjuK/s1600/100_1705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPr5OO3J-h-Dyt8gOI9zRLxaZt0GPi9NeXZjT2OcOHU4drZN865LyM3LVUFSBuI0gJc2BiGrMl93lssOwUHzkSDi7ssb_4NOvqqbMvYUcvtFr6zScagqTyQDGHCTiBsK8Zpz1k26vzXjuK/s320/100_1705.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2evAw6wg3matMiEq4n05GI4H_uUCeYvemaDw_xnnDo0CIiih13vrzMyv6hQOjcpd8GDCx9x7o6z5Ofwqu7a0k7yIs9eZCFwnK6V6D1WN71jysbCpLTovyhHDoenZ9NuwpqLibUoShSVYn/s1600/100_1722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2evAw6wg3matMiEq4n05GI4H_uUCeYvemaDw_xnnDo0CIiih13vrzMyv6hQOjcpd8GDCx9x7o6z5Ofwqu7a0k7yIs9eZCFwnK6V6D1WN71jysbCpLTovyhHDoenZ9NuwpqLibUoShSVYn/s320/100_1722.jpg" /></a></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-43041391957413826172013-06-25T21:29:00.000-05:002013-06-25T21:29:59.069-05:00SummerTrying to stay busy this summer without spending a ton of money...challenging! I've been working quite a bit, between coordinating summer school and some conferences/classes.<br />
<br />
We've been to Tommy Bartlett, both the show and the exploratory. Josh also got to go to a Day Out with Thomas a fe weekends ago. We hit up the Sauk County breakfast on the farm, and today he and dad went to Monona Dream Park. We've been to the splash pad a few times, the zoo, and he does swimming lessons and library story time once a week.<br />
<br />
We're still hoping to get to Cave of the Mounds this summer, as well as spend a few days up at the cottage. We haven't been there in a while because of Chris's crazy work schedule. He used his vacation time last year for the cruise, so this year, we'll be relaxing at the cottage instead.<br />
<br />
Josh will do a little summer school later in July to get him ready for 4K again in the fall. We decided to have him repeat 4k since he won't be 5 until August, and since last year, with the early childhood support, he didn't get the full 4k experience. We've also been working on "Bible school" at home which connects learning the letters of the alphabet with Bible stories. I may try Vacation Bible school with him also this summer.<br />
<br />
We've had lots of time relaxing with friends too. For an unstructured summer, it sure has been busy! Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-53648092740431936042013-03-30T19:29:00.000-05:002013-03-30T19:29:08.866-05:00TestifyA few weeks ago, Josh was riding in the backseat of my mom's car. He had a bottle of juice and was struggling to open it, as mom watched through her rear view mirror. She watched him struggle a bit, and then he stopped and said "God, give me strength." He tried again, and it opened! She says his eyes were as big as saucers at the thought that God heard and answered his prayer.<br />
<br />
This past week, he happened to be at church with my mom and the kids joined the adults for a missionary service. The pastor asked what God had been doing for people and if anyone wanted to share. Josh raised his hand, and when the pastor called on him (brave pastor for calling on a 4 year old...you never know what they will say!) he told the whole congregation that God gave him strength.<br />
<br />
I'm proud of him, for his boldness and childlike faith. It's been good to watch him growing in his understanding of Easter and what it means too!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-3242222285689197012012-12-25T20:42:00.001-06:002012-12-25T20:42:50.003-06:00Happy Christmas!I'm bad, I know - not having posted since September...however, I'm not sure who actually reads this blog, so perhaps you haven't missed me. If you do read, feel free to drop a comment so I know who's out there "listening".<br />
<br />
I can hardly believe it's Christmas again, and we just celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. 10 years that sometimes feels like a lifetime, and other times, feels like it's not possible it's been that long. After 10 years, we've settled in quite a bit with each other; navigating the maze of parenting a preschooler, trying to not have the same old arguments again and again, anticipating each other's thoughts and reactions, and living our lives the best way we know how. We try to live and love and give 100%...TRY being the operative word!<br />
<br />
Josh continues to bring us great joy. I can't imagine what the next 10 years will bring - he will be 14 then, and I may be ready to tear my hair out! He is a sweetheart with a good heart, an imagination to beat the band, and a stubborn, tenacious, personality that will serve him well in the future. He gets Early Childhood support for focus and attention issues, as well as some receptive language and OT services. He loves playing with his friends, especially our neighbors' son Evan. He brings joy and spreads cheer wherever he goes.<br />
<br />
We are blessed to have our families with us for another year, and blessed beyond words to be involved in a wonderful church that serves us and allows us to serve. They love us, and love Josh, and we are excited to see what the future holds. Our families are healthy and active, and we are so glad we live close enough to see them regularly, even though Chris talks about moving somewhere warm when we get old.<br />
<br />
As for me, I'm tired. You can probably tell by the tone of this post. Not physically tired, right now, but weary of this world. I'm not trying to be morose; I just find myself looking forward to the day when the cares of this life are over and I see my Savior face to face. I am nowhere near where I want to be when He calls us home, but I hope that I am drawing nearer to Him each day. I want my life to be purposeful and uncluttered, but that is harder than it seems. <br />
<br />
I know it's not New Years, but here are a few "resolutions":<br />
<br />
1. Drink more water and less soda.<br />
2. Pay off one large debt and don't accrue any others.<br />
3. Consistently spend time with Jesus in the mornings. (I did better with this over the past year than ever before!)<br />
4. Simplify my life where possible.<br />
5. Spend more time building relationships with people.<br />
<br />
Happy Christmas. The ordinary baby in the manger made an extraordinary difference in my life. He is the reason for the season, but we are the reason He came. <br />
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WxjFiRB9jec" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-86066264621966860802012-09-26T08:52:00.001-05:002012-09-26T08:52:10.339-05:00SchoolIt doesn't seem possible that my little boy has started school, but started school he has! He attends 4 year old kindergarten at the daycare center he's been going to for the past two years. He has 4k 3 hours every morning except Fridays, and he gets to stay and play with his friends until we can pick him up. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, he goes to "big school" (as he calls it) about halfway through the 4k day. Big school is the early childhood classroom where he gets some extra help with focus, attention, social skills, and other things that will help him in the large group school setting.<br />
<br />
So far, I think he's enjoying it. He's off on a field trip to the apple orchard today...riding a school bus and everything. We have our first parent/teacher conference on Monday evening. Josh is exhausted when he gets home! No homework yet, but he has been asking to sort things at home. He likes play time the most...not a fan of coloring, but he'll do it if playtime is around the corner!<br />
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-91478267685452435452012-09-01T08:53:00.002-05:002012-09-01T08:53:49.404-05:00Family vacationWe had the wonderful privilege of going on a family cruise this August. Chris's parents and his brother's family went as well. We had 6 adults, my 4 year old, and my 19 month old nephew. <br />
<br />
Our cruise happened when hurricane Ernesto was moving through the caribbean, so our itinerary changed a bit. We spent our first two days at sea. It was nice exploring the ship and relaxing a bit. Josh was able to participate in Camp Carnival, which provided kids activities for most of the day. Our favorite part of every day was dinner, since the kids really seemed to connect with our waitstaff. The 3 guys who served our table enjoyed the kids too.<br />
<br />
Our first port was Montego Bay, Jamaica. I was able to go zip lining with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law while everyone else spent some time at the beach. Zip lining was amazing! I was comfortable and safe the whole time. There were 6 or 7 lines through the rain forest. So cool!<br />
<br />
Our second port was Grand Cayman Island. We spent a few hours at the beach. The boys played in the sand a lot.<br />
<br />
Our final port was Cozumel, Mexico, where we had an adventure meeting sting rays, some as big as my dining room table. Josh was a little nervous at first, but he did get back in and pet them, although he wasn't interested in feeding them, like dad did, or kissing one, like mom did. After that, we had the chance to snorkel a bit while the boys swam around. They also got to hold a parrot and iguana, and participate in a hermit crab race. Josh's crab won, and he got a special prize from the snack bar.<br />
<br />
Our last day was a day at sea. It was a fun vacation for everyone, but we were all glad to be back at home!<br />
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-7705409698755488332012-08-29T21:30:00.000-05:002012-08-29T21:30:39.241-05:00Happy Birthday to Joshua!Little man is 4. I can't believe it. He is amazing. I spent the morning with him at Knuckleheads and family joined us for his party in the evening. He's getting tall and so kid-like, instead of toddler like. He's starting 4K this year, and I'm so pleased with his manners and his enthusiasm and zest for life. He is all boy - rough and tumble, energy to spare, impatient, loud, loving, caring, exuberant, and messy. We love him!<br />
4 years old<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dc_sknbHvU8csUy_5bZ-eWrc8BBusBpDIm51YGfFJ-jTJxvT4uHR7oqJxREgiMNMSbC8yMFZA2npmK4qmnKL8aWwjWVX37C3hue-szs5hdyOuAoj3f4sIFJXaOUMeLoj0u9CM-xL7sHf/s1600/100_1057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dc_sknbHvU8csUy_5bZ-eWrc8BBusBpDIm51YGfFJ-jTJxvT4uHR7oqJxREgiMNMSbC8yMFZA2npmK4qmnKL8aWwjWVX37C3hue-szs5hdyOuAoj3f4sIFJXaOUMeLoj0u9CM-xL7sHf/s320/100_1057.jpg" /></a></div>3 years old<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaR6dk5pvukEfrBaT-IkelUKDT04376716wUILKPXUJMHJqXdKNYIG6xSh-KdfKEn1KMZGWn69g9wwzu1UuDkGon83-LvO0s1_h3XayPBk72ZajOG99obwRZgzuRa7C5wByMlBi0rBwdp-/s1600/100_0464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaR6dk5pvukEfrBaT-IkelUKDT04376716wUILKPXUJMHJqXdKNYIG6xSh-KdfKEn1KMZGWn69g9wwzu1UuDkGon83-LvO0s1_h3XayPBk72ZajOG99obwRZgzuRa7C5wByMlBi0rBwdp-/s320/100_0464.JPG" /></a></div>2 years old<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6iCUqoZfgI1-VQMupvLXcoIcTRdQw_Kcsnjv7ItmKdUaW9skzIhNV7JtkPb07wBo8YdJJhrCScAyMQxlzVgc98k2HYJnadMMj3DK2igzlZFbdbhpyI_GKrrC1RXaNvj1Myq8-HgVXD8W/s1600/IMG_1038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6iCUqoZfgI1-VQMupvLXcoIcTRdQw_Kcsnjv7ItmKdUaW9skzIhNV7JtkPb07wBo8YdJJhrCScAyMQxlzVgc98k2HYJnadMMj3DK2igzlZFbdbhpyI_GKrrC1RXaNvj1Myq8-HgVXD8W/s320/IMG_1038.JPG" /></a></div>1 year old<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVur2SR3k3413knvbzMqkY9cIQLP1tZUH7q5CfEaz1AYHQZBOLRds2meKuibYPIemFMv-Acm0qiBp4mm-oBwEQ_0wnSG07tViqhKbAQjuKLszCfL69UYtpQ2UT2JlOVoa071jXAmTlbHAD/s1600/IMG_0101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVur2SR3k3413knvbzMqkY9cIQLP1tZUH7q5CfEaz1AYHQZBOLRds2meKuibYPIemFMv-Acm0qiBp4mm-oBwEQ_0wnSG07tViqhKbAQjuKLszCfL69UYtpQ2UT2JlOVoa071jXAmTlbHAD/s320/IMG_0101.JPG" /></a></div>Birth<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_TBeJcmicZxekw3hr5hOYrZ5TzpQXxI7UMpjCMVxhyhnLbkl76Rifoxn4RcCVqXFATT47mi_9hnz7DRj0lwDvfdYFvkIdkSUlEXWzxFFGRyHSIfAfzZe3_lT9JjFwpIQFKz9QcgdqJqNt/s1600/flair+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="125" width="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_TBeJcmicZxekw3hr5hOYrZ5TzpQXxI7UMpjCMVxhyhnLbkl76Rifoxn4RcCVqXFATT47mi_9hnz7DRj0lwDvfdYFvkIdkSUlEXWzxFFGRyHSIfAfzZe3_lT9JjFwpIQFKz9QcgdqJqNt/s320/flair+pic.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-38862514615112078992012-08-29T21:15:00.001-05:002012-08-29T21:16:07.512-05:00Mom goes to Honduras - day 10Our final day in Honduras (other than the travel day home) was bittersweet. We all ached to be back home with our families, but it was hard to leave those we had come to care about in Honduras. Our first task of the day was to visit a church that Cross Point (the church we attend in the states) had helped to build on previous visits. We handed out some food and school supplies there and then continued on our way. <br />
<br />
We went to a center for children with MS and other degenerative illnesses. I was impressed with the center; they had a therapy pool and a nice outdoor playground area. Most of the children were confined to wheelchairs or strollers. We made some balloon animals, and then each of us "claimed" one of the kids and took him/her for a walk. I paired with a little girl named Paula. She looked to be about 6 or 7 but was in a stroller as she was unable to walk or move much at all. She did have some movement in her arms and was able to turn her head. She wasn't verbal and didn't want to make a lot of eye contact. As we walked, we talked to the kids, although not in Spanish, and then we gathered in the middle to sing some songs together. We sang Cristo te ama (Jesus Loves Me...one of the few songs we knew in Spanish) and I held Paula's hand and stroked her hair off her forehead. It was a very emotional time for all of us...knowing that these children were not long for this world. I prayed for Paula that her time on earth would be pain free and short...that Jesus would soon take her home.<br />
<br />
Before we left, the director told us that one of the kids needed surgery that would enable him to walk, but they didn't have the money for it. We were able to hand her the cash right there. Amazing!<br />
<br />
We went out for an authentic Honduran lunch at an amazing restaurant. They brought free appetizers to our table that would have been enough for lunch. Some of the guys had shish-kabobs as long as my arm with pieces of meat the size of my fist. The food was excellent.<br />
<br />
After eating, we headed up the mountain to the "Jesus statue". We had seen the statue as we drove around the city, and learned there was a national park there. We drove up and spent about an hour walking around the park and taking pictures of the city.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsguqFp1n1Az-urk7oJchU6GQ6A10mE3v3e5KtUWuy45TXPJhN6kJ6Ka4gwnZGWP6Rn7hEPXKypnQzu2VshQSX3IgCF_aqoRB4dE1go33BzjSmuHGeLwiYMQOk1tCtjTe_1gPk95Q40DAl/s1600/5585819771_637be6203b_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="131" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsguqFp1n1Az-urk7oJchU6GQ6A10mE3v3e5KtUWuy45TXPJhN6kJ6Ka4gwnZGWP6Rn7hEPXKypnQzu2VshQSX3IgCF_aqoRB4dE1go33BzjSmuHGeLwiYMQOk1tCtjTe_1gPk95Q40DAl/s200/5585819771_637be6203b_z.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Spent the evening packing up and saying our goodbyes...<br />
<br />
Honduras was life changing for me, but already I feel it fading. It's two months ago now, and my life is back to normal. I don't want it to fade in to a memory, I want it to permeate my actions and thoughts. I want the impact to be something I face every day. I want to remember what I saw and what God did. Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-26947740692247936712012-08-29T17:22:00.001-05:002012-08-29T17:22:25.501-05:00Mom goes to Honduras - day 9This was one of my favorite days. Earlier in the week, the team had decided to take the money we set aside for a free fun day and build a house for a family instead. We were up early and headed up in to the mountains to a beautiful retreat center called Villa Gracia. On the way we passed many large homes, including those of the American, Canadian, and south Korean ambassadors. Quite different from most of the homes we saw and also surrounded by heavy security and large fences. At villa Gracia, we picked up the guy who would be leading our house building adventure, as well as some other people who would help us. We were able to get off the bus and enjoy the beauty. The retreat center actually reminded us a lot of Wisconsin...lots of pine trees and very peaceful. After loading up all of our equipment, the bus followed Mark up the mountain.<br />
<br />
We reached a place where the bus couldn't go any further or it wouldn't be able to turn around again...meaning we had to hike up the rest of the way. It was a hard trek in the heat and altitude, but we all made it to the site, which had already been cleared and prepped for building. All of our materials were waiting for us, and we were also able to view the outside of the current home, which was ready to cave in on one corner. We were building for a mom and her 3 children, as well as the grandmother.<br />
<br />
Using post hole diggers, chainsaws, hammers, and nails, we erected a 15x16 wooden one room house with a slanted corrugated tin roof, wooden floor, and a hinged window and door. We placed a sign over the door that said en el nombre de Jesus (in the name of Jesus). We prayed with the family, and they said they hoped we could come back to bless another family in the same way.<br />
<br />
Trekked back down to the bus with all of our stuff and scarfed down some lunch. We built the whole thing in about 5 hours. Everyone was able to help, whether pounding nails, hauling lumber, holding walls in place, digging holes, etc. It was a beautiful thing to experience.<br />
<br />
Spent the rest of the day relaxing at the house...we were exhausted!<br />
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-57313064891908467802012-07-30T13:57:00.001-05:002012-07-30T13:57:09.072-05:00Mom goes to Honduras - day 8We had an early morning - on the road by 7 a.m. to head up into the mountains. A little background on this day....<br />
<br />
When we were preparing for the trip, our group leader told us that he reserved a day toward the end of the trip as a "free day", allowing the group to be a bit touristy. It would be up to us how we wanted to spend that day, and he was setting aside some money for it. I believe we started talking on Saturday about what we were going to do for our free day. Any beaches were a 4 hour bus ride away, meaning we would go down the night before, stay overnight in a hotel, spend the day at the beach and then drive back in the evening. One of our honorary group members, in a separate conversation, had mentioned that there was a ministry he knew of that built houses for families for $1500. $1500 was the amount set aside for our group to have our free day. When we started talking about how to spend the free day, the group agreed unanimously to build a house for a needy family instead of spending our money on our own fun and comfort. We had 2 half days of shopping earlier in the trip, and would be able to spend an afternoon at a beautiful national park before we left. It blessed us tremendously to be able to turn our fun day into a new house for a family.<br />
<br />
The drive up into the mountains took us on a different route than we were used to. This one was a winding road past large homes, including the American, Canadian, and South Korean ambassador's homes. We stopped at a place called Villa Gracia to pick up some supplies and meet Mark, the guy in charge of the house building ministry. Villa Gracia was a beautiful retreat center used by missions teams or for weddings that reminded us a lot of home. Lots of pine trees, beautiful views, but no bugs! We soaked up some of the beauty for a bit while we loaded up our supplies and a few more team members.<br />
<br />
As our bus got close to the house site, we learned that we would have to hike the rest of the way up the hill, as there was no place for the bus to turn around at the top. Mark took a few people, including Soyla, in his pickup, but the rest of us hiked it. It was steep and long. I needed lots of breaks (mostly due to my out-of-shape-ness, but also the altitude and heat), and was amazed to learn that a group a few days before had made that same hike carrying all of their lumber and tools up as well.<br />
<br />
When we got to the top, we saw the cleared site for the new house right next to the mud home the family was living in, which was collapsing in one corner. There were 2 women and 5 children living in the home, which also included an outdoor kitchen and bathroom area. <br />
<br />
I was able to use a post hole digger to help dig for the corner posts. We added 4x4s along the walls, an elevated floor, wooden walls, and a slanted tin roof. A door and window completed the 15x16 foot home for the family. We added a plaque above the door saying "en el nombre de Jesucristo" (in the name of Jesus Christ). The whole team worked together well, and we finished in just over 5 hours. It was hot and dirty work, but immense satisfaction when we finished. We invited the family in to their new home, joined hands to pray over them and their home, and they thanked us, and wished that we could come back to bless another family in the way we had blessed them. <br />
<br />
We hiked back down to the bus, ate a few sandwiches and drank some water and headed back to Villa Gracia to drop off our new friends. We were all exhaused, and the house was pretty quiet that night - most of us showered, slathered up with aloe (sunburns are more intense at those altitudes and on the equator), ate dinner, and went to bed. Last day tomorrow.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-6383191689879497382012-07-30T13:43:00.001-05:002012-07-30T13:43:30.136-05:00Mom goes to Honduras - Day 7Second day of school outreaches. I was feeling much better knowing that we only had a few days left before I got to see Josh. <br />
<br />
Our program finally felt polished, and we had so much fun doing at the two schools we went to, both in the mountains. At the first school, it was a bit rainy, but we went around handing out notebooks & pencils, making balloon animals, and giving out candy and color bracelets. At the second school, the children stood in single file lines by class for the entire 20 minutes. We spent time afterward handing out supplies, candy, and bracelets. There were too many kids (405) to do balloons!<br />
<br />
The school we ended at offered us soda from their cantina (school store) thanking us for coming. It was a nice cool refreshment after a long day. We got a chance to pray with the interim director of the school - yes, prayer is allowed in Honduran public schools, although the teachers said that the government had tried to outlaw it. The school employees fought back, saying, "without God, we are nothing". What an amazing testimony!<br />
<br />
We ate traditional American (TGI Fridays) and headed back home to rest up for the next day and check on our sick team members. We had dropped them at the hospital in the morning to get some intravenous fluids and get checked out. When we returned, found out one likely had a case of dengue fever from a mosquito bite. Although worried about her, we were relieved it was not something we had been spreading through the house.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-51983537865277787072012-07-16T21:05:00.002-05:002012-07-16T21:05:36.765-05:00Mom goes to Honduras - Day 6Halfway point of the trip and I was REALLY missing Josh. With all the stress of the weekend, part of me wanted to go home. I knew there were still important things to do, and I didn't want to miss out on what God had in store, but emotionally, I was done. I asked God to sustain me and help me to savor each moment in Honduras, rather than wishing them away.<br />
<br />
The schools were back in session after their spring break, so we headed out to do 2 outreach programs. We had planned some songs (in Spanish) with puppets, a puppet skit about how we are all special to God, a silly skit about how going to church doesn't make you a Christian, a review of the beaded bracelets where each color represents an aspect of the salvation story, and a salvation prayer. We also planned at each school to spend some time with the kids afterward, handing out candy, supplies, and balloon animals.<br />
<br />
The first school we visited was a primary school, and the kids were adorable. There were probably about 80 of them, and they all brought their chairs out in to the courtyard. (The Honduran schools I visited were all laid out similarly; classrooms surrounding a large central courtyard.) It was hard to know if any kids in particular prayed the salvation prayer at the end, as some of what we had prepared was over their heads. We handed out bracelets and toothbrushes, and they gave us hugs. I missed Josh fiercely with each little one that I hugged.<br />
<br />
The next school was a few blocks away, and so we hauled all of our supplies, including the PVC-pipe puppet stage down the streets to the intermediate school. I was frustrated at this school - 300 - 400 kids in the courtyard with little to no supervision. Students in Honduras generally attend a 3 hour school day in either the morning or afternoon. We arrived about 30 minutes before the end of their session, and it was the first day back after break. It appeared to me that the teachers just let them out. It was very hard to hold their attention, and many kids kept trying to come up behind the puppet stage where we were, rather than staying in their places. They were basically milling around the courtyard, somewhat paying attention, while we ministered. The bell rang in the middle of the salvation message, and it was mayhem. However, about 15 kids stayed up front, even as their classmates were running off, to pray the salvation prayer. That made it all worth it! We were able to hand out notebooks there, but not much else.<br />
<br />
Stopped at a mall for lunch, and were able to bless Soyla with a new printer - one that was super ink efficient, since she regularly sends out mailings to 700 people and can run through printer ink in a week. <br />
<br />
We had dropped 3 of our team members off up on the mountain to do some construction work, and left 3 at the house. After lunch, we headed back up the mountain to pick up our teammates, and stopped back in la colonia Australia to see the home of Jorge and Yesi, our Honduran hosts. Their home was so important to them, and you could see the pride in Jorge's face as he spoke of the improvements he was hoping to make. It was a blessing to see the inside of a typical mountain village home. Driving through on the bus, it was hard to imagine what the homes looked like inside. We definitely take our creature comforts for granted here in the States. <br />
<br />
I continued feeling healthy, although tired and emotional. Was starting to lose focus a bit, and prayed that God would help me persevere.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422014512996808913.post-78628913242624040982012-07-03T14:06:00.001-05:002012-07-03T14:06:30.615-05:00Mom goes to Honduras - Day 5Saturday night was a bad one, I guess...I slept through it. Many people were sick - there were vomiting, fevers, fainting, seizures, all throughout the night. Two of our team members had a medical background, so thank God they were there to assist those who were getting sick and thank you Lord for supernatural strength and healing.<br />
<br />
Sunday morning, most of us were feeling well enough to visit church. Two who were still sick stayed behind with the nurse-practitioner. We visited the same church we had been to on Wednesday night, and Soyla translated the sermon for us. The pastor preached about sacrifice - we can't take anything with us when we die, so why not use it all for Christ here? It was their "faith promise" Sunday, asking them how much they were willing to commit to give over the next year at church. The message was very appropriate for us as well, as we were all learning what it meant to give away what we had.<br />
<br />
In the afternoon, we did the tourist thing and went to Valley of the Angels. It's a large market area with lots of little shops and restaurants. We were able to walk around in smaller groups. Found a little cantina named El Fogon that only had a few things on the menu, but it wasn't busy and the prices were good. Authentic Honduran food and it was YUMMY! Some tortillas with beans, rice, steak, sausage, salsa, cheese, etc...fairly typical sounding, but all Honduran style. Andrea and I enjoyed our lunch there much better than the fried fish a few nights before!<br />
<br />
Found a few gifts to bring home, hunted down some ice cream, and blessed the socks off a little boy on the bus! He was standing outside our bus trying to sell candy for about 10 lemps. (approximately 5 cents). If you gave him 12, he could actually make some money off the sale. We asked him what he was saving for, and he said he needed new shoes. This little boy was probably around 8 or 9 years old. He needed 130 lemps for new shoes. We bought most of his candy, gave him 130 lemps, a new pair of shoes, and some beans, rice, and cornmeal to take home to his family. It was so cool to be able to meet his need "abundantly beyond all he could ask or imagine". I'm glad God let us be a part of that.<br />
<br />
When we got back, found out that the nurse practitioner was now ill and several others were not feeling good. We needed to run through our program for the schools the next day, and were afraid we might be down to about 6 people. Wonderful spirit of cooperation and unity as we worked out what would happen. It was my night for devotionals, and I wanted to talk about what compelled us to go to Honduras. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 says that "Christ's love compels us". We also talked about showing love not just with our words, but with our actions.<br />
<br />
No one really slept well Sunday night...we weren't sure what kind of virus was going through the house, and were trying to isolate those who were sick as much as possible. Prayed against any spiritual weapons that would try to keep us from spreading the word of God in the schools.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449938594119487653noreply@blogger.com0