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1 Corinthians 3:4-9

"For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building."

1 Corinthians 3:4-9


Monday, July 23, 2012

Audrey Ann ~ 8 is GREAT!!!

Yesterday was your 8th birthday, sweet Audrey Ann...
You have grown into quite the little girl...I look at you now and amazed at who you've become.

You are loved by your brother and sister...

And eat up their attention.

Each year we celebrate you, and this one is no different. You are a gift to our family and I cannot imagine life without you, Audgey Podgey. You light up the room with your smile and your laugh. You are becoming quite the comedian, these days, with your funny little quips and jokes. You've got your Daddy's sense of humor. Eight years have gone by so fast and sometimes I look back and can't remember too well, because life for you has been so fast paced. You really are that kid who has no real culture, as you've been raised in one that's not your own, yet your own isn't really your either...therefore a third culture is what is truly yours, one made up mainly by your family. "Home" has a meaning all its own for you, and for more than half your life home has been a place called Costa Rica. You love animals and they love you. No matter where we go, you find an animal to be your new friend. You've loved your three dogs with all your heart and you loved your cat, too. Every day is an adventure with you, my wild card girl. You steal the show once you are comfortable, but sometimes it takes you a little while to warm up.

I love you so munch, little girl!

Thanks you Jesus for this precious and sweet blessing you gave me and her daddy eight years ago. Jesus, bless her and keep her and may your face shine upon her. May she walk in your ways all of her days; may you  grant her wisdom in all she does. May you protect her, guide her, and may she always seek your face. Thank you for the many, many smiles and laughs she brings to our family and to all those who know her.

July 2007, two years old

La Pacifica, San Jose, Costa Rica 
November 2007

4 years  old  July 2008


Uncle Alex reading to the Podge  2007

Audrey having fun in baby pool 2009


Audrey with baby turtles in Nicaragua 2009

family 2009 San Jose Costa Rica

Happy 5th birthday! 2010

walking Reina and Lucy Cuanacaste 2010


Doug and Karen December 2010





2011

July 2011



November 2011




We love you!!!!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Remembering...

I realize that as  of the last few months this has become a place of merely delivering news...but not much of a place where I share my heart. The Lord gave me this spot years ago to share my heart, journey to Costa Rica, life in Latin America, and updates on our family...At times, I've written much, at times, I've been silent...At times, I've wanted so much to share, but just couldn't find the words...

Today, I'll try to find the words...because it's time to remember...

We've lived in Costa Rica for five years. Five years ago this month, we were living with a card table, bag chairs, air mattresses, and a bean bag as we waited out the last few weeks before the move from our comfortable, American Dream life for all things unfamiliar and surely uncomfortable. We were preparing to begin language school and full time ministry- two things that years before we'd never dreamed were part of life's plan, but somehow then in mid-2007, seemed like they fit perfectly.

We survived that grueling, and I mean grueling year of intense language learning, we remained faithful to our God and to each other- that is important because the enemy is like a lion looking for who he can devour in your normal everyday American Dream life...but on the mission field, ministry or the like, it's like that only ten-fold...and only by the grace of God - we made it...and our kids survived their year of MK school and Spanish immersion. I remember the first few weeks and how extremely difficult they were for the girls...dropping off Audrey and hearing her cries as we left her in the room with her Spanish-speaking caregivers. And Isabelle and her intese fear of all things Spanish. I remember the struggle it was for her and her Spanish class, her thinking everytime someone was speaking Spanish they were making fun of her. I remember her sweet friend Ally, who shared her birthday, and who took her by the hand and helped in her in ways she probably never could have understood as a 6-year old herself. I remember the day Iz finally decided on her own that she could and would learn Spanish. Hearing her now, you'd never know the struggle and fear she overcame. I remember how Ethan took it all in, entered into life in Latin America the best of all of us, and from day 1, eased into it as if he was meant to be here...I'll never forget one of the first Sunday's at church seeing him sitting with two other little boys and his Matchbox cars, playing with them as if he'd known them forever, somehow communicating with them...

So much time has passed between then and now. Life before CR, is merely a blink in the eye...and yet, now we prepare to return to US soil, not so much to that former way of life, but to the our home country...a new mission adventure, very different from this one, yet equally God-ordained and equally important in His eyes.

It is my hope to continue over the next few days or weeks (however it works out) to continue remembering- because remembering is important. If for no other purpose than to recall God's mighty mighty blessings over the last 5 years and to leave a written legacy of faith for our kids, I will write.

I've been reading through Chronicles and am awed at the details the Lord chooses to share with us, and the ones He chooses not to share. But one thing is for sure, our God chose to give us a wonderful, amazing legacy of faith that started with the beginning of time...and I, too, want to do the same, not only by teaching them to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength and through God's Word, but also by recording for them His work in my life, their Daddy's life, our marriage, and His great provision and plan for our family.

I'd also like to thank those of you who've been with us from the beginning, those who pray for us, those who sacrifice financially for our family, those who open their homes to us, those who love us unconditionally...Ther are too many of you to thank here, but you know who you are and we love you and thank you!!!