so much fun. . .

Ahhh!  The freedom to be a boy!

A few shots of Ethan on our trip.

Ethan likes the Honduras looks. . .

the greased spike look. . .

the cowboy farmer look. . .

 and after a lot of hard work. . .

the dirty look!

I'm not so sure that he likes this look, but I guess you would call it the "swollen red ears because you are so sweet the bugs ate your ears up" look!

Gracias. . .

. . .por todos!

After a trip south, it is never hard to be thankful for "things".  The problem is that some of the "things" that are so easy for us to be thankful for can also give us a nauseous feeling when we start thinking about our abundance of "things" that we have that we don't need.  This makes us dig deeper and give thanks to God for all of our spiritual blessings.

. . . . .

146 - memory verses

147 - Bible translations in many languages

148 - letters from my dear husband

149 - empathy

150 - voices praising God in song

151 - believers sharing time in audible prayer

152 - requests for prayer that our relationship with God would be stronger

153 - the love of Jesus to bind hearts together

154 - sound minds to hear the TRUTH

155 - inspiring sermons to remind us of God's ways

. . . . .

Practicing His Presence = Spending Time in The Word

I want to always be reminded of this and have a true hunger for it.

feliz cumpleaños!

!Birthday Number Four!

Can't believe that my little girl is 4 already.  She seems so little and sweet and she is growing up so fast.  I want to remember to hold on to every precious moment as it slips through my hands into eternity.  This year we had the priviledge of celebrating in our Home Away From Home.  How sad for our "here family" to not be with us, and how fun for our "there family" to be with us. :)

Before we left I told Ethan that Elisa was having her birthday while we were gone.  He said, "I don't really like that."  When I wondered why, he said, "they don't have the same kind of frosting there."

How funny!  But how true.  We didn't have a birthday cake this year. . .but a WONDERFUL pineapple pie made with love by Rosita.  How fun and how yummy.  I think that it tops our frosting by a long shot!

Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday!

Your friends are all singing.

May the year that is opening,

Bring gladness to you.

May it help you to be cheerful,

Kindhearted and loving.

Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to You!

home again?

I'm not sure if we went home or came home.  It is the oddest feeling to have your heart in two places at once.  And even more odd is the knowledge that this world is NOT OUR HOME!  :)  Maybe this is why the Lord lets me feel this way, so that I never truly feel "at home".  Every time we go, it gets harder to come back.  All the good-byes that bring tears. . .and yet I know that if we called that place home, I would cry every time I left here.  I love all our friends and family here and all those that feel like family there.  How bittersweet no matter what direction we are flying!

After all the emotions, we had a WONDERFUL trip.  There were those who came that we already knew. There were those that came that we knew a little.  There were those that came that we didn't really know.  We enjoyed every minute with each one.  How fun to renew old friendships and make new ones.  The Lord was with us and protected us all.  There is a new house on the hill in a small village in the middle of God's wonderful creation.  We are praying that God is getting ALL the glory and that the people will see His love through the labors of those who strive to be His hands and feet here on earth.

Oh Praise Him!

    week one                                            week two

          

Tino - A happy new homeowner

we want to be the hands and feet of Jesus

how thankful we were for the villagers who were always ready to share

we enjoy having good neighbors

sweet togetherness and rest on the plane ride home