tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78580691702695593842024-02-20T22:16:48.218-08:00taking notes...life lessons through my eyesSherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.comBlogger178125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-22263989710983159402022-11-14T15:28:00.000-08:002022-11-14T15:28:11.288-08:00"The Recipe On The Box"<p> I am making chocolate chip cookies. </p><p>My Mom's recipe.</p><p>She would say it's the recipe "on the box" but, truth is, </p><p>it's been tweaked here and there so many times</p><p>by her baking hands that it no longer resembles the one "on the box".</p><p>(I'm not even sure what "box" it is anymore!)</p><p><br /></p><p>I really didn't have plans to bake anything today. </p><p>No reason to, really.</p><p>I had cleaned up lunch dishes, and although I had Christmas boxes of decorations spread</p><p>in various places around my house, </p><p>I thought of chocolate chip cookies.</p><p><b><i>Mom's chocolate chip cookies.</i></b></p><p><b><i><br /></i></b></p><p>I took out the recipe (although I really can do it by heart)</p><p> to find a very used and tattered card. </p><p>Things had spilt on it over the years and obviously been wiped away leaving </p><p>just a stain in remembrance. </p><p>It brought some comfort somehow.</p><p><br /></p><p>I measured out (I don't normally do this :) the ingredients </p><p>and listened to the whirl of the mixer</p><p>making the yummy goodness right before my eyes. </p><p>I wanted to get these right. I didn't want these to be one of my </p><p>"we'll see how they turn out" batches.</p><p>I wanted them to be like mom's. </p><p>I stopped at the idea of counting out the 5 chocolate chips for each cookie. </p><p>Yes, it's true, she always did that. A product of making money stretch for so many years.</p><p> I didn't do that today but it did make me smile just thinking of it.</p><p><br /></p><p>It's at this point, right before they went into the oven, that I realized what I was doing.</p><p>I wanted my mom back. At 65 years old, I wanted my mom back.</p><p><br /></p><p>I had had hard conversations all morning regarding her care.</p><p>She's in an assisted living facility with my dad. (They just recently had a 70 year anniversary)</p><p>She has dementia.</p><p>I think over these last so many years, I had already mourned the loss of my mom-</p><p>at least the mom as I knew her -</p><p>and in the last couple years had really been able to see the humor</p><p> in some of the situations</p><p>that dementia presents itself.</p><p>She was a different person, yes, but still enjoyed life and added so much to ours. </p><p><br /></p><p>That's changed recently after a few falls that have broken bones.</p><p>New decisions to be made. </p><p>Decisions you don't want to make for the people that have always been the ones you run to..</p><p>the ones you looked to for wisdom in hard situations..</p><p>the ones that were YOUR rock.</p><p>And now they aren't. </p><p>It's all shifted and the world feels a bit crazy...</p><p><br /></p><p>But, for a bit, as I mixed the ingredients of the cookies, I saw my mom's hands.</p><p>And as I took a bite of the dough, I heard my mom ask if I wanted to lick off the beaters.</p><p>And when I closed my eyes and took a bite of that first warm cookie out of the oven</p><p>it felt like I was in my long ago home. </p><p>And all was right with the world for a minute. </p><p>I savored <i><b>that</b></i> minute.</p><p><br /></p><p>I wish my sisters were closer and we could all sit around my table eating warm cookies</p><p>and talking about our memories -</p><p>laughing and even crying as we reminisce</p><p>But finishing, ALWAYS finishing, </p><p>with how blessed we are to have had the mom we've had </p><p><i>and the mom we have</i>.</p><p><br /></p><p>Thursday, I'll take her some chocolate chip cookies.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-21459967592226585192015-10-17T20:54:00.001-07:002015-10-17T20:55:52.911-07:00911It's raining tonight.<br />
I make note of this because had it rained earlier<br />
I wouldn't have been there.<br />
<br />
Mom and Dad have been out of town <b>and</b>,<br />
being that the irrigation water has been shut off for a while<br />
<b>and</b> that it has still been warm here<br />
<b>and</b> that Dad threw some seed in some bare spots on their yard,<br />
I went to their house this afternoon to water with the watering can.<br />
<br />
<i>I would have been gone</i> and missed it all but just as I was ready to get in my car<br />
I remembered that I forgot to check to make sure there was no mail....<br />
<br />
I checked. None.<br />
I turned to leave<br />
and as I was walking away<br />
I heard a voice-<br />
shaking, not quite loud enough to understand.<br />
I turn.<br />
<i>"are you talking to me?"</i><br />
<br />
And then I see the face.<br />
A young teenager. (I found out later he was 16)<br />
Carrying a dog who was shaking as bad as the crying boy.<br />
<br />
<i>"Please help me. </i><br />
<i>My mom hasn't taken her medication and then she goes crazy.</i><br />
<i>I am scared"</i><br />
<br />
I don't know what to do.<br />
<i>"Please, don't leave me!"</i><br />
<br />
I don't know what I say but he follows me and when I ask what I should do<br />
he tells me to call the police. 911.<br />
<br />
I've never done that before but, then, I've never been in this situation.<br />
I am scared too and by this time the mother has come outside. Coming towards us.<br />
She's angry. I am not really sure where the anger is directed right then.<br />
Me or him.<br />
<br />
I take refuge with the boy in my parents garage<br />
while on the phone with the 911 operator waiting for someone to come...<br />
The mother stands outside. <br />
<br />
There, of course, is more to the story.<br />
I did talk with the police.<br />
I did have to stay until they released me to go.<br />
The mother did want to press charges against me for taking him in the garage!<br />
<br />
I don't know what happened as I was told I could go before they were done.<br />
I don't know what the real story was behind the scene.<br />
<i>And I don't know if I did the <b>best</b> thing although the police told me I did the <b>right</b> thing.</i><br />
<br />
And on the way home I cried (actually I cried talking to the police!)<br />
And I can't get this family off of my mind. (There is a divorce going on...)<br />
And I wonder what is going on with the mother and son tonight.<br />
And I wonder if he is safe.<br />
<br />
And I now know that this is going on all over my little part of the world<br />
and today it became reality to me.<br />
And I cry for what we as a people have become.<br />
<br />
And I only know of <span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>ONE</b></i></span> hope.<br />
<br />
If it had rained earlier I wouldn't have been there...<br />
<br />Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-22509283557343375302015-09-10T15:30:00.000-07:002015-09-10T15:30:31.216-07:005 Days - 4 NightsFor the first time in 3 years we are going to all be together.<br />
The whole family. <br />
<i><b>Together.</b></i><br />
<br />
It has the potential to be a glorious time.<br />
And there is opportunity for, well, a <b>not</b> so glorious time.<br />
<br />
Fourteen personalities - 9 guys, and 5 girls. <br />
Four marriages. 6 kids.<br />
Many different ages.<br />
14 different opinions.<br />
1 house.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And I am beyond excited!!!!</span><br />
<br />
Being that we live in 4 different states -<br />
two clear across the country from the other two -<br />
we don't get this chance often enough.<br />
And we always love to get together.<br />
<br />
But, we are people, and in spite of our love for each other<br />
we must still make a conscience decision<br />
to unconditionally love each other in confined spaces. <br />
To look over each other's faults.<br />
To speak kindly of each other and to each other. <br />
To put others needs and desires ahead of our own.<br />
To respect each others space and opinions.<br />
To not be easily offended or hurt.<br />
<br />
To remember that just because we are family it does not give us the<br />
freedom to operate in the flesh<br />
but rather the greater responsibility to live by the Spirit.<br />
<br />
I have not really worried about us,<br />
knowing we are blessed<br />
to have a family that longs to be together,<br />
but I would be naive to think that there is not a risk here.<br />
<br />
We are living in a time when families are easily<br />
torn apart by things said<br />
or actions taken.<br />
And it is, by nature, our tendency to look out for ourselves<br />
before others.<br />
<br />
And so I write this;<br />
Knowing how excited we all are to spend this time together.<br />
Wanting it to be with the same expectation that we wait for the next time.<br />
Desiring that we miss each other when all is said and done.<br />
<br />
<i><b>And knowing that each one makes this imperfectly, perfect family.</b></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-82237482132248341592015-08-21T09:22:00.001-07:002015-08-21T09:22:51.329-07:00Behind their backsShe's pretty<br />
and has a sense of humor to die for.<br />
<br />
She's smart and has a successful career.<br />
<br />
She's a sharp dresser and knows how to put together "a look".<br />
<br />
She has a family that loves her<br />
and thinks she is the <i><b>best</b></i>.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But her perception of herself is different.</span><br />
She struggles with, what I now know, years of verbal abuse. Bullying.<br />
<br />
<i>I've known her for years.</i><br />
<br />
Well...maybe I shouldn't use the word <b>KNOWN</b><br />
because when I <i>really</i> listened to her recently<br />
I came to the realization that a huge part of her life<br />
I hadn't known.<br />
A part that shaped and molded her into who she is.<br />
<br />
I don't know what caused her to tell her story that day.<br />
We weren't alone so she wasn't talking directly to me. <br />
She wasn't trying to get my approval or sympathy.<br />
She was just telling her story.<br />
Unexpectedly even to herself, I think.<br />
<br />
There were a few questions here and there<br />
but, honestly, we mostly just listened<br />
to a woman explain<br />
why she is who she is today.<br />
<br />
I don't know how many years this bullying consumed<br />
(or maybe she would say at times it still feels as though it goes on)<br />
but in those precious years of a child's life when it matters the most<br />
what people think<br />
she was, in her mind, told all to clearly what they thought.<br />
<i>And it wasn't nice. It wasn't loving. It wasn't right.</i><br />
Maybe, we think, she shouldn't have let it bother her - what <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>they</b></span> thought.<br />
But it did. It does.<br />
<br />
Called names, ridiculed, (and maybe the worst) ignored.<br />
At school and at church. <br />
In the church youth group where you would expect to be loved unconditionally - or at least accepted.<br />
At first she hoped for some reprieve when relatives<br />
were part of the group. <br />
She quickly quit hoping. <br />
Their silence was as bad as the words that were spoken.<br />
<br />
Even as she told her story I could feel the pain.<br />
She teared up now and then<br />
but it was as though, finally,<br />
she could speak of it - even to herself.<br />
<br />
She excused the kids now<br />
by saying "they were just kids"<br />
but in her telling of it<br />
I came to the realization<br />
that she can be in that moment once again simply<br />
by a word spoken to her now that she interprets to mean something it wasn't meant to mean.<br />
It all becomes so personal. <br />
The gut retching pain of it all.<br />
<br />
She mentioned how she is examining how this small portion of her life<br />
has impacted the majority of her life.<br />
Decisions. Actions. Choices. Self-worth.<br />
Things she does and feels even today, so many years later.<br />
<br />
I've since cried for her -<br />
for that young person that so badly wanted acceptance<br />
only to be openly put down - beaten down - with words and actions.<br />
To be judged by the outward appearance<br />
and motives that others knew nothing about.<br />
I weep for that person even as I write this.<br />
<br />
<i><b>And</b></i> I weep for me. For repentance.<br />
For the times I have listened to others being put down by someone.<br />
For the times I have been silent and in that way contributed.<br />
For the things I have thought in judgement of others.<br />
And for the things I have said to someone and for the things I have said behind their backs.<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Oh, forgive me Lord</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"> for the things I have said of people</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">"behind their backs."</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i>
I hope her sharing with us helped to heal.<br />
I hope self acceptance becomes a victory in her life.<br />
I hope she can forgive.<br />
<br />
I have been asking the Lord to make me more like Him.<br />
I believe He is bringing me to the realization that first I must see for myself who I am.<br />
<br />
<i><b>I know</b> He will forgive.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-4329489966632151922015-08-01T20:59:00.000-07:002015-08-01T20:59:21.362-07:00EASE DROPPINGI wasn't <i>trying</i> to ease drop. <br />
And I don't necessarily think they were trying to keep it private.<br />
<br />
I came around the corner and she was telling her husband good-bye<br />
as he was going to be gone for at least a week on a job related trip.<br />
<br />
I heard the typical <i><b>"I love you"</b></i><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(I knew and they knew they felt this way about each other but oh so good to say and hear!)</span><br />
and then the reminder to " Drive Safely"<br />
<br />
He started to walk away and as he turns she speaks her heart<br />
and <i><b>this</b></i> is what causes me to pause;<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">"remember who you are"</span><br />
<br />
<br />
The words made me draw a quick breath. <br />
Such a powerful word for him and I suspect it has been spoken many a time in their marriage. <br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">"remember who you are"</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Don't give into peer pressure to do or say things you know you shouldn't say or do.</li>
<li><br /></li>
<li>Don't join in an activity that you know isn't the best choice.</li>
<li><br /></li>
<li>Don't give into the enticement of making more money by compromising your integrity.</li>
<li><br /></li>
<li>Don't put things or prosperity above people.</li>
<li><br /></li>
<li>Don't say things that make you look better at the expense of others.</li>
<li><br /></li>
<li>Don't think you have to be right. That you have to have the last word. That you have to win.</li>
<li><br /></li>
<li>Don't be impatient, unkind, or callous to those you work with, meet, or cross paths with.</li>
<li>Don't be unforgiving or hold a grudge. Don't be touchy or easily agitated.</li>
<li>Don't be bitter or grouchy or vain.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">"remember who you are"</span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A man of God.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A sinner saved by grace.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A man greatly loved by his family.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A man blessed by God.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A child of the King.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A man that someday wants to hear "well done, good and faithful servant."</span></i><br />
<br />
I am sure that through the years my uncle has found new discoveries of who he is and who he wants to be and, even more importantly,<br />
<br />
<b>God revealing to him who He want him to be.</b><br />
<br />
I am also sure that he would say that there have been times he has forgotten. Times he has been<br />
less than who he knows he is in Christ. Times of needed repentance.<br />
<br />
But it got me to thinking<br />
<br />
If I would remember who I am - who God has created me to be<br />
<br />
would I be more careful with how I fill my time?<br />
would I take more care to tame my tongue?<br />
to offer my help?<br />
to give more to others?<br />
to praise God more and complain less?<br />
to see the good in others rather than find their faults?<br />
to believe more and fear less?<br />
<br />
Someday I am going to ask my aunt what she means when she says it<br />
but right now<br />
<br />
I am asking God what He meant<br />
when He said it to me this morning<br />
through a <i><b>simple good-bye at the door...</b></i><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><i>Remember who you are, Sheri.</i></span><br />
<br />Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-53203162338141704382013-08-11T18:13:00.002-07:002013-08-11T18:50:10.350-07:00Blowing in the Wind...<br />
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<b>We're planning on a move. Soon. Across country. Again.</b></div>
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Things have changed some with our involvement in Brazil and so we have been kicking around</div>
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and praying about our future. What is needed, what we want to do and when to do it. </div>
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We made plans to stay in Tennessee where two of our children and their spouses are. We were fine about staying here. We love our church and the people there. Can put up with the summer weather knowing that the winters are wonderful. But work was a factor and it was becoming more of a concern with each passing month as we thought about our future. Besides, every time we tried to open a door here it seemed to close....</div>
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And then Warren got a job offer. A good offer. In Idaho. Around my parents and two of my sisters and their families. Closer to our other son and our five grandchildren. Back to the west that Warren, especially, loves so much. We talked. We prayed. </div>
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We are moving toward <i>that</i> with the prayer that God will slam the door shut if it's not to be. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHzzk_Fk3S_5d-KvBeEkzVkOoKZ9LDFKvGTekOeuYC_-RZC7CogycummxOLrtfTy-tUDyRFdVi6GndqAj6HnztXxiwWaQ_EKaQKC2Ssb6QE5y_jj3eiJBNz3R70Y1hiXvZV0-NeltOhA/s1600/fee382f3bd5919b38a3354ef2236c620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHzzk_Fk3S_5d-KvBeEkzVkOoKZ9LDFKvGTekOeuYC_-RZC7CogycummxOLrtfTy-tUDyRFdVi6GndqAj6HnztXxiwWaQ_EKaQKC2Ssb6QE5y_jj3eiJBNz3R70Y1hiXvZV0-NeltOhA/s400/fee382f3bd5919b38a3354ef2236c620.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<br />
We are growing more excited with each day although it is mixed with the realization that we have yet more hard good-byes to say. Now we have people in so many places that we love. That we miss and will miss. </div>
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With these changes I am also changing this blog - the name and the reason for it. </div>
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I will keep all of the old posts, mainly because I want to <i>remember</i>. </div>
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I will be using this blog, now, for my thoughts and insights into what God is doing through ordinary circumstances in life to teach me. </div>
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For those of you that are <i>not so interested</i> in that, I am also starting a new blog. It will be about "house stuff". Both the house we are finishing up here in Tennessee and also about the house we hope to get and transform in Idaho. You'll find this blog at</div>
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<a href="http://sheriyoder.blogspot.com/">http://sheriyoder.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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I have NOT posted anything on that blog yet - give me a few days!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">A new adventure is just around the corner....</span></div>
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Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-71861687662532861322013-08-10T14:18:00.000-07:002013-08-10T14:18:01.135-07:00The Process<br />
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We are in the process of finishing a house so that we can sell it - </div>
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">again.</span></i></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRk992GyZ21lPHHgz2_e-BSD3eHfXY6VhzfKV_w9CCArhSheZDzwD9e_wojkpuQLFFScFniKiw5F5BgUCZPMcbjdpZWMKV8_IoVfwb7jzyWhw-Gp83ygwdMeZyXV5QETyLsPnFy2l37Ac/s1600/P1040939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRk992GyZ21lPHHgz2_e-BSD3eHfXY6VhzfKV_w9CCArhSheZDzwD9e_wojkpuQLFFScFniKiw5F5BgUCZPMcbjdpZWMKV8_IoVfwb7jzyWhw-Gp83ygwdMeZyXV5QETyLsPnFy2l37Ac/s400/P1040939.JPG" width="400" /></a>I wondered if we had always done this - </div>
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worked hard at the very end in order to get the house on the market - </div>
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and in thinking about it, </div>
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it IS a pattern!</div>
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Only one time had we had the house completely ready to sell when we decided we wanted to move. And we have done this plenty of times.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4zZAX5_wQrR4Z6rTotrr5R_s-fmHRxvyRriS3Gi9QUpSXS5AdYEJYyi2Ia4Fwv9FWsK08bUffiQpO6RdLYhTDQggOYx0HbsjYRkESUuohdiM-c_Seso10X7GpOng-KeyPRnBsXqNt4Q/s1600/P1040977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4zZAX5_wQrR4Z6rTotrr5R_s-fmHRxvyRriS3Gi9QUpSXS5AdYEJYyi2Ia4Fwv9FWsK08bUffiQpO6RdLYhTDQggOYx0HbsjYRkESUuohdiM-c_Seso10X7GpOng-KeyPRnBsXqNt4Q/s400/P1040977.JPG" width="400" /></a>I'm not having a hard time thinking of selling this house, although I love it, but I hate the last couple of weeks of mess, work and stress.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It looks awful around here.</span><br />
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We have a family room and bathroom that we hadn't even touched until a few weeks ago.<br />
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It needed a complete gut and a window added (who would build a room without a window?!). <br />
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We have since added the window(which meant cutting through concrete block and brick),<br />
moved plumbing,<br />
endured the sheetrock stage,<br />
painted the ceiling and walls,<br />
tiled the shower (the grout job from hell),<br />
built a cabinet, have the cabinet painted (working on the doors and drawer fronts),<br />
and have the tile floor down but not grouted in the bathroom (today's project).<br />
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Floor coverings coming a week from Monday. (Yippee!)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It is a mess - </span><br />
and not just in that room. <br />
The dirt trails throughout the lower floor of our house and even makes it's way up the stairs. <br />
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I know we are on the downward slope now BUT it still feels like quite a list...<br />
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We are meeting with a couple that go to our church who just recently came back to the Lord. They requested that we meet with them - kind of a mentoring time if you will.<br />
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<i>Sweetest</i> couple with a big past. We already love them, we really do. <br />
Love to see them and be with them. <br />
BUT this last time together was <b>not</b> that wonderful. <br />
As he said "it was brutal".<br />
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But as I was moaning over my list of to dos for the house today I was reminded of what Warren had told me on our first remodel<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"It has to look worse before it can look better". </b></span><br />
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He's been proven right about that.<br />
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And today God just spoke to my heart about this couple.<br />
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"It has to look worse before it can look better".<br />
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They are determined to walk the walk but there is a lot of garbage to clean up first.<br />
A lot of <i>remodeling</i>.<br />
If you've walked with the Lord for any length of time, then you've been there. <br />
There is just a lot of tearing out and building up and the process is messy and not so much fun<br />
but you can't get to the beauty without it.<br />
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And this week, I think I'll tell them our story. You know, the worst<br />
part- before it got better.<br />
That should encourage them.<br />
<i>If nothing else it will encourage me.</i><br />
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<br />Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-71859089951191109242012-05-16T04:41:00.000-07:002012-05-16T04:41:31.735-07:00Making of a Table<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1iyDUobLHJHcM8fOenYQzPZRKZXGsxYYRGTGOQz0IJLar3235X-crjMjpIs9ssf2WRfNcIPuYEg1NSfxxS6xM6MeYA2VkPy0IK0FIbneMHFV1AnQGmDlLpSl39rpGth8URS_eW3sBa4/s1600/P1040460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1iyDUobLHJHcM8fOenYQzPZRKZXGsxYYRGTGOQz0IJLar3235X-crjMjpIs9ssf2WRfNcIPuYEg1NSfxxS6xM6MeYA2VkPy0IK0FIbneMHFV1AnQGmDlLpSl39rpGth8URS_eW3sBa4/s320/P1040460.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We have been "home" for 2 weeks now and I realized that I still hadn't</div>
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put any pictures of the table that Warren built while we were in Brazil.</div>
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Alipio (director of the Bible School) and Ashley have been living there since Nov.</div>
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They are doing some work on a house, trying to make it their home.</div>
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We had asked if there was anything Warren could do for them </div>
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and they came up with the idea of a table.</div>
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Their dining room is enormous.</div>
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The table had to be large.</div>
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10'x4'6"</div>
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and weighs around 500 lbs.</div>
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It is made out of recycled lumber from an old building</div>
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with minimal tools.</div>
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<b><i>This was delivery day!</i></b></div>
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Ashley's face as they were bringing it into the house!</div>
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I'm not kidding when I say it weighs about 500 lbs. </div>
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It took 5 guys to carry the top and they had a hard time with it!</div>
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The top boards were 1 1/2" thick.</div>
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<i>Gently boys, without landing it on any ones foot!</i></div>
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The base in place.</div>
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It had to be positioned correctly because that table</div>
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wasn't going anywhere once the top was on!</div>
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The finished table</div>
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with the owner and the builder!</div>
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Details</div>
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You might have noticed from the beginning pictures</div>
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what Ashley and I were doing that day.</div>
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<b><i>Yes, painting!</i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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The room had a two-sided rock fireplace that was in bad condition</div>
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so they had had it covered with sheet rock.</div>
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Because there were a lot of void places behind the sheet rock</div>
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we couldn't lean a ladder against it.</div>
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<i>Now, how do you paint out the trim if you can't get up there?</i></div>
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This was Ashley solution:</div>
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A paint brush taped to the end of a broom handle.</div>
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And you know what?</div>
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<b> It worked!!!!</b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The finished look.</b></span></span></div>
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Remember how big I told you the table was?</div>
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The room is huge!!!</div>
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Warren enjoyed doing the project</div>
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and we are told that the table has already been used for a staff breakfast.</div>
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Knowing the two of them, it will be used often.</div>
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Just one of the things that kept Warren busy</div>
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while in Brazil!</div>
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<br /></div>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-12275502809680950142012-04-13T07:06:00.003-07:002012-04-13T07:50:56.536-07:00Random Doings<div style="text-align: center;">We are about to leave on a "short term" mission trip with the students from the school.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> We are headed to Foz do Iguassu were we will be seeing some of the people </div><div style="text-align: center;">that we ministered with 3 years ago as well as dear friends.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Please keep the whole team in prayer as we are sent as the first team from the school. </div><div style="text-align: center;"> I'm sure it will be a learning experience for us all! </div><div style="text-align: center;">Pray for the hearts that are going to hear the gospel message,</div><div style="text-align: center;"> that they will be soft and ready to hear and receive. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Also pray that the team will be going with an attitude of servanthood and hard work </div><div style="text-align: center;">rather than a "vacation" mentality! </div><div style="text-align: center;">We also ask that you pray for our safety as we travel and that we all remain healthy.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This post is rather random </div><div style="text-align: center;">as I just have a few minutes </div><div style="text-align: center;">but I thought I would just catch you up on a few ordinary things </div><div style="text-align: center;">that take place here!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Laundry day: </div><div style="text-align: center;">We use the washing machines at the center so we make a trip down there about once a week. (these pictures are one of the trips back with a few things </div><div style="text-align: center;">after having checked to see if things are dry) </div><div style="text-align: center;"> There are no dryers there so we hang them to dry.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxoRgCLwe7c8awfH3WZ6O75D9sFAW1qlCmnTCNABF_vtiwy47IbTeAgR18fugjRl06F1yVmQpL9sC6GzxVwl40D1a9G5TMyHJuk0Id3eV00PO8UvKz76Q7swpBjfhIeAckAmgb_SPIWg/s1600/P1040404.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxoRgCLwe7c8awfH3WZ6O75D9sFAW1qlCmnTCNABF_vtiwy47IbTeAgR18fugjRl06F1yVmQpL9sC6GzxVwl40D1a9G5TMyHJuk0Id3eV00PO8UvKz76Q7swpBjfhIeAckAmgb_SPIWg/s400/P1040404.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730888684255267442" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I put this picture up not only because <i>Warren is so handsome</i> :)</div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"> but also because you can see the conference center in the background. </div><div style="text-align: center;">The area to the right is the cafeteria where we eat with the staff and students Mon - Fri.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVpSM4vT-9-Fk5H2kboJZut1sxEg-5zRIO5GOhItoWEneCMb0gvEeSEMvQiSv2NNHLS6qJzl8mdho3MZuw-jFBtiLPoW7wkZPy5PIaxm34hu21UzKwLAxq2ucR1s64ne7BDyZHBQKC4zs/s1600/P1040400.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVpSM4vT-9-Fk5H2kboJZut1sxEg-5zRIO5GOhItoWEneCMb0gvEeSEMvQiSv2NNHLS6qJzl8mdho3MZuw-jFBtiLPoW7wkZPy5PIaxm34hu21UzKwLAxq2ucR1s64ne7BDyZHBQKC4zs/s400/P1040400.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730888675787113682" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">One of the smaller racks of clothes.....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsosSIuTn82W2O83jwUSZ1aZYyuhr9GUhRK1I6jAyFZftYr-sc3uuoOTGr0xpxmXUbttx-W783fxZKdHUo_pht-LmiAu2I1u8nujDElDAZA80YLp4Yg7dJdBzmiG3Cy2fbruJj8z3qXw4/s1600/P1040405.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsosSIuTn82W2O83jwUSZ1aZYyuhr9GUhRK1I6jAyFZftYr-sc3uuoOTGr0xpxmXUbttx-W783fxZKdHUo_pht-LmiAu2I1u8nujDElDAZA80YLp4Yg7dJdBzmiG3Cy2fbruJj8z3qXw4/s400/P1040405.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730888668479970738" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">when the laundry basket is full (most of the time) </div><div style="text-align: center;">we both grab a side and carry, otherwise the plastic digs into the hands!</div></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SUX8W-su1oFl6-54ziVeVoBKI8Vc35Oxxyq39XZJjfGYTFS8CM21zvkm4_piyUP49PTX0GZLHLcy1VvQDdm4Bjoind3X-TYD0wZMpYb6Js2j5NRxFo6EQscUICSH0B_nYcKOeh8iHbU/s1600/P1040412.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SUX8W-su1oFl6-54ziVeVoBKI8Vc35Oxxyq39XZJjfGYTFS8CM21zvkm4_piyUP49PTX0GZLHLcy1VvQDdm4Bjoind3X-TYD0wZMpYb6Js2j5NRxFo6EQscUICSH0B_nYcKOeh8iHbU/s400/P1040412.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730888660112252210" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This is the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:180%;"><i><b>"Beast"</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"> talked about in the previous post!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;">We haven't driven it since</div><div style="text-align: center;">(I don't think anyone has!)</div><div style="text-align: center;">They did give us another pickup to drive</div><div style="text-align: center;">and it starts every time!</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmLL7acJSa55qnSvcvPkmJtBPrtAUm0N8eRJoV25dwdJtRW2pjldUDYxWVSr_d4aMyLyFsk12X31Oz7Vb-y_n4qC5fyrKEO3UCX_c_cFXuNyB-HGGwjrpxz43Ps2crPQ2SQaFS9O3IRnI/s1600/P1040414.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmLL7acJSa55qnSvcvPkmJtBPrtAUm0N8eRJoV25dwdJtRW2pjldUDYxWVSr_d4aMyLyFsk12X31Oz7Vb-y_n4qC5fyrKEO3UCX_c_cFXuNyB-HGGwjrpxz43Ps2crPQ2SQaFS9O3IRnI/s400/P1040414.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730888657535463378" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This is our duplex. </div><div style="text-align: center;">The pastor and his wife live on the other side.</div></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPgXyZNkl6ohTLPG9PH7_4vzuILRhdTO2vO5teS2_05H6vlwajDB0D5GOs85elbM9BDYlS3ulI8oPcjnXa3onlv3YkBIW-8_y7UWashDUo9wzbsEQ9oPpPx6MrwxZ4h8ddAK8C1cX5y0/s1600/P1040443.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPgXyZNkl6ohTLPG9PH7_4vzuILRhdTO2vO5teS2_05H6vlwajDB0D5GOs85elbM9BDYlS3ulI8oPcjnXa3onlv3YkBIW-8_y7UWashDUo9wzbsEQ9oPpPx6MrwxZ4h8ddAK8C1cX5y0/s400/P1040443.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730887387869335362" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Just so you will believe me when I say the spiders are big here! </i></div><div style="text-align: center;">And, <i>yes</i>, I killed this one myself! </div><div style="text-align: center;">This was on our front porch and the following night we saw another one. </div><div style="text-align: center;">He got away before I had a chance with the shoe!</div></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy5I5DHXuL_BcYufeI1Z5PLvi3Wqwd8PbAxffbGUH6gyg6IGlgWHkDH7zBXycSGmYW8q00OUb_vXEpjQBt42jWrg24LifRmGi3E4vOp4Dl1-ydkhmp2iB3V4sxW8fFq5XKFsZ8CZbT634/s1600/P1040447.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy5I5DHXuL_BcYufeI1Z5PLvi3Wqwd8PbAxffbGUH6gyg6IGlgWHkDH7zBXycSGmYW8q00OUb_vXEpjQBt42jWrg24LifRmGi3E4vOp4Dl1-ydkhmp2iB3V4sxW8fFq5XKFsZ8CZbT634/s400/P1040447.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730887358747683106" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Last night we heard quite the noise from behind our curtain </div><div style="text-align: center;">and when Warren pulled it back <i><b>this</b></i> was what we found. </div><div style="text-align: center;">A gecko eating some kind of bug. </div><div style="text-align: center;">It was on the outside of the screen</div><div style="text-align: center;"> but we have geckos in our living room on a regular basis. </div><div style="text-align: center;">They are kinda cute!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">On a side note:</div><div style="text-align: center;">I drove Ashley and Alipio's care (with Ashley) </div><div style="text-align: center;">into town yesterday.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Stick shift and all.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It felt so good to have the freedom...</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ashley and I were really patting ourselves on the back until...</div><div style="text-align: center;">it started to rain - HARD.</div><div style="text-align: center;">(remember the red, slippery mud?!)</div><div style="text-align: center;">We walked 4 blocks to the car...</div><div style="text-align: center;">soaked to the skin.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I actually could hardly see to walk because my mascara was running</div><div style="text-align: center;">into my eyes and they were burning so bad.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ashley said, "I'll be your eyes"! </div><div style="text-align: center;">Ya, that works like a charm!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Anyway, we got in the car, prayed and took off for home.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Just outside of town the roads were dry.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Thank you, Lord!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">A successful first day of driving!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Watch out husbands - how will you ever keep us at home now?!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I know, no great stories or anything this time</div><div style="text-align: center;"> but I noticed how long it had been since I updated </div><div style="text-align: center;">and I wanted to at least let you see how brave I am (killing the spider and all). </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Warren and I are planning to return here on Monday </div><div style="text-align: center;"> and then I (and Ashley) are going to be painting and cleaning up an apartment </div><div style="text-align: center;">that a new staff couple are going to be moving into. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Warren is actually building a table for Alipio and Ashley </div><div style="text-align: center;">and will be working on that. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Once we get back we have a little over a week before we head to Curitiba. </div><div style="text-align: center;">It's going to be hard to say good-bye here.....</div>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-35481457370508927472012-03-02T10:24:00.008-08:002012-03-02T15:16:44.580-08:00Telling stories....<div style="text-align: center;">Okay, everybody, <b>stay with me</b>. </div><div><div style="text-align: center;">There are plenty of pictures at the end of this post!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I thought I'd tell you a story today....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When we got here we were given a gift.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Warren was handed the keys to the <i>"beast".</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">The <i>"beast"</i> being a old, white pickup truck that they have here at the campus.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>We are thankful for it.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">It gives us some freedom.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We don't go into town often but it's nice to know we can -</div><div style="text-align: center;">without having to ask.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So, we made a couple of trips with others following us -</div><div style="text-align: center;">we felt okay about it but they know the <i>"beast"</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">so I think they needed to know Warren could handle it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><i>Handle it</i> is exactly what you have to do.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The steering is exceptionately loose </div><div style="text-align: center;">so it feels and looks like you are all over the road.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The first time I was nervous</div><div style="text-align: center;">but Warren did great.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Soooo, one day we decided to give it a try alone. No babysitters.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We drove to town, did some errands, had some coffee and made the last stop,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the bread store.</div><div style="text-align: center;">While there it started to rain.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Not slowly, not by the bucket full, but rather by the kiddy pool full!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;color:#33ccff;"><b>Where had all the water come from within minutes?!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We waited out the worst of it</div><div style="text-align: center;">but then decided we had to take off.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Now it was raining hard (which was an improvement)</div><div style="text-align: center;">and so Warren was being extremely careful.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We were just about out of town when it happened.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The "beast" started backfiring and sputtering</div><div style="text-align: center;">and died.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Sad. Very sad.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We were able to pull to the side of the road but were not in a safe location.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We did not have a phone</div><div style="text-align: center;">or phone number even if we did.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We sat there about 45 minutes praying it would start.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">At last, it sputtered </div><div style="text-align: center;">and</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>died again.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;color:#3366ff;">Great! Another couple minutes wait and we would have it made!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>oops</i>. dead battery.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Warren got out of the truck and walked to a car wash that we could see.</div><div style="text-align: center;">He had someone call for a taxi.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It came.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The driver didn't speak english but somehow we let him know what we wanted.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We didn't have an address.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Warren kept motioning for him to continue on.</div><div style="text-align: center;">A couple of times he pulled to the side of the road</div><div style="text-align: center;">and communicate that he wanted to make sure we knew where we were going.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We did.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Then we came to the lane. </div><div style="text-align: center;">It's a long (very long) red dirt (at this time mud) road.</div><div style="text-align: center;">And it's not flat and graveled.</div><div style="text-align: center;">And it <b>is</b> slippery when wet.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Very slippery.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Finally Warren told the guy to turn around and we would try the better way in.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's longer but with a little bit more gravel.</div><div style="text-align: center;">At least part of the way there is more gravel.</div><div style="text-align: center;">When we got to the red mud again the taxi driver stopped</div><div style="text-align: center;">and motioned for us to get out.</div><div style="text-align: center;">He had gone as far as he was going.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We had about 3/4 of a mile yet!</div><div style="text-align: center;">In the rain on red muddy roads.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I was in flip-flops.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:180%;">I'm sure we were a sight!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We made it safe and sound.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The truck was towed.</div><div style="text-align: center;">(we were told afterwards that it does this all the time in the rain!)</div><div style="text-align: center;">And we got some good laughs.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:180%;">Yes, laughs. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>We find that it's usually the little things that trip us up.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We are still thankful for the <i>"beast"</i>. We just haven't driven it since.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We have gotten stuck in the ditch coming home when we were with some friends.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The guys got out and pushed us out.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">It just part of living here, they say.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I thought I'd show you some pictures of the roads that we travel on out here by the campus.</div><div style="text-align: center;">This is not the one I just told you about</div><div style="text-align: center;"> but it is the one we take to church on Thurs. nights.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Warren and I decided to walk it this morning in order to get some pictures.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's quite the ride at night</div><div style="text-align: center;">and especially during/after a rain.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUE6QBMEQium2_1dUxeB_Y7ecb9y6nhEALHgI_pXoKdwbqIyaMBXYJ7lp3SXFpUL_FA_iqz7tvTnfJ0lyOAQDxKcV0mz6id_G9eQ414a2zYPPRVxIMoZVzbZ0qFcppC1BoeWVgk5rVGfA/s1600/P1040318.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUE6QBMEQium2_1dUxeB_Y7ecb9y6nhEALHgI_pXoKdwbqIyaMBXYJ7lp3SXFpUL_FA_iqz7tvTnfJ0lyOAQDxKcV0mz6id_G9eQ414a2zYPPRVxIMoZVzbZ0qFcppC1BoeWVgk5rVGfA/s400/P1040318.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715372747284700466" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">starting out.</div><div style="text-align: center;">rutted but not too bad.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_eMgD9gmSzTZA_U7IJl5f_XPOLgyOW5ELkX2KOaHoeGxllPFExoFBZNHfmoHkX0HLQIC0CLySg4DT11rBaabbhRlrMeZYj73msEJTk8x9lGBrHft3jS14E_erL6G9cD2Xt3xz9OOrPnQ/s1600/P1040319.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_eMgD9gmSzTZA_U7IJl5f_XPOLgyOW5ELkX2KOaHoeGxllPFExoFBZNHfmoHkX0HLQIC0CLySg4DT11rBaabbhRlrMeZYj73msEJTk8x9lGBrHft3jS14E_erL6G9cD2Xt3xz9OOrPnQ/s400/P1040319.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715372730520298594" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">beautiful country.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3z2ooR8_BAa7B4pRLVTnXSaPrh_1eWRrvOIZqSjxiAtp-EAQNqXqeIsaAp6Du9H_QxTN_JU0QKCsTYnZdrxDiskyYLCBcJh_t_4wU0-pMW7LNZGrMjbiCnR2LSRVcLFs-EUmoslm55A/s1600/P1040320.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3z2ooR8_BAa7B4pRLVTnXSaPrh_1eWRrvOIZqSjxiAtp-EAQNqXqeIsaAp6Du9H_QxTN_JU0QKCsTYnZdrxDiskyYLCBcJh_t_4wU0-pMW7LNZGrMjbiCnR2LSRVcLFs-EUmoslm55A/s400/P1040320.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715372720511640322" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjja4t7C9jhr_JL-AnSUWXPLUoxr6MaSAr6Qu2Kw1Gz6iYag0xeHeCL6aByNO0Fv_roLcaeGFYvYHrultlnjZdLfkwHrzr-7Z82C1ULLNf0LN6cP-amx2IMcnfh1REPlR2ye-zsNo8rrLI/s1600/P1040323.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjja4t7C9jhr_JL-AnSUWXPLUoxr6MaSAr6Qu2Kw1Gz6iYag0xeHeCL6aByNO0Fv_roLcaeGFYvYHrultlnjZdLfkwHrzr-7Z82C1ULLNf0LN6cP-amx2IMcnfh1REPlR2ye-zsNo8rrLI/s400/P1040323.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715372050690420626" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">it's hilly in this area.</div><div style="text-align: center;">see the person going up the hill?</div><div style="text-align: center;">that's where we are headed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrLTlkPbJq7CIvmfbk3GrGyDD-nskh1rsB7PMQtMbbUAlpVuQigpmmft77mP8ZzdF3XyQ9WjKZKJp_Cbaabgy4gYVwB0FnJvrL4KUlSqz0tKibNZM_MGKovtMN5-bgiut1C9Fh_7h_PQ/s1600/P1040324.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrLTlkPbJq7CIvmfbk3GrGyDD-nskh1rsB7PMQtMbbUAlpVuQigpmmft77mP8ZzdF3XyQ9WjKZKJp_Cbaabgy4gYVwB0FnJvrL4KUlSqz0tKibNZM_MGKovtMN5-bgiut1C9Fh_7h_PQ/s400/P1040324.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715372042142392114" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">coming to the bridge.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzObUnJ7pYde4WwzShw4Ho1yK7Y6b9-gMbp8-0bnerbMi4gD5dhYCIZxGMJXn8ztPP1Pe3Q1sIqyR2KKTsPtQRObCrQ6dLA26wFr1s54QBpv_DHtBJZ8xML6lt0ZQb8gydrlw5U9gHJo4/s1600/P1040325.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzObUnJ7pYde4WwzShw4Ho1yK7Y6b9-gMbp8-0bnerbMi4gD5dhYCIZxGMJXn8ztPP1Pe3Q1sIqyR2KKTsPtQRObCrQ6dLA26wFr1s54QBpv_DHtBJZ8xML6lt0ZQb8gydrlw5U9gHJo4/s400/P1040325.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715372031376154738" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I try not to think about it</div><div style="text-align: center;">when we are crossing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbozcTpxSFa5qJshaIDU-ceOCMc7t0ciHD77gaQZBzZDW2vnsQfeqC-D5D2sa87P1SpXLuZ2wkBtOStS1OaTLYHBVil76iPZnRXQKXZtNLq-w8BXSV8ACfQY958UqxB8rQgpV5wsmd4g/s1600/P1040327.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbozcTpxSFa5qJshaIDU-ceOCMc7t0ciHD77gaQZBzZDW2vnsQfeqC-D5D2sa87P1SpXLuZ2wkBtOStS1OaTLYHBVil76iPZnRXQKXZtNLq-w8BXSV8ACfQY958UqxB8rQgpV5wsmd4g/s400/P1040327.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715372011236424770" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Warren's resting his arm on the railings - NOT</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsg3y33XfGhgtsPQDpRikyc81H2iMqIMAe-buuGN-5C3kfnp66Zd9gZJru8qEoXWFloum1Tp4NhZn5g47rfkfvypDtfTuMmFpyHylZ7Q-cTmm6A69aVhaQzeG9XI9dsq1YiX3LJ8dvwpI/s1600/P1040329.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsg3y33XfGhgtsPQDpRikyc81H2iMqIMAe-buuGN-5C3kfnp66Zd9gZJru8qEoXWFloum1Tp4NhZn5g47rfkfvypDtfTuMmFpyHylZ7Q-cTmm6A69aVhaQzeG9XI9dsq1YiX3LJ8dvwpI/s400/P1040329.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715371274319911586" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">another hill</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7ugWSAwM6XoJU_9BGaSnoisZ0DQZJu_Hq-ZYCkyekbH2yWdjlpIiRdonjZiJKAmEp99XXj5PiWJ3wNPVbXrkv5MCRoF2-n8NZUCmBcFRU0EcFwN9AyBRkUAClSU_DbK-7Pb0Ojvap98/s1600/P1040336.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7ugWSAwM6XoJU_9BGaSnoisZ0DQZJu_Hq-ZYCkyekbH2yWdjlpIiRdonjZiJKAmEp99XXj5PiWJ3wNPVbXrkv5MCRoF2-n8NZUCmBcFRU0EcFwN9AyBRkUAClSU_DbK-7Pb0Ojvap98/s400/P1040336.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715371254976749346" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATVKzqpWSJeW_lFmO52pwLv71EtZ_fNkn7uReEgRI0mk0_JZcBSBTtmWgHCTRmUmey5KJoEzvisd89ghuHZSM-ThYe9EmTPey0zSEyRlsg8O8EbE6sRthIQblpHeUiPIAtZe2p_tLj3k/s1600/P1040337.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATVKzqpWSJeW_lFmO52pwLv71EtZ_fNkn7uReEgRI0mk0_JZcBSBTtmWgHCTRmUmey5KJoEzvisd89ghuHZSM-ThYe9EmTPey0zSEyRlsg8O8EbE6sRthIQblpHeUiPIAtZe2p_tLj3k/s400/P1040337.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715371235794987682" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">notice how the car is on the wrong side of the road?</div><div style="text-align: center;">that's because he is looking to drive on the best part of the road.</div><div style="text-align: center;">that doesn't leave many options.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTIZ90IafnMJBMjiJKwZVK0jcMOPQ0oBKFCx-jrZ6CH3nAjNnWqGhWBVR-1BME1RLpXCBCpOLHLGwBO7LBKIxj4ujjDIPvN7-kys5SaEtklRgggkIXci7PDh5THQQpdN7gPmVNw62PlIc/s1600/P1040338.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTIZ90IafnMJBMjiJKwZVK0jcMOPQ0oBKFCx-jrZ6CH3nAjNnWqGhWBVR-1BME1RLpXCBCpOLHLGwBO7LBKIxj4ujjDIPvN7-kys5SaEtklRgggkIXci7PDh5THQQpdN7gPmVNw62PlIc/s400/P1040338.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715371219408539874" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">See what I mean?!</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Dad, your little ruts in Nampa aren't looking so bad anymore, are they?!)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSuMyT8-1anpuVayT3IPxjH5moxwe1k-nsualOhjqsYpQ7nQxXUJTL0QB6ZPg4Sgkj9_QD7Pl8IvrdxK1l4VsC9GwFy79Evl1YLDPYYDq1-T9eZfGxWwZEYOsybf-Zp2o0LHOzjmg6zo/s1600/P1040343.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSuMyT8-1anpuVayT3IPxjH5moxwe1k-nsualOhjqsYpQ7nQxXUJTL0QB6ZPg4Sgkj9_QD7Pl8IvrdxK1l4VsC9GwFy79Evl1YLDPYYDq1-T9eZfGxWwZEYOsybf-Zp2o0LHOzjmg6zo/s400/P1040343.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715370335587126386" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">We made it through the worst part.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Now we are in the village on the other side.</div><div style="text-align: center;">A very poor neighborhood.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The roads are flat but still the red dirt.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUJQA4WM5eIkdGzoBFTa6LGyTieTv0-TvnnSRY3vXPHrGqrdsmzacEvL_pi9apx1hS7l_1WGv0fgaOPtnq9mjXSH65niCuqhC22-q2qqxy1i8nPZiJ_uN8Z4xuTTWX4YB6rf-Hmd-VMc/s1600/P1040345.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUJQA4WM5eIkdGzoBFTa6LGyTieTv0-TvnnSRY3vXPHrGqrdsmzacEvL_pi9apx1hS7l_1WGv0fgaOPtnq9mjXSH65niCuqhC22-q2qqxy1i8nPZiJ_uN8Z4xuTTWX4YB6rf-Hmd-VMc/s400/P1040345.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715370320981534866" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The sign around the property telling people not to enter.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Things are stolen there all the time.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ma6oWb635O-PCUDefEDbQcH8EwYYFQJWqUwDOCD6y9nDcFgxrLYrIr48wFtPDN2pbM2OjwEJ8dL9_tGs4D4zdlTt48KpSkicqtCicFod09gOjQgfcpYFCfEUDvKSFeawxa0PsdGQ9ho/s1600/P1040346.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ma6oWb635O-PCUDefEDbQcH8EwYYFQJWqUwDOCD6y9nDcFgxrLYrIr48wFtPDN2pbM2OjwEJ8dL9_tGs4D4zdlTt48KpSkicqtCicFod09gOjQgfcpYFCfEUDvKSFeawxa0PsdGQ9ho/s400/P1040346.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715370312352682018" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The building.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Welcome to Thursday night church.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Just so it doesn't rain before we head back....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClIzmWhyphenhyphenWmYoxywErQXoi1Zvim4RXOgzlpAinrwpUCWteEyIcyG6UTSc5TQDMgFUPVXOTiuwEwStCn23bcNED66wx-GzzghahMdz2GxHst2R2wzS6Tj3_u8O3fyIoq99TreamPY8Vl48/s1600/P1040349.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClIzmWhyphenhyphenWmYoxywErQXoi1Zvim4RXOgzlpAinrwpUCWteEyIcyG6UTSc5TQDMgFUPVXOTiuwEwStCn23bcNED66wx-GzzghahMdz2GxHst2R2wzS6Tj3_u8O3fyIoq99TreamPY8Vl48/s400/P1040349.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715369161810448194" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">We walked so we are taking the short cut home</div><div style="text-align: center;">which means going across this river on the log.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I wasn't so sure</div><div style="text-align: center;">but I did it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7EPE2OMv2JsmUdTh_lP8dgTzHne6LTRzs2Gv2xScWdKCfeZA_ULvDdvQZg0JFxGBwKRuig4wgkEtsewbiHhJ_BLWqwg-8A-zNluYiUpzIavF4nNGxO83Qa6geXryY-5ph3PeD3a5z3Do/s1600/P1040351.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7EPE2OMv2JsmUdTh_lP8dgTzHne6LTRzs2Gv2xScWdKCfeZA_ULvDdvQZg0JFxGBwKRuig4wgkEtsewbiHhJ_BLWqwg-8A-zNluYiUpzIavF4nNGxO83Qa6geXryY-5ph3PeD3a5z3Do/s400/P1040351.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715369153653083282" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">through the grassy meadow</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsMHdCjoZLIATZ2Jph_g8YjxMeXtcgaS6e67M2hoR_PUnbkU2yEmJqb_h15ZbOYPjAQ6T7sPE22Z6Wr1lnOBxiJ2evqQIIz97ma1Y7wBfZjqqttSEPeBUQK9vKfCP-1uz-oEuLvtnnqw/s1600/P1040356.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsMHdCjoZLIATZ2Jph_g8YjxMeXtcgaS6e67M2hoR_PUnbkU2yEmJqb_h15ZbOYPjAQ6T7sPE22Z6Wr1lnOBxiJ2evqQIIz97ma1Y7wBfZjqqttSEPeBUQK9vKfCP-1uz-oEuLvtnnqw/s400/P1040356.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715369138931788130" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">At last, a good road!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">We're just about home.</span></div>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-74904574912095864912012-02-29T17:36:00.003-08:002012-02-29T17:51:29.011-08:00It's a New DayReally, most of life, whether it is on the mission field or not, is full of ordinary days. They are the hard ones to write about because there is nothing to tell. I did laundry today. I mopped the floors. I cooked a meal. I slept till 7:00. I went on a walk. etc. All things I could have done at home in Cleveland, Tennessee. Those are the hard days. Ordinary - could have lived it in my own house, in my own country, with my own family, kind of days.<div><br /></div><div>Then there are the amazing days where you know God did amazing things but you can't write about them because they involve people and confidences. And people (hopefully) read this blog....</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes you just don't know what to say and yet you have so much to say.....</div><div><br /></div><div>Today started out as an ordinary day. I woke up an hour earlier than I wanted to, made coffee and breakfast. We headed down to the campus for the morning devotions and then I went for a walk with my friend Ashley. We talked. And talked. And talked. It was iron sharpening iron and before we knew it it was lunch time. </div><div>At lunch we found out that they were moving classes downtown. Did we want to go? Yes, we did. Warren hung out with the school and 3 of us ladies hung out in town together. Bonding.</div><div>What a great afternoon. </div><div>Came home to dinner and then one of the students and I made brownies together. She can't speak english and I can't speak Portuguese but we communicated with the little that we both knew and had a great time. We WILL do it again.</div><div>Then we had a ladies study at our house. It was so good to get together and share from God's Word. I'm loving these ladies. </div><div><br /></div><div>An ordinary day turned anything but. </div><div><br /></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">I'm hoping for another ordinary day tomorrow.....</span></i></div>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-16826203782861177892012-02-23T12:32:00.003-08:002012-02-23T13:02:14.041-08:00Back in the Saddle....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtD4eyaY-MKCCVucJxsT2OhMW6mzrH8wQ7UdXtRZMEQbuOBgDw9KRyy1pc1sWt7-XfpJG4uWIb3cSxBmypgIY-RtFE9gPGeq9xUDfkp73JwMzKdS9lLBgjHfWbSAcGOV0wXnTimywm1AA/s1600/402495_1899307417871_1697241672_893216_658380352_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtD4eyaY-MKCCVucJxsT2OhMW6mzrH8wQ7UdXtRZMEQbuOBgDw9KRyy1pc1sWt7-XfpJG4uWIb3cSxBmypgIY-RtFE9gPGeq9xUDfkp73JwMzKdS9lLBgjHfWbSAcGOV0wXnTimywm1AA/s400/402495_1899307417871_1697241672_893216_658380352_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712432442738412226" /></a>We are back in Brazil!!! We arrived on Feb. 8th in Sao Vincente where we were able to see Larry and Karen Lyon, our former missions pastor from Calvary Corvallis.<div>It was such a great time. We were able to attend two of the church service (Warren taught on Sunday evening) and also a neighborhood outreach for children. Someday we hope that God calls us to spend some time in that city of Brazil! We got a day of encouraging the pastor and his wife (Celso and Tati) on the beach! It really was a wonderful time sharing with one another while we enjoyed time together in such a beautiful place. We also were invited to the Assoc. Pastors house (Cristof and Kelly) for good food and fun games. It was a joy to be there.</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgosHouZ5LoSuT9JvQul5rUQM8i-hBt8kf54muEMp5D7fOlfxFG8sEDNzuzi1E44VCwKqa-3k1P-HTHxZh68uwvxGhjc3iSVBeT3XWIi1gx4HmNzisLiHdiZ7cbENUJgNTo4_Gn9pN4Q/s1600/406383_1899307297868_1697241672_893215_1679653616_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgosHouZ5LoSuT9JvQul5rUQM8i-hBt8kf54muEMp5D7fOlfxFG8sEDNzuzi1E44VCwKqa-3k1P-HTHxZh68uwvxGhjc3iSVBeT3XWIi1gx4HmNzisLiHdiZ7cbENUJgNTo4_Gn9pN4Q/s400/406383_1899307297868_1697241672_893215_1679653616_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712432416973971266" /></a>We've been in Campo Mourao for a little over a week now and came at a time when the crew was in full swing getting ready for the Carnival Retreat. We joined in the fun (and work!) of getting ready. IT WAS AMAZING!</div><div><br /></div><div>There were great times of sharing, praying together, good teachings, counseling, kitchen work, bathroom details and just renewing good friendships. </div><div><i>I was reminded why we do this.</i> </div><div><i>Come so far at a cost to us.</i></div><div><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Because it's worth it.</span></b></i></div><div> </div><div>The people are worth it. And we love them so. To have seen so many faces of people that are now dear to us from so many different cities in Brazil. Well, there are just no words except we are blessed and God is good.</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngfoUzaUDkmtMEvqXLu0LfcxrvqBzooAtmcOeLwTCQxnt_PyE4x0FMOn2tExx8cnutNdNZ-QLLWe7maff6MkLpO7f976qNQ0vHhyphenhyphenlxkxfLYI-26f9RKsmZ9jVZHNETFrd6Ie4lo9A1VQ/s1600/417557_1898602800256_1697241672_892913_661623176_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngfoUzaUDkmtMEvqXLu0LfcxrvqBzooAtmcOeLwTCQxnt_PyE4x0FMOn2tExx8cnutNdNZ-QLLWe7maff6MkLpO7f976qNQ0vHhyphenhyphenlxkxfLYI-26f9RKsmZ9jVZHNETFrd6Ie4lo9A1VQ/s400/417557_1898602800256_1697241672_892913_661623176_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712432404210498690" /></a>I was able to teach a session for the ladies on Monday afternoon. All I can say is that if there was any good in it, it was the Lord! I love to be with the ladies and God uses those times to stretch me. I always find that He has me share about things I am going through in my own life.</div><div>On the whole it was well received.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatYN_ggYCe_dpqiPA4uZ23P7uh8JJF-_Wlz6KmzxGWXrETTU806O5Vi7qMA7ut1HPkELP-RlP7ExUlTMQjLredrUWpJ5nCXD3f1Q2PUqxMBJ0w24Wt5kuga-JuBDJ9EboHJGtz1vPpz4/s1600/401160_1898636921109_1697241672_892966_665066837_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatYN_ggYCe_dpqiPA4uZ23P7uh8JJF-_Wlz6KmzxGWXrETTU806O5Vi7qMA7ut1HPkELP-RlP7ExUlTMQjLredrUWpJ5nCXD3f1Q2PUqxMBJ0w24Wt5kuga-JuBDJ9EboHJGtz1vPpz4/s400/401160_1898636921109_1697241672_892966_665066837_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712432378206224754" /></a>On the last afternoon we had a baptismal service which is always the highlight of the weekend. Praise the Lord for what was done there.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was sad to see the buses pull out, taking all back to their cities but we went to bed that night feeling very excited about all that we had seen God do and so very blessed that we got to be a part of it.</div><div><br /></div><div>We are now settling into ordinary life here. If you can call it that! We got moved into the apartment that will be our home for the rest of the time. It feels good. Today we were able to spend a good portion of the day with the director of the camp and his wife. It was good and we see a great friendship developing even though they are young enough to be our kids!</div><div><br /></div><div>The camp staff (us included) is considered on vacation since the campers left of Tues. afternoon and believe me it is needed. It was A LOT OF WORK to have 280 people to attend to. </div><div><br /></div><div>We spent the entire afternoon with our friends at the coffee shop in town (first time!), Warren just got back from a swim and we are headed to church soon. No, this is not an ordinary day here but it's been good. Very, very good.<br /><br /></div>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-16929353989637771122011-05-18T03:39:00.000-07:002011-05-18T06:49:13.918-07:00Loving on ShawnaMy status on Facebook last night was this: <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;">My day went something like this: 1. no internet in the morning. 2. no electricity when I got back from the gym 3. no shower 4 wrong bus so it took 3 hours instead of the regular 1 1/2 hours 5 bird poops down my back as I am waiting for the light to change at the corner - no change of clothes with me 6. It was raining.<br />BUT the day wasn't bad - you can't have a whole bad day!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">And really the whole day was not bad. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There were things that at the time </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">didn't feel so </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">fun but that I could end up laughing about </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">and just recognize that all in all life is good. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">And it makes for good stories. <i>I love good stories!</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">What I didn't share on Facebook was that the day began </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">with something even worse. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Something that made my heart feel heavy all day. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Something that caused me to ask God<i><b> "why?".</b></i></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">When the internet finally came on </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">(and before it went back off again!) </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">I saw a post and learned Shawna had cancer. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">Stage IV. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I don't know Shawna that well myself </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">but I know more about her then just to say I know "of" her.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">She was Kellie's maid of honor. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">(I think she has played that role in a lot of weddings </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">because she is the kind that becomes a friend to all.) </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">She's been at my home a few times. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I was blessed to get to hear her teach the woman at our church </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">several times with an amazing ability to share her love for Christ. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I know about some terrible, beyond what anyone </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">should have to go through, </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">kinds of things that this young woman has already endured </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">and came through </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>shining for Jesus.</b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">I guess you would say I admire her from a distance.</span></i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">And now she, along with her new husband and children, </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">are about to begin another hard battle. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Literally a fight for her life.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">God does not answer my question of why. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I don't know why </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">but </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; ">I have a feeling that He </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; ">is going to shine brightly in her life during this time.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Please join us in prayer as we hold her up </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">to the one who knows the answer to my question. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The one who loves Shawna more than any of us.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>It makes bird poop on my shoulder and down my back pretty laughable.</i></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If you would like to follow Shawna's fight against cancer </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">this is the link: </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><a href="http://lovingonshawna.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; ">http://lovingonshawna.com/</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></div>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-42555476575950957052011-05-04T04:13:00.000-07:002011-05-04T04:32:35.018-07:00Our Dental Experience in Brazil<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Yesterday I had a wisdom tooth removed by a dentist here in Brazil. I had prayed and asked God for a dentist because the tooth had broke while I was in the states and the dentist there had told me it would have to be surgically removed. He suggested I do it in Brazil because of the cost and our finances :). I didn't do it last year because of the knee problems I was having so I knew I couldn't put it off any longer. Anyway, I prayed and one day when I was at the gym here at the condo, I met a lady working out that was very helpful and wanted to talk "English" with me. Turned out she was a dentist! She gave me all the information (phone number, e-mail, etc) and at some point stated that she wanted a recipe for cookies (they are well known here!). That weekend I made some and decided to take some to them . They ended up having us (with the rest of her family) for Easter dinner! This past weekend we made arrangement for dental work. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">She picked us up at our apartment building (we're in the same complex but different buildings) and planned to take us to work with her the whole day. She said she had a few other appointments (her own father being her last) but most of the day she had reserved for us. BUT first we needed to stop at her parents house as she didn't have water in her apartment to take a shower that morning after working out in the gym!</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Wow! Her parents house was amazing! Custom built for them about 13 years ago in this wonderful (expensive) neighborhood that we had no idea you would even find in Rio. The details put into their house was, for me, so fun to see. </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in">BUT I am way off the subject, am I not?!!!</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">They took their time showing us around, gave us breakfast and made us feel at home while our dentist, Marianna, took her shower. Her mother was trying to learn English so we had fun with that as we did a mixture of Portuguese and English to “try” and carry conversations with her.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Then off to the office – We got there and she had a few other appointments so we just sat in the waiting room and waited. Then she got to me. I had also told her that at some point we would like our teeth cleaned and checked for cavities, etc so she did that first for me.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"> No cavities!!!!! </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in">No, she doesn't quite use the same techniques as the dentists in the states but all was good. <i>Then it was time to pull the tooth.</i></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><i></i> She did an x-ray. Then she numbed up the mouth. She had to do that several times before the job was done because that tooth didn't want to come out!!!! She did have to do the surgery, just as the doctor in the states had told me. It didn't hurt. It was just a lot of pressure and being uncomfortable as she twisted and lifted on it. (She had to go underneath since there wasn't enough on the top to grab).</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><b>Finally it was out!!!!</b> She stitched it up, cleaned me up and I went back to wait while she worked on her dad and Warren. I must add that while she was pulling the tooth her father took Warren out to lunch!!! <i>They are a great family! </i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Warren didn't have any cavities either!!! And it always feels good to have your teeth newly cleaned!</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><b>We were done.</b> It was time to pay. She wouldn't take anything although she would like a package of some of her favorite things from the states. I asked for a list. She is being kind. It will be one great box when I get done with it! She also handed me a bag of fruit and yogurt to take home so I would have something she thought I could eat last night. I couldn't but I'll explain why coming up.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Then we headed for home. It's a long ways. And first she needed to stop and pick up her son, stop at the store (she came with a bag for us, again, of fresh bread, and icecream for me!) Then we headed to the pharmacy to get pills for me. Lots of pills. I'm not sure what they were all for but by the time we got home I couldn't wait for the pain pill. The numbness had started to wear off and I was hurting. Bad. And not because of the missing tooth but because of my <i>tongue</i>. She had told me afterwards to be very careful not to bite my tongue and I thought I was BUT I have this huge sore on the side of it where I either bit it or got it caught in my partial.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Still, today, I can barely eat and it hurts so bad to talk because it rubs on my teeth. Warren said it looks like ground beef!!!! The mouth does heal fast though, right?!</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">I did eat a little breakfast of oatmeal this morning (so I could take the pills) but I won't be talking much today. A good thing Warren is going to Alex's for the day to work on his cabinets again.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Marianna has invited us to a birthday party this weekend and her father wants to take us sightseeing on Sunday morning (church is in the evening). We also have plans for me to teach her how to make cookies :) and with all the other things she said she would like us to do before we leave, well, there just won't be time.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">I know that God answered my prayer for a dentist. I was just asking for a good one. One to do the work, at a good price, with expertess. He did that. But then, we always ask too little of God.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><i> He also gave us a family of friends.</i></b></span> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(I went to take pictures and my battery was dead. Bummer.)</span></p>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-88693382775200934172011-04-26T09:16:00.000-07:002011-04-26T13:03:52.884-07:00Smile!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVXWvyHhSz3eRg15jFNUMPhyphenhyphenKeVZN0J8AXlun8oFFlAIctdafI6EIAPsIdjPZAxRtW-DaOYQ7I9gJXrFRLp7eMXhC5VWp9DJjhkHadxiDBJu0P3IaXqGbpd1tfx7RRTqTP7qB3wnCKlM/s1600/42-16477032.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 118px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVXWvyHhSz3eRg15jFNUMPhyphenhyphenKeVZN0J8AXlun8oFFlAIctdafI6EIAPsIdjPZAxRtW-DaOYQ7I9gJXrFRLp7eMXhC5VWp9DJjhkHadxiDBJu0P3IaXqGbpd1tfx7RRTqTP7qB3wnCKlM/s400/42-16477032.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599976042140839570" /></a><br />We were sitting at the table at a suco (juice) bar when I saw her approach. <div>She was headed straight for us Americans, after all, we are an easy target.</div><div> </div><div><i>They believe that all Americans are rich.</i></div><div><i></i> </div><div>What she didn't realize was that we've seen it before. </div><div>Poor, dirty beggers are all over the streets of Rio. </div><div>Some simply beg and others have small things to sell. </div><div>She had an object made out of a soda can that she was peddling. </div><div>We didn't even know what it was suppose to be. </div><div><br /></div><div>She was young and dirty. </div><div>I recognized the smell of having not showered for some time </div><div>as she got closer to us. <div><br /></div><div>It always makes me sad. But in this case it <i>especially</i> bothered me because of what I saw. </div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>When she opened her mouth to speak I saw that she was missing her two front, bottom teeth.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>That impacted me because 30+ years ago I lost my four front,</div><div>bottom teeth in a car accident. </div><div>I was able to have crowns put in right away so, unless I tell people, no one knows. </div><div>But this past year I had some problems with one of them </div><div>and so I am in the process of having a implant done. <i>Muito money</i>!!!!</div><div>Which means, right now, I am wearing a partial and I hate it! </div><div> And I <b>complain</b> about it. </div><div>My tongue is <i>constantly</i> playing with it and no matter how hard I try </div><div>to train myself to leave it alone I haven't been successful! </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm also very self conscience of having it out (with one tooth missing)</div><div>even in front of Warren. </div><div><i>Really</i>, I don't even like to look in the mirror without it! (vanity, I guess) </div><div><br /></div><div>Even though we are having to watch our pennies these days we found it to be a necessity to have the implant done....</div><div><br /></div><div>And then seeing her I realized how much I still have. </div><div>How much I take for granted. </div><div>How much I assume is <i>still</i> my right to have. </div><div><br /></div><div>I've told many people here in Brazil (when asked about our economy in the U.S.)</div><div>that we Americans (myself included) really don't know how to be poor. </div><div><br /></div><div>We can be losing our jobs, our income, and still drink our fancy coffees, have our own car, buy processed foods for ease, have cable TV, own our computer, central heat and air-conditioning, own a washing machine and dryer, membership at a gym, kids in sports or dance, good meals out, etc because we've grown accustomed to it. We know no other way. We think we <i>should</i> be able to have and do what we've always had and done.</div><div><br /></div><div>And then I saw her teeth, or rather her lack of teeth, and it has me thinking. </div><div>There are things I just assume I should have. Almost like they are owed to me. </div><div>And forget how blessed I am. </div><div>I forget to be truly thankful. </div><div>I forget that maybe I don't deserve it after all.</div><div><br /></div><div>I forget that having all of my teeth is a gift. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>I am a <i>rich</i> American.</div>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-40069955252608552512011-03-30T03:21:00.000-07:002011-03-30T05:07:46.583-07:00For Today<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZBqMP81HCd6nRG-fioN77bhZybYwTJTQPS3iBLJ1obEgodQ0_i-CPzX4xJSjzP07j0gI7Aw9tFWYwJarqgcKEjFXcdVF_pMxgYTJQSaWLzB-rzyAc0RCc7-IO5GXzWVIIo9CFtVbBAg/s1600/48989_1204393484_3874_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZBqMP81HCd6nRG-fioN77bhZybYwTJTQPS3iBLJ1obEgodQ0_i-CPzX4xJSjzP07j0gI7Aw9tFWYwJarqgcKEjFXcdVF_pMxgYTJQSaWLzB-rzyAc0RCc7-IO5GXzWVIIo9CFtVbBAg/s400/48989_1204393484_3874_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589819811456615410" /></a><br />Warren's brother-in-law died last night.<div><br /></div><div>Totally unexpected. Too young to be gone. Too soon for all the loved ones that remain here.</div><div><br /></div><div>I watched a good friend of mine go through the grieving process after losing her husband and</div><div>felt that I learned so much from watching her...</div><div><br /></div><div>but now, once again, I have no idea what to say or do. Death is too hard on the people that are left to live life. There is no words that you can say to someone that will bring comfort for a loss that feels as though it is strangling them.... where they are almost wish it would. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here we are in Brazil. Feeling so helpless and far away. We had thought the day <i>could</i> come</div><div>when we would lose someone we loved while we were at such a distance. But the thought of it</div><div>was so much easier than the reality of it.</div><div><br /></div><div>I had the sudden rush of wanting to be with my family. Not wanting to lose a second of time with any of them. <i>Of course, this isn't possible.</i> Of course, even if there were not such a distance we would continue living life in and out of each other's presence.</div><div><br /></div><div>But for today, I will treasure more the lives of those that I love so much. I will pray more for them and take joy in their voices on the phone, their comments on Facebook and just in my knowledge that they are a part of my life.</div><div><br /></div><div>For today we will mourn the loss of a man that made Warren's sister so happy. A man that was a great father and grandfather. A man that was friends with all. </div><div><br /></div><div>I can only picture him smiling. I can only picture him living life to the fullest. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is the man we shall mourn today.</div><div><br /></div><div>Rest in peace, Dennis. You are greatly loved and will be greatly missed.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-32116280255225884902011-03-22T01:00:00.000-07:002011-03-22T01:00:08.015-07:00Shopping in Paraguay<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_lDXjpnLu-5BiiRfgVtMjTIFvcqJfdvTddWTQ_cnsVT9UNifw4q3_W20IIRemkaVrq_uDMTIM9Yx9MuHvyyfgd5ef4CprXxPT-k-b2ZTzBf_rcHbjGk2oOU6a2qL6pH-ZlD3ySt13hM/s1600/P1030135.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_lDXjpnLu-5BiiRfgVtMjTIFvcqJfdvTddWTQ_cnsVT9UNifw4q3_W20IIRemkaVrq_uDMTIM9Yx9MuHvyyfgd5ef4CprXxPT-k-b2ZTzBf_rcHbjGk2oOU6a2qL6pH-ZlD3ySt13hM/s320/P1030135.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586636027321431810" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">A week ago we spent some time with Ben, Melissa and their kids </div><div style="text-align: center;">at their home in Iguacu.It was great to be able to talk </div><div style="text-align: center;">and hear their hearts for ministry as new missionariesto Brazil. </div><div style="text-align: center;">We are excited to watch and see how God is going to use</div><div style="text-align: center;">the whole family. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And He will</i>. He does that with willing people.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">On the last day we were there, we took a couple of buses</div><div style="text-align: center;"> and headed over to Paraguay.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Even as we were doing it we weren't quite sure why - </div><div style="text-align: center;">it's just something you do.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We laughed at the joke that the first 45 min. are fun </div><div style="text-align: center;">but the remainder of</div><div style="text-align: center;">the 5 hours - not so much!!!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Actually we enjoyed our time with them</div><div style="text-align: center;"> and we also met up with KaKa, Lilianand little Marcus. </div><div style="text-align: center;">We got to know them when they lived in Iguacu</div><div style="text-align: center;">during our time there in 2009. </div><div style="text-align: center;">They have since moved to Praia Grandeto begin a church there. </div><div style="text-align: center;">So happy that we could spend time with them.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqFasNPIDSE5j-Q1qPHvCPBEv81RePwONIfSw9zpr-ovEq9LbdLn3HBdxyWJ8mhG1YorSBFOnZ2QdK5YTyOGJydMdB8X6H5Kw93Jm6dXM2FDBbFgm5J0GJ0UJdbzG_RyUtQmvMbBUSDI/s1600/P1030138.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqFasNPIDSE5j-Q1qPHvCPBEv81RePwONIfSw9zpr-ovEq9LbdLn3HBdxyWJ8mhG1YorSBFOnZ2QdK5YTyOGJydMdB8X6H5Kw93Jm6dXM2FDBbFgm5J0GJ0UJdbzG_RyUtQmvMbBUSDI/s320/P1030138.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586636024524905298" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This is the way we got around once in Paraguay!</div><div style="text-align: center;">And it was hot. <i>Very, very hot!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jb4kMbxjK-YAit75ok93EnmtKb5oSD5RWZuAfB2yqH8T1mjMAE0UGshmGLI2ShE-dwPVX4WaSj7bzECbGAqQhLIAgW__iyDaZlp7xEGKl7ZUL9MLQkMzG8kcKV9pspCbjh9HfqtohtY/s1600/P1030140.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jb4kMbxjK-YAit75ok93EnmtKb5oSD5RWZuAfB2yqH8T1mjMAE0UGshmGLI2ShE-dwPVX4WaSj7bzECbGAqQhLIAgW__iyDaZlp7xEGKl7ZUL9MLQkMzG8kcKV9pspCbjh9HfqtohtY/s320/P1030140.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586634074135452578" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Warren needed a new backpack since the one he had bought in the</div><div style="text-align: center;">states fell apart in a matter of days. </div><div style="text-align: center;">This store had so many it was hard to decide.</div><div style="text-align: center;">He got one. $9 for a really good one.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Oh ya, that's why you go to Paraguay.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>For the prices!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Their import taxes are either non-existant or they are very low</div><div style="text-align: center;">so by crossing the border the prices of things go down considerably.</div><div style="text-align: center;">So it is a busy, crowded, dirty,</div><div style="text-align: center;"> (we keep forgetting <i>not</i> to wear flip flops there. <i>Poor KaKa</i>!)</div><div style="text-align: center;">depressing town</div><div style="text-align: center;">because it's full of people wanting to make money.</div><div style="text-align: center;">But we go because Brazil is very expensive.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3HqdhCJsv2PbyjFtr3_RmFV7OaZRb2U0t-uL0o_IGqj_tT6uA28cOXHQd03mI457DgCqoqblrPM9Fc2i817U0yQcqx3ZlKP0O0AStJnECQ5dSeQ4aQHEek6LpoFKzmjEzDRTb4BgynQ/s1600/P1030149.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3HqdhCJsv2PbyjFtr3_RmFV7OaZRb2U0t-uL0o_IGqj_tT6uA28cOXHQd03mI457DgCqoqblrPM9Fc2i817U0yQcqx3ZlKP0O0AStJnECQ5dSeQ4aQHEek6LpoFKzmjEzDRTb4BgynQ/s320/P1030149.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586634064321631026" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">We went to a chinese restauraunt for lunch.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm not talking American kind of chinese.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It was wonderful and inexpensive. </div><div style="text-align: center;">The table was huge and sat all 10 of us</div><div style="text-align: center;">(the baby sat on a lap).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJc5PYM-G3l4_6B1c-QOLp-NOalVpVHN_lLKvZNtwW0jw-xe4sBk0aEJYaqv_CsEEY-pWFnKFQyBwTrrsBz416A-mfEC4uInRGdxwlQwY7MpPjPbdApIVB7i9Rju0p2Q815ztfyNMp_M/s1600/P1030152.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJc5PYM-G3l4_6B1c-QOLp-NOalVpVHN_lLKvZNtwW0jw-xe4sBk0aEJYaqv_CsEEY-pWFnKFQyBwTrrsBz416A-mfEC4uInRGdxwlQwY7MpPjPbdApIVB7i9Rju0p2Q815ztfyNMp_M/s320/P1030152.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586634062157288210" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">the menu.</div><div style="text-align: center;">They did have one in Spanish too which is the one we did our best with.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXBWTdGK8YMbw_8n7lYkF41Q97bOBu3FCcLTR0TGAbD3BZ1rtQ2E515YTgu-RaITSrzProR1XMezFAbkGOW4dlg8Qs1PTerxD7Inle4Bn0_UKBoFN3WRu1VsHUyZS3_Z2ZR883LNhqsw/s1600/P1030157.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXBWTdGK8YMbw_8n7lYkF41Q97bOBu3FCcLTR0TGAbD3BZ1rtQ2E515YTgu-RaITSrzProR1XMezFAbkGOW4dlg8Qs1PTerxD7Inle4Bn0_UKBoFN3WRu1VsHUyZS3_Z2ZR883LNhqsw/s320/P1030157.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586622710460060146" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Slippers in one of the stores.</div><div style="text-align: center;">They have a lot of general type stores that carry a little bit of everything.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzMnTLGMVTwCFcj8lGCn65bNgSjW6TdfhqiyG9L8BaIQLbHsuf3kJezZq6LGYsP5O4WiD7po3hRRgTV1aqRreXawJADm4vatuLkP2Cs-2UTdE3ic0Te-8FwwcoeskHqCgcDniWcCsQokI/s1600/P1030159.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzMnTLGMVTwCFcj8lGCn65bNgSjW6TdfhqiyG9L8BaIQLbHsuf3kJezZq6LGYsP5O4WiD7po3hRRgTV1aqRreXawJADm4vatuLkP2Cs-2UTdE3ic0Te-8FwwcoeskHqCgcDniWcCsQokI/s320/P1030159.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586622702027172802" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Recognize the packaging?!</div><div style="text-align: center;">From the same store as the slippers.</div><div style="text-align: center;">They also have a lot of specialty stores and high-end stores.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Just about anything you can imagine can be found here.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMMWeKaYYiSnFyXl9yYZGIlUi6-6nrA31N3a1YoxFnqjvmdVTSPh9CyPkiJ_8kTfuGeEVtToEXh8kTsCLNcNDqpwxPkWZOcNhzC_RfmBs9w9DQnpbs_QfTVl1WX0K82PWl3k-zYhvLqg/s1600/P1030173.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMMWeKaYYiSnFyXl9yYZGIlUi6-6nrA31N3a1YoxFnqjvmdVTSPh9CyPkiJ_8kTfuGeEVtToEXh8kTsCLNcNDqpwxPkWZOcNhzC_RfmBs9w9DQnpbs_QfTVl1WX0K82PWl3k-zYhvLqg/s320/P1030173.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586622696557048642" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The streets are narrow and full of traffic. They don't watch out for anyone but themselves</div><div style="text-align: center;">so it's your job to make sure that you are safe from traffic.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Melissa almost got her arm taken off right after this picture was taken</div><div style="text-align: center;">as a SUV came down this and wasn't concerned at all that it didn't fit</div><div style="text-align: center;">along side of parked cars on one side and Melissa walking on the other side.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I was walking behind her and didn't see how it missed her.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRW_YTd7YQ4Ceh633PT5WF9fxV7AQLtAownTnKRlVMBMTCAJAYic6cSakGy65S0zM8pgtDJbENdr_MCAss7_-MYTWEDrwGXvF9ye-LnC6zeUc8V2eZcqOWcwwmSfwJNd1Vlk0QptHkb0/s1600/P1030175.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRW_YTd7YQ4Ceh633PT5WF9fxV7AQLtAownTnKRlVMBMTCAJAYic6cSakGy65S0zM8pgtDJbENdr_MCAss7_-MYTWEDrwGXvF9ye-LnC6zeUc8V2eZcqOWcwwmSfwJNd1Vlk0QptHkb0/s320/P1030175.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586619554571648114" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The sidewalks are full of vendors. Usually more of the poor that set their wares </div><div style="text-align: center;">out there and send their children out to try and entice customers.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Many a times you would find children sitting under the tables where they </div><div style="text-align: center;">literally spend their day - maybe their childhood.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It is heartbreaking.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgtzniZfDeDbqzPfFRheClTUuAPKbb91DZ3N2zUI6smqDyX6CR82ISbB_m0sJEkxze2e9uQwcHoUKRy9oB1QFZeFjPPPBtPblO_8cOvh3udTRYMzk4Z43iqdFA18INFU_0CuRdHNUQUs/s1600/P1030181.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgtzniZfDeDbqzPfFRheClTUuAPKbb91DZ3N2zUI6smqDyX6CR82ISbB_m0sJEkxze2e9uQwcHoUKRy9oB1QFZeFjPPPBtPblO_8cOvh3udTRYMzk4Z43iqdFA18INFU_0CuRdHNUQUs/s320/P1030181.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586619545164483058" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">When you do purchase something from a store you must first take your purchase</div><div style="text-align: center;">to a department that writes it up and then has you pay for it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BEgDnNBnPlRUOCnSy7GR4UrEm_1UCwdBQh-GXbDM1d6AW3LfCJwCJPX2gEXKX3c4-r4lz1jiaP-jPUVh-Shbpou10CStF9zAAvhATZ3-KqUJ0CNlNNvb-tS-w5dhyphenhyphenrNSM7sjsEWDub8/s1600/P1030182.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BEgDnNBnPlRUOCnSy7GR4UrEm_1UCwdBQh-GXbDM1d6AW3LfCJwCJPX2gEXKX3c4-r4lz1jiaP-jPUVh-Shbpou10CStF9zAAvhATZ3-KqUJ0CNlNNvb-tS-w5dhyphenhyphenrNSM7sjsEWDub8/s320/P1030182.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586619537194706722" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Then you move to another department with your ticket</div><div style="text-align: center;">and they give you your merchandise.</div><div style="text-align: center;">That is how it is pretty much done in Brazil at a lot of stores too.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It is time consuming and frustrating sometimes but...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>patience, Sheri, patience.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOqrV8pQWVFtDUH5yS-7g6_Mn5ZKlOOHUDxFoQrt3TVp6y1yOoaBVSEphMaTwM5RVNAKpQ5hzH70-JX0iwziZzY289h-m-dbceR4G2uEctx8r4Fn5p-70Hv55DQD4xeemPMcMc7ffaNk/s1600/P1030183.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOqrV8pQWVFtDUH5yS-7g6_Mn5ZKlOOHUDxFoQrt3TVp6y1yOoaBVSEphMaTwM5RVNAKpQ5hzH70-JX0iwziZzY289h-m-dbceR4G2uEctx8r4Fn5p-70Hv55DQD4xeemPMcMc7ffaNk/s320/P1030183.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586617067398695346" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">More of a look at the streets.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Monday is actually a slow day there.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The first time we visited it was crowded beyond belief.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNCiF5AO8j346PCwjlfNB_JFWsA9lHzzETXbXUezo5PVe5ag7FUEQ1NMi_O4tA0znucOsTyEreUmEjnvz4U-dNNGomI4alNErarjDAMbkbFmQg9L6Axxj7lG-oucATyZHH9UqFUlqbHw/s1600/P1030196.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNCiF5AO8j346PCwjlfNB_JFWsA9lHzzETXbXUezo5PVe5ag7FUEQ1NMi_O4tA0znucOsTyEreUmEjnvz4U-dNNGomI4alNErarjDAMbkbFmQg9L6Axxj7lG-oucATyZHH9UqFUlqbHw/s320/P1030196.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586617062163218034" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">A stuffed animal store.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Here they are sitting in one corner of the store actually </div><div style="text-align: center;">stuffing the creatures!</div><div style="text-align: center;">I tried to talk with them but my Portuguese isn't very good.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Oh, that's right, they speak Spanish over there.</div><div style="text-align: center;">No wonder!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNZsZnWv1DgWr0wufZIM2cKTEFsungt3oyPR_2uO13jMoH0iFdzJKjNZ1glPCipe_FarP1T2AXzBBlNc0-8SS54kMBRPwuRCkXbFOeAlFkleJvhGtHTsLvMXKHpNXuqCA4kSaylp9LSE/s1600/P1030189.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNZsZnWv1DgWr0wufZIM2cKTEFsungt3oyPR_2uO13jMoH0iFdzJKjNZ1glPCipe_FarP1T2AXzBBlNc0-8SS54kMBRPwuRCkXbFOeAlFkleJvhGtHTsLvMXKHpNXuqCA4kSaylp9LSE/s320/P1030189.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586617049823535122" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Julia loved the fact that the bear was bigger than her!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgDLit-At4k4sJ33ANEqhXJlV3KH4_-3ErmX4ZeVaSEjSQeKhyphenhyphenbuil-HnyNXNtL1BFd0Y8dlnD4h4SB2wBDtRc-q7hcG2Mtx_EDg2HKxulRp5G1-qNu-6oF_axxL63FvsBVM41J8BvRk/s1600/P1030200.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgDLit-At4k4sJ33ANEqhXJlV3KH4_-3ErmX4ZeVaSEjSQeKhyphenhyphenbuil-HnyNXNtL1BFd0Y8dlnD4h4SB2wBDtRc-q7hcG2Mtx_EDg2HKxulRp5G1-qNu-6oF_axxL63FvsBVM41J8BvRk/s320/P1030200.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586614307366077026" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">These are packing supplies.</div><div style="text-align: center;">As you walk the streets you hear tape being pulled off of the rolls are they</div><div style="text-align: center;">repack things that were bought during the day.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The reason? Well, you can only take $300 or less into Brazil without paying</div><div style="text-align: center;">a duty tax. People don't always agree with that law so they take things out of the original </div><div style="text-align: center;">packaging and pack things together in other boxes</div><div style="text-align: center;">and then sneak them across the border.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sometimes paying a runner that will take them across </div><div style="text-align: center;">by going under the bridge to the other side.</div><div style="text-align: center;">None of us had enough money to have to worry about it!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhWkZfG63ioBvRQNstq0tAwhZV9ekkrJECazoyIgUDS_-O_UxmiFgjRWl0sSjkg67ayOXK8Vl66yMh0ZKbD6UJ5EKqwFYHnl-yLqsVZj_zyP3VNEiwPijyeOGFqmkxHbCMWvoeWNnOH4/s1600/P1030203.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhWkZfG63ioBvRQNstq0tAwhZV9ekkrJECazoyIgUDS_-O_UxmiFgjRWl0sSjkg67ayOXK8Vl66yMh0ZKbD6UJ5EKqwFYHnl-yLqsVZj_zyP3VNEiwPijyeOGFqmkxHbCMWvoeWNnOH4/s320/P1030203.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586614280454701570" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">It was hot and tiring so we promised the kids ice cream at the end.</div><div style="text-align: center;">In all honesty, we wanted it as bad as they did.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Funny how McDonalds can even taste good when you haven't had it for a while!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7dW7c9EbQaPzBalbu28lGRREPN9QCHYMbu25JskFpYgBN9exBhKXN3SntyswkAVfFekxEDR10Rkl2-zcfuoZXUUkLbQCiovX0aDUI7j-yJHzgkZUxJ1IvnCYnXhBiTID3c6s6Kfkddo/s1600/P1030204.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7dW7c9EbQaPzBalbu28lGRREPN9QCHYMbu25JskFpYgBN9exBhKXN3SntyswkAVfFekxEDR10Rkl2-zcfuoZXUUkLbQCiovX0aDUI7j-yJHzgkZUxJ1IvnCYnXhBiTID3c6s6Kfkddo/s320/P1030204.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586614253916744562" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">It was good alright!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiA6unmIRL7WDy_1LvIIOFNzc8v8uUNes-I8bVMzUF6XSomUuIHrtvh0meFMGe9cPk1HcyyER6q9h1UX677x_G6TdLbttfEb_MGTrmAQbv2pD4v8duoVrtLZovWpMmn1fUKhuwH-QJm54/s1600/P1030212.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiA6unmIRL7WDy_1LvIIOFNzc8v8uUNes-I8bVMzUF6XSomUuIHrtvh0meFMGe9cPk1HcyyER6q9h1UX677x_G6TdLbttfEb_MGTrmAQbv2pD4v8duoVrtLZovWpMmn1fUKhuwH-QJm54/s320/P1030212.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586611627298920050" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Notice all the re-packaged goods. Not sure how these were being delivered</div><div style="text-align: center;">without being found out. Or maybe it was for a whole different purpose that they </div><div style="text-align: center;">didn't have them in the original packages...<i>don't think so</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0XgQaYSnvwCLCe-9AXl-eQBrLdINMr_sw8Do2S2GqsHmer6VnyM4oyv_1t9GvWBo8Ln5kIUenlExesxT_Q9dIrMSkXyAGqkJYn6sUP88Ow3iqTd6N9J37KHtrtUaRgQnqwbD31avDSI4/s1600/P1030213.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0XgQaYSnvwCLCe-9AXl-eQBrLdINMr_sw8Do2S2GqsHmer6VnyM4oyv_1t9GvWBo8Ln5kIUenlExesxT_Q9dIrMSkXyAGqkJYn6sUP88Ow3iqTd6N9J37KHtrtUaRgQnqwbD31avDSI4/s320/P1030213.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586611624727962338" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Saying good-bye to KaKa, Lilian and Marcus.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UDXCRcfWj9xYW1Xo3E9zsMb_bG1ulVQMCw7GyEA6-v3UB84Sl0tSnn79N2KJuyL_VbhZyStWVr_NWind5FQeEaeCii1NBqviLD0NYHb-_JhLVAOJoRG7rl3ePvRfd0FaJ5VpUV8h4PA/s1600/P1030216.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UDXCRcfWj9xYW1Xo3E9zsMb_bG1ulVQMCw7GyEA6-v3UB84Sl0tSnn79N2KJuyL_VbhZyStWVr_NWind5FQeEaeCii1NBqviLD0NYHb-_JhLVAOJoRG7rl3ePvRfd0FaJ5VpUV8h4PA/s320/P1030216.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586611618790448594" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">And to Tim and TaLisa.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who by the way had homemade ice cream for us when we got back.</div><div style="text-align: center;">(they've been to Paraguay before!)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And we ate it, every last bite.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Actually, it was a very fun day.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>A good day to put in the memory book.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-48954770730780780652011-03-21T04:56:00.000-07:002011-03-21T05:17:17.529-07:00Oliver is 3!!!!!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysjptJeUMMsXyfSHWUIVOPPcKPtzohIh1ZFN20nR2PzzuyAfSdx1EqLpzdDSIOcHkWCisf-8oOxWmfUQ0MQ4Xo5h-fk9WP4kybUEdqa-EAZxUlbZVLmT9iLLNkWc7wnD1lRwqYZXluuM/s1600/IMG_5986.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysjptJeUMMsXyfSHWUIVOPPcKPtzohIh1ZFN20nR2PzzuyAfSdx1EqLpzdDSIOcHkWCisf-8oOxWmfUQ0MQ4Xo5h-fk9WP4kybUEdqa-EAZxUlbZVLmT9iLLNkWc7wnD1lRwqYZXluuM/s320/IMG_5986.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586502739615556146" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Oliver <i>Isaac</i> our little "laughter" boy!</div><div style="text-align: center;">His big brothers knew what they were doing when they picked his name - </div><div><div style="text-align: center;">he can bring sunshine to the darkest of days with his joy for life.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzg_99x-JZA9VELU5kuEvmggiarVwVkHp0M2uDYdD2XoB8U5AS89w7LQeQRyPGO8QAC-u4itBmrhyMTi1gZPL1Co99GKJAz2MYZyltKES3Z0PjuwSnRTm86QzHH60TT9rnnEPI1s-Tus8/s1600/IMG_6938.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzg_99x-JZA9VELU5kuEvmggiarVwVkHp0M2uDYdD2XoB8U5AS89w7LQeQRyPGO8QAC-u4itBmrhyMTi1gZPL1Co99GKJAz2MYZyltKES3Z0PjuwSnRTm86QzHH60TT9rnnEPI1s-Tus8/s320/IMG_6938.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586502735563967938" /></a><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrzOl8DOZBW7EaaFI3PgTRPgY60Tg_caGLLl45nZvwpkrQuhVfFOmtYYHoE-UO5WXOy3-9mOm4pEf8kKlInFAa-JEKxXOI7lEcyvrCQ4hQfcG9MgtCOagmJTQ5cj9wbdmNCjbEomGQk4w/s320/IMG_5979.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586502497950508418" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>You are my sunshine</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiut3Ntv0f31xib1D_tL6AgqrItj4xYfq0NJY1iVQFag6eofZVo_JF-dcGHM9nSgkfWuRhTsHTT3_DcWWj8GfGWE1tN9u9suOQ9bF7g-xnamD267ISNzRDozmoq7lkCkocB-dIsRaOhdSc/s1600/IMG_8634.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiut3Ntv0f31xib1D_tL6AgqrItj4xYfq0NJY1iVQFag6eofZVo_JF-dcGHM9nSgkfWuRhTsHTT3_DcWWj8GfGWE1tN9u9suOQ9bF7g-xnamD267ISNzRDozmoq7lkCkocB-dIsRaOhdSc/s320/IMG_8634.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586502499146575122" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>you make me happy when skies are gray</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4ZoT3tm5f8ulUdkbp8KmmItfGOFZyIotfjzK05tfiuhWXmYEr9O9S-KvaqjC_4ScGsJHx2WWs9mWPpvfiW4MZaMaCdzsy9Stq9z5ibC5XEy0AvvL01C07pcHcdIF42s_8WbUV-REL8o/s1600/IMG_6915.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4ZoT3tm5f8ulUdkbp8KmmItfGOFZyIotfjzK05tfiuhWXmYEr9O9S-KvaqjC_4ScGsJHx2WWs9mWPpvfiW4MZaMaCdzsy9Stq9z5ibC5XEy0AvvL01C07pcHcdIF42s_8WbUV-REL8o/s320/IMG_6915.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586502494857840834" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>you'll never know, dear, how much I love you</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7A9fDgiKcFLzfOoG1xaWlXjYwQnL0v70V2IdhVfYBdTJ40XW2fH-18-oAww22yrjdhOGEHggEohJWOF5ZvHl2y8mCRsSWJ50Hr48MzSkN4mSctuf_ZroyE218zr9R4uEUKZVcpbQ-IU/s1600/IMG_9284.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7A9fDgiKcFLzfOoG1xaWlXjYwQnL0v70V2IdhVfYBdTJ40XW2fH-18-oAww22yrjdhOGEHggEohJWOF5ZvHl2y8mCRsSWJ50Hr48MzSkN4mSctuf_ZroyE218zr9R4uEUKZVcpbQ-IU/s320/IMG_9284.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586501971736450242" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>please don't take my sunshine away.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15ZAflIciHfM7rpLSpczD1QPJR5SoO8LKvwfUQ7nLlKFhbwQwrk5Whyphenhyphen2Nmy8bVUYDDIOh8Sv-u4AmYbe0kqsquLqb7x0yIGfSCmk-bM9mYUvkpXcNiQ9ywvroaUpT2mrdx9ypQeV_wJc/s1600/IMG_7919.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15ZAflIciHfM7rpLSpczD1QPJR5SoO8LKvwfUQ7nLlKFhbwQwrk5Whyphenhyphen2Nmy8bVUYDDIOh8Sv-u4AmYbe0kqsquLqb7x0yIGfSCmk-bM9mYUvkpXcNiQ9ywvroaUpT2mrdx9ypQeV_wJc/s320/IMG_7919.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586501967238803538" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Love you to the moon and back again, little guy.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrUdNxbFRDCmPdgd0TgNthzfM2IxhJx1jSt5oerxs7txsvjqnkOdyO8G8r5tWKFSFpuqXHn3BubxZ6PIt4R6IkcxEd35aDfwCxF7DSGnNvwo9X2F3d4nYDkenGrb4NpR4MU70LYvn8pNs/s1600/IMG_6834.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrUdNxbFRDCmPdgd0TgNthzfM2IxhJx1jSt5oerxs7txsvjqnkOdyO8G8r5tWKFSFpuqXHn3BubxZ6PIt4R6IkcxEd35aDfwCxF7DSGnNvwo9X2F3d4nYDkenGrb4NpR4MU70LYvn8pNs/s320/IMG_6834.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586501967031998274" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>You are a joy.</b></i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF6600;">Happy Birthday!!!!!</span></span></span></div>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-89126667509838553542011-03-18T09:13:00.000-07:002011-03-18T10:48:29.405-07:00Life (in Brazil) Thus Far<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXKkbmf3dmSTGjIt5xgBVDeKLt-4xowLGsQOARBnGx-PJzKY2uOC_9HR3A5B6deLP-EMrU4802J0QQkhQqFf51I2Epj-_Ja62thDz2r7vUCWV-XvbjkK9RRvzDTv-T1kMTcusPA-_dBo/s1600/P1030074.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXKkbmf3dmSTGjIt5xgBVDeKLt-4xowLGsQOARBnGx-PJzKY2uOC_9HR3A5B6deLP-EMrU4802J0QQkhQqFf51I2Epj-_Ja62thDz2r7vUCWV-XvbjkK9RRvzDTv-T1kMTcusPA-_dBo/s320/P1030074.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585461166121296258" /></a>We made it, not just to Brazil but also to summer!!!!!<div>After experiencing winter for two years straight, we<br /><div>arrived to enjoy many warm, comfortable days and a few hot, suffocating ones.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ahhhh, to wear flip flops once again - <b>my choice for foot wear</b>!</div><div><br /></div><div>We flew into Foz do Iguacu where we were able to spent a few days with the Roger's family.</div><div>As always, we enjoyed our time there and it felt like being with family. </div><div>We also got to meet the newest addition to their family, Linda Grace. Linda means beautiful in Portuguese so</div><div><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"beautiful grace"</span></b></i></div><div>I love that.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMBMCKUrCoilZzTIduitxWYr1PaHsX_ZwpIE_g1k6Z3fOrpippVbb29ORFtpJH9iSwpstFRSENMbVJEKxZgGcIZGU26Knzfsz7ZXez4y46-sug0ymj-IhMi-BWySEg-W8oHOC9sD5HUI/s1600/P1030059.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMBMCKUrCoilZzTIduitxWYr1PaHsX_ZwpIE_g1k6Z3fOrpippVbb29ORFtpJH9iSwpstFRSENMbVJEKxZgGcIZGU26Knzfsz7ZXez4y46-sug0ymj-IhMi-BWySEg-W8oHOC9sD5HUI/s320/P1030059.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585461163565542946" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">waiting to load on the bus for retreat</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div>From there we went to the Carnival retreat in Campo Mourao. It was an amazing time.</div><div>We saw friends from many places in Brazil that we hadn't been able to see for some time.</div><div>I looked over the crowd amazed at God's goodness - that we could have the opportunity to</div><div>know so many people from so many places. <i>And call them friends</i>. We are blessed.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Y1oBZDWCceeSCTznIW_jCQRgKAmCFD6eqb6GT5Rq1naRbu05abiWwGPxOiTPMenBAghGy12wtmyMEFZxUThshI33VZMATl6LXmdrRb7lOMMwoeb8ERJ_7E2KcYCDaUtVKuP5-TGlbdg/s1600/P1030062.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Y1oBZDWCceeSCTznIW_jCQRgKAmCFD6eqb6GT5Rq1naRbu05abiWwGPxOiTPMenBAghGy12wtmyMEFZxUThshI33VZMATl6LXmdrRb7lOMMwoeb8ERJ_7E2KcYCDaUtVKuP5-TGlbdg/s320/P1030062.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585459229697351394" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvLJr7TylS1zanwTS7ligWnuzUKegf5H0-jIGVsFFp6B3kOdevPaQ5sV3ihVZty5GOOp1PwrHhXXMsM7OcQDuRvy0r7YzrZKuhXuXWHqys9AvO4KdCvJXIkBGWclIQ6z-kZF-JgnHewg/s1600/P1030070.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvLJr7TylS1zanwTS7ligWnuzUKegf5H0-jIGVsFFp6B3kOdevPaQ5sV3ihVZty5GOOp1PwrHhXXMsM7OcQDuRvy0r7YzrZKuhXuXWHqys9AvO4KdCvJXIkBGWclIQ6z-kZF-JgnHewg/s320/P1030070.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585459218816683090" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">one of the sessions at retreat</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div>It was beautiful to see the people from one church fellowshipping with some from another.</div><div>I believe some good friendships were made. </div><div>There were also some teaching sessions that were amazing. </div><div>We were strengthened as believers and then there were some that became believers. </div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">God used the time</span></i>.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJcIsrh-4s4E3Q9E6HROSq5oMzHukk7qk00pjUX9PN22hUHWq2ilKlntbfPoIWMq373pa8hDuSzXvmiRxakKncbz21AjAmLkKLgbAEATFaYclLLQPh_eZL7w7hJfNkWOl9iDd1LIe5P9w/s1600/P1030084.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJcIsrh-4s4E3Q9E6HROSq5oMzHukk7qk00pjUX9PN22hUHWq2ilKlntbfPoIWMq373pa8hDuSzXvmiRxakKncbz21AjAmLkKLgbAEATFaYclLLQPh_eZL7w7hJfNkWOl9iDd1LIe5P9w/s320/P1030084.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585459215331431266" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fellowship</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOhWr2mTBSyWe3Bc897LSYc3UEN6Ya0lWECHGDhZMS_A7tg7WZkTc_iwW6zI6zgvnxTOO-trNTSrl_uG0g4zEDexFxj7rg2vkov52AZ-U366PHfXFWH1Hw5YbQWHwYG1_w9m2C29zsww8/s1600/P1030108.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOhWr2mTBSyWe3Bc897LSYc3UEN6Ya0lWECHGDhZMS_A7tg7WZkTc_iwW6zI6zgvnxTOO-trNTSrl_uG0g4zEDexFxj7rg2vkov52AZ-U366PHfXFWH1Hw5YbQWHwYG1_w9m2C29zsww8/s320/P1030108.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585456492236319250" /></a>The last morning there we had a baptismal service. </div><div><br /></div><div>These two women especially touched my heart because</div><div>I had met them the first night of retreat.</div><div><i>I believe God had put them in my path.</i></div><div>They were mother/daughter and had just lost their mother/grandmother to suicide.</div><div>They were in so much pain and had come because friends had encouraged them to come.</div><div>They had shared their story with me that first night and because I had learned a little bit about grieving from my good friends, Cindy and Deb, I was able to minister and pray with them.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42-txJaUg6Bc4Jq3uIL8Uo3KjdgPvCx2jMBR3LdR5CgnhIckYLdzfJRaZzRnFA-Ir0hcZ1L2fuk-RezAzh33Vq-lnLNONM3I_ErdRKEIq-3BKKut6ztyGSDDj9gyCMF33GQ113VtwMKY/s1600/P1030116.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42-txJaUg6Bc4Jq3uIL8Uo3KjdgPvCx2jMBR3LdR5CgnhIckYLdzfJRaZzRnFA-Ir0hcZ1L2fuk-RezAzh33Vq-lnLNONM3I_ErdRKEIq-3BKKut6ztyGSDDj9gyCMF33GQ113VtwMKY/s320/P1030116.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585456488228440482" /></a>And God <b>did</b> meet them. He has began a process of healing. </div><div>And by the end they were filled with a peace and joy that they didn't have when they arrived.</div><div>Yes, they will still grieve their loss but now they knew </div><div><i>Jesus was going to go through it with them!</i></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTAWKQKff8oGfXjctaZGrVNG5PDdQsCEHgRv4Sv3Dyl2UWF8EjYqlzUfcp_XpIkQ6kV3cEvgTi6BmnSiTwIStSBLFWHnUcVsMCMEfY2ZzjHSpUfkCdU16_jNZFVFgNQ7TQ2kxKC2BCTQ/s1600/P1030121.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTAWKQKff8oGfXjctaZGrVNG5PDdQsCEHgRv4Sv3Dyl2UWF8EjYqlzUfcp_XpIkQ6kV3cEvgTi6BmnSiTwIStSBLFWHnUcVsMCMEfY2ZzjHSpUfkCdU16_jNZFVFgNQ7TQ2kxKC2BCTQ/s320/P1030121.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585456480887295410" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>Beautiful!!!</i></span>!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After the retreat was over we stayed in Campo with Diego and Aline. </div><div style="text-align: left;">What a great time with them!</div><div style="text-align: left;">The first evening we also had dinner with Bill and Sheri Holdridge from Calvary Santa Cruz.</div><div style="text-align: left;">We so enjoyed getting to know them. And Bill got to go to his favorite place to eat in Campo:</div><div style="text-align: left;">Pizza Brasil! It was good!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We loved the time in Campo, experiencing life as Diego and Aline know it. Meeting some of their friends. Getting to attend the Wed. night study at church. And having wonderful, long talks with them. Hearing their hearts. Praying together.</div><div style="text-align: left;">It was good. <i>Really, really good.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then we caught a bus back to Iguacu where we were able to spend time with our newest missionaries. Ben, Melissa, Moriah, Daniel, Julia and (another new addition) Alaniah Lyon.</div><div style="text-align: left;">They warmly welcomed us into their home/lives, even giving us one of their two bedrooms!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was almost like being home as we have known this family for years. Warren and Ben worked together for some time and one way or another they have always remained in our lives.</div><div style="text-align: left;">It was good to hear their hearts and to watch a little bit of the process as God has begun to reveal some of what their ministry is to be in Brazil. We're watching with anticipation!</div><div style="text-align: left;">Their children are a delight and we saw our time together come to an end way to quickly.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We did spend a day in Paraguay with them but that is for another post :)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We were able to go to the Sunday service and were so blessed by it. So good to see so many of our friends from previous visits. And the service was awesome!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then we took a 11 (was suppose to be 10 but there was a lot of road construction) hour bus ride to Curitiba where we were met by our good friends, Ricado and Marcella. It was soooo good to see their faces!!!! We have settled back into our home here at the church and in many ways it feels as though we had never left. We look forward to seeing many of our friends on Sunday.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Warren has been able to see some of the guys and meet Tom Stowe (the pastor filling in for John). I got to spend time with Pricila yesterday but, quite frankly, I've been hiding in the bedroom with a terrible head cold/flu. Better today but still not ready to get out and about. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">God has been good to us. We have had safe travels, gotten to see so many people we love and have been reminded of God's call on our lives to be here. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>It's always good to be reminded.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thank you for the love you show to us by praying for us. So many times we feel in desperate need of it, for we are in desperate need of <i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Him.</span></b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-77900041701876364682011-03-05T16:59:00.000-08:002011-03-05T17:20:52.221-08:00A Note to Calvary CorvallisAs we sat with the group of people about ready to receive the first message while at the Carnival Retreat in Campo Mourao I couldn't help but smile as I looked around at the group of people that have come from different Calvary Chapels throughout Brazil. It is a large turn-out.<br /><br />Tim Rogers then stood up and welcomed everyone and prayed for the time together. During the prayer he thanked the Lord for what He has done in Brazil. Tim choked up. Suddenly I understood his feelings. He was looking at 11 years of he and his family's service in Brazil as he gazed at that crowd. I know that Tim would give God the glory, and rightly so, but I also know that God chose to use this man because he and his family we're willing to take that step of faith.,<br />. <br />Eleven years. Some rewarding and some just plain hard but now the fruit of his labor was before him.<br /><br />My next thoughts were of Calvary Corvallis. How I wish that you could have seen this small ( in comparison to the whole, for it is just some of the members of the churches represented here) portion of the work that you have partnered in throughout these 11 years. Many lives saved and changed. Many people healed and restored. Many leaders raised up. Many families saved from ruin. <br /><br />And much more work to do. <br /><br />But <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" >God is faithful.</span><br /><br />May we all be as steadfast in our callings.Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-39453009350923082382011-02-21T02:13:00.000-08:002011-02-21T19:58:13.284-08:001/2 a Century?!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNYLYSqCOvvbhjM8AIMGAvbRZi7g3O9gCw1z8udm7EvZNRuY3NI_LBep9n_lJsx7gggJdPp0TZy-RYRKD05AY9VkCN7jqMnkCv89XrlZoztzPQ9Xr6f-IWfdsSK40oG2I-RjxjxtHFbQ/s1600/10729_297223385299_603300299_9101639_1681681_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNYLYSqCOvvbhjM8AIMGAvbRZi7g3O9gCw1z8udm7EvZNRuY3NI_LBep9n_lJsx7gggJdPp0TZy-RYRKD05AY9VkCN7jqMnkCv89XrlZoztzPQ9Xr6f-IWfdsSK40oG2I-RjxjxtHFbQ/s320/10729_297223385299_603300299_9101639_1681681_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575420005259545490" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-family:arial;">Happy Birthday, Dori!!!!!</span></span><br /><br />How does it feel to be <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;">50</span></span>?<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIE9EMGrsdqEph_qIFCDkuS3ndj74GdFbkW072RY7eMILHr6BsyPliB_z448hyphenhyphendfx66hrqki8QeOd7LJWvoVimocoLgPBgs_a_HOeuEU2iPY4ggyXzAWfHw66GUbjQaW3eo95tF7T-PgQ/s1600/165537_1491418766411_1262251251_31062197_4762470_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIE9EMGrsdqEph_qIFCDkuS3ndj74GdFbkW072RY7eMILHr6BsyPliB_z448hyphenhyphendfx66hrqki8QeOd7LJWvoVimocoLgPBgs_a_HOeuEU2iPY4ggyXzAWfHw66GUbjQaW3eo95tF7T-PgQ/s320/165537_1491418766411_1262251251_31062197_4762470_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575419999541731474" border="0" /></a><br />Thought so.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYF6LzaWIJqAKKBXYcBeVBTb9dY1J5_ODJAHZjxVkVVD70tk9ZLmxWEcSZQi6k3GBUfqZSiq46s7IvzTxx5XpxTNOqeVkgdc7_inNA9fzIayMIpNoqCV8j1KrjDN48O_LVZyk-RXeHNE/s1600/165240_1491420926465_1262251251_31062205_2343508_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYF6LzaWIJqAKKBXYcBeVBTb9dY1J5_ODJAHZjxVkVVD70tk9ZLmxWEcSZQi6k3GBUfqZSiq46s7IvzTxx5XpxTNOqeVkgdc7_inNA9fzIayMIpNoqCV8j1KrjDN48O_LVZyk-RXeHNE/s320/165240_1491420926465_1262251251_31062205_2343508_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575419995916952978" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Hope it's your greatest year yet!</span><br /><br />Dori, from the very beginning you have always brought a bunch<br />of "life" to our family.<br />Your sense of humor always makes one smile<br />and your kindness is beyond words.<br />Your also the one that has the greatest sense of what it takes<br />to keep this family connected.<br /><br />You're a <span style="font-style: italic;">one-of-a-kind</span> sister<br />and a <span style="font-style: italic;">one-of-a-kind </span>friend.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">I am so thankful you're mine.</span><br /><br />Enjoy today.<br />You'll be in my thoughts.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Love you much.</span><br /></div>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-63644946855131437752011-02-16T15:03:00.000-08:002011-02-16T15:06:49.746-08:00Our plans, our needs, our thankfulness!<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Many of you know that we are about to make our third trip to Brazil since officially becoming missionaries in July of '09. Back then we had gone with the expectation that we would be settling into the city or town that God would have us to minister out of. We had packed what little we had left with that in mind!</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">That, of course, was our expectation and now, in hind sight, see it was not God's plan. We have been blessed beyond measure in being able to travel to many of the churches, spending time with the pastors and their families and ministering to the people however God would lead. We know, had we settled in one place, that things would have looked much different and we wouldn't have had many of the opportunities that have been ours this way. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We've been reminded many times of Pastor Rob telling us of a vision that he had before we were even ready to leave. He had seen a map and on that map there were stick pins on the places throughout Brazil that we had traveled with our routes drawn out for each visit. Much like the way we view the maps of Paul's missionary travels (NOT that we are anything like Paul!). As we talked about “settling down” in one place, Rob, upon several occasions would remind us of his vision and express that he did not see us settling down – at least not for some time. As of yet, although there are many places we could see ourselves living in Brazil, we have never felt God confirm to us that we were to put down roots. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">A year ago we were given an opportunity to buy a house in Tennessee. This was not in our plans. Even after the purchase was made we were in awe of it, wondering what God had in mind. Although, we are still not convinced this is a permanent situation we feel for now this house is to be our home when we are in the states. It was in need of work that we are doing with the hopes that when and if the time comes to sell it we would make a profit of some sort on it. The cost of housing and of living in Tennessee is quite a bit lower than that of Corvallis making this a possibility for us. Another added bonus to living in Tennessee has been the cost and the hour reduction of flying to Brazil. On our last trip we were amazed at how short the trip felt after having made it so many times before from Oregon. Now it's done in less than a 24 hour period compared to a 32+ period before. (counting layovers and travels to and from airports). That is huge when you are arriving, hitting the road running! We also were blessed to learn after moving here that a Brazilian Consulate had opened in Atlanta – a 2½ hour drive for us! We were especially grateful for that as we made our way there yesterday to apply for our new visitor visas. We did the interview and had the new visas before the end of the day!!!! These are just some of the ways that God has confirmed that this move was of Him. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">So we continue on with another missionary trip! We are returning to Curitiba for the majority of our time. With John Hwang on an extended leave right now he had asked us if we would consider going back and helping Tom Stowe with the church as they settle into the changes that so suddenly came upon them. We are blessed to do it. We also will be spending some time with our friends in Foz do Iguassu where we spent much of our time on our first trip, then on to Campo Moura. Here we will be able to spend time with many different churches, pastors and their families as there is planned a Carnival Retreat for many of the Calvary churches throughout Brazil. We look forward to touching bases with many we have not seen for some time and also those that we have not been able to see at all. While in Curitiba we are hoping to make a trip out to Florinopolis in order to spend some time with both the churches there. Many of you know that Claudio and Jess Caze are in the states right now and so we would like to stop there and encourage the pastor that is filling in for Claudio while he is gone. Also Nathan Cate is still pastoring at the other church in Floripa. His young family is a joy to us and we look forward to our time with them. After leaving Curitiba we are headed for Rio where we will spent about 2 weeks ministering in whatever ways Alexandre has for us. We hear he already has plans!!!! We are thankful to have an opportunity to go back to Rio. We have a love/hate relationship with the city but with the people it is pure love! </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I will try to keep updates on this blog while we are there and we both have facebook accounts where we would gladly welcome you as our friend if you are not already!</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We just received a new 10 year tourist visas (it allows us to be in Brazil 6 months out of each year) and are praying about whether we are to try for a more permanent visa this fall or be content with this. We have found that God has always given us the next step, however, He has not given us much more than that at any given time! We are trying to learn contentment in whatsoever state we are in without feeling anxious about it.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">As you can imagine all of this travel is expensive and while we know that God alone is our provider we have been reminded that many times God uses people for that provision and that those who assist in this way share in the ministry. Philippians 4:17. We know that times are hard and money is scarce these days but should God lay it on your heart to help out with these expenses we would be so grateful. Maybe it could be a monthly contribution for the 3 months we are gone (March, April and May) or a one time gift. All the money would totally go towards the expenses of this trip as God has provided us the means to take care of our living expenses. Any gift can be given through Calvary Corvallis 2125 NW Lester Ave. Corvallis, Or 97330. Write Warren Yoder in the memo line.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It is a tax deductible contribution. We are not asking for anyone to make any kind of commitment to us. We are taking this trip, as we have the others, by faith knowing that God is our ultimate provider.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We wish to thank all of you that have continued to bless us with phone calls, e-mails and facebook messages! It is ALWAYS such a blessing to hear from you. We also are so very blessed by the support of your prayers. We are so needy of them. Please know that you are loved.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-13583976712941553012011-02-09T02:00:00.000-08:002011-02-09T02:00:05.746-08:00I can't believe I'M old enough.....<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIr2OvfcHtTJzP8jaVeyXL5kgZM0vwfIOZgwuHBta4Qzkx9tFHqDmLQJCGAO9HYbz_NjxiPpq6fvl8HCyCaNYBd4H5YH3QDtuLTR40BxBCNJVFhBoT-aix5jsY6GT_avzI-4fTNQyhUk/s1600/168458_1852893961382_1211777772_32252394_2481170_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIr2OvfcHtTJzP8jaVeyXL5kgZM0vwfIOZgwuHBta4Qzkx9tFHqDmLQJCGAO9HYbz_NjxiPpq6fvl8HCyCaNYBd4H5YH3QDtuLTR40BxBCNJVFhBoT-aix5jsY6GT_avzI-4fTNQyhUk/s320/168458_1852893961382_1211777772_32252394_2481170_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571535047222836482" border="0" /></a><br />You have always been amazing.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEfScouYfPMaF_ZQoG93ZwvF0uBWcOdz4CFnjWpwV1U5CTdJWPh4LXeMvuUPFDTrbnRgAWtfhpAhR-Qa7_852zj4_oGfL0R5WxMs950iHidL4NNUIMYN-GjG8JmOKde9ZDuGd8EQpA_c/s1600/66934_1683972898461_1211777772_31905022_6863916_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEfScouYfPMaF_ZQoG93ZwvF0uBWcOdz4CFnjWpwV1U5CTdJWPh4LXeMvuUPFDTrbnRgAWtfhpAhR-Qa7_852zj4_oGfL0R5WxMs950iHidL4NNUIMYN-GjG8JmOKde9ZDuGd8EQpA_c/s320/66934_1683972898461_1211777772_31905022_6863916_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571535049183441986" border="0" /></a>You were one of those "great" kids -<br />an "awesome" teenager-<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(<span style="font-style: italic;">Okay</span>, there are a few things during that time<br />I still don't like to hear about or talk about!)</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ0Dfbqp1AZAtWaue6mfExEcBO6gHRe7WqVI0h8JVhB8V-9K6FOMFRbu4BPnFmQigWxfvDEbr5_G__621UFuCQEUj4rGeVDrWxePMT-H_2ys1WB567MKSSf7zprdlucgIo6tzzxvdCZlI/s1600/166486_1815528347265_1211777772_32168166_548735_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ0Dfbqp1AZAtWaue6mfExEcBO6gHRe7WqVI0h8JVhB8V-9K6FOMFRbu4BPnFmQigWxfvDEbr5_G__621UFuCQEUj4rGeVDrWxePMT-H_2ys1WB567MKSSf7zprdlucgIo6tzzxvdCZlI/s320/166486_1815528347265_1211777772_32168166_548735_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571534848471963042" border="0" /></a><br />And then you became a man.<br />A husband. A father.<br />A grown son.<br /><br />And you're great at all three.<br />I'm proud to be your mother -<br />I <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">love</span> being your mother!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCZhAXPyfwUofRTGNCGyuR3MJF4WoNGw89yYbhKrnrTLmqcmsiars1nD5M_vusjIsWmhuNA__8xM9c04Rt3ochjAw-9iTlgm2hDX1DfxggVSnZwKLIHieEO1O-jB0QkPRJmf_c42LOXQ/s1600/72015_1807964518174_1211777772_32147772_6900079_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCZhAXPyfwUofRTGNCGyuR3MJF4WoNGw89yYbhKrnrTLmqcmsiars1nD5M_vusjIsWmhuNA__8xM9c04Rt3ochjAw-9iTlgm2hDX1DfxggVSnZwKLIHieEO1O-jB0QkPRJmf_c42LOXQ/s320/72015_1807964518174_1211777772_32147772_6900079_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571534847833520690" border="0" /></a>You've changed my life.<br />And it's been wonderful.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-family:verdana;font-size:180%;" >Happy birthday </span><br /><br />to my favorite<br />oldest son!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I love you, Josh.<br /></div>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-18280530280492269232011-01-26T06:00:00.000-08:002011-01-26T06:00:16.595-08:00Happy Happy Birthday Birthday!!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwoJfop62sp_rt5_CYT9g4HuiSSBbJmCFBs14TBnUjRzHp-Q3Wjt0kn0aWiGM9X9ah3S2sEzcyjIJZlO4O_NGG_TS-Pd1EMZhMo81Fb4-qTgaizXMluPY5Rd2pZ9dH9VjekS0cT4s-Q0E/s1600/noah%252Band%252Bmommy3.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwoJfop62sp_rt5_CYT9g4HuiSSBbJmCFBs14TBnUjRzHp-Q3Wjt0kn0aWiGM9X9ah3S2sEzcyjIJZlO4O_NGG_TS-Pd1EMZhMo81Fb4-qTgaizXMluPY5Rd2pZ9dH9VjekS0cT4s-Q0E/s320/noah%252Band%252Bmommy3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565590404584020834" border="0" /></a><br />Today is the birthday of two very special girls in my life -<br />Both of them brought to me because of one man's love.<br />My son's.<br /><br />The first is his wife of 8 years.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXvukz2Ho6FRb8kBqNtqr3oO3YZp-Iug6R6HO838NEdlfmF-Mo7OKRRjcDR-LDU84mKqjWpHbOjIJ0yLe4wbFfltNYu9pPYQm4HurfEVsovF5U15u20ETlT-7uIc0-uCjwt-veo21gpQ/s1600/IMG_7080.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXvukz2Ho6FRb8kBqNtqr3oO3YZp-Iug6R6HO838NEdlfmF-Mo7OKRRjcDR-LDU84mKqjWpHbOjIJ0yLe4wbFfltNYu9pPYQm4HurfEVsovF5U15u20ETlT-7uIc0-uCjwt-veo21gpQ/s320/IMG_7080.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565590404823276226" border="0" /></a><br />She was Josh's dream for a wife.<br />And my dream for a daughter-in-law.<br />Neither of us have been disappointed!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUktktQHLnaFjpmQVaKZTGElAbMD_bvq5SuQQdgkQf2qUQR50PQDU8_IY44_F3axQMhDVTYtf_GAjPCJUIRIEAzYojbeYOwyV5Wvav1Qy5aPr6hpsNOWVTc8Hh8UYhKjjF7FMZQhpIMCA/s1600/39586_1645361896214_1301896562_1762822_5722163_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUktktQHLnaFjpmQVaKZTGElAbMD_bvq5SuQQdgkQf2qUQR50PQDU8_IY44_F3axQMhDVTYtf_GAjPCJUIRIEAzYojbeYOwyV5Wvav1Qy5aPr6hpsNOWVTc8Hh8UYhKjjF7FMZQhpIMCA/s320/39586_1645361896214_1301896562_1762822_5722163_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565589883486321826" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I love you, Jodi.</span></span><br />I couldn't have done any better had I picked you myself.<br />I love how you love my son<br />and your children.<br /><br />How respectful you are of other people.<br />And the goodness and sweetness that is your heart.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrM-rFoR3ghyI3WeugdsgRxbZn5_gzH9LkNzsYlZ_8MHso_7xmPdwiAW3bzfLutMFLEy3x2BBfFH8Htr_9SEhcjMFbD8QpAcXzQ0_cD21CN9TTNz2oujGucZA2bSajUISlxa3qNIA1tXo/s1600/IMG_7333.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrM-rFoR3ghyI3WeugdsgRxbZn5_gzH9LkNzsYlZ_8MHso_7xmPdwiAW3bzfLutMFLEy3x2BBfFH8Htr_9SEhcjMFbD8QpAcXzQ0_cD21CN9TTNz2oujGucZA2bSajUISlxa3qNIA1tXo/s320/IMG_7333.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565589877496625826" border="0" /></a><br />And then there is Lily!<br />The only girl in a sea of boys.<br />And every bit the princess.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I loved you from the moment I knew there was a you.</span><br />Enough gentleness to call you girlie<br />and yet enough toughness to hold your own<br />with four brothers.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMoH3hR3lVLdQHwpZq1xtRpPe0YxSi2TwVMxMo0l3usslouBa8fegN8UC1xJZfaYbY3m0MRxPBa_pNg06fo2zuPO19SgEbHN-fbkb30SdUHGfyUPcWyoANlQpZrj0f4VJHI3Ig3B7Ankk/s1600/34424_1645351495954_1301896562_1762766_619722_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMoH3hR3lVLdQHwpZq1xtRpPe0YxSi2TwVMxMo0l3usslouBa8fegN8UC1xJZfaYbY3m0MRxPBa_pNg06fo2zuPO19SgEbHN-fbkb30SdUHGfyUPcWyoANlQpZrj0f4VJHI3Ig3B7Ankk/s320/34424_1645351495954_1301896562_1762766_619722_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565589873255108178" border="0" /></a><br />One years old today.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">You make my heart sing.</span><br /><br />To two of my favorite girls<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);font-family:verdana;font-size:180%;" >Happy Birthday!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">My life wouldn't be the same without</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">either one of you.</span><br /></div>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858069170269559384.post-69923885651248357502011-01-25T18:05:00.000-08:002011-01-25T20:21:43.446-08:00Meeting our new Neighbors<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2P5J2uuaG8spYUIT0BH1NsIVMHXz9kFuK14qtlMrjjJhIcWV4550DvGO-vlUem6doDZYWVyhCbA52vA2Mi2QAv7m7Tb30EcLv-BfPjy8GdBI9e_5cj7bzGtrYTnGjTMSHzwl0i2pj55c/s1600/sprenghus.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2P5J2uuaG8spYUIT0BH1NsIVMHXz9kFuK14qtlMrjjJhIcWV4550DvGO-vlUem6doDZYWVyhCbA52vA2Mi2QAv7m7Tb30EcLv-BfPjy8GdBI9e_5cj7bzGtrYTnGjTMSHzwl0i2pj55c/s320/sprenghus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566311232268240338" border="0" /></a>Remember how your mother always warned you<br />(and maybe still does!)<br />to be careful what kind of underwear you wear<br />because you never know when you may<br />be in an accident?<br />As a freshman in high school that came to my mind one day<br />as I waited in the emergency room<br />following a car accident.<br />I hope <span style="font-style: italic;">they</span> were presentable.<br />I can't remember anymore.<br />But I do remember thinking about it.<br /><br />Well, yesterday, I added a new one:<br />Be careful what you wear to paint in<br />because you may end up on the nightly news!<br /><br />Yep, that's what happened.<br />Both Warren and I.<br />In some of the worst clothes we own.<br />My hair was a mess and....<br />Well, that's not really what this story is about.<br /><br />Last week, for Warren's birthday,<br />I bought him a house.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Okay</span>, that's not really true.<br />It just happen to close on his birthday.<br />Anyway, we bought it to try our hand at the rental<br />market while at the same time, hopefully,<br />helping out our monthly income.<br /><br />The house is in pretty good condition seeing that it was built in '77<br />so the list isn't that long of what we need to do to get it rent able.<br />First of all, wallpaper needed to be removed (my job)<br />and painting needed to begin. (Warren's job)<br /><br />When Warren got to the Master bedroom he noticed a box<br />on the closet shelf<br />and soon I was summoned to take a look.<br />Two (2) grenades.<br />After deciding it probably wasn't a good idea to throw them in the garbage<br />(we don't have trash pick-up there anyway!)<br />we decided we would get the number for the police the next day<br />and call them then.<br />We didn't think it warranted a 911 call.<br /><br />A bit later Warren informed me that the police were on their way.<br />He had remembered that there was a phone book out in the trash pile<br />and got the number for the police so he had called them.<br />Then we got a phone call.<br />We were to exit the house until they got there.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Man, that was going to slow down the work!</span><br /><br />Soon, we saw two police cars pull up. (they always come in twos)<br />They took Warren back in to check things out<br />and came back with mixed opinions.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">But</span> joint in the opinion that<br />the bomb squad needed to be called.<br />Police continued to come.<br />(at one time I counted 10 police cars lining our street)<br />and then the chief (or so we think)<br />from the bomb squad.<br />All of a sudden we were told to get in our vehicle and drive down the road a ways.<br />Crime scene - do not enter tape was strung across our property line.<br />We were told they were smoke grenades.<br />They weren't as concerned about those.<br />BUT in the box (of which Warren hadn't taken out to examine)<br />were two metal canisters of ether.<br />We were also told it was enough to blow up our house<br />but not enough to evacuate the neighborhood.<br />(not sure how much that would have to be!)<br />They knew they were old because of the metal casing.<br />Ether is no longer packaged in metal because it is prone<br />to deteriorate and then leak.<br />Ours was doing just that.<br />It also crystallizes with age.<br />And there lies the danger.<br />More of the bomb squad was called along with the truck and<br />trailer that carries "the canister".<br />"The canister" has a hydraulic lift on it for the lid and also for the<br />tub that lies inside of it.<br />Here the hazardous material is laid and then<br />carefully (with the use of the hydraulic lift)<br />put into the protective canister.<br />We watched as two bomb squad, fully armored, guys went into our house<br />to retrieve the explosives.<br />One man simply used a flashlight to direct the other man's carefully<br />placed feet as he carried that<br />"which could blow up our house"!<br />Two trips were made to get it out.<br />After it was safely in the canister Warren was asked if we knew of anything<br />else that would give us concern in the house.<br />Warren mentioned a box that he had seen in the crawlspace under the house.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sure enough!</span> <br />Some type of flares and different firework type of things<br />that could definitely explode with the heat that we get in a<br />Tennessee summer.<br /><br />About 3 hours from start to finish we were told we could once again<br />enter our house.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDoputvgXeatdvVxqTg361ir__oMN5HzOE7_QEFObC1BhrmU3a7PtYrJWm2xfZUZ-ueOJYb1xZ0AKL9y2fDaGcuUplsDqkhLIzWv1f3YCG-AAqrYmAl2T_CgwyC3sGOUCu3nQBo6oEgUw/s1600/20061009house_explosion.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 177px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDoputvgXeatdvVxqTg361ir__oMN5HzOE7_QEFObC1BhrmU3a7PtYrJWm2xfZUZ-ueOJYb1xZ0AKL9y2fDaGcuUplsDqkhLIzWv1f3YCG-AAqrYmAl2T_CgwyC3sGOUCu3nQBo6oEgUw/s320/20061009house_explosion.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566311226921581442" border="0" /></a><br />We, along with one of our new neighbors,<br />were interviewed for a piece on<br />Chattanooga's channel 3 news.<br />Thus the concern for what I was wearing.<br /><br />All in all<br />we never felt afraid.<br />We didn't realize that we had been in any danger until<br />we were already in a safe zone.<br />All in all<br />it's made for some pretty good<br />story telling.<br />I love stories.<br />That's what makes life interesting.<br /><br />I did wear the same thing when we went back today.<br />We were painting after all.<br />And surely that was a <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">once-in-a-lifetime thing</span>!!!!!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">These are not pictures of our house on fire<br />(it was still standing when we left today)<br />I just added them because Kellie said pictures make for<br />a more interesting post!</span><br /></div>Sherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118570412105356738noreply@blogger.com4