Dad came for a visit!!!

This week dad came!!! We were so excited to see him. Isaac talked and talked about how 'papa was coming on a 'rdane' (airplane)' and that we were going to 'pick him up from the bus'. Well, we almost picked him from the bus - the bus forgot to drop him off so they stopped and dropped him off on the side of the road. I'm really glad we were only a few minutes behind. :)

 

We spent the week playing, eating, visiting and working. I'm pretty sure I have the coolest dad ever.

 

 

The first evening we went to Marcos' house (one of our guards and friend). He had all of us for dinner and to show us the remodeling he had done. We also prayed and dedicated his house. 

 

Several days dad helped Tristan and Jeremie frame in a house. It is so cool to see what can be accomplished in a few days!!!!

 

 

 

We spent a lot of time just visiting, playing cars and watching the 'tractor' dig the foundation for our addition. Isaac adores his 'papa'.

 

 

Friday we found a pool!!! Beth, Tracy, us and all the 'dante' kids. It was so fun and refreshing!!! Isaac laughed and laughed. - I think he finally felt cool!!! Hannah had a few friends over and the rest of the kids played and laughed and ate a HUGE lunch. :)

 

 

 

 

 

Love you Dad!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

God - Our Protector and Safety

We all say that God protects us and that He keeps us safe. We pray for safety but I didn't really 'get' the power of His protection until a few weeks ago. It was a normal Saturday, Jeremie was working and the kids and I were cleaning the house. I knew he was going to be working with the electrician installing lights around campus and didn't think much of it.



 

A few hours into this project, he comes home stating, "so, I was just electrocuted." This didn't really register with me, I mean, he walked home and looked fine. Then it hit me - he had an exit wound.

 OH MY!!!

 

I knew immediately that God had protected my husband. We

immediately spoke life and that there would be no damage to his body.

 

After an ER visit - PRAISE GOD - all tests came back normal!!! The only hiccup was getting an infection at the exit wound site but after a round of antibiotics Jeremie is back to 'normal'.

 

What a faithful and amazing God we serve.

 

 

 

So, the rest of the story..... we found out later that there had been a power surge and that all the transformers had 'popped'. This should have been much worse and it was all about God's protection. 

 

 

 

 

This is the House that God Built

This last week has been so full; so full in so many ways. We had our first team of the year arrive and they were filled with the excitement to build a house in a week. Yup, a week. Through the help of the community leaders, this family was chosen. - They didn't have a house, they were living with relatives.

 

The week started and the sun was so hot --lots of Gatorade, water and snacks but the walls were up and the loft started by the end of the first day.

                                  
                                             Jeremie and Tristan working on the roof.

 

              Hannah helped several days with painting. She loved being a part of something so cool. And I love that she's learning the importance of loving people.

 

 

Tristan :)

 

By day 2, the roof was up, day 3 and 4 was painting, sheet rock, mudding and installing a latrine for the family.

 

Every afternoon Isaac and I would walk to the job site to see the progress. He loved feeling included and wanting to 'Help' daddy.

 

 

 Isaac loved his shades like daddy, I love that we were close enough to the job site to walk and that  Isaac could still nap. - and it makes for a happy mommy.

 

                                                  Isaac helping with the cement steps.

 

Hannah and the kids playing 'London bridges' but it was a bit different - the song was about mangos and watermelon

 

 

 

Day 5 was filled with finish work and the house dedication. 2 bedrooms, a loft and a living space. And a latrine out back.

 

 

                      Faustino, his wife and family after receiving the keys to his new home. As we were praying and dedicating the house, we were praying that people would see Jesus love through this house. "that people would look at this house and say, wow, God loves Faustino so much that he gave him a house."

 

Yup, pretty much an amazing week. Being God's hands and showing His love is what life is all about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's Party Time!!!!

 

December - this month is filled with fun parties, birthday's and Jesus Birthday. I love this month. I love making memories with my kids. This year was definatly different but it was SO good. We celebrated with some of our own traditions and added some new Honduran traditions.

 

                  Because of course we need to wear sunglasses while making tree ornaments :)

                      Decorating the Christmas tree, Isaac had more fun playing with suitcase. :)

 

 

We started the month with a missionary party. We got to know some of the other local missionaries and had a very fun white elephant gift exchange.

 

The next day was Hannah's birthday - hard to believe she is already 8 years old. We celebrated her birthday in Honduran style with a Pinata and everything. a few other missionary families joined us to make it a real party. She felt very blessed and was a very happy girl.

 

       Talking to Granny and Grandpa on the phone - HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET GIRL!!

Pinata, rainbow cake, friends and a BBQ

 

The next week we had our community outreach Christmas party. We had craft tables, sugar cookie decorating, games and family photos. Then we had a short program centered around Jesus Birth and served Naka Tamales (tamales filled with chicken, potato,rice and corn meal). We had over 200 people come!!! It was so much fun to bless our community and share Jesus love.

 

 Decorating sugar cookies - it was a huge hit, however the frosting was So bitter!!! I guess I added to much food coloring :( oh well, they were all eaten anyway.

Hannah, Blanca, and Diana at the party.

 

                                                              Serving tamales

 

Here is a closer picture of the tamales, they are wrapped in banana leaves then steamed. They are really yummy.

 

 

Christmas Morning!!! Was just our family, then we joined Beth and her family for Christmas dinner.

 The grandkids playing with their flashlights and awesome rain boots from Granny and Grandpa. I think these were the hit of the night. They stomped around the house chasing each other with the flashlights. I'm sure there will be lots of Frog (sappo) hunting in the near future. :)

 

 

 

 We also enjoyed a great Christmas Eve service with Mohagens. We sang Christmas carols in Spanish and worshiped. It was so nice having Christmas with my sister and having all of the cousins together.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!

 

 

Why not make lemonade?

 After Thanksgiving and spending a few days unpacking and getting settled back into our home we went to Tela to have a mini vacation before sending my mom and dad home. Tela, is a town on the coast - the Carribean Coast. So our plan was to soak up some sun, play in the pool and the ocean etc. However, when we arrived we realized that they had gotten a huge storm. Our plans changed.

This is the 'road' to our rental spot

 

So we had a decision to make; and we decided to make lemonade with the lemons we were given. We played on the beach with sand being careful not to step on all the garbage that was washed ashore. We ran from the waves and the 'fecal foam' that we named then quickly changed the name to 'fantastic fun foam' before Hannah caught on to how grossed out we were.

 

 

Isaac loved the sand and played for hours with his 'mo mo's

 

 

As the days went by it started to get warmer and the sun even started to peek out between the clouds ocationally. Sand castles and baby crabs. We found these big rocks down the beach so of course we had to climb them!! Then we all laughed and laughed as the waves crashed over the rocks and soaked us.

 

 

Tracy and I after getting wet from the waves. Good thing for hot showers :)

 

 

Our last full day, the waves has decreased enough to where we could finally get in the water!!! I was so excited to show Hannah how to swim in the ocean. She was so nervous and the waves were still really big (bigger then I thought) so - Hannah and I crashed into the sand and under a wave. BUMMER!!! About an hour later, Hannah braved it again. Sweet girl.

 

Grandpa and girls warming up after swimming.

Hannah and I after our big crash.

 

So, I hope that we taught our kids this week that life is all in the attitude and that we can have fun with family anywhere.

 

And we definitely had fun and lots of laughs and snuggles.