When It Rains, It Pours

When the day looks like this:



And this:



Then you can nearly bank on the fact that this is coming (Turn up your speaker volume so you can hear the rumbling thunder!):

An when that occurs and it's rainy season in Costa Rica, landslides abound!






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The View From Here

Serious multitasking is going on in this casa! Ever tried studying for a big Spanish grammar test while baking and frosting cupcakes?



Let's pray there's scientific evidence out there that proves that baking increases retention of Spanish. Sounds good in theory, right. *ahem*



For those inquiring minds, these cupcakes sound dynamite! Chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes (yes, there's homemade cookie hidden dough hidden inside each cupcake), topped with cream cheese frosting. And they are awaiting the addition of a small chocolate chip cookie as a topper.

I used the following recipe and will let you know what popular opinion says after our "Sweet Meet and Greet" for our language schools' current students and teachers:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough--cupcake--the-best-cupcake-ever/detail.aspx

Oh and I guess I'd better plan on letting you know of test results as well. A woman's got to have priorities! Pray for me.

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Hollywood or San Jose?

I owe the title of this post to my sister-in-law, Ellen. Sista' is workin' it, even in a developing country!



Loud colors? Check.
Fiery red nails? Check.
Cool shades? Check.
Brothers sighing at her diva-ness. Check, indeed!

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The View From Here

This could be any street, in any major city, in any country around the world but it's not. This street is our daily walk home from school, in the country to which God has called our family.


This path we're walking could be over any river, in any state, in any forest around the world but it's not. This path is the one we have chosen to walk, in the country to which God has called our family.


This flag could be the one we're most accustomed to, the one to which we pledged allegiance, daily, in our home country but it's not. This is the flag of the country to which we've been called, and it's the Costa Rican flag.


So much about our life right now is not what we are accustomed to or what we would call home. So much of it is new, uncomfortable, daunting, unexpected, rewarding, challenging, and perspective-altering all at once.

This is Costa Rica. And this is to where God has called. We welcome all He has for us!

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Full, full, and full

Life as of late has been very full. Full of...

Evidence of a very dirty new-to-us ironing board:


Remarkable before...


...and after photos:


Rainy day play:


First day of 5th grade:


First day of 3rd grade:


First day of 1st grade:


Followed by the first day of 2nd grade due to a promotion:


Fist day of language school for Dad and Mom:


New and exciting produce:


And a 10th birthday celebrated in Costa Rica.


Mostly though, our hearts are full: full of thanksgiving for this once in a lifetime opportunity!

Costa Rica, here we come

As we fly to San Jose, Costa Rica I wanted to take the time to update this neglected blog of mine one last time before touching down in our new culture. Isn't technology amazing...blogging from the air.

As soon as we have Internet up and running in our new home I plan full well to do a blog update that brings justice to my last few weeks' absence.

Know that all five of us are well and oh so excited to enter another period of transition. That and excited to finally have a place to lay our heads after a month long period of "homelessness"!

See ya on the flip-side!

You know you're going to be missionaries in Latin America when...

Cute, studious photo from many, many years ago.

...you receive your childrens' school calendar for the year and ask yourself the following: Does an "assembly and parade at 6:00 in the gym" mean 6:00 a.m. or 6:00 p.m.?

And after further examination of the calendar you note that every early dismissal occurs at 12:08, 12:08 folks!

Costa Rica, here we come!