Graduation

After 5 long months, we are finally done with language school! It has probably been one of the longest semesters of my life (for various reasons: school, being a mom and wife, culture shock, homestay programs and moving, first trimester pregnancy), but with His help we made it through. The experience with the institute of Maryknoll was a great one, and we'd highly recommend it to other people. My Spanish has improved gramatically and conversationally and Josh begun learning Quechua. We have made invaluable contacts with the teachers, our homestay family, and the other stduents.

Graduation ceremony was a special time of dedication. The teachers sent each group of students off with a special blessing and a candle symbolizing our light to the world. Afterward, we celebrated with a barbecue. We are thankful for the opportunity to receive such a quality eduation. Thank you to those of you who made this experience possible through your support towards our one time fund.

Christmas in June

Before we left the State in January, we sold almost everything we owned and boxed the rest up to go in a container shared by all 5 families. Since January, we have been waiting for our shipment to arrive. In April, the container finally made it to Cochabamba, but since then has been sitting in customs, where Josh was in charge of completing all the paperwork. It has been a South American experience working through all the red tape.

However on June 9th (which just happened to be our 6th anniversary), we finally got our stuff! It was the best anniversary present I could've asked for. Since then, I have been busily unpacking stuff (I actually told Josh I feel like a little girl playing house!) It has been wonderful to get pictures on the walls, kitchen utensils (thank you, Mary Ann, for all the Pampered Chef stuff), Michaela's rocking chair (we've been reading on the floor for 3 months), Kenyan tea and spices, and especially maternity clothes! Thanks to the compiled efforts of 3 women, and many donated clothes, we have enough maternity clothes for 4 women. Jamie Custer and I had a lot of fun going through them and spliting them up. And it wasn't a moment too soon, because I am finally beginning to pop out. At 21 weeks, I am half way through our 2nd pregnancy.

We are so thankful that God provdies not only for our needs, but also so much more. Many thanks to all the prayers that have been going up on our behalf for this and our visa process. Having this taken care of has sure taken a lot of stress off of Josh. Not to mention, he's been enjoying all the meals I've been cooking lately!