Eliminate and Concentrate

While in our family 'sabbatical' a sweet friend sent me a book called 'The Gentle Ways of the Beautiful Woman' written by Anne Ortlund, ladies I highly recommend it! (that is where I got the title for this post). It is the perfect way to describe our way of living now as a family. There are SOOO many lessons, I truly think we will be talking and writing about it for a LONG time. God is faithful, perfect and no one else knows what we need like Him! When we first got here it was hard not to feel sad, guilty, thankful to be in our home, but overwhelmed, it's also known as culture shock. How could we not, now we can put' faces' to people who are hungry, who want to be part of a family, who struggle to make ends meet, ugh. We have not forgotten our experience, I don't think we ever could. Jesus challenges us to live with what we need, eliminate the rest. Why have so much stuff? Just more things to store or clean? Now we use all those little soaps that were hidden under the bathroom sink, the pitcher that was up as decoration in the kitchen for years, I don't get caught up so much on whether it matches the room decoration or not, if I can use it, great, I don't think twice about giving clothes or shoes away, it seems like we take better care of everything we have...I don't know how else to describe it. We are exceedingly thankful for so much that we do have and have realized God doesn't want us to feel guilty, just be faithful with it. More than just our stuff, our time, our children, our lives. To concentrate on what is important, not just say it is. Life can be chaotic if we lose sight of what it's really all suppose to be about. Love, live, laugh...be present...and hang on for the ride God has for your family. Eliminate and concentrate, easier said than done!

Here are some recent pictures of us trying to take care and enjoy those things we have:
They do this every day!

Jojo is only three, but is a great utensil sorter!

I have to tell him to put his book down sometimes (I love it!)

Finally!! I stopped making excuses and learned how to use my sewing machine I've had for years! (how embarrassing). Now on the guitar ;)

Andrew working on his bike and of course Jojo has got to be there any time daddy fixes anything!

We have an 8 year old!!

Carolina, Javi, Andres and Juan.

May 14th Javier turned 8, it seems unbelievable! Nine years ago we had so many plans, places to go, things to do and then SURPRISE, we were pregnant with Javier. I remember being scared out of my mind and thinking 'I can really mess this kid up'! And then praying for God to step in and help. Andrew, well he stared at his computer screen for days (hahahaha). Well Javi was definitely God's plan for our family. He made us jump right into parenting! It made us realize how selfish we really are and what an awesome priviledge it is to be a parent. Javi is a sweet, sensitive, smart, and kind young boy. I find myself trying to kiss him more, hug him more...enjoy him, because I am beginning to realize they are not going to be little forever.

My favorite memory of Javier while in Colombia was soon after we got there. There were lots of boys playing in the park. We watched the boys as they played with sticks and piece of wood. They were having a blast and invited my boys to play. After a while Javi asked me if he could give out the little cars he had in a bag. I told him they were his and he could do as he pleased with them. It was so neat to see the boys light up when Javier told them to take a car. They hugged him, thanked him and told him how cool he was for doing this. As we walked away I held Javi's hand and told him how proud I was of him...he smiled at me and said, 'Mom you were right, it is so much better to give than to receive...my heart is smiling'.

Mi Mamita

This year I am EVER so thankful for mom! I remember when I had Javier...I truly felt like my love for mom grew. To realize what it really means to be a mom. To realize that she has put up with me when I was loveable and most importantly when I wasn't so loveable. There are many things mom tells me she wishes she could go back and re'do. But I remind her that we can only change today and each day that we are given. I decided to jot down some of the reasons I love my mom SO much!

¨¨for making my birthdays special every year and buying me a whole new outfit, underwear and all!

¨¨ for making me walk around with heels, so I knew how to use them correctly...IMPORTANT.

¨¨for teaching me how to make rice at the age of 8 and learning how to make that rice go a long way when unexpected people came over

¨¨for teaching me how to clean (before we had the easy wipes to clean with)

¨¨for making me walk around with a book on my head so I wouldn't be so shy (I know me, shy, you can't imagine!)

¨¨ for reminding me of what really matters when I have called her crying, overwhemled with being a mom

¨¨ for the way she has learned to be a grandma and enjoy every minute with her grand'boys!

¨¨for dancing in the parking lot of Target, showing me her aerobics moves, no kidding ;)

¨¨for being loving, kind, and other focused...there are many more reasons, I love you Mami...Happy Mother's Day!!

Exceedingly, Abundantly Grateful...

After seven months of traveling two continents, we are home! It feels, well...weird. I find myself trying to make sense of this. Sometimes I just burst into tears, I still can't put it all into words. Andrew and I talk often about what the last few months means to us. Our children are also adjusting. Last night Jojo was in a tub full of bubbles and he said, 'I so glad to be at Jojo's red house...and love bubbles too, mami'. Javi said, 'Wow our tub is really deep, neat'!

Thanks to faithful friends, family and hard work, we were able to move everything in by Monday afternoon. Slowly we have been organizing and cleaning. It's been a great time to analyze if we really need this or that. Also, I cannot remember ever being so thankful. I am walking around my house thinking...is ALL of this really ours!??!! Thank you, Jesus for warm water to wash dishes, for a washer and dryer, for my pillow...thank you Lord for a big backyard to run in. I am not caught up on if everything matches, as I was before...ugh!

There is a verse in the New Testament that talks about God giving us 'exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ever imagine'...that is EXACTLY how I feel! And the funny thing is, I had it all before. My husband, my children, my health, my extended family, my friends, my house, more kitchen gadgets than I need! You get the point. God wants us to not take it all for granted. Let's stop complaining, we have SO much. We have found that in simplifying, life is more precious than ever. Make time for what really matters. Be thankful for all the stuff you have and use it up or give it away to someone that will. One of my big challenges is to minimize all the stuff in our pantry and just have what we need...and boy is that a challenge!

An Unforgettable Farewell

Sunday, 29th of March, was the last church service we went to in Bogota. After spending six months there, we couldn't believe it was all coming to an end. Andrew and I are still in a bit of shock of how fast time has flied. We feel priviledged to have been given the opportunity as a family to go to another country and encounter so many people we now call friends and so many unforgettable experiences. While we are ready to stop being nomads and return to our own house, we will definitely miss more people and things in Colombia than we ever could of imagined! As we shared with all our new friends...we arrived in Bogota without knowing one person, yet when we left it felt like leaving home all over again.

The last six months definitely has had it's ups and downs, but we are a better family for having gone through it.

Has it really been 9 years?!

March 4, 2000 is when we got married. Andrew & I were giggling at the fact, nine years later we were celebrating in Hard Rock Cafe in Bogota, Colombia! Who would of known?!?! As he said, 'We had a few detours (unexpected things happen)' but overall we've done good ;) I totally agree. Marriage is a rollercoaster, there are ups and downs. We've changed each other...it's so much better because of it. God knows my life without Andrew would be BLAH. As I am writing this he is backpacking the mountains in the Patagonia with his best friend, nice huh?! I am thankful for a man who loves God above all else and has a passion for living what he believes. A husband who challenges me to be myself, to be better, and to grow. For a dad who works hard to take care of us, gets on the floor and plays with the boys, takes the time to teach them valueable lessons that will stick with them forever.

Just the last couple of years I've been learning what it really means to be a wife...to be Andrew's Helpmate. It's so easy to be just any ol' wife, as the world expects, but to be a godly wife...WHEW, what a challenge! Yet I am reminded daily that it's not something I do, but that if I surrender Jesus will do through me. There is so much that the Lord is slowly teaching me that has truly changed our marriage for the better. I'm learning to trust my husband, to submit, to honor, to die to self, to be ok with leaving some dishes in the sink, to enjoy where I am at....ahhh.

I will end with some verses that were read in our wedding:

(thanks honey, for truly teaching me what love is)

''LOVE IS PATIENT , LOVE IS KIND AND IS NOT JEALOUS; LOVE DOES NOT BRAG AND IS NOT ARROGANT, DOES NOT ACT UNBECOMINGLY; IT DOES NOT SEEK IT'S OWN, IS NOT PROVOKED, DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT A WRONG SUFFERED, DOES NOT REJOICE IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT REJOICES WITH TRUTH; BEARS ALL THINGS, BELIEVES ALL THINGS, HOPES ALL THINGS, ENDURES ALL THINGS"

~1CORN. 13:4-7

Mission Completed!

Mark 9:41 I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward

We dedicate this Bible verse to all of you who donated towards the bedding for the Orphans. This week we were able to complete the mission we felt led to do and thanks to all of you it was possible! Since we've been here in Bogota we've had the pleasure of spending time with twelve children who above all desire time and love. After spending some time with them we realized the need they had of new bedding, so we sent out an email and friends responded. Thank you!! Here are some pictures of their reactions, it was PRICELESS.