Angie - Improving by Leaps and Bounds

Angie had her first perfect week since coming to the States in December! By perfect I don't mean it was devoid of eye-rolling or grumbling, let's be realistic. It was, however, free of tantrums, screaming, crying, wreckage, and injuries. Woohoo! Of course, there was this pair of new shoes, that she just had to have for picture day, on the horizon if she stayed positive all week. I'm glad no one let on just how unlikely those shoes are to make an appearance in her school photos. But more than just a demonstration of what Angie can do when motivated by shoes (am I the only woman in the world who cannot identify with this?), I think it's becoming safer to say we're really making some progress.

There are so many factors contributing to our improvement, it's hard to credit just one. Prayer has been huge, thank you all for helping us with these transitions by lifting us up. After nearly five months in one place, with no major family upheaval, there's finally some stability. Routine, structure, and downtime are keys to peace in Angie's life. School's getting easier as she learns the system and her English is coming along. She still has a way to go, but I think, little by little, she's starting to trust that the whole world, including Jon and myself, is not out to get her. And likely, one of the most important ingredients in this recipe for recent success, has been that Angie has a playmate.

Even coming home from school's better with a friend!

Her friend, our next door neighbor Jada, has become almost a permanent fixture around our house between the hours of 5:00-8:00pm. We add a fourth place setting at dinner most evenings, and we're learning her dietary druthers; her favorite food is spaghetti, but she doesn't like tomatoes, and on a hungry day she only eats about a third as much as our munchkin. Angie might prefer they play a little less Barbies and a little more basketball, but for the most part the giggling and squealing are endless, and the combination of laughter, biking, and roughhousing leave her ready for bed at bedtime, a wonderful treat for any parents. She's calmer, happier, more motivated, more patient, compliant, and secure. Literally, the poster child for having a friend. 

Thank you Lord for this step in the right direction! Next, while we're on a roll, she could use a friend at church, and some good news on her visa. But for now, we're content with the peace in our home, even if it's sometimes a rather loud and raucous kind of peace.

"A friend loves at all times..." -Proverbs 17:17

New Life

Spring finally sprung, and just in time for Spring Break. We were even fairly toasty on the Colorado slopes, as we took Angie to ski the real mountains for the first time.   

The trip was reminiscent of my snowy spring breaks from years past, when I tried to keep up with my classmates vacationing in Florida tanning their way to beauty, by refusing sunscreen and returning like a pink raccoon. Angie, however, was born with the perfect perma-tan, so she won't be nearly as bitter that her break was a little less UV-damaging than those beach goers. 

Off the slopes we enjoyed warm weather to visit with family, celebrate spring birthdays, and remember Christ's resurrection. It was Angie's first Easter in the States, so I wanted to kind of protect her from the holiday's commercialism that hasn't yet reached Bolivia, nor probably much of the world. 

Our church's newspaper ran this awesome article about Easter activities that shine the light on Jesus. We started the week by looking up Bible verses to find the ingredients to a cookie recipe (I'd recommend adding a little extra honey or throwing in some sugar, but otherwise they were good.) For our small group, we made really yummy crescent rolls filled with cinnamon, sugar, and marshmallows, called Resurrection Rolls. And then on Easter morning before the traditional egg hunt, we created a scripture scavenger hunt for Angie and her cousin, Rachel. We had no idea how any of the ideas would go over with our moody tween, but were pleasantly surprised when she volunteered, "That was Fun!" after each activity! 

 And then, after I spent a week in Seattle with CVM (more on that trip in my next prayer letter), I came home and we started a garden. We may have jumped the gun a little on tomatoes and some of the other vegetables, but it was worth it. Jon's dad packed some Zinnias in Angie's Easter package, one of my favorites from growing up, so we planted those around the yard, as well as our Tulip bulbs from Valentine's day, some new rose bushes that Jon's had his eye on, and carrots, broccoli, and strawberries. We'll invite you over when it's harvest time. 

Whether it's new life in the form of buds on the trees, sprouts in the ground, or Christ's return from the dead, spring is full of it, and beautiful for it!

Tonight, after we put Angie to bed, we'll silently cheer the UofL Cardinals on in the NCAA championship. Tomorrow, we'll do it again for the LadyCards. What a week! And what a difference from last year! It's been a lot better on our relationship to have UK out of the picture this go around, and Jon rooting with me for the Cards. March Madness is just another celebration of the fresh possibilities of spring! Go CARDS!

"Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains,
    like the spring rains that water the earth.” -Hosea 6:3