Spend Yourselves

My Pleasure

2012-01-28T19:37:00.006-05:00

Do you ever have people thank you so profusely that it almost makes you feel bad? Especially cause it wasn't a chore for you in the first place, it was a delight. But sometimes the response "my pleasure," doesn't convince them, I suppose it's just become another version of "you're welcome."

Last night, I was picking Angie up from one of her new classmate's birthday party with no pressing schedule to follow the fiesta, when Kristin our pastor's wife called and said they were having some car trouble. There were ten of them stranded in their van that wouldn't start, but the good news was they were just around the corner. So, we headed over to the pizza place where their car had serendipitously given up and tried to charge their battery, while chatting with Paul and Kristin, playing with the six kiddos, and catching up with Kristin's visiting parents. Did I mention there was pizza with "real" pepperonis?! So, when they thanked me repeatedly, like I'd donated one of them a kidney instead of just driving them home, it was kind of hard to accept all that gratitude. "You can pay me in pizza anytime!" was the best I could come up with when "My pleasure" fell short.

Today, it happened again! My good friend Adreana wanted to take the Cristo Viene girls and boys who'd made the "honor roll" at school to "Playland," an "amusement park" just outside of the city. (The abundance of quotation marks in that last sentence is because the honor roll is based on a grade level Adreana decided on herself and "Playland" only had three rides open so it may be a stretch to call it an amusement park, however we were amused.) So, Angie and I picked up the eight star students this morning with some fresh baked chocolate chip cookies, picnic lunch and not nearly enough sunblock and headed to the park. It turns out eight hours of fun in the sun may require more than two applications of 30 SPF. But it was well worth it!

Next time anyone needs to ask us a favor involving a "log flume" or pepperonis, pleeeease don't think twice about calling us, even if it's mostly our ginormous car you're looking for and not really our amazing company; although we'll throw in the company for a slice of pizza.

¿Qué Novedades Hay?

2012-01-20T14:38:00.001-05:00

Literally, this common Spanish greeting translates to, "What new developments are there?" or "What news is there?" Since I never read or watch the news, and lead a pretty normal life, I don't usually have much to say to this question, well at least not since a year ago when I randomly adopted a small child as an unmarried foreigner. But I digress. Generally the answer to this salutation is similar to our English version, "What's up?" or "What's new?" Answer: "Nothing."

This week, as I start back at the university teaching summer classes, which I love by the way, the professors, students and staff are emerging from their holiday break back onto campus, with "¡Felicidades!" Which is kind of "Happy New Year!" and sometimes "¿Qué novedades hay?" And for the first time in awhile, it would just be dishonest to respond "nada." Since I last saw all of these friends and co-workers a lot has changed, and I sure do have news.

I never thought I'd be that girl that waves her hand in the air showing off her ring, but it must be some kind of female instinct when sharing the news that you've just gotten engaged. The excitement just gets the better of me.

Angie's gonna have a daddy!

(Most adorable side note ever: Every prayer she's prayed over the past year that she's been with me has automatically started with, "Thank you God for this nice day." Every day, that is, until the day Jon left to return to the US when she instead opened with only, "Thank you God for this day" in not just one, but two of her prayers)

Ruby's gonna have another playmate, master, and pushover to get table scraps out of.

And I'm gonna be a wife. Woah. But before that wife role kicks in, there's this whole necessary (debatable) wedding thing to do first. Have you ever tried to plan a wedding from 4,000 miles away? Well, it's actually possibly easier than attempting the same feat from ground zero, or at least I seem to be enjoying the details more than Jon and this was mostly his idea in the first place.

Ah, but I skipped the when and where. On July 21st, 2012 at the Caldwell Chapel in Louisville, KY, we'll be officially growing our little family again.

Now, amongst the wedding planning fun we get to try pre-marital counseling from different countries. Skype, podcasts, books, and semi-bilingual couples small group should be a good start, but if you have any advice we're all ears.

If you haven't met Jon yet, you're missing out and you're gonna love him. I'm still trying to figure out what I can bring to this relationship as he cooks better than me, keeps a cleaner house than I do, fixes things, sews, and rarely lets me carry anything. Maybe I'll just cheer him on while he lays down the new hard wood floors and changes the oil. I think I'll count Angie and Ruby as my contributions as well, that's fair right?

Another first day at a new school

2012-01-10T08:32:00.006-05:00

Does anyone else feel like the movie "Splash" may have given us false expectations for second language acquisition?? Even though I had my own personal years of struggling with learning Spanish as a second language, I still fell back on the lessons I learned from Madison (was that her name?) about learning English by watching TV for a few days in a television store. I was under the impression that Angie's young sponge-like mind would absorb English in a few months if not hours, just by being around it, listening to some Switchfoot, and watching movies with subtitles. Uh, no. Anyone want to join me in a class action suit against "Splash" for pain and suffering due to false expectations?

Today, Angie started her third of four new schools in as many years. She might as well be a military brat. We've worked our tails off trying to get her English to where it needs to be, and then homeschooling her the first semester of third grade in three weeks, but it paid off. As a huge answer to prayer, she was able to start at the Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center today, popping into the middle of their third grade school year. It's gonna be a difficult transition for her, as it's an English school and her English still leaves something to be desired, but we think a necessary transition for her to make now instead of later.

To add to the nervous jitters of starting yet another new school, in a new language, we found out she needed to be vaccinated. A reasonable enough request I suppose, but we have absolutely no records of any vaccines for her, she remembers getting them, but has no proof. So, we went to the doctor last night and asked them to start from scratch. She nervously giggled the whole way through, what a trooper.

Leaving school this afternoon she was smiling from ear to ear, laughing with her new friend, and bubbling over with stories like how her teacher went to help her with an assignment on the verb "to be", but she had already finished it. Thanks for all your prayers and support in this journey, keep the prayers coming, I doubt she'll have computers and P.E. everyday to keep things so light and fun.

One Year Together Today

2012-01-03T05:54:00.018-05:00

“Mommy, are you content?” (which really does not translate well, because "content" in Spanish can be almost ecstatic)

Me, “Yes, I’m very content Angie. Are you content?”

“I’m more than very content!!” she confirmed.

This conversation took place soon after Angelica found out she was officially on the road to having the best daddy ever, Sunday morning when we told her Jon had proposed on New Year's Eve.

A little later, “Mommy, I can’t quit smiling.”

At bedtime, “Mommy I can’t stop being content.”

“Well, you don’t have to stop being content, but you do have to settle down enough to go to sleep.”

One year ago today, I arrived back in Bolivia after a two week holiday visit to the States. The trip where Jon and I decided to make this work, regardless of the 4,000 miles trying so hard to separate us. And one year ago today after dropping off my luggage, brimming over with US goodies, I picked up Angie from Talita Cumi and we started our life together.

It’s been a roller-coaster of a transition for us, with about a 12-day honeymoon to start but then a tumultuous first 7 months, a few sweet months of calm, followed by December marked with change such as summer vacation, her English entrance exam to enter yet another school, Christmas visitors, and Christmas in general all contributing to some stress, leading to some melt downs. But since I’ve had this gorgeous ring on my finger, 2.5 days now, it’s been pretty smooth sailing. It’s gonna be like this from now on, right??

No, I know it won't always be easy, and I know this change will bring its own challenges for her and for all of us, but I also know God has been leading us down this path for some time, and He's as excited as we are to complete this little family. Well, "complete" for Angie would include at least three little brothers and sisters, but one thing at a time child, one thing at a time...

The pictures on the left are from one year before their counterparts on the right. For more details about the latest, very handsome, addition to our growing little family, check out my February prayer letter, or following blog posts if I can't wait that long to tell you all about him, but today Angie and I are celebrating our first anniversary!

The Loss of Two of My Heroes

2011-12-30T14:18:00.013-05:00

If there are parties in Heaven, Tuesday there was a celebration I would have loved to see. Two dearly dearly beloved children of God were called home after serving their Father with everything in them. It's hard for me to imagine how God could think the world was ready to lose such shining lights for His kingdom here on earth, but I trust His plan and know that they are at home now after fighting a really really good fight.

Merle Watts was the peace amidst the storm. Circa 2001, Merle and his classmate from veterinary school, Marion Hammurlund (above my left), scouted out an opportunity for veterinarians to serve among the poor in Mexico. That vision trip flourished into a recurring adventure for veterinarians and students alike, that continues to effect hundreds of dogs, cats, and pet-owners with Christ's love every December. The second year of the annual trip I joined the motley crew of surgeons, assistants, pastors, translators, and Christ-followers to help tackle the animal overpopulation problem in San Luis, and later El Golfo, Mexico. What I most remember about Merle's presence on the trips was his calm during the chaos, his smile in every circumstance, and his friendship even to the extent of keeping me company in my Phenergan-induced stupor when I was down with food poisoning. I remember spaying this little dog with gentle Merle, nearly 20 years after his last surgery. And I will never forget the constant support he's been to me since I moved on from Mexico to Bolivia.

Douglass Macintire, or known to the thousands who were fortunate enough to love her, Dougie, was a mother, veterinarian, professor, editor of prestigious journals, leader at the university level, sought after consultant and speaker, but more than anything servant of Her Lord Jesus Christ. Her year and a half long battle with cancer was one of the most powerful testimonies of faith and walking with Christ through a storm that I've ever seen, and the innumerable stories of people influenced by her life, is proof that her life was a public testimony long before the storm came. She did not wait to share her faith until she had a platform or a captive audience, in fact, I don't remember a day that I knew her when she didn't energize me to know Christ more.

My favorite memory of dear, sweet, faithful Dougie is embodied in this picture below of her praying for one of the pastors' wives that we visited every year on the trip. Trini had a persistent cough and gastric reflux for years, that all the Omeprazole and Tums we left with her couldn't resolve, but the prayers of the Saints knocked out completely. Dougie never passed up a chance to talk to her Savior, and now she sits at His feet soaking in His every word.

This year's team of Auburn students and veterinarians returned from Mexico last week, after a week of spaying and neutering 110 dogs and cats. I hope Merle and Dougie were proud to hear of the continued impact their legacy leaves, and I hope they see now how many of our lives they touched, inspired, comforted, healed, and and brought closer to Christ. Now that I think about it, with tear-filled eyes, God is probably right; they've done enough here, it's time for them to be home...

"Well done, good and faithful servant!" -Matthew:25:21

Doing Life With My Ladies

2011-12-19T13:56:00.006-05:00

If I remember correctly what it felt like to hit the sweet spot all those years ago from my tennis life, I'd say that's about what it feels like when a weekly Bible study becomes more than a study but doing life together. It's so nice to have arrived in that spot with my lady veterinarians' Bible study. We used to meet and talk about the Bible, and inevitably the conversation would always turn toward family, and ironically they would always seek my opinion on being a wife and a mother. Now, if I don't have any more wisdom on motherhood than I did a year ago, I at least have a pool of parenting anecdotes to pull from when the chat turns that direction. And even better, we also spend our time together off the vet school campus sharing in our kids' lives.

Last weekend, we all shared in the joy of watching Gloria's beautiful baby Alejandra be baptized, and it lead to good discussion about baptism and making a decision to follow Christ.

During the week we celebrated the births of two of my favorite Cruceñas, with cupcakes and salteñas at the office.

Friday, after a close-of-semester faculty-wide cookout, Paola and I slaved away in the kitchen making these delectable treats for her baby boy's second birthday.

And yesterday, we all enjoyed watching the kids race around on sugar highs at Marco's unforgettable birthday party.

Birthdays and baptisms are sure great excuses to celebrate, but sometimes with these lovely ladies, I don't think we need an excuse at all.

"...and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people." - Acts 2:46, 47

Sharing my Passion for Castration

2011-12-16T10:10:00.002-05:00

One of the hardest to reach places in Bolivia, just got a little harder to reach. An area of Southern Bolivia called the Chaco has some communities so remote that there aren't NGO's willing to work with them. In fact, World Vision recently asked us to do some training workshops there for them. So, we eagerly planned the first of three chicken and sheep workshops for right after the students finished their final exams, which, unfortunately, also turned out to be immediately after a landslide destroyed the only access into the community. :( With some quick re-adjusting our ever-resourceful Bill Janecke set up a little alternate trip to the campo (country) to replace our original plans.
Our friends at the G.A.TH.E.R. project have a model farm about three hours outside of the city where they show local subsistence farmers how they can use limited land to do some cool things with chickens, sheep, cattle, crops, fish, and honeybees. With that many animals running around you can always find some way to put some vets and vet students to good use, and that's just what they did...

We rounded up about 35 head of cattle to vaccinate, and without a chute or head gate that meant we got to practice our lassoing skills, and then after each injection our diving-out-of-the-way-of-hooves-and-horns skills. We castrated four lambs, three calves and two dogs. Then we topped it off with a female dog spay just to avoid the appearance of sexism. It was a great couple of days to give the students some needed practical experience, help out a neat project, and breathe the fresh air so hard to come by here in the city.
In January, we'll try again to reach the very very hard to reach in the little community of Kapiakuandi. Pray that God will make a way so that we can share some practical veterinary knowledge and the love of Christ, which as far as I'm concerned always go hand in hand.

My Little Girl's All Grown Up

2011-12-09T07:09:00.004-05:00

My little girl turned 18, yesterday! No, not that little girl, my other one. Don't worry Angie's still 9, but my Talita Cumi sponsor kiddo who didn't quite weasel her way into my home, but definitely secured her place in my heart, Jenny, is all grown up now.

18's a big birthday for anyone, but for Jenny is was big for different reasons than most teenagers, and with a whole different set of emotions she's been unwrapping for the past year. You see Jenny's lived at the home for ten years, since its beginning, and now as an adult it's time for her to move on and say goodbye to the family she's known and loved for so long. And not only the "family" of rowdy kids and comforting caregivers, but also her biological 15 year-old brother and 13 year-old sister who she dreads leaving behind.

So, to take her mind off the huge changes looming in the near future, Ange and I took her out and filled her up with love, and sugar. She wanted to see the new Twilight movie, but I'm not even sure if I'm old enough to watch that let alone Angie, so we settled on "Puss in Boots," which was the first refreshingly non-environmentally-agendaed cartoon I've seen in awhile. Then the girls tested out the majority of the 100 zillion games in the adjoining arcade. And of course we topped off the candied movie popcorn with some ice cream loaded with dulce de leche, cookies and candy bars, just to spoil the surprise dinner Talita Cumi was preparing for her...

On the ride back to the home we prayed the Lord would guide her and give her strength in this next year, that she would be able to trust in Him and sense His love and presence with her always. That with each passing year she would know Him more. And when we arrived home there was a surprise birthday party waiting for her; a pack of 30 adoring sisters, brothers, and tias (aunts), to fill her love tank to brimming over. Studying the story of the woman who pours the expensive perfume on Jesus' head yesterday, I thought of how sometimes we can clothe the sick, feed the hungry, or visit the prisoners and it's as if we're doing those same things to Jesus. Or sometimes we can love someone a bit extravagantly, treat them to a little more than is necessary, spoil them with expensive perfume and maybe it's as if we're doing that to Jesus too...

"She has done a beautiful thing to me." -Jesus, Mark 14:6

Apolo - Take 3

2011-12-05T08:51:00.006-05:00

Visiting the Lugtigheids in Apolo is kind of like having a baby. Hear me out, I know I don't have as much experience in this area as some of you, but from what I've heard, during the birthing process and for some time afterwards you tell yourself you're never doing this again, but then the pain subsides and months later you forget how awful it was, and you're only left with memories of the fonder moments and somehow you end up right back in that delivery room. In our version of parturition, labor is the trip; five+ nights on buses (some wet, some hot, many on the edge of cliffs, none with sufficient legroom), a few blockades, this time one of which forced us to get out of our bus with all of our luggage and walk until we could find other transport, in this case the back of a pickup truck. When, and if, they finish the airport they're working on for us, our visits to Apolo will be like getting a surrogate and just picking up the baby at the hospital. ;)

Just as your lovely newborns are worth every minute of pushing, our time with Linda and the kids is equally worthwhile. As Linda knows my life goal is to spay and neuter all dogs and cats, and as she forgets that I lean much more heavily toward the castrating, she always lines up some female dogs for us to surgerize. Unfortunately, when you're only visiting for 3-4 days you can't tell the large dogs in-heat to come back after their cycle ends, so we ended up agreeing to two fairly large bloody spays we normally would have postponed. I think Linda and I learned a good lesson about when to say "no," an area in which we both have a lot of room for improvement.

Last time we visited, almost one year ago, Angie learned to ride a bike, this time she'll proudly tell you she learned to ride with one hand. But what I'm more proud of is how she dove into their library of kids' books and ravenously read Spanish, English and bilingual books.

For us visiting the Lugtigheids is kind of a working vacation. We get to help control the pet population of Apolo, share Christ's love through spays and neuters, give Linda a hand with the kids so she can round up the chickens, run the Christian daycare they've started, sell some medicine, give some vet advice, and try to catch the runaway baby bunnies. But we also get to see the world (Angie's still a bit confused about where Bolivia ends and the rest of the world begins), relax along the way, enjoy the slow pace of a small town, the cooler climate of the Yungas, and the mountainous views on morning jogs. Linda, you're such a perfect hostess we'd travel twice as far to see you and learn from you, but we won't complain if there's a runway for us next time.

"As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." -Proverbs 27:17

So Thankful for This Little One

2011-11-27T14:00:00.003-05:00

Of course there are many many, innumerable really, things I have to be thankful for, and I'm sure you have many very similar things, but I wanted to share one little miracle blessing with you in this belated Thanksgiving post.If you've been following along with Baby Jackie's story you know she's had an uphill battle all her life, and her open heart surgery and recovery were no exception. She initially did great after her surgery, she recovered well from anesthesia, had spunk and color, and an appetite for almost a week during her post-surgical antibiotics. But shortly after finishing her antibiotic she started to get a fever, diarrhea, and become pretty unsettled. After another week of doctor's appointments and treatments at home she was finally admitted to the hospital where she was diagnosed with an incision infection, sepsis (blood infection), osteomyelitis (bone infection), and pneumonia. We were all really concerned. So concerned, that all of the staff went in to the hospital to see her for possibly the last time as she was so weak and tiny fighting all these infections few adults could handle. But God could handle them, and He did. After a more than a week of the strongest intravenous antibiotics they could find she was able to return back to the Baby Home infection free. Her lungs were still full of fluid, but that too was starting to clear up as she was starting to cough more. We were already feeling extremely grateful for all this recovery, when we found out the hospital wasn't going to charge for any of her ten-day stay or the respiratory therapy and doctors' care, only her medications were being charged. What a blessing!

This morning Jackie was full of life at church. So much life that she was kicking me in belly, and she's strong! Thank you so much for all your prayers, when the doctors starting giving up God's glory started shining even brighter.

Recipe for a Perfect Weekend

2011-11-21T09:05:00.009-05:00

What you'll need to get started:

A weekend with a forecast of partly sunny and a high in the 90s.

A dog that will forgive you if you don't spend anymore time with her on the weekend than you do during the week.

A lot of fun people.

To put together the perfect weekend, I recommend starting with a quince for three Cristo Viene quinceñeras. A quince is a very special 15th birthday party for Bolivian girls, similar to the US, less commonly hyped-up, Sweet Sixteen. On Friday, celebrate with the three beautiful girls many of their friends, cake, a little karaoke, and some lovely words of blessing for their futures as senoritas.

On Saturday, you'll need to round up your women's Bible study for an afternoon together at Gloria's new condo. It's a little far out of town, but don't worry you won't regret the drive. Take the kids along, the other moms will too, and let them enjoy the pizza and the playground, while you ladies read one of the last chapters in your semester long study of The Five Love Languages, then top it off with a viewing of Fireproof. (If I had it to do again, I might try to avoid having the kids all return from the park right at the tearjerker finale of the movie.) After your girl-time, take the kids to the condo complex's lovely pool and maybe even check out the weight room. If your nine year-old randomly starts talking about Jesus to the girl she meets in the pool, that's just like the cherry on top. ;)

Sunday, top it all off when "Family Day" at your church meets "Friend Day" at Talita Cumi. Let me explain. La Viña decided to have our church service in the park and invite our family and friends on the same day Talita Cumi Children's Home does their annual planning and sends all the children out in twos. So, pick up your two kids, preferably some of your daughter's favorites, and head to the park. Kick it off with some great worship in the outdoor amphitheatre that's so rocking it draws the passerbys, and is so loud it drowns out your own exuberant singing. Then take the kids during the sermon for a quick lesson on healthy competition and what the Bible has to say about races. Next, put it into practice with some classic winners like the egg-on-a-spoon race, water balloon toss, the find-your-shoe race, etc. After lunch invite the adults to join in the fun with potato sac races, tug-o-war, three-legged races, and of course the requisite soccer game.

Take your three girls to walk around the plaza and top it off with some ice cream before heading home and calling it a weekend, and a fabulous one at that!

A couple things I might add for the next time I use this recipe:

Sunblock, a little more never hurts.

A nap, not sure where to fit it in, but every weekend needs one really.

Pretending I'm Allowed to Work on Humans

2011-11-15T17:51:00.005-05:00

A dentist, a veterinarian, a medical doctor, and a pastor walk into a bar... Ok, so maybe not a bar, but we really did walk into a market together today. The pastor feels strongly about healing through prayer, so health was definitely one common denominator of our motley crew, the other was our church, La Viña.

This morning we set up a little health clinic in a popular market on the outskirts of town. We announced to the customers and vendors alike that we'd be doing some free health screening, and then we tried to organize the 30 or so people that joined us. The dentist, pastor and I took turns checking people in, measuring their blood glucose, and praying for the guests before or after their tests as time allowed, while the doctor measured blood pressure and counseled the patients based on their results.

Some of the sweet ladies couldn't read or write to fill in their personal info on the sign-in sheets, but my favorite was the woman who didn't know how old she was. I told her it really wasn't that important and she could just estimate, but she insisted on going to get her national identity card to find out her age. When I found her birthday on the card and did the math, she was completely incredulous, she made me check my math!

Most of our visitors were very happy to let us pray for them, but one of the my most impacting moments was when the woman I was praying for turned around and prayed, very passionately, for me.

At practically no cost to us, and possibly great preventative benefit to some of our new friends, I think it was a successful morning all around. I look forward to going back in December to further hone my human venipuncture skills and watch God's love in a very tangible way affect people's lives.

El Gallinero Lleno de Amor (The coop full of love)

2011-11-08T08:05:00.011-05:00

"Cuántas veces quise reunir a tus hijos,

como reúne la gallina a sus pollitos debajo de sus alas" -Jesús, Mateo 23:37

El Proyecto Gallinero del Hogar Cristo Viene Niñas se acabó, y fue exitosisimo. Creo que nunca voy a olivdar cuan divertido era colocar ladrillos a lado de mis queridos amigos. Espero que nunca olvidaré todo lo que aprendia de gallinas, gallineros, y construcción. Pero más que todo, lo inolvidable era la actitud de servicio y sacrificio de cada voluntario de nuestro equipo grande. En el sol fuerte, los días largos, el trabajo pesado, y usando su precioso tiempo libre, yo no escuchaba ninguna queja de nadie. Cada cara reflejaba el gozo de Cristo, y cada clavo bien puesto estaba lleno del amor que Dios quiere mostrar a las chicas a través del gallinero. Tampoco voy a olvidar como cada participante en el proyecto y en el taller usaba sus dones como albañil, profesor, bailarina, veterinario, pastor, pollo, granjero, modelo a seguir, amigo, y siervo de Cristo. Muchisimas gracias a cada uno de ustedes que nos ayudaba con alegría. Estoy muy orgullosa de ustedes. Aquí está un breve resumen en la forma del video, ¡disfrútalo!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wloxybw1yIY

Our Cristo Viene Girls' Home Chicken Coop project has come to an end, and it was a great success! I don't think I'll ever forget how fun it was to lay bricks working alongside my dear friends. I hope I won't forget all that I learned about chickens, coops, and construction. But more than anything, what was unforgettable was the attitude of service and sacrifice by each volunteer on our team. In the hot sun, the long days, the hard work, and using their precious little free time, I didn't hear a single complaint from any of the workers. Each face reflected the joy of Christ, and each well placed nail was full of the love God wants to show the girls through this hen house. I also won't forget how every student in the project and the final workshop used their gifts to play the roles of bricklayer, teacher, dancer, veterinarian, evangelist, human-sized chicken, friend, role model, and servant of Christ. Thank you so much to each of you who helped us with such joy. I am very proud of you all. Here is a brief summary video of the work, enjoy!

"How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings" - Jesus, Matthew 23:37

One Year Ago...

2011-10-29T11:40:00.016-04:00

One year ago today, I went to a lawyer for an innocent consult. Wondering if as an unmarried foreigner, not yet a "national" of Bolivia, could I legally adopt a child? Less than an hour later I left his office nearly hyperventilating. Turns out I could, and I'd be a mom by Christmas. No nine months of gestation to get used to the idea, decorate her room, or finish off my single-person "bucket list." But fortunately, I don't have bucket lists, the room was pretty much ready, and I'm not very contemplative.

Today, as we spend our Saturday doing homework projects and rocking babies, I'm ruminating on all that I've learned this year. For instance:

- I had no idea that good hair comes straight from God, not from a bottle. Of all the hair product options out there, Angie doesn't use a single one of them and her mane is always gorgeous. I can barely get her to shower more than twice a week, but no matter, perfection can't be damaged by poor hygiene. She brushes it in the morning and I envy her all day long.

- In Bolivia parents have homework too. Literally. Ange comes home with projects that say, "Para Padre o Madre." Really, you want me to design a poster about the endangered giant frog of Lake Titicaca? Excuse me, why do I need to decorate this huge parrot and cheetah, again? I'm still not sure how they will punish me if I don't do my assignments, but I'm afraid only Angie will suffer, so I usually comply.

- A nine-year old could teach me so much. She's taught me how to cook rice the Bolivian way. All about head lice. That these chickens in the picture poked their own heads through the plastic on the roof of this car (I was baffled by how the owner had poked breathing holes in the tarp.) And how resilient a person can be after serious trauma, huge changes, and great challenges. She's a trooper.

- Finally, I've learned just how weak I was when I thought I was so strong. But I've come to believe as God told us that through Him all things are possible.

-Matthew 19:26

Baby Update

2011-10-24T11:31:00.006-04:00

God is just as good as we thought He was, and even if her surgery hadn't gone so smoothly, we would trust that all the same.

I posted a status on Facebook about little Jackie's heart success, but I can barely keep up with my own Facebook page so I couldn't expect you all to.

One week ago this morning, Jackie's heart was healed, and through the long life of this miracle child we hope that many more hearts will also come to a place of healing in Christ Jesus.

She was abandoned by her mother at birth due to her cleft lip and palate, I'm note even sure if her heart condition was known at that time. Doctor after doctor told Paul and Kristin (the couple running the baby home) that this little "unwanted" child was not worth the tests, treatments, surgeries and care that her life would require. But they disagreed. They knew her value was found in her Father's eyes, not in the world's. Thus, they fought for her, and they're winning.

Since the surgery, her newly revamped circulatory system has been carrying oxygen to all of her tissues like Santa on Christmas Eve. Her color is visibly pinker. Her energy is up. Her strength is already improving. Her appetite's impressive. And the spirit of the baby home is almost giddy in spite of the sleepless nights and busy days caused by a week of keeping Baby J in isolation.

This morning she had her one-week re-check with the cardiologist, who was so impressed with her turnaround that she called in the mother of another potential heart surgery patient to calm her nerves by showing her how well Jackie was progressing. Her lungs are improving after building up a bit of congestion from lying still all the time after the surgery. A quick echocardiogram showed everything in its proper place. And the physical therapist turns out to be a Christian so he charged only a cup of coffee in return for his services.

Now if we can just get the idea that we're gonna adopt Jaqueline out of Angie's head, everything will be perfect... Thank you so much for your prayers!

(Photos: Top - Jackie one week post-op. Middle - the newest arrival to the baby home. Bottom - another adorable recent arrival.)

"God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart."

-1 Samuel 16:7 TM (just bumped into this verse this morning)

A Precious Little One in Need of Prayer

2011-10-16T08:19:00.009-04:00

Judah Quy, Home for Precious Little Ones, is the baby home of my pastor and his wife. With only five children of their own they felt, as wouldn't we all, that they just didn't have enough chaos in their lives, or maybe more likely that they still had more love to give, and thus followed the Lord's call to open a home for sick babies. They opened their doors in February with the quick arrival of three precious little ones. Two adorable toddlers with HIV and one sweet baby with a complicated list of problems to be unravelled through months of medical care. The most troubling of her issues being a hole in her heart that had limited her to 6.6 pounds at one year of age when she arrived, and now after 9 months of hardcore love and care from the caregivers at the home she still weighs in at less than 9 pounds. She's grown in strength, personality, vitality, and length, but her little broken heart just can't do any better.

Here she is waving to you yesterday as she rested peacefully during a great party in her honor. The staff at the home and volunteers from the church put together a lovely fundraiser lunch to contribute to her medical bills.

And now after a long winding road of tests, treatments, growth, and healing little Jaqueline is ready for her surgery. The urinary infections have cleared up, the seizures are completely controlled, a number of dangerous syndromes have been ruled out, and complicating chest congestion as a side effect from her cleft lip and palate are nowhere to be found. She's ready. We're ready. The doctor's are ready. Tonight, she'll be admitted for her open heart surgery to be performed tomorrow morning. All that's left to do is pray.

Will you pray with us that little Jackie is healed? That her heart is mended by the hands that formed it in her mother's womb. That the physical hole will be perfectly sealed, just as the emptiness of abandonment has been filled with the love of so many. And pray that God will start speaking to the hearts of her future parents He chose long ago to choose her.

She has amazed her pediatrician with her physical improvement against all odds. She has awed us all with her sweet stubborn refusal to give up. She has shown everyone that love is a better medicine than any man has created. And now she will demonstrate God's mercy and power through her recovery. We trust that He has great plans for this little miracle.

"Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you.
Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you"

-Jeremiah 1:5

Praise: Since the opening of the home 9 months ago, one of the little tykes with HIV has been adopted by an incredible missionary couple with an empty nest here in Santa Cruz. He's the cute little guy standing up in the car behind Angie and Jackie in the top picture. And two more precious little ones have arrived at the home to replace him. It doesn't look likely that there will ever be a quiet moment around there.

Dangly Earrings

2011-10-09T15:15:00.012-04:00

When do you let your kids grow up? More specifically, when do you let your beautiful little girls start looking like gorgeous young women? Okay, what I really need to know is at what age do you let your daughters start wearing dangly earrings? If it were up to me of course, she'd still have the unpunctured ears God gave her, but she came to me pierced, and begging for earrings. So after 6 months I gave in and bought her some little stars for her birthday. But one pair of earrings only keeps one content for so long. So today at Cristo Viene Girls' Home's anniversary fair she just had to have some new ones, the problem was there wasn't a single pair of little studs, and dangly earrings just make her look all fancy and grown up, and I don't like it! But it was for a good cause, and everyone else gets their kids' ears pierced at 3 months old, so I caved.
I don't really identify with the moms who feel like time is flying by and it seems like just yesterday they were looking into their now toddler's little face for the first time. Ange and I have been together for nine months and it feels like about nine months. And I'm not too worried about her moving up into 3rd grade or having to buy her new used clothes like this skort we just got her on Thursday. I think what I am worried about is boys, and back-talking, and popularity, and vanity, and did I mention boys.

This week we were at a restaurant with a TV blaring music videos. Which interested Angie very much and made me very glad we don't have television and very empathetic toward my parents who didn't let us watch MTV growing up. After Beyonce's third nearly-naked video Angie asked, "Isn't she embarrassed to walk around like that?" Lord, please don't let her lose that modesty, please.

During her week of quarantine, other than replacing the clothes she's been outgrowing, she also learned a lot of English. We have two more months to practice before her English entrance exam into SCCLC, the English speaking missionary kid school, for next semester. So pray that we can keep improving as much as we did this week even though she starts class again tomorrow. As my director says, we don't want to let school get in the way of her education.

Quarantine

2011-09-30T15:33:00.008-04:00

Nope, not a Rabies scare, however I think we have had a higher number of cases recently than we'd like to. And no, it's not to stop the spread of head lice that's been shared around here either. This quarantine is of the Swine Flu variety.

After two years of living here I still have no real access to news. As Angie tells me, we're the only ones in the country who live without television, the antenna's broken on our car radio, and if the newspaper writes on a third grade reading level, then third grade is over my head. So, I wait patiently for someone to call me when the university's cancelled for a strike or the kids are out of class for a parade, both of which have happened in the past 7 days.

But, from my inerrant sources, namely Facebook and word of mouth, I can tell you all the facts. There have been ~200 cases of H1N1 reported. The Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center closed last week for 3.5 days and the week before all the kids wore face masks to school. Another private school was reportedly closed for like 2 weeks. One of my students missed Bible study today because she was getting IV fluids. Ten Talita Cumi went straight from school to the doctor yesterday with suspected cases. Now there are 5 staff at the veterinary university with confirmed Gripe A (H1N1).

What does this mean for us... Well, basically it means that even though Angie woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning and I prayed the whole way to school that hers would be the only school in the city that wasn't respecting the quarantine, God did not see fit to give us that needed separation. Instead He has decided that what we need is an intensive ten, count 'em 10, days joined at the hip. Yep, all the schools in the city are closed until the 10th of October. The university's up and running, except for the veterinary campus because of the five sick professors, but as far as I know our class schedules returns to normal on Monday.

I guess this is a good trial run for the quickly approaching summer break, where I'll have to learn how to occupy her 24 hours/day while juggling work and ministry. I'm not sure what she'll do for ten days, maybe I'll give her a new knitting project or maybe she'll perfect her surgical skills. But a few things are certain; she'll take lots of silly pictures like those seen here of our wait at the dentist today, she'll improve her English by leaps and bounds, and she'll probably grow out of some more clothes as she's been getting very good at recently.

She's getting big, and she's growing into quite a mature little señorita. It's pretty adorable.

(I take no responsibility for the accuracy of any of the data in this post.)

Parenting 101

2011-09-18T20:42:00.006-04:00

I know it's possible to blog without including pictures, people do it all the time, right? I've even done it before, once or twice, but you probably won't remember those 'cause I'm pretty sure no one read them. It just makes me feel all exposed. My poor writing has nothing to hide behind. No cute little kiddos or puppies to distract you from the less than noteworthy event I'm capturing about my pretty normal life.

But I find myself left with no other choice. Well, except for the obvious alternative of not writing, but I prefer to face my fears head on. So, in spite of the fact that my camera broke Friday, and my back-up camera broke Saturday, and just to add insult to injury my Kindle also bit the dust, here I am. Do I have anything profound to say, no not really. Do I just like to hear myself talk, well I didn't think so, but it's looking more likely now isn't it?

So, what do we talk about when we don't have pictures of the recent Talita Cumi birthday party or the fundraiser dinner last Friday?

How 'bout parenting. Have you ever tried it? It's hard! Most of you know, the little Angel and I have had our fair share, plus maybe a few others' fair shares, of issues. She's got quite a history to work through and well, what do I know about parenting?!

A friend told me recently when they had their first little one a year ago, they started to read the books, but then got overwhelmed and decided to just do it by instinct. My instincts aren't so trustworthy. So, I've read Adopted For Life, The New Strong-Willed Child, The Post-Adoption Blues, Loving Your Kids on Purpose, Parenting The Internationally Adopted Child, Bossypants (Tina Fey's book which I found on a parenting website, however turns out to not be about parenting, but totally worth the read), etc. I'm listening to an audio series called the Total Transformation. I'm meeting with a counselor regularly. We have a weekly motivational behavior chart. We moved bedtime up half an hour...

So, what is the outcome of these gazillion ideas and messages (often contradicting each other) bombarding me all at once? That my head explodes, yes. But also that we had a "perfect" week. It was our second almost-tantrumless week in the four and a half months we've been charting. And of course, we're going to the movies!!

Like everyone else you probably want to know what's making the difference. But to really be able to identify the cause we'd only be able to make one change a week to isolate all the variables, and I'm just too impatient for that. So, we'll just be grateful for our great week and try to keep up whatever we're doing right!

Thank you all for your prayers, they're an essential contributing factor that we couldn't do without.

Roommates

2011-09-11T21:28:00.010-04:00

I'll admit I've not always been my car's #1 fan. It's probably safe to say that most men are bigger fans of my gigantic, rugged, hardy old Landcruiser than I am. But she's grown on me over the year and a half we've been together toting countless people to countless places. And just this week I was thinking about how well she fits with the verse I try to live by, Proverbs 3:27, "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in your power to do it." With a car that supposedly seats 10, but actually seats somewhere around 20, in a country where seat belts are a thing of the past, or maybe the future, I can't remember the last time when we (the Landcruiser and I) have had to turn anyone away for a ride because there wasn't room. This weekend alone she transported 9 people and a dog to our vet student project at Cristo Viene, 15 people home from church, and 9 people and that same silly dog to the sand dunes.

One thing that I'm coming to understand about that verse is that it doesn't work quite the same now that I'm a mother. Whereas, before it basically meant rarely saying "no" to anyone with a request, now I have to weigh the benefit to the person in need over the potential burden it adds to Ange. I've yet to perfect this saying "no" concept, so I often add undue stress to Angie's schedule, but I'm working on it. So, you can likely guess what the outcome was when two of our dear friends from church found themselves between housing for a month or two (a situation we can empathize well with from as recently as April), while their next place is being built; two new roommates of course!

Rosenda and Silda, two sweet sisters from a family of ten kids, moved in with us about a week ago. So far we couldn't have asked for easier tenants. Silda works at Talita Cumi and was one of Angie's beloved tias (aunties) when she lived there. I'm sure Angie also doesn't mind that they're our first house guests whose mother tongue is Spanish. And if I can ever remember what adults do when their little ones aren't around, we'll be ready with a couple of live-in babysitters.

That Exciting Angie Episode I Promised

2011-09-04T09:57:00.004-04:00

Here's that latest installment for the Angelica Addicts, i.e. Mom and Dad. Her second grade class participated in an English Festival, where they put on a production of Kung Fu Panda, in which Ange played the leading role in the dance number, leading role meaning she's in the middle, since the footage leaves something to be desired.

The estrellita (little star).

Writer's Block

2011-08-30T11:48:00.003-04:00

So, I know no one, except maybe Mom, is waiting for my next blog post, but I do feel bad when I'm way overdue. It's not that nothing's been happening, it's more that a lot's been happening. The president of Compassion International was a missionary kid and he said the best missionaries always have the hardest time getting their prayer letters turned in. Which might subconsciously make me a bit hesitant about trying to write well, or regularly. Plus, I know as a reading audience, you really just want more stories about sweet little Ange, and there just hasn't been anything to tell except that she won a little race in school, and her grades went up enough in the second trimester to warrant a trip to the movies. We went to see Los Pitufos, anyone wanna guess what that translates to in English?

In between exciting Angie episodes I thought I'd tide you over with a few photo-stories of a project we're working on with the vet students. I think I'd rather tell you the whole story when we're finished, but this should whet your appetites.

Let's just say it's a project where they're letting me lay bricks,

Angie mix cement,

and our VetRed students are pretty much in charge.

Scary, huh?

Can't wait to tell you all about it, but in the meantime, better get back to working instead of just talking about working. ;)

Is it Weird to Love Your Office?

2011-08-15T10:23:00.009-04:00

This morning, I said goodbye to two of the first fruits of our new office. For the past month I've been tutoring two cousins of one of the doctors that works in the veterinary hospital where our campus ministry office is located. They've been visiting from Spain on their summer break, and asked if I could help them with some English. They were sweet sweet kids, and I really enjoyed our hour together every day, where I tried to remember my British English and Spain Spanish. Sometimes just before I would correct them for some English error, I would realize,"ah, maybe that is how they say it in England." Today, as we enjoyed the Coke and salteñas they brought to thank me one asked, which is better English from the US or from Britain? I'll leave my answer to your imaginations.

Everyday, as I sit in the office between classes grading papers or planning lessons, random students and professors drop in. Sometimes to ask about our ministry, to find out when our Bible studies will be, to ask about the English class schedule, to fill time between classes reading The Daily Bread in Spanish, or my favorite -- two professors stopped in to ask for a couple Spanish New Testaments because they'd seen someone on campus reading one and asked where she'd gotten it.

And sometimes just to hangout. I met a student who's husband is a youth pastor at their church and she has a 6 year old daughter who I hope will someday be friends with Angie. My three lovely Bible study girls come by to visit and relax on the couch when they have breaks between classes. This afternoon Paola, my good friend and colleague at the university, stopped in to chat about our families on her way home to hers.

This Friday we hope to bring them all together to decide what material we'll dig into this semester, what hours work best for everyone, and start planning our chicken coop service project. I love the excitement of the beginning of the semester. And I love this new office!

VetRed Open House (does not translate well)

2011-08-07T07:36:00.007-04:00

So VetRed's got this lovely new office on the veterinary campus, and we wanted to share it with everyone, so I thought we should have an open house. The new semester just began last week, so there were lots of fresh faces and the always reliable new-semester-enthusiasm, so all we needed to add was food.

One of the women in my church small group makes wonderful cuñape, empanadas and other such treats, so I thought I'd hire her to bake for our little inauguration. Turns out she'd had a cancellation just that day so not only was she available, but she'd been praying for God to replace that needed income. God's pretty cool that way. And as you can see above, David didn't mind a bit that we used his desk for all the delicious-ness.

We had quite a few old friends and new visitors stop by to see our new digs and learn about what we've got coming up. Such as Bible studies, English classes, surgical and practical training, visitors (like our veterinary guest, Mike Joyce, down from Iowa who taught orthopedics here last week and left for a few days with VetRed in Paraguay this afternoon), and chicken service projects (more details surely to follow in future posts.)

The only problem with our little open house, was that it was possibly Bolivia's first open house ever, thus no one quite understood the concept of stopping by for a tour, a snack, and a few pleasantries. Instead they settled into our cozy couch and waited for the formal program to begin, uh... So, we took advantage of our captive audience and got to know them a bit better, learn about their class schedules this season, their interests, and shared the ever-entertaining Evangecubes. Someday I'll have all these cultural differences figured out. Who'm I kidding, that'll never happen!

Mosaic Reunites with Bolivia

2011-07-31T14:47:00.013-04:00

Mosaic Christian Church has come and gone and left their mark on Bolivia once again. The team was about the same size as last year and we worked equally as hard, filling each day with various activities, energetic kids, and construction/painting projects. So how did I find time to post you all a blog update halfway through their trip last year and this year I barely checked my email you may ask; this time I had a little Angie who also needed my help even more than the gringos.

I don't even really know how to start catching you up on all the adventures we had and great things they accomplished, but I'll try. We thought it would be fun to take the kids from Talita Cumi out for an afternoon of chaos so Saturday and Sunday we took the girls and boys, respectively, bowling and out to dinner. It was somehow less chaotic than the madness of Angie's bowling birthday party, and it was a serendipitously great way for the team to learn the kids names since every round each child's name appeared on the monitor as they went up to give those bumpers a run for their money. Monday and Tuesday we also worked with the TC kids painting some of their building, protecting them from mosquitoes with new screens for their doors and windows, and a little VBS action in the afternoons.

Sunday, we worked with another of Mosaic's adopted "partnerships" my church, La Viña. Since we moved in last December to our great little facility, we've not really added any color or life to our white walled sterile facility. So Sunday, before having fun with the niños in class, we "planted" some flowers to the 5 random flower beds that adorn the building and made some other small updates.

A sister project of La Viña is the home for sick babies, Judah Quy. The team and its financial supporters very generously contributed some new cabinets to the baby home, a bunch of little supplies like diapers and baby monitors, and a new storage shed. I'll let the guys on the team tell you about that silly door that didn't want to hang where it was supposed to, because I'm sure I couldn't have done much better against that beast.

On Wednesday, we loaded some pretty tired (partially Dramamine induced) people into a pretty crowded Landcruiser for a trip to Postrervalle's children's home. By trip, I mean 6 hours of bumps and turns that nearly made me, the driver, car-sick. But most of the team did a good job of fighting off car sickness by snoozing. Here you see my fearless co-pilots/navigators hard at work.

When we arrived we went straight to preparing a feast for the kiddos of homemade french fries, hotdogs and

hamburgers. We soon learned that someone had been harassing the home for the past few nights. So, we felt God's hand at work bringing us to be a presence of 8 adults to guard the home for two nights and give the 22 year-old girl in charge of 36 kids a couple nights of rest and peace of mind. Please help us continue to pray for the safety of the home. The following day the kids went to school with little invitations we'd made for them to pass out about the VBS that afternoon. We had no idea how many to expect... At the beginning we tried to get a count of the little wiggly ones while they watched our skit, we came up with 98. But word of the actors' prowess must have traveled fast because between the drama and the craft the number multiplied to somewhere between 100 and 1 million munchkins. A good problem to have. A better problem to have if you have a microphone or even megaphone. But we can't complain, a lot of little ears heard the gospel that day.

Saturday, we may have overcommitted our last few hours before their return flight that night. Our finale of a project was to paint the inside of the church. With the help of a couple church members and an "interminable" (36 slice pizza) we managed to brighten that place up very well if I must say so myself. And this morning the rest of the church was pretty excited with the results as well. By the time I let them stop working to board that plane I think they were pretty ready to sleep even sitting up in turbulence.

Thank you Mosaic, you impacted SO many people here, I hope they impacted you too. It was a pleasure serving with you, let's do it again soon!

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve..." -Mark 10:45

Angie Meets the U.S.

2011-07-19T11:56:00.008-04:00

So, it turns out 24 hours/day of English is not necessarily Angie's cup of tea, but I bet she'd tell you driving a tennis ball, golf cart, or jet ski are pretty amazing, and maybe a in a few days she'll even tell you they're worth all English all the time! At least 10 days of it. This morning, we made it back to Bolivia with twice as many bags as we left with, a little tanner, a lot exhausted, and very spoiled by the love of the family and friends we were blessed to encounter.

Culture shock was not a huge problem. I guess for a growing mind that's yet to define "normal", everything is possible, just add airplanes and expressways to her ever broadening understanding of what the world holds. She rarely asked questions or made statements about the strange things she experienced, with a couple exceptions. The dishwasher, a machine I daydream about sometimes here in Bolivia, did not induce similar envy in Ange, but merely curiosity about just how lazy North Americans can be. She really couldn't understand the need for such a waste of space. And she was similarly confused by our visit to some friends in the nursing home, why do people live there instead of with their families? Well... kinda the same reason as the dishwasher; partly because we're kind of lazy, partly because we idolize efficiency.

English shock (if it's not a term I'm coining it) was pretty difficult though. The normally talkative, fairly independent, social butterfly became a magnet. When peeled away from me for any number of fun activities, or solely so I could have a conversation with other grown ups, she'd drift right back, and unfortunately not always in the best mood. However, before the trip that turned little Angie's world upside down, we'd had three weeks of almost perfection in the attitude and behavior departments. So, I pray that now as we adjust back into our version of normal we'll settle back into that sweet spot as well. And that next time we're in the States, probably a year from now, her English will be more than a whispered rehearsed response, and you will all get to know and love the confident beautiful person that you saw glimpses of all week.

"And we all ... are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord" -2 Corinthians 3:18

Winter Vacation

2011-07-05T09:24:00.005-04:00

Or, in other words, "take your daughter to work week." When we're going to be traveling to the US for more than a week of her three week winter break from school, it didn't really make sense to get her into any kind of program. So, Ange is knitting in my office right now. Sometimes she's painting, she used to work on the computer until her laptop quit on us a couple days ago, sometimes she's running errands or teaching class with me, other times she's my surgical assistant (she's a pro!) And often she just tries to drive me crazy, bouncing around, squealing, asking me questions repetitively. How do you stay-at-home-moms do it??

Last week, we visited the dentist for her first time. She was not excited about this. Have you ever had your daughter who's been dreading her first dentist appointment so much that she cried outside the office stare at you from the end of the dentist chair while the dentist drills out your filling that needs to be replaced, or worse blows cold air in that cavity that's been bothering you? I would not recommend this in the least. (The purple on her teeth is a dye the dentist used to show her the plaque and teach her where to brush better! Don't ever let her know you saw this picture I'll be in big trouble.)

Speaking of mothering acts of strength, I had my first 2am "I think I'm gonna vomit" wake up. Holding your kiddo's hair back in the middle of the night's gotta be some kind of rite of passage, right? Next time we're gonna try to make it to the bathroom a little quicker though.

As we count down the days till the culture shock begins (3) what's making her nervous is flying, what's worrying me is English overload. There's not much we can do to practice for flying, so we'll just have to pray that goes well, but we're cramming for the English weeklong exam like she's taking the National Boards tomorrow. Kind of like when studying for boards, instead of trying to absorb all the material, we're focusing on what's most likely to be asked. Here are some of the questions you should be able to ask her and she may respond (if you make her feel comfortable, talk slowly, and use exactly the same accent I have) in such a way that you would never guess those are the only words she actually knows in English.

Hi (Hello, Good Morning, Good Afternoon), how are you?

What's your name?

How old are you?

Where are you from?

Do you like the United States? (She will probably answer "Yes" even if she's miserable, because this is all she's practiced.)

What is your favorite food?

What is your favorite color?

If you stray from this list, my guess is she will run to me and ask if she can play games on my cell phone for the rest of the night, so be gentle. And see you sooooon!

Disobedience

2011-06-27T17:17:00.006-04:00

So we're having some obedience issues. One of the girls has been choosing her own will over mine, utter insubordination! Fortunately, this week I'm not talking about Angie. Ruby's decided she will sleep on the bed, "sí o sí" as we say here (yes or yes.)

So we bought her this great doggy bed for the floor, cause she's a dog.

But she's in complete denial. Refuses to accept she's not a human. So we put it on the bed.

Fail!

We move the bed around, put it under her. (These pictures were taken over a series of days, every time we'd walk in and find Ruby misbehaving.)

Finally, she reluctantly complies.

Her punishment for her bad attitude is wearing a hooded sweatshirt for the duration of this cold spell.

But really, she's ecstatic about the clothes, as demonstrated by the huge smile below:

Given up. Obedience. Success!

Back sliding a bit, but maybe she was trying. We'll give her the benefit of the doubt.

She actually loves it now. When we get home she wants to jump right on her bed, must be the frigid cold outside that's tiring her out. It is like 60℉! We're barely surviving, don't laugh.

Ange and I, on the other hand, have had a perfect obedience week, first like this since I can remember. It's lovely. Especially, with the freezing cold front we're enduring/enjoying.

Visa Lessons, Part II

2011-06-22T12:57:00.004-04:00

I do not remember praying for patience, stick-to-it-iveness, or more faith, but if I had this is surely how God would have answered.

Last October, I spent many many long hours (enough to read 4 books if I remember correctly) in the immigration offices of Santa Cruz and La Paz, Bolivia working on renewing my visa. Saner people have a lawyer do this for them, but I'm much cheaper than sane. It came down to the very last minute, and was its own lesson of faith as you can see from Part I of the saga. Then a few days after the visa miracle, and the urgent visit to Peru for veterinary continuing education credits, I started the adoption process, because 1 whole week without bureaucratic paperwork was just too peaceful.

I knew I'd be traveling to the U.S. for Christmas so I recommended to the lawyer that we start the process after I returned, but he assured me repeatedly, that there was plenty of time to finish the process and take her with me to meet the family in December (should have looked into the accuracy of this statement before elating the family.) I believed him, started the process, and slowly learned just how clueless he was about the U.S Department of Homeland Security and such things. But Dad was not discouraged, between attempts to get a U.S. senator to help us get Ange into the country, he said I was just like the disciples when they found themselves surrounded by more than 4,000 hungry people for the second time in a few months wondering how they were going to feed them all, even though Jesus had just fed even more people with even less bread and fish. If God, and Immigration, could get my visa to me just in the nick of time in October, why did I already doubt that He could do the same for Angie's visa in December?

Turns out, that was a miracle God was not willing to perform this time around, which is exactly why I'm skeptical, how do I know when He's going to come through?

So last month, after something like 8 months of daily Bolivian bureaucracy, I was once again starting to doubt whether we'd get the paperwork in time for our next attempt at a visit to the family, scheduled for July. One afternoon when I was particularly discouraged after a phone call with the lawyer I said to Angie, "I think God is playing with us."

To which she immediately and forcefully replied, "You shouldn't talk like that, because God doesn't play with people."

"Maybe not, but He does test us, and teach us, and maybe He's teaching us about faith now."

"What's faith, Mommy?"

"Faith is confidence. Not confidence that God will give us everything we want or ask for necessarily, because sometimes He won't, but trusting that He knows better than we do what we need, and that's what He will give us." Or as I just read moments ago, Max Lucado says, "Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right."

So, that became my prayer, as we struggled through the arduous adoption process, the wait for the birth certificate, the painstaking paperwork for the identity card, the mountain of requirements for the passport, all finally culminating in the trip to La Paz for the interview for the Visa. That I would trust that God knew best, whether He chose to agree with me or not, and that my attitude would glorify Him in either outcome. Fortunately for me, He seems to agree that a quick trip to the States is what's best for everyone involved. I picked up her passport with her 10-year Visa inside today! Praise be to God (but don't worry, I was gonna praise Him either way.)

Feliz Cumpleaños mi Angel

2011-06-16T04:49:00.008-04:00

Yesterday, was somebody's first birthday, and it was kind of a huge deal. In my opinion, most first birthday celebrations are a bit controversial, the cumplañero, as we call them here, is 1 or 2 years old and debatably too young to understand or really appreciate what all the fuss is about. But not this munchkin who's been watching the rest of the world celebrate for 9 years as each one passed her by unnoticed.

In a country where, I've learned first hand, you may be scolded if you don't want to make a big deal out of your special day because how could you not be grateful for the blessing of another year of life, she's finally getting her overdue fuss. And oh has it been fun to spoil her. I´m not generally one to say "but it´s my birthday..." but yesterday I found myself saying, "it´s your birthday, of course!" about pretty much everything she wanted.

We started the festivities Tuesday by dawning our aprons and baking 34 strawberry cupcakes and using our new standing mixer (thanks Mom) to adorn them with some buttercream icing. Nothing but the best for a bunch of rowdy 2nd graders who don´t know the difference between a cupcake and a muffin anyway. Then, thank goodness, we had a little frosting leftover for the chocolate chip pancake birthday breakfast where I let the overly eager (woke me up at 4:30am) birthday girl open 3 little presents.

After school we had her favorite chicken and rice dinner, opened lots more presents, and downed a few more cupcakes. I think she could get used to this, and I'm not complaining about the cupcakes either. The festivities aren't over yet, Saturday we're gonna have a bowling party for her little friends with a very appropriate Angelina Ballerina theme.

In the meantime, I made a quick day trip to La Paz for a little interview at the US Embassy today. Visa Approved!! July 8th - Angie meets the U.S.A!!!

On the Move

2011-06-10T09:54:00.005-04:00

As most of you know Angelica and I have been living in some generous friends' guest apartment for the past 5 weeks between houses. The Elliots were such a blessing during this awkwardly homeless moment of our journey. It was a great setup for us. Angie loved that we had to share a bedroom, Ruby did not love that she had to stay outside, but she's a dog so she forgave us quickly. However, she jumped right in the car when she saw the suitcases, she was more than ready to reassume her role as a spoiled puppy.

But now we are finally semi-settled into our new house. We moved our stuff over Wednesday night and had 9 house guests last night for small group, so settled basically means we hid the boxes and disarray under the beds and behind closed doors. I'm told as a mother I'm not supposed to say "Ange, don't organize that stuff just shove it in the closet for now." But when was I ever a normal mom.

The new house is great. Ruby has so many new pieces of furniture that she can't even choose one to illegally sleep on. In her room, Ange has a double bed plus bunk beds (which Ruby is pretty sure we added just for her), so there's space to sleep at least 4 for slumber parties, more likely 7-10. We may have given up a dryer, microwave, and what I would call hot water, but probably 99% of the people here don't have those luxuries either, so it's about time we start living like everyone else. We do have a third bedroom now, so if you're not inclined to join Angie and the screaming balls of energy in her bedroom, we have a lovely guest room all ready for you, as long as you're not afraid of a showerhead called a "widow-maker" and you know how to hunt and gather, cause that's basically how you have to eat if you don't have a microwave, right?

Thank you so much for your prayers. Ange and I are doing well for our third day in a row, and the paperwork is coming right along. I should be picking up her passport this afternoon! PTL!

I Need Thee, Mommy

2011-05-29T20:15:00.010-04:00

You know your English learning software's getting a little outdated when one of your English-as-a-Second-Language children's few English phrases is "I Need Thee, Mommy." She may have been a bit hooked on the Jars of Clay cover of the old hymn, "I Need Thee Every Hour," and I may not have done the best job of explaining the translation of Thee...

May 8th came and went virtually unnoticed by Ange as Mother's Day, but she only forgot May 27th, the Bolivian equivalent, until school when her teachers sent her home with her craft/my gift, strikingly similar to my Father's Day gift/craft, but nonetheless lovely.

Today, we took 3 dozen roses into church for a little surprise for the mamás. As Paul called the mothers up front to pray for them we armed each kiddo offstage with a rose to take to their mom with a hug and a sincere thank you. (Don't mind Paul in this picture, he's thrown his back out, otherwise he would surely be standing and respecting the hard working madres of La Viña.)

My little angel picked out the rose I'd earlier said was my favorite. Sometimes she couldn't be more wonderful!

There are times though when she could, if we're to be perfectly honest, be more wonderful. And for these growing pains that we struggle through most days, and for the paperwork that we're hoping so desperately to finish in time to visit Kentucky for a week in July, we would love your prayers. More specifically, you could pray that every day be as flawless as today, but without the requisite bribe of this really cool shirt.

What's in a Name?

2011-05-18T20:22:00.014-04:00

When I first began this adventure with my Angie, there was talk of changing her name. It's a common thing to do when one adopts a baby, and turns out it's not an uncommon practice in older children either. My friend who works in a home in Cochabamba that has many adoptions, says the parents almost always give their little ones different names and the kids love their new identity and fresh start.

At first I thought it seemed a little crazy to change an 8 year-old's name. I didn't even change the name of my 6 month-old adopted dog 'cause I didn't want to confuse her. But then I found out "Angelica" was also the name of Angie's biological mother, of whom to this day I've unfortunately never heard a good story. So, I asked Angelica if she liked her name, and I learned she did not. We thought about a few similar options like Angelina (which now that I know what a ballerina I have, would have been very appropriate), but the problem wasn't so much Ange, but me. After a year of calling her by one name I couldn't think of her as something completely different. Fortunately, she loves "Angie", which she still seems to think is the English way to say Angelica, instead of just the nickname that it really is. So we've stayed with that and added a middle name, a concept not so common here, but seemingly very fun for the little Angel.

Angelica Kira Spears

Kira was the name of my first Spanish teacher, and now dear dear friend. It's a name that works well in Spanish, which is a great benefit when Spears is so difficult that you often have to say "Like Britney" to help people understand. And it's the name of Angie's one and only sweet beautiful aunt, Kiki.

The name Kira was a bit of a sensitive subject in our house growing up. My sister, Kira, never seemed to fully appreciate its weirdness, and definitely not its significance. In high school when I soaked up every word of Ayn Rand with a passion that bordered on unhealthy, I coveted the name Kira, as I read the book it came from, "We The Living."

When I told my sister the story of Ange's past, and how she arrived at the orphanage, she was the first to notice how remarkable it was. How incredible for an 8 year-old to recognize the darkness in her own home, the oppression in her family, and most impressive to me; the idea that her life didn't have to be like that. She left everything she knew for something completely unknown with the hope that it would be better. At 8 years old, she pursued her own freedom.

My sister surely wasn't thinking of this at the time, but that is exactly what her name stands for. Kira, the character in "We the Living" lived in communist Russia where she fought for freedom until the very end, trying to escape the oppressive darkness and start fresh in another country.

Angie loves her middle name so much that sometimes she just labels herself "Kira" when she draws pictures of the family. I pray she also recognizes the freedom we have in Christ, and the blessings He's showering on her everyday.

A little bit of HUGE news!!

2011-05-13T12:45:00.006-04:00

I would like to introduce, drum roll please... Angelica Kira Spears! Yes, after our successful adoption audience Monday morning, I can legally say there is one more Spears in the world. And she already fits our team motto, "you can always tell a Spears, but you can't tell 'em much."

Happy belated Birthday Kiki, your first niece, and possibly first namesake!

Happy belated Birthday and Mother's Day Momma, your first nieta!

Happy belated Birthday Paula, Beth, Kenny, your first grandniece (is that a word)?

Happy early Birthday Heidi, Byron, Jeanie, ditto.

Happy early Father's Day and B-day Daddo, your first grandbaby and next tennis protégé!

Bubby and Daddad, just think maybe spoiling a great granddaughter's even more fun than granddaughters, one way to find out!

Cori, Josie, Rachel, start working on your Spanish, cause there's someone very excited to play with you in July!!!!!!!!!

Thank you all for all your prayers and support. Maybe, Lord willing, some of you will be meeting her face to face in just a couple short months...

(Forgive me if you already read this on FB, Blogger wasn't cooperating so I'm just now getting the news up here.)

Mamá

2011-05-08T07:38:00.006-04:00

Happy Mother’s Day to all you extremely hard working, self-sacrficing, compassionate, gentle, loving mommas out there, and especially to mine; by far the best mother, role model, friend, and now grandmother ever.

Since coming through the obligatory adolescent years of wholly undervaluing one’s parents I don’t feel that I’ve lacked much in the area of appreciating my momma for the awesome person and mother that she is. But since I’ve become a mother I’ve been treasuring her more and more, and more.

One thing I’ve always loved about her is that she listens so well you resolve your own problem without her ever having to tell you you're wrong. I can call her with a seemingly legitimate complaint, but a complaint nonetheless, and by the time I’ve ranted and raved she’s said exactly the right words to validate my pain without completely condoning my attitude, that I very often recognize my own selfishness, without her ever having to mention it. I'm not sure that she's ever complained in her life, but somehow she leaves room for me to come to her with anything without being judged. I've never met anyone else who does that so well.

I, obviously, can’t ever guilt trip Angie with such maternal classics as “48 hours of labor and this is the thanks I get?!” “I brought you into this world child, and I can take you out of it!” But that doesn't mean I'm not tempted when I’m feeling completely taken advantage of. However, Mom had some serious ammunition in that area, I’m pretty sure I wasn’t a fun labor, especially with the added pressure of getting this birthing checked off by 5pm so everyone could focus on the more important event of that day -- UL winning the NCAA basketball championship. Not to mention that I earned the nickname Piranha shortly after birth, for reasons I’m sure I don’t need to explain. But the only way you’d know these stories would be from friends or family members that were there, because she’s never once brought them up, let alone used them against me.

Not to mention the notes on the napkins in the lunch box, the Snickers bar surprise snacks before tennis meets, the care packages, cards, and candy for EVERY imaginable holiday, now the babysitting via Skype when this mommy needs a little rest, and the innumerable acts of love that have gone unnoticed but shaped me into exactly who I am today. I could go on and on, but I know that's not what she wants.

The point is, that whenever I’m lost for what to do with Angelica, I think back to what my mom did in the same situation, or I ask in one of the multiple emails we still exchange everyday. Now if only I had half her patience, gentleness, kindness or humility, Angie would be destined for perfection.

By the way, our final adoption audience with the judge is scheduled for tomorrow, so if you could please pray that I can give my perfect Mom her first grandchild as a belated Mother's Day gift, that'd be wonderful. Thank you!!

Learning the Hard Way

2011-04-29T16:08:00.005-04:00

Why didn’t anybody tell me this parenthood thing was gonna be hard? Oh that’s right, everyone did.

It’s been a rough week. On a scale of 1 - Rough, we’ve probably been landing somewhere around an 8.5. The adoption’s had some annoying (seemingly very avoidable) set-backs, we’re moving out of our house, but the house we were moving into fell through the night before our move (due to the even rougher week my pastor’s family’s been through), and on top of all that Ange and I have been struggling.

I thought maybe if I shared the lessons I’m learning with you here God will believe that I really have learned them and not feel the need to keep teaching them to me.

Love is not a feeling it’s a verb. We’ve all heard this, and I think I’ve definitely practiced it before, but when someone’s being awful to you it’s hard to even like them, let alone love them. However, if love’s not a feeling, how you’re being treated shouldn’t have anything to do with how you act.

If you can’t change the circumstances change your attitude. (My lawyer said this to me after he’d goofed up big time and I was a bit disappointed, I nearly answered “but I can change my lawyer.”) Later I realized I can’t change how much homework Ange has, and I can’t control her attitude, but I can control mine.

Motivation is more effective (and more fun) than punishment. Frankly, I don’t like bribing the child much more than punishing her, since both are works-based and I lean a bit heavy on the grace side of the Old vs. New Covenant spectrum. But I’m coming to realize that as long as my love isn’t earned or lost by her behavior, other prizes might not be totally out of the question. She’s already responding really well to the chart I made with silly pictures of her, where we talk about how she did each day waking up, doing her homework, going to bed, etc.

Love like Jesus showed does not expect anything in return. I’ve, honestly, always been horrible with doing things anonymously. I rationalize that I just want to know if it was well received so I’ll know whether to do things like that again or not waste the time, effort, and money, but really I probably just want to be appreciated. Since I never learned that one well, God’s giving me lots and lots of practice serving this little one who can’t return the half of it and often doesn’t even notice. What an awesome idea to give for the sake of giving instead of receiving.

Finally, the good times are totally worth the rough ones. And learning to be more selfless was part of the reason for this whole crazy adoption idea in the first place, so it’d be ridiculous to reject that benefit now.

Here I Am

2011-04-19T11:05:00.004-04:00

Angie has her own room with a double bed (a luxury I never had, ironically, until I moved to Bolivia.) But sometimes she just doesn't want to be that far away from me. Last Wednesday, after I got back from my overnight trip to the Beni she begged and begged to sleep in my bed. The problem is, as you may recall from former posts, she's a serious wiggle worm in the middle of the night. Flailing about, using me as her dream soccer ball, talking sometimes. So, in attempts to not set any school night precedents about sharing a bed, I stuck to my "no."

But Sunday night I woke up in the middle of the night to find her lying next to me. In the morning I asked her why she'd come into my room and she said she'd heard something scary and jumped up and come to me, but I didn't hear her when she said "mommy" so she just lay down and thought, "she won't notice." It was the first time she'd ever come to me scared in the middle of the night, so it was pretty cute and I didn't think anymore of it, except maybe to dwell a bit on what a bum I was to sleep through her needing me.

However, last night at about 1:30am I found her in my bed again, this time not as still and peaceful. I hope she got a good night's sleep cause she woke me up at least every hour until my 5:40 alarm for my run (she blames this on the mosquitoes.)

At breakfast once again, I brought it up.

"So, why'd you come sleep with me again last night?"

"Weren't you calling me?" she replied.

"Huh?"

"Didn't you say 'Angelica, come here,'?"

"No. Wait a minute, did you read ahead to April 19th last night?" Ange and I read a day in the Spanish Bible in a Year for Kiddos every night. And she's recently been so into it that she stays up with her book light from Grandma and reads the next day's passage. Which is exactly what she did last night.

Any guesses what the story for April 19th is???

1 Samuel 3

I'm inclined to think she fell asleep thinking about the story and dreamed about it, but just in case I think I'll teach her to respond to the Lord, "Speak, your servant is listening." And maybe I'll try to quit being so negligent in the middle of the night.

Getting to Know Trinidad

2011-04-14T16:57:00.008-04:00

I usually love traveling for work or pleasure, but this week traveling meant leaving my little Ange for the first time overnight, and on Día del Niño at that! But, other than getting a little sick, probably from lack of rest due to the school-night sleepover, she did well, and I had a great trip too. A little absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?

Coalson Lacey is a Texan vet with thoughts of serving with VetRed here in Bolivia longterm, specifically in the small city of Trinidad. Trinidad is the capital of Bolivia's department the Beni, an 8 hour-ish car ride, or 1 hour flight, Northwest of Santa Cruz. So, to help him solidify his ideas about God's plans for his life, Coalson's been visiting us here in Bolivia for about 10 days, very generously doing whatever's been requested of him by us, the veterinary school in Santa Cruz, or the university in Trinidad.

Requests as wide ranging as couriering down a portable isoflurane machine from the US, giving a lecture on shock to hundreds of students and professors at a veterinary conference, training the Trinidad students in small animal surgery, training the veterinarians in treating an equine foot abscess, giving a semi-spontaneous sermon at a church service, and castrating whatever large or small animals the Trinidad professors could wrangle up. Much of this while being recorded for the local university cable channel and closed-circuit TV for the students who wouldn't fit into the surgical suite.

He's held up amazingly well under the pressure of the film crew, large audiences, and the language barrier, even when he had to improvise on the spot or reach back 4-5 years in his memory for the last time he'd thought about the procedure asked of him. The cool thing about Coalson seems to be that he can do all these things not because of his own skill or expertise, but out of his reliance on God. As you might hear him say if you ask him to do something seemingly crazy or at least outside his comfort zone, "Nothing is impossible with God." An attitude I hope rubs off on me more when Coalson comes to join our team serving in a similarly hot, sticky, mosquito-filled tropical region of Bolivia. Don't worry Coalson, even surviving Dengue Fever is possible through Christ who strengthens us.

(I also want to recognize the sacrifice my co-workers Bill and David have made to leave their families for a week and show Coalson the beauty of Bolivia. Bill is now stuck in Trinidad indefinitely because of blockades preventing him from driving his car back home to SC. I'm sure he would appreciate your prayers.)

Día del Niño (isn't every day?)

2011-04-11T21:58:00.006-04:00

Today's the Day of the Kid, and it's kind of a big deal. This is clearly my first of such holidays where I'm in charge of spoiling one of these aforementioned kids, but from what I can tell it's on a scale with Christmas and birthdays. We could maybe say it's a joint birthday party for every kid in Bolivia, replete with soda, cake, piñata, and sugar coma.

Sunday, to kick off the country wide celebration of youth, we joined a little rural church plant for a neighborhood party.

The meeting place was under a big tree, the stage - a flatbed truck, the publicity - speakers from said flatbed truck.

A hilarious clown attracted the children from the neighborhood. Then there were songs, a story about Zacchaeus, with an adorable craft, face painting, empanadas, and to top it all off of course, balloon animals!

To spare the children and faint of heart, I won't post a picture of the clown face I was decorated with, let's just say it was described as "intense". But it wasn't enough to scare away these kiddos, in some semblance of a line, eager for their balloons!

At the end of a great afternoon, I think this little 4-family church that meets in a house was quite happy with their party, and I know the kids were ecstatic.

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them." -Mark 10:14-16

I love how this verse in Spanish says Jesus hugged the kiddos.

Now, I'm leaving my Angel for the first night ever for a little work trip, better go get my hugs before the sugar coma sets in.

Buena Vista

2011-04-01T09:24:00.011-04:00

Last Friday, special visitor in tow, I went to pick up Ange after school with plans to hit one of our favorite hotspots for out-of-town guests, the sand dunes. When her teacher handed me something I'd really not prepared for at all, her first report card. It was a bit of a tense moment as Angie, Jon, and her teacher all watched me scan the results and digest the fact that Ange is basically failing English class. Her teacher comforted me that it's only the first of three reports for the semester, and told me that the biggest problem is that she's talking to her friends and not paying attention in class. (Strangely, she got great marks in the "Respects Teacher" category.)

So, we talked once again about how we're gonna speak more English at home, we discussed how she's not gonna talk to anyone during class, and we clarified that our fun trip to play at the sand dunes was not a reward for those grades. Then we scheduled her appointment to get her eyes checked something I'd been meaning to do for a couple months.

She whined and complained and threatened not to get out of the car on the way to the optometrist. She tried her best to read those little letters on the eye test, and she sulked a bit during the picking out frames phase. But I think it helped that I was so jealous that she gets to wear them and I don't, and it definitely didn't hurt that we ended up with the cutest little glasses in the world, and of course she's no less beautiful than ever wearing them. And then ironically, she whined and complained because I didn't get a chance to pick them up the very next day. I can't win!

Yesterday, she tried them out for the first time at school. Of course there was one little boy who made fun of her. Yet again my ignorance of Spanish saved me, as I wanted to say "who is he? I'll beat him up!" but didn't know how to translate that. So instead we talked about how much Jesus got made fun of, and how he loved his enemies anyway. A lesson that's easier to explain than do because loving the enemies of your child is a whole 'nother level of agape!

Back to Work

2011-03-26T10:34:00.005-04:00

So, I really haven't been away from work, the new semester's been up and running at the university for a month now, but it's back to work for you guys since you haven't heard about anything but Ange for months!

The campus ministry's going strong. The university itself is having its share of struggles between marches, strikes, and rising unrest in the students and faculty who are fighting to keep their autonomy as the government threatens to seize it. In the midst of cancelled classes and constant uncertainty we just put on a very successful conference called "How to Get Good Grades and Have Fun," we have a growing new Bible study, a steady stream of new students in the English classes, and an increasing interest in the surgical training I offer weekly.

This week I had a guest in town who accompanied me on my afternoon of surgeries with the students. In attempts to prevent passing out at the sight of the needles, he concentrated on staying upright by snapping some pictures.

Students from any semester are welcome to attend, so we have a variable level of expertise, but proper restraint is an area they can always use more work in. As is injection location and technique.

Placing IV catheters is a simple procedure, but not such a common one here. Using only injectable anesthesia for the spays and neuters makes IV access ideal, but I also have the added incentive to demonstrate and let the students, and sometimes professors, practice.

I'm willing to be flexible and surgerize the way the Bolivians do in some aspects, such as using IV Halatal as my induction, a drug I'm not sure I'd even heard of in the past, but one standard I don't let slide is sterility. After a year of somewhat weekly surgeries, I think even the new students come in knowing my reputation. The surgeon and assistants always wear sterile gloves, we shave the surgical site and clean it 3 times with iodine alternating with alcohol, we use a drape and sterilized instruments (I'm pretty sure we're the only ones in the entire hospital that use the autoclave), we open things sterilely, and only the people gloved in touch anything in the surgical site.

Since we're on our own, I also get to quickly train them to be anesthesia experts minus ECG, pulse ox, doppler, etc. We've always got the good old fashioned stethoscope and the tongue pulse.

And when we nick the spleen (whoops) we're glad we have that IV access to give a little fluid boost while the body is doing its clotting miracle.

Surgery instruction is just one more thing we offer to build relationships with the students and show them Christ's love in a tangible way.

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." -1 Peter 4:10

For those of you who were here looking for your fix of Angelica thanks for bearing with us, check out the 20-something new photos I just added to Facebook. ;)

Happy Father’s Day to Me (and Jesus)

2011-03-19T10:39:00.009-04:00

Today is Bolivian Father’s Day, which means this week has pretty much been Fathers' Week at school. It started when Angelica had to take a picture with her papá to school. Then in music class they drew a picture of their dads. In language class they talked about their fathers. And for homework she had to write a card to her daddy. Oh my!

In our 2.5 months together I’ve often thought of myself as a better dad than mom. Having a high pain tolerance does not make for a super compassionate mommy, nor does being really cheap help me empathize when she wants multiple band-aids a day. Having never gone to the nurse’s office in all of my years of education, nor taken a single sick day that I can remember, makes it difficult to understand why she’s already been to the nurse’s office twice in her first month of school. Fortunately, I don’t really know how to call her a “wimp” or tell her to “man up” in Spanish, so I just tell her she’s “very sensitive” which is probably more PC anyway.

However, as tough and scrappy as I may be, I know I can’t really be her dad. But there’s someone in Ange’s life who can. And when it came time to write that card to her papí, she knew just who to write it to; the Father to the fatherless. I’ve corrected spelling and added punctuation for you but here's what she said about Him:

“Mi papá es increible, es bueno, cariñoso. Es bonito hablar con Dios. Muy amable es el Todopoderoso.” (Translation: "My dad is incredible, he's good, he's caring. It's beautiful to talk with God. The Almighty is very nice.")

“Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy.” -Psalm 68:5

(Pictured are the crafts she made in school this week for her Daddy--me!)

Manis and Pedis

2011-03-15T20:59:00.007-04:00

On May 30th, 2008 I met this beautiful young lady.

On December 24th, 2009 God brought this little angel into my life.

On April 19th, 2010 I couldn't choose between them and therefore started sponsoring them both at Talita Cumi.

Now, nearly a year later, Ange and I are taking advantage of every opportunity to be with our dear friend, Jenny.

Last week we had her over for dinner and games. Today, we visited the salon where she works to get our nails done. Maybe next week we'll need some highlights...

Angie's first professional manicure <$3, a pedi for me <$3, a lovely visit with a dear friend = priceless!

First Slumber Party, Thousandth Cultural Faux Pas

2011-03-07T21:22:00.007-05:00

So Carnaval here is kind of a big deal. The whole city shuts down for four days. It remains questionable whether the whole city needs to shut down or everyone just uses the "bedlam" as an excuse to retreat into their houses for a long weekend of solitude. Our church decreed it too risky to get close to the potential danger, or more accurately shooting paint, and cancelled service for Sunday and prayer group for Monday. As I knew Ange would want nothing but to shoot me with water guns, spray foam, and water balloons all weekend, I thought maybe it'd be a good idea to bring in reinforcements.

So, on our way to small group last Thursday I mentioned to Angie's little friend Carla, that maybe she could come over sometime to play, maybe even a sleepover. When I turned to ask her mom's opinion of the idea, I learned I was once again unintentionally gringofying Bolivia. Turns out not only has almost 9 year-old Carla never spent the night away from her parents, but also that Bolivians don't have slumber parties, well except the "ricos." Ugh, I'd just classified myself with the rich people. But after the great success of Ange and Carla's first pajama party I think this phenomenon's gonna catch on, for better or worse. I'm really not trying to impose North American culture.

Did you ever have trouble at sleepovers? I remember really enjoying them until the morning when I would wake up before 8am, and stare at the ceiling for hours until the other girls finally got up around noon (at least being a morning person is beneficial in almost every other situation.) And I remember that whenever my sister spent the night out she would be randomly and rapidly hit with a stomach bug, and not just in her head or as an excuse, there were real symptoms if you know what I mean.

Angelica and Carla did great overall, but there was a bit of an awkward low point when, during our showing of How to Train Your Dragon, Ange started sobbing UNCONTROLLABLY in fear that they were gonna hurt Toothless. Oh my, the child has a heart for animals just liker her momma, and she's no less compassionate towards the imaginary variety. After previewing the last half hour I was able to assure the girls the next morning that everything was gonna be just fine and we were all able to finish the movie without any more tears. Now it's time to get back to work and school and fighting to the death with the little munchkin to get moving in the morning. But it sure has been a great four days of water, relaxation, spray foam, visiting with friends, more water, cleaning everything we could find, and lots and lots of playing.

The Illusion

2011-02-28T13:21:00.013-05:00

I read an article recently about how Facebook paints bright, shiny, happy images of everyone's lives. Or more accurately how we paint ourselves this way by posting only the best angles, and de-tagging the less flattering, not only of photos, but of the account we share of our journey. I felt convicted, not because I've air-brushed in smiles or exaggerated adventures of our story, but because I haven't divulged the hairier moments. Partly because who really wants to read the negative stuff and who takes pictures when life is boring, but also because I probably do feel I have something to prove to those skeptics that didn't think this adopting as a single mom thing was a good idea, because it really really was! ;)

For raw honesty's sake, I'll admit that we may be going through a "testing mommy's limits" phase, but I'm pretty sure we're on the way out of it, and I'm fairly sure I caused it by being possibly a bit permissive the first couple weeks with my angel. So, I'm learning how to be firm and sort of how to discipline, or at least how to threaten discipline strongly. And she's learning when to obey, and maybe with practice on both our parts, it will someday consistently be at the first request.

One of our biggest struggles, I've recently recognized (and I think recognizing might be half the battle), is that I am a morning person and she, to put it mildly, is NOT. Which means in the morning she is a bit of a bear, and ridiculously unhurried, but in the afternoon when I'm on the slower side, she is wound up. Until it comes to homework time of course, at which point she becomes very unhurried again. To add to this, these little mini-people are very inefficient which, as some of you may know, complements my own personality interestingly.

School has been a learning curve for us both as well. Not only did I decide to adopt as a first-time single mom, an 8 year-old instead of a baby, but I decided to do it in Spanish, and in a very different culture. Maybe those skeptics were onto something... Everyday when I pick the munchkin up from school she tells me she needs money for something else that I may or may not understand; more books or school supplies that weren't on the original list, her white uniform that she stains EVERY day, or now her ballet suit for her mandatory ballet class. "Isn't it pretty?" she asks me, yes, but $40-pretty?!

So, God is teaching us both a lot. Unfortunately, I'm afraid we both still have a lot to learn, so this process, with its growing pains, might take awhile. In the meantime a little voice calls "Mami, Mami, Mami," all day every 20 seconds or so, as if seeking reassurance that through thick and thin I'm not going anywhere. I better go convince her with a giant hug and maybe some tickling.

I feel I owe you an apology

2011-02-22T06:03:00.008-05:00

For the time I saw the woman in Wal-mart, with the frazzled hair, yelling at three kids climbing in and out of her cart, and I thought "how provincial" (in a Belle from Beauty and the Beast sort of way, where one's life consists only of their narrow unsophisticated view from their kitchen window.) I'm sorry, I have little to no control over my child and the grocery cart either.

For every time I saw your family of 5+ children and thought "don't they know there are ways to prevent that." I'm sorry, I rarely see kids that need a home now without thinking about expanding our little family.

For each time you parents had to leave the event at 8:30pm and I didn't understand why your kids couldn't stay up till 11 just one school night. I owe you an apology, you were right, they can't stay up till 11.

When I thought "can't they just get a babysitter?" When I resented the hassle of what to do with the children during home group, or the burden of trying to staff children's church. I'm sorry, it's all making more sense now.

To those of you who declined invitations to social or service events because you needed to spend time with your family, and I thought "don't you see them all the time?" I'm sorry, there is a difference between sharing a house and quality time.

For the nights I thought you were a little obsessive about bedtime when you left somewhere early to tuck your kids in. I'm sorry, I haven't missed a night of kissing her on the forehead yet.

For the moms who make a huge deal about your first night away from your little one, I'm sorry I thought you were overreacting, I don't look forward to trying to sleep without Ange within earshot.

For the times I read in the Bible that children are a reward from the Lord, and questioned His sanity, I'm sorry Lord, I don't doubt you anymore.

Because carrying her in from the car and tucking her into her bed, is the sweetest way to end a long day. Because watching a movie with her hiding her face in my hands during the scary or romantic parts is the best way to watch a movie. Because an evening of Connect Four on the couch, with her cheating, and laughing hysterically might just be the best way to spend an evening.

On Sunday, she tried to give Baby Jaqueline (this 9 pound 1-year old pictured below) one of her Barbies, her handheld pinball machine and a necklace for her birthday, because she might just be the most generous little beauty ever! (We ended up compromising by wrapping José her stuffed yellow dog.)

"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him. Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!"

-Psalm 127:3-5

My Valentine Love

2011-02-13T21:21:00.016-05:00

I really like words. I like to take words literally, to use them well, to read them, digest them, meditate on them. I don't like to waste them or abuse them. I'm not a "words of affirmation" love language because I think words are too freely given, too easily faked. I'm the kind of person who won't let the words "I love you," become the phrase you end every conversation with, because then it's really not left with any more significance than "goodbye."

So, I'm surprising even myself with how liberally I tell Angie I love her, and how much it means to me to hear it from her in English, Spanish, writing, repetitively, after a fight, before tucking her in, in the morning, on the way to school, anytime we feel it, and especially when we don't. Because the home we're building is not a family where special words must be saved for special occasions, but one where Ange feels safe from physical danger, secure to be whoever she wants to be, and loved unconditionally, and forever.

I've never doubted the idea to bring this Angel into my life was from God, but I do sometimes wonder if when I explain why I did it with the response "God asked me to," if I sound like I might be carrying a bomb or a box cutter.

Every day I grow more sure that God's planned our family from long long ago. This week I heard a sermon by Erwin McManus that confirmed my call in yet another way.

"If you don’t have a dream inside of you that is terrifying to you, that is bigger than you, that is inconveniencing to life as you have designed it, I don’t know if you have a dream that has come from God..."

"The dream that God has for us, often times, at first, feels like a nightmare. I think what we don’t realize is the dream isn’t for us. The dream that God gives us usually thrusts our life to become a life for others. It was Mary that God chose to be a single mom."

I remember leaving the lawyer's office after my first consultation about whether I was eligible to adopt, learning that I was, reminding myself to breathe. I remember trying not to hyperventilate in front of the judge when he told me that I'd have my daughter within a week. Repeating to myself, ""They need to think you're stable..."

This first Valentine's Day with the love of my life, I'm so glad God let me be a part of this. This morning she told me that when she's at school, she feels like I'm lonely at work without her and that makes her sad. How did we ever live without each other?

"I don’t want to ask you how big of a dream are you willing to carry in your heart but how big of a cost are you willing to carry with your life to bring that dream to pass?"

Second Grade Watch Out!

2011-02-07T20:44:00.004-05:00

The cutest plaid-skirted 8-year-old just hit the doors of St. Thomas Aquinas, and it'll never be the same again.

Today, was Ange's first day of second grade, first day at a new school where she knew not a single soul, and first day for me as a soccer-mom (no soccer involved, but a lot of dropping off, and picking up in a large SUV.) A bit of anxiety, as to be expected, was had all around.

The little nervous one, did great, nothing to worry about. She made friends, had fun, surely impressed everyone with her gorgeous smile. I, on the other hand, struggled. No, I didn't cry when I dropped her off, or call the school throughout the day to check on her, but I did fail to understand really how this whole school thing works. When I got there to pick her up she told me she'd come out to look for me a lot. Turns out, the other parents came to eat lunch with their kids, or at least sent them with lunch money, I was totally convinced this was covered in her tuition, and had no idea eating lunch with them was an option. Let's not even get started about snacks for recess or covering the books. Seriously, a parent orientation of some sort would have been nice.

But all in all, her teachers are sweet, I think I've convinced them I have no idea what I'm doing and, with luck, they'll start treating me as such. And hopefully Angie's reputation won't be blemished by having the palest, most confused, worst Spanish-speaking mom in the class. Maybe I'll send her with some cupcakes to redeem myself...

I know she had a full day because, for the first time, I carried my sleeping little Angel in from the car tonight after prayer group. Love being a mommy.

Sweetest Sounds in the World

2011-02-03T07:59:00.009-05:00

You may have your own ideas of what the world's most wonderful sounds are, but chances are you're wrong, unless you've included in your top three - Angelica's laugh. It's completely amazing, infectious, and irresistible. It's my kryptonite, and I have no idea how to be stern with her when she giggles. Today marks one month together for Angie and me! So maybe the honeymoon ended at about day 12, and she now says "no" sometimes, but that doesn't mean we're having any less fun.

For reasons unbeknownst to me, the start of her classes has been delayed by a week. So, Ange and I have had even more uninterrupted bonding time. We've been together 24/7 since January 3rd, until Tuesday when I left her to go play with the kiddos of Cristo Viene girls home while I spent the day at the office. Who knew I was gonna be just as sentimental as every other mom on the planet? I, for one, did not. She held it together well as I dropped her off with Adreana, my friend and volunteer for CV, I may have been a bit clingy, but there were no tears, and I only called once to check on her.

So you're surely dying to hear what the other greatest sounds in the world are. You may remember I've been a bit hesitant about teaching her English, and when she whines "Pleeeeeease," it doesn't really endear me to her more. However, second best sound in the world is probably her precious little voice saying "I love you," and my goodness are her spontaneous hugs awesome.

At Talita Cumi, the orphanage where we met, the volunteers are referred to by the children as aunts and uncles (in Spanish tias and tios). Some of you know, that's what she's continued to call me automatically, and I've heard this is not an uncommon problem with kids that get adopted by volunteers. I didn't want to correct her, because up until a year ago she had a mom and a dad, and I was hoping for a natural transition. So I waited. On Sunday in church, she made me the cutest little glittery card, with the worst spelling, but with the words mamá and mami. She then wrote a note on my arm testing out the words further. This week she's been referring to me as mama when she talks to my parents via Skype or to God in prayer. She also kicked me out of my room to decorate the walls with these little hearts she had made that say, “Mamá, te quiero mucho mami, eres mi mami,” in English "Mom, I love you very much, you're my mommy."* And this morning, she did it! Almost as naturally as she used to call me "tia," she said "Mami." Sweetest sound in the world and best anniversary present ever!!!

*The yellow post-its on the wall say "wall" and "bedroom", we're practicing our English.

Apolo Aventuras

2011-01-26T16:01:00.014-05:00

That's Spanish for "maybe I wouldn't recommend visiting Apolo during the rainy season."

Some of you will remember the lovely little town of Apolo that I shared with you last May, home to my dear friend and fellow veterinary missionary, Linda. Taking advantage of my time between semesters and Angelica's last little bit of summer vacation, we took a series of three buses over 36 hours to get there from Santa Cruz. In Cochabamba we picked up our CVM extern, Starke. Using 6 weeks of his last year of veterinary school, he visited Santa Cruz to see what we do, Cochabamba to work on his Spanish, and now Apolo to see how another veterinary missionary is living.

So, we showed him that not every day is full of working on animals. Some are spent finalizing the year's budget, some traveling between projects in the mud, some waiting for the farmers to show up, some following-up on the previous day's cases, some days off visiting spectacular waterfalls (see the pics on FB), some teaching externs about serving full-time in Bolivia, and others, of course, spaying and neutering the local canine population.

When we'd finally accomplished all these things, it was time to say goodbye to Ange's new playmates the Lugtigheid kiddos and sweet little Apolo once again, where life is simpler, the water and power are both likely to go out at least once if you stay a week, and ~12 people gather around the surgery, I mean kitchen table three times a day to share a meal.

So, we boarded the bus back to Santa Cruz via La Paz and Cochabamba. In the middle of the night, halfway back on our first leg to La Paz we stopped. The rains that sometimes cause landslides, and wash out roads, had this time created an impassable waterfall across our path, showering down not only voluminous water but also large threatening rocks. Our driver decided to wait till the water level receded, but the continued rains meant rising water levels, and led to a wait, without food, shelter, cellphone signal or bathrooms for 36 hours, making our supposed 12 hour trip into exactly 48 hours of balancing between dehydration and hydronephrosis.

But despite the mud stains we'll be working out of our clothes for weeks, the boots that have yet to dry out, and the 2 days and 3 nights in a row spent on a bus with an 8-year-old, Apolo will always be the place Angie learned to ride a bike, and I think in her opinion, that made every second on that bus worthwhile.

World Travelers

2011-01-15T22:52:00.011-05:00

If you’re ever thinking your Spanish is getting pretty good you should pay people to remind you over and over again of just how many mistakes you’re still making. So, that’s exactly what I’ve been up to for the past week.

I took A on her first bus ride for her first adventure outside of Santa Cruz to the booming mountain metropolis of Cochabamba to revisit my old language school for some brushing up.

Traveling with Ange means sharing a bed and hence getting kicked throughout the night by little feet dreaming of futból, but in the daytime it means constantly having a sweet sticky hand in mine as we explore new unknown places. So new, in fact, that she said to me the other day as we waited to buy tickets for something, “In Bolivia we don’t have lines like this.” “Huh? Honey, we are in Bolivia, Cochabamba is another city in Bolivia, like Santa Cruz.”

Angelica 1 and Angelica 2. Ange finally met her namesake, my lovely language teacher.

Telling her this statue is the tallest Christ in the world didn't really mean much to her since her world still only consisted of two cities (or countries, whatever.) We came back to Santa Cruz yesterday morning for our Vineyard church national conference this weekend, and to enroll her in school tomorrow morning. Then we'll head back on the road to Apolo, which might as well be another continent it's so far away, even though it's really still in Bolivia. We'll, of course, keep you posted on all our adventures.

Update on motherhood, for those of you who are curious: We've been together two weeks now, pretty much 24/day since she's on summer vacation. I've yet to need to discipline her, but just yesterday she started to finally get her own will a bit. My friend, another adoptive parent, says that's a good thing, it means she's feeling more comfortable, but it's not quite as easy as when she happily complied with everything I said. On top of that she's already using the English I'm teaching her against me. He new favorite word when she wants to do something is "pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease." Since it's also really nice to be able to talk to the adults in our own secret language, I'm starting to reconsider this whole English thing...

Mis Hijas

2011-01-08T10:17:00.011-05:00

Usually, when a new child comes into a household the pets take a backseat in the family hierarchy. However, in our little family tree my puppy dog Ruby's importance, if anything, has been elevated. Maybe she can't play Barbies very well with her sister, but they still have so much in common.

Their personalities are remarkably similar. If Ruby could smile she would surely smile as huge and as often as Ange, and I think, like the two of us, she would probably have dimples. They are both always so playful, full of joy and live completely in the present. Neither of them has ever asked me what's gonna happen next, or where we're going. In life, like in the car, they're just enjoying the ride, a lesson I could definitely learn from.

All three of us are animal lovers. Puppies and kittens being high on all our lists, but high on Ruby's list for more mouthwatering reasons.

Ruby and Angie are both calm easy-going girls, but if tested, their energy levels could blow mine away any day. However, only once so far, have I had to employ the motherly ¨resting my eyes.¨ Each of them lights up like a Christmas tree in response to any affection. And they both know exactly how to use their puppy dog eyes

to win me over every time. I wonder if Ruby taught Ange that one.

Oh my goodness, they both have so much hair. Relatively, everyone does compared to me, but I think these girls must be in the top 5th percentile.

They both love to please their momma, but only one of them I have yet to discipline or even need a stern word for, because she's never chased a cat, or eaten someone else's food, or disobeyed me in the slightest. I sure hope Angelica starts rubbing off on her sister in this area.

This motherhood thing is so much fun! When's it gonna start getting hard? (Rhetorical question, don't answer that.)

Final Stop

2011-01-02T21:23:00.007-05:00

If you look closely at the "Team Spears" family Christmas photo here, you'll see that two of the lovely ladies are wearing their Talita Cumi scarves made especially for them by the newest granddaughter, Angie. This pretty well represents my time in the US over the past two weeks, sharing photos, gifts, and stories of my new daughter. I often found myself wondering what the visit would have been like without such news, I'm guessing a lot less interesting and a lot less glowing, as that's what I seem to do when I talk about her.

But I wasn't the only one glowing on the KY/IN stop of my whirlwind tour. Last Thursday, one of my favorite people in the world, Ashley Brown became Mrs. Giles. It was a beautiful couple of days of reuniting with old friends, and meeting new Texans, from the groom's side. It's been just a bit difficult to allow so many friends this past year+ while I've been away, meet and marry people I know nothing of, but to my huge relief, I was very approving of Mark, Ash's new hubby. It was such a treat to be included in their three days of festivities, and get to know who I'm releasing her to, just a little better.

The three days included the traditional rehearsal and wedding, plus their unique spin on how to spend a little extra face time with the out-of-towners; a New Year's Eve party, complete with all the reception leftoves, even wedding cake from the Homemade Ice Cream and Pie Kitchen!! To make room for a little extra red velvet with cream cheese icing, a few of us took one last charming walk of the year along the waterfront. I was not as excited about the unseasonably warm weather as everyone else since I was savoring every sweet minute of cold, but I totally appreciated Louisville's beautiful familiar skyline. How many places is it really possible to consider "home"? MD, DC, CO, KY, IN and all my beloved friends and family in each; I'll miss you, but fortunately I doubt I'll have much time to dwell as I start a new chapter of my life tomorrow when I arrive in Santa Cruz and pick up Angelica. Your prayers would be lovely.

"By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country..." -Hebrews 11:8-9

Christmas in Colorado

2010-12-27T20:13:00.002-05:00

I'm often asked what I've missed about the US while I've been away, and my answer sometimes includes Krispy Kreme doughnuts or snow, but it's usually no longer an answer than simply; "the people". Few things could have kept me from Mosaic's first ever Christmas Eve service, but these adorable -- I wouldn't dare call them that to their faces, they're way too much like teenagers for that kind of description -- cousins, and everyone else in attendance at the Scott Christmas, made an excellent substitute for my church family.

As many as 16 of us, at any one time, cozied into the two bathroom house for four days of games, amazing food, presents, overdue chats, pictures of Angelica, and good old family fun. We ventured out for hikes, skiing/snowboarding, hot springs, a little last minute shopping, and visits to my grandfather in the local hospital with an untimely case of pneumonia. But God was so sweet to allow him to be discharged to us on Christmas Eve. In his usual selflessness, he was worried about keeping everyone up all night coughing, but I'm sure everybody would agree, that each peep out of him was just a welcomed reminder that he was home with us for Christmas.

When I left the US and my family almost a year and a half ago, my three cousins, who'd all been pretty much perfect since birth, were starting to blow me away with their talent, thoughtfulness, and exuberance, it was a difficult goodbye. A couple months after I left, Rachel--the youngest--was gifted a stuffed horse and a little girl doll for her 7th birthday. She named the horse "Bolivia" and the girl "Lauren". This visit I had the honor of meeting "Lauren" and "Bolivia", and I fantasized about the days when Ange will get to play with this fabulous trio, who calls me "Willis" for no apparent reason, but is nearly impossible to leave nonetheless. Now the question is; will all 15 of those in attendance at the Scott family Christmas be buying tickets down to South America to meet the newest member of their clan, or will we be sneaking home sometime in the next year or so for the long-anticipated introductions...

Either way, we'll be together and that's all that really matters.

First Leg of the Perfect Trip

2010-12-24T13:12:00.004-05:00

I guess if you don’t have culture shock on arrival in a new country, it’s unlikely you’ll have reverse culture shock on the return, but I had no idea it’d be this easy to transition back into the American Dream. And by the American Dream I mean, of course, wearing other people’s winter clothes, sleeping in their beds, eating their food, and playing with their babies, who’ve grown up so much in a year and a half!

On Saturday, my first day back in the States, after the shocking realization that everyone’s really tall here, I had a fabulous day in DC. Snow covered parks, buildings lit with Christmas lights, and leafless trees (never thought I would think that was beautiful) set the backdrop for a sweet lunch and reunion with my mom’s best friend from college, Carolyn, and dinner with my best friend from high school, Amanda. It was a day of nostalgia, Rollerderby, and my re-introduction to amazing American food.

Sunday, was an awesome reunion with my Mosaic family. Where they, as usual, blessed my socks off with their love, encouragement, generosity, and hugs. Which continued into a perfect three days of visits, lunches, dinners, game night, and long missed conversations with people I so respect, depend on, and miss...

If I didn't have such great friends and family to move on to in Colorado and Kentucky, it would have been impossible to leave. And I can't stop thinking if I didn't have Angelica to return to in Bolivia, it'd be awfully hard to give all this wonderfulness up yet again.

I’ve been terribly worried about my avid blog followers (who probably only exist in my imagination) who’ve been desperately awaiting their weekly update, but it turns out Colorado’s worse than a third world country in its internet access...

Feliz Navidad! Merry Christmas to you all! Hope yours is snow covered like mine, now I'm off to hit the slopes...

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable Gift!" -2 Corinthians 9:15

Advent Attitude

2010-12-13T12:21:00.006-05:00

[When we talk about December, how many people think? "Sigh, the most relaxing time of the year." "Ah yes, this free open space, this month out of the twelve, where I just feel the calm." For many people December is just, "Oh my word, let's just get through it." To which I think Jesus would say, "Oh, well done, that's what I had in mind."]

This sarcastic last line to a point Rob Bell was making recently really struck me. I LOVE Christmas; the lights, the giving, the sweets, the parties, the family! And fortunately, I kind of thrive on being busy, but in the busyness do I sometimes lose sight of the meaning of advent? Yes.

Strangely here, the activities are not all Christmas related, and none of them involve snow, but somehow this season is just as busy this side of the equator as it was nearer the North pole.

Between an end-of-school teacher's barbecue,

the semi-annual yard-sale,

our church moving into our very own building for the first time,

Talita Cumi's quarterly birthday party,

hosting a going-away party for our World Concern national director,

and having everyone over for our VetRed year-end/Christmas party,

I stayed fairly busy this weekend.

Did I mention that I also had 3 out of town guests visiting? So, I may not have cancelled all activities to focus on the Advent, but during all of this running around I don't think my blood pressure's risen once, because I've taken Rob Bell's covenant, as I recommend you do as well:

"I, hereby, do solemnly swear to not lose the plot this Christmas season. I will not worry, complain or stress over gift-giving, traffic, parties, spiked eggnog, or generally annoying busyness. In the spirit of advent I will slow down, be still, awake and aware of the divine mystery that looks so common and so ordinary, yet is wondrously present..."

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." -Matthew 1:21

My Christmas Angel

2010-12-07T12:31:00.013-05:00

Disclaimer: If you haven't read my December electronic prayer letter, you might wanna start there.

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in your power to do it.”-Proverbs 3:27

“If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” -Isaiah 58:10

“...If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” -1 John 3:17

“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” -James 1:27

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” -James 1:22

Many of you know the first three verses have guided my life and decisions for years. And now I’ve followed them into the idea of starting a family. It wasn’t a hard decision as you’ll learn once you meet Angelica. If I hadn’t been so quick I surely would have missed my chance as others would have scooped her up right away.

She sings in a little choir, plays the flute, loves to make jewlery and art, and learns tasks with lightning speed. But don’t worry we do have some things in common too. She’s full of energy and always up for any chance to run or play sports. She’s adventurous and curious and only afraid of the really important things like snakes and large scary birds. She’s the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, and will be teaching me math in no time. She’s always patiently taking care of the younger or weaker around her, including me. Her smile rocks my world, and as one friend put it, when she walks into a room she brings peace. She loves Jesus.

But even with all this in her favor I did not choose her as it would appear. I met her on Christmas Eve at Talita Cumi. In April I asked them which children still needed sponsors,but then couldn’t decide between the two that were left, so I took them both. My other precious child turns 17 tomorrow and also has a brother and sister in the home. In September, I learned that Angelica was becoming adoptable and God immediately started to speak to my heart, basically whispering “why wait for someone else to love her, I’m asking you.” And thus begins our story. I hope you’ll stay with us to hear the rest as it unfolds...

Thanksgiving Tacos

2010-11-29T10:35:00.006-05:00

I know, I know, Thanksgiving and tacos don't have a single overlapping ingredient, but neither do Thanksgiving and Bolivia, well except maybe a few displaced gringos. Last week five of us displaced North Americans ventured to Cochabamba to join with other pilgrims in celebrating all that we have to be thankful for with overpriced turkey and all the traditional fixings that we either had brought down from the US or overpaid for here.

However, while I was indulging in my favorite food of the year with some of my favorite people, one friend in particular was avoiding all normal Thanksgiving foods like the plague. My dear friend Savannah accompanied by her sister Alison, who was surprise visiting from the US, went out for barbeque chicken wraps followed by movie theater popcorn to avoid the customary feast. I don't think we'd ever been seen in dresses together outside of church so after our late night viewing of HP7 we had a guard document the occasion with a photo. The next night, after visiting all the old Cochabamba hotspots, we made Thanksgiving tacos with our beloved language school director, Mauge. Don't worry we had pumpkin bread and apple pie to make it truly Thanksgiving-y.

I'm also so thankful for the Wolheters with whom we cooked, ate, played Settlers, and hiked to a "waterfall." Their boys are growing up way too fast! I'm thankful for my traveling companions Taylor and the Janeckes who made our Thanksgiving trip into the type of family-vacation that makes it nearly impossible to miss a "normal" Turkey Day. And so thankful for Skype that makes it impossible to miss my "real" family. But as life-like as Skype is, it has nothing to compare with the long awaited hugs I'll be sharing with so many of you that I'm thankful for in 2.5 weeks!

"Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness." - Colossians 2:7 NLT

A Weekend of Talita Cumi Fun

2010-11-22T07:40:00.004-05:00

So, I know I talk about Talita Cumi a lot, but I really can't help it, for the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. -Matthew 12:34. This time I thought I'd show you, more than tell you, how I got to see the kids from TC every day this weekend, and tonight I'm going back to Skype them to their Auntie Kim who's currently studying in Canada, while we impatiently await her return!

Friday, was the kids' last day of school before their summer break, so they had a little fair of sorts. They loved having a visitor to show their classrooms and projects to, even if it was someone as old and uncool as myself.

Saturday, five of the teenagers were baptized in my friends' pool.

Among the five, were Cesar and one of his sisters, my sweet Jenny.

I'm so proud of the gentle, nurturing, beautiful young woman she's becoming.

And then Sunday, because I just couldn't get that fabulous pool from the baptisms out of my mind, I hauled all sixteen girls back for an afternoon of jumping, sliding, swimming and squealing at the Adjei's lovely home.

I'm not sure how I'll survive two weeks in the US without them...

Girl Time

2010-11-12T21:23:00.010-05:00

Over the weekend I got to spend some time with some lovely ladies. On Friday, I invited the women from our growing vet school ministry over for our second viewing of H2O. The first night a week ago was such a success that they immediately wanted to make copies of the videos, which I took as a sign of their approval, but was not so sure about City On A Hill's approval. I jokingly shared with Kyle Idleman their interesting manner of demonstrating their appreciation; which is sometimes also referred to as "stealing". And was shocked to find that he was all for it! In a country where EVERYTHING is pirated, I wonder if they've ever once had permission from the producer. Unprecedented! Now the goal is to keep getting the ladies together to fellowship and study, even though they won't need me and my originals anymore. New cupcake recipes should do the trick...

Then on Saturday we had a birthday party for some of the girls with b-days in this season. The party was specifically for Adreana who turned the big 3-0 on Friday, but the little crowns came 4-to-a-pack, so we were able to extend the celebration to some Sept-Dec birthday girls as well. There was one poor (or lucky) guy at our fiesta, and one husband who stopped by briefly, but for the most part it was, as many of our reunions are, estrogen only. And that's increasingly just fine with me.

As much as I really am enjoying my time with the ladies of my different circles, none of them have proven particularly helpful in my ongoing car fun. At least not nearly as useful as some of the men who've gone out of their way to ease my frustrations. I especially wanted to give credit and thanks to Bill Janecke without whom I'd be even better friends with the tow truck driver. For a guy, Bill is pretty cool!

Race Etiquette

2010-11-07T14:08:00.012-05:00

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." - 1 Corinthians 9:24

Maybe I should have read this verse as my devotional this morning before I ran in my first race since leaving the US. Wearing, of course, the same shoes I wore in my last race, a mini-marathon in July of 2009 in Oregon, because they don't have shoes here large enough for my feet. But I can't complain about the shoes, they were fine, better than others' apparently as there were at least three runners carrying their shoes and finishing in socked feet. Who knows?

However, the heat might merit a complaint or two. Does anyone remember the Chicago Marathon of 2007, where they had to cancel the race because of the heat, it was 88 degrees. Here, today it is 99℉. I carried a frozen bag of chocolate milk in my pocket to stay cool, I couldn't find the little bagged waters in the store, turns out the race must have bought all of them in the entire city. BTW, chocolate milk--not so thirst quenching.

I really had no idea what to expect going into it. I almost never see runners around the city, so I had unrealistic visions of prize money dancing in my head. Little did I know, just how unrealistic. The newspaper this morning said there were 5,000 runners signed up. I guess in a city of 2 million, 1 in 400 people would sign up for a free race. Free meant more runners, no safety pins, no chips for the shoes, and t-shirts for only the first 200 finishers.

So, you're dying of suspense I know. Did I get a t-shirt, did I win prize money, did I even finish? Turns out, not wearing a watch for over a year is not a good way to train for a race, nor to know how you did in one lacking a finish clock. I thought to look at my phone a bit after the race, and estimate that I finished in about 50 minutes, which I'm happy with because we didn't cross the starting line for a couple minutes and an 8 minute pace isn't bad when you've been training at about 12-13 minute miles.

However, my running comrade Misty, says she talked to one of the womens' finalist who finished in 35 minutes, oh my! Even if I hadn't made the mistake of starting in the middle of the pack, behind a couple thousand runners/walkers who've had little opportunity to run in races and learn running etiquette like where to start based on your expected pace and how to maybe get out of the way when you decide to stop and walk in front of a stampede of runners. But passing people is a lot more fun than being passed, and I only got passed by one female the entire race, so that's something. Next time I'll know what I'm up against and be better prepared to follow Paul's advice in 1 Cor. Maybe I'll even update my footwear, or get a watch!

Now, back to the real race: "...my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace." - Acts 20:24

Happy Halloween/All Saints Day!

2010-11-03T09:11:00.008-04:00

While you guys were off electing on Tuesday, we were also enjoying some free time for All Saints Day. Just as All Saints Day probably doesn't bring many traditions to mind for you, nor me, Halloween has just as little significance to the locals here. It's doubtful Halloween ever made my top 3 list for holidays, but pumpkins, costumes, and CANDY are not customs that any child should miss out on regardless of her nationality. So, I took some candy over to the Cristo Viene Girls' Home on Sunday night and innocently enough told them "Happy Halloween!"

Little did I know that they would immediately extract from me all the details of trick-or-treating and within minutes be loading into my car to experience this novelty for themselves. Completely against my better judgement I hauled 22 people back to my house to pick up plastic grocery bags and hit the streets, costume-less.
My neighborhood is a bit heavier on gringos than most, so there were actually a few families prepared for the squealing young mob of estrogen running from house to house screaming some attempt at "Trick-or-Treat!" After about half an hour and a quick stop at the playground they contentedly climbed back into my car and counted their loot = 4 pieces of what might as well have been pure gold! In their utter ignorance of the fact that they should have had 4 kilos of candy, they were ecstatic!

Making sure to take full advantage of my car while my new friend, Hernan, the tow-truck-driver's not monopolizing it; Tuesday we hauled 17 people to the botanical gardens for a day in the sun, and shade whenever we could find it. Toyota's 10 passenger design is really just a loose guideline.

Highlights of the day: While the lagartos (alligators), and ñandú (rhea) who joined us for lunch were fun, the feature attraction was the sighting of the ardillas, wait for it...get ready...SQUIRRELS! Does it get any better than this? Other highlights: the Talita Cumi kids who joined us didn't all pace themselves and therefore some wore out mid-morning, but a quick restful piggy-back ride and another new American tradition -- PB&J -- and they were back to full strength, and ready for the playground. Where we close with one of my favorite moments; Angélica teaching me how to swing, as if it was my very first time...

Reverse Culture Shock Practice

2010-10-28T16:35:00.012-04:00

Who knew Lima, Peru was so HUGE?! So big and progressive in fact, that they have all these strange rules prohibiting smoking inside buildings, requiring seat belts while riding in vehicles, and calling for owners to pick up after their pets in public places. Bizarre!

As you've probably seen from recent Facebook statuses or remember from last week's post about the urgency of retrieving my passport before leaving the country, I just went on a four day trip to a veterinary conference in Peru with two co-workers and four vet students. It was a week of firsts for many of them, and long-losts for me.

Three of our girls had never flown before, left Bolivia, nor seen the ocean, let alone been to a city with more people than their entire country. So, needless to say, there was a lot of adrenaline flowing while playing in the surf, learning how to use escalators, and watching the earth shrink beneath them as the plane took off. However, no experience brought on more squealing or bouncing than someone's first glimpse of Kentucky Fried Chicken! (I'll let you guess who that someone might have been)

I'm not exactly sure why I felt it necessary to include a picture of KFC, as if you didn't know what it looked like, or wouldn't believe me if I didn't show you. Really it was more to share my enthusiasm, just seeing the Colonel and the word Kentucky was like a little taste of home, and the excitement barely dwindled as we passed two or three more franchises around town. McDonald's fries and sundae have never tasted nearly so good, and Papa John himself must have flown down to personally prepare my little pizza in the airport, because it was the best pizza in the history of the world. Basically, what I'm trying to say is; I had no idea I was missing such foods so much, and I have no idea how I'll react in December while in the US for the first time after nearly a year and a half. But if this trip was any indicator -- Look Out! Or at least don't get between me and the Homemade Ice Cream and Pie Kitchen!!!

Check out more pictures on Facebook, and watch for ministry/veterinary details about the trip in my next two prayer letters...

Faith, Passports, and Knowing When to Quit

2010-10-22T15:41:00.011-04:00

"Faith is not believing that God CAN. It is knowing that He WILL." This seemingly harmless statement is currently my friend's Facebook status. Under most circumstances one would not find it particularly controversial or provocative, but this week, it struck a bit of nerve. Let's start from the beginning...

On September 10th, I started the Two-Year-Visa-Fun (as it's officially titled) by waiting for an hour or two to find out that I did not have all of the papers they wanted. This began the process that would take about twelve days and exactly 17,000 trips to the immigration office until on the 22nd they were finally satisfied with my documents and accepted them, telling me to return in two weeks to pick up my Passport. (This sign hangs in the immigration office, in English it reads: "The best way to do things is with Love!" In a government office!)

I generously gave them an extra week and returned on the 12th of October with every confidence that my visa would be waiting for me. However, instead they matter-of-factly told me my papers had just arrived in La Paz (I live in Santa Cruz) and I should return in another two weeks. That's when the panic slowly started to arise, only to crescendo this afternoon as my body tried to decide whether to vomit or faint while waiting in the immigration office for the second time today. You see, the urgency that struck me over the head like a ton of bricks was my trip to Peru in LESS than two weeks, for which of course, I would NEED my passport!

This was no sight-seeing trip to Peru either. My veterinary license renewal period has come and gone, without any grace from the board toward my living-in-a-distant-land situation, and now if I don't get 26 more hours of continuing education before November 30th my license will be terminated. So, this launched phase two of the passport retrieval madness, in which I flew to La Paz to speed the process, returned empty-handed, read two more books while waiting, cried in various government offices, had my car broken into, cried a bit in my own office apparently concerning co-workers as far as Seattle with my uncharacteristic emotional-ness enough to send a "Giant HUG!" cyberly to my rescue, was handed the passport of another US citizen by the name of Lauren (which was so ridiculous that in spite of the tension I couldn't help but laugh), and finally ended up in hundreds of your prayers. I cannot imagine there has been, or will be, a passport as prayed for as this one. Thank you!

In this last step I learned which of you believe the sentiment of the quote at the beginning of this post and which of you have tried it and been let down. Many of you calmly told me to "Just have faith." Others recognized it would be an utter miracle for me to get on that plane as each day passed and they assured me my passport would arrive the next day, and hence rationally tried to come up with alternative solutions. And finally, the third group of you stated out loud what was less reassuring than the "Just have faith" slogan; that maybe God didn't want me to go to Peru.

And from these ideas I have been trying to learn the lesson God's teaching me through this, to ensure that I'll never have to learn it again! My extremely timely devotional yesterday ended with the line "Nuestro futuro desconocido está seguro en las manos de Dios que todo lo conoce." (Our unknown future is safe in God's hands who knows it all.) And this I wholeheartedly believe, but what to do with this thought, I have no idea. If God really is in control, if His plan is greater than our plan, when do we take matters into our own hands and when do we leave them in His? When should I have accepted that God did not want me to have my passport, make this trip, or be a veterinarian anymore?

Well, either it was already in God's plan, but he wanted to make me sweat until the last second, or we were really persuasive with our prayers, but as you've deduced from the photo, this afternoon they finally returned my passport, two-year-visa and all!

I'm still not sure when to throw in the towel and accept that God doesn't want me to do something, and when to faithfully believe He'll give me whatever I ask, but I do know that a lot of you, and a lot of curious onlookers at immigration, just saw an answer to prayer! ¡Peru, nos vemos el domingo!