New additions to the family...

We officially have been here just over 6 months now!  Some days it is hard to believe how fast time has gone and some days it feels like eternity!

So what has been happening here lately?

Our yard of sod is done!  Since that project we have accumulated many new friendships with neighborhood kids.  Almost everyday we have kids coming over wanting to play baseball in the yard.  This is great because our kids have build some friendships and have become more brave in learning the language.  It is opening ministry opportunities as we become part of the community more.  Our staff even had relay races recently...fun for adults as well!

We had a staff retreat in Jarabacoa  (har-a-ba-coa) the second week of February.  The entire staff (Dominican, Haitian, and Americans) all spent Saturday and Sunday in the mountains of the Dominican Republic.  There we were able to do some team building and bonding.  The kids and I have never been to a real waterfall so we hiked to a nearby one.  It took a lot of encouraging the kids to continue in their hike through heat and hills.  Josh decided to climb up the rock and jump off into the waterfall.  We like to say Finley did too, but actually she was being the independent girl she is and .... fell into the spring!  Clothes and all!   We also visited a coffee farm up in the mountain.  It was an upward hike that took the family at least 2 hours in drizzling rain.  I think the whole time Josh and I (and sweet staff members) took turns piggy-backing our children!  Our bodies were quite sore!  It was definitely educational and interesting though.  The Allen's, whom work for Missionary Training Institute  in Colorado flew in that weekend to encourage and assist our team in growing- in all ways! They were a huge blessing to the Makarios staff, as well as Josh and I.  I think our time with them turned into more of marriage counseling :)

We had a team from Cedarville College come.  They were a team of 6 and were with us a few days.  We then quickly prepared for the team of 59 people's that would show up 2 days later!!  Hill Country Christian school from Austin brought  their students to serve Makarios.  The Mak house was packed and It was a VERY busy week.  The students prepared lessons and crafts for the Makarios kids, as well as the villages Makarios works alongside of.  They were a blessing and it was awesome to watch the students bond with the Makarios kids.  I was blessed by a mom that homeschools a Cleveland Browns player's children and she schooled our kids that week as I was very busy in the kitchen!  Our kids loved "Ms. Arla"and informed me they wanted her to be their teacher (ok, in fairness, she did school with M & Ms !) I was blessed by her wisdom and humor all week as well.  When teams come we also like to get projects accomplished by using their help.  Josh and Andy led the team in putting in a cement driveway as well!  This will be a blessing for teams, neighbors, events, &  staff gatherings!

Josh's parents came in on March 19th and we took a much needed vacation.  Josh's grandparents (so generous!) gave us a week of their timeshare to stay at a nearby resort.  We are relaxing and bonding with each other after a few months of busyness.  I do have to laugh...Parlyn and Finley got the "fro-ups" as Finn says.  Which, of course, trickled through the family.  Not what we wanted for vacation, but it was nice being forced to just lay in bed!

God has continued to be faithful and full of blessings.  We continue to pray for His direction and plans for us as we have already been living life here for 7 months.  We have postponed our original plans to come back to the states in May due to my youngest sisters recent engagement and wedding date this coming September.  We plan to spend several weeks then in the states visiting with you all!  Thank you all for the continued encouragements, letters, support, and prayers.  Your prayers are so appreciated and of course, needed :).

Our newest additions to the family?  Our neighbor brought us 8 chickadees...as a gift!  Then a week later our housekeeper brought the kids a puppy...as a gift.  A gift is a gift.  One must accept, right? We are back to potty training (this time an animal) and up during the nights listening to "Chester" cry in the room down the hall.  Regardless, the kids are enjoying their pets.  I am thinking we are earning the name, "the funny farm"!
- Jen