Update on Boxes!

Well the 19th has come and gone and we are still not very far along with our boxes. We finished the paper work that was asked of us and sent it to Quito but received word last Thursday that it still wasn't good enough and that they want one more thing.
The next piece of paper work that they want is a contract in Ecuador, however as we are on a missionary visa, we cannot get an Ecuadorian contract without being paid in Ecuador. And since we are paid from Canada that makes getting a contract difficult.
After talking to a few other people we decided to hire a lawyer who also happens to be Jenny's nephew. He works in Quito and has been a lawyer to the customs people for many years so he has quite a few connections with the customs. We have now sent him everything that we were asked for from the customs people and he said that we shouldn't have been asked to send everything that we have to them. And in fact shouldn't have to send anything else to them except for our visas that show we work in Ecuador and are missionaries that get paid from outside of the country. He also said it was pretty strange that they were asking for so much stuff, when we clearly will be living here for many years.
We hope that this lawyer will be able to do something for us about our boxes that we haven't been able to do. At least be able to talk to the customs officer in charge and not just the in between people like we have only been able to talk to. Please be in prayer that the lawyer can get our boxes for us and that we can start putting this frustrating process behind us. Please pray that the lawyer will get back to us quickly and have some good news about our boxes.

Boxes!

When we moved to Ecuador we decided that we'd like to bring a little more stuff with us then we did to Brazil. One is because we now have kids and we wanted to bring some of their special toys, books and so on. And two is because there were a few times when in Brazil that we wished we had brought other things with us. So instead of paying extreme amounts of money to add a luggage to the trip, we decided to mail us our stuff here so that when we got here, they would arrive soon after.
However, now after being here two months and not getting our boxes when we thought we would, I sometimes wonder if it would have been easier and cheaper to just have brought the stuff as extra luggage. We sent four boxes of stuff here and only received one, which as it turns out was the one we expected to arrive last. All the others were stopped at the customs at the post office in Quito. Turns out that they supposedly were all overweight and couldn't be shipped to Cuenca. So we were asked to fill out some paperwork and bring it to Quito.
Two weeks ago we went to Quito with everything that they had asked us for but then we were told they needed other paperwork to show that we are staying in Ecuador for a long time. Well, we thought we had done everything during that week we were in Quito, even extending our trip because we thought that we were going to get the boxes yet returned to Cuenca without them. Unfortunately, they asked for one more piece of paperwork and gave us till the 19th to comply or we wouldn't get our boxes ever or even get them sent back to Canada. We even discovered that technically two of the three boxes were not overweight but because they arrived on the same day and on the same plane, those two boxes were joined together making them overweight. It was a very frustrating week and very hard on the kids as we spent numerous hours at the post office in Quito with nothing to show for it.
These past two weeks that we have been back in Cuenca, we have been trying to get our paperwork done and finally sent it to the Representative of the customs in Quito on Wednesday. Today, Travis was able to talk to someone in the post office who got in touch with the representative, who told him that they were unable to confirm with the customs if the paperwork is enough to get our boxes. So again we wait to find out if we can get our boxes. Monday, Travis is supposed to go back to the Post Office to find out if this last paperwork we got done is enough and then we would head back to Quito to pick up our boxes. This time we won't bring the kids as one they are now in school and two we don't want to get there and for the customs to say no and then have one more thing to do when we get there.
The main thing that we have in those boxes are the books and notes that Travis needs for the work that we will do here. As well, they contain some sentimental items from both Canada and Brazil to help us remember those special places and to also remind our kids where they were born. If it weren't for those two main things, we would be tempted not to even worry about the boxes but in lots of ways we really want to keep those things, we don't own a lot but the things we do own mean a lot to us.
So please be in prayer that God will work in the hearts of those who make the decisions about releasing our boxes and let them be happy with everything that we have provided to prove we plan to stay here for many years. Please be in prayer that Monday brings good news that we can go get our boxes and that we have a safe trip to Quito and back.

Home Sweet Home!

P9070276, originally uploaded by A Family On A Mission.

We have officially been in our new place for a month now and are definitely glad to have a place to call our own. You can see Ceara, Travis and Calen standing outside our living room window, above is Ceara's bedroom, as you can tell with the barbie curtains. Our place is in a closed condo with three houses and four apartments. We have three floors in our place the first floor is the laundry room, kitchen, living and dining space and a guest bathroom. The second floor is three bedrooms and two bathrooms and the top floor is an open space and a bathroom that we have made into the kids play space. It's been great having a separate place for the kids to go play and not have to worry about cleaning up every night or when company might come over.
Besides the play room the kids have lots of space outside to run around as you can see in the picture the large driveway that they can play in. The great thing is that there is a locked gate so they can't just leave the condo area and that there is very little car traffic so they can still play in the road without worry.
We have a couple that lives in the last house of the condo with a grand daughter Calen's age and she comes over to play all the time or the kids go over there too. As well there is another house that has their parking space in the condo but technically is not a part of the condo. They also have a boy around Ceara's age and he often comes over to play too. So it's been a great move for our kids being able to play a lot with the Ecuadorian kids.
We finally have all the things we need for our house like the fridge, stove and washer, dryer. They finally were hooked up so we are glad to be able to finally cook and wash our own clothes. Our couch arrived the same day as our dining room table which ended up as a surprise as they had said it wouldn't be ready till this week. And Travis and I finally got our bed frame so now we don't have to sleep on the floor. Which since I am getting up at 6am every morning to get the kids ready for school, it has been a little hard waking up since I am still a night owl, but now it's not so hard to wake up in the morning knowing I don't have to crawl up off the floor, haha. The only thing that we have to get still are the kids bed frames. I had originally made a design for their beds, a princess bed and a race car bed. We were going to get one of the church members who is a carpenter to make the beds as we knew he was in need of the work, however, they have recently moved back to his home town so we are stuck with just the designs. So now we either have to find someone else to make them or we go with a second option and buy them already built beds. It may just be easier now to buy them already built beds even though it would have been fun to make custom beds here.
Last Friday we hosted our first group of people over to our place in honor of Travis' birthday! We invited all of our team and then the families that we have been studying the Bible with. As well, Bolo's daughter Valeria is going out with Mateo and his birthday was the same day as Travis' so we had his family over too. It was great to be able to host something at our place and know that it won't be the last time. All the kids had a blast playing upstairs, it's a pretty big room but the whole floor when they were done was covered in toys. But at least they enjoyed it and they kept busy which was nice as all the adults were able to chat without having to worry about the kids.
We barbecued chicken wings and added a few new flavors that the Ecuadorians loved. I made Greek and potato salad which went over well then then to top it all off a carrot cake and cream cheese icing. That went over so well that I will now be translating the recipe to give to everyone that was there. It is funny what things we make that end up being favorites for the locals of the countries we go to. It was great having everyone over and we hope to do a few more things like that here, where people see God through the way that we live and give to others.
Another thing that we enjoy is the neighborhood that we live in. Just a block from where we live is a great park for the kids, it's one that's a little off of the main beat so the playground itself is in better condition then others. As well there is another park just two blocks away that have a few different play ground equipment's. We are also near a little store so if we find we are out of something we don't have to go far to go get it. As well, there is a great bread store near us, a hardware store and a soccer field that the kids could join. So just in this little area you can find everything you need in a 5 or 10 minute walk. It's definitely been a great move for us and we know that God is already making way for us as we continue to meet new people and make more connections here. It is so nice to have a home sweet home! Please continue to pray for us and the people that we will meet just because of where we have moved.

School Begins!

Ceara in her sports uniform!

Calen on his first day of school.

 This past week Ceara and Calen have been experiencing school for the first time in Ecuador. Ceara is in primeria basica, which is the equivalent to kindergarten in Canada. Last year she went to her first preschool class for three days a week between 9am and 12pm. This time her schedule is much different. I wake up at 6am to get her breakfast ready and then wake her up by 6:15 where she gets dressed, eats breakfast and then we head out the door to wait for her bus which comes at 6:45am every morning. She gets to school around 7:30 ish once the bus has picked up all the other kids. They have a little snack break at 10:45am and then she is done school at 12:45pm where she heads back on the bus and doesn't get home until 1:20pm. She is really enjoying her school, everyone of course speaks Spanish so she is having to learn a lot quickly. There is one exception of another girl who has recently moved to Cuenca who also speaks only English so the two of them are pretty good friends and I am sure that they are trying to learn Spanish together. But at least they aren't alone in the process. There are about 15 kids in her class so she has more chance to have one on one time with the teacher. We hear Ceara everyday speaking a little bit more Spanish. Even though she wakes up a little grumpy she always comes home with a huge smile on her face and tells us all about her day. I know she loves school.

Ceara just about to get on her bus.

Calen in his new school.

Calen in his school uniform.

 Calen also is going to school but he is in preschool. It is his first time to go to school and be away from me for a long period of time. He has always said since Ceara started school that he needed to go to but it's a little different then he realized. Calen's school is only a two minute walk from our house, one block away. We really enjoyed finding this school because it was close and because the classes are only with six kids in a class with a teacher. It's exactly what Calen needs, some friends but also some more one on one time with the teacher to learn Spanish. His teachers say he's pretty quiet in school and doesn't talk much but I know he is absorbing it all and once he feels more comfortable going every day then he will start to come out of his shell. We hear him talking more in Spanish every day so we know he is learning what he needs to. He starts school at 9am and is done at 12pm but can stay there till 1pm if we'd like. Everyday it is the same thing, "I don't want to go to school" but at the end of his time he's happy and excited that he went. He never has cried when we leave him but I think it's more that he'd like to play and enjoy a little more of his morning before he goes to school. It's been a bit of an adjustment for us to be up earlier in the day but it's been really great to see the kids grow and be excited about school. And it does give me more time during the day to do the things I need to do such as writing this blog, haha. It's hard to believe that those little kids we had in Brazil are now old enough to be in school here in Ecuador, where has the time gone? Please keep our kids in your prayers as they continue to go to school and learn more about this culture and it's language.

Calen is Three!

P8270454, originally uploaded by A Family On A Mission.

August 27th was Calen's Birthday! He turned three this year and it's so crazy. The time has flown by so quickly. I can't believe that he is already three, though most of the time he seems older. In fact he's so much taller then a three year old that most people ask us if he's four.
We decided at the last minute to have a little celebration. We decided to host the party at CEDI and we enjoyed having about 30 people come to celebrate his day. Calen was so excited that he couldn't even wait to open his presents till the end, so we ended up opening them up half way between before he ended up having a meltdown. He got lots of cars for his birthday. In fact for the whole month before his birthday he kept asking for a fire truck and a 'lofty', for those who have ever watched 'Bob the Builder' you know what we mean. So he was pretty happy when we got one of each of those. We also got a bunch of pizzas and ordered the giant size, however, it really was giant! But the great thing was we were able to give a bunch of left over people to our guest to take home, so they were all pretty happy.
Travis even got to teach the Ecuadorians how to play baseball. Overall, it was a great party and even though Calen is more introverted, he enjoyed his party!
It's hard to believe that Calen is three, I am so excited for the new things that he will learn and the ways that he is going to grow. He's a pretty quiet guy but once he gets talking, it's hard to get him to stop. He has lots of stories to tell and he's our funny man. He also is strong and can push his older sister around any time he wants. He loves cars and spiderman and playing any kind of sports. He's such a special guy! Happy Third Birthday Calen!