The day before we had to move from our old home to another, Ceara was playing with her neighbor friends in their yard. We are not exactly sure what happened, just that the kids were bugging their Saint Bernard and Ceara was bitten by the dog right beside her eye. She came running to the house as we were in the middle of packing for the move and was bleeding on her face. I worried that she had been bitten on her eye, but luckily it missed her eye just barely. We rushed her to the hospital were she was cleaned and a plastic surgeon joined up the bite so that it would have the least amount of scarring. Seems like our family, or at least us girls have bad luck with dogs. Luckily, we knew the neighbors dog and it had had all it's shots so we didn't have to worry about Ceara needing rabies shots too. She has healed from the bite but now has a pretty large scar by her eye. It will take time to fade but it's already less then when it first happened. It doesn't take away from her beauty but it will be a reminder to her to be careful when it comes to dogs, at least we hope it is.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Ceara and Calen Head to School
Ceara headed to grade one this year, where has the time gone? Hard to believe that she's already in school! Calen also is going to school as he is in preschool. He went last year to a daycare to learn some Spanish but we felt he wasn't getting enough so this year he joined his sister in their new school, Academy Bell. As you can see by their uniforms, the colors are very similar to the Brazil flag. Well that is because the owners used to live in Brazil and know Portuguese. We decided on this school because of the fact the classes were small, the teaching is very advanced and the kids will learn, English, Spanish and Portuguese. We hope that they will retain some of what they learn in Portuguese so that one day should they decide to return to the home of their birth they would have the ability to talk in their native tongue. They really are enjoying their new school and we are getting to know quite a few of the parents as well. We are very pleased with their new school and it's a definite bonus that it now is a block from our home. Pray for them as they continue to grow and learn, make friends and learn three languages at once.
Emilio and Diana Get Married
We have been studying with a couple from the coast that have been coming to church because they wanted to be married. They had been living together for awhile and have three little kids together. After some premarital counseling they dedicated their lives to each other and to being a complete family with their three kids. We were able to help them out by decorating the church and providing the cake for the occasion. Soon after they returned to the coast due to job opportunities but please keep this couple in your prayers as they learn to be married and dedicate themselves more to their family.
Calen Turns Four!
At the end of August we celebrated the 4th birthday of Calen. He had been asking for a pirate birthday when he saw a pirate hat that he wanted at the store, So we invited all our friends from church and the neighbors we knew to celebrate this day with us. It was a pirate themed party and we had people dress us in pirate costumes if they could. It was lots of fun and we enjoyed the day. We had a treasure hunt, walking the plank, don't wake the pirate and of course eating pirate cupcakes. Calen loved the party and enjoyed being dressed up as a pirate. We also were able to get to know a few people better during the party that we'd not been as close to. Hard to believe that our boy is four but so glad for the boy he is turning into the older her gets. He's a funny guy, who loves his mom ( I'll take it while I can), loves all kinds of sports and race cars. What more can you ask for in a little boy? We love you Calen and Happy Birthday!
Friday, October 19, 2012
Museum
We have been in Cuenca for a year and had never been to the main museum so while the kids were on the school vacation we decided to go. Outside of the museum there are ruins from the old city of Cuenca. It's pretty neat how they made their buildings and harvested their foods. The kids enjoyed seeing all the rock walls and learning more about the culture here. It's a definitely a must see for anyone who comes to visit.
50 Years
Our family went to a 50 year wedding renewal with a couple from the church here. It was a great night where their grandkids, kids and the rest of their family celebrated 50 years of marriage and a re-commitment to their marriage at the same time. It is rare these days, especially here in South America for two people to have committed that much time in their lives being married. There is so much divorce or other problems that enter the marriage that it is hard to find a couple that has been willing to work out their differences or problems and make the marriage work. So it is a great accomplishment to celebrate a couple who had been together for 50 years and counting. We hope that through this celebration, many of the people in our church will also be willing to rededicate themselves to their relationships whether they are married or not but in all their relationships. Especially the one that they have with God. So please be in prayers for the marriages in this church, the couples who are struggling and for all those in the city who struggle with the commitment of marriage. And also a pray of praise for this couple who celebrated 50 years together. As well, keep Travis in your prayers as he works with couples who are struggling or want extra help to make their marriages strong and healthy. But especially that whether single, married, divorced or all other things, that our relationship with God is the most important dedication that we have and ever will make in our lives.
Via Flickr:
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Chorro de Giron
During the school holidays we went with the church in Azogues on a little trip to a waterfall about an hour away from Cuenca. Just by the waterfall was a little park where you could play soccer, the kids could go on swings and slides and you could barbeque food. So the church got together to get some things to put on the barbeque and we enjoyed the day playing games, eating great food and taking a hike up the mountain to see the waterfall. Some of the youth even went walking behind the waterfall getting soaked in the process. It was not a warm day so I don't know what they were thinking. As well we were able to meet a new couple that the church invited with twin girls who were two. Travis has started meeting with them since this time as they have had some struggles in their marriage. It was great to meet them in a more relaxed and comfortable place then at the church building because they felt more at ease and were more open to talking about themselves. So please be in prayer for them and their family, for their marriage and the opportunity that Travis has to teach them more about God and his plan for them. Also be in prayer for the church in Azogues as they continue to search for new opportunities to invited people from their community to come to know God. And for our continued relationship with the group there and that we can have more times like this mini trip to get to know them better.