Welcome back!
Hello friends and family, I do apologize for not updating my blog in over a month. I don't have access to the internet like I use to, and my computer was not allowing me to connect to any internet for a while, until NOW! That's a PC for ya! :/
Back in Costa Rica
It has been quite an adventure so far! Just for a bit of a recap, let me remind you of how God has brought me here TODAY, and how we serve a God with NO limitations. I shouldn't even be here right now. As a matter of fact, I simply couldn't afford it. When I fund-raised for Costa Rica I originally felt called to stay for 6 months. However, I only raised enough for 3. I thought that maybe I was wrong about my timing, that maybe God only wanted me to stay for 3. Well, clearly I was wrong. When God wills it HE makes a way, and HERE I AM back in this beautiful country for another 3 months (more like 2 and 1/2 but who's counting?) After 13 hours of travel from JFK international airport I have returned to my temporary home :) Coming back a second time is making me grow a deeper appreciation for this country, especially after leaving the United States. I love both, yet they are both very, very different. I love the people here. Most are very friendly. I love walking down the neighborhood and seeing windows and doors to homes open, people inside spending time with their families, and cooking. I love walking past a random passerby and being able to say 'Adios' or "Buenas' and it not being weird. I love that most people greet you with a friendly smile and expression in the street. I love the natural beauty of this country. The vegetation, the ample amount of fresh fruits and vegetables. I love the amount of walking you have to do on a daily basis, and how normal it is just to be outside. So many things I took for granted my first time around, and missed when I went to be back in the States. Surely I am going to miss this country when I leave. :(
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| Here is one of our healthy lunches that we put together as a team! :D mmmmm |
Christmas
I spent Christmas in NY/NJ with my family. It was one of the most memorable and beautiful Christmases I have ever had. Complete with having everyone I love in the same house, we had an addition to the family. My sister and brother-in-law's son (and my adorable nephew) Montez. On top of that it SNOWED and I got to go sleigh-riding and make a snowman which I haven't done in YEARS. My experience in the city of Manhattan was surely interesting. It was a lot more difficult to find my way around than I thought it was! I think I assumed that if I could travel across Costa Rica speaking a languange I am not fluent in, I could surely find my way around NY.... WRONG. Luckily my parents were there to save the day and they helped Eric and I find our way back home to my sister's BEAUTIFUL house in West Orange, NJ. I found myself more intimidated in NY to ask for directions than I do here in CR. Interesting.
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| ::Time Square:: |
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| Introducing BABY MONTEZ!!! |
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| He's so CUTE and TINY! |
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| Reunited once again!! It was sooo nice! |
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| Dad and Eric admiring the ''rascacielos'' |
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| Got to spend time with a WONDERFUL friend! :D Brooke Benson |
Latest Adventures
Our Home
Right now I am living in a house right across the street from the school. It is a beautiful 3 bedroom house. The location gives us such a great breeze during the day and a beautiful view of the city of Turrialba at night and the hills during the day. It makes SUCH a difference living this close to school and not having to take the bus. I am more readily available for setting up and breaking down in church and feel I can dedicate more time here without the bus schedule constraints. I'm VERY thankful.
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| My favorite color, Turquoise! |
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| :) |
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| This is my room :) |
Our Hike
Another thing I love about living here is that there is less ''STUFF'' to distract you, such as internet and television etc. and so to fill the time Deanna, Eduardo, Jaden and I spend time doing activities together. I feel like that is much better quality time than sitting in front of a screen. The most recent activity we did as a family was going for a ''walk.'' That means a very different thing where we live. To be honest, its a lot more work but a lot more interesting as well!
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| Off to our '''hike'' |
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| Always running into friends on the way |
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| Jaden was SUPER excited about this adventure! |
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| Kissy break! |
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| Just some of the views on our path |
After our hike, we visited our friend Vikki, and she let us play with some of her baby chicks! We also ironically ran into some other cute baby animals!
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| a couple of chicks here. |
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| they were SOOOO cute!! |
By the time we got home, Jaden was exhausted and enjoyed a peaceful nap!
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| He sleeps like I do! (In running position) My sleeping angel! |
Zumba!
As our normal weekly routine, our friend Deidre Daniels teaches 2 Zumba classes a week for the community. Well we have become more than just a Zumba routine, we have become more like a Zumba family! In the past week alone, I have done Zumba 3 1/2 times. I say 1/2 because Deidre was invited to do a few songs during a "Rumba" class in La Suiza (two towns down from where we live) and this past Saturday, Deidre was invited to teach a Zumba class at the Catie gymnasium and 10% of the proceeds went towards the Chirripo tribe! We has a BLAST! Check out some of our silly photos!
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| On our way to the ''gimnasio'' and VERY excited apparently! |
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| Getting in the Zumba groove before class begins! |
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| Practicing some basic moves/ warming up! |
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| Deidre with her beautiful flowers she was given after teaching the class! |
Horseback Riding
Finally, yesterday after Zumba Deanna and I got to go horeback riding. It was my first time EVER, and I was a little bit intimidated. I couldn't believe that I was controlling an animal by the slightest motion of my pull on the reigns or by the kick of my heels. That DEFINITELY freaked me out a little bit, but then I got use to it and actually felt sorry for the horse for having to lug me around the mountain. It was needless to say an amazing experience. Seriously, I pictured us riding in some pasture in a circle and that was it... but we did everything BUT. We actually rode through a beautiful hilly field, through a river deep into the mountain on some sort of mud/dirt path that was rather narrow. There were times our leader had to cut down some tree branches so we could pass through. The only thing I didn't enjoy were these certain plants that looked like sawgrass. They had teeth on them so if they touched you they would grab onto your skin or clothes and slice you. I got pretty cut up on my arms. Next time I go I will be SURE to wear long sleeves! We got to a point in the path where our horses had to jump over a large log... at that point, I was like ... oh ''HECK NO'' got off my horse and asked the guide to pull the horse over the log for me lol. But on my way back down that same path I conjured up enough courage to just stay on the horse this time. Well, mainly because I saw Deanna do it first. lol We ran into some free range horses on the way back, about 5 or 6 of them. It was just so beautiful. We then went off path to another part of the mount where there was this lookout of the mountains and the valleys. I PROMISE I will include some pictures once I get them from Deanna and hopefully a video if it works! But nothing could have captured what I saw and experienced and I am so thankful to have done that and shared that memory with Deanna.
The Mission
My brother has now begun to preach on the weekends and has officially taken of the worship and youth group. I'm so proud of him. I am doing as much as I can do to help, I hope it makes a difference. Right now my main focus is teaching vocalist new songs and helping to improve the quality of our voices as a whole. I also am trying to encourage the vocalist to take more leadership role in singing, whether its singing a solo or giving them the freedom to express their improvisation during certain parts of the songs. I truly am just trying to step back and be more in the background, and it really is rewarding. Its great being able to serve side-by-side with my brother also. This has been a dream I have had my whole life. I am finally getting a chance to live it out! I am also getting the chance to express myself creatively in other ways besides music... liiike.. setting up the church to make it feel more relaxed and casual. I definitely want to give a shout out to Marjory Stanbury at Church by the Glades, doing this made me think of you and all of your creative talents you put towards serving God at church! Love you girl!
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| This is inside CISA/ The Mission. Getting ready for Sunday morning! |
That's it for now! I'll keep you posted in the near future! LOVE YA
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| CISA at Sunset. Thats Turrialba in the background |
