Celebrating Father's Day...

Here are a few photos of what we did with Tony, to celebrate Father's Day this year...

 

This family photo was taken after services Sunday.

We took Tony to a Mexican Resturant for supper, Sunday. We went about 5:00, and were the only people in there... Most people go out a lot later for supper around here. 

After we ordered our food, the kids gave Tony his gift and the cards they had made.

Everyone loved their dinner! ;)

Carla and Matthew had "Flautas de Pollo"...

Tony had the "El Coyote" 

Teddy had a beef burrito and I had tostados.  It was all delicious!

Today, we went to San Lorenzo, to climb up to the light house. 

You can just barely see it on the top of the  hill.

And we're off...

At the half way point.

This is where I stayed...

but the kids were ready to move on...

"Victory is ours!" is what Matthew said, when they reached the top! ;)

had to take a photo of the "stairs".  There were "only" 650 some...

There were also sea turtle nest marked off.  That was neat.  The kids came home and checked it out on the computer to see photos of the turtles.  

on the way back out of the little town, we came across a bunch of baby pigs crossing the road...

TCK's

One of my grown daughters just wrote a post about some struggles she is having, in adapting and adjusting to life in small town USA.  In her post she is brutally honest about her feelings and also how she has come realize that she has not been fair or just in them.

With some back and forth with all 3 of the grown girls, my oldest, shared a set of blog articles that she had come across at one time, and how they had been very convicting and had helped her in her adjustment back to the US.

For me, the articles articulated some things that I had already known, but hadn't put into context.  They also pointed out some things to me that I had never really thought about.  The one on hypocrisy, is brutal.  While I don't think my husband or I have crossed that line, at least not continually, I can see how, snatches of things said, or even things not fully explained, can from a child's perspective be conceived as such.  WOW!  Very convicting.

The article on leaving and loss, was amazing!  I have personally experienced so much of this, BUT my kids, so much more!

So if you are truly interested in TCK's (Third Culture Kids), and would like to understand where they are coming from and some of  things that have shaped their thinking, (be that misconceptions or truth), I recommend you check out these articles.

Lies MK's Believe

Blessings to you and yours,
Joy

The Journey of Waiting

Here is a link to my latest post on my adoption blog, The Journey of Waiting . Hope you enjoy it!

Busy Days...

We are keeping busy around here!  This coming week the kids and I will be finishing up the basic core work for their school year!   No, we aren't starting our summer vacation early, BUT, I wanted to be finished with the work we needed to do, so that WHEN we receive the visas for Carla and Matthew, we will be able to just go to the US, and not have to worry about when and how to do school the first few weeks we are there. :) So, I guess our Summer Vacation will start when we get to the States!

On that note, people keep asking me, WHEN are you coming to the States? or WHEN are you leaving for the States?  Hate to tell you, BUT we have NO IDEA!!  I can guarantee you that we will be on the first possible flight out, once we receive the kids visas! :)  But exactly WHEN that will be is not in our hands.  We are thankful that God knows all about it and that it is all in his hands and we are trusting HIM!  We know that HIS TIMING is PERFECT!!  So we rest in Him for this.  Don't think, though, that while we are "resting" in Him, that we are not busy.  I have come to learn that "Waiting on the Lord" is an active process.  So during this time of waiting, we are working on getting everything prepared for our absence.  There are things around our house that need to be packed up and taken care of.  There are preparations at the church that need to be made.  This week I will be meeting with Ceci in preparation of turning over the responsibilities of the Ladies Sunday School Class.  I will also meet with our Leader's wives, to discuss how the Mother's Day breakfast went, and also to help them figure out what events they should work on and organize without.  Tony and I will be taking Pastor Darwin and Jessica to the Christian Bookstore to check out new Sunday School material.   I would ask you to please be praying for each of these people as they step up and take on responsibilities for the ministry here.

We had a great day at church this morning.  Our attendance was 140 in the preaching service.  I had 28 in my Sunday School class.   The ladies were still talking about the Mother's Day Breakfast. ;)  I would ask you to be praying for those visitors last week, that heard the gospel for the first time.  The seed has been planted.

Thank you so much for praying for our family and for the ministry here in Manta!  God is working and hearts and lives are being changed.

Blessings to you!
Joy