Well, that's a first.

This month has been full of firsts.

First time tying shoes.

First solo side-ponytail.

First word read.

And our first home visit.

It came during our first family sickness.
On a day when there hadn't been water in our house for at least 36 hours.

Visualize it for a minute.

Nobody's been cleaning up--we've been in the house for 3 days coughing and lazying around. There are corn flakes encrusted on the table, lonely socks dangling from the backs of chairs,
stuffed toys and blankets tangled around empty juice cups, DVD cases in a steadily growing dusty pile.

Mopping? Certainly not.
Dishes? All dirty. ALL. Did you know you can give cough syrup via spatula?

And then the phone rings: "We'll be there tomorrow morning. We'll talk and take some photos."

Photos? Can you imagine?

So we gathered up every large container we could find, drove to the mission and filled them with water, and proceeded to try and clean things up the best we could. Including our unshowered selves

And, yes, I absolutely did hide the dirty dishes in a suitcase. Another first.

simply the best

Adopting older children has some very specific challenges. But there are also some amazing and unique blessings. Among those: the freedom to brag unashamedly.

You know, most parents have to navigate a fine line---bragging on how great my kids are can be misconstrued as saying how great I am..."Look what awesome humans I have created and trained!"  But as adoptive parents of older children, who arrive in our home with a sense of who they are--we are free to tell about how neat they are, without fear of  self agrandizement.

Yesterday, as Jonathan was waiting at the school for classes to be released, a woman approached him requesting assistance with school related expenses. He explained, that while the Mision does have a program to help with those costs, the budget for uniforms had already been exhausted for the year, and most of the school supplies had already been distributed. She pressed, "But I just need one notebook. Even one notebook would help."  Before Jonathan could even respond, our son jumped in, "I have one that only has one used page, you can have it!" and proceeded to rip open his backpack, remove the one written on page and smilingly hand her his notebook--one of the few possessions he brought with him when transitioning to our home.  What a beautiful heart!

I am sure every parent acknowledges that the beauty we see in our children is merely a reflection of God's spirit in them, and no work of our own hands. But in our unique circumstance, raising kids who are not the "do-it-yourself-kit", it is so much more obvious. 

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

Psalm 139: 13-14

Two weeks

Two Thursdays ago, we were granted custody of some beautiful people. We are now in a time of "adaptation" that should culminate in the legal process of "adoption". Officially, from a paperwork point of view, the process has just begun. Emotionally, from a bonding and healing point of view, the process has just begun. And yet, in some difficult to articulate way--there is a feeling of completion rather than initiation. There is some deep sigh of the heart finally at rest. There is some "click" of everything at last lining up in it's correct place.

How can it only be two weeks?

Two weeks ago, we had a special "meeting" to talk about what a family is. We clinked milk glasses, and signed pretend signatures to papers agreeing to work on being a family. Jonathan and I talked about what one, first "rule" or expectation did we need to present--just one thing to focus on for safety's sake. So at this special "meeting" we practiced Rule #1: "When we call, you come." As the week progressed, we gradually saw the power of our response to their calls as well. The phrases that have been said most often in our house these last few weeks are "Aqui estoy!" and "Me voy!" ("I am here!" and "I am coming!")

As I shout these words hundreds of times daily through bathroom doors, and from under piles of blankets, and across playgrounds, it is so clear to me, that I am not merely answering these little people, I am quoting scriptural promises.

From Genesis to Jesus final words at His ascension, The Book is full of God calling back to his insecure children, " I am with you." "I am coming."

These little ones need so much reassurance that these new parents of theirs can be counted on. And I will tell them a thousand times, " I am here." " I am coming."

Just as my Father keeps reassuring me every time I forget, or let fear take hold:

He is with me.
And He is coming.

Timing

During my first week as a student at Harding University, I heard someone say, "I've known her a couple of months, but they were 'Harding months'. It was the first time I had heard someone express this shared sense that at this stage of our life time was flowing differently. The beginning of our marriage was another wacky time when it felt like we were packing decades of "big experiences" into weeks and months. (got married, moved, changed jobs, moved again, took in foster kids, took in those kids' parents, family deaths, changed jobs again, foster kids returned to family, moved again)

 Neuroscientist  David Eagleman explains it like this:
The more detailed the memory, the longer the moment seems to last. This explains why we think that time speeds up when we grow older,—why childhood summers seem to go on forever, while old age slips by while we’re dozing. The more familiar the world becomes, the less information your brain writes down, and the more quickly time seems to pass.

While not the first time I've felt this way, the past month has been an amazing example of this phenomenon.  The calendar reminds us only a few weeks have passed, but they've been great big long ones--and it seems the coming weeks may be even bigger.

We returned from (what we thought of as) a whirlwind time in the US on December 13. We were settling in for some slow times, some waiting. We knew there wouldn't be many visiting groups to the mission for a while, we knew most government agencies and other organizations would be on holiday and in the reflective new year planning season. We saw this as a time to work on all those big projects that get shuffled to the back burner when things are hectic, and a time to focus on hospitality and relationships. The next few months were clearly going to be the sort that slip by all too quickly.

We worked on glasses inventory, planned for children's bible programs, delivered "smile boxes", sorted through boxes of donations, organized school supply distributions, and had various kids/teens parties at our house twice a week.

Then on January 13, precisely a month after our return to Nicaragua, we were sitting at our dining room table with two case workers from MiFamilia completing our adoption home study. I can't express how surprised we were with the timing. We delivered our paperwork to the ministry of families the day before we flew to the states in November, and based on the 20 months that it took to establish residency with the immigration department, we expected to settle in for a long wait before there was any action. But one week after dropping off an updated form, the case workers were asking folks around town their impressions of us.

Those same case workers explained the next steps in the process to us. They will prepare our report, it will be evaluated by the adoption council at their next monthly meeting. (*note that in this case "monthly" means they meet once during a month not necessarily that they meet every month). At that point, we will be given an appointment to come to Managua and find out if our application is approved or denied. If approved, our names go into the pool of families waiting to be matched with adoptive children. The case workers advised that the timing for this matching process is generally between six and eighteen months. After that comes an in-home adaptation period and if affirmed by the council, the legal process of formalizing an adoption can begin.

So, excited about this progress we returned to our projects, settling in for the first of many coming wait-ings to find out if we might be approved.

>>>>Now, I just have to insert that "waiting" has such a negative connotation to many people, but I find it kind of comforting. I think I am good at it. To me, waiting signifies that your actions/decisions are not needed. Your part, for now, is done. I like that feeling. Maybe that means I'm super-spiritually patient. Maybe that means that I'm far too lazy. Maybe it means that I am deeply indecisive. (Yeah, O.K., I know, it's not the first one.)

Just 23 short days from the home study a phone call came:
"Will you accept two children?"
"Will you come to Managua on Monday?"

These last few days have been long and passed slowly. Not just because we are too excited to sleep at night. There is so much to do, and think, and feel packed into so few hours. What happened to the waiting?

And suddenly it is Monday. We met with the ministry of family (who are sooooo nice!) and heard the case file on some precious little ones. In less than an hour we were headed across town to the shelter to meet them.

After a little while with balls, dolls and swings, the counselor and case worker were explaining that papers granting us permission for an off site visit were complete.  Lunch, playing, sight-seeing...the day was a whirlwind of play-dough and giggles and french fries and getting to know you questions.

And already, rather than feeling like the first day we met, it feels like the first night we are apart.

We dashed back to Jinotega to gather some clothes and make sure things are in order. Tomorrow we will head back to Managua for several days of visiting, followed (we all hope) by bringing these beautiful young hearts home.

During this period of adaptation, before the legal parts of the adoption take place, we will be tempering our excitement and desire to share every detail in order to protect the privacy and identity of P. and J. We hope you will use any moments of curiosity for details as a reminder to pray for these two very special and loved little ones.

Company

For the last few days we have had a house guest. His name is Ederson and he is 14 years old.  He is from the town of San Andres on the Rio Coco and has come to Jinotega, to further his education. 

A group of families from the church here have committed to helping him with this dream of his, and while we organize, arrange, and gather things like beds, and clothes and supplies...he's staying with us. He's such a neat guy! And we're having a blast learning from each other. 

Can you imagine? 14 years old, and you've left everything and everyone you know because you are so hungry for school? Aside from how hard being away from home would be for any kid, imagine the culture shock for this guy. His home is a place without water, electricity, or even a door. His town is a place without roads, advertising, or strangers. 

Here are a few of the things he's learned about this week--experiences I have lived in a new way through his eyes.

• flushing a toilet
• turning on a faucet
• turning lights on and off (it took him a couple of days to get brave enough for this one)
• feeling the coolness from the refrigerator
• walking in traffic
• tasting bread with jelly
• tasting an apple
• tasting a carrot
• television
• playing a video game (he hated it, by the way)
• taking a shower
• using a key in a lock
• going to a grocery store
• eating at a restaurant

He's a great storyteller, an amazing singer, and speaks three languages fluently. (Sadly for us both, English isn't one of them). He's deeply inquisitive, obviously brave, hard working, and plain 'ol hilarious. (Can you tell I totally want to be like Ederson when I grow up?) Here are a few of my favorite (roughly translated) quotes from the last few days: 

• "Can I try to make my own ice in there? How do you know how long it will take? How long will the ice last once it is frozen? Can I do it every day until I understand these things?"
•  "How do you know which trucks are going to stop so you can continue walking?"
• (While looking at photos of animals online and teaching each other names for them in various languages) "Oh wow! Pecary! They are my favorite. They are so beautiful. I love them. They taste better than toucans."
• "I've been inside the house so long I think I am turning white." (obviously teasing) "Is that what happened to you?"
• (Car alarm across the street going off) "Does that sound mean the car is broken? It isn't moving. It is broken. Why do they let that sound continue? Is someone going to stop that?"
• "Once while deep in the forest I found gold. After my dad sold it, he gave me new rubber boots. I teased him, 'I find a gold nugget and my only gift is boots? These must be expensive boots.' He said, 'Be quiet, we are getting a cow and you can follow it wearing your boots!'"
• (Teaching me words in Miskito) "That means the food is very delicious. You keep giving me cold things from that refrigerator without warning me, but I will still say delicious."

Please pray for Ederson. He is a special person facing some big challenges with incredible grace. 

Fruit of the Day: Bananas, yep, bananas

Mmm... bananas.
Don't give up on me yet. I know, bananas may not seem exotic and exciting--but this fruit of the day ends with the most delightful miserly moment of my very frugal life.

But first, bananas:

Bananas are great. Here, we have access to lots of different types of bananas including these tiny 'lil two bite bananas that are my very favorite. They are great because they stay really firm even when they are fully ripe. And look how cute and tiny they are!

Here are some other varieties I really like. The short fat ones are very very sweet compared with the grocery store bananas I used to know. The red ones, well, just look--they're red! Even the fruit inside is slightly orange-y pink.

wow. blurry AND badly lit. Well, just take my word for it. It's kinda orange-y pink, o.k.?

There are bunches of other kinds of bananas around here,(ha ha! "bunches", get it?!) including one that has three sides and one called "apple banana" that really does taste a bit like apple. (But it's not really time for those right now, so no pictures for you.) 

And then there are plantains. 

You probably know that plantains and bananas are not used in the same ways, but if you have some friends/enemies who don't know better, offer them a raw plantain to eat. HI-larious! No, really, it's a great party game: "bet-you-can't-eat-more-than-two-bites-of raw-plantain"

DISCLAIMER: **I do not know if there are negative health repercussions from excessive eating of raw plantain. I know that they are so hard and tanic that you probably can't chew them up and that when visitors here buy them for a snack they make humorous faces and end up spitting them out. I tried to check WebMD for symptoms related to raw plantain exposure, but of course, it just said "may be cancer" so I leave you to your own reserach**

Plantains can be cooked in many ways, and are used similarly to potatoes. They can be eaten when green, mature, or even when the skin is completely black. At this stage of ripeness they are still very very firm and removing the tough peeling requires you at least begin with a knife.  

My favorite thing to do with green plantains is to make tostones, a thick fried cake that is a terrific vehicle for piling good stuff like beans on.

Slice your plantains into chunks, fry for about 2 minutes until they lighten a bit and are soft enough to smash. Smash with a spoon, and it's back into the pan to crisp up. Traditionally you'd fry in oil both times, but sometimes I only use oil for the first fry and crisp up in a plain skillet. (insider tip: boiling will not work for this application. Ask my sticky gooey countertops how I know.)

Mmm...pile some onions and peppers on there, maybe some mashed beans, and dinner is done!

Even plantains come in a wide variety of types. Check out these weird, triangle potato plantains.
(I doubt that is their botanical name.)

A "bunch" of bananas here, refers to the whole hundred pound grouping that grows on the stalk. The amount a person would normally buy in a grocery store is usually called a "hand". Banana stalks are perennial, (you know, complete life cycle and die in one year) which is kind of amazing when you think how gigantic they are. It's been a blast having a banana in our yard, you can literally see a four foot long leaf grow in a single day. The bunch of fruit (well, berries for you science-y folk) grows very slowly from a huge alien looking flower, and did you remember that it can weigh a hundred pounds? Amazing. I could go on and on with facts about bananas, except I don't really know anything else about them. Besides, I promised at the beginning to reveal my most gloriously penny-pinching moment of all time.

O.K. Here it is. 

Wait, lemme back up a bit. 

Some of you have noticed that I really really enjoy being cheap. Particularly when it comes to food. I delight in figuring out ways to repurpose food that was destined for the dump into something good to eat. Yes, I've probably made some of you blush when I carried bones home from your house. (But come on, are you STILL not making bone broth? It is so delicious!) I realize that some people delight in savoring the finest ingredients, while I come from a family that gleefully served my new husband "road kill" on his first visit. (yes, really).

But even for me: this was pretty cheap. 
I made banana bread. 

Doesn't sound that weird to you? Well, I made it out of other old gross bread! No fresh flour at all. I saved up all the old dead biscuits, broken tortillas and dried up crusts of poorly executed sourdough bread I had made that week, ground them up and used them in place of actual dry ingredients to make the softest, sweetest, most delicious (albeit kinda dark looking) banana cranberry bread. And then I danced a weird little hopping jig all around the house like some fairy tail troll who has swindled the protagonist giggling at my cheapness and insisting: "Eat some! eat some! It's bread inception!" while Jonathan looked on slightly wide-eyed and for some reason started looking up phone numbers for mental health workers. 

Yep! Bananas. They can make most anything edible!

November/December Update

Much of November and half of December was spent in the States as we were given the opportunity to visit family and a few friends. We spent a great deal of time on the road, which was no surprise.

Portland, OR

Our visit began with a trip to the Northwest to attend the wedding of Sheila’s brother, Phillip. It was a great reunion for us and she was able to see many friends and we enjoyed quality time with her family as they almost all gathered for the wedding. I was able to meet family I hadn’t met before. It was a good time, although brief. 

Through a contact made by Sheila’s new sister-in-law, Kristin, we were honored to be invited to make a presentation to the Orchards/Evergreen Lions Club, who committed funds to purchase glasses for 10 children. We also had a chance to drive along the Oregon coast and see some of Sheila's favorite places.

Georgetown, TX

We next went to Texas with time in both the Georgetown and Dallas-Fort Worth areas. While in Georgetown we worshipped with the Georgetown church family and then to see friends who continue to worship in the Riverside community, east of Georgetown.

Mt. Pleasant, TX

I figured that this is the 20^th year I have worked with the Harts Bluff ISD doing contract work as a tour/teacher to NASA and Houston to study space science with their fifth graders. It was a joy as always and this group of kids made it extra special. The lead teacher for the group, and a dear friend, arranged for us to make a Sunday morning presentation to the youth at the North Ridge Church in Mt. Pleasant. They recently have been studying mission work and we were delighted to have the opportunity to share with them.

Arlington, TX

Upon returning to North Central Texas we gathered with most of my family for Thanksgiving. There was a ton of quality food, and even better fellowship. I got a chance to meet my newest great niece just before she celebrated her 1^st birthday. We missed my sister Debbie and her family who needed to wait to come in from Atlanta, GA closer to Christmas.

Kaufman, TX

The weekend took us just east of Dallas to Kaufman, where I one time worked as a singles’ minister at the Kaufman Church. I also worked for the schools there and was honored to meet the children of the children I taught. We once again made a presentation during the Sunday School hour, this time to the children’s classes. It was a nice homecoming.

Mt. Pleasant (again)

We returned to Mt. Pleasant to guide the Harts Bluff ISD fourth grade classes through a Texas history trip with a visit to Austin and San Antonio. At one point in this trip I was discussing what life was like for the children in the schools in Nicaragua. After their return to school I received an email from their teacher, Sherri Howard, who explained that the children were touched by the stories of the children here.  The email stated that the children wanted to help. They have begun a school supply drive and are challenging other classes to participate, too.

My affiliation with the Harts Bluff ISD is one that has stood the test of time. Now, due to the school’s support and interest in seeing their children experience something more, they have made it possible for us to visit the States. If it were not for their involvement, I don’t know that we could afford to come back home every year. This tiny school district tucked away in the tree-covered hills of Northeast Texas is a very special place to me.

Grapevine, TX

On Sunday, we attended church with the Grapevine congregation. They, along with the Highway Church in Judsonia, AR, are the physical bases of  Mision Para Cristo in the US. We once again presented our children’s program during Sunday School. We enjoyed lunch with a couple of the families there before returning to Arlington for laundry, repacking and preparing for our return to Jinotega.

Jinotega, Nicaragua

We passed through Houston and San Jose, Costa Rica in route to Managua and Jinotega on our trip home. We had two groups waiting for us when we arrived back in Jinotega. Both groups, one from Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN, and one from Harding University in Searcy, AR, were medical so they were involved in medical brigades while they were here.

Los Cardenales

We got home in time to see Los Cardenales, our little league baseball team, make it to the playoffs where they were eliminated in the first round. Finishing the regular season with a 4-36 record apparently was good enough to make the playoffs. My promise to the boys before Sheila and I left Jinotega was, “Win a game and I will buy you lunch.” They won two games (other than to the two they won by forfeit – which I explained didn’t count for lunch-buying purposes) so Friday evening of last week they all came over for hot dogs and to watch the classic baseball flick “The Sandlot”. They are a fun bunch of kids and all of them regularly attend our Hijos del Rey Bible class program.

Workers’ Celebrations

Hijos de Rey (Children of the King), our Sunday Bible class program is directed by four gifted young adults: Colette (la gringa), Felipe, Luisito and Rebekita. They are all members of the local church and are all employees of the mission. I am just the overseeing old person. These four guide about fifteen 14-17 year olds through the weekly process of teaching about 85 children about Jesus. Last Sunday we had a celebration as the year came to an end. They were given special T-shirts and certificates of recognition. These are good kids and hard workers and we are honored by their faithfulness to this program and their dedication learning more about Jesus themselves through the youth program the church sponsors.
Another evening we celebrated with the workers who run the children's Bible class program at Apanas. It was another great night for celebrating their hard work with dinner, a movie, cupcakes and lots of giggling. 

A Few Special Kids

There is a group of children who seem to have less than most of the other impoverished children we know. The thing that separates these from the others is that they have some obvious potential educationally that needs to be cultivated. In other words, they are on the ball intellectually. But they need an extra hand up to realize their potential. Due to some unexpected generosity on the parts of many while we were in the States, we are going to be able to provide an “American-style” Christmas for these eight children. We realize that there are many deserving children, but these are the ones God has placed in front of us currently. We cherish the relationship we have with these children and their mothers. Thank you for the part you have played in helping us promote these children to seek a brighter future.

The Adoption Process

Since the last update we have submitted, and they have accepted all our official paperwork to the Ministry of Family. We are now in a holding pattern as we wait for government office to return from the holidays to schedule our home study. After the home study the case worker will make a recommendation to the national adoption council as to whether or not we should receive kids. When the council approves us they will look for a match to our request. Our request, by the way, is for a sibling group – the younger the better. Other than that we accept, whomever God places with us as a gift from Him. This leads up to the adaption period and legal parts which is a whole other process.

Concert of Prayer

Please join us as we praise God for…

…relatively good health

…safe travels of the last two months

…acceptance of the adoption paperwork

…continued growth in the lives of the workers in the children’s program

…the news that God is sending Mike and Ann Faris back to Jinotega to work alongside us when we have visiting groups in house.

…Mitchell Elementary, Palmer ISD and Harts Bluff Elementary and others schools when send up their gently used school supplies that go directly into the hands of children who do not have them. 

…prayer warriors who are faithful in their requests to God on our behalf

…financial partners who see that the physical part of maintaining lives here are met

Please join us as we seek God’s favor in positive responses as we request…

…continued progress in the adoption process

…a time of rest and rejuvenation prior to groups starting again

…positive impact on the teachers as we strive to improve the religious education opportunities for the churches in Nicaragua

…the initiation of a fund to designate $15,000 to $20,000 for a good, safe, reliable, used, personal vehicle that we can use (and hopefully haul around our new crew!) as we continue to promote a relationship with Jesus Christ through Sight For Sore Eyes and Mision Para Cristo.

…continued and constant prayers.

…continued financial support.

We cannot do what we do without you. I hope as you read what we are doing with each update that you see how it represents your faithfulness to a far higher calling than just Sheila and Jonathan. To God be the glory.