We find ourselves in an interesting in between time right now.  In many ways life continues chugging along as it did pre-journey-to-the-mission-field.  We are both still working, we visit parks, take walks, exercise, visit with family, have playdates, cook, eat, sleep. : )  

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This stage of life is particularly busy, fun and at times…exhausting.  During this busy season of support raising we are even more aware of our need to rest and not get swept up in endless activities.  At times, it seems very difficult.  We pray that God helps us be present in the moment, especially for our children.

However, “business as usual” isn’t everything these days.  For example, while we are still serving in our home church, we have had to pull back significantly from some ministries as we are often visiting other churches to share our call to missions, preaching and visiting with others during the week.  We already feel a little less connected than usual with our home church family and we miss them when we don’t see them for awhile.  I guess that’s just a small foretaste of what’s to come…

Also, there are the lurking thoughts of, “is this the last…”?  More accurately the question in my mind is really, is it “the last” for awhile, or “the last” of what has become our way of life?  We’ll travel back and forth, but, new norms will form as we shift home base to abroad rather than here in the US.  

Is this the last time we’ll celebrate Ale and Elijah’s birthdays with family and US based friends?  

Is this the last fall we’ll enjoy for some time?

Pumpkin farm with tio David!

Still warm fall weather in November!!!

 Is it the last Thanksgiving and Christmas in Chicagoland?  Will this be our last winter season for awhile? (That one, Carlos and I wouldn’t mind a bit!!  Alesa might have some different thoughts about it, though.)  So, we try to make the most, enjoy and celebrate the things we know will be very different when on the field.  So, we’re here.  And, we know that when we do move there are many, many people and things we are going to miss.  We want to enjoy these “lasts.” 

The other part of our current reality is that Costa Rica is an everyday thing around here these days!!  There are many prayers, efforts and thoughts in anticipation of getting to the mission field, getting adjusted & settled and participating in the ministries God has called us to.  So, we’re here and yet we’re wanting to be there.  There is a large part of us that longs to go asap.  We spend parts of every single day either talking with others about our call to missions or coordinating and preparing materials, meetings, etc. related to the mission in Costa Rica.  

We have felt God’s call, we’ve responded and we want to go!  We feel God has been sharpening our vision for what He wants to do amongst the pastors and leaders in San Jose.  We want to go be part of getting it started.  

So, we’re here.  And, we’re there.  I anticipate this being the rest of our lives. To a certain extent it already has been – pieces of our lives and hearts spread across Honduras and the U.S.  Soon, we’ll add Costa Rica.  

We invite you to pray for us during this season of living here and anticipating what’s to come.  

We invite you to pray and contact us about financially partnering with us and help get us to the field!

Happy Thanksgiving!