New Pictures

March was a rather discouraging month for me, so I didn't post...basically we were stuck in town cause the truck was broken and it seemed we had one set back after another. However at the end of the month a friend offered to drive us out to the village, using his truck and trailer! I was very excited cause it meant one last big trip to get the last of our stuff moved out and it would mark our longest stay out (16 days).  So, here is the story... 

We packed and loaded down the truck and trailer on a rainy Sunday morning. Thankfully it hadn't rained in 12 hours and the roads were open... 

...but they were muddy and the big cattle trucks were backed up cause the roads had been closed the day before. The roads are sloped to help with water run off which is great, except when you are gonna pass other cars... 

...and of course we had to pass those trucks and we got stuck, even with 4 wheel drive the trailer had to be unhooked, pushed sideways and then pulled out by the truck. Jon and I were so glad our friend was driving, he grew up in the Chaco and knows the ins and outs of driving in the mud. I'll be honest diving in the mud is a little stressful for me so it was really good to watch and learn from someone who has lots of experience.

We finally got there and unloaded, dusted the spiders and the webs from the furniture in the house and began to unpack. I still have much to learn about packing...my bananas were mush and had to be frozen for banana pancakes later. Thankfully my jars of canned chicken, stewed veggies and pickles all made it!

This time we had lots of visitors in and around the house, this little guy was crawling down the wall one morning, we saw two more in the house but they were smaller...either way...yuck! 

Several of these grasshoppers were seen, they were pretty cool 

This big green moth got in the house one night, he was really pretty.

This bright green caterpillar was crawling around outside and the kids had a good time playing with him. The game was to play with him without touching him with their hands (we don't which bugs are ok and which aren't at this point)

and there was this tarantula. 

We were able to bring the washing machine out but it took us a few days to get it working, so in the mean time Jade helped me with the wash. 

We finished setting up the kids rooms, they were very happy to play with their toys. 

We took several walks to visit the neighbors, Jade was pointing out a plant that is covered with thorns and really burns if you touch it. 

Of course we also had visitors 

It was hot most of the time we were out there (102F) but thankfully we had two fans for the kids to use at night, we had a few less than restful nights but what can you do...nothing, it was good to experience. 

The kids loved every moment...

...even when our friend killed a rattle snake (a very little one) and watched Jon skin it.

It was good for them to see it, we are still teaching them about all the snakes out there.  

Jon and Jonas enjoying some rest time in the hammock. 

Jamen turned 6 when were out there and we made doughnuts...lots 

The wild orchids were in bloom the last few days of our stay.

We also got to enjoy some cooler nights (60F), which was nice break from the heat and the bugs which flock to the lights in the house.

Jon and Jamen found cactus fruit but we don't know how to pick it. Even the fruit is covered in fine hair like thorns. 

One of the highlights while we were there was honey hunting. Jon went with our friends (its not womens work) to get honey from a hive they had found...and there was honey! Some times you go and do all the work chopping the tree or hive and smoking the bees out only to find a hive with no honey.

The tree with the hive inside and no they didn't have to cut the tree down. The bees had built it inside the log on the ground.

It was a wonderful two weeks in our new home! We got a ride back to town and are currently waiting for a car part to be shipped from the city. We are in the middle of a 5 day holiday and because of that we had some surprise visits and some planned visits the last few days.

Some friends from our church in the city were up visiting the Chaco and we were able to get together for a bit.

Some other friends came and stayed with us for a few days to celebrate Easter. We made the traditional chipa (type of cheese bread) and had an asado (bbq) with them.

We also visited some of the monuments around town and learned a little more of the history of the town.

It was so encouraging to see friends and catch up!

Then to top it off Jamen lost his first tooth!

That pretty much sums up April, later this month Jonas will turn 2 and we hope to have the car fixed to make one more trip to the village.

New Reality

Well, we made our first multi-day trip out to our new home. We were welcomed by lots of kids coming to play everyday, almost all day long, it was great for our kids and for us to get to know our neighbors a little bit more. Lots of neighbors came to visit and drink terere with us. During our five days we began to experience a new reality, a reality that could either cripple us or encourage us to learn and except that this is the way things are... 

The reality of thorns...they are everywhere and on almost every plant. Which means where ever you walk you will get thorns in your shoes or in your feet. I am currently in the process of collecting many pairs of tweezers to have with me at all times. 

The reality of animals...they are new and exciting, some are nice and some are not. The chaco leaf footed gecko below is a friendly fellow, we currently have one in our house, he is about 6 inches long. My only beef with him is he poops every where but I like to think he keeps other bugs out of the house.

We find these black headed parrots beautiful and wonderfully new but for our neighbors these birds destroy the crops and thus destroying their food source. 

Butterflies as far as know are harmless, we are enjoying the amount of butterflies that we see.

This little guy is called a yarara...he isn't really little...our neighbor saw one in our driveway that was as big around as an orange and 9 feet long. We have yet to see any snakes but we have seen dead ones while driving and the slither marks in our yard, so we know they are out there. 

The reality of the weather...the weather rules out here, this has been a new thought for me. Its not very often that when it rains in the states that life stops, well here it does. The rain makes the craziest mud I've ever seen, you can't drive after a hard or long rain, the roads are closed until they dry or if you do attempt it out 4 wheel drive is needed along with everything you need to get your self out of the mud if you get stuck.

The sun is hot here! I sweated more than I ever though possible. I love it when the wind blows and I am so glad our little wooden house cools down (even if its just a bit) at night and that we have little personal size fans to use at night to sleep. 

The reality of health...we are gonna get sick, we are gonna get thorns in our feet, we are gonna get bit by bugs and burned by the sun. My first aid kit continues to grow, as I add more things like tweezers, sunscreen, snake bit kit, kid and adult pain meds, anti-itch cream, bug spray, eye drops, instant sugary drink mixes and much more.

The reality of dirt...it is everywhere! When the wind blows the dirt covers everything, when the wind doesn't blow the dirt covers everything. The kids sweat and the dirt sticks to them, there is no keeping clean. They have to be bathed twice a day and clothes don't come clean...I'm pretty sure even Tide couldn't clean these clothes. Crazy bugs live in the dirt, some only come out when its wet and others live in it when its dry...good clean dirt doesn't exist here.

The reality of the unknown....is just part of life...but it's how you handle it that will either allow you to continue on or give up.

The reality is... there is nothing we can do to about the thorns, the animals, the weather, the dirt, the bugs, the sickness but accept it as part of our new life. 

Here are a few stories from our trip...

After our 3rd day of living in our new home Jon and I were becoming overwhelmed, the kids were dirty all the time, they had so many red swollen bug bites it was crazy, they weren't sleeping well cause of the heat and all the new sounds of the woods (window are left open all the time). Jon and I were starting to lose perspective. We had to take a step back and think about how we grew up....Jon grew up with rattle snakes around and thorny bushes, I grew up with lots of dirt and black flies...that was just life and we did just fine.

On our last day before heading back to town I started to get more and more grouchy, I wanted AC so badly that I couldn't think strait anymore. I had to stop my self and remind myself that this was where I was and this was how it was and me wishing for something else over 24 hours away was just going to make life harder for everyone. I really had to guard myself against wishing for things to change or be different. When its hot its hot, when its cold its cold, when it rains it rains and to be okay with it. Its easier to deal with the heat and the bugs when you know you can't get away from it and you can't change it.

All the things that I talked about above are just part of life. But if you let it, it will make your life miserable. I have also found my attitude is being watched by my kids and by my friends and neighbors. What am I saying to my kids when I complain? What does my face say to my neighbors whom I can't speak to yet? It has taken us 10 years to get to this place and it could all be gone in a second if I forget that the reality is that God is in control...that He uses the hard times to grow me and teach me, to grow and teach my kids, to encourage my friends and neighbors. The reality is that I am to learn to be content in every situation. 

New Chapter

The month of January was a bit emotional for me as we prepared to leave our life in the city and move once again. We had lots of goodbyes to say to people...

Our pastor and his family 

Our friends who gave us a beautiful picture that was painted by a family member. 

More friends from our life group 

Our pastor saying a few words at our goodbye party...I was trying not to cry in this picture 

I went and had ice cream with my dear friend, it was nice to just sit and chat with her. Normally when we get together it's at her house or mine and it's always so busy we feel like we don't visit as much as we'd like. So this was a special time for us. 

Finally, the day came and we packed all the last minute stuff (including dog and cat) and drove 293 miles to our "new home" in the Chaco. Praise the Lord we got there with almost no problems!

Our friends followed us up and they were able to get these pictures, that's our truck as we entered town. 

When we got to our final destination, Jon kissed the ground! 

So, here it is the Paraguayan Chaco.

We love it here! Of course being a country girl myself, its wonderful to hear the birds singing all day long and to hear the wind in the trees. The kids are so happy to dig in the dirt. Some of the first things I've learned about living here is you get dirty pretty quick, its hot but not humid like was in the city and almost everything that grows here has thorns. But its beautiful, right now there are a ton of white butterflys all over and there are flowers and fruits that grow here. I am looking forward to getting to know more about this new place we call home.

Happy New Year!

We had a great Christmas this year, it being our third one here it felt more normal for it to be hot, to not have the traditional Christmas comfort foods, to stay up till 2:30am celebrating on the 24th with friends and sleeping in on the 25th. 

Jonas is now totally potty trained and in celebration we gave him a big boy hair cut 

Jamen learned to climb... 

The kids have been enjoying the pool these days. 

Jade turned 4 last month! 

And to ring in the new year we roasted marshmallows! 

And Jade helped me make pizza 

Christmas packages arrived from family... 

and Jonas thinks stickers are for his face. 

We have a very exciting new year ahead of us! It was good for me to reflect on last year, so much of last year was so very hard in so many ways but to think of how much the Lord taught and grew me in the last year has been amazing to reflect on! 

October and November