tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79373469559456744992024-02-07T04:43:04.083-08:00Tres Rios Project<center>Living an Adventure: Life and Work in Costa Rica</center>Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-20153503023506996472013-06-06T21:40:00.000-07:002013-06-06T21:40:32.703-07:00Embrace the Chaos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Landon is two months old today. It’s hard to believe that these first two months have flown by so fast. They’ve gone so fast that it’s been almost that long since I’ve written anything here. <br /><br />Actually, I’ve been trying to figure out what to do with this blog… since we’re not in Costa Rica anymore and I don’t have anymore crazy bug stories or whatever. And so I’m trying to figure out whether to keep writing or not and what the focus would be, etc. But one of the reasons I haven’t written is obviously because we had a baby. And my focus has been precisely that – little baby Landon and adjusting to life with two kids! <br /><br />It seems we’ve been doing a lot of adjusting lately. And with that adjusting has come a fair share of chaos. I’m not too good with chaos – I like order and I like to control things – so with the transitions and moving and ups and downs and especially with a baby, I’m learning to let go. And my mantra to myself lately has been, “Embrace the chaos.” <br /><br /> When there are three loads of laundry to be folded, one in the wash, and another pile of dirty clothes on the floor, I tell myself “embrace it” {because this much laundry means we have the blessing of a baby in the house}<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1L3VT0BYMbPUYwli0rm0ET_2eP4RUepbGCRqX3oGEnmR9GJ3qN1PMR6RzC1Vc9Oir0tl8dsP65LG9vcN7nqhdPXdY98FEeVDPUdbiOAc0W9RBobyPXMwafG5vLK5hLeaaVemUNJ4M4W8/s1600/IMG_0132.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1L3VT0BYMbPUYwli0rm0ET_2eP4RUepbGCRqX3oGEnmR9GJ3qN1PMR6RzC1Vc9Oir0tl8dsP65LG9vcN7nqhdPXdY98FEeVDPUdbiOAc0W9RBobyPXMwafG5vLK5hLeaaVemUNJ4M4W8/s320/IMG_0132.JPG" /></a><br /> When we’re up several times a night, and wake up feeling like we got hit by a train I remind myself again, “embrace it” {because being this tired only comes when you’re caring for an infant and this little one was an answer to prayer} <br /><br />When the kitchen counter is covered in clutter or you can’t see the rug on the floor because it’s covered in dog hair, I repeat to myself, “embrace it, embrace it” {because this mess means my priorities are in the right place – taking care of my two children and sometimes even making a decent dinner for all of us} <br /><br />Some days are easier than others. But overall, I am filled with joy because we have this precious baby boy who we waited a long time for. I am trying to relish in this phase of life because I know it won’t last forever. One day my sassy four-year old will be 14 (and be even more sassy) and my baby boy won’t be a baby anymore (and hopefully be a little less sassy than his big sister). Time goes fast. So I’m trying to embrace it, all of it, even in the chaos.<br />
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Some of the 'chaos' of the last couple months has included:<br />
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Kate's Fourth Birthday! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bowlin' at Big Al's with G-Pa!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doing a birthday curtsy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pinata time!</td></tr>
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Going to gymnastics and ballet classes<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJIULjNj0pqdxlFBgA6LVef3OToauwqxRCaIhrFlvbP8uuiMo3wFRbYehq06efNp-y_KLEKgUNa-ElnjXL_Akm0imo4lTBoDMhLTOoXgJXhKjCTOV5KlkxZ63UZAqmEeSiGF_GF6RFLU/s1600/DSC_0330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJIULjNj0pqdxlFBgA6LVef3OToauwqxRCaIhrFlvbP8uuiMo3wFRbYehq06efNp-y_KLEKgUNa-ElnjXL_Akm0imo4lTBoDMhLTOoXgJXhKjCTOV5KlkxZ63UZAqmEeSiGF_GF6RFLU/s320/DSC_0330.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And of course, the boy<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A month ago... already changed so much!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In one my of favorite outfits from friends Gabi and Esteban in CR!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On Grandmama's chest.</td></tr>
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And the thing we spend the most time doing with little Landon: burping him and washing all his crazy spit up off of everything!!<br />
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Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-80406299098836733082013-04-18T09:42:00.000-07:002013-04-18T09:42:00.847-07:00Expect the Unexpected
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Landon Clark Westfall arrived five
days early on April 6<sup>th</sup>, at 5:05 pm. He weighed 7 lbs. 13 oz and was
19.25 inches long.</div>
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I was fully not expecting an early
arrival of this precious baby, since his big sister came 8 days late, and I
just had this feeling that since I was so darn uncomfortable and ginormous that
of course he would come after my due date.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
I also wasn’t expecting labor to
start the way it did, or shall we say my ‘trip to the hospital’ since it wasn’t
really labor that made us get in the car at 1:00 a.m.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
But then, with babies, you must
learn to expect the unexpected, right?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Here is the gist of my ‘birth
story’ (the part appropriate for a public blog):</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
I basically had one more thing to
get for the nursery on Friday, April 5<sup>th</sup>: a little lantern lamp from
Ikea. So we made the trip over to Portland and on our way back I joked with
Joe, “watch, I’ll go into labor tonight knowing the nursery is finished.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
That was sign number one.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Then, that night, as I was
preparing for labor by writing some Bible verses down and going over the
hospital bag list with Joe (telling him the ‘last minute’ things he needed to
be aware of to throw in the bag), I started to feel anxious that Joe wasn’t
quite as ready as I needed him to be to support me during labor.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
So at 11 pm that night, we got
into a little argument. I was feeling nervous because my platelets had been low
(platelets = what makes your blood clot) which meant I couldn’t get an epidural
if they dropped any lower. This in turn meant I really needed Joe to be the
super labor coach if I had to give birth without any pain meds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though he was amazing with Kate’s
birth, I just can’t help myself: I like to control things, and at that moment I
really needed his assurance that he was up to the job (i.e. he had read over my
‘notes’ and ‘visualizations’ of what to say to support and comfort me and help
me to breath and relax, etc.). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
So it didn’t help when things were
said like, “I mean Jennie, I’m like a boy scout – I’m always prepared.” That’s
not what I needed to hear in that moment.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
I went to sleep in tears. Sign
number 2.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Sign number 3 was the fact that I
went to sleep late. It was probably 11:30 or 11:45 when I finally conked
out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Going into labor tired was
one of my worst fears, especially with the added reality of the platelet
situation.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
So, of course, when my water broke
abruptly at 12:20 a.m., just a half hour after falling asleep, I was thinking,
“Go Figure!”.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
But it was still very unexpected.
I mean, who has their water break, unless you’re on tv? (Fewer than 15% of
pregnant women have their water break before labor). Plus, I was in bed.
Asleep.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
I couldn’t believe it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
We had to go to the hospital right
then since I needed antibiotics (I was Group B positive, for those of you who
care/know what that is). So there went my plan of laboring at home for a few
hours. And then, when labor didn’t start in the car, or overnight in the
hospital, or by walking around and up and down stairs in the morning time, I
knew what was coming: induction by pitocin – the dreaded drug I had heard
horror stories about. Oh, and my platelets had dipped below the line so unless
they went back up during active labor, there would be no epidural relief.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Things were not going as planned,
but, I knew I would get to meet my little boy soon, and I also knew that people
were praying for all of us. And that’s what got me through.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
The rest is easy – I started
pitocin around 9:30 (it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought – I just needed a
tiny bit), labor started progressing, and by the time I was at a 8.5 cm or so,
my blood work came back showing my platelets had improved so I was able to get
a perfectly light epidural in the 11<sup>th</sup> hour (thank you Jesus!).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Landon was born healthy and
beautiful and perfect. I got to hold him on my chest right afterwards and it
was such an amazing moment. I never had that with Kate since she had aspirated
meconium pretty severely and was whisked away to the NICU. So it was extra,
extra special to hold my baby, the one we’d waited so long for, and just
rejoice in that moment.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Thank you to all of you who prayed
for us and supported us during this journey. Landon is a perfect gift.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;">
I will praise You, for I am
fearfully and wonderfully made, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;">
Marvelous are Your works,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;">
And that my soul knows very well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;">
My frame was not hidden from You,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;">
When I was made in secret,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;">
And skillfully wrought in the
lowest parts of the earth.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;">
Psalm 139:14-15</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;">
Every good and perfect gift is
from above…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;">
James 1:17</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Here are some photos (ok, lots!) of our first
few days together.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzlKZT7s0Hs3f1HMQQ5uf0b1UgEoDcYDWTxdBDZK41qkxmIVpTg6_s9fI06HxfYTkCYe0uk9Mq-ot_LksXdMpE0lxM85vK_LAW3EoRP_Xkj6vKeAaifwzxOviDEl_ykes1taUX10bfp8/s1600/DSC06107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzlKZT7s0Hs3f1HMQQ5uf0b1UgEoDcYDWTxdBDZK41qkxmIVpTg6_s9fI06HxfYTkCYe0uk9Mq-ot_LksXdMpE0lxM85vK_LAW3EoRP_Xkj6vKeAaifwzxOviDEl_ykes1taUX10bfp8/s320/DSC06107.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only hours old...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEjcw8P54TKVucOBZphiyZus3o7_34RSq4k27CkTAxpAH3cxWW_wrBFWwmu9uq1NJkQ9iE1GMkja24RSL_NEH_W9vokByRzTTAlApVm9ITGfme3vrUG27cUA4RNujqN6xfj9DWJFF-_M/s1600/DSC06111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEjcw8P54TKVucOBZphiyZus3o7_34RSq4k27CkTAxpAH3cxWW_wrBFWwmu9uq1NJkQ9iE1GMkja24RSL_NEH_W9vokByRzTTAlApVm9ITGfme3vrUG27cUA4RNujqN6xfj9DWJFF-_M/s320/DSC06111.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy very intense and focused on a diaper change.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1I532CxCs3uE8j6tMOMRiuBuJa-wD1P-R5nmd6f92N_kKjhvptTtenkNYq2jW-405-WZtY4mcpQCiGvGBM3-rWoPSxkRRPKjFUyDsYFmhWGgcvu6uJIZzgcU836iCZUzXEfM0cXqy44/s1600/DSC06117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1I532CxCs3uE8j6tMOMRiuBuJa-wD1P-R5nmd6f92N_kKjhvptTtenkNYq2jW-405-WZtY4mcpQCiGvGBM3-rWoPSxkRRPKjFUyDsYFmhWGgcvu6uJIZzgcU836iCZUzXEfM0cXqy44/s320/DSC06117.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting baby brother for first time... she is thrilled.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0vYZTFnG7Vr2NDEbdooo_JbPc9emRYAz3JtSG-urjicO0lNXM92WquNCCG55LeONzEGQ2sUbrVrvnqQLiElrbYvEU2EFAhUJzButyL-f92gn09DKtkQVm9nOAmnWEnIH7-yNmSXaKvA/s1600/DSC06118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0vYZTFnG7Vr2NDEbdooo_JbPc9emRYAz3JtSG-urjicO0lNXM92WquNCCG55LeONzEGQ2sUbrVrvnqQLiElrbYvEU2EFAhUJzButyL-f92gn09DKtkQVm9nOAmnWEnIH7-yNmSXaKvA/s320/DSC06118.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBMGLsybj9jba3Rr67vxfpMJo_1MSKEY3hFkhhNcJMWqkZNUJVp5Deb2Gteat4Yac2FnXH-w-i9WRk7jBTHwUO1YkzVTRv1ecZsOT3EZFGqnF1R8zeesy5g0LAMWymrhy4p4p6qHOFWM/s1600/DSC06120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBMGLsybj9jba3Rr67vxfpMJo_1MSKEY3hFkhhNcJMWqkZNUJVp5Deb2Gteat4Yac2FnXH-w-i9WRk7jBTHwUO1YkzVTRv1ecZsOT3EZFGqnF1R8zeesy5g0LAMWymrhy4p4p6qHOFWM/s320/DSC06120.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aunt Maggie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcTxfE8jf6xYEbzqP8YP-j9jt8hANWmVmOOCThxv5vhlKukMPtm3p0-1ww7w9cPQz9abN1kT4_p7R5T2R_bAci4UmYYitIR0PsvE7t5pURTuEzdt4BBcQrMV4Slops_d3v2Bk1Lc6zr1I/s1600/DSC06123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcTxfE8jf6xYEbzqP8YP-j9jt8hANWmVmOOCThxv5vhlKukMPtm3p0-1ww7w9cPQz9abN1kT4_p7R5T2R_bAci4UmYYitIR0PsvE7t5pURTuEzdt4BBcQrMV4Slops_d3v2Bk1Lc6zr1I/s320/DSC06123.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uncle Ben and Aunt Maggie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhci20VJURYTTNLtqUQ551eMm3AXcsWALbCaRR6PU0cNP8oH2mH94nklPmrrBUN2XcCNhPvQo_ZGBeqK2fUL7ELjCgsMXqNtbhiVIuw3R-OOL-xEWNG2x5g6n-vDwdb-7M7SfltChu7_J8/s1600/photo-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhci20VJURYTTNLtqUQ551eMm3AXcsWALbCaRR6PU0cNP8oH2mH94nklPmrrBUN2XcCNhPvQo_ZGBeqK2fUL7ELjCgsMXqNtbhiVIuw3R-OOL-xEWNG2x5g6n-vDwdb-7M7SfltChu7_J8/s320/photo-1.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proud daddy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBENixIihRlu2Gx0cBCNd4YxQ3HapXxU_r7l86_SRlW3Fyaanq2dEBwckRCnNsh_JroYNmeekTbG3s_u-pyNT5KSPqGSLY3037ad2f4jKmwgrER91U73dobZXVxEHBuPKptHcTM7ydXnY/s1600/photo-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBENixIihRlu2Gx0cBCNd4YxQ3HapXxU_r7l86_SRlW3Fyaanq2dEBwckRCnNsh_JroYNmeekTbG3s_u-pyNT5KSPqGSLY3037ad2f4jKmwgrER91U73dobZXVxEHBuPKptHcTM7ydXnY/s320/photo-9.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Precious Landon</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56fnhsAa__A7gZhTc6GUDEGcmtBQ9yjWuReLbN2i1qu1oGlCXOcpK9ge5Xt5o4Ozqa7VCTp0skabA3HeoddsYhLTj8PIw4JWj5VAZF5zwnQlGUi51st_AW2oAgdQmSQs8pkuz5g4jqmo/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56fnhsAa__A7gZhTc6GUDEGcmtBQ9yjWuReLbN2i1qu1oGlCXOcpK9ge5Xt5o4Ozqa7VCTp0skabA3HeoddsYhLTj8PIw4JWj5VAZF5zwnQlGUi51st_AW2oAgdQmSQs8pkuz5g4jqmo/s320/photo.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alert and awake. For a minute.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqV-cumVYpj6C69wkpa2z2DzDAcPzJeaNLt3YzuzON7EUgg6upHJOLoXHejHyscaHyLf0wbcpg3XmwGOdJgM-xfZvHRmFR1nBVKJd8M1JkPQrOhugKjGRtJl3M1SStiOjtwj4f5idRYM/s1600/DSC06135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqV-cumVYpj6C69wkpa2z2DzDAcPzJeaNLt3YzuzON7EUgg6upHJOLoXHejHyscaHyLf0wbcpg3XmwGOdJgM-xfZvHRmFR1nBVKJd8M1JkPQrOhugKjGRtJl3M1SStiOjtwj4f5idRYM/s320/DSC06135.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is right when my mom first walked in the room. She was giddy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHOuCtpNs85I3UiN5_KmGXNe2mVw77pxPSscLqtD6qeub0Jtd3AGFHVRHr0_NAlO6eGGHZPPHL1JK75ULlur3SE8grSSrt8i4LTBErYEueXGX4rF_yjADS2R9xNNL78Hr79pt-wHkwGo/s1600/DSC06147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHOuCtpNs85I3UiN5_KmGXNe2mVw77pxPSscLqtD6qeub0Jtd3AGFHVRHr0_NAlO6eGGHZPPHL1JK75ULlur3SE8grSSrt8i4LTBErYEueXGX4rF_yjADS2R9xNNL78Hr79pt-wHkwGo/s320/DSC06147.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tired mama and sweet babe.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOfCztYyqZVDt2NanbIRF-uOwQRGnOXXE5cpS1nnaotzywCMAHwDjZ3GU4Yr9TjpPnGrI8wehzIhWtz8Pcv5G7LQ0WKmIn2rVI3nTvEwoFYPHS9Ca_Lxynd9rbVP5aNwijYYQKl9HZjE/s1600/DSC06149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOfCztYyqZVDt2NanbIRF-uOwQRGnOXXE5cpS1nnaotzywCMAHwDjZ3GU4Yr9TjpPnGrI8wehzIhWtz8Pcv5G7LQ0WKmIn2rVI3nTvEwoFYPHS9Ca_Lxynd9rbVP5aNwijYYQKl9HZjE/s320/DSC06149.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet sleep.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWp4UCydgcOghHwMso-3S9_NwZst2TWOjCYEzKFGKKNJj8FZyvkDwRfFiW_WPC8dDOSuWXy9M-MSiH1OwbZmov7sD1gWonATPSaa7COlnmxXPysRD7BMtOEiaS4gQcSFEM42o95rrnRIs/s1600/DSC06160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWp4UCydgcOghHwMso-3S9_NwZst2TWOjCYEzKFGKKNJj8FZyvkDwRfFiW_WPC8dDOSuWXy9M-MSiH1OwbZmov7sD1gWonATPSaa7COlnmxXPysRD7BMtOEiaS4gQcSFEM42o95rrnRIs/s320/DSC06160.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">About to go home!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStrHZGAV0TVAEefCLGOr1Xh02kpeJNjdlQLRkaT3xgqdchvxWuY2XXzl7i58NWR8Hzu3u5Xil1B-bvkcH1QGrSOD87DNtrx2p_jAS4K6ye81v1rh2KkSDGz9lUpXdyEYpi2ucAjPK6sI/s1600/DSC06161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStrHZGAV0TVAEefCLGOr1Xh02kpeJNjdlQLRkaT3xgqdchvxWuY2XXzl7i58NWR8Hzu3u5Xil1B-bvkcH1QGrSOD87DNtrx2p_jAS4K6ye81v1rh2KkSDGz9lUpXdyEYpi2ucAjPK6sI/s320/DSC06161.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First car ride.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bvRK98lhblh0cjczxQWy_7vY6axFMsqBh4N94ikwQDwvUFZINHDN3uvxeLe8Om9TLTDfkTgLAdrrHwektJOOWTVWRbyWBkJeDfaHmYuDydHTtHIsh1c73UTL7D-81abGu_uNhJ7bpIo/s1600/DSC06162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bvRK98lhblh0cjczxQWy_7vY6axFMsqBh4N94ikwQDwvUFZINHDN3uvxeLe8Om9TLTDfkTgLAdrrHwektJOOWTVWRbyWBkJeDfaHmYuDydHTtHIsh1c73UTL7D-81abGu_uNhJ7bpIo/s320/DSC06162.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSuko6uK2sXecHrp7MT2q0IViBs1DAAZRG-0aci6MoCleoFDeWrb_lhcD3vU3_wEsuciVKKcJabdc8h0Y_FOYyJTqTHh0zBYXCLsALGraGZT4sYNdSPrd2toXlVH4moaDVMbeC01Cdbw/s1600/DSC06164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSuko6uK2sXecHrp7MT2q0IViBs1DAAZRG-0aci6MoCleoFDeWrb_lhcD3vU3_wEsuciVKKcJabdc8h0Y_FOYyJTqTHh0zBYXCLsALGraGZT4sYNdSPrd2toXlVH4moaDVMbeC01Cdbw/s320/DSC06164.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kate greets Landon at home...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEa8ZExW8ti-d9D7fKyaG2NhfflFFLRZ3r_TnqV_qMl9C-bcBQZcGm33UYO24J3QZxNosWxJ4_nmzT02285UOVs3Ei5-VNNmf8fwglbdKdjQcL6UM45tu_mekPtk-k_WoJKEsZW2ssWXE/s1600/DSC06166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEa8ZExW8ti-d9D7fKyaG2NhfflFFLRZ3r_TnqV_qMl9C-bcBQZcGm33UYO24J3QZxNosWxJ4_nmzT02285UOVs3Ei5-VNNmf8fwglbdKdjQcL6UM45tu_mekPtk-k_WoJKEsZW2ssWXE/s320/DSC06166.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my children. So crazy I have 2!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEXmbcBr2fzbRpwfgzvKsXxhFAdHMtxxnsQN3VW238A6nTDWTYkZXJswnE0bV1s3RZqGpWDuQ5ZfuOv9MjiMO2TTitQUR84Aakt6bpJxur-GblvO_Xb-8Kt4XHsv5EzlFlATtVsQPvZc/s1600/DSC06169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEXmbcBr2fzbRpwfgzvKsXxhFAdHMtxxnsQN3VW238A6nTDWTYkZXJswnE0bV1s3RZqGpWDuQ5ZfuOv9MjiMO2TTitQUR84Aakt6bpJxur-GblvO_Xb-8Kt4XHsv5EzlFlATtVsQPvZc/s320/DSC06169.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love my baby brother!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjs_g4obgIieY5bcKwWZsoAaOA-lG9BimPKJgS4lV2pkElW0myg53OtqIddC6hWn8UIa6mhA6yViXxB_sbNNaKiI8OQnU6fYj_U6YNGSV5aE3pWrFA4vkjZY7g9lKpUcrUKL-06NrmM9k/s1600/DSC06171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjs_g4obgIieY5bcKwWZsoAaOA-lG9BimPKJgS4lV2pkElW0myg53OtqIddC6hWn8UIa6mhA6yViXxB_sbNNaKiI8OQnU6fYj_U6YNGSV5aE3pWrFA4vkjZY7g9lKpUcrUKL-06NrmM9k/s320/DSC06171.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandmama and grandson.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzML0KPmcRQ_t3toZJfjNCDmYCpQeapXg2oRI5vUz-ASeOVkSUjhISIuTNeGsprZ5JSfuMvXZsmefARVXx0S807jw26T4cCTlWr2_mD2zCKyKXJqDdrWNp6fezKkL9E3hMsOPntf7DhE/s1600/DSC06172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzML0KPmcRQ_t3toZJfjNCDmYCpQeapXg2oRI5vUz-ASeOVkSUjhISIuTNeGsprZ5JSfuMvXZsmefARVXx0S807jw26T4cCTlWr2_mD2zCKyKXJqDdrWNp6fezKkL9E3hMsOPntf7DhE/s320/DSC06172.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First day at home.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHDVd0QfHHZI_sWo3PHCvA7NdttvKUHGgkuj_7TbtVB3PInsY6jAa4F9NLskTE9_zVlBf3cghTa0gGB8LuZg18KPVBKsjBj-dS3x5Mm6hIyJaDWPnylqDpOStgCHfHA4yb0JVEUdAwoE/s1600/DSC06182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHDVd0QfHHZI_sWo3PHCvA7NdttvKUHGgkuj_7TbtVB3PInsY6jAa4F9NLskTE9_zVlBf3cghTa0gGB8LuZg18KPVBKsjBj-dS3x5Mm6hIyJaDWPnylqDpOStgCHfHA4yb0JVEUdAwoE/s320/DSC06182.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'I want to hold him!'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZe-OiL3dF4CN65nNBUSNIl8M3_RkTr0paadKcjOk6Qg2DldUP3rGF3mH6JQmkqNBzZatahzkg8affj6hjk0w7m0fQFKAJ3g2rcdHE-su58NTgk5e2NafQpy6h9QjstxcyLcYRGrpBuk4/s1600/DSC06190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZe-OiL3dF4CN65nNBUSNIl8M3_RkTr0paadKcjOk6Qg2DldUP3rGF3mH6JQmkqNBzZatahzkg8affj6hjk0w7m0fQFKAJ3g2rcdHE-su58NTgk5e2NafQpy6h9QjstxcyLcYRGrpBuk4/s320/DSC06190.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first walk, out by Columbia River.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCWkExfmc1_0TGYgoPE7fJOZV0xyctY_lRwkDy8977K_kgzPHi3wYnwvOGcU9lVmVGFSrw7vHqhJbmdZEwkhRYMiMtFQwixAcfdHwQKl_2Ebh4inGwBmyAHfcPnJNYhcxKFzx9Zsx2A8/s1600/DSC06191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCWkExfmc1_0TGYgoPE7fJOZV0xyctY_lRwkDy8977K_kgzPHi3wYnwvOGcU9lVmVGFSrw7vHqhJbmdZEwkhRYMiMtFQwixAcfdHwQKl_2Ebh4inGwBmyAHfcPnJNYhcxKFzx9Zsx2A8/s320/DSC06191.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asleep in Ergo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Qxw28UYYprMUqPMc5YD8zgLh3Emo-gH5BJcZqYIOPiHDVa-49w1oLOKWE_S-vANM3K_HdIbY3kfnqJt_s4MAJV-lj7fM1OFfn9M9GqY11ak-3L7UBkgwJTYCEmvQx1lAL2txoPp8o1Y/s1600/DSC06201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Qxw28UYYprMUqPMc5YD8zgLh3Emo-gH5BJcZqYIOPiHDVa-49w1oLOKWE_S-vANM3K_HdIbY3kfnqJt_s4MAJV-lj7fM1OFfn9M9GqY11ak-3L7UBkgwJTYCEmvQx1lAL2txoPp8o1Y/s320/DSC06201.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, he sucks his thumb.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWOXjYSZHrKSyOq8USwNn6pBBigarrxB7AMh4QkEdMoO5Ub77Htx0OuDKdaeqXIWbodhS91OvgfzvJlz1Pr1mGB0bPYTyWOLpzfEdrovE_D33lAsYRq5uTLpcP72kaKsUu0UKiMETG_no/s1600/DSC06245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWOXjYSZHrKSyOq8USwNn6pBBigarrxB7AMh4QkEdMoO5Ub77Htx0OuDKdaeqXIWbodhS91OvgfzvJlz1Pr1mGB0bPYTyWOLpzfEdrovE_D33lAsYRq5uTLpcP72kaKsUu0UKiMETG_no/s320/DSC06245.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those little burpy smiles... or whatever they are. They are cute!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNl2Tp75fuiqbEwbM1XRINJqtq1BOat1EW8wCcmsqNX2PooDEhRgCaE4rUB7yEBC-cIz8bHinS6EXCYHZodR25SDnN6mWwbiyEFewAY21eEQkp3nBEoWDmKdWRP5fugpU1YS1LhJaWa3k/s1600/DSC06248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNl2Tp75fuiqbEwbM1XRINJqtq1BOat1EW8wCcmsqNX2PooDEhRgCaE4rUB7yEBC-cIz8bHinS6EXCYHZodR25SDnN6mWwbiyEFewAY21eEQkp3nBEoWDmKdWRP5fugpU1YS1LhJaWa3k/s320/DSC06248.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our hands.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAl1C-xbQZQWimbQm-uz2kMDa2gw97_1YWaq-rbaRChwVY4TdKWDjcrP4iN4cgylqMrvenLwbQIkms-5vpjX4xYXM89cIy-uMuFkn2sCzNI0SZWWuNXfqF6md6uQtignG5MFwKUnlMq5Y/s1600/DSC06253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAl1C-xbQZQWimbQm-uz2kMDa2gw97_1YWaq-rbaRChwVY4TdKWDjcrP4iN4cgylqMrvenLwbQIkms-5vpjX4xYXM89cIy-uMuFkn2sCzNI0SZWWuNXfqF6md6uQtignG5MFwKUnlMq5Y/s320/DSC06253.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vPL07yiBgmA7Jz5CZumJwe03A4dWXaVdhMokK9h-5oBnmnL4KTaYXrAWGXoGFPA3dHQ8ujQhQ_OV0MuvYSOySYWdCs0wYZ3An0leUlFOmYK26iSSgbJ-MnAb6J785JVTEuiWNGK3-iI/s1600/DSC06261.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vPL07yiBgmA7Jz5CZumJwe03A4dWXaVdhMokK9h-5oBnmnL4KTaYXrAWGXoGFPA3dHQ8ujQhQ_OV0MuvYSOySYWdCs0wYZ3An0leUlFOmYK26iSSgbJ-MnAb6J785JVTEuiWNGK3-iI/s320/DSC06261.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandpa.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb80mY-9cXtJZiYwsYDfT76keapfYyuiIGZPGzVwHO33-DL9McHx9CP_yjMNLx4yeHP8acqxYSqlMB_zjq03WK0qr1yvQ7bOI2F4WmUEpTtlFAGJA61JhQNh7Hmo3YC26u-EV6uxUQyB4/s1600/DSC_0133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb80mY-9cXtJZiYwsYDfT76keapfYyuiIGZPGzVwHO33-DL9McHx9CP_yjMNLx4yeHP8acqxYSqlMB_zjq03WK0qr1yvQ7bOI2F4WmUEpTtlFAGJA61JhQNh7Hmo3YC26u-EV6uxUQyB4/s320/DSC_0133.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandmama and grandkids!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUSZHjqEsoOq64O12E6dMYp83q2ozvXIgW7_wPJI1F5ifxy7bcfnbuUoTw_e2cYPEyFYI2SltQvn5i8hjAuthr4l6fQ5O53jLwFie6ZnEx6_xqz2GvSNe-91-WKEHMuT_nuZ6XJfowDc/s1600/DSC_0145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUSZHjqEsoOq64O12E6dMYp83q2ozvXIgW7_wPJI1F5ifxy7bcfnbuUoTw_e2cYPEyFYI2SltQvn5i8hjAuthr4l6fQ5O53jLwFie6ZnEx6_xqz2GvSNe-91-WKEHMuT_nuZ6XJfowDc/s320/DSC_0145.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtW0svsSuRWEB3DwJ4KzY1HzMKDME43Hw98RINAwX_nLOJ83ZLUW116avtXLk18tyKDoSDHxX4F-V9RYqkfwqicIdjYXF6w2CewEiySiO-RjLWUNjSb8TZBqaSIfirplP7sAX9VOmGEEI/s1600/DSC_0155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtW0svsSuRWEB3DwJ4KzY1HzMKDME43Hw98RINAwX_nLOJ83ZLUW116avtXLk18tyKDoSDHxX4F-V9RYqkfwqicIdjYXF6w2CewEiySiO-RjLWUNjSb8TZBqaSIfirplP7sAX9VOmGEEI/s320/DSC_0155.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom, me, and Landon.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMHJDOaRHLp-gf6QM3MGePtoq3t1TMoewLfGCvG13METI2EgK7mSM4hpJqBN0rYBApZMQ5nviJSNG8NxIkxDBqCaqLOYDNQaX_Gnrp1pVHgfqIpD8eXP3xVBHmWMEbKrlU1CiXAMzUd8/s1600/DSC_0167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMHJDOaRHLp-gf6QM3MGePtoq3t1TMoewLfGCvG13METI2EgK7mSM4hpJqBN0rYBApZMQ5nviJSNG8NxIkxDBqCaqLOYDNQaX_Gnrp1pVHgfqIpD8eXP3xVBHmWMEbKrlU1CiXAMzUd8/s320/DSC_0167.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Story time with Daddy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-76631822378501845782013-04-02T20:31:00.000-07:002013-04-02T20:31:12.883-07:00Stop Trying...
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I tend to be an overachiever.
Okay, actually I just AM an overachiever. I don’t mean that in a bragging way
at all, I hope you all know. Actually, it can be quite a detriment. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Instead of rest, I often choose
frantic activity. Instead of a peaceful frame of mind, I choose to worry.
Instead of allowing others to help me, I am a “do-it-myself” girl – fiercely
independent – and then I wonder why my daughter is so independently natured.
And I wonder why I’m so damn tired at the end of the day. Or at the beginning
of one.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Achieving and getting your to-do
list done, or making goals and going after them are of course admirable traits.
They have served me well in many ways. But sometimes, you just gotta say no.
And sometimes, it’s okay to quit something. </div>
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I quit something recently and am actually
quite proud of myself: I quit reading my Bible. </div>
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<br /></div>
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No, it’s not that extreme. I
haven’t lost my faith or anything. But, Joe and I had set out in mid-November
to read through the whole Bible in one year. (Again, not a bragging point –
just a goal we had set for ourselves to encourage ourselves to be more
intentional about spending time with God).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We printed out a schedule from the Internet that gave you
what to read every day. I stuck with it pretty well, even through packing,
moving and traveling… and then just last week I decided I had had enough. </div>
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I was getting so frustrated trying
to read these intense passages of Old Testament scripture where so many “why”
questions arise, and then not be able to really study it or understand what was
happening. I was reading just to “get it done” and it wasn’t feeding my soul or
leading me closer to God in any way. At least not right now in my life (like 10
days before baby #2 will be born). I needed something more immediate, more
accessible, more understandable. Something that would challenge me to connect
with God right then and there, and throughout my day.</div>
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So I busted out the little <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Calling-Enjoying-Peace-Presence/dp/1591451884/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364957856&sr=8-1&keywords=jesus+calling+book" target="_blank"><u>Jesus Calling</u></a> devotional book my friend gave me a year ago. It may be a little cheesy
(it’s written as if Jesus is talking directly to you, and yes, you can buy it
at Walmart), but I actually love this little book. So many times it has a
message that is exactly what I need to hear, and it offers scriptures that you
can look up – like one or two verses, instead of the chapters of Leviticus I
was reading before – verses you can “carry” with you throughout the day.</div>
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This one from March 29<sup>th</sup>
really challenged and encouraged me (the italics are the scriptures the author
uses as a reference):</div>
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<br /></div>
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Stop trying to work things out
before their times have come. Accept the limitations of living one day at a
time. When something comes to your attention, ask Me whether or not it is part
of today’s agenda. If it isn’t, release it into My care and go on about today’s
duties. When you follow this practice, there will be a beautiful simplicity
about your life: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a time for everything,
and everything in its time.</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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A life lived close to Me is not
complicated or cluttered. When your focus is on My Presence, many things that
once troubled you lose their power over you. Though the world around you is
messy and confusing, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">remember that I have
overcome the world. I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have
Peace.</i></div>
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Ecclesiastes
3:1; John 16:33</div>
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<br /></div>
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Part of the post-Costa Rica
conversation that Joe and I are always having seems to be centered around these
questions: What next? Where next? Is it here in the Vancouver area? Back to
Seattle? Another place? What types of jobs should we pursue? Etc… These aren’t
bad questions, it’s just that we spend an awful amount of time allowing these
questions to consume us, instead of resting in God’s timing and guidance our
lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God gave us minds, choice,
and freedom, and he invites us into a conversation about our lives, but that
doesn’t mean we have to be consumed by constant analyzing and it shouldn’t mean
that we stop relying and trusting in Jesus to be our ultimate source, our
ultimate guide, our ultimate peace.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So with all that said, I am glad I
quit reading my Bible. At least trying to read through it all <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this</i> year. I will try again another time
when I can devote more time to studying and really understanding what I’m
reading. In the meantime, I’m challenging myself to stop being such an
over-achiever; <i>stop trying to work things out
before their times have come</i> and instead focus on the simple, peaceful presence of Jesus as I go
throughout my day.</div>
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<br /></div>
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P.S. I’m also trying to be at
peace while we wait for this baby’s birth… I’ve been much more anxious second
time around, wondering when and how it will all go down. While we wait, we’ve
been keeping busy. Here are a few pictures of our life lately.</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOSIeEc-owG_a84O6OCBB2oaXmBvpvBeKkMNSZFfdTzsZtFU6yAtyP7nnFw8SHakwoJGiHkzpTwxL6V3BD4zwUB2PQubJbTSn5L7is7VLcPJi2YXYlg9ReDNABftSacHZlwB-WtQKXRM/s1600/DSC05998.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOSIeEc-owG_a84O6OCBB2oaXmBvpvBeKkMNSZFfdTzsZtFU6yAtyP7nnFw8SHakwoJGiHkzpTwxL6V3BD4zwUB2PQubJbTSn5L7is7VLcPJi2YXYlg9ReDNABftSacHZlwB-WtQKXRM/s320/DSC05998.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The nursery, just a little over a week ago. I've been frantically working on it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQEd9tjpFG5Z2KC9EXl8WL_vcSwfobaESk0t9g-5ufXUG4mSyiTWsjQ1HXzP3wBFTmxRhcoamJ1EXeRiBEtQet5LCU_DwpeVdFVRdPTDSNUMbfkan62Gc15qIgKQ7No1UjlCvvLieXb0/s1600/DSC06000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQEd9tjpFG5Z2KC9EXl8WL_vcSwfobaESk0t9g-5ufXUG4mSyiTWsjQ1HXzP3wBFTmxRhcoamJ1EXeRiBEtQet5LCU_DwpeVdFVRdPTDSNUMbfkan62Gc15qIgKQ7No1UjlCvvLieXb0/s320/DSC06000.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kate at the park on a sunny, spring NW day!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghO6irOQYZ53LY3XnxFcFOx8wMi_LzXCQ-rroARXGRTYXdjck7FX1z1i5u_VlE9Gm3s5ygU4zHTxCT4Ea6ApYhA1QHY6aAM1LuCBcQo45XRvx8hEkPJpDLMnYM1_9mqyA9qK6-6wvV7sQ/s1600/DSC06007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghO6irOQYZ53LY3XnxFcFOx8wMi_LzXCQ-rroARXGRTYXdjck7FX1z1i5u_VlE9Gm3s5ygU4zHTxCT4Ea6ApYhA1QHY6aAM1LuCBcQo45XRvx8hEkPJpDLMnYM1_9mqyA9qK6-6wvV7sQ/s320/DSC06007.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Kate had her very first field trip at her preschool. They had been studying about Servicios Publicos (public services), like fire fighters, police, medics, etc. For the trip, they went to downtown Camas (a small mill town we live next to) and toured the fire station, library, and local grocery store.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcz6SgDgRZX6Uxbs9dgZVCpuhkCTSuA6vSjES5xfK_UM1L2K1FS-jdD4_CUGWgp1Bui_t2zawxFtrGnwvtqkU8X68mjELGI0D4mpVUG7fkE1SsOo6Ei4BUyXJN4Ub2ixTmb7dNKCYXdaw/s1600/DSC06023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcz6SgDgRZX6Uxbs9dgZVCpuhkCTSuA6vSjES5xfK_UM1L2K1FS-jdD4_CUGWgp1Bui_t2zawxFtrGnwvtqkU8X68mjELGI0D4mpVUG7fkE1SsOo6Ei4BUyXJN4Ub2ixTmb7dNKCYXdaw/s320/DSC06023.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIIcgfQlfoZWomX8JXr21nOBBnEYYSTxd4JPU6AfcJPPXiJYiYeSOgTI05QzQ2h3OfQ1p-j1Nd9D5-rSsFgPMzJ0wWmvy-YJGucm9Ouir12nrSV5IL9lwKkMm21vR4GCB2-b9Xpn8oas/s1600/DSC06014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIIcgfQlfoZWomX8JXr21nOBBnEYYSTxd4JPU6AfcJPPXiJYiYeSOgTI05QzQ2h3OfQ1p-j1Nd9D5-rSsFgPMzJ0wWmvy-YJGucm9Ouir12nrSV5IL9lwKkMm21vR4GCB2-b9Xpn8oas/s320/DSC06014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOJ2CXLTvGBTW2a3-AxnORy0Ccg1e34mBU5WJxMk_nfT6O61Zqz2LaAANiRg0MIr2sqKFwJvQrWhll71aZPaCq8mH7HbDgYxRSHSf_LsNEw5Z52d_F6PVRdyjyQ4Bw9krEPvYCnnJN80E/s1600/DSC06016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOJ2CXLTvGBTW2a3-AxnORy0Ccg1e34mBU5WJxMk_nfT6O61Zqz2LaAANiRg0MIr2sqKFwJvQrWhll71aZPaCq8mH7HbDgYxRSHSf_LsNEw5Z52d_F6PVRdyjyQ4Bw9krEPvYCnnJN80E/s320/DSC06016.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh566HTdzek9j9ZtkTEKpGFxeh7eEBX784u9i5ijINrTfec8tltMC0txLKYEN1CR0RnvymD9CpU3NT2-cL9DjwN8JnQu86-3RpuLAIqfO2bsCKqZBJa0tG9fiLureMtxTsqChkh2EkW_wg/s1600/DSC06025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh566HTdzek9j9ZtkTEKpGFxeh7eEBX784u9i5ijINrTfec8tltMC0txLKYEN1CR0RnvymD9CpU3NT2-cL9DjwN8JnQu86-3RpuLAIqfO2bsCKqZBJa0tG9fiLureMtxTsqChkh2EkW_wg/s320/DSC06025.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Future fire fighter...</td></tr>
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My dear friend Eryn hosted a lovely potluck dinner/shower for me this past Saturday. I am still waiting for some pictures that she took, so I only have these two... But the food was delicious, the company superb, and the laughter worth it all... Thank you Eryn and all who were able to make it!!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAEhtoW4NuBBChGY2Q3xlimUSGYOG-OrzYN6_p4largzUatvLj3BFv4gdYvSDjOcJ8VhfFtMJwcy9bKeiSBpjk1rpqYnt6hUKMHaezMf_QAwJlQDLkLBzIIz8h-tuEIlR-jK31dfRGiw/s1600/DSC06044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAEhtoW4NuBBChGY2Q3xlimUSGYOG-OrzYN6_p4largzUatvLj3BFv4gdYvSDjOcJ8VhfFtMJwcy9bKeiSBpjk1rpqYnt6hUKMHaezMf_QAwJlQDLkLBzIIz8h-tuEIlR-jK31dfRGiw/s320/DSC06044.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1XP9yibyt1mPJp-k4pnpg_di_zulsd7OkqYM2LfrooVnkiah6xu22cUY1HoN0H2-Z8b9gFWPS2VoeQv5nOjtuf4GCCsJvkSJELOf_D7Efwyy-xXzuS3LFoGIsBjewAPwcLAYKkEHkso/s1600/DSC06045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1XP9yibyt1mPJp-k4pnpg_di_zulsd7OkqYM2LfrooVnkiah6xu22cUY1HoN0H2-Z8b9gFWPS2VoeQv5nOjtuf4GCCsJvkSJELOf_D7Efwyy-xXzuS3LFoGIsBjewAPwcLAYKkEHkso/s320/DSC06045.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The three pregos! I look ginormous compared to these two! So scary.</td></tr>
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And then there was Easter.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqeE6QxkAvC40fTzS3j6YzM5b3wiKvADNbD35wdSHqVZ8iSeRKt2TN8F1vCHL2XmsQcVjzC3oOMgD19ocdgU2xsh54O_t-1ilCpOOPETv0phDdkXLNcFgbUC_RgEWjTJmWTMzMAEBiiD0/s1600/DSC06053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqeE6QxkAvC40fTzS3j6YzM5b3wiKvADNbD35wdSHqVZ8iSeRKt2TN8F1vCHL2XmsQcVjzC3oOMgD19ocdgU2xsh54O_t-1ilCpOOPETv0phDdkXLNcFgbUC_RgEWjTJmWTMzMAEBiiD0/s320/DSC06053.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Easter bucket (it was the cheapest and most practical thing I could find!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBzH4499fIhos3rywblJpyTFX4wAXpGqV6682q0pkZ3sGxQPfdHKaGK9nEfKUC-a1lUTu43Af5PNbQW_zzQJAIdRB1kFkTHQN_NyiZya79ZLYh9ySv5XWLVqBkYHCNLvD42sXQUE3-uiA/s1600/DSC06061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBzH4499fIhos3rywblJpyTFX4wAXpGqV6682q0pkZ3sGxQPfdHKaGK9nEfKUC-a1lUTu43Af5PNbQW_zzQJAIdRB1kFkTHQN_NyiZya79ZLYh9ySv5XWLVqBkYHCNLvD42sXQUE3-uiA/s320/DSC06061.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening a second basket from Uncle Andy, who came down for the day from Seattle.</td></tr>
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</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEI-zN9CZtQx5vhb4q9cLo__497Q9KvPjnlEdLHVqzbc9BgOYQa5QmXZiywZa_R-D-hOcJPGFDYCuzHkz5gGM3MtqyfuH0CU7-vDf2lMsn93RcRZjmFwLDMkp7w15JbxssH_5Hgclx9g/s1600/DSC06056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEI-zN9CZtQx5vhb4q9cLo__497Q9KvPjnlEdLHVqzbc9BgOYQa5QmXZiywZa_R-D-hOcJPGFDYCuzHkz5gGM3MtqyfuH0CU7-vDf2lMsn93RcRZjmFwLDMkp7w15JbxssH_5Hgclx9g/s320/DSC06056.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had lunch with Great Grandma at her retirement home. In the back is Andy, Joe's brother, and his girlfriend.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5MMze5tPxC8TMBwjAh0YvmdLJl289xYQdvQ4mSXJpCf7-SdA1xxId2fJt7BH-vyhExxr5O-vg2LCZlNtDTlXXxFho4br2_RirBeHQLKi6Dhscl_MvswLIgM4J3zLGD08gI2gMmKfQ-o/s1600/DSC06077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5MMze5tPxC8TMBwjAh0YvmdLJl289xYQdvQ4mSXJpCf7-SdA1xxId2fJt7BH-vyhExxr5O-vg2LCZlNtDTlXXxFho4br2_RirBeHQLKi6Dhscl_MvswLIgM4J3zLGD08gI2gMmKfQ-o/s320/DSC06077.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egg huntin' at Grandma and Grandpa's</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF7Xq-Hn4Pt-AB2EsfyBUn_VjQJTAWKrtnoJme_h_dOcBRP5rgjVsiqJ_Qq76RV59hhuQ9WIROnNR2ao7NMVrpWKo_kt4pkX4UB9w2PkXLDBUtBDOiciWvFXO0f5rojwKpF46A5NOJQXg/s1600/DSC06079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF7Xq-Hn4Pt-AB2EsfyBUn_VjQJTAWKrtnoJme_h_dOcBRP5rgjVsiqJ_Qq76RV59hhuQ9WIROnNR2ao7NMVrpWKo_kt4pkX4UB9w2PkXLDBUtBDOiciWvFXO0f5rojwKpF46A5NOJQXg/s320/DSC06079.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXs_owA5JxdJ4sr2QeS__O6t7_RZ_hnVcGnmzb_ZmUWj_h9hGF9u0H8ASjY8aN-ZXjYXRlwPT8p2ows8pKZmbeTMq7EmFmUoNFi-bH2X6ZoDiUWbGZURZa1nktmdQqNu3UP1J99QXcqA/s1600/DSC06080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXs_owA5JxdJ4sr2QeS__O6t7_RZ_hnVcGnmzb_ZmUWj_h9hGF9u0H8ASjY8aN-ZXjYXRlwPT8p2ows8pKZmbeTMq7EmFmUoNFi-bH2X6ZoDiUWbGZURZa1nktmdQqNu3UP1J99QXcqA/s320/DSC06080.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSj0EJantlImaKa1umbG9zP_X5wCQmk7rj_leQS3NLUq8S0at-u_2V66pA3hn7uZfS4Q9fR00jLi3Vu9OY1183Uv_lLjoA-c_DRtTHkfZcTemk5jbWKGGFvgxwb8vAqvK_jV0LFqzGQf8/s1600/DSC06086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSj0EJantlImaKa1umbG9zP_X5wCQmk7rj_leQS3NLUq8S0at-u_2V66pA3hn7uZfS4Q9fR00jLi3Vu9OY1183Uv_lLjoA-c_DRtTHkfZcTemk5jbWKGGFvgxwb8vAqvK_jV0LFqzGQf8/s320/DSC06086.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjb7BQv_Pjewwu-V1-ynqipPfABtalJ9QCwSTNALWTXLO-aSNjTQnpEQAeGlmjolUoDSMrl0N6Dz-t_grQx6j5J6-yRqy3KTtcac-wAMuUtHDJFsraSP5YYH3euBWhorV3ioPPuNNx46w/s1600/DSC06088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjb7BQv_Pjewwu-V1-ynqipPfABtalJ9QCwSTNALWTXLO-aSNjTQnpEQAeGlmjolUoDSMrl0N6Dz-t_grQx6j5J6-yRqy3KTtcac-wAMuUtHDJFsraSP5YYH3euBWhorV3ioPPuNNx46w/s320/DSC06088.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our dyed egg collection: animal print style!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BKottVCW4dvcqj9jFfOfzIdMtEKtWa4Bkdcs0GGvj_OqNflUN6sbRpy5PuwwRr9WyA-QGwLydkyEy51z9fCB7QpiBmNkgolEbaoRi4DxQ3fFqRhGtBFCubAKJteCwnncYkKsNOg86pA/s1600/DSC06070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BKottVCW4dvcqj9jFfOfzIdMtEKtWa4Bkdcs0GGvj_OqNflUN6sbRpy5PuwwRr9WyA-QGwLydkyEy51z9fCB7QpiBmNkgolEbaoRi4DxQ3fFqRhGtBFCubAKJteCwnncYkKsNOg86pA/s320/DSC06070.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was also Grandma's birthday on Easter, so we enjoyed celebrating her and watching her open presents!</td></tr>
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And then, there was the Oregon Zoo today! I really shouldn't go out in public anymore... I feel like a curiosity shop or something, but you know, it's Spring break and we really need to get Kate out of the house. Plus, it gets my mind off of waiting-for-the-baby, and it's good exercise to walk around the zoo! We even had a very, very special behind the scenes experience with the penguins, thanks to Aunt Una Beth, who volunteers at the zoo!!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbz4skDdShftIEIijRxWfRjCiM0Vah2r3lNAMxM0Ft9dHgW4UL4WQaoATOCvMflUAnL-fUClbMLnBiADMYjD-pz1AfiR9zgDR_xLaDVNj6bPiWkp8SvDJfWIrpuUHvT4YTZWWJjRwIa4Y/s320/DSC06090.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kate wanted to pose by this giant bear.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwYuYHQBBw0RZzwZ8ZLFpn0mbGutc3Cyh3CGGD0wza4TKk3zSuFBXVV05UfjUnMEE0F1DH6MGA39Wrljc6a_CeH3mMc-xE56zu9omNZbpTuQjpEXxmbNQtfnyOB43tkOBHpw47GjAI1fo/s1600/DSC06096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwYuYHQBBw0RZzwZ8ZLFpn0mbGutc3Cyh3CGGD0wza4TKk3zSuFBXVV05UfjUnMEE0F1DH6MGA39Wrljc6a_CeH3mMc-xE56zu9omNZbpTuQjpEXxmbNQtfnyOB43tkOBHpw47GjAI1fo/s320/DSC06096.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Rick, the penguin keeper and Mochika, a Humboldt penguin who thinks he's a person.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0q0jFPWIwnVI2PF_Nlqz2x8_7An013pxdVKmONnzqdMB6WsIDiyZJMcBWSEMhGdWsmG1rYcyCUjgIXyoQKPaPg1nCRqWNwb885OGrT_Ol-vWjo98jYtf-sAC6a5YXZu5F3HSDYu2UALc/s1600/DSC06098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0q0jFPWIwnVI2PF_Nlqz2x8_7An013pxdVKmONnzqdMB6WsIDiyZJMcBWSEMhGdWsmG1rYcyCUjgIXyoQKPaPg1nCRqWNwb885OGrT_Ol-vWjo98jYtf-sAC6a5YXZu5F3HSDYu2UALc/s320/DSC06098.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkZcRhNvr7ONaSLPFxRH4N0F9VcpEVF6aY53U96QDBkZUSlSHO2TlS9-qV63xVnXID3Wajo_ZWFI2jPy9YlFE6RtrT3c-1hnsumbyOcjcxwCaoxnFDMwFEcssy1B1V5AJzarWdkVcEu8/s1600/DSC06102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkZcRhNvr7ONaSLPFxRH4N0F9VcpEVF6aY53U96QDBkZUSlSHO2TlS9-qV63xVnXID3Wajo_ZWFI2jPy9YlFE6RtrT3c-1hnsumbyOcjcxwCaoxnFDMwFEcssy1B1V5AJzarWdkVcEu8/s320/DSC06102.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We got to go in the actual enclosure and peek in this kennel to see a penguin chick and its mama!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpR7rL9ps4otoHZXO96yfnkO2OAWYaxOVN003u0rfgYeJw16bd0Qhr-RRx3kvG8eSR-H2XKxKrItmH0ApZYXJpRL0DatbfVrxEOznY0ymDz3-FuTDkhoxl1jC5T8Y7q7jhR6adje2YFJg/s1600/DSC06103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpR7rL9ps4otoHZXO96yfnkO2OAWYaxOVN003u0rfgYeJw16bd0Qhr-RRx3kvG8eSR-H2XKxKrItmH0ApZYXJpRL0DatbfVrxEOznY0ymDz3-FuTDkhoxl1jC5T8Y7q7jhR6adje2YFJg/s320/DSC06103.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mochika hanging out in the corner...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKq__oUMOVuC07OjXJxcqllWrWFHVR-h1HdN3Xb0aYjXr4Iy2d-eDWvC2EoD6MjXqzU11noVRdHHlFvX15Cazqmg89Ekmzf9EHqJNwRWYMTp67Jp6c-Ke9ZNJxN3yOojo12Aje_l27pg/s1600/DSC06089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKq__oUMOVuC07OjXJxcqllWrWFHVR-h1HdN3Xb0aYjXr4Iy2d-eDWvC2EoD6MjXqzU11noVRdHHlFvX15Cazqmg89Ekmzf9EHqJNwRWYMTp67Jp6c-Ke9ZNJxN3yOojo12Aje_l27pg/s320/DSC06089.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Being a flamingo.</td></tr>
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Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-68879119617640717062013-03-11T15:06:00.000-07:002013-03-11T15:06:46.072-07:00In Just One Month…
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>It is crazy to think that in just one month from today, this
little baby boy could make his arrival into the world. It’s especially crazy
since just a little over a year ago, I was having surgery so that I could have
the chance of having another baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even with the successful surgery and the doctor saying everything looked
good, we still had our doubts about whether baby #2 would ever happen as we
headed into the summer months of 2012. After all, it had been 20 months of
trying.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But here we are.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
This pregnancy has been much harder than the first. I know
this is totally normal. But sometimes I have wondered how much of it is the
actual pregnancy, or if it’s the circumstances we’ve experienced in our lives
for the past eight months (and before) that have made it so much more
difficult. Either way, as I head into the final stretch (both figuratively and
literally, unfortunately for my poor belly), I wanted to reflect on a few
things from the past several months.</div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span class="versetext"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="versetext"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Perseverance and waiting
has made us stronger:</b> Persevering through </span>some hard moments in Costa
Rica as well as waiting for this baby has changed Joe and me. I wrote about how
the risk of <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2013/01/rocking-chair-moment-1.html" target="_blank">moving to CR</a> was worth it, which it was, but also the waiting for
this baby has been worth it, even though it was not our choice, not our
plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still struggle with
questioning the timing of it all. <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(I have
to openly and embarrassingly admit I still have moments of sadness that my kids
will be 4 years apart, and that I will be that much older if we decide to try
for a third, and that a career of any kind is put on the back burner, at least
for now…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and then I am ashamed
because I know people who can’t have biological children at all, or who have a
million other struggles so much bigger than mine, and so then I get my thoughts
in order and start being grateful instead of doing the whole disgusting “if
only”<span class="versetext"> thing in my head…).</span></span><span class="versetext"> But this experience has sculpted me and refined me in ways
that only happen when you are in a difficult season, and I am constantly
reminded of this verse out of Romans 5: </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<i><span class="versetext">And we<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7937346955945674499" name="b"></a> rejoice in the hope<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7937346955945674499" name="7"></a>
of the glory of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only so,
but we<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7937346955945674499" name="c"></a> also rejoice in our sufferings,<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7937346955945674499" name="8"></a> because we
know that suffering produces perseverance;<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7937346955945674499" name="9"></a> perseverance,
character; and character, hope. And hope<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7937346955945674499" name="10"></a> does not disappoint us,
because God has poured out his love<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7937346955945674499" name="11"></a> into our hearts by the Holy
Spirit,<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7937346955945674499" name="12"></a> whom he has given us.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Don’t
give up hope.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love how in
the verse above, Paul talks about how suffering eventually produces hope. I
don’t know exactly how it all works, to be honest. What I do understand is that
I can <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i> have hope in Jesus, in
his unfathomable love for me, no matter what the circumstance or season of my
life is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We may not understand
God’s timing or exact purpose in a certain situation in our life, but we can
always have hope. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hope is the thing with
feathers</i>, Emily Dickenson writes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Which for me means hope feels light, in the midst of heavy
circumstances. More importantly, God’s hope, love, and grace is light and has
carried me through these past months, especially in the midst of <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2013/02/sometimes-you-just-need-to-curl-up-and.html" target="_blank">meltdowns and breakdowns!</a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">This Too
Shall Pass:</b> I think this is probably every mother’s mantra at some point.
Heck, every human’s mantra. At least it should be. I have to constantly remind
myself that any given moment will pass eventually. This holds true for the
excruciatingly difficult ones as well as the bursting-with-joy ones. Which
means we need to hold steady during the storms, knowing the calm will return
eventually, and fully embrace the moments of glorious joy, knowing that, <i>“You
are <span class="highlight">a</span> <span class="highlight">mist</span> that
appears for <span class="highlight">a</span> little while and then vanishes”</i>
(James), and <i>“Remember, O God, that my life is but a </i><span class="highlight"><i>breath”</i>
(Job)</span> and <i>“Man is like a <span class="highlight">breath</span>; his days
are like a fleeting shadow.”</i> (Psalmist)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
So as this pregnancy seems to drag
on and on, and the feeling of being unsettled and in transition seems to be
lasting forever, and becoming an insomniac seems to be my newest pastime, I have
to constantly remind myself of these truths. “I’m getting stronger through all
this! Don’t give up hope – the end is near! This too will pass!” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
And best of all, I get to hear God
tell me in my weakest moments, “I love you still. Even though. Even if.” And I
get to rest in his embrace.</div>
Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-66222205077114653302013-02-20T15:25:00.002-08:002013-02-20T15:25:31.557-08:00Sometimes You Just Need to Curl Up and Cry
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<div class="MsoNormal">
A few weeks ago I wrote about how taking the risk of <a href="http://www.tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2013/01/rocking-chair-moment-1.html" target="_blank">moving to Costa Rica</a> was totally worth it and that we will never regret it, even
though it turned out differently than anticipated. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That reality is still completely true. But… <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">but</i>. It doesn’t mean this transition of
moving back has been easy. Of course moving is never easy though.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As it turns out, which is no surprise really, getting
re-settled has been rather brutal. In moments at least. Brutal may be too
strong of a word, but it pretty much sums up how I was feeling yesterday
morning:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Boxes are everywhere still.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Toiletries are strewn across the bathroom counter.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some clothes are hung, but I ran out of hangers so a
mountain of shirts still awaits me on the floor.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Toys litter the bonus room floor.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I haven’t slept well for several nights.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At seven months pregnant, I feel as big as this suburban
house I’m living in.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then Kate comes in the closet, where I’m attempting to
organize, and wants to do a dress up dance party. Right now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Did I mention it is 7:30 a.m.?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlx6Jj9YPmHwtVbctj1_5IDTR-SOdswgUpt2Owg0ydMzcLJ3ExSqIID4ZbeuNdC5JsMklur9mpglPi1FlQU721UXrYui_ng7Pnppgvpc8LAGLVure3egzOwEnoxsaNSbHUnbbE_WJ0Xk/s1600/DSC_0637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlx6Jj9YPmHwtVbctj1_5IDTR-SOdswgUpt2Owg0ydMzcLJ3ExSqIID4ZbeuNdC5JsMklur9mpglPi1FlQU721UXrYui_ng7Pnppgvpc8LAGLVure3egzOwEnoxsaNSbHUnbbE_WJ0Xk/s320/DSC_0637.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I love dress up dance parties. I love my daughter. But at
that very moment, everything was just too much and suddenly I felt
overwhelmingly exhausted. (Been feeling that way a lot lately!)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wanted to crawl back in bed, curl up, and pretend that
none of this ever happened. That Costa Rica never happened, that moving from my
cozy Seattle house and settling in the suburbs in Washougal, WA never happened,
that being completely unsettled just two months before having another baby
never happened… </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And besides wanting to pretend all that, I wished that my
daughter would just go away and entertain herself and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stop talking</i>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, what did I do? Curled up in bed. And cried. And I let
myself feel all of it. Even if it was just for five minutes, I needed to allow
myself to feel it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And this has been the struggle lately for me. For us. How do
we allow ourselves to face the reality of our lives, the struggle, the
disappointment, the longings, the pain –<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>how do we acknowledge its existence – but not wallow in? Not get so
sucked in that we slowly become critical, irritable, frustrated, and depressed
people? How do we enter into these more difficult emotions so that we’re not
unhealthily repressing them, but not get stuck there?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think a lot could be said and written about this topic. In
fact, a lot has been said, and since I am no psychologist or expert in this
area, I even hesitated to write about it. So many other people have eloquently
expressed thoughts and ideas about what I’ll call “life’s struggles”, and so
many others have far more compelling circumstances from which to write, that it
almost seems silly to add anything to the conversation. (In fact, most of what
has been on my mind lately has been wonderfully articulated in our former
pastor’s blog <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/richarddahlstrom/2013/02/18/the-gift-of-a-stone-in-your-shoe-or-how-to-build-a-better-life/" target="_blank">here</a>, and my friend Lynnea’s blog <a href="http://burningbrightly.org/2013/02/13/you-are-not-alone/" target="_blank">here</a>. I should just stop typing
now and let you read those blogs. Please do - you won't regret it.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But for now, I will add my own two cents, because even
though I am not a gifted pastor of a big church, or am not a breast cancer survivor,
most of you aren’t either. However, we all experience difficult struggles and
emotions, whether they last for just moments or days, or last for a much longer
season of life. Our struggles can be simple, everyday frustrations, or
something much more difficult to endure, like a serious illness or death in the
family. Either way, suffering is part of the human experience.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So for now, I will simply say this: the one thing I’ve
learned about being sad, stressed, confused, exhausted, doubtful, angry, depressed
or _______________, (write in your chosen emotion/situation) is: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">don’t repress it</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Americans, we have this culture of
“pulling yourself up by your boot straps” and an attitude of “onward and upward”.
These are admirable traits. But many times, we can’t get there right away. And
it’s unhealthy to do so. It’s unhealthy to pretend that “everything is just
fine” when really, it’s not. Because as you acknowledge the true place you are
in, and even allow yourself to curl up and cry, you then gain strength to get
up again and move forward in your day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In your life. I don’t understand exactly why this works. But
I just know it does. And I know it feels a heck of a lot better than pushing
those emotions to the bottom of my heart.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am still working on this balance of not repressing the
‘hard stuff’ while not becoming Miss Negative Nancy. I don’t have it all
figured out. But I find solace, as well as guidance, in reading the Psalms,
where the juxtaposition of lamenting hard times and then praising the Lord is
perfectly expressed. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">From Psalm 142, a
psalm of David</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I cry aloud to the Lord;</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I pour out my complaint before him;</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before him I tell my trouble.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When my spirit grows faint within me,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is you who know my way…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">And from Psalm 146,
also of David</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Praise the Lord.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Praise the Lord, O my soul.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will praise the Lord all my life;</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I believe that one big clue to this balance of authentically
acknowledging our struggles but not getting stuck in a downward spiral of
self-pity can be found in the Psalms (as well as in many parts of the Bible):
When we bring all of who we are and what we feel before God, then he will see
us through it. God can handle all of our emotions. He is not scared of our
anger or doubt or frustration or grief. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If shepherds and kings can ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cry aloud to the Lord</i>’ then so can we. </div>
Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-60229552488918968282013-02-04T16:14:00.001-08:002013-02-04T16:14:27.269-08:00Rocking Chair Moment #2: Less is More
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<div class="MsoNormal">
As we prepare to leave North Carolina and head back to the
Northwest on Tuesday, we are doing one final round of Extreme Packing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Extreme = 6 huge duffels, each weighing 50 pounds, + maximum
number of carry-ons per person stuffed to the brim + one ‘I’m-so-sick-of-this-flying-business’
cat.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Needless to say, we are tired of this extreme packing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So as we sort through our stuff once more, leaving at least
one suitcase-full’s worth of junk here for my parents to bring us later, I am
reminded of something else I’ve learned from this whole experience, or what
I’ll call another “Rocking Chair Moment”: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Less
is More</b>. (If you don’t know what I mean by Rocking Chair Moment, you can
glance back at my <a href="http://www.tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2013/01/rocking-chair-moment-1.html" target="_blank">previous post</a>.) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know that this current state of packing and unpacking and
sorting and organizing is unique and will not always be our reality. (Thank
goodness it ends very soon.) But it’s been enough of a reality for the past
year and a half that it has really gotten me thinking about a more minimalist
lifestyle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been reading a
blog called <a href="http://www.becomingminimalist.com/the-10-most-important-things-to-simplify-in-your-life/" target="_blank">Becoming Minimalist</a> off and on for a while now and in general have
been intrigued by this lifestyle for a few years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But being intrigued is different than putting it into
practice and frankly, I can be a bit of a pack rack at times. And like anyone
else, I often think I “need” more, when really I am confusing need with want,
and even when I admit it is a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i>,
it’s easy to get carried away and caught up in wanting this and then wanting
that and then ultimately never being satisfied with what you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> have.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But after an international move, where we had to fit the
essentials into a limited number of bags (not to mention all the boxes and furniture you have stored back at home), you can’t help but see the abundance
and even the excess of what you own already. The packing, repacking, and
weighing process just smacks you in the face and you really start to SEE your
belongings in a different way because each item is taking up space, weight, and
most importantly, your time. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So as we set up our new home in a little over a week, we are
really going to make a conscious effort to buy less and live more simply.
Because by owning <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">less</b> I will spend
less time organizing and caring for my stuff, which in turn will give me <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">more</b> time to enjoy the things in life
that are truly important. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so when I’m 90 in my rocking chair, looking back on my
life, less will be more in that I will have hopefully spent more time:</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Hanging out with my friends and family</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuciU7jFLie8lnA57ySO7w5aVt7lKHwJAJ4al-NGO0KpT99QviTi8RKQHmzyX4uv-JSVsn90MDGLPuPsPUVeIAkJZEE-MnnwlRUlmTzIURdxxYpEyVVtjMa3Ce5Q7VoKuQpAc1E5M80_E/s1600/DSC00198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuciU7jFLie8lnA57ySO7w5aVt7lKHwJAJ4al-NGO0KpT99QviTi8RKQHmzyX4uv-JSVsn90MDGLPuPsPUVeIAkJZEE-MnnwlRUlmTzIURdxxYpEyVVtjMa3Ce5Q7VoKuQpAc1E5M80_E/s320/DSC00198.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Tybee Island, GA right after Christmas.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Practicing hobbies I love like painting,
gardening, reading, writing, and even more recently cooking.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Staying active and healthy</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Owning and buying less will also mean that I will</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Worry and stress less </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Have the opportunity to practice contentment</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>More often repurpose or create things I *<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">need</span>* (or want) for our home instead
of buying the cheap, made in China junk from the store</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Have more time, energy, and money to give away
to people who really need it</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course, these are all my ideals and it will be a work in
process. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will continue to be tempted by the newest Pottery Barn
catalog or the latest styles in In Style magazine. (Wanting or even buying
these things, of course, are by no means bad – everything in moderation, right?
I’m just talking about my own propensity to get too <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">caught up</i> in consumerism – I buy a skirt and then I need a new
shirt to go with it and then I realize my boots don’t quite ‘go’ with it and so
I want new boots and then I want…)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But what matters are the small steps. So I will start slow
and go step by step. Because I know at the end of my life when I’m looking back
on my years, I will not care about how much stuff I owned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-37007854051470965002013-01-17T11:54:00.000-08:002013-01-17T11:54:41.864-08:00Rocking Chair Moment #1
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Just a couple weeks ago, my grandmother celebrated her 90<sup>th</sup>
birthday. We were lucky enough to be able to celebrate with her this year: she
lives in Grants Pass, OR close to my aunt, and we were in the Portland area, so
my aunt drove her up to Eugene and we drove down from Portland, meeting
half-way for a birthday luncheon. My parents, brother, and his girlfriend even
flew out for the special occasion from the east coast so the whole family was
there, and we all had a lovely time together.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Turning 90 is a pretty big deal. By this age, you are
definitely having “rocking chair moments”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mom uses this term sometimes when she talks about getting
older - just picture an elderly person sitting in their rocking chair on their
front porch (a very Southern image, I know), thinking back on their life –
their triumphs and successes and their heartaches and regrets. It is the time
in one’s life where you spend a good part of your day sitting and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">thinking</i> instead of running around and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">doing</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so in our family, we use the term “rocking chair moment”
to mean this: at a good old age, when you’re sittin’ in your rocking chair on
your front porch, perhaps reflecting on your life, what are you going to be
proud of? What are you going to regret? It’s a way of thinking into the future <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">enough</i> in order to weigh and measure
what you are doing <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">now</b>. Is this
really important? Does this really matter?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, seeing my grandma hit this milestone birthday made me
start thinking about my own rocking chair moments, especially as we continue to
reflect on our time in Costa Rica this past year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve been back in the States a little over a month now (Joe
is in Costa Rica now actually, tying up a few last things) and so we’ve had
some time to let things sink in a little and reflect on the question: what
really matters?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve come up with a few things so far (nothing new or earth
shattering, of course, but just my own personal thought process on what really matters
in life). I’ll start with this one, and share others in future posts:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Taking bold (healthy) risks are worth it.</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
We made the decision to move to
Costa Rica thinking we would be there for at least three years. It turned out
to be only 14 months. It was a lot of work, energy, and emotional stress to
move there and move back so soon. But do we regret it? Not one bit. Joe always
is saying when making a decision, “What’s the worst-case scenario?” And if the
worst case isn’t that bad, then it’s worth the risk. Now of course, a truly
“worst-case scenario” didn’t happen to us when in Costa Rica (there are people
across the globe who risk their lives to serve others in the name of Christ),
but how everything ‘went down’ was not expected, not fun, not easy – it was
pretty much the opposite of what we envisioned our work might be. So in a
general sense, it was a worst-case scenario. We sold our cars, rented our
house, quit our jobs, and moved to another country to try and help an
organization, and just 14 months later, we’re back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But despite the hassle and heartbreak, instead of being
fearful of ever making a bold move again (literally or figuratively), we both
feel empowered by our experience. After all, the worst happened, and we are
only stronger for it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
So when/if I’m 90, having a rocking
chair moment, I certainly will look back on our time in CR with pride, not
regret. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
The risk was worth it.</div>
Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-86769002584311965642012-12-27T05:12:00.000-08:002012-12-27T05:12:06.252-08:00A Special SouvenirHappy Holidays everyone! I hope everyone had a marvelous Christmas. We sure enjoyed celebrating Christmas with my family here in North Carolina (we even got to see my brother and his girlfriend, who drove down from D.C.), and we will have Christmas 2.0 with Joe's family on New Year's Eve.<br />
<br />
But before I share some photos of our festivities from the last two weeks, I have to tell one more crazy insect story with you. <br />
<br />
I mean, you think that now that we are d.o.n.e. living in Costa Rica we would be d.o.n.e. with insect infestations or terrifying tarantulas or anything of the sort. <br />
<br />
Not so.<br />
<br />
On Wednesday, I got a day-late Christmas present when I opened up a box I had packed in September when we came to NC...<br />
<br />
The contents of the box were: linens, frames, an old cloth purse, and one certain African wooden decorative bowl that my dad had brought back for us from Botswana in August.<br />
<br />
As I was unpacking the box, (to put the contents into a duffel bag that will be taken back to Portland on Monday - yes, it was another fun day of packing! My new favorite pastime!), I noticed several <i>holes</i> in the decorative wooden bowl. Very <i>precise</i> oval shaped holes that were not previously there. It seemed that the bowl was being turned into a colander. It was mighty suspicious. A worm? A termite? Nothing else in the box looked affected. <br />
<br />
Then, when I got to the bottom of the box, there was a giant pile of sawdust. Now the evidence of a termite was pretty clear and I was immediately grossed out. I mean, can't I get a break from gross insects in my life? I am in North Carolina now, in the dead of winter, and the temperature is going down to the 20s every night. I thought I was FREE!!!<br />
<br />
Fast forward to last night when I went out to the garage, where my mom had put the punctured bowl, to show my dad what had become of his souvenir. I picked up the bowl, and right in my face were <b>two little brown termites poking their sick little heads out of the holes!</b> Of course, when I dropped the bowl, they hunkered back down, so I couldn't do a full inspection. But I swear I saw two brown thingys in the holes!!<br />
<br />
Regardless, I was FULLY grossed out this time. My dad came to the rescue with a can of WD40 or something (we had no Raid) and sprayed the crap out of the bowl.<br />
<br />
Unbelievable.<br />
<br />
Hopefully this will be the last insect drama for quite awhile...<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>A Special Souvenir </b></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkbt9rFBtHsZoVF4JB2Vk-XRXYFwOLmJeEq5JzebwfOI-5qqa-IDCPuYQZFlC9Tf_4Eo1kSKlgMudy6eYv1zzbqhFb3adSDoz1HOdshzuDYfFudZWozQ1TAcAHPiEfMIPFvhimCtz3jw/s1600/DSC_0124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkbt9rFBtHsZoVF4JB2Vk-XRXYFwOLmJeEq5JzebwfOI-5qqa-IDCPuYQZFlC9Tf_4Eo1kSKlgMudy6eYv1zzbqhFb3adSDoz1HOdshzuDYfFudZWozQ1TAcAHPiEfMIPFvhimCtz3jw/s320/DSC_0124.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The scene in the garage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wRhaPlsU3QGpIiYb9D5FfsYhLh66Ro4yZi9PbHszUOYXCNkGnnssyIQq35qZgEGelQviC_MCkDcBg-uAxMRgAtziK7MarT4RvRNFyZNmeJhCNPwqcldJMBNHN6W6UQb5SWqh_6W_Jm0/s1600/DSC_0126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wRhaPlsU3QGpIiYb9D5FfsYhLh66Ro4yZi9PbHszUOYXCNkGnnssyIQq35qZgEGelQviC_MCkDcBg-uAxMRgAtziK7MarT4RvRNFyZNmeJhCNPwqcldJMBNHN6W6UQb5SWqh_6W_Jm0/s320/DSC_0126.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look closely for oval-shaped holes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaezOQ91O3VMfD5qxcT398KD_56sE4qcvnFqS2ljohFvIlT-WkOke01RtTyrJ5hM4gZwbjj1KdiQNTmKA6YGGb4TFXSDB8ANMYGHi8vRw-2-wVu4S1ce_uYGisQBfl5dj7sJLyw1Zq1dY/s1600/DSC_0127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaezOQ91O3VMfD5qxcT398KD_56sE4qcvnFqS2ljohFvIlT-WkOke01RtTyrJ5hM4gZwbjj1KdiQNTmKA6YGGb4TFXSDB8ANMYGHi8vRw-2-wVu4S1ce_uYGisQBfl5dj7sJLyw1Zq1dY/s320/DSC_0127.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A once pretty bowl.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-e_MnW4en5638-TGpTt-NVvfwX1RR8TFvYIliE8NOnhEJm0sAYtax3qLG63o4zljymegUOIilLito00USb8w99Y9E4Fzv3UUJ5IUt4itaoW5rcbCszcq4538FYJT9DXh3Swup-OctxI/s1600/DSC_0128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-e_MnW4en5638-TGpTt-NVvfwX1RR8TFvYIliE8NOnhEJm0sAYtax3qLG63o4zljymegUOIilLito00USb8w99Y9E4Fzv3UUJ5IUt4itaoW5rcbCszcq4538FYJT9DXh3Swup-OctxI/s320/DSC_0128.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Termite killing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgucOjoMra9vZvaJtsSKYgjijIFpL0vRwdIMIbq1XPFztdbiMacuiqlreTkICmSX1GhQPsv0k-e_mS7uBs8NqWhNKRSgFQDldbX4iUiJOCACA9NkOKjkAQtnpp12VIrDt8SO7-PKfeaJcA/s1600/DSC_0129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgucOjoMra9vZvaJtsSKYgjijIFpL0vRwdIMIbq1XPFztdbiMacuiqlreTkICmSX1GhQPsv0k-e_mS7uBs8NqWhNKRSgFQDldbX4iUiJOCACA9NkOKjkAQtnpp12VIrDt8SO7-PKfeaJcA/s320/DSC_0129.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The leftovers: sawdust, and the bowl tightly wrapped in a bag.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>Christmas Fun</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6e5En2CJh_0nuM3ALHzW4pvWU1HHHctMM_VQoSVjMrpoACwdCsApbpAXjPJ0_iGhKWCO2On78BEP1udZsJL9fC06zkNmgnSHC2XPOhyphenhyphenf83Wv69MVbfglivemEfWOmeuM0uqkB5E5Tmy8/s320/DSC_0054.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kate and reindeer at tree farm.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuaSeWb87HONjqLxIidcUPVz55eViJJW2pxdFt6Ax9vKi6TN-nj4q71AwhLUL_juu1fIrTodU4oL2N4d1zERtt1mqYpxbJJe6OCXmFA76QFUT13NXXg_xsejl4A67lhkXrVjcplkBwe0/s1600/DSC_0056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuaSeWb87HONjqLxIidcUPVz55eViJJW2pxdFt6Ax9vKi6TN-nj4q71AwhLUL_juu1fIrTodU4oL2N4d1zERtt1mqYpxbJJe6OCXmFA76QFUT13NXXg_xsejl4A67lhkXrVjcplkBwe0/s320/DSC_0056.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful tree farm in Appalachia.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlr5GlLv9ZA2L90lko_D7VIjovMCZD-BO_oRNcquNxFCleF_9UJbbIe9be3yTM4V0u8WgbIyaqe8-Uj_ccXWqWY2sQcEtRpjRqC5UxfYym-ek_JzkQ5MtGOQiEQ_3FJ4hv7kt-TFaBNP0/s1600/DSC_0060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlr5GlLv9ZA2L90lko_D7VIjovMCZD-BO_oRNcquNxFCleF_9UJbbIe9be3yTM4V0u8WgbIyaqe8-Uj_ccXWqWY2sQcEtRpjRqC5UxfYym-ek_JzkQ5MtGOQiEQ_3FJ4hv7kt-TFaBNP0/s320/DSC_0060.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shopping</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9BEmdMBgvk1F_5qo_SNTc5O2EVXZTfDlcGYzt_j0b8H2E1OrszREDVhuMJ7pePlMu_9UqXdSisE-o451lYbQZF5OXiffrMIFj452vHdT_SmnVy0XOXTzLycWfbIZWxMGbf5hRBGOg-g/s1600/DSC_0062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9BEmdMBgvk1F_5qo_SNTc5O2EVXZTfDlcGYzt_j0b8H2E1OrszREDVhuMJ7pePlMu_9UqXdSisE-o451lYbQZF5OXiffrMIFj452vHdT_SmnVy0XOXTzLycWfbIZWxMGbf5hRBGOg-g/s320/DSC_0062.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Cleaning a stump"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvmV4JyNkko251HuQhAqUwDd6MbqjfS8zcWgBRFYkF9skjchb9w_wGlpv-zF_eXud0dNZRtxtUjhOl2LO-72C45X5JRMtECEBJLYhyphenhyphen-0tEeye5DpLYalgtawS0hyphenhyphenf8_M-wWHiu7GSn9k/s1600/DSC_0066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvmV4JyNkko251HuQhAqUwDd6MbqjfS8zcWgBRFYkF9skjchb9w_wGlpv-zF_eXud0dNZRtxtUjhOl2LO-72C45X5JRMtECEBJLYhyphenhyphen-0tEeye5DpLYalgtawS0hyphenhyphenf8_M-wWHiu7GSn9k/s320/DSC_0066.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fam.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXv-9VMtyo8MQOcthTqrhkJ2tk17aq3_uc1-hU3mIVcKPNNmV9MRhoODiZzONhDldH6H0hMPQhiMBJExmXabntuysLgBtqfy6E_MTVfkytV5-KmKI-BFY39D5D1IfTNpL8EY9xsjwmNEA/s1600/DSC_0071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXv-9VMtyo8MQOcthTqrhkJ2tk17aq3_uc1-hU3mIVcKPNNmV9MRhoODiZzONhDldH6H0hMPQhiMBJExmXabntuysLgBtqfy6E_MTVfkytV5-KmKI-BFY39D5D1IfTNpL8EY9xsjwmNEA/s320/DSC_0071.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Decorating with Grandmama.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0p_1JfJVltwwY238I4a_zyhKwxkBMoYzH94mP8s3vOY3bgso3S4UnqKW_Ff8JQf3MsKzhNTvI823_AmG1c8ag4K_l7KdJOi0-fVksAJWStfHZVXSTzXW7MBWtYlKKx_80RaGRJn9rd0/s1600/DSC_0085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0p_1JfJVltwwY238I4a_zyhKwxkBMoYzH94mP8s3vOY3bgso3S4UnqKW_Ff8JQf3MsKzhNTvI823_AmG1c8ag4K_l7KdJOi0-fVksAJWStfHZVXSTzXW7MBWtYlKKx_80RaGRJn9rd0/s320/DSC_0085.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making a gingerbread house.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqq2UuX2L7j5b45wFKjJMk3-r8LC3C5EmFcwPAQkCyQ2d5uITF8LQOMT4Lsp7OINr7U1LIaruEQPdb-SaeiTBAT7h0rRiYMj6Gov4O3ge5KlOYc-GScyXNYTzoogL2QDxMjYfOosL-xLA/s1600/DSC_0088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqq2UuX2L7j5b45wFKjJMk3-r8LC3C5EmFcwPAQkCyQ2d5uITF8LQOMT4Lsp7OINr7U1LIaruEQPdb-SaeiTBAT7h0rRiYMj6Gov4O3ge5KlOYc-GScyXNYTzoogL2QDxMjYfOosL-xLA/s320/DSC_0088.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting some inspiration at a little gingerbread house display downtown.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWJEb0wiylo7LQ8THdnCvIRlkFApU8hCFDNovqJMrBJ3bENtX9QrR1TX9tiGdZ4ijXOsYQQo4D0FnKYF5lNFcKJbZsdYFWIdi5xyaIB7pXq_NBhlBofTlrfRGrUoXVfXL25D3y9lTJFE/s1600/DSC_0103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWJEb0wiylo7LQ8THdnCvIRlkFApU8hCFDNovqJMrBJ3bENtX9QrR1TX9tiGdZ4ijXOsYQQo4D0FnKYF5lNFcKJbZsdYFWIdi5xyaIB7pXq_NBhlBofTlrfRGrUoXVfXL25D3y9lTJFE/s320/DSC_0103.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas morning JOY.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAoc93xLoDcMJPIvL1yUS4ustpgg6vkknlz8OGZKFs8bOn4zuB9Y4XJfjiB9yZX_Dt9gQb_SJYGGkiQu2tCLfXMLr1byScrQsTlLb1EWk2lW5o1rCOx4W_4N77gXd7VALeV0_G7QmO7k/s1600/DSC_0118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAoc93xLoDcMJPIvL1yUS4ustpgg6vkknlz8OGZKFs8bOn4zuB9Y4XJfjiB9yZX_Dt9gQb_SJYGGkiQu2tCLfXMLr1byScrQsTlLb1EWk2lW5o1rCOx4W_4N77gXd7VALeV0_G7QmO7k/s320/DSC_0118.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is how the tree decorating ended looking: a cluster of ornaments right where Kate could reach. We never changed it.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNeJzR3Hw7Le9Tzzo5dGNKBykt2AfjHDecVGIYVt1HdO5S53pBcV83JTFrwTgBKq-ithXltpWxjQGnPMntUBsKeUAI-1Qa5xdwwq6wEymF7FaiQDjGTgm3iQKuHHkq5Nh8W1LCFOgmjHg/s1600/DSC_0131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNeJzR3Hw7Le9Tzzo5dGNKBykt2AfjHDecVGIYVt1HdO5S53pBcV83JTFrwTgBKq-ithXltpWxjQGnPMntUBsKeUAI-1Qa5xdwwq6wEymF7FaiQDjGTgm3iQKuHHkq5Nh8W1LCFOgmjHg/s320/DSC_0131.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The finished house.<br /><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-78847528182000434822012-12-09T19:52:00.000-08:002012-12-09T19:52:24.759-08:00One More Day
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We have one more day here in Costa Rica, before our big,
rather unexpected, move back “home”. (More on where “home” will be below.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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It has been a whirlwind 14 months of living here, and
although we didn’t plan to leave so soon, (read a little about why we made this
decision <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2012/10/ministry-update-one-year-in-costa-rica.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2012/12/december-ministry-update.html" target="_blank">here</a>, if you haven’t read the Ministry Updates already) it’s
amazing what lessons were crammed into this last year or so that our family
will take with us. We have learned more about </div>
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patience, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
perseverance, </div>
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planning, </div>
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community, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
communication, </div>
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leadership, </div>
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vision, </div>
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and most recently, self-control, </div>
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than we ever could have if we had decided not to come. Even
though we leave disappointed in many ways, and even disheartened, we also are
deeply aware of God’s greater plan and vision for our life. As our pastor
Richard Dahlstrom always says, “God is writing a story in your life that you
could never write on your own.” That statement has never rang truer in our
lives than now. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(Side note: Check out
Richard’s amazing blog <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/richarddahlstrom/2012/12/01/10-things-for-which-im-praying-during-advent/">here</a>;
more often than not his words resonate so deeply with me that I am moved to
tears. Not to be melodramatic or anything… He’s just had a very profound impact
on our lives.)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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So we are moving forward, trusting in His story, much like
we did when we first decided to move to Costa Rica. And truthfully, we are
pretty excited for this next phase of our life!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Here’s what this next phase will look like, or at least what
the next few months entail:</div>
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<br /></div>
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We will first be traveling to North Carolina, where my dear
parents reside in the little town of Waynesville (that’s in the Appalachian
mountains, in Western North Carolina, for those of you unfamiliar with the
geography of the east coast).</div>
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<br /></div>
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We will celebrate Christmas there and then travel down to
Savannah, GA for a few days.</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9-dgjkNRt_4ZDa_Brm4O0Hi5Ge14hFmNH3YPP7Gtloa7KIxzXZpd3oLPfThVezweUTnoJtziOI16ZsTAHOBn6ucXHhJhIUgwV_O4hXkwB0FvoBO-QzEBJWDdoyKVzWRXRj20SaeoASg/s1600/DSC_0264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9-dgjkNRt_4ZDa_Brm4O0Hi5Ge14hFmNH3YPP7Gtloa7KIxzXZpd3oLPfThVezweUTnoJtziOI16ZsTAHOBn6ucXHhJhIUgwV_O4hXkwB0FvoBO-QzEBJWDdoyKVzWRXRj20SaeoASg/s320/DSC_0264.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The backyard of the Marsh House in Savannah.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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From Savannah, we have a quick trip out to the Northwest,
where we’ll be seeing friends and family in the Portland, Seattle, and even
Eugene area (my grandmother is turning 90 in January, so we’ll be celebrating
with her!).</div>
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<br /></div>
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Then it’s back to NC for a few more weeks (the original plan
was for us to fly back to San Jose, CR from there on January 15<sup>th</sup> –
yep we already have tickets – but with the exception of Joe going back to pick
up a few things, that won’t be happening for Kate or me).</div>
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<br /></div>
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And after another restful month at my mom’s house, we will
all fly back to the Portland area in mid-February, where we will crash at Joe’s
parents’ house while looking for a place to rent in good ol’ Washougal, WA (or
somewhere close by).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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So “home” will not be Seattle for now, and it may not even be
the NW for long – we’re going there because we have family and friends and
familiarity – and that’s where our insurance will cover the birth of baby boy.
After that, who knows? The future is wide open.</div>
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Right now, we are focused on our very last day here. One
more day to:</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Weigh our bags one more time (I mean, we
seriously have weighed each of our eight bags 18 times. “42 lbs… we can fit in
12 more pairs of underwear and these four books.”)</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Donate a few more toys, books, or bags of food
to the Project or to friends.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Eat whatever is left in the fridge. Lunch may be
a mix of carrots, milk, wheat germ, yogurt, apples, cheese, grapefruit juice,
protein powder… maybe I’ll just mix all that together in a blender.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Say our goodbyes one last time. Of course, this
is the serious part. The hard part. But we will be mostly saying “see you
later” instead of goodbye…</div>
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<br /></div>
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And then we’ll be up at 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday, on our way. So here's to one last day.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3UMm7HcNKxbfIdJYUVZXD4Pb8k58I1rpt4CAVz5TeDyv-SBBblrbDDoV_gEnsy43oS5qWPfe7tWeadR3YGMBrXc7hHdRv_7kYdgt1k3O_nckCKsdDX2FAK-oYF-KxPKyemSXXQeVEhS4/s1600/DSC_0850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3UMm7HcNKxbfIdJYUVZXD4Pb8k58I1rpt4CAVz5TeDyv-SBBblrbDDoV_gEnsy43oS5qWPfe7tWeadR3YGMBrXc7hHdRv_7kYdgt1k3O_nckCKsdDX2FAK-oYF-KxPKyemSXXQeVEhS4/s320/DSC_0850.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-20287321287672749602012-12-09T19:23:00.000-08:002012-12-09T19:23:12.980-08:00December Ministry Update
<style>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Hello Friends and Family –</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In our previous Ministry Updates, we have
shared with you the challenges we’ve faced in the past several months in our
work at the Abraham Project. In October when we wrote last, we mentioned that we
thought doors were starting to crack open but we were “taking things one step
at a time; being flexible and holding our original plans loosely”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, over the past month, it
has become very clear that the doors are not opening for us here like we had
anticipated or hoped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since
August, we’ve been trying to discern our role here, and we’ve continued to have
several meetings and conversations about fundraising for the Project. To
articulate a very complicated situation in a straightforward way, we simply are
not a good fit for the Abraham Project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This reality, along with the fact that Jennie is pregnant, has lead us
to make the very difficult decision to move back home much sooner than
expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We already had tickets
for December 11<sup>th</sup> to go back to the States for the holiday season,
so we will be leaving Costa Rica in about 10 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jennie and Kate won’t be returning; I will come back in
January to tie up everything.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We will still finish up some projects that we
started, including a re-design of the current AP website, a strategic plan, and
a new marketing brochure for the children’s homes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It is difficult to understand and describe
all that has happened in this past year, and it is especially challenging to
have to share this news with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We know many of you have invested in our family and in our ministry and
we don’t want to let you down. However, we know that God is sovereign and has a
purpose in all of this, even though this has turned out much differently than
expected. Yes, we are disappointed, but there are also immeasurable rewards and
lessons that have come out of this experience that will impact the rest of our
lives. We want you to know that despite the challenges, we have been incredibly
blessed by our time in Costa Rica. We could not have done it without you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We trust that as we continue to reflect
on this time God will make his plan clear and continue to guide and direct us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We are more than happy to share more of our
story in person with any of you. Jennie will be maintaining the blog (</span><a href="http://www.tresriosproject.org/"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">www.tresriosproject.org</span></a><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">) so
you can check there for updates on how the ‘moving home’ process is going,
along with more information about our next steps.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Thank you so much, as always, for your
friendship, love, and support. And thank you for your grace and understanding
in this difficult decision for our family. If you have been a financial
supporter, we will be sending you a follow-up email soon.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Love,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Joe, Jennie, and Kate</span></div>
Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-2334026519081701132012-11-27T18:10:00.000-08:002012-11-27T18:10:17.939-08:00And Then There Was Light (or Sun...)It's been a pretty dreary past 10 days or so. San Jose was having what's called a <i>temporál</i> - a stretch of gray, cool, rainy days, from start to finish. Typically, even during the rainy season, the mornings start out sunny. Sometimes the sun only lasts for an hour or so; other mornings it lasts until 2 o'clock. Then the downpour begins. But even when there are torrential rains in the afternoon, you almost always can count on <i>some</i> sun in the mornings.<br />
<br />
Not so during a <i>temporál</i>. These are very common during the month of November, which is a transition month for Costa Rica, where the rains start to diminish and the dry season is ushered in. But it's not the dry season yet, and I suppose Mother Nature wanted to give us one more dose of rain and cool temperatures before summer arrives.<br />
<br />
For those of you who know me well, you know I hate the rain. Well, mostly I hate the never-ceasing Pacific Northwest rain (although it does have its benefits, like making everything a lush, deep green). But even here in warm Costa Rica, 10 days of gray skies and drizzly mornings, afternoons, and evenings, can get me down. The grayness in particular has all sorts of effects on me: low energy level, lack of motivation, moodiness, sadness...<br />
<br />
I endure it because I have to. But I don't just endure; I honestly try to make the best of it and do everything I can to fight off all the negative side effects.<br />
<br />
I don't just wallow (although I may indulge in a few longer naps).<br />
<br />
And I don't just sit around complaining (okay, I do complain <i>some</i>).<br />
<br />
I discipline myself to carry on and take the rainy season (whether it's 10 days or 10 months) for what it's worth: a season. A season to be more contemplative, to be more still, to enjoy candlelight and hot tea. And yes, for me, it's at times a season simply to endure. But through this endurance I am somehow strengthened. Because if I allow myself to be open to it, through enduring and disciplining myself, I learn and grow.<br />
<br />
And the best part about enduring, persevering, or being 'disciplined' - whether it's something more 'petty' like the weather or something more profound like a life circumstance - is that when the sun finally comes out, it is <i>truly</i> glorious.<br />
<br />
And this morning, that is exactly what happened: blue, sunny skies abounded, after over a week of rain.<br />
<br />
You appreciate the light in a whole new way.<br />
<br />
But if it weren't for the gray season you had just endured, one, you wouldn't have learned invaluable lessons, and two, the light, or the new season, wouldn't be so magnificent.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4YFXNKZsb6p7M6dRFyspmwtUFu7WmoxAKaIJnzcsmah6UWE3vmlajZW4IwGM7-7ZZXhvPawLWXfC7E22UwhV019ZjlG7cnVFBoozPr-ydeUi729tb3w1Ffm0uYyZqVlWqCMuxeqp3PQc/s1600/DSC05478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4YFXNKZsb6p7M6dRFyspmwtUFu7WmoxAKaIJnzcsmah6UWE3vmlajZW4IwGM7-7ZZXhvPawLWXfC7E22UwhV019ZjlG7cnVFBoozPr-ydeUi729tb3w1Ffm0uYyZqVlWqCMuxeqp3PQc/s320/DSC05478.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-86116450824594058052012-11-21T09:00:00.003-08:002012-11-21T09:07:11.915-08:00Tarantulas! (And Happy Thanksgiving!)<style>
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</style> <span style="font-size: small;">Sometimes life just takes you by surprise. And sometimes it even shocks you. Like when we saw a tarantula casually walking across our wall a week or so ago (<span style="font-size: small;">it was too heavy and then feel to the floor<span style="font-size: small;">, traumatizing poor Ducky</span>). We were certainly taken by surprise</span></span> by this hairy eight-legged creature.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAEPEbB_AXden8y5vZB0pHIP3D6pinVZ5Q81jR_G6Toug8Xj2FRhTOpEoyrmwQm5SrArmVHnBuAWA7CR81KQvIyHuE_2NlPqUTiNIhiOn6TWOVqJIykzS8iNsigTuDjtFWHzoMv0yqys/s1600/DSC_0644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAEPEbB_AXden8y5vZB0pHIP3D6pinVZ5Q81jR_G6Toug8Xj2FRhTOpEoyrmwQm5SrArmVHnBuAWA7CR81KQvIyHuE_2NlPqUTiNIhiOn6TWOVqJIykzS8iNsigTuDjtFWHzoMv0yqys/s320/DSC_0644.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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</style> And then I was down right shocked when just two days ago, I was sorting the laundry in the laundry room, and I picked up a tank top only to have another tarantula practically fall out onto my foot. Needless to say, I ran out of the room, screaming some choice words at the top of my lungs.<br />
<br />
What is going on? Why are there suddenly tarantulas in our house?<br />
<br />
We don't really know the answer to these questions. The thing is, is that life is so often like this. Crazy things happen, like tarantulas jumping out of your tank tops, and there is just not a good explanation for it.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7p3QbjXg1pZGdaGAE7iten0-Tvc8IrvBzqRqjH7GHW2-Ffj0_F4lQgw2e3bGnJNkhPvpyHPc5Ol_8-QqCU6bjAn2Uz89r9w3wJ2tcViK_WTR20ZXMRb-a0cUBH4t0dbYjCcwVd_lPhac/s1600/DSC_0649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7p3QbjXg1pZGdaGAE7iten0-Tvc8IrvBzqRqjH7GHW2-Ffj0_F4lQgw2e3bGnJNkhPvpyHPc5Ol_8-QqCU6bjAn2Uz89r9w3wJ2tcViK_WTR20ZXMRb-a0cUBH4t0dbYjCcwVd_lPhac/s320/DSC_0649.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0Bl-mIwQsH6Uqow-r_OGlUUDuBbPk5JyTCSRNCj0WBhZmUZHipBtujgIMcYbXvdSRAn-tXY8zTPsxanKijMa9RMSO4Tou2jB1XwaGiFtfULux3it3X3TL1yb-x7hT5d2oFxoELX0uuE/s1600/DSC_0650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0Bl-mIwQsH6Uqow-r_OGlUUDuBbPk5JyTCSRNCj0WBhZmUZHipBtujgIMcYbXvdSRAn-tXY8zTPsxanKijMa9RMSO4Tou2jB1XwaGiFtfULux3it3X3TL1yb-x7hT5d2oFxoELX0uuE/s320/DSC_0650.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But even if
we don't know why they are there or where they are coming from, after this
second incident, I needed to do a little research about these fuzzy creatures.
I didn't think they were dangerous, but I wanted to make sure in case we
encountered another one. Here is what I found out (<a href="http://courses.ttu.edu/thomas/classpet/1999/tarantula/facts.htm">http://courses.ttu.edu/thomas/classpet/1999/tarantula/facts.htm</a>):
</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tarantulas will go bald on their thorax when they get old!</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tarantulas have tiny hairs on the back of their abdomen and back
legs that will stick to an enemy if disturbed and ITCH.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tarantulas have re-tractable claws, just like cats!</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Some tarantulas can get as big as dinner plates!</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tarantulas’ bite is actually not that dangerous; no more worse
than a bee sting (unless you’re allergic, of course).</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I think I
would pass out if I saw a tarantula the size of a dinner plate. Hopefully those
only exist in Africa or something. Far away from here.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
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a happy Thanksgiving everyone. Hopefully we can cook our turkey tomorrow in
peace, with no more surprise visits from these scary, hairy arachnid beasts!</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
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Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-18958244229882569712012-11-12T11:12:00.000-08:002012-11-12T11:12:55.703-08:00It's A...
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Today was the big day where we got to find out if we were
going to add a son to our family or another daughter. For Kate, the question was
little <i>sister </i>or little <i>brother</i>. She of course was convinced that she was going
to have a sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was pretty
convinced it was a girl too, but mainly because that is what I know already.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I honestly had no clue.</div>
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We had big plans to drop Kate off at daycare this morning
and go to the appointment alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We would find out the sex during the ultrasound, go pick her up, and
then take her out to lunch to reveal whether it was a baby brother or baby
sister.</div>
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However, our plans were completely foiled when she came down
with some flu/stomach bug yesterday: she was up all night throwing up, which
meant we couldn’t take her to school of course, which meant she had to come
with us to the doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rule #1 of
parenthood: Thy must be flexible!</div>
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So. No more beating around the bush. We all went in to the
doctor’s office, I asked a few questions (all in Spanish which is honestly a
little nerve-wracking), and then we did the ultrasound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right away, we saw two little legs and
a, well, just see below!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wmmk_ebryBnggqm2ukJwfX5Jcj9PCZcFsdZp6sLJb9cy_V9xLf6Zj6Z2y2JGdmPK5BCYVQYp0haweVcy4Hsyjt7a_wwt2pBs9c9O8FQKykyDQdfJda__Ae3mt35RCISKfr9dWGNn7Ug/s1600/babyboy2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wmmk_ebryBnggqm2ukJwfX5Jcj9PCZcFsdZp6sLJb9cy_V9xLf6Zj6Z2y2JGdmPK5BCYVQYp0haweVcy4Hsyjt7a_wwt2pBs9c9O8FQKykyDQdfJda__Ae3mt35RCISKfr9dWGNn7Ug/s400/babyboy2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The gender is so obvious that the ultrasound picture is almost
inappropriate!! Needless to say, we will be having a boy! No doubts in that
department.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything looks
healthy and on track so far (except my weight gain, apparently – I’ve gained
too much according to the doctor – which was a little disappointing, but what
am to do?) Anyway, we are very excited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thank you for your continued prayers for this baby and this pregnancy! </div>
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Next goal: find a good boy name. (We have very few options at
this point! All our favorite names are already taken or are our
brothers/brother in law).</div>
Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-92021611774581850742012-11-04T16:05:00.000-08:002012-11-05T16:16:46.941-08:00Dogsick<span style="font-size: small;">I haven't really been too homesick lately. Our year anniversary of living here has come and gone and I will say that since about September life has just 'clicked' a little more here as we become more and more accustomed and comfortable.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">But I have been dogsick - that is I've really missed our dog Dawson. Joe has too. Some of you know that originally we planned on bringing him down here. Joe's parents were going to take care of him for 6 months and then we were going to 'ship' him down on the airplane on our trip last March. But after doing some research about the risks of air travel for dogs, and in the midst of lots of other circumstances, we decided against it. The Westfalls have been a tremendous blessing in taking care of him for us (amongst doing a host of other things for us, including sorting our mail...). He's still in the family, being loved and taken care of, but it doesn't take away the fact that our family has never felt quite 'complete' without him here. We miss walking him, petting him, playing with him, and dressing him up in weird things. At least we have Fernando the Latino cat here, who continues to be quite the hunter (see below).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6znBD1y6_jkZ3ns3wZXk3rq3H1Xwb5A7y95YUgbOLwoSCHU9Amctl8HgPUwK5RZr9i7Ri5L8V9M5OiD9J4J071jn_k9wFgIyy3lS7oGEEHmuHoN-oVaWi0ERup26UT8aDThCGsBXlxM/s320/DSC_2476.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We still have this wild one with us... here he is a few years ago, donning a Starbuck's gift card 'glove'.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pMkD3lJav1MCaZDG03eAfDc9udNxv34lcJ1Ep0t-ueX_13u3BvgAj1iY1nuUpxxLZOTR7b58AbFwGs0WkXC1TxuYe0R3wJ-nH0N_Gjfe0YvRlddAUFxFYoq3nwtqLXzNZ-YmtX4a8lM/s1600/DSC05572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pMkD3lJav1MCaZDG03eAfDc9udNxv34lcJ1Ep0t-ueX_13u3BvgAj1iY1nuUpxxLZOTR7b58AbFwGs0WkXC1TxuYe0R3wJ-nH0N_Gjfe0YvRlddAUFxFYoq3nwtqLXzNZ-YmtX4a8lM/s320/DSC05572.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What is this you might ask? Look below for a closer view. This was fresh out of our cat's mouth this morning!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOoLvUu9__lFCpKU5a-4d5R2sgmGRwbPMc8xiiCh9kcujq8vMw-hLZ3kxXWZEHBFChSPc2TNv_8s4qvg8jV0t02nm2lgth-kyXrTN282shd3np6fpO0UhGcRHxmU5XAtH4Iuk6JV-Mg8/s1600/DSC05573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOoLvUu9__lFCpKU5a-4d5R2sgmGRwbPMc8xiiCh9kcujq8vMw-hLZ3kxXWZEHBFChSPc2TNv_8s4qvg8jV0t02nm2lgth-kyXrTN282shd3np6fpO0UhGcRHxmU5XAtH4Iuk6JV-Mg8/s320/DSC05573.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kate yells from the living room, "Mommy! Daddy! Fernando has something big by his head!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEq9p7ETuoV0Zlawnm9snJx1JRN6RARhz4lL-m2_yo9MwNNsZL8sIRSp-t0ZSYBBO6GYyI9fsySFR9oGUTyDgpbQJ__V4vL2WzbBfQKE0KyGfBxUXvRK9z6mv0zMo5zMABA9odlL-MqWk/s1600/DSC05574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEq9p7ETuoV0Zlawnm9snJx1JRN6RARhz4lL-m2_yo9MwNNsZL8sIRSp-t0ZSYBBO6GYyI9fsySFR9oGUTyDgpbQJ__V4vL2WzbBfQKE0KyGfBxUXvRK9z6mv0zMo5zMABA9odlL-MqWk/s320/DSC05574.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thank God for a man in the house. I just think I would die having to scoop up a 7 inch rat!!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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So, yeah. We don't have Dawson with us, but at least we Rat Killer Numero Uno.<br />
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Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-63617333256449852562012-11-02T18:51:00.000-07:002012-11-02T18:51:34.990-07:00Harvest Party!I think the pictures do the best job of telling how this party went down.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfZcVRZAS3aPINWAUhw0An1wUo-Iau1aPu-KA2KuX7dY7uQQlwu3ryGWYFE36Y1mxW4ZuDXz3itXw4mt7r22xaJ-J-D26PHwvPUPxI42QkkZG4MEZfeN0msYxtS__mIABgRpgWbyz5bQ/s1600/DSC05533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfZcVRZAS3aPINWAUhw0An1wUo-Iau1aPu-KA2KuX7dY7uQQlwu3ryGWYFE36Y1mxW4ZuDXz3itXw4mt7r22xaJ-J-D26PHwvPUPxI42QkkZG4MEZfeN0msYxtS__mIABgRpgWbyz5bQ/s320/DSC05533.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Normal globe lights that hang in our house...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGC8CDo8OM6w_b4N6qWhP4ELNVvaMxMGaGl5blD3L4MLnSBf86EvKymZGcIL3Jt05o0Kh0FvrYmaM8HicXgHDUem4buTGA57z1eRC6v-58O71MSvuW1ZlC_A7QAANBNvf7AmkZDrcfTFM/s1600/DSC05534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGC8CDo8OM6w_b4N6qWhP4ELNVvaMxMGaGl5blD3L4MLnSBf86EvKymZGcIL3Jt05o0Kh0FvrYmaM8HicXgHDUem4buTGA57z1eRC6v-58O71MSvuW1ZlC_A7QAANBNvf7AmkZDrcfTFM/s320/DSC05534.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...become festive pumpkin lights!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfIc73s36JumsPCS7sz0ahVGy19PRzR-7nFOzE8RrnYU6DUn9a0JiNNJCswpYQ7242gZt-UmgT3ETFB_TjHDlX0xVV3IiZEUKBCM-nkPRn8UPNe67ODaTLmNELO7u98LaX52z66QGJz0/s1600/DSC_0546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfIc73s36JumsPCS7sz0ahVGy19PRzR-7nFOzE8RrnYU6DUn9a0JiNNJCswpYQ7242gZt-UmgT3ETFB_TjHDlX0xVV3IiZEUKBCM-nkPRn8UPNe67ODaTLmNELO7u98LaX52z66QGJz0/s320/DSC_0546.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's Halloween without candy?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrF1jy8OV06Y7fxEWzjTJ849ZuquEl6R7Y4u4FJImrfYyO0TzmLzNlH5Nm23ySj3pkrSmjT8S0GFvAe9gadjEouHnv3ZfAuQXlB0cvAFaWyBFIXIlfiN3fUvFUM3Ku2IG8JoZsE4dGRNs/s1600/DSC_0555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrF1jy8OV06Y7fxEWzjTJ849ZuquEl6R7Y4u4FJImrfYyO0TzmLzNlH5Nm23ySj3pkrSmjT8S0GFvAe9gadjEouHnv3ZfAuQXlB0cvAFaWyBFIXIlfiN3fUvFUM3Ku2IG8JoZsE4dGRNs/s320/DSC_0555.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Banners out of scrapbook paper.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgDS7zEuWD0PjK_k4HFSuW2ozTtm-lrcGd5E3RUVs4eIAH0KZXnAVkzZ5tKL7pnfGEDIriQMM-pxXMcwI284_ChOv-T8ivelRHx1KUCSJPFgAK2IMBcs7yfELdlhqbK3YSNl3ht2dj0Y/s1600/DSC05540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgDS7zEuWD0PjK_k4HFSuW2ozTtm-lrcGd5E3RUVs4eIAH0KZXnAVkzZ5tKL7pnfGEDIriQMM-pxXMcwI284_ChOv-T8ivelRHx1KUCSJPFgAK2IMBcs7yfELdlhqbK3YSNl3ht2dj0Y/s320/DSC05540.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And a few pumpkins below.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOi4r_dGVHFEVnI4i02MLGBA9WscF8p07WevmaE-fn9IspbJGRDhwP3v4yFuBMlTNSTq69uOaA9uerNIY0ysl0lexYFlCVWJgSnI2NuLW0LUuZUzl873G2qCFzoCB3qlioKJJ5R_7KHiI/s1600/DSC05549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOi4r_dGVHFEVnI4i02MLGBA9WscF8p07WevmaE-fn9IspbJGRDhwP3v4yFuBMlTNSTq69uOaA9uerNIY0ysl0lexYFlCVWJgSnI2NuLW0LUuZUzl873G2qCFzoCB3qlioKJJ5R_7KHiI/s320/DSC05549.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy treats and a pretty girl.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QtO666a7NMbLIYt6VbsMHDC-nt5qxAnNd8IT1jKg-R8lMK5oU0kBmwsjmf-9bHA1qCxiE80mthUvAoYMaB3nCdafcNq_1MP6pRq117MsWP0bNco9slwa4-G8CAiKz4m-cyQtl87PcBw/s1600/DSC05552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QtO666a7NMbLIYt6VbsMHDC-nt5qxAnNd8IT1jKg-R8lMK5oU0kBmwsjmf-9bHA1qCxiE80mthUvAoYMaB3nCdafcNq_1MP6pRq117MsWP0bNco9slwa4-G8CAiKz4m-cyQtl87PcBw/s320/DSC05552.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gangster Joe.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4Ib_2ntASXqbaUZWiyZbzZ698M6I1-qB9VsJ1KDnO0ydDF8lz9xsx-Vy3rjQIBXhOxYmFQXdwzigO1Xn4B5ai_zPJY-DwhA4504nuCnnRnJPSH8teGBxN_1JAdX_d7OykPzw7IxkUCo/s1600/DSC_0558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4Ib_2ntASXqbaUZWiyZbzZ698M6I1-qB9VsJ1KDnO0ydDF8lz9xsx-Vy3rjQIBXhOxYmFQXdwzigO1Xn4B5ai_zPJY-DwhA4504nuCnnRnJPSH8teGBxN_1JAdX_d7OykPzw7IxkUCo/s320/DSC_0558.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butterfly, black crayon, gangster.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7_g-TqoBl9b4IofwX3ij4oqTq4suXgAHw_Y7zArnEcV4xI1A2NKtNU7QlHe2ZmYe3R9h3bh90VrJfdA4MMBOxhJyk7jXVzT7Je7vNRSLsE35Isr975u1y8RAIJNUbZDCpj4QW1o8yJ4/s1600/DSC_0560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7_g-TqoBl9b4IofwX3ij4oqTq4suXgAHw_Y7zArnEcV4xI1A2NKtNU7QlHe2ZmYe3R9h3bh90VrJfdA4MMBOxhJyk7jXVzT7Je7vNRSLsE35Isr975u1y8RAIJNUbZDCpj4QW1o8yJ4/s320/DSC_0560.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The two princess butterfly girls.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_D22bWqVTkZ9OhcDWnI4N68a9sFjhbFB5PHtUB9iNM4fpAFPjOq9NWxsVEZ6ZLm3qGvkhVvpHZXdV7eRWqCjb5xLzAB60WOl64XGwxZlv9BgttbNpOLvZiTMGR9ucojp-Y_Bgaro8t0U/s1600/DSC_0561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_D22bWqVTkZ9OhcDWnI4N68a9sFjhbFB5PHtUB9iNM4fpAFPjOq9NWxsVEZ6ZLm3qGvkhVvpHZXdV7eRWqCjb5xLzAB60WOl64XGwxZlv9BgttbNpOLvZiTMGR9ucojp-Y_Bgaro8t0U/s320/DSC_0561.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And then Joe had to get in and add some flavor to the picture.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UwCL2aH8Gci_vELWEGR8Rk9Ed9y752b0pn5PmMagPkIUurioWtA_YNVPqYqM9yEOEnSUoPquISsXfZS2r3IWElpEKzewkiI2js4WxQ9pflpAA6EIt7hqJcnN2fxEOANhBn80RkHLW7Q/s1600/DSC_0567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UwCL2aH8Gci_vELWEGR8Rk9Ed9y752b0pn5PmMagPkIUurioWtA_YNVPqYqM9yEOEnSUoPquISsXfZS2r3IWElpEKzewkiI2js4WxQ9pflpAA6EIt7hqJcnN2fxEOANhBn80RkHLW7Q/s320/DSC_0567.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And then Mr. T just couldn't resist jumping in. I about peed my pants when Jonathan walked in our door with this costume on. I mean, he's wearing his wife's Ralph Lauren shirt. And duck tape rings and bracelets and earrings. Oh, and he spent about an hour shaving his head just to get the 'look'.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEz60bpbZiH4x7F9uAY9n_9iNv8jPHSFmixYOeYTlB3QWpwMXK17edKU4kbSm_RXIc9msVbkrMmkbELKFFMEAXU9HUNUSdAsm5NXlOW5s9rz1xWBUTHqpdHaTXmFp-Sv2ZX58pV44yy58/s1600/DSC_0570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEz60bpbZiH4x7F9uAY9n_9iNv8jPHSFmixYOeYTlB3QWpwMXK17edKU4kbSm_RXIc9msVbkrMmkbELKFFMEAXU9HUNUSdAsm5NXlOW5s9rz1xWBUTHqpdHaTXmFp-Sv2ZX58pV44yy58/s320/DSC_0570.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cait and Lexi, dressed as a highlighter and a candy cane.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_szs5N-IThC13yQqTPXbUbrItiKiF71op47CVADS1XJUZLGRDGR5Fie-XVUCBcrTR1kXFiTezOC1vjXTJGrhxxeVcgiNCKnTohUjdOqiP45OOXECaRXph1tqx4_8Vjy0MT8qGAEn8Ruk/s1600/DSC_0575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_szs5N-IThC13yQqTPXbUbrItiKiF71op47CVADS1XJUZLGRDGR5Fie-XVUCBcrTR1kXFiTezOC1vjXTJGrhxxeVcgiNCKnTohUjdOqiP45OOXECaRXph1tqx4_8Vjy0MT8qGAEn8Ruk/s320/DSC_0575.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Griffiths.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxZt7I-_WTu0gbSnEkR6mrNvIeYNBTQ6D6mA6UTipzhenkw0CQoS15vRUD5FyI71LF47TnBTdtM_A7GhUXOuCYC2FqguW1V1WwV2MFK14cMnH5ICbBlHCOOen_cOfcKmipj0Bklt8f_Y/s1600/DSC_0578.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxZt7I-_WTu0gbSnEkR6mrNvIeYNBTQ6D6mA6UTipzhenkw0CQoS15vRUD5FyI71LF47TnBTdtM_A7GhUXOuCYC2FqguW1V1WwV2MFK14cMnH5ICbBlHCOOen_cOfcKmipj0Bklt8f_Y/s320/DSC_0578.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe with his 'piece'.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnrYBSu4QPn0OWhEJyjiPX1IuuXlcy9RNUUdLkpIbf_Ugq4MuoNzMSYgn6B55tSWvmo4IOpZw8s2FaO-YQTLl5_ubOWF4UT5_1ny4MttHJkARGtPWAe6IYuMBqrg_Rk7t4NpcwZZ92H0/s1600/DSC_0583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnrYBSu4QPn0OWhEJyjiPX1IuuXlcy9RNUUdLkpIbf_Ugq4MuoNzMSYgn6B55tSWvmo4IOpZw8s2FaO-YQTLl5_ubOWF4UT5_1ny4MttHJkARGtPWAe6IYuMBqrg_Rk7t4NpcwZZ92H0/s320/DSC_0583.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Harpsts with adorable Adaya dressed as a skeleton and Kerby as a nerd. Jason came as himself.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkBS9a64-YthI8Ey90syLybJ1RC2ot-T_EM6NWGZUBjqMZgAS5HuEiCH8myba_vXI-bBYufpqgDbVc2vGHoa90frtYb1ux3LkxvsEXJkan2iHCDeRrcO3fBTrdl-K_HI9C-32AGBRvro/s1600/DSC_0595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkBS9a64-YthI8Ey90syLybJ1RC2ot-T_EM6NWGZUBjqMZgAS5HuEiCH8myba_vXI-bBYufpqgDbVc2vGHoa90frtYb1ux3LkxvsEXJkan2iHCDeRrcO3fBTrdl-K_HI9C-32AGBRvro/s320/DSC_0595.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adaya and her daddy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiil6kiGZJiqhlQPctiSAKdGslX8jKCpLnI9LwhcnySzYN0Je3DHSu8IwQ-YoDwx4bdK6wwK1JSczAZg3o5rjI8xO7-PYAgmw75v4CPGw5g6IfvXpkKvMY-rjxWg2MPj5iePiWkqWukcNE/s1600/DSC_0584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiil6kiGZJiqhlQPctiSAKdGslX8jKCpLnI9LwhcnySzYN0Je3DHSu8IwQ-YoDwx4bdK6wwK1JSczAZg3o5rjI8xO7-PYAgmw75v4CPGw5g6IfvXpkKvMY-rjxWg2MPj5iePiWkqWukcNE/s320/DSC_0584.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The delicious desserts; that's pumpkin bread - yum!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbE3jZQTEnYEcOhZt7HPSWwprWPkwjAkZJA2EjAazUJJiBQcBa16ieZgvabwfBg3-uqOEe0WBpi9f5x9jODBHOVPNrUid_MhCGwrCnMdGD-mbnx3SfrKr7qis-J7KUN_lISvdmQ07pMk/s1600/DSC_0588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbE3jZQTEnYEcOhZt7HPSWwprWPkwjAkZJA2EjAazUJJiBQcBa16ieZgvabwfBg3-uqOEe0WBpi9f5x9jODBHOVPNrUid_MhCGwrCnMdGD-mbnx3SfrKr7qis-J7KUN_lISvdmQ07pMk/s320/DSC_0588.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leighton and Isaac - two pirates playing in a pink kitchen. Arg.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_bVouCohna0XwUKLNkQI_RzrN8MHqXo6mERybYTO6y_uzEiuCv_8C4KvJi8MDf1isI2fSID216nCsIYXFlil5D2YKisGN3wMcEaHBLMZX3ANlAtk7R6FAsx3aDMT6peeTzkM207XoEk/s1600/DSC_0597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_bVouCohna0XwUKLNkQI_RzrN8MHqXo6mERybYTO6y_uzEiuCv_8C4KvJi8MDf1isI2fSID216nCsIYXFlil5D2YKisGN3wMcEaHBLMZX3ANlAtk7R6FAsx3aDMT6peeTzkM207XoEk/s320/DSC_0597.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pin the nose on the jack-o-lantern.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-00RIlBnGWPnYAJuk9xsT8l-ZWcRomaeY9R9NgXXvLecbiMdo7qRhtSTvN7cPTbtk_y_Fhkb57eDeX5kx-3xIi8nJeA79X9AWV-LaOYfNgfTJzesysFwV6ZOVqYG_C2AnaENGBOA4JE/s1600/DSC_0612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-00RIlBnGWPnYAJuk9xsT8l-ZWcRomaeY9R9NgXXvLecbiMdo7qRhtSTvN7cPTbtk_y_Fhkb57eDeX5kx-3xIi8nJeA79X9AWV-LaOYfNgfTJzesysFwV6ZOVqYG_C2AnaENGBOA4JE/s320/DSC_0612.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gathered around the food.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
It was really fun to host a get-together to celebrate a holiday that for us, is simply about candy and costumes! <br />
<br />
<br />Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-73185220396048986422012-10-25T07:53:00.000-07:002012-10-25T08:23:05.712-07:00Worms, Earthquakes, Dead Birds...<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
This week in San Jose has meant:</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Making Dutch Baby pancakes only to find two dead
ants floating on the surface.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
wasn’t so bad – we just scooped them out – until Joe spotted another dark spot
floating just underneath the surface.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Turns out it was a white little WORM with a black head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I about gagged and needless to say we
threw out the batter and started fresh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After inspecting the Ziploc bag the flour was in, we found a web of
worms making a cozy little home inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yum.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Experiencing another earthquake – 6.6 I think it
measured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since the ‘big one’ we
had in September, we’ve felt several others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This one was strong but slow so it felt a lot like being on
a boat on the ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this
happened in Seattle it would be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Breaking
News</i>… but here, it’s a bi-monthly event.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/images/cache/housesparrow_juvenile_300_tcm9-139924_v3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" id="il_fi" src="http://www.rspb.org.uk/images/cache/housesparrow_juvenile_300_tcm9-139924_v3.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Fernando killing yet another feathered
creature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A couple weeks ago, a
bird mistakenly entered our house in the morning and hid out all day, only to
be captured and killed in the afternoon by Ferocious Fern. (Kate had alerted me
to the bird’s appearance in the a.m. but I forgot about it… and so when we came
home in the afternoon Fernando was in the middle of his hunt). This week, I
heard a strange meowing and looked over to see Fernie flaunting his newest kill
– a poor bird lying on his back with his little legs still flinching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This seems to be happening on a weekly
basis around here now… I’m always finding bird feathers flitting around the
floor.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Planning a Harvest Party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just couldn’t let another Halloween
go by without any type of celebration so we are inviting people over for a
little get-together next week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Since there isn’t a Joanne’s or Michael’s craft store here, we are
mostly making do with things in our closet for a costume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kate will be a crayon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s fun and challenging to ‘go with
what you got’ and to have to be a little more creative with what’s around the
house.</div>
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<img class="rg_i" data-src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ3ailDSjp2INYcoifZXYCxeGSvPrcPQrgPq9ukDsxHz34qud6YaWWqa0A" name="bFY22H52A24mlM:" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ3ailDSjp2INYcoifZXYCxeGSvPrcPQrgPq9ukDsxHz34qud6YaWWqa0A" style="height: 95px; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; width: 256px;" /></div>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSUpGtOvWjZMumupljhGlHuVSItcaW6dgkcneiVOeg2kakpUfro" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="rg_hi uh_hi" data-height="272" data-width="186" height="272" id="rg_hi" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSUpGtOvWjZMumupljhGlHuVSItcaW6dgkcneiVOeg2kakpUfro" style="height: 272px; width: 186px;" width="186" /></a><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>And finally, being 16 weeks pregnant! The baby
is about the size of an avocado now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am just waiting to feel distinct movement now – one of the best things
about being pregnant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This only
gets better and better as the weeks go on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the worst things about pregnancy: trying to find
clothes in your closet that fit and don’t make you feel like a tent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This only gets worse. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"></span></div>
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</div>
Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-46558042575004400682012-10-10T19:59:00.001-07:002012-10-10T20:02:05.035-07:00Ministry Update: One Year in Costa Rica<style>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">We moved here exactly one
year ago. Of course we realized before we even moved here that this would not
be easy and that things might look different than expected, both in our personal
lives, but also in the work at the Abraham Project (AP).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And this has indeed been the
reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we are also very
aware that by persevering through the unexpected things we have grown and
matured in unimaginable ways. Below is a not-so-short recap of the last year
(we tried so hard to be succinct, but truly needed this many words to properly
explain what’s been going on; please read on if you care to – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">there is a very special announcement at the
end</i> </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Georgia; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Georgia; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Since Joe, specifically,
came down to raise money for the AP, and he loves to be busy and have a project
to work on (apparently learning Spanish and cultural adjustment wasn’t enough
for him </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Georgia; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Georgia; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">), he jumped right into asking questions about the
Project when we arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In short,
over several months, he started to see some specific challenges the Project was
facing that he felt needed to be addressed and possibly changed in order to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">a)</b> be able to confidently raise money
and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">b)</b> make the AP stronger and more
sustainable into the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, the real difficulty came in communicating these
ideas/challenges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The organization
and leadership didn’t appear to be open to new ideas. (We have learned a lot
since then about cross-cultural communication!!)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Then, our home church came
down in March to see about forming a long-term partnership with the Project,
but decided not to partner with the AP, citing as their reasons many of the
same potential issues Joe had been seeing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a big disappointment to lose such a great partner and
donor, but at the same time, an opportunity for the AP to really start
evaluating their organization and how to improve.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This decision by our
church lead us to put together a document that summarized both the church’s
decision not to choose the AP, as well as our own observations, questions, and
suggestions for future sustainability. We knew that we didn’t have all the
right answers, but we felt very strongly that it was important to ‘officially’
present the challenges we saw to the leadership at the Project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We presented this in early July, and
this led to a bigger meeting that happened in mid-August.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our last <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2012/08/ministry-update.html" target="_blank">Ministry Update</a> asked
specifically for prayer for this meeting.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">We haven’t shared how that
meeting went yet… One of our biggest challenges has been figuring out how to communicate
all this with you – our friends, family, and supporters – in a way that is
transparent but also in a way that honors the people who have poured their
lives into the Project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suffice it
to say, during the meeting we continued to feel the way we’ve felt for many
months: misunderstood, disappointed, and frustrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We haven’t felt like there has been much openness to change
or an ability to reflect on what we, or others, have been saying. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">So that left us with a big
question: Where Do We Go From Here? We didn’t know. That’s where we were in
August.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Now it’s October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we’ve had more meetings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One that lasted six hours just last
week!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And little by little, we are
starting to uncover the misperceptions and misunderstandings that have lead to
these roadblocks in communication and in our ability to do what we came down to
do. We are aware of our own failings and shortfalls and ways in which we could
have gone about this whole process better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we also continue to feel very strongly about the need
for reflection and change. We are seeing doors start to crack open, but there
is a long way to go before they are swinging wide open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right now, we are discussing some of
the smaller funding needs the Project has and what we can do to address these
areas in a sustainable way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are
taking things one step at a time; being flexible and holding our original plans
loosely. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">So we continue to
persevere, because we believe so much in the work the Project is doing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">We would so appreciate,
more than anything, for you to pray for wisdom and discernment for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know so many of you have been
praying for us and this is invaluable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thank you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know God is
working through the Project and the people there to bless others, and we also
know God is with us and working through us, despite our flaws or the
frustrations of this past year. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Thank you, as always, for
your love, support, and partnership.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Love,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Joe, Jennie, Kate and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">finally</i> Baby #2 expected in mid-April (see <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2012/10/una-luz-light.html" target="_blank">Una Luz</a>)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-77653179358077676482012-10-10T18:58:00.000-07:002012-10-25T07:54:45.468-07:00Una Luz (A Light)<div style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Most of you know all about our fertility
struggles. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It started with an ectopic pregnancy in
January 2011. We thought
everything had healed properly, but it hadn’t. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Three weeks after we arrived in Costa Rica in
October 2011, we found out my right fallopian tube was permanently blocked. (At this time I also was misdiagnosed
with PCOS – polycystic ovarian syndrome - and was on medication for four months
before finding out that the ‘cysts’ were really just normal blood vessels). </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Then there was the <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2012/02/his-gentle-guidance.html" target="_blank">surgery</a> to remove the
damaged tube this past March.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Even though the rest of my reproductive
system was <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2012/03/surgery-update.html" target="_blank">healthy and normal</a>, by July we were seriously starting to doubt
whether we could get pregnant on our own due to some other symptoms I was
having.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">In fact, we were starting to consider going
back home to get fertility treatment.
We even started packing a few bags!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">And then out of the blue, one day in early
August there were two faint red lines on little home pregnancy test. Could this be real?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It was.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Due to the previous ectopic, I had to get my
hormone levels tested three times right away, and then had to get an early
ultrasound at 6.5 weeks to make sure the baby was in the uterus. (It was an
excruciatingly long wait for that very first ultrasound.) But on August 20<sup>th</sup>, we found
out the baby was where it should be and we even heard the heartbeat for the
first time!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">And so we are so excited to finally be able
to announce that Baby Westfall #2 will arrive sometime around April 12<sup>th</sup>
of 2013. </span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">*****</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">This journey over the past two years has
created a lot of emotional stress, doubt, and even questions like “why now
God?” especially when we found out about the blocked tube.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">But now, we can see God’s hand and perfect
timing in it all. First, we were
supposed to come to Costa Rica.
Had we known about the blocked tube before we left, we probably never
would have come. Second, through
this trial, we had to lean on Jesus in a whole new way, and even with our
doubts and questions, our faith was matured and strengthened. Third, if I had
been able to get pregnant on <i>our </i>time
line, we would have had a second baby sometime in the past year, which now
looking back on other challenges we’ve faced here, would have been just too
much. God’s timing literally has
been perfect.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">In Spanish, "to give birth" is “dar a luz” – or
literally – <i>to give a light</i>. This such a light for us. Such an answer to prayer. Thank you to all of you who have walked through this journey with us and have prayed for us.</span></span></div>
Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-47413185345570225912012-10-05T20:50:00.003-07:002012-10-10T19:36:06.445-07:00Books!!<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">Books are an important part of my life. I have always loved to
read but in recent years have really become more of a consistently avid reader;
there is always a mountain of various books on my bedside table. This
year in Costa Rica, reading has become an even more vital part of my life.
Spiritually, I’ve been challenged in ways that has produced a hunger to deepen
my faith. So I’ve bought and read lots of books that are in the ‘spiritual’
category. I’m also always looking for a great story that transports me to
another place, that is beautifully written (or at least well-written), inspires
or intrigues me in some way, and expands my own view on life. With less
recreation options here, novels have become perfect entertainment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">So here are a few of the books that have been especially meaningful,
challenging, or just plain entertaining: (in no particular order)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><u>Prodigal Summer</u></span><span style="font-size: small;"> by Barbara Kingsolver. I just finished
reading this novel while in North Carolina. I had never read any of
Kingsolver’s books (she is probably best known for The Poisonwood Bible) but I
fell in love with her exquisite writing and beautiful descriptions. The
story takes place in a small southern farming town as well as the Appalachian
woods and reading it gave me a little piece of the wilderness and nature that I
so often crave here in the midst of the concrete of San Jose. Plus, the
story weaves in information about the intricacies and fragility of ecosystems
that I never would have thought to be so fascinating.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><u>Radical</u> by David Platt: the most recent book I’ve
completed.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Joe just finished it
too.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Totally challenged us and how
we live out our faith.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Do we really
believe in what Jesus said, what he did, and who he was? Or “are we
manipulating the gospel to fit our cultural preferences?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><u>Wuthering Heights</u> by Emily Bronte.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> A classic, gothic novel.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> A story of obsession and revenge.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> It was intriguing, dark, intense… I
found Heathcliff to be the most despicable character ever. <i>“And I pray one prayer—I repeat it till my tongue stiffens—Catherine
Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living; you said I killed you—haunt
me, then! The murdered do haunt their murderers, I believe. I know that ghosts </i><i><span style="font-style: normal;">have</span></i><i> wandered on earth. Be with me always—take any form—drive me mad! Only </i><i><span style="font-style: normal;">do</span></i><i> not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is
unutterable! I </i><i><span style="font-style: normal;">cannot</span></i><i> live without my life! I </i><i><span style="font-style: normal;">cannot</span></i><i> live without my soul!”</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><u>Loving Our Kids On Purpose</u> by Danny Silk.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> My favorite parenting book ever.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> This is a book I’m always going back
to.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Totally turns traditional
parenting techniques on their head (especially Christian techniques) and shows
parents how to raise their kids in the freedom of Christ.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><u>Hunger Games</u> trilogy by Suzanne Colin.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Yes, I was addicted like almost
everyone else who read these.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> The
first is the best since it’s such a new, crazy concept.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><u>If God Is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil</u>
by Randy Alcorn.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Like most people,
I struggle with the question, “why is there so much evil and suffering in the
world?” Many atheists point to the evil in the world as the main reason why
there cannot be a God.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> I’m still
not finished with this book because it’s intense and heavy.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> But I bought it because I knew Alcorn
would do an excellent job of addressing this question and backing up it up with
scripture.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Learning a ton… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><u>Managing the Non-Profit</u> by Peter Drucker.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Joe bought this one on my Kindle, searching
for some answers for some of the challenges he’s (we’ve) experienced while
being at the Abraham Project.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> It’s
been extremely helpful.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><u>Culture of Honor</u> by Danny Silk.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> An excellent book about leadership in
the church, but it is applicable in many situations.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Again, another book that has helped us navigate through our
work at the AP.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> One of the main
premises is that we cannot lead (or be in any healthy relationship) by trying
to control the other person. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><u>The Water is Wide</u> by Pat Conroy. One of the best,
most memorable books I have ever read.</span><span style="font-size: small;">
It is Pat’s memoir about his time teaching on an isolated island off the
coast of South Carolina to a group of completely ignorant students, due to
their poverty, isolation, and a school district that is neglecting them. As a
teacher, it was both inspiring and discouraging at the same time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><u>The Prince of Tides</u> by Pat Conroy.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Gorgeous writing.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Intense story. <i>“She had awakened something in me that had slumbered far too long. Not only did I feel passion again, I
felt the return of hope and a clearance of all storm warnings in the danger
zones of memory.”</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><u>Prayer</u> by Philip Yancey. <i>“Most of my struggles in the Christian life circle around the same two
themes: why God doesn’t act the way we want God to, and why I don’t act the way
God wants me to. Prayer is the
precise point where those themes converge.”</i></span><span style="font-size: small;"> I love anything Yancey writes.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> This is no exception.</span><span style="font-size: small;">
He is so authentic and honest.</span></div>
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Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-47861383256034155512012-09-25T18:25:00.000-07:002012-10-25T08:14:41.367-07:00North CarolinaWe just spent a wonderful week visiting my parents in North Carolina. They originally were going to come visit us here in early September but we changed our plans and ended up going there instead. It was a perfect little get-a-way and we basically ate our way through the week (it's crazy the foods and restaurants you crave/miss when you live out of the country).<br />
<br />
The requested restaurant list included: Cracker Barrel (for those of you who have never visited the South, it's a chain restaurant specializing in good ol' Southern food); 12 Bones BBQ (President Obama frequents this amazing BBQ joint when in Asheville; you may not like him or his policies, but you can't argue with the Blueberry Chipotle ribs); a brew pub in downtown called The Lab; Salsa's, a unique Mexican restaurant; Thai Spice; Bocelli's Italian...<br />
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All this eating got a little ridiculous, but man, was it good.<br />
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Besides loving all that food, Kate enjoyed being with her grandparents and we enjoyed having some free baby-sitting and some dates. Here are some other highlights of our trip:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Flt9isDfJJqFqgadzM42Hfs_dsjh6TNQ_h4S5JO6iSxoFsRyYOx6aUy1YuN-ggb_-qgAuVDjZIZa6pGqJEvfwCMdYhV7KMe8IK6cAtLLfqdzbtLrbiztATQETDffhkavGxALN37uydk/s1600/040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Flt9isDfJJqFqgadzM42Hfs_dsjh6TNQ_h4S5JO6iSxoFsRyYOx6aUy1YuN-ggb_-qgAuVDjZIZa6pGqJEvfwCMdYhV7KMe8IK6cAtLLfqdzbtLrbiztATQETDffhkavGxALN37uydk/s320/040.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swinging on the 100 year old family porch swing with Granddaddy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgGKKxmHACO1mS_z8MVMRVz5iPXpT50VfG5OjGYpL03epj9DW29reEzXsKUf7Fw5jADfU8tCC7NUNVAUZKUlhoOqsQrzs2zSQx3CC6L2ZEpusLVYKiw-biyWWpdquEm-OT3RmMhRjKPU/s1600/Kate+Sept.+2012+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgGKKxmHACO1mS_z8MVMRVz5iPXpT50VfG5OjGYpL03epj9DW29reEzXsKUf7Fw5jADfU8tCC7NUNVAUZKUlhoOqsQrzs2zSQx3CC6L2ZEpusLVYKiw-biyWWpdquEm-OT3RmMhRjKPU/s320/Kate+Sept.+2012+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing at the park...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOarPUkBJlN4hrTkbDQFiJcUi8cjNvDciX0IcCAn0K_pd3nbL-nV2owhKtn4pvgE52gcWUUbdYEn8v0osGcsD2tYeK3QdUGABvVdnoYppWqxCTWemIgMEPAPQvoEWsz56eXPY3-WTSZB8/s1600/DSC05492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOarPUkBJlN4hrTkbDQFiJcUi8cjNvDciX0IcCAn0K_pd3nbL-nV2owhKtn4pvgE52gcWUUbdYEn8v0osGcsD2tYeK3QdUGABvVdnoYppWqxCTWemIgMEPAPQvoEWsz56eXPY3-WTSZB8/s320/DSC05492.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jone's Cove - a lovely country road where we walked one pretty afternoon.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdVwtpcixzJ1V9EQquj_uHCOiMQwD2oWlbiLWQ1S9ZLMebDvA0LMEdqO1oqhnPxpRTA44AX_eA-nTiwIydpm6qwmui9bDA6DEJWUuLbwkk1KGD_n-KC1aa-rnAZs8QUUvCdb84ltquLQ/s1600/DSC05493.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdVwtpcixzJ1V9EQquj_uHCOiMQwD2oWlbiLWQ1S9ZLMebDvA0LMEdqO1oqhnPxpRTA44AX_eA-nTiwIydpm6qwmui9bDA6DEJWUuLbwkk1KGD_n-KC1aa-rnAZs8QUUvCdb84ltquLQ/s320/DSC05493.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Jone's Cove cow... </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzanmuVmW6O0JwZeG4oR_hrtrvERNaWB02jR8G-KviliPsaahvzFrp4_qNsUObYga_D6rgHjiZ2eOp_HRwlvuHFvzr8hv6zvidN8ZlKDMBZbBUuAlA9elcz-WanYPzETedl6ShDRB1v8/s1600/Kate+Sept.+2012+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzanmuVmW6O0JwZeG4oR_hrtrvERNaWB02jR8G-KviliPsaahvzFrp4_qNsUObYga_D6rgHjiZ2eOp_HRwlvuHFvzr8hv6zvidN8ZlKDMBZbBUuAlA9elcz-WanYPzETedl6ShDRB1v8/s320/Kate+Sept.+2012+011.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artist in the making.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqRyVubMp2PHZn65EvVmqjHX8OO17soDQnGYmMelpeItI9bkP6_K2VwRv06NA0sY0it42E4q3rwjLXq5jYmgO6a0cMVxZjePt2xNhvzGMaXaAe0-7EsfF7qH5qomH3nu77V_kDi-V1Yk/s1600/Kate+Sept.+2012+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqRyVubMp2PHZn65EvVmqjHX8OO17soDQnGYmMelpeItI9bkP6_K2VwRv06NA0sY0it42E4q3rwjLXq5jYmgO6a0cMVxZjePt2xNhvzGMaXaAe0-7EsfF7qH5qomH3nu77V_kDi-V1Yk/s320/Kate+Sept.+2012+013.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painter's pose.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJKNjY42eYcS6Xt8dkpQJkqGQde8o13D2C9xxWYDofkafnJaExXZPeXlrljrd5UOleBcYnrCR8UcVtZSisKvyxwY0u9K0T14oLSnTD4oIuQ6JxmERMJSAL9yS_LcmNBkOGkOwJ3GUWsA/s1600/Kate+Sept.+2012+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJKNjY42eYcS6Xt8dkpQJkqGQde8o13D2C9xxWYDofkafnJaExXZPeXlrljrd5UOleBcYnrCR8UcVtZSisKvyxwY0u9K0T14oLSnTD4oIuQ6JxmERMJSAL9yS_LcmNBkOGkOwJ3GUWsA/s320/Kate+Sept.+2012+016.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raspberry fingers.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZl5GUaUPu06F-teOXC5n3hmg917PeqMDoVnKEx9fFkaWXmtUr7q6PxlykTwRbGF-SwXsSTE1FIzXyux-BvQeN2Pj6QMuhs1PkxtG6LcPKpXUYBE_VQR-Mka9VjuEjWwaAoW1KOZZay-0/s1600/DSC05504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZl5GUaUPu06F-teOXC5n3hmg917PeqMDoVnKEx9fFkaWXmtUr7q6PxlykTwRbGF-SwXsSTE1FIzXyux-BvQeN2Pj6QMuhs1PkxtG6LcPKpXUYBE_VQR-Mka9VjuEjWwaAoW1KOZZay-0/s320/DSC05504.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wish I could have a bowl of this delicious fruit salad right now. Fresh berries, sweet peaches: the stuff you just can't get in CR!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66wBl1iic2weyVSRXMjbrtWozCz8WLahl-L01amV_-kMzd6BSD70aoJ6nI8ytY2xGPxLm9WcqMh8wILJ5PjI-xNgjqDjOJRj8pGj6vaoIuzwpG6lyhj3Zm2gSNd-blaXofm0YfmFfHBk/s1600/DSC05505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66wBl1iic2weyVSRXMjbrtWozCz8WLahl-L01amV_-kMzd6BSD70aoJ6nI8ytY2xGPxLm9WcqMh8wILJ5PjI-xNgjqDjOJRj8pGj6vaoIuzwpG6lyhj3Zm2gSNd-blaXofm0YfmFfHBk/s320/DSC05505.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More berry craziness.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YN7cdaGtoviU6tTe94yCPpRFoF86tLLKQ9T27b9hw7W3EIO85X84DX6O-Hqgf2VcT8nGKZWRUwq6xmNPWG_q0zWS6fFGmhe2cqAUvHWqsv9CXgS9BNNlQgcUGZvxnPif13M_FKsdLBE/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YN7cdaGtoviU6tTe94yCPpRFoF86tLLKQ9T27b9hw7W3EIO85X84DX6O-Hqgf2VcT8nGKZWRUwq6xmNPWG_q0zWS6fFGmhe2cqAUvHWqsv9CXgS9BNNlQgcUGZvxnPif13M_FKsdLBE/s320/004.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All of us got haircuts, including Miss Kate.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandmama, mama, and Kate.</td></tr>
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<br />Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-6571981595169984952012-09-14T18:55:00.002-07:002012-10-25T08:23:34.781-07:00A Little GymnastWe have a little gymnast in the making here in Costa Rica. Our main extra-curricular activity for Kate for awhile was swimming lessons, but that quickly came to an end in June when she pretty much refused to transition from the tiny pool to the big kid pool. (You gotta change pools at age 3). At that point, she was still crying regularly at daycare when we dropped her off, and so it just wasn't worth it to force our almost hysterical daughter to get in the big pool. It is, after all, supposed to be fun.<br />
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So two months passed with no activities. And we had a very athletic little girl on our hands with no outlet for all her energy.<br />
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After setting up a 'gym' in our living room for a few nights, and desperately needing an activity where she could safely jump, run, crawl, swing, hang, flip, or somersault, we finally signed her up for a gymnastics class.<br />
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We had driven past the gym dozens of times and I knew it would be a perfect 'sport' for her. But when we first moved here, everything was just too overwhelming and it seemed too scary to stop at the gym and inquire about classes. But now, almost a year into this experience, it wasn't so overwhelming anymore, and it was easy as pie to sign her up!<br />
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She started last week, and after some initial separation anxiety and tears with the first two classes, it is now her new favorite thing. It's exciting to finally be at this point in our cultural adjustment, where we can find something we want to do and sign up for it - all on our own.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balance beam girl.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learning to backwards somersault.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3dVoFyyAXZtEbsi8JApTDzF3dJCMSZD7ERzCIL1SpsYXHmx1EIqdo-nW5179kN69LGRgOXSeOAZFNsP0BuPcf-caeF_ooipf-MUMhiVr_lfqypUqDAkbYUnFkTXsvLxR1-_08RvYz3o/s1600/DSC05417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3dVoFyyAXZtEbsi8JApTDzF3dJCMSZD7ERzCIL1SpsYXHmx1EIqdo-nW5179kN69LGRgOXSeOAZFNsP0BuPcf-caeF_ooipf-MUMhiVr_lfqypUqDAkbYUnFkTXsvLxR1-_08RvYz3o/s320/DSC05417.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The giant trampoline - just up her alley.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSkk8VCMSqpBWDwwPhkC993xyqoQVRaLRD7h3BU0wVPHn_UVYm1ABKHoEi3pG5kKc-fkIG1Hq5V9CX3hzMTKPRSo4vI_ot1c1O9RNNQpffLIuNvYtTfOdioP_q3IAHyPzXjRDonlqpvLY/s1600/DSC05419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSkk8VCMSqpBWDwwPhkC993xyqoQVRaLRD7h3BU0wVPHn_UVYm1ABKHoEi3pG5kKc-fkIG1Hq5V9CX3hzMTKPRSo4vI_ot1c1O9RNNQpffLIuNvYtTfOdioP_q3IAHyPzXjRDonlqpvLY/s320/DSC05419.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gym. A perfect little world for Miss Energy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-84115028357062085322012-09-04T19:43:00.000-07:002012-09-04T19:48:33.320-07:00Monday Morning Yoga<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Monday is my yoga day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I try to exercise most mornings a week and have quite the routine down
with various workout videos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Monday I practice yoga, Tuesday and Thursday I kill myself doing one of
Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred workouts, Wednesday I sweat and quiver doing a
Barre 3 Video, and then on the weekends I try to get outside and walk/run.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yesterday I woke up in a rather foul mood, so yoga was more
needed than ever to get me ready for the day – and for the week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love how yoga helps you to relax and
focus, while strengthening your body and making it more flexible at the same
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s spirit, mind, and body.
I really needed the ‘spirit’ part yesterday, the relaxing, calming side of
yoga.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, it all started out wonderful and relaxed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kate was still asleep, which is a
rarity, and I set up my mat and video in the living room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A quiet, peaceful morning with
yoga.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yesssss.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then the weedwacker started up right outside the living
room window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The yard guys were here to cut our grass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bright and early at 6:45 on Monday
morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Awesome.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Don’t get me wrong, I sure am glad we have ‘yard guys’ to
take care of all these fast-growing tropical plants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I just wasn’t ready for the grating sound of the wacker
this early in the morning – nor was I ready for the noxious fumes that quickly
started to seep in through the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Especially while I was doing yoga.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So much for relaxing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I quickly remembered someone telling me that the best
quality to have while living and working abroad is to be flexible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So since yoga strengthens your
flexibility too, maybe my focus needed to shift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, I know, it works on physical flexibility, but I
thought that perhaps I needed to let go of the intention to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">relax</i> and embrace the practice of being <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mentally</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">flexible</i> instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
so I made up my mind right then on the yoga mat that I wasn’t going to get
overly frustrated about the horrible timing and noise and fumes that the
weedwacker was causing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would be
flexible, darn it, and have a good attitude about this. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I just moved my little yoga operation into the kitchen;
farther away from the smells of gas and with a little insulation from the
racket of noise.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eF7iqW69qNkdp-vfErPJ1mZYieYqFX093T29-pEI0O3KeBhwiRG4GuoiwnMx-D2Dy3iHmCaKWf-WCGe1LozYZvkxKrpqpl_JxP4-n4Bpn17ACWKsRnGNe58wc6tuBebnENC3PybCCP4/s1600/DSC05403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eF7iqW69qNkdp-vfErPJ1mZYieYqFX093T29-pEI0O3KeBhwiRG4GuoiwnMx-D2Dy3iHmCaKWf-WCGe1LozYZvkxKrpqpl_JxP4-n4Bpn17ACWKsRnGNe58wc6tuBebnENC3PybCCP4/s320/DSC05403.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Focus on the kitchen, not on the mid-motion, awkward yoga pose.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Onward and upward, friends!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-32281680101935014842012-08-27T13:05:00.000-07:002012-08-27T13:05:19.211-07:00Authenticity<style>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s funny how I’ve written recently about <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2012/07/practicing-contentment.html" target="_blank">practicing contentment</a>, but really do a pretty horrible job at practicing it at all. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve really, truly been wrestling with
being content this past week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
so easy to just slap words on a blog and think, “oh, I’ve learned a good lesson
here… look how I’m being thankful for the things around me and being
content.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the words really
mean nothing unless my life – my mind, body, spirit – start to be transformed
in a consistent way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A way in
which I see fruit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I will be
honest – there has been very little fruit this past week.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I’m trying to analyze why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why I suck at being content.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least this past week.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Part of my discontentment is because <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2012/06/time-is-going-by-really-really-slowly.html" target="_blank">time does seem to go by really slowly here</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even when
we’re busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week we were
busier than usual with something going on each afternoon, but that just left me
more frustrated and discontent by the end of the week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Maybe contentedness was hard to come by because we had to
drive across town a couple times, fighting traffic, once for a dentist
appointment where we arrived 30 minutes late, and once to the Immigration
Office, where we had to wait…and wait to obtain a piece of paper that allows us
to take Kate out of the country (yes, we have to get permission to take our own
daughter out of the country now that she is a resident – it’s to protect kids
from sex trafficking – but nonetheless it was another annoying visit to a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">s l o w</i> government office).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qIruz3n9U2XhOT0wfiwnSXROaK87Cd3kpXXIKRcLbJZuMApTq3IpaD7OIWNxwdbGOsiDXxhrfz_s7q2aCjTv5iK1dawydfSHPeorotdYT5xZbJ5kADaxdZLNjIypZpCRmB6fud3RfJc/s1600/DSC05377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qIruz3n9U2XhOT0wfiwnSXROaK87Cd3kpXXIKRcLbJZuMApTq3IpaD7OIWNxwdbGOsiDXxhrfz_s7q2aCjTv5iK1dawydfSHPeorotdYT5xZbJ5kADaxdZLNjIypZpCRmB6fud3RfJc/s320/DSC05377.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Passing the time at the Immigration Office</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It probably didn’t help either that at the dentist appoint I
found out I had 3-4 cavities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes,
3-4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve only had to get a cavity
filled one time in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
not pleased.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhEXHirfB-hWKgs9XkXekPHWJOyrgTQXK_e6cWzl2grDdgpoPX_Yjz5-1ul7DtqkM7BuHrUy2E32gwYY4_XEdYdqX_zZ_dTnm0BoGiS2HeYEKpVzGjmOqvMNdeMnnKOK67o2bZ8fmhg60/s1600/DSC05356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhEXHirfB-hWKgs9XkXekPHWJOyrgTQXK_e6cWzl2grDdgpoPX_Yjz5-1ul7DtqkM7BuHrUy2E32gwYY4_XEdYdqX_zZ_dTnm0BoGiS2HeYEKpVzGjmOqvMNdeMnnKOK67o2bZ8fmhg60/s320/DSC05356.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Kate at her first dentist appt. a couple weeks ago. Unlike me, she luckily didn't have any cavities.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then Friday rolls around where we finally have an afternoon
with nothing to do and what happens?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I feel miserable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miserable
because I now finally have time, but zero motivation to do anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miserable because I feel stuck at home
again without any plans for the weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Miserable because even when we try to make plans, it feels like we’ve
been there done that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because we
have. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I think I felt most miserable because I feel incredibly
guilty and even convicted about being so dang discontent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s embarrassing, really.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know I have a million things to be thankful for and that
all the small, inconvenient or annoying circumstances from the week are nothing
really to complain about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Especially when I remember my friend who had her first cancer radiation
treatment on Thursday, or my other friend who is 33 weeks pregnant but is stuck
in the hospital indefinitely due to complications, or my other friend who is
just going through a heartbreaking miscarriage…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, these things are heavy, and yet the truth is, I
still find a way to be down in the dumps.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ugh.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so I wrestle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And start to analyze and talk with God about this stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And over the weekend, I was reminded of
a couple things that have helped:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>It’s way healthier to be honest and authentic
about your feelings than to become a fake Pollyanna.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The truth is that our time in Costa Rica has been
challenging, and to deny that or pretend that it hasn’t been so would be lying
and frankly, prideful.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>God loves an honest heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And plus, he already knows our thoughts
and attitudes. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You have searched me and
known me…you understand my thought afar off…and are acquainted with all my
ways.</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Psalm 139</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t have to<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pretend or hide anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, we can take all of our
emotions, all of our thoughts, and talk to Him to about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He loves us just the same.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>The Psalmists constantly were crying out to God,
lamenting, questioning, struggling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If King David can ask, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How long
must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? (Psalm
13:2),</i> I can too.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“Suffering” – whether it’s true suffering or
just a frustrating week – is part of life. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dear
friends, do not be surprised at the painful trail you are suffering, as though
something strange were happening to you. 1 Peter 4:12.</i> And as Christians,
we are told to actually rejoice in our sufferings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Consider it pure joy,
my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the
testing of your faith develops perseverance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>James 1:2. </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will say that this is the part I really need some major
help on – considering it pure joy when things are hard. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I also recognize that this is a
process, and looking back on our journey in Costa Rica so far, I can at least
say that we’ve improved in the perseverance category.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will give myself 10 points for that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, these reminders leave me realizing more and more that
authenticity is equally important to practicing contentment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I think in order to truly lead
a life of contentment – one that’s not just defined by empty words –
authenticity must always accompany the posture of being content.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s how David went from crying out
to the Lord in the beginning of Psalm 13 to writing, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">But I trust in your unfailing love, my heart rejoices in your
salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will sing to the
Lord, for he has been good to me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psalm 13:5-6</i></div>
Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-55340044809532190182012-08-13T15:16:00.000-07:002012-08-13T15:16:44.269-07:00A Drought
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Costa Rica is experiencing a <a href="http://www.ticotimes.net/Business/U.S.-drought-to-drive-up-local-food-prices_Friday-July-27-2012/">drought</a>
of sorts right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are in the
heart of the so-called rainy season, where it’s supposed to rain – no, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pour</i> – every afternoon for several
hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But since May when ‘winter’
started, it’s only rained a mere handful of afternoons.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I understand that the U.S. in the midst of a drought too -
one of the worst ones in decades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Obviously, droughts cause all sorts of problems: <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/08/10/drought-worsens-in-farm-states.html">food
prices soar</a>, electricity costs increase, <a href="http://desertification.wordpress.com/2008/05/21/costa-rica-northern-zone-drought-killing-cattle-google-daily-newsby-leland-baxter-neal/">cattle
can die</a>…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not a good
situation.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In many ways, the last two years since deciding to come to
Costa Rica have seemed like a drought in our personal lives, at least on
paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since starting the blog,
I’ve written a lot about some of the difficulties, fears, and trials we’ve
faced:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2011/09/moved-out.html">Moving out</a>
of our house (I still cry when looking at these pictures)</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Saying goodbye to our <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2011/09/saying-goodbye.html">friends</a>
and <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2011/10/one-last-evening.html">family</a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Kate being sick, again and again and again</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2012/06/fluency-impossible-goal.html">Learning
the language</a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Enduring all sorts of <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2012/05/infestation.html">gross
creatures</a> and <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2012/07/do-ants-have-tongues.html">insect
infestations</a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Facing an <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2011/07/night-waking-worry-3-fertility-fears.html">ectopic</a>,
infertility, <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2012/02/his-gentle-guidance.html">surgery</a>,
misdiagnosis (the doctor I was using when we first arrived uses an ancient
ultrasound machine and misdiagnosed me with <a href="http://women.webmd.com/tc/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-topic-overview">PCOS</a>.
He put me on a medication that I took for four months, until the doctor in
Seattle who did my surgery told me what looked like cysts were actually just
blood vessels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was one of the
most frustrating things we’ve experienced here).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But unlike a real drought, this season of dryness in our own
life has actually produced amazing fruit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Personal seasons of drought often do.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>We’ve learned <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2011/12/ten-lessons-learned.html">tons
of lessons</a> along the way and grown personally and spiritually in ways we
would have never imagined.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>We’ve learned <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2012/02/learning-to-wait.html">to
wait and be patient</a>… for so many things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This has created character we didn’t have before.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>We’ve learned to live with <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2011/07/packing-up.html" target="_blank">less stuff</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whenever we move back to the States, we
will make a conscious effort to live with less and practice some sort of
minimalism.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>We’ve had extra time together as a family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kate spends as much time with me as she
does with her daddy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This never
would have been the case if we’d stayed in Seattle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would have worked full time this past year as a 4<sup>th</sup>
grade teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Joe would have
worked too obviously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Nothing
wrong with this scenario, by the way).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But with this extra time together, we have bonded and grown more than
ever, as a little family of three.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>We have made incredible <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2012/08/lights-out-glow-sticks-on.html">friendships</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both with Gringos and with Ticos.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>We are finally starting to feel at home here in
another country and have a strong handle on the language, although I still
speak <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">v e r y</i> slowly, and have to
conjugate verbs in my head, and based on what we’re now learning in Spanish
class, have to ask myself, ‘does this sentence require the <a href="http://spanish.about.com/od/verbmoods/a/intro_subjunct.htm">subjunctive
mood</a>?” (a ‘mood’ or verb tense we really don’t have/use in English)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>We are more hopeful now than we were a week ago
about our future at the Abraham Project and the opportunity for us to help it
become more sustainable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In our
recent <a href="http://tresriosproject.blogspot.com/2012/08/ministry-update.html">Ministry
Update</a>, we talked about the meeting that was going to take place this past
Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, it did, and we
feel like it was successful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
still have questions and concerns that need to be addressed before moving
forward, but we feel like it was a step in the right direction.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With all these things above, and many more not mentioned, we
can easily see God’s work in our lives – the fruit being produced – through
this experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Joe has this
corny tank-top (yes, a tank-top) that says, “Make It Rain”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although there are days when it really
feels like a drought, there are many others when we feel and know that God is
‘making it rain’ and we are flourishing. And above all, his will is being
accomplished in our lives.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“For as the rain comes
down, and the snow from heaven,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And do not return
there,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">But water the earth,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And make it bring
forth and bud,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That it may give seed
to the sower</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And bread to the
eater,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So shall My word be
that goes forth from My mouth;</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It shall not return to
Me void,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">But it shall
accomplish what I please,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And it shall prosper
in the thing for which I sent it.”</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Isaiah 55:10-11</div>
Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7937346955945674499.post-87737117418127479542012-08-08T09:38:00.001-07:002012-08-08T10:00:24.954-07:00Lights Out, Glow Sticks On<style>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The electricity around these parts can be a little
wishy-washy at times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take, for
example, two months ago when the power went out for eight hours one day because
the city was ‘doing some work’… All I saw was a couple guys trimming the bamboo
that faces our house (it was so tall that it was running into the power
lines).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That took all of 30
minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the power was out all
day long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We started to worry about
our food in the freezer and the fridge, but luckily the electricity came back
on in the evening.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But then the next afternoon it goes out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And this time, the guard on our street couldn’t tell us a
reason for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just our
street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not even the
neighborhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once darkness fell,
we had to get creative and light lots of tea lights and even make a homemade
lamp out of a bright flashlight, a white paper cup and some Jenga blocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(The high ceilings made out of wood
just absorbed all the light when we set the flashlight facing up, so we had to
make a shade for it so it would illuminate the space).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looked something like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSbQ8gVUWaa9GLifL_RqPDhHpzuc3fraZ2WrdB0Vt6suS3Wf7oeqqjXvl57ItQl1lL4NR31MBAY3raSEP0RoQDc9O2NMOueDTKlPizJQZXXCvbsboYkbxHHyzqzFxJol8_929CDQ8fUKg/s1600/DSC_0552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSbQ8gVUWaa9GLifL_RqPDhHpzuc3fraZ2WrdB0Vt6suS3Wf7oeqqjXvl57ItQl1lL4NR31MBAY3raSEP0RoQDc9O2NMOueDTKlPizJQZXXCvbsboYkbxHHyzqzFxJol8_929CDQ8fUKg/s320/DSC_0552.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This time, because our food had half thawed the day before,
and we didn’t know how long the lights would be out for, we decided to take all
our spoilable food over to a friend’s house to store in their fridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, shortly after we got back
home, the power went back on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
it was okay because it made for a memorable evening.</div>
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But by far, the best ‘lights out’ experience I’ve ever had
in my life was last night. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(The only
experience that might rival it was when the power went out in junior high and
we got the rest of the day off… I actually remember that day so clearly because
I got to go home with my good friend Eryn Haines who lived very close to a certain
cute boy named Joe Westfall, and we ended up going over to another friend’s
house where he was and jumping on a huge trampoline all together… it was pure
junior high bliss!)</i> But back to last night.</div>
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We were finishing up a lovely dinner and a deep conversation
with our friends Amy and Jonathan, the kids were happily playing make-believe…
when suddenly we heard the huge BOOM of a transformer blowing close by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that was it - the lights were out.</div>
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With a cell-phone illuminating the pitch-black room, something
routinely annoying as the power going out quickly turned into a moment we won’t
soon forget, as Amy ingeniously remembered a box full of glow-sticks and – can
you believe it – glow in the dark balloons that she just happened to have.</div>
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We then busted out my Ipod, put it on their battery-powered
Bose, and turned on Carly Rae Jepson’s <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/call-me-maybe-single/id504709663" target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">CallMe Maybe</i></a> (which, by the way, they had never heard and was the reason why I
had brought the Ipod in the first place… these long-term missionaries, man, they
need to be educated on pop culture!).</div>
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A crazy, blissful, joy-filled dance party in the dark
ensued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three kids, four <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">very mature</i> adults, glow sticks waving,
illuminated balloons flying, all of us jumping, singing, and dancing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey I just met you, and this is
crazy…”<br />
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I didn't bring my nice SLR Nikon, so there was no real way to capture the bliss-in-the-dark moment, but here you get the idea (Jonathan, don't hate me for putting this awesome picture of you up on the blog!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDbaVnBAzzCinBUl16c724sN74z39K3tk8gELFUhcxxqlacX2ilo70TAfaVFa6-C_sI8dZ1lT6kkSgBCU8gIoqNLLr0fkVE7tv84I624vJM1eNYrE4lJxD9_PBCXErg1bvU74N72VYoD0/s1600/glowstick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDbaVnBAzzCinBUl16c724sN74z39K3tk8gELFUhcxxqlacX2ilo70TAfaVFa6-C_sI8dZ1lT6kkSgBCU8gIoqNLLr0fkVE7tv84I624vJM1eNYrE4lJxD9_PBCXErg1bvU74N72VYoD0/s320/glowstick.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYiif3GLibtpQtZ6IyjW9aMei61SUHFahfC4kRAmvqeMe_xPQAe4rcr1aHzQdtAcSb_iNPQJ7VUFTQJ39Z6IUBXVDaXi8bbfGtpU-661Z7mMlgs7ey3FHw-QjGrKtmbGpnw1iAbyIFqw/s1600/glowsticksindark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYiif3GLibtpQtZ6IyjW9aMei61SUHFahfC4kRAmvqeMe_xPQAe4rcr1aHzQdtAcSb_iNPQJ7VUFTQJ39Z6IUBXVDaXi8bbfGtpU-661Z7mMlgs7ey3FHw-QjGrKtmbGpnw1iAbyIFqw/s320/glowsticksindark.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tiny flash of the glow stick here...</td></tr>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyowDFHr9vEJmYEjgnLiK5B-F4AzUE-ED6IygA77DF-ogw4FfG9E2IBb81R8ml6e6p_wQlCtNqjFHj-JEgg1Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">(Above is a video as the dance party continued to J. Lo's <i>On the Floor.</i>.. you can hear me, embarrassingly enough, shouting 'on the floor') </span></div>
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It was crazy-fun for sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I just thought to myself, can the lights go out every
night so I can have an excuse to dance in the dark with glow sticks to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Call Me Maybe</i>? </div>
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It doesn’t get much better than this.</div>
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* * * * *</div>
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P.S. I just have to add that we introduced my father-in-law
to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Call Me Maybe</i> when he was here a
couple weeks ago and he liked it so much that it was pretty much on constant
replay any time we got in the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And now, Kate is obsessed with it and every morning on the way to school
she asks to hear it and then goes into full American Idol mode – singing the
lyrics into a banana or popsicle stick or maraca – whatever we have on hand to
act as a microphone.<br />
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P.P.S. I also have to agree with our friend Eric who mentioned on Facebook something like "People shouldn't shame people for liking <i>Call Me Maybe</i>". True. It may be a cheesy, teeny-bop song, but it makes me happy every time I hear it. You can't really argue with joy.</div>Tres Rios Project: Joe and Jennie Westfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02513120187515942891noreply@blogger.com1