Transition: Update on What's Next...

Our family is getting ready for another big transition soon!  It seems in some ways like we were just packing up to leave for language school, but that was well over 4 years ago.  Our time here in Cusco has been hard in many ways, but also amazing in many other aspects!  Our children have made national friends that will make our transition even harder.  Chris and I have made friendships with our fellow Peruvians that will be difficult to say goodbye not knowing if or when exactly we will see one another again.  Just typing this makes me teary.  I, Rose, have never been "good" at saying goodbye, so I have often asked, why have you called me to this Lord?  I hate saying goodbye, I hate seeing my kids cry when they say goodbye.  It is not an easy task for me.  But!  There is a but!  I am excited to see what the Lord has planned for our family in this transition! 

 We are so excited that the Lord has provided a house for us in Washington, IN.  These sweet supporters have been working on a fixer upper in the area we hope to minister in when we return to Indiana.  We have been beyond blessed to hear the story of how they bought the house and how it was in shambles, but they are working diligently to have it ready for us sometime soon after we return to Indiana in early April.  To hear their excitement in how the Lord is working is wonderful to us.  And, we are also thankful that the Lord has provided a nursing job for me at a wellness center at an area turkey processing plant.  I will be doing health education and have the opportunity to translate as needed in the clinic.  We, as a family, have planned a trip out west upon returning to the States to see a glimpse of our beautiful country.  We wanted to do this trip to see the Grand Canyon and to just be able to spend time as a family together and to visit some family that we haven't seen since we left for Costa Rica.  We are thrilled for supporters that are willing to let us use their RV for the trip in May!  God is so good to bring all the little details together and He has certainly done that for this trip and for my new job, not to mention a house and many ministry opportunities!

So, as the countdown is on, we have had a few yard sales, we have had some special people over for dinner to spend extra time together and although we do look forward to seeing many of you when we return to the States, please pray for us.  Pray that we finish well!  Pray that we would be able to spend special time with friends to be able to say our goodbyes well.  Pray for the girls as they face yet another transition in their lives.  Adeline has spent more time in Peru than her birth country so it will be a big change for her even though she is only two.  Please pray for Chris and I as we continue to explore ministry opportunities in the West end of Washington.  If you want to know more about how you can partner with us in our new ministry endeavors, please don't hesitate to contact us!

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; 
knock, and it will be opened to you.  
Matthew 7:7

Back to School!

Monday was Katie and Danica's last first day back to school in Cusco.  Katie is in the 6th grade and Danica is in first grade.  Certainly a bittersweet day for  us!  

Here is their picture before they left on that rainy morning.

And yesterday Hannah went back to school to help teach the 4 & 5 year old English classes.  She is still plugging away at her homeschool curriculum and is excited to be able to help at Promesa in this way.  Here is her picture:

Happy Birthday Adeline!

Not sure how our baby girl is already two, but it's gone by fast!  She is talking a lot more now and letting us know exactly what she needs/wants.  She is pretty good with names, but calls Danica, Dala.  She is quite polite most of the time, saying "peas" and "tank you."  She loves to play with play dough and her baby dolls as well as color with her crayons and markers.  

We had a nice little birthday party for her with our friends and teammates, the Harrison family.  

Adeline loved her cupcakes and blowing out her candle.  Here are a few pictures of our evening.  

She is always on the run as you can see in the photos below!  And we certainly enjoyed the nice Peruvian summer weather for her special day.

And lastly, we just went on a trip to Trujillo, a beach town in the north of Peru.  Well, it was hot and humid, so Adeline had her first ice cream cone from McDonald's there.  Here's the play by play of how to polish off an ice cream cone with complete cuteness.