The Boy's Dream

Lately Ethan has been obsessed with his little toy space shuttle. He has it with him all the time at home. The other day while we were driving he said that he wanted to be an astronaut. He wanted to know how many seats were in the shuttle because he wanted me to go into space with him. He's also been saying that he wants to go into the military when he grows up. Does he even know what the military is?? I don't think so, but I just say 'that's great Ethan!'

On Saturday afternoon the kids were playing in their rooms, and Ethan was awfully quiet. (Just so you know, this kind of silence makes us nervous...) He was busy building this....



in Ethan's words- "a place where his rocket can blast off"
My little space cadet is so cute!

First Day of School!

Today was actually our fourth day of school, but I move slow...




Last week was rocky, to say the least. I was wondering what exactly I had gotten myself into, but this week has started off on a much better note. Rocky days are inevitable, but I much prefer the smooth ones. :)





Mackenzie loves her first grade teacher. Ethan is enjoying being in school, and he is falling into his school routine nicely. It's nice to be in the same building with him-but I might want to run the other way if his day goes south...Today his teacher said, "Ethan...". My head popped up so fast to find out that she was talking to one of my students named Ethan. A little nervous, ya think?

It is very weird (for lack of a better word) to be on both sides of the fence, as teacher and parent. I feel like I should pick one or the other. I know I'll get used to it, and I feel so blessed to have the job that I do! The teachers I'm working with are incredible. Helpful, gracious, supportive, intelligent, I could go on and on.

Activities are going to start up soon. Mack started gymnastics this weekend. Ethan starts soccer in two weeks. Matt finishes his old job tomorrow and starts his new job on Thursday. We are busy, busy bees!

12 Hours and Counting...

I'm down to the home stretch. (I thought the home stretch was two nights ago, but Fay came for a visit. She was a drama queen...) Why do I feel like I'm being led to the "chair"? Actually, I'm quite at ease. My summer was spent thinking about school, so it wasn't all that relaxing. But, like Oprah, I did have my favorite things.

*bike rides at dusk*ice cream after a hot day*watching front teeth grow in*watching a buzz cut grow*free movies at the movie theatre*visits with far away friends*temporary jungle living*swimming alongside little fish with big teeth*sleeping in(I'm going from a 7:30 wakeup time to 6:00-ouch!)*reliving Beverly Cleary books through the eyes of my little girl*the smell of sunscreen*sidewalk chalk and bubbles*

I am wondering how things will be as I start tomorrow and as Matt starts up a new job next week. Please pray for us as we transition into all these new things. But I know that all of these happenings are blessings that have come only through God's hands, and we are so thankful!

Fay Said No

Fay didn't want me or the kids to go to school today or tomorrow. So I said ok.

Back to School

Miss Kim's Pre-K Crap, oops, Crop


Reading isn't reading unless you're doing it under a paper bag tree





Where does the time go? Seven years has come and gone, and both kids will be in school...and so will I! I have been spending most of my time this summer thinking about how I'll set up my classroom, what I need to get started, how life will change for our family, etc. and etc. Right now I feel like a puddle of goo, and I need a good 48 hours of sleep to feel rested.

I will be teaching at the preschool where Mack attended and where Ethan will now be attending. I have a Pre-K class of 15 kids, and I met all but one of them today. They are adorable! I've spent the last two weeks getting my room just the way I want it. Our Open House went very well, and all the mommies were really nice. If you know me well, you know that public speaking is not my cup of tea. But I'm still alive to tell about it so it wasn't too bad.



School starts on Monday. The party's almost over...but a new one is about to start! (It might be more like a circus, though.)

Peru-Part 2 *The Team*

Shiny, happy people. This is our Peru 2008 team before we left:


As I had mentioned before, this was my first mission trip. To be honest I was a little nervous about what to expect. I'm a pretty introverted person, and I was coming into this trip with the preconceived notion that we would all sit around a campfire and tell our innermost secrets.


Silly, right? Not so far from the truth for some, but it wasn't so bad. As usual, I took everything in and didn't let anything out. I did admire the honesty of the people who felt led to share things going on in their lives and how the Lord's hand is at work in their lives. Some day I'll not be so nervous to speak in a group...

The other thing that amazed me about being with this group of people was how God was so evidently knitting our hearts together as we

worked alongside each other,


shared meals together,


experienced the culture,


worshipped together


and learned about the work that God is doing in this remote part of the world.


How could we not come away from this experience with stronger relationships with each other?

Matt and I and the other married couple, the Knapps, stayed at the doctor's house, along with four other teenage girls. I don't know how it happened, but I didn't feel like I was 34 when I was with them. I was ripped back into my teenage years, and it was a blast! My sly, pranking ways aren't so far behind me, and I just couldn't help but fuel the girls' fire when it came to planning some darn good pranks on the guys. I've probably used better judgment at some point during my 34 years...but stronger relationships were formed with these girls that weren't there before the spoons were stolen or the doorknobs were greased (and various other objects were strategically placed).


If I had to name one particular event that brought us closer together (and no one got hurt), I would have to say it was the night of Rachel's birthday party. Rachel, one of the teammates, was celebrating her 15th birthday while we were in Peru. Heather planned a birthday celebration for her, and she invited the local Shipibo tribe members to come sing and dance for us. They walked over to the float plane hanger, wearing their traditional Shipibo clothes, and they performed for us.






It was incredible. There are not enough words to express the flood of emotions I felt that night, towards the Shipibos, who so graciously came to share their love of Christ with us through their song and dance. Towards the Gahagens, who took the time to come up with such a memorable experience for Rachel. Towards the other team members, with whom I could share this heartwarming time.

After they performed, they came over to Rachel and sang a traditional Shipibo birthday song to her.


During the song they pulled each of us into a circle where eventually all of us were dancing together with the Shipibos.


They even brought jewelry that they gave to everyone. While I have many pictures of that whole event, there isn't a camera on the market that could capture the depth of what took place that night. It is a night I'll always remember.

Our Peru 2008 team at the end of our trip:

Peru-Part 1 *Good Eats*

This is take 2 of Part 1...action.

My brain feels like scrambled eggs. I have had a lot on my mind lately, and I haven't known what to write other than "Peru was incredible!" There are so many things I want to tell you about like the people, the team, the jungle, the beauty, the food, the adventures, the food, the culture, the food. So I guess I'll have to take it one section at a time, and I think I'll have to go with .....THE FOOD! (duh. what a surprise.)

I'm a picky eater when it comes to unusual food, and I didn't find anything too unusual about the Peruvian food. (No, we didn't eat here...)


We tried all sorts of traditional Peruvian food prepared for us by loving hands at the Gahagen's house. I even ate catfish! (Have you seen what a catfish looks like when it's alive? When I encounter them at Outdoor World I have to look away.)


We ate Pachamanca. This is food cooked in the ground. No dirt involved. (Had I not just swam for my life in the piranha-infested lake I might have enjoyed it more.)




Orlando's was a restaurant we visited that reminded me a lot of the various Cuban restaurants we have here. The food was fantastic. I was part of the Clean Plate club that day for sure!




411 for you: When purchasing produce from your local Pucallpa market, you must bring home the food for a super duper cleaning.


Without cleaning the food properly our tender American stomachs would rebel, and we might end up with a visit here...


But for some in our group, they just couldn't resist the juicy, d-lish star fruit that was found all over the Swiss mission.


We shared Peruvian-style pizza with a Pioneer family at a local pizza restaurant. It wasn't too unlike American-style pizza other than the pineapple and plantain toppings.

Ivan, a friend of the Gahagens and the guy who got us in and out of the jungle hospital in under 20 minutes, prepared Chifa for us. Chifa is the Peruvian take on Chinese food. I don't know what part of it was Peruvian other than the chef, but it was all good! That same night we celebrated a fellow teammate's quinceanera (from one gringo to another, that's '15th birthday'). Our gracious hostesses with the mostesses baked a homemade cake for her. LOVED IT!




It isn't everyday that you get to handpick what will be on your plate. We thought this one looked good enough to eat...JUST KIDDING!


My mom pleaded with us before we left not to eat anything weird. No bugs, grubs, guinea pigs, etc. were consumed by Matt. He really wanted to try guinea pig while we were there, but this was the only guinea pig we saw at the Inca Market.

Check out my slide show of Peru!

(More to come in my next post...)

The kids are packed. Their suitcases have been sitting by the door. Not because I'm so on top of it, but because they are so excited about going to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa in Tallahassee. Tomorrow morning we will get up bright and early and head out to the airport. We'll fly to Jacksonville where Matt's parents will pick them up. (It was cheaper to fly than drive. But at least it wasn't $7 a gallon! Go figure!) They spent a week at their house last summer. This year they are staying for a week and half while Matt and I travel down to Peru with our church's short term mission team. We meet at the church on Thursday night, but our flight isn't until 1:45 am on Friday. But it's ok. The airline thinks it will distract us from the ungodly time of night by serving us dinner.

We would love your prayers in the next couple of weeks as we travel all over and as we are away from our kids. Please pray for:

*Christ to be lifted up and God be glorified
*the eyes of the team to be opened to Christ's work around the world
*the work of the Holy Spirit in people's lives
*the team leaders: Gordon and Matt for love, wisdom, and patience
*all last minute details to come together
*safety in travel to and from Peru and during our stay, while I travel tomorrow to take the kids to JAX, and when Matt's parents travel back to Tally with the kids
*for me to be free from anxiety during the flight

For the team members:
*to love and respect one another
*safety on the job site
*the team to be a blessing to the Gahagens
*for our family members while we are separated

I'm not sure what to expect as this is my first mission trip. I have heard incredible things about all that is happening in Pucallpa and about the Gahagens in their neck of the woods. I am certainly anxious to experience it for myself! I will be sure to post all about experiences when we get back (at least within the first month after we return...) It's a little early, but Happy 4th!

Duncan update

My in-laws called me yesterday afternoon to give us an update on Duncan's surgery. He was taken in to surgery around noon, and the procedure took about 3 hours. They removed the upper lobe on his right (?) lung. He will spend two nights in the hospital so the doctors can monitor him. He was a brave kid! He seems to be recovering well. Thank you for praying for him and his family! Later today I will post some prayer requests for our family as we get ready to go to the jungle! (stay tuned...)

Our nephew, Duncan

Please pray for our nephew Duncan this morning as he is having surgery to remove a spot on his lung. He was born with this "spot", and the doctors have been monitoring it through the years. They were hoping that it would shrink and go away as he grew, but it appears that it has been growing as he has been growing. (I am not sure of all the details so forgive me for being sketchy.) This surgery has been planned for a few months, and here we are. He is a happy, healthy boy who just turned 9. If you think of it pray that he would come out of the surgery without any complications, that God would guide the doctors' hands as they work, and that his parents (Matt's brother), Todd and Janie, would have a peace that goes beyond all understanding.

Thursday Night Knitting Club

A sea of color, textures. Needles long and needles short. Pumping out hats, mittens, scarves, shrugs, bags, socks. Movements smooth and fluid. I have wanted to learn how to knit for about four years now. My grandma tried to teach me, but the info filtered out four years ago. (I call it youngheimers.) I might consider myself a "crafty" person, of the amateur variety, but crafty none the less. So why can't I get this crap????

My movements, jerky and rough. My fingers have a mind of their own. Where there are supposed to be knots in the yarn, somehow they have made their way into my brain. This craft is most certainly not coming easily to me. Of course, tonight was my first night with the group I have named (in my head) the "Thursday Night Knitting Club". (By the way, have you read the Friday Night Knitting Club? Good book!) Back to the group. This is an intergenerational group of ladies from church. They meet at someone's house, and they've been doing this for about a year now. It started out with just two ladies and has grown into a group of six.

As I sat there trying desperately to "cast on" and "purl", I felt as if I had crossed the border into a different country. What is this language they are speaking? Patterns, rows, counts, huh? But I won't let this craft beat me down. Oh no...I will prevail. And I'll have more scarves than anyone in South Florida.

For the Love of Learning

I will be a working woman come fall. That's right! Call me Ms. Kim. I got a job at the sweet little preschool where Mackenzie attended and where Ethan will start Pre-K in the fall. I will be teaching a Pre-K class, and no, Ethan will not be in my class! Today, I met with the pastor of the church with which the school is associated. Next week, fingers will be printed and paperwork will be filled out. I'm in the process of taking online classes. School-marm Kim is ready for a classful of little ones.

I was daydreaming today, after seeing my classroom. Fresh flowers always blooming. A fish called Freddy. The calming sound of Vivaldi in the background. A rainbow of colorful classroom decorations. The room steeped in wordage. A book nook. Various centers. Students blooming before your very eyes. And Ms. Kim, donning her crisp denim apron, watering her sweet little ones, encouraging their love of learning. Very Mary Englebreit. It's ideal. But one can dream...

Thou Shalt Be A Peacemaker

I went to our church's women's retreat this weekend. We were blessed to have Tara Barthel speak about Peacemaking Women. Wow! Not only was she enthusiastic, wacky, and really funny, but Mama Tara had a gentle way of taking us by the chin and guiding our eyes back to the gospel.

I was a wee bit sour about going on Friday, even though I had been looking forward to this event for a long time. I am thankful that I was carpooling with someone else so that I didn't have the choice of backing out. It was an incredible time with a great group of women.

The conference center where we stayed was nice. I walked around on Saturday morning taking some pictures of the very green grounds. (Not many flowers, but it was pretty none the less.) This was my first women's retreat experience, and I look forward to going next year!

My Baby's All Grown Up

It seems like yesterday when Matt and I dropped Mackenzie off at her kindergarten classroom on the first day of school, and tomorrow will be her last day of kindergarten. Oh how time flies!

The last couple of weeks have been busy with all of the end of the year activities. Last week her class had their Kindergarten Awards. They also sang a special song for the parents. They signed the words of the song while they sang it. I was a little worried that Matt wouldn't be able to contain his emotions, but I was the one who shed a few tears.





This week has been a fun week for the kids (mainly so they can keep attendance up).
Today they had Camping Day, where they watched movies, told campfire stories and, most importantly, ate smores! Tomorrow is a half day, and they are having Games Galore! day.





See someone else familiar in this picture? Her teacher was very gracious when I'd come to class with Ethan tagging along.



For a long time I prayed for the friends that Mackenzie would make when she got to kindergarten. She was very blessed to make some really nice ones!



Her teacher this year is fantastic! She is a very gifted, patient educator, and we feel very blessed that Mackenzie was able to have her for a teacher.



Just like I had a tear in my eye dropping Mackenzie off on her first day of school, I know I'll have a tear in my eye as we leave school tomorrow for the summer. Praise God for a great school year!