June/July Sun Fun
Prayers and Praises
Honestly, there was so much. The first part of June was super special as we enjoyed my sister Anna and her son Rowan living in the upstairs half of our home. We are trying to find a good name for our house…like “The Homestead” or something. Still working on it. We also discovered the amazing Mexican grocery store we can walk to (in one direction) and the fresh squeezed juice we can by from the restaurant down the street (the other direction), and fresh bakery with the crustiest of the crusty bread just a bit farther. And, of course, the 8 block or so walk to Grandma’s house. It has been such a sweet phase of savory moments.
Amid the Library reading program (20 hours read in two weeks), Get Out passes, and VBS, I (Rachel) went to Brazil for 18 days, leading two different trips in two different locations in Brazil. For all summer, I helped organize 5 trips with 55 people. It was a lot, and it was beautiful. I don’t have those videos done yet, or all of it processed. My family got a cat, had friends over, and visited the farm without me with their lovely adventures, and I am glad! Quick turn-around, we all headed to Connecticut for a lovely time with Caid’s family (also family in Canada!) before Caid needed to be back July 22 for teacher training, and the girls went back to school July 31st. And suddenly, summer is gone (although August is hanging on, just with everyone back in school which makes it all a bit confusing, wonderful, and frustrating). Hopefully by September I’ll have Brazil and Connecticut all figured out and caught up.
Caid is starting his third year of teaching P.E. and health, Sofia is starting 4th grade, and Jessica is 1st grade. They are at a new school, and desperately miss the wonderful times and memories they made, but I think it will work out well (PLEASE!). I am knee deep in mission trip review and debrief, and what can we do better next year, as well as remembering that now I have all the yearly videos, magazine, and mission’s fair and celebration to work on. God is good and our grapes are ripening.
Interweb Reads
Me things: Have you found the secret?, no helmet, coming home, Little sisters that grow taller than me, poetry night, when a mango falls, Queen of the World, 2 memoirs, The Price of Humanity, Living by the book, Woven, beautiful books of place, people, and pieces of time This last one is one of many posts on a NEW blog! I went and posted many older things I’d written, trying to capture place, people, and pieces of time, and hope to continue to add to it.
Missionary things: Too much and not enough: when Purity Culture crosses Borders (A Life Overseas), Prayer for Healed Eyesight- Part Two (Communicating Across Boundaries), 4 Ways Missionary parents can use Everyday moments to Disciple their kids (A Life overseas), Waiting and Watching at the Airport (A Life Overseas), 8 Ways to help TCKs Grieve (A Life Overseas), What it was like to go back (Amy Medina), Lessons with a High Price Tag (A Life Overseas), 5 Reasons our Short-term mission trip was successful (A Life Overseas)
Other things: An Ode to a Neighborhood (Communicating Across Boundaries), Ten Rules on the Art of Care (Courtney Martin), Watching the Tide roll in (Communicating across Boundaries), 25 fun back to school traditions (Everyday reading)