First Date

By the way, Scotty and I met on Thanksgiving, 2003. That was a good day- but I never would have expected all that has come since then!

We had our first date since Natty was born last week. We left her in the capable hands of my parents and set out for a fun night in our favorite local pizza restaraunt, Satchels. On the way we stopped at a used book store and enjoyed a bit of browsing- a rare luxury we don't have in La Paz. Then to Satchels- an eclectic, fun, delicious spot set in a removed area of my hometown. Besides the indoor seating, they've scooped out the insides of an old VW van and installed a couple picnic table style booths and we were lucky enough to find a spot inside! It was a cold night, but the little electric heater set on the floor and lots of twinkly lights made it a cozy spot for our grub. While waiting for our pie, we perused the funky restaraunt store filled with things like old pez dispensers, bacon-style bandaids, fake facial hair, etc... We chatted and relaxed and didn't worry about the baby. It was great! I love my husband. :)

Thankful

Everyday should be a day to give thanks to the Lord for His amazing goodness- in the hard times and the easy times. But, today I think especially of all that I have been blessed with. I'm in the United States being well taken care of by my family. I woke up in a warm bed, next to a godly husband in the house of my in-laws who love us very much. I have a healthy baby who has brought so much joy and sanctification into our lives. I never lack food or anything else that is necessary for a comfortable life. I get to see my parents again before going back to Bolivia. I get to serve God in a foreign country, one that we have come to love and see as one of our many homes. We have wonderful friends of all nationalities waiting to see us again in La Paz. I have been forgiven much and have the hope of spending eternity with my God whose love is better than life. I am blessed and I am thankful.

Home!

We've been back in the US for about a week now and a lot has happened. Natalie did pretty well on her first plane trip, although she was too interested in the lights, people, sounds and movement to sleep very well. We were out of the house at 5am and didn't roll into Orlando until 8pm and she slept less than 2 hours that whole time! That made for a very long trip for me but she slept well that night to make up for it. The days have gone by quickly as we've tried to pack in some shopping, visiting people, and 3 days of wedding activities for my good friend Jennie. I am realizing now what everyone warned me about- it's really different travelling with a newborn! Some days have been better than others, but Natalie has probably had some of her more difficult days while we've been here. Maybe they are harder for me because she lost any sense of schedule that she was working her way into. Some days she'll sleep tons and eat infrequently, other days she'll want to eat every hour and not sleep at all! I'm trying to be flexible and understand that there are many changes, both in her and her surroundings, that are contributing to what is going on. It's so great to be with my parents so that Scotty and I can get out for short spurts to run errands or jog or whatever. We're hoping to have our first baby-free date this week at our favorite local pizza joint.

The first day back, we were enamored with the US. Everything is nice and clean and green (at least in Florida) and so many coveniences! We have been quite spoiled here by our friends and family. But, we continue to think of our beloved Bolivia, our friends there and the church. I know God is going to use this time to really refresh us and get us excited to be back in the place where He has called us to serve. Although we are thrilled to be back for now and enjoy all that America has to offer, our hearts remain in La Paz. But, oh, how I wish Bolivia had a Target...

Mastitis blues

Well, I realized today I hadn't written a blog for quite some time. I realized almost a week ago that I did, in fact, have mastitis- thanks to many knowledgable medical friends and no thanks to doctors here. Anyway, the last few days have been a blur of pumping, warm compresses, massages, frustrated breast feeding, more pumping, crying (me and the baby!), fussiness (Natty had a growth spurt in the middle of my issues, meaning less milk than normal and cranky baby), etc... It has been the toughest week since she was just born. I've done a lot of venting, a lot of question asking, and sadly, a lot of doubting. Everything and anything has caused me to worry, be anxious, stress. The last 2 days, I've spent a lot of time praying, reciting scripture (or at least bits and pieces I remember), and seeking God's hand in all of this. It's still not over and my body is far from back to normal, but I have more peace that God is in control and will move us through this time. We're also in the throes of packing and trying to get everything prepared to be home for a month. We've got 2 more days to wrap it all up! I'm excited to get home and have some more hands to help me with the baby. I'm especially excited to see my friends and be in a wedding! I'm realizing how tiring and full-on this last month and a half has been since Natty came along and know that I need some rest and refreshment. Hopefully, we'll be wise about our time and how we spend it, trying not to do too much. Thankfully, we are in a spot here where we can leave ministry responsibilities in the capable hands of others and we look forward to coming back with new direction and strength to serve.