Lisa turns 30!

I turned 30 yesterday. I'm now in the same decade as Scotty, for the first time ever. I have a wonderful husband, an adorable, sweet baby girl and live in an incredibly beautiful place where God is at work around us. I am content at 30. Although, it does feel weird to say I'm 30...

We ran some errands in town on Friday and took a break to play with the rocks in the "park" outside of the office. Natty LOVES rocks. She wants to marry them. There are tears when you take her away from them. It's tragic.
She enjoyed sharing rocks with this cute little girl who was hanging out with her mom at the park. A couple poor ladies hang out in this 8-10 car parking lot everyday, all day, hoping to "watch" the cars that park there and get paid about $.15 or $.20 to make sure the cars don't get stolen or damaged...I'm not sure what would happen if someone attempted it.
Let the festivities begin. Apparently, this copious, American-style breakfast buffet has existed for eons at a nice hotel in town- but we never knew about it. We do now. And we ate until ready to pop. It was glorious and Natalie was an angel.
They bribed her with Mickey Mouse-esque pancakes. She really liked the "mit", which is how she says "meat".
Good friend Andrea, along with her husband, Andy, and their four adorable boys joined us over a leisurely all-you-care-to-eat pigout.
Once Natty finished the "mit", she headed outside to try to get as wet as possible and soil the white, velour pants I put on her that morning in a moment of insanity.
Can you tell that Natty has passed her morning nap time? She was still an angel.
After Scotty volunteered to get up early, as I usually do, to make coffee and get Natty, he presented me with this funky, cool ring. I love it.
We rounded out the day with a visit to the "MegaCenter"- La Paz's new mall which houses a beautiful, new movie theatre. We saw Alice in Wonderland in 3D because they didn't have it in English in the normal 2D...who cares to watch Johnny Depp dubbed in Spanish?? Not me. We adored the movie.

So, my birthday was all I hoped it would be. I am blessed.

Proof of Life

Check out the scratch at the top of the drawer. Natty bites when she gets mad.

For an explanation of this post, look here.

Privileged

This weekend was busy. We knew from Friday on the days would be full of meetings and Bible studies and get-togethers and even though they would take most of our waking minutes (or the preparation for them), we were excited to be involved with our teammates and the ones God has sent us here to serve, our fellow church members. We had one particular meeting that lasted almost 5 hours with the leaders of IBM. Greg started us out by asking fantastic, challenging questions about our dreams and goals and I found myself wondering why those words scare me. I don't consider myself a visionary and even though I am a type of leader, I don't consider myself the one that launches out to start new ministries. I found it difficult to think, off the top of my head, in terms of a specific plan I would want to put into place if I had to leave La Paz in one year. I found myself thinking of the common, daily interactions I seek out with women in the neighborhood (which aren't yet daily, but I'm hoping they will become), inviting people over for dinner and talking about life, hosting events, baking for those who just had a baby. These are things I love to do but I can't say that I have a plan of action regarding them, other than praying that God would more and more give me His heart for these women and families and more of a pure passion to serve them. I felt a little guilty that I didn't seem to have the same kind of vision as others in the group. I'm still wrestling with what all of it means for me...

One thing I found rather encouraging was when my pastor began to remind everyone that even these handful of hours we were spending together was a small sacrifice for our church. He talked of the missionaries, including us, who have left behind our country and our families, sacrificing time that grandparents get to spend with their grandchildren, birthdays, sad occasions, celebrations, etc... in order to come here and live and work alongside Bolivians. I found what he was saying to be true, but instead of a self-satisfaction in being recognized as one who has given up much, I instead found myself thinking of how generous God has been with me and Scotty to invite us to be a part of His kingdom in La Paz. How privileged we are that God would choose such imperfect creatures to be a part of a perfect plan. How blessed we are to be friends with our friends and experience a culture that is so rich in love, hospitality and generosity. We have given up much, but we have been given so much more.

Sometimes we just need to slow down.

Natty and I went into town today to do a bit of grocery shopping and to see a friend who runs a store near the grocery. The sun was behind the clouds and it was still early enough (I'm still surprised that at least half of the stores are still not open at almost 10:30) to make for a nice, cool, low-traffic moment. So, I put Natty down to tread the concrete with her cute, pink tennies. She reached up to hold my hand and we began our slow saunter down the sidewalk. And, I mean SLOW. Natty, at 17 months, is just starting to get into walking. She still needs a hand to do it well, but is trying to get around a bit more on her own, on two feet. As we walked, I found myself observing things I usually am too busy to see. I have always been a fast walker, so I know that there are things I've walked by a hundred times and not noticed. Waiting for Natty's little steps, I took my time to watch people, look in store windows and notice nooks and crannies I had never noticed. I don't think having a toddler usually makes a mommy feel like the world is slowing down and she can take time to smell the roses, but God gave us this nice little 20 minutes or so to wander... Most people were dashing about and usually only the elderly (who were a bit more at Natty's pace) or young women noticed my cute little daughter plodding along. She got some smiles and a few "bebe!", but she was also too busy noticing things inside the stores- a cat on a Wii game box, "meow", Natty responds, trendy wallets, new shoes. I felt serenely out of the mad rush scene of people scurrying on and off public transport, no doubt running to their places of work or to classes. We passed by an old man who always sits on the edge of a planter by the ice cream parlor, playing a wooden flute instrument of some kind. I usually walk by, never sure of who I should give coins to and who I shouldn't. Today, we approached him so much more slowly and he caught Natty's eye long before we reached him. She stared as we got nearer and I noticed he had a pretty nice coat on and rubber boots. I usually see old men who beg with the standard sandals made from old tires, but this man had smallish rainboots. Interesting. Natty stopped in front of him and I saw that his ball cap already had about 10 B's worth of coins in it. I told her to say "hi" and she instantly shot up her hand and gave him a friendly wave. His flute playing stopped and he grinned a little and waved back. Then, we continued on as he began to make music again. I would like to take time like that more frequently, especially to become aware of those that are so often ignored. And more, I want my daughter to grow up recognizing those who have been forgotten. How much I still need to learn to pass on this value.

Natty has taken to "helping" me in the kitchen. She loves to be involved in what I am doing and I've found if I can get her on her stool and busy watching what I'm doing, I have to tell her "no" much less often. I ask her to bring her stool to where I am, she pushes it over, climbs up and usually rests her hands on the counter to watch me chop or mix or whatever. She likes to grab the vegetables and skins and play in the flour that may have spilled out when I was measuring for cookies. Then I help her down and she pushes her stool over to the sink where she revels in getting as wet as possible while I wash dishes. She even helps me throw away the trash. I think she'll be a great cook when she gets older and it's fun that she's at an age to participate with me.

Valentine's Day

Here's a photo montage of our V-day, celebrated the day before. In the afternoon, we dropped Natty of with Faith and the girls and went to go see a movie at the new theater- awesome! Then we picked up soft, buttery pretzels, just like you find in the malls in the US...I'm crumpling into a little, happy ball as I think about it. Scotty bought me Belgian and Swiss chocolates and cinnamon roll pop tarts for Sunday...love that man.

Lilies- my favorite.

"Do we have to take a drive through the country?"

Flat tire on the way up.

Sleepy baby misses the pretty scenery as we head up the hill to a small town near Mallasilla.

Wake up! We're at the lake and ready for a hike.

These were the boats still floating. We saw a handful that had been left a foot under water.

Then Scotty takes Natty into a public restroom. He said this was the kind with a hole and a footprint on each side.

Love the flower gardens!

Until recently, we were thrilled to enjoy a week or so straight with sunny skies and warm temps! We took advantage of that to drive up to Achocalla, the closest countryside to us- a mere 5 minutes from our small community. It winds all the way up to El Alto, 2,000ft. above us, but passes through some beautiful hills and neighborhoods with lots of animals for Natty to see. It was a lovely way to spend the morning.

Trauma

It all started with a chicken. A dead, featherless (almost), cold, kinda stinky, chicken. I used to buy chicken breasts, without the bone, because I like the ease of just sticking one in the oven without much work, like the snipping of organs and ligaments. However, all the stores have gone on a boneless chicken breast strike and there are none to be found. So, a few weeks ago I ventured out and bought a whole chicken, with the promise from some stranger's blog that it can be dumped into a crock pot, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and left to cook all day. Ta-da! Lots of chicken meat with little work. Well, the first time I did this, it turned out alright, except after it was cooked I realized there must have been organs in the cavity because it was quite reddish brown and there was some mushy, yucky stuff in there. So, this morning, as I'm taking the bird out of the fridge to throw in said pot, I decide to work on removing the organs from the cavity- must like dissecting a frog, I promise myself (which was never a big deal to me). However, as I unwrap the legs, I see something unexpected inside. Now, I know there are many of you out there who have killed chickens, bought whole chickens with the same dilemma, or lived in a third world country and have dealt with this, but it was all new to me. Yes, I've lived almost 30 years without encountering such a sight. Back to the bird. As I unwrap the legs, I find that someone has done me the favor of also shoving long claws down there.

Big legs, with big nails- huge. I pull one out and immediately drop it on the counter- I'm pretty sure I saw a toe twitch. I yell to Natty, who is hovering above the kitty's food bowl, contemplating disobeying me again by playing in the water. She seems to get a kick out of my disgust. I pull out the other leg and it drops to the floor...I yelp a little. I pick it up before it has time to grab me and put both legs on a Bran Flakes box.
I'll just leave those there for Scotty to find when he comes into the kitchen, I decide. At this point, my heart is beating a little faster than normal but I calm down upon remembering my new kitchen shears and how much less disgusting the organs seem. Out come the shears and into the cavity they go. Snipping brown things and a heart and some stringy stuff and trying to scoop it all out with a spoon. Now I decide that the big stuff is out and it might be helpful to rinse out the inside of this poor, dead creature. I take it in the plastic bag over to the sink, run some water in it and pull it the rest of the way out of the bag. As I'm pulling, I notice a long, dangly thing at the other end. What is this strangeness, I wonder? Then it hits me, like a blow to the stomach. I see dead eyes, and a beak. No, it can't be...it's a long neck...and...the head! At this point I drop the bird into the sink, yell, like a little girl, and encourage Natty to come with me. I'm feeling a little queasy and wondering how I'm going to dispatch the head and neck of this thing. That means cutting or hacking my way through tubes and flesh and I don't know what else. It's all too much to handle at 7:30 in the morning. Scotty seems concerned at the screaming and inquires about what is going on. I explain my predicament and demand that he do something about it, immediately. Natty comes crawling in whimpering, a bit confused as to why her mommy is screaming. In a few minutes, the bird is taken care of, thanks to my brave husband, and I am cutting off skin, but looking at dinner in a way I never have before.

Can I actually eat this thing now that I've seen it looking so much like a dead animal? A dead animal that I butchered? Ick.

Calle Uyustus

So check out this sweet Columbia jacket I picked up today for $18.50. I saw it on a mannequin at a used clothing store as we were driving to the market today, tried it on, and it was a perfect fit! You can never have too many jackets in La Paz. Score!

So, this was our first trip up to the market since coming back. Going to the market in town, about a 25 minute drive from our house- once you brave the traffic, the people darting about, the crazy public transport drivers, and the STINKY market- is quite an experience...in more ways than I just listed. When we lived up that way, I would go from time to time, mostly curious about what strange, little treasures I might find along with whatever necessity I was looking for. There is a witch market, a tool section, a housewear section, an aluminum, big-pot section, a plastics section, an office supply section, a wedding dress/cake making section, an electronics section, etc... This is a seriously large area of ground I'm talking about- miles and miles wide and long. Today, we were headed to Uyustus- the find-anything-you-could-possibly-want-and-a-whole-lot-you-don't section. We had a variety of things in mind, many of which we didn't find. But, don't fret! We did find a handful of stuff we didn't know/remember we needed until we got there (i.e. a nice, Columbia jacket). This street starts wide at the top, and narrows, as well as splits, as you head downhill. There are booths on each side and then in the middle further down, as well as some stores behind the side rows- both hidden and barely noticeable and then others that open into entire little malls. I've never ventured into half of the stores that lie beyond the main walkway and I'm sure would be quite surprised to know what is sold there. There are lots of men carrying way too much on their backs that you always have to watch out for, as well as one particularly horrific part where some sort of fried meat is sold for those who dare. One whiff almost caused Scotty and I to lose our lunch. There are some people who push past in a hurry, causing you to press into a booth of Brazilian plastic shoes or women's sweaters, and those that amble along- doing some form of window shopping in a place without windows. A stray dog here and there will trot past while a little baby toddles about making you wonder who is watching over her. The men and women who man the booths usually sit high amidst their merchandise, sometimes blending in so well you don't notice anyone is there at first. The walk down is brisk and interesting. By the time you get to the bottom you are on sensory overload, burned out by the intense sun (which was surprising for us today, as it is usually raining every afternoon), and not too excited to have to walk back uphill to find the car. I am always delighted by new things I see when I go to Uyustus. Today I noticed a better selection of kitchen goods and baby items than I've seen before. I walked into a small store that held 3, brightly colored glass bongs among the wine openers and pretty porcelain dishes. Weird! Natty was a champ, happily sitting in my Moby wrap, waving to the passers-by and taking it all in stride.

Weekend activities

Friday was a holiday, our president being inaugurated into office, again. We called up our friends, the Ramirez family, to see if they wanted to hang out in the afternoon and take a hike. They did a bit of shifting of their schedule and we took off mid-afternoon and headed down toward their house. They live about 20 mins from here and the scenery changes pretty dramatically as you get closer to their home. There are tall trees and green grass and open spaces and a big river and impressive cliffs. We love to go out there cause it makes us feel like we're in another part of the country that is more wild and lush.

Our view as we set out...we ended up on the far left, by the river.

It was nice to enjoy a rain-free day (we aren't getting many of those as rainy season really shows its stuff) with our friends and celebrate their sons' birthday. Saturday we had a wedding, which I spent most of exploring the church with Natalie, who wasn't feeling like sitting quietly. Then some more prep for a double baby shower I was hosting at our house on Sunday. Church was awesome and because Natty slept through most of the service, she was awake enough for me to spend a good amount of time at the end catching up with friends I haven't had a chance to talk to since we returned. I love my church! Some more cleaning and prep in the afternoon and then the baby shower in the evening- starting about an hour and a half later than the stated starting time... Lots of ladies showed up to party and celebrate the lives of these 2 little boys that will be coming into the world in a matter of days. One woman, Claudia, is a friend that lives one street over and I will enjoy visiting her and the newborn and helping in whatever ways I can. It's good that God has created us to live together and serve each other.

Now, I am finding today a restful day- cleaning up around the house, catching up on emails, reading a handful of challenging and encouraging stuff from desiringgod.org. Natty seems to have some sort of stomach bug and is sleeping most of the day, which makes it even more restful for me

Natty discovers the art of dipping french fries in ketchup.

First days

Well, we feel more settled in now, although it still looks like our suitcases exploded all over the house. We've picked up our cats, who seem to have settled in like we never left and don't seem surprised that there's a toddler around squealing and flailing a large spoon at them. We've made a few trips into town and are busily working on figuring out what visa to apply for next, since the one we came in with only gives us only 30 days. Apparently, a lot of things will be changing on the 22nd, since our president was re-elected into office and managed to win a majority in the senate which means his party has almost complete control with no opposition. We aren't quite sure what this means. We're praying for a miracle in the visa department. Natty is loving her new surroundings and is enamored with the abundance of stray dogs and sheep that trot about our street. She's taken to calling almost everyone "dada". She also has started trying to repeat the words we say and has labeled avocado (which are the most delicious, buttery, amazing fruits here in Bolivia) "caca". That one's pretty funny. Our landlords downstairs seem genuinely happy to have us back and are thrilled to see how Natty has grown. I was informed the other day by a Bolivian friend that I'm too skinny. "Skinny is ugly." I'm not sure how to respond to that. However, as I was driving home last night, I heard angels singing and saw to my left a little place called "The Donut Factory". I might not stay ugly for long. So, we are getting back into the swing of things little by little and have enjoyed the short interactions we've had with our friends, awaiting more lengthy times together in the near future and getting back into ministry as well.

Home.

It's a quiet moment here in our apartment in Mallasilla. Scotty and Natalie are taking nap #2 and I am unpacking and cleaning up around the kitchen. The kitchen is that space in my house that makes me feel like things are somewhat in order and clean if it is clean. The last 2 days have been absolute insanity, but also so clearly under the guiding hand of the Lord. You might not want this much detail, but here we go: Thursday morning we find out that we possibly need a special visa to get back into the country because our visa is no longer valid (because we were out of Bolivia for more than 90 days) and because the country is no longer giving out missionary visas. We're a bit alarmed at this news, but convinced that there must be some way to take care of it from within Bolivia's borders, without needing to postpone our trip. We were scheduled to leave Orlando Friday afternoon. As we are reading over this information, a guy who works in the SIM office here skypes us to talk about it. We are able to find out in a matter of minutes that we do, in fact, need to reschedule our flights and get this documentation taken care of. Strangely, and amazingly, we are not too shaken by this, even though our minds were well into Bolivia-mode and we had already said our good-byes and were looking forward to being back in La Paz. We do some searching on the Bolivian embassy website both in Miami and D.C. and find that only D.C. does this kind of visa and they state to allow 6 weeks prior to departure for the transaction. Mom and I had a date planned, so I leave Scotty to cancel our flight and try to talk to someone in the embassy to see how quickly we can get this done. As mom and I sit in the nail salon, we talk about potentially going to the zoo this weekend and maybe even being around for her birthday a week or so later. Getting back into the car to head over to lunch, Scotty calls to say that in that hour that transpired, he was able to get through to the consulate in Miami (thanks to my brother who knows a guy) who informs him that the paperwork can be done there and if we could show up the next morning at 9am, he can make it happen in time for our flight that evening. Whoa! This is where the flight of the bumblebee music starts and we kick it into high gear. Mom and I head home and all of these things happen between 1pm and 5pm: finish a significant amount of packing, rent a car, book a hotel room, cancel Orlando-Miami leg of the flight, run to Walgreens to take photos for visa documents, connect with the dr.'s office where I had just been the day before to find out results of blood test (which usually doesn't come back for a couple days), pick up prescription drug at Walgreens (which usually can't be processed so quickly) as well as passport photos, call a good friend to say a final "good-bye", pick up rental SUV, pack it up nice and a final farewell to my parents. Then we have 6 hours on the road to think about all that just happened. But it happened so fast that we didn't even know how to process it and spent most of the time in silence. Are you amazed at what God has done so far? Then Scotty happens to throw a "hey, man" to the guy standing next to us at Subway with his lovely wife and 3 children and within a matter of 5 minutes they find out we're missionaries, we find out they run marathons for charities and we get another family praying for us. Love it! After a very rough night with Natty who didn't want to sleep in her hotel crib or in bed with us, we book it out early to get to the embassy downtown. Bad traffic and expensive parking later, we find that the embassy is no longer downtown (that would be helpful information to convey on the website) and we proceed to go to the new address which is mere blocks from our hotel. Oh, well. The consul is awesome, he gives us his personal cell number in case we need some strings pulled on the Bolivian end and we have our visa in 15 minutes. I wish I could say we spent the rest of the day wandering around balmy Miami and strolling the beach, but we had to get our rental car back in by 3, so instead, we spent from 3pm-11pm sitting in the Miami airport. Never want to do that again.

The only way we could get Natty to fall asleep in the airport was to backpack her around for half an hour.

And we're here! Tired, dirty, and with lots of stuff to unpack and organize in the house. But, so thankful. We are floored by how it all turned out and even Natalie didn't suffer any ill-effects from altitude like last time. Our friendly neighbor, Sergio, came to get us, stocked our fridge and left us to rest. It's good to be home.

Technology

You know on Napolean Dynamite when Kip sings the song to Lafawnda at their wedding about how much he loves technology? That's pretty funny...

So, I'm pretty sure Natty's fascination with tech gagets at least rivals, if not surpasses that of Kip. My brother is briefly in town and their first interaction was over his Blackberry. It only took a short amount of time before she was rolling around the tiny mouse ball and pretending like she was talking on the phone. She goes crazy when she sees Scotty's ipod touch and begs to use it...she even knows how to change screens by swiping her finger across. Scary. Anyway, we were at my aunt and uncles' house on Saturday and had put her down for a nap in the back bedroom. I periodically checked the monitor to see if she was going to sleep, sometimes she has a hard time falling asleep in a new spot. At one point, all was quiet, but there was guitar music coming through the monitor. I wondered if my rocker cousin, whose room is next to the one Natty was in, was jammin' on his guitar (at which point I was ready to go back there and give him a piece of my motherly mind). When I peeked in his room, it was empty. I still heard the music. I opened Natalie's door and saw her sitting in her crib, in the dark, her face all aglow with ipod screen. She was sliding her finger across, picking different songs and completely oblivious to my presence. Apparently, Scotty was playing her lullaby music and left the ipod on the bed next to the crib...way too much of a temptation for monkey arms. I was able to sneak back out of the room and get my mom and Scotty in there to see this hilarious sight. She finally looked up with that face like, "What? I'm just listening to some music." I wish I had the camera.

Merry Christmas

Just a quick note to say "Merry Christmas!!". Natty helped me wrap presents yesterday, alternating between begging me for the "to/from:" stickers and stiring the bag of bows with a wooden spoon. She developed a pretty nasty cold yesterday, so I'm just grateful she was able to sit contentedly in her miserable state. Today she is feeling a bit better so we went outside to enjoy the AMAZING, dry, mid-'70s air with blue skies and a nice breeze. There is a big park nearby where Natty could sit and play with the recycled tire pieces on the ground- it's all we ask for when she's still too little to actually walk around and play on things. Tomorrow promises to be even warmer- a standard Florida Christmas. I hope everyone a relaxing day filled with the joy of our risen Savior!

Overheard

I was in Barnes & Noble yesterday, settled into a comfy chair and enjoying the privilege of reading through magazines without buying them. Seated next to the door, I heard many bits of conversations as people exited the building. A black mother and daughter passed by when I heard the girl, of about 8 years old, ask her mom: "Is Jesus really white?". I only caught the beginning of what must have been an interesting conversation, which started with the mom explaining that Jesus isn't really white- it's just a marketing ploy. Anyway, it definitely had me looking differently at the things that look normal to me.

I'm enjoying reading through an advent devotion book written by professors at Gordon Conwell, where Scotty is taking classes, as a way of focusing my thoughts on what is most important this season. I can't say I haven't gotten caught up in the shopping and buying and even expectations of what is "Christmassy". But, with the rare chance to be in the states with family this year, I am more aware of the things that make Christmas truly a blessed season. I also am constantly aware of the trends we set now affecting our children down the road and often ponder how to make this a Christ-centered time.

Natalie has started standing on her own a little bit more and has taken to crawling around the house, not on hands and knees, but hands and feet (much like you would see a monkey walking). It's quite humorous and also makes me think she is getting to like that sensation of her flat feet touching the ground. It won't be long now! My hope is that she can walk around the La Paz airport to show off to our Bolivian friends who come to pick us up...although I'm not sure I'll want her exerting herself at that altitude. Either way, she'll be a hit!

Last days

I feel like I have done a lot of "leaving" or "arriving" posts in the last few years. Although I have mostly adapted to our lifestyle of being here and there and everywhere, sometimes all of that catches up with me and throws my emotions into a tizzy. That happened yesterday. But, today I had a lovely day with my daughter, sharing a buttery, soft pretzel and lemonade in the mall and rough-housing on the bed when she should have been napping. As I sat in the cushy, leather chair feeding Natty little bites of pretzel, I wondered if that same scenario might happen in La Paz and what it might look like. Leather and soft pretzel will not be a part of the equation, I know that much. I have tried to be focused on where we are and what we are doing in each place we have been and not look too far ahead or behind, as that usually overwhelms my fragile mind. But, I can't help the "this is the last time I'll be (fill in the blank)" thoughts that keep springing up these days. We have almost a month in Florida to enjoy with my family before we go back- but I've been in this stage before, and that month is so very little. It gets filled with last minute coffees with people, shopping for things we want to take back, Christmas activities, and hopefully, lots of dates with my husband while we have Nana and Papa to babysit. All those things are wonderful, but speed up time somehow. And so I wonder in these 6 months that we've been here, have I made the most of my time? Have I learned what God wanted me to learn? Have I grown closer to Him and more faithful? Will I be a more effective and goldy wife, mother, friend, missionary when we return?

Thanksgiving festivities

"My thighs are tingling!" I resonated with this shivering teenage girl who was walking briskly behind me at the Seveirville, TN outlet mall around one a.m. this morning. Yes, I'm in the smokey mountains with my in-laws and have braved the "black Friday" madness- for the first time ever. Scotty and I left our cabin around 11:30 last night and joined the throngs hoping to find good deals. I thought it wouldn't be too bad as we stepped into a lightly populated Eddie Bauer right before midnight, but changed my mind when I shortly thereafter walked into Gymboree with lines that rivaled Disney World in the summer. Scotty and I split up with the agreement to meet at a certain place every hour and I hoped to spot him among the masses, with loot to show off. Sadly, my initial purchase at Eddie Bauer was all I ended up with- not desperate enough to wait in the lines. I did get a good work out, however, as I practically sprinted around the huge outdoor mall, wanting to warm up and also go in every store possible before needing to meet up with Scotty. I also got somewhat lost, managing to mis-read the map (not surprising) in a hunt for Baby Gap. It was a pretty exhilarating night, between the freezing temps and the boisterous hoots and hollers of a happy shopping crowd. We crashed into bed around 2:30 and decided on-line shopping is looking really good about now.

All that happened before midnight madness, so appropriately named, was great. I had an early morning walk around our cabin grounds while Mimsie and Papi played with Natalie. Mims did a beautiful job putting together our side dishes while Papi manned the turkey. We ate a pretty simple, but delicious lunch, and relaxed for the rest of the day- taking in a game of eucre and a good documentary on forgiveness in Rwanda before moving on to the wee hour shopping activities. I am so very thankful for my family and being together with them this year. We've spent half of 2009 in the states, which is pretty hard to believe, and God has been so good to us in this time.

Tick...tick...tick

Although this time in Charlotte has been crazy, I am thankful for so many things here. Somewhat consistent exercise has been glorious- even when I am jogging in frosty air that makes my thighs burn and nose run. I always feel OK about what the day has to offer when I have spent some energy in the morning. Today I took the most refreshing walk, wanting to make the most of these sunny days that have been sadly absent since the weather has turned cool. I find it much easier to think about other things when I'm walking, as opposed to jogging, in which every fiber of my being and mind is working to convince myself not to wuss out. So many bits of joy flashed through my mind as I walked and the gold leaves raining down around me when the wind blew was an extra special bonus. Natty and I went out for a stroll after lunch- she clutching a red leaf I had plucked off a tree and me verbalizing all those things I was thankful for that had been running through my mind earlier. I know Scotty is feeling a lot more pressure than I am these days- he's got several papers, tests and projects to finish before his classes end in the next few weeks, not to mention 1500+ pages to read from assigned books. I'm trying to spend a lot of time creating a space for him to concentrate on, which means taking Natty on errands with me. She's very familiar with Trader Joes and Wal-Mart and has visited several parks in south Charlotte. We discovered a nearby Big Lots yesterday which carried a decent car seat cheaper than I could find it anywhere else, including online. She makes friends wherever we go, usually by grinning sheepishly at them, or lately, by forcefully pointing and making a sharp yell/grunt sound at them. Whatever works, I suppose. She's in a really fun stage where she's got lots of energy (which has led her to finally drop her morning nap) and is learning so much. She's much steadier on her feet, although still not interested in walking. She loves to give kisses and her first words every morning are "Da-da" when she discovers him on the bed directly in front of her bedroom door. She loves playing with crayons and eats every half hour when awake.

I can practically feel the shortness of breath that is so familiar upon arriving to La Paz (or am I having a panic attack?)- our time of return is so soon. I see our last chunk here in several distinct, rapid phases: Thanksgiving trip to hang out with Scotty's parents in the smokeys; Scotty's last classes (i.e. late nights)/packing and organizing for me; drive back to Florida (via TN to drop off the borrowed vehicle); Christmas; last minute crazy shopping, packing, unpacking to scale down on stuff, repacking; tearful good-bye at the airport. And then the readjustment to La Paz. Will Natty do OK this time in the altitude? Will I remember how to speak Spanish? Will the strange place and strange language scare my baby? Will our house be in good order when we arrive? Will our cats remember us? Will I be truly happy to be back? I'm not worried about these things and yet, they are genuine questions that pass through my brain from time to time. I guess we'll have to wait to find out!

I am still blogging.

Scotty sharing at Bethlehem Baptist in Minneapolis

No, I haven't given up on blogging to only "facebook". I much prefer the blogosphere but I just haven't had a lot of time lately...or anything interesting to say. I'm not sure that I do right now, but I thought it was past time for a new update. We've been busy. As soon as we moved into our cozy basement at Mike's house in Charlotte, our lives suddenly sped up a few notches. We are trying to see all our friends and supporters here, but until now, haven't been in town long enough to make much of a dent in those plans. We had a wonderful SIM retreat a few weeks ago- moving into the guest accomodations on the SIM campus and spending every day in meetings or rest time where we actually had all freedom to read, sleep, meditate on scripture, pray, eat, walk, whatever! It was glorious and surprisingly difficult to remember how to be still. One of the main points of the retreat was to remind us how to find rest and incorporate it into our daily lives...most people have a hard time doing that, but missionaries seem to be the worst sometimes. We did have this amazing time learning from the other couples and singles that were a part of our week- all of them on the field for 20+ years. There was a lot of gleaning to do from these people that have so commited their lives to foreign service. My mom was awesome and flew in to hang out with Natty during the day so we could be all there and not worry about her. She learned to say "Nana" that week- very cute. We went straight from SIM onto a plane headed to Minneapolis. It snowed the first day we were there- all day. I was so not ready for that. We had some lovely interactions with friends, supporters and Scotty's home church and loved "doing life" with the family we stayed with while we were there. However, we are thrilled to be back in one spot for a while.

Natty is advancing so quickly now. She began crawling a few days before her birthday and is a pro. She seems to understand so much and is trying to imitate the words you say. She's just started pulling up a little but gets pretty angry at the fact that she doesn't know how to sit once she standing. She loves stuffed animals. She's been super flexible on our trips and we are having so much fun with her!

So, there is really only a little over 2 months left until we leave. This is a very short amount of time and it's hitting pretty hard right now. It's hard to describe what it's like to live in one world, but know you have another life waiting for you in another. We've spent the last 5 months enjoying all that the US has to offer, enjoying old friends, enjoying family, enjoying church in English. Although we are in no way planted here, we are comfortable here. I am comfortable- with clean houses, carpet, central heat and air, big grocery stores, parks, dogs on leashes, reliable plumbing, libraries, friends that understand me. I'm a little apprehensive about re-entry and all the things I know so well are stressors for me. And yet, I have no doubts of God's call on us. So, even though God has blessed us in this time home and I am thankful for His generosity and kindness, there is another type of life He has asked us to live and I want to live it joyfully.

Listen to good, live music= support adoption

Check out this awesome opportunity for those of you in the Charlotte area. And, here's another one.

Natalie has one year.

Literally translated from Spanish, "Natalie has one year" is how our Bolivian friends would say she is one today! If we were in La Paz, we would be throwing a big party, inviting every small child we see on the street, hiring a clown, serving hot dogs and smashing Natty's face in a cake...although I'd like to leave that particular tradition out of my own birthday celebrations. Since we are not there, we are having a more low-key day. I woke Natty up with "Happy Birthday" while she stared at me from her crib, enjoyed her last nursing session, and then opened birthday presents on the bed with Daddy. She enjoyed looking at the new stuff- almost completely handed down from other friends (who needs new?) and helping me unwrap the special monkey we bought for our own precious monkey. I read my first journal entry after she was born, highlighting the ups and downs of labor, my first thoughts as I held her, and the beginnings of a lot of doubts and joy too. I gave her banana- fitting for a monkey and also her favorite fruit- and we played on the floor with new toys. I'll be making a cake this weekend when our parents come in to celebrate, so today, we'll go to Krispy Kreme for Natty to be introduced to the soft, flaky manna that is a Hot Donut Now...it's a bit of a celebration for Mom too. Then, Scotty has surprised me by making arrangements for us to go out on our first date in a long time for dinner- sans Natty!

This last year has been indescribable. So, instead, I'll describe my baby girl. She is full of wonder and constant observation of everything and everyone around her. You can see in her eyes as she carefully watches your mouth and your movements that she is tucking it all away to be

reproduced by herself in the near future. She is not quick to giggle but will often give a very satisfied grin when she sees her parents or a toy that she is particularly attached to. Her daddy can get some "chortles", as he calls them, out of her and her whole face lights up. She is laid back and flexible during long car trips and time zone changes and loves to watch other kids play. She is sweet and sometimes shy and will wave and say "ba ba" to almost anything- including the toys she throws from her car seat. She has taught us a new level of love and a new recognition of our desperate need to depend on the Lord for wisdom an

d patience. She is so much more than we prayed for. Happy Birthday, Natalie!

Back in Charlotte

Well, it's a bit surreal, but we're back in Charlotte. We spent the first year of our marriage in this beautiful city and have somewhat idylic memories of our time here. The home whose basement we are occupying is in a cute, older neighborhood close to all the areas where homes are being renovated and remodeled- the kind of homes we dream of owning. I think Charlotte, unlike any other city, tempts us to return from the mission field and grow a nice family here where there is Trader Joes and IKEA and parks and seasons. But, our love for Bolivia and the strong call God has on our lives will lead us back when the time is right.

So, we are busy doing the "settle in" thing and I got a jump start to our first day by hitting Aldi. If you don't know about Aldi, it's a discount grocery store that saves money by not having the standard display shelving, but just keeps their stuff in the cardboard boxes it came in. You pack your own groceries to take home in those same cardboard boxes- no plastic bags. It's simple and pure and I have no idea where the stuff comes from, cause only 11% are recognized brands, but I love it. However, they do not accept plastic. This is a detail I had impressed somewhere in the less-used regions of my brain, and happily cruised to the store with the hope that my Visa would do the trick. As I'm filling my cart and loving this first major grocery trip we've taken since returning (thank you Parents for buying all our groceries), an old friend calls. We met her and her husband at our SIM training close to 4 years ago and parted ways after that- them to Africa, us to Bolivia. We are back at the same time and thrilled to be reconnecting. So Jen calls, I happen to mention I'm at Aldi, she throws out that it's a bummer they don't take credit cards. What?! So, it's true? I look at the mountain of generic, cheap groceries that are about to topple over the edge of my cart and wonder how foolish I will look trying to unpack them onto the shelves. However, God had a plan for that phone call and Jen offers to drive over to bring me some cash. Awesome. That works out great, I meet their new son, we make plans for them to come over to our place...perfect.

So, something else that isn't as cool and is just more weird happened today while we were out. While Scotty is getting Natty buckled into the carseat, I trot over to a Thai restaraunt that is next to the store we were just in, hoping to find a take-out menu. I'm looking at the front door to find out the hours when I hear a man's voice behind me say, "Are you Lisa?" Yes, I say. He says, "Hi! I'm Matt." Oh, Matt! (Was I supposed to meet this guy here and I forgot? Is he someone from our church in town that I never met but recognizes me from our prayer card??)What was your last name again? "It looks like we're a bit early to the restaraunt- I'm pretty sure it doesn't open for another 15 mins", he mentions. Click. I think he must be on a blind date. Oh! So you were meeting a Lisa here? I ask- somewhat embarassed by the fact that when he told me his name, I acted like I knew him. "Oh" he says looking confused. "You must be a Lisa also..." What are the odds??? I tell him I am, that I was not here to meet a Matt, and I hope his dinner is nice. Walk quickly away and jump into the van and try not to look over to where he's standing. Has anything so random and strange ever happened to you?

Labor Day

Continuing the idea from Kelly's post, here is my Natalie's Labor Day info from Sept. 22, 2008. If you want to join in, please leave a comment and tell us where to find yours!

How long were your labors?
3 hours

How did you know you were in labor?
As a first timer, I didn't know I was in labor initially and just wondered what I had eaten the night before that was making my tummy upset. I actually started contractions a couple hours before I was scheduled to be induced and realized I was in for-real labor as I showered in prep for my early morning hospital appointment.

Where did you deliver?
CEMES Clinic, La Paz, Boliva. Think- the hospital your parents were born in, but in Spanish.

Drugs?
Was hoping to not need them. However, my Bolivian doctor decided I still needed to be induced because I hadn't progressed after an hour and a half of contractions (hello! first baby- could take longer...). Those of you who have been induced know what kind of pain there is. Zero to Ten in less than 2 hours- ouch. I was begging the nurse for an epidural almost from the moment the first drop of pitocin (or whatever it was) went into my vien- but, alas, the doctor had gone to his office a few blocks away and the nurse couldn't administer the drugs until he returned. So, when he got back, I was at 10 and they still gave me the drugs...which made for slightly ineffective pushing, as you can imagine. No surprise that...

C-section?
I ended up with the big surgery. This is where I whine and stomp my feet and blame everything on my doctor. I fight wishing I could go back in time and demand things differently, but then wonder if I would end up in the same situation, knowing that my doctor really does know more than me about delivering babies. So, I will continue to pray that God will remove my bitterness and I will trust that in His sovereignty, He allowed things to unfold this way.

Who delivered?
My German/Argentine/born in Bolivia Dr. Koziner. Nice man, very warm. Known as the "King of C-sections". Maybe that title should have led me to look for a different doctor. Except they all live in his kingdom.

That said- Natty was extremely healthy- fantastic Apgar scores for being born in such high altitude. Although the C-section was very hard to recover from, especially given the lack of drugs in Bolivia, I do thank God for the perfect little girl He gave to us, no matter how she arrived in the world.

My life by Richard Scarry

Remember that Richard Scarry book that had all the different scenes from everyday living on each page, with words stating what each thing was? There was the tools page, the house page, the cars page, etc... I saw that book in my in-laws attic and got it out for Natty to look at. As we were looking through, I distinctly remember always being enamored with The Supermarket (ok, and a tiny bit loving to pick out the mittens and socks and skirts and such that my little bear would wear on the bear twins page). All the fruits in their bins, the veggies in theirs, the boxes of stuff on the check-out belt. I realize now something that God had put long ago into my little heart- a love of creating meals and serving them to people! I still get the biggest kick out of going into a grocery store and seeing what treasures it might hold and what kind of delicious feast could be formed from each item. When Scotty and I have visited other countries, I always ask if we can browse the aisles for a few minutes at any grocery stores we come across, curious about what the labels on their cans might look like or if their fruit will be in wooden bins or on shelves like ours. I know what you're asking yourself..."Why didn't you like the Mealtime page best?" Well, to tell you the truth, that massive turkey and red T-bone sitting on the table always grossed me out a bit. Did you ever notice that the pigs are serving themselves from that bounty and that there is inconspicuously no pork product on the table? Good thinking, Richard. Anyway, I find myself thinking these days how I have been on the receiving end of lots of people creating gorgeous meals for us and constantly providing so much. And not just food! People are passing on baby clothes, toys, and offering anything and everything we could possibly need while we are home in the states. It has been wonderful to be on this end, but it can be hard to not always know exactly how to express our gratitude, or find ways to be back on the giving end again. Our parents have been amazing in providing so many of these needs, taking care of us and little Natty, and generally entertaining us these past many weeks...but it will be a joy to have a small space to call our own where I can once again use that gift that I first discovered within the world of Richard Scarry. But, how grateful we are for all of you who have seen us and spent time with us and showered us with your generosity and love!

Content

So sweet and cuddly.
I've thought a lot about the blog lately, wondering what I could write about that would be of any interest to anyone. I feel fairly busy and like things are happening in life but I just don't have the "umph" to write about it. Sometimes I feel like I need to have something terribly funny, exciting or new to report, but that just isn't happening in my life. What is happening is lots of time with family, watching Natalie develop little by little each day, resting, reading, jogging, enjoying comfortable Tennessee weather, good conversations with Scotty, good meals with the in-laws, etc. Have I said lately what a wonderful, adorable, beautiful, funny little girl we have? So, the Lord is being very gracious to us and blessing us with a time of rest and doing the things we like to do most. We miss our friends in Bolivia, we wish we could attend church at IBM and then beam back here, we smile when we think of those that are part of our daily lives there...but we are so content here. I often wonder what I would say if someone were to ask me, "what is God teaching you these days?" There is nothing profound, nothing new...but a constant sense of thankfulness and recognition of His goodness. I'd love to develop a better habit of prayer and a discipline of memorizing scripture while I have this free time in the states. But, for now, I am just soaking in the goodness of my Father and seeing His presence continually around me in the love of my family.

Lift-off

We've been counting down the last week to our big, month-long trip to Tennessee to visit Scotty's parents. Yesterday was the big day and came after a few days of gathering all our belongings that seemed to have been spread throughout the house, something I'm beginning to understand as normal once you have a child, and some good-byes to friends and family. But, we'll be back in December! My parents had planned to drive us half-way to an outlet mall in Georgia where we'd meet Scotty's parents, have lunch, and drive the second 4 1/2 hours or so to their house. As we set off down the interstate, there was an unplanned lift-off, of sorts, which came in the form of our car top carrier, holding Natty's stroller, new (used) hiking backpack and pack 'n play, flying from the roof of our car. It was like a scene in a movie, usually quite amusing to those watching, but a bit horrific if it's your stuff...or stuff you're borrowing from your church, in the case of the stroller. (Sorry Vineyard, we'll replace it.) We heard the pop and I immediately looked behind me to see a large, black lump being quickly approached by a large, red truck doing about 80. He managed to aim so that he didn't drive right on top of it, but couldn't help catching the bag with his underbelly, strewing the contents all over the road, into the path of a few others. By the time Scotty and my dad arrived at the scene of the crime, the only salvagable items were the pack in play, saved by the floor of the crib that you wrap around the frame and the backpack. We just realized today that the pack is also a gonner. I have to say I was very disappointed and frustrated at the extra cost that we will incur because of this accident, but as my mother in-law has reminded me, God knew this was to happen and had a reason for not preventing it.

So, we see a new chapter of the trip beginning, and the first chapter closing. Time always moves faster than you want or expect it to, but we have a lot of good memories and exciting times ahead. Natalie is getting the chance to see her cousins again and is now at an age to really enjoy watching them, even though she's a bit young to play. We're enjoying the company of the whole Miser clan together, which doesn't happen very often. Thursday we'll take another road trip to Ohio to see some supporters there and look forward to this more active segement of our home assignment.

How I purchased my favorite backpack carrier.

So, here's the deal. We need a backpack carrier for Natty. I have been recommended the Ergo by several moms and I haven't marked it off the list yet, but the major concern I have is that there is no option (as far as I know) for a sun/rain canopy. This is at the very top of the list as a necessity for any carrier we purchase. All you moms out there- let's hear what you like and why. Pretend like you're writing an 11th grade persuasive paper for English.

I haven't seen the beach yet.

I just wanted to throw that out there. I've been close to the beach twice, but haven't actually seen it or walked on the hot sand. Things change when there's a baby in the picture.

St. Augustine

So, my in-laws were her last week. We met up with them in the oldest city in the US, St. Augustine, which is about 2 hours from Gainesville.

Scotty's parents

Besides the beach that I didn't get to, there is lots of fun architecture, pretty houses, shopping and a big Spanish fort. We wandered around in the hot sun without much of an agenda, other than to eat fried seafood and to modestly nurse in the foyer of the welcome center, which proved difficult as St. Augustine turns out to be a not-so-breastfeeding-friendly town. A bit of a challenge when both you and your baby are sweaty. But, the trip was fun overall.

On top of the fort.

During the week we ran errands together, read, played games, ate and generally enjoyed each other- especially the time all 4 grandparents were able to hang out with Natty.The ladies bowl at UF. Mom comes in 1st, Mims in 2nd and me, pulling up the rear.

At the end of the week, we drove down with Scotty's parents to the home of some good friends of the family, Tom and Marilyn. Marilyn is the hostess with the mostest- meaning gourmet salads, a pool, lots of personal touches in your room, a listening ear and great conversation. Tom is a character and loved playing with Natty and making her giggle.

Tom, me and Natty. We're trying to get Natty a spot in the next Chic-Fil-A calender.

Scotty's dad, whom we call "Papi", volunteered to stay with Natty Sunday morning so we could enjoy a care-free church service without worrying if she'd melt down on the nursery staff. His parents returned home on Monday and now we are starting to get into gear for visiting some of our supporters around here before time runs out on us...it always seems to pass faster than we expect.

"Hello little girl. Why aren't you blinking?"

Natalie is growing at rapid rates and astounds us with how quickly she is changing. We're encouraging her to crawl, which she seems very close to doing. If fussiness is any indicator of soon to arrive teeth, I'm pretty sure she'll have a mouth-full by the end of the week. But, she still is plenty sweet and adorable and is loving the summertime almost as much as her mommy. Public libraries are an indulgence that we sorely miss in Bolivia and have been able to visit twice now to find all the books that satiate our interest in home building and design, novels and board books for the baby. I also checked out a book on signing that will hopefully help us communicate a little better as time goes on. I love the idea of her being able to talk to me without words! So, the enjoyment of home continues...

Scotty, Lisa & Natalie, Home from Bolivia

We're now back in the US for six and a half months of Home Assignment (the new term for furlough) and currently enjoying some R&R in the Florida sunshine! We're thankful that we're not coming off the mission field feeling burned out and grateful that we're here to reconnect with family, friends and supporters. Please pray with us that our time back will further equip us for effectively ministering in Bolivia.

Easter church retreat
Since our last e-newsletter was way back in March, we need to catch you up on a major event in the life of our church, the retreat we took over the Easter weekend. Besides all the good relationship-deepening stuff like preparing food and eating together, playing games (like volleyball with a massive soccer ball), swimming in the pool and roasting marshmallows, it was our chance to share the church's vision with a majority of our regular attenders and plenty of guests, too. In one sense, our vision isn't that earth-shattering (because it's pretty basic and straightforward). On the other hand, it is profound stuff if we can really make headway as a church in these three areas: love God (worship & sound teaching), grow together (discipleship and community), and reach the world (evangelism, missions and meeting human need). The 3 talks during the retreat were just the beginning in the process of explaining and incorporating these values in the Mallasilla Bible Church. A story that best fits in the green circle came about because we invited a particular family from our small group to ride down to the jungle camp with us in our loaded-down Land Cruiser. We had a great time talking there and back, and they really enjoyed the retreat. Afterwards, they expressed their extreme gratitude to us, saying they wouldn't have been able to go if it had not been for our invitation to ride with us.

Men's book study
With a desire to encourage men in the red and green circles of loving God and growing together, I initiated a study of John Piper's book Don't Waste Your Life, bringing 20 copies in Spanish back after our brief visit last November. The books sold (at cost) like iPhones and were bought both by men who participated in the study as well as others from the church. In the book, pastor John encourages us to live radically as Christians, treasuring God in such a way that He is glorified in every aspect of our lives, from worship to evangelism to how we spend our money to how we work. We met to discuss each chapter and though attendance varied from 3 to 10 guys, the discussions went really deep and we were able to pray for one another in specific ways that the book applied to our individual lives.
There was a good deal of interest in continuing the study with another book during our absence, which is a huge encouragement to me! It is so important that the men of our church go deep with God and each other, step up in leadership roles, and guide their families in living for God's glory.

Being the church to one another
A man in our small group, Cesar Lozano, has been out of work for over a year. He and his wife, Teresa, and their two teen-age girls have been faithful and encouraging members of our Saturday Bible study and IBM for about a year. Cesar explains how it was always a chore to get the girls to attend any other church consistently, but his daughters and wife have found such a connection with other women in Mallasilla that they are the ones urging him now. A few months ago, one of the other men in our group, a very new believer, brought up the idea of taking a group collection of money to help out the Lozano family. Everyone was excited by the idea so the initiator followed up with each family and presented the Lozanos with a significant gift. We spoke privately with them several weeks later and found them very grateful but also admitting that their pride caused them to initially be embarrassed and reluctant to accept the money. However, God taught them all that He has much good to be offered from His hand, and to receive it with thanksgiving. We see that our group is growing so much in depth of knowledge of the Lord and love for each other. We've confidently left the group in the hands of our friends Hugo and Ericka Ramirez and saw the entire crew taking initiative in conversing with each other in order to change the meeting time to fit their schedules better and deciding on what they are going to study.

Being the church, part II
Last year we introduced you to good friends that live a few minutes from us, the Astorga family. They have been building a home on the same street as our land for around 2 years and have saved every penny possible, even when Javier was without a job for many months, to move in. About a week before we left, they were finally able to get the house to a point where it was livable- without showers and finished flooring- but livable. They are ecstatic to live on the same street as another Christian family from the church, and eventually, us too. In order to celebrate God's faithfulness in providing their own home (the 4 of them have been living in one bedroom at their parents' house for several years) and to say good-bye to us, they threw a pizza party in our honor. As we sat around their first fire in the family room's fireplace with several different families, watched all the kids running around, their screams bouncing off the cement walls, ate pizza, and sang karaoke, we realized what a gift we have been given in these relationships. The different individuals in the room that we are closest to spent half an hour or so thanking us for our service and friendship, sharing the things we have taught them, and laughing with us over the various language blunders we have made along the way. What a sweet way to be affirmed in God's call as we reflect on the ups and downs and joys and sorrows of ministry.

Bolivian highs and lows
This country that God has called us to has its extremes: low altitude with high temperatures in the East and high altitude with low temperatures in the West. I experienced the latter pair with six adventurous friends as we tackled Bolivia's highest peak at 21,463 feet, Nevado Sajama, right before Lisa's and my return stateside. It was an appropriate farewell activity for two good friends in my men's accountability group that won't be returning to Bolivia. It was also among the hardest (and coldest!) things I've done in my life! At this point, you may be expecting the anology between ministry and putting one crampon-clad boot in front of the other to eventually make it to the top of that mountain. So I hope you're not disappointed that instead I share my decision to hang up the ice axe in mountain climbing retirement in favor of future vacation plans to chill by the pool in Bolivia's lower climes and higher temps with Lisa, Natalie and any other progeny God blesses us with. I guess this is more a reflection on priorities; deciding what's really worth putting my energies and resources into in work as well as in leisure. And priorites change, too. I'm grateful for the memories of two very challenging, very beautiful Bolivian peaks I've climbed with friends, and content to leave it at that. Other challenges await us in life and ministry in Bolivia. We experience extremes of cultural differences on a regular basis, as well as highs and lows in energy and in spirits, but we rely on God for the perseverance and joy to keep taking the next step.

Praises

We feel we finished our term well in Bolivia, handing over our primary ministries to capable people so that they will be continued and we can start some new things upon our return!

God is providing richly for our needs, including a pair of guys to sublet our apartment in our absence, a family to take care of our cats, and countless things here in the US from a high chair for Natalie to a place to stay in Charlotte for several months. We praise God for this season to be back in our home culture to rest and spend time with family, friends, and supporters.

Prayer Requests

Please pray for the Mallasilla Bible Church as they wrestle through some big issues in our absence, such as the role of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Please pray also for more and more people from the congregation to step up in ministry and leadership roles in the church.

Please pray for us as we try to raise more financial support in this tough economy, that God will provide and that we will trust in Him to do so.

Please also pray for us as we try to see and visit lots of people

Our time in the USA

We're enjoying time with Lisa's family in northern Florida and will be with my parents in TN beginning in August. If you live in Ohio, we'd love for you to come to an open house in Coumbus we'll be announcing for sometime in August. We'll arrive in Charlotte, NC in mid-September in order for me to take two more classes toward a master's in Christian Thought at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and be there through the beginning of December. In October, we'll fly out to Minneapolis to be a part of Bethlehem Baptist's missions conference and see friends and supporters there. Finally, we'll wrap up our time here in Florida again for Christmas and New Year's before returning to Bolivia on January 8. We hope we'll get to see you during our time here! But if we're not able to get together in person, we'd love to be in contact by phone or email. See our contact info below to set something up!

During this time of home assignment, we do need to increase our financial support. Please prayerfully consider joining the team of people and churches that make it possible for us to live and minister in Bolivia. If you are already support us, please consider increasing your monthly amount. Thank you so much for your support as friends, financial partners and prayer warriors on our behalf!

More on joining our support team...

God has graciously provided for all of our needs through your generous support ever since we (separately) hit Bolivian soil in 2003. Now, with a new fiscal year and little Natalie having joined Team Miser, we need to boost our support level with SIM. If you would be interested in joining our support team, please contact us or you can begin giving here!

Thank you! Scotty for the Misers