Llego el Dia...

The day has come.

Shannon and Joe officially left this morning. It shouldn't have felt like the surprise that it did. Here are some pictures from their last day with us:

Margo brought them flowers:

Joe and Dan decided to say goodbye to each other in their own special way:

We will miss you guys TONS!! Thank you for all your patience and encouragement! Looking forward to having you as bosses soon ;)

So while Dan and Joe were dancing to strobe lights and trying to start the kitchen on fire with their sparklers, our team of girls from UVA were very hard at work outside! Since the kids were off of school on wednesday, they stayed back with us to help do some odd jobs around the guesthouse. And let me tell you, these girls were AMAZING! Check it out:

It was also the day that we learned a lot about the force of gravity.... and coconuts. Joe told showed us how we will need to climb up into the coconut trees to knock down the coconuts before they decide to fall on their own... and possibly land on someone's head. Here is our first coconut lesson:

Step 1: Set up impossibly tall ladder into tree

Step 2: Have some really strong ladies hold that ladder tight:

Step 3: Send the only man crazy enough, up the tree with a saws-all:

The Carnage

In the process of clearing out that mess of branches and coconuts, the ladies learned a second very important lesson about gravity and coconuts. We asked them to re-inact it for you here:

Yes. Flying coconuts+Gravity+Truck = lesson #2

Haha, we love you guys :)

Who's the Boss?

The very frightening answer to that question is: We are! Ever since last friday morning Dan and I have been flying solo. And I think we've surprised ourselves! Maybe it's because our standards of no one being dead or severly maimed by the end of each day are a little low, but we find it covers the essentials. I realize that it is only 4 days, but it has given us a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, we can not only do this job but even be somewhat great at it someday. Please keep praying us toward that end! And thanks so much to all of you who are/have been/will be here in the mean time and are being so patient with us! (ESPECIALLY Shannon and Joe!)

I'm only a couple weeks in now, but I have a feeling that I will always have a love/hate relationship with Mondays. So far, they are one CRAZY long day, but each one has ended with a HUGE sense of accomplishment at knowing that the craziest part of the week is behind us. It also happens to end with an pick-up game of baseball under the lights in the perfect Dominican evening... that adds to the love part :)

Diego came with us to the game tonight. It was fun to be outside of the guesthouse walls with him... though I'm not sure we'll be making it a weekly thing. I hadn't thought through the fact that there are about a bazillion little boys from the neighborhood who come by to watch the game (along with plenty of adults too...I think we must be quite an odd sight!). They were all a little apprehensive of the dog at first, but once they found out that he was nice and he wouldn't bite them, they all wanted to play with him. and THEN they found out that he knew commands and oh my goodness, you'd think I'd have told them he knew how to fly. They were SO excited. They wanted me to make him sit, and lay down and roll over again and again. haha. Lots of fun, but our poor little puppy is passed out in the middle of the rug on the floor now. Talk about over stimulation! 

And now I'm going to go join him... 

A Few Snapshots of the Last Week...

We had a conversation with Shannon and Joe the first weekend we were here, and they gave us a great piece of advice. They told us to make sure that we write down our stories, everyday. They told us that eventually all the crazy stuff would begin to seem "normal" and unless we journaled about it, we would forget just how silly life is sometimes.

So I don't have anything really big to write about, here are just a few snapshots of the last week:

* February 27th is Dominican Independence Day- We decided that trying to drive around the city that weekend was like a video game. We were driving through the main road in town, when we were deterred by several teenagers in long hippie wigs violently swinging and cracking 15 ft long whips up and down the street. So we hung a quick right, only to run into a political rally that was clogging up that street. We took the next turn available and ran straight into a school parade, haha. Good thing we had plenty of time to get where we were going!

* I laughed pretty hard on Monday morning when Joe, after buzzing his hair, came out to talk to Margo (one of the wonderful women who comes to help us with keep house) and she smacked him on the head! haha, apparently bald people get smacked in the Dominican- I think Joe will protect his head next time.

* We take the group out to dinner and ice cream on Wednesday nights. I went up to ask the ice cream flavors so I could help those ordering- strangely, I didn't recognize a lot of the flavors they were telling me. I found out after trying them why they were unfamiliar to me- It was Rum Raisin and Prune flavored. It kinda felt like trying Bernie Botts Every Flavor Beans.

* Here at the guesthouse we have a pasola (scooter) that we use for running errands around time sometimes. Almost everyone down here has some type of motorized bike or scooter it seems. So Joe, Shannon and I decided to take the pasola to the gym the other day. Squeezing far more people/things on a scooter than should realistically fit is a very Dominican thing to do, so we were a pretty normal sight on our way there. However, we must have been a sight to see AFTER a long sweaty work out. We probably didn't think that one through too well.

* Surgeries this week have been insane. Hand amputation, removal of a HUGE cancerous growth on a guy's hip and another removal of a softball size growth on a man's chest. I know it sounds disgusting (and it WAS), but praise God that we had 3 general surgeons here this week that were able to help these people who have been living with these ailments for years! Just be glad I'm NOT posting pictures. Thank you surgeons!!!

* Between Dan and Joe, the truck's battery was killed several times this week... as a result we have learned the finer art of push starting a car! As someone with lots of experience in killing my own car battery, I'm SO pumped to know that a good running start and some skill with the clutch will get us out of trouble in no time ;)

* Baseball games- On Monday night we were invited by Pastor Juan to a pick-up game of baseball. It was the most beautiful "summer" evening to spend under the lights at a ball park. I've posted a few pics below (though I'm hoping to get better ones in the future!). It was a ton of fun, but also very humbling. The Dominicans schooled our guys! haha. Dan is so excited to get a chance to play every week though :)

Out of the Nest...

After our week of observation last week, Shannon and Joe were eager to see how much of the ridiculous amounts of info we retained and sent us out on our own this last weekend to meet, greet and take care of our new group during their stay in Santo Domingo.
Turns out we remembered quite a bit of information!... we only forgot a couple of things... like how to get to the airport from the hotel for starters.
After driving for about 45 min we ended up literally in the middle of nowhere. How that can happen in a city with a population of over 2 million people?? I do not know. I just know that one minute we are driving through what looks like the vegas strip and the next minute we're parked next to a cow chompin on some garbage in a field while we try to get ahold of our bus driver, Monchy, at the airport to tell him our predicament. Thank goodness my "vegas strip" and "cow" descriptions were enough to let him know exactly where we were. Monchy is my new hero.
Anyway, the rest of the weekend was much less eventful after we recovered from our minor detour and the new group is now here at the guesthouse safe and sound! In fact, after two days of no one being dead or horribly mamed, I think I'm starting to get a big head. But then I just need to glance next to me at my "list of questions for Joe and Shannon" and remember that we've got a ways to go! Keep us in your prayers! Especially that our minds wouldn't explode and we would keep feeling excited and confident.

We posted some recent pictures on our facebook page that you can take a look at, but here is one I grabbed this afternoon...

Those are my guys after a LONG morning of working (or for Diego, playing) in the Dominican sun :) I love them!

"This has never happened before!"

Nothing can sum up our first few days here in the Dominican Republic as well as that phrase!

Coming to a brand new country, new job, new life, Dan and I were expecting to be met with tons of new and unusual experiences; however, after living here for nearly 3 years, I don't think that Joe and Shannon were expecting this weekend to be filled with quite so many "firsts". From wacky group arrival times, to trouble with drugs and medical supply suitcases at the airport, to someone coding during surgery in the clinic today, it has been an eventful week to say the least! Thank goodness for Shannon and Joe being the pro's that they are and for a wonderful group that has been so giving and flexible.
To be honest, Dan and I are both feeling grateful in a lot of ways for the week that we have had, we figure it is best for us to see all the craziest ups and downs of the jobs the first week so the ones after this will seem "easy" (or at least that's what Shannon and Joe keep telling us! haha). We are learning more every day and I can definitely see this place feeling like home someday very soon.

Also, we had the chance to go with a few people from the group as they went to meet their sponsor children tonight as well. What a wonderful experience! Most of the individuals or couples have been sponsoring the child for many years and have had a chance to meet up with them every time they come down. What a cool experience to really become a part of someone's life and watch them grow and learn. I especially love to see people building those God kind of relationships that cross all the language, age and culture barriers :)

Overall, I find myself smiling from the inside out again. I am exactly where I am supposed to be and I can't think of a better feeling in the world. I had a few moments for quiet time this afternoon and it felt like God was just smiling back and me and kinda telling me to sit back and enjoy this ride that he is starting me on. I feel like he really wants to increase my faith- which will most likely look like us facing some pretty God-sized problems only to wait and receive his God-sized answers. So scary, but so good! (so if you hear me freaking out about some crazy things going on in the next few weeks/months...kindly remind me about this entry I wrote and that God did warn me that it was coming).

I think tomorrow I will try to take my camera around with me and take some pictures that I can post, so you can skip my ramblings and just get to the fun stuff :)

Remember how much we love to hear from all of you and we are sending our love and hugs!

THE Day...

I cannot remember the last time I was so incredibly content and just plain giddy with happiness…I take that back, it was probably my wedding day… but today is THAT rare and special of a day. It is the kind of day that marks the start of something so huge and new. Just like seeing God for the first time, or committing yourself to your best friend on your wedding day- you have this underlying feeling that you are no longer the person that you were yesterday. Those past days and that person are behind you and you are so ready to dive into the adventure of this new life.

We’ve watched this change coming from a distance. It has been about 6 months now since the first time we met Joe and Shannon.  But no amount of questions, planning, research or preparation can make you ready for the feeling of stepping off a plane into a new life. Incredible.

Thanks to all of your prayers (and I really mean that!) our journey here was smoother than we thought was possible. Diego has been a trooper and is being SO good, even with all the changes and time alone that he has had to spend. And Dan and I feel surprisingly rested and sane!

We arrived yesterday afternoon. Joe and Shannon picked us up at the airport in a tropical downpour and by the time we arrived at the resort in Santo Domingo, the sun was shining and it was a perfect evening J The resort is fabulous and it makes this whole experience feel a little too good to be true. Granted, we haven’t actually rolled up our sleeves for a day of work yet, but I have a feeling that, for us, it will be more than worth it. This afternoon we are picking up our first group at the airport and spending one more night here in Santo Domingo with them. Sunday morning we will pack up early and probably go to a church service here in town before making the 3 hour trip to San Juan (which we are very excited for). Then we will finally be able to unpack and settle into our new home J Praise God!! Woo-hoo!

Prayer Stuff:

·       *  PRAISE GOD!!!! We are here, we are safe and we are SO excited for what is ahead!

·        * The transition time will be fast and intense. This week we will be mainly observational. We will shadow Joe and Shannon in everything they do as well as accompany the team into the field to observe the service work. The following week, the reigns will be passed to us with Joe and Shannon being heavily involved to answer questions and help out. The third week they are pushing us out of the nest and letting us have a go on our own with limited interaction from them. The fourth week, it will be do or die as Dan and I will be left on our own when Joe and Shannon head back to the states to transition into their new Director role. So, if you didn’t catch the prayer request yet in all of that… pray that we will be quick learners, will not be discouraged or overwhelmed and will feel peace when they leave!


      *Pray for Joe and Shannon. As excited as they are to head back to the states, it is a big transition and a big job that they are stepping into! Pray for wisdom and peace as they start this next part of their life.

OUR LAST PICTURE IN THE STATES...

OUR FIRST PICTURE IN OUR NEW COUNTRY (I think our smiles got bigger! :)

·   

DIEGOS FIRST LOOKS AT HIS NEW HOME...

WE THINK HE IS JUST AS HAPPY AS WE ARE!

The Day We Threw a Party...

We knew that our road trip was nearing an end and we were reaching our destination when the in-car display told is we had reach sub-zero temperatures. Ah, Minnesota. There really is nowhere quite like it :)

In addition to sub-arctic conditions, we were so glad to be welcomed by the whole family when we rolled in just in time to share in a delicious birthday meal for my sister, Sandi. Phase one of our adventure was complete! Thank you to all of you who prayed for our safe travels, despite the crazy weather throughout the country, our ride was incident free and quite smooth! We read books a new book out-loud to each other, sang along to Mumford and Sons at the top of our lungs and held contests to see who could average a better MPG behind the wheel (it was Dan, in case you were wondering, he drove like a grandma, haha).

As always, the week has been full and fast, but wonderful. We are so grateful that we were able to make it out to see our family. Now today will be our official "Going Away" party with extended family and friends. We hope to eat lots, play tons of games, and even make it out for some boot hockey and hot chocolate later tonight! It is going to be a full day, but we are hoping it will be filled with less 'bitter' and more 'sweet' goodbyes. Maybe post some pictures later! ....