We're baaaack!

We are back home in Costa Rica and are finally unpacked and settled (more or less) into our home here!! I will try and take pics soon!! In the meantime, a pic of the new teenager with Mom:

And a few photos of our recent trip to Santa Maria de Dota. Such a beautiful little town tucked into the valley. I love all the different churches in each town here and always try to take a picture when we are traveling. Here is the one in Santa Maria.
I also love all the old homes and the bright colors one finds around here. Case in point, below, I love the rusting tin roof, the little diamond window in that peak, the wooden house boards:

and the sweet iron turquoise gate in front of the house.

I'll try to update soon with some house pics.

Family Photo

One of the few things I put on a "must-do" list for while we were back in the US was to get a good family photo taken!! And of course, we are in our last few weeks here and no family photo has been taken!! I gave up on hiring a professional, but I still wanted something! So today my sister-in-law was brave enough to go out in the 100+ degree heat to humor me and get a few photos in!! I'm so glad we did!! Here is my favorite!!

I love looking back at old pictures and seeing how the kids have changed and reminiscing about where and when the picture was taken. I am so glad we captured us now--- Zach getting ready to start his senior year; on campus at OCC after our semester here; in the heat of the summer; all together. I guess I can check it off my list now! (and thanks to April!)

And of course, I needed one jumping picture to celebrate!

Spring Break

Well, last week was Spring Break here at the college where we are working/living. We had planned a family vacation to Florida during the week. . . a chance to get a way together, go to the beach again with stop and the way there and back to see some dear friends in AL.

However, the week before spring break, Darrin was playing basketball and came down wrong on his foot. . . . . after many ice packs, x-rays, a doctor visit, lots of ibuprofen and a walking brace, we came to realize that a 20 hour trip (each way) in the car wasn't really very realistic for us anymore.

So we sent sad e-mails to the friends we had hoped to see, and then tried to find something closer to home to do for a couple days. The compromise was a few days at a local lake. Only a couple hours in the car. . . . and only a couple days away. But so much better than nothing!!

Here is a pic of the house where we stayed (the middle one). It was early for lake season and so we were the only ones around this little area. The other houses were empty over the weekend so we felt like we had our own private get-a-way spot. (I am sure the atmosphere is a little different in July!!)

In front of the house, was our own privat boat slip which we all used to fish off of!! It was great for sitting out and getting some sun too. (The first two days were hot with sun --80 on Monday! But after that it got colder and colder and on Wednesday, we were bundled up to go outside!)
Darrin and the boys fishing off the deck!
Zach had some good faces to go along with his catches:
My favorite:
Austin enjoying the early morning sun:
Darrin trying to make the best of it. . . .
Wyatt has some small catches, but was quite proud as you can see!!
Chloe enjoys fishing as much as her brothers!

We came home on Wednesday night so we could rest up a few more days at the house. Darrin is finally able to get a real shoe over his foot, but it still hurts a lot. Hoping he is feeling better soon! Hope you are all well!!

Winter blues

Well, if you live anywhere near the midwest of the US, you know we picked one doozy of a winter to be home for. I think we had 30+ inches of snow in Jan and Feb -- which is so much more than normal!! The local schools were cancelled for two entire weeks! I think that Valentine's day was the first day of school they had for the month of Feb. Crazy around here. . It didn't last forever--even though some days it felt like it would!

Here is a snowman that is fading fast. . . it was built on one of the days that it was finally warming up and had a short lived life! :o) (but he was well loved!)

Shoveling a path to our front door after a snow. . .
Snow, snow everywhere. . .
even on Rangeline. If you're not from around here, Rangeline Road is one of the main roads with the busiest traffic in Joplin. This was taken three days after the big snow and it still wasn't clear. Amazing. . .

And three days after the big snow, we made it to Wal-Mart and this is what the bread section looked like. Like I said, Amazing!!
But the good news it that is over. While we still had a little snow this weekend (crazy!), the grass is starting to turn green. . . . . a few trees are budding out. . . and we are hopeful for spring!! So what else have we been up to . . . here a few more photos!

Getting ready to go out to eat for Valentine's Day!!

Zach has a job now!! Doesn't he look all grown up!!
He works at a great donut/coffee shop called College Station!
Here is a picture with all of my brothers and sisters! It's fun to get to see a bit more of them!

In March, the younger kids and I made a quick trip to IL to celebrate my Grandma's 93rd Birthday!! Here are Chloe and I at the party!! (and yes, I did cut my hair!)

My sweet, 93 year old Grandma!! Love her!!

The snow days made us a little stir crazy, and this was my idea for fun:

You can tell the kids were loving it!! ha!!

We are here:

Yep, we are "Missionaries On Campus" this semester at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri.

Our family is living in the large house on campus built just for missionaries like us:


Darrin is teaching a course on Latin American Missions and a seminar on Music and Missions as well as finishing up his thesis for his Master's degree. So he is busy.

I am trying to teach my four kiddos and not freeze to death in the cold Midwest winter (after being spoiled and living in warm Costa Rica the past six years!)

We are doing well and are blessed, but I'd be lying if I didn't confess to missing this many days:

(a typical CR street -- this one in SF2R, close to Parque Okayama)

or this:

(our church in Tres Rios)

and certainly this:

(beach in Esterillos)

Costa Rica has a way of becoming part of you!! Pura Vida!

Papertrey January Bloghop Challenge

This month the Papertrey Challenge was to use a stamp that you hadn't used in a long time or something you've never used before. As we are temporarily in the US right now, all my other PTI stamps are back in Costa Rica, so I had to use a brand new set that I just received (Thanks to a Christmas gift certificate!)

I stamped the flower on light yellow cardstock and just added a bit of a darker yellow for some contrast. Super fast and easy. And I love the new Edgers Die!! So cute!! I used a sentiment from the newest Fillable Frames series on a little scrap of turquoise blue cs and just trimmed it with my Cloud scissors.

Super simple and clean card. Love it!!

Stamp: PTI: Year of Flowers: Carnation; Fillable Frames #12
Die: Edgers #1
Paper: White-PTI; Bazzil Swiss Dot (pink) Yellow and blue also Bazzil
Markers-- Copic