F a m i l i a F r o h l i n g

Bariloche Vacation

2012-01-18T22:36:00.001-03:00

Geographically speaking, Argentina is a very long country. It has been said that it’s as long as the USA is wide. We got to see much of it during our 20 hour drive to Bariloche. We saw many gauchos driving their horses and tending their herds in the campos. We saw windmills and corn fields. We saw a lot of tractors, cows, and silos. It was totally different than the big-city life we lead in Córdoba Capital. And a nice change of pace.

Nature Shots from the Road

Casablanca (our home away from home away from home)

This is the

spectacular view from our window.

It even snowed

one day.

Breathtaking.

A Glimpse into our Vacation Activities

From top left:
celebrating Chris's birthday//playing in the living room (check out the view!)//enjoying our grassy "balcony"//
loving saying "Go play outside!" when this was right ourside our window//fun times in the pool and playing pool//
swimming in the lake//hiking 6.2 km in the rain

River Rafting (our favorite day)

As you can see, this was an amazing vacation

and we are incredibly full of gratitude.

More details to come about what we came home to...

First Leg of the Journey

2012-01-08T12:38:00.001-03:00

We made it to Bariloche and love it here. It is absolutely beautiful (green trees everywhere; clear, unpolluted lake; no trash on the streets; blooming flowers...) and we are very thankful to be here together.

It is a 20 hour drive so we thought we'd break it up and do 14 hours the first day and 6 the second.

On that first day, about 30 minutes into the drive, Andrew suddenly puked his guts out. Like, seriously, puked.his.guts.out. All over the back seats, freshly laundered pillowcases, stuffed animals, Johnny, and even his own new shoes. (Johnny just yelped a little "OH!" and then calmly got out of the car and waited for me to wipe him off.)

Andrew continued to barf for the next 12 hours. Yes, my sweet boy got the 12 hour flu just in time for our 14 hour drive. If anyone can handle it, he can. The child did not complain one single time. The closest he came was saying, "Wow, THIS sure is not what I expected for the beginning of our vacation."

I happen to be a whole-hearted supporter of reusing and recycling. However, being forced to reuse used barf bags can leave a person feeling a bit revolting.

That first day was a straight drive, literally, through Las Pampas and a whole lot of nothing. (Chris is an amazing driver and was passing the slow cars with a speed and know-how that would make his race-car driving dad very proud.) I sat in the back between David and Johnny keeping on eye on Mr. Ralph in the front seat and would yell, "pull over!" as soon as I sensed it coming. It was almost uncanny how in tune I was with his tummy. One of the funniest moments (poor Andrew) was when he was hurling out his orange Gatorade and in between hurls, he exclaims, "it has a leak!" and sure enough, the orange foulness was pouring out of the barf bag and spashing onto his lap, the seat, and the floor of the car. What a trooper.

He was totally better by the time we pulled up into the Hostel in Neuquén. It was called Hostel Portal de Sueños... Portal of Dreams. It wasn't anything close, unless they meant nightmares.

All that to say, we got to Bariloche safely that next day and we love it here and are incredibly thankful.

And hopefully no more barfing action.

I will post pictures when we get home... I just had to share our driving adventure. Please laugh with me and not at me. ¡Muchas gracias!

Happy 2012!

2012-01-05T10:11:00.000-03:00

We are welcoming this new year with hands-wide-open.

We hosted a fun New Year's celebration, complete with swimming to cool off, dinner at 10:30, and fireworks until 3.

The firework burn-victim.

That's ice between his fingers and a brave smile on his face.

Cheers! Salud!

We're off on our first, week-long family vacation to Bariloche, Rio Negro, Argentina. We're going to drive for about 20 hours and we'll get to see beautiful parts of this country we've only heard about. We'll also be escaping the heat as we drive further and further south. Celebrating Chris's birthday on Saturday, hikes, river-rafting, and eating chocolate are just some of the things we're looking forward to. (Plus Bethany gave us some homemade coffee syrups: vanilla, gingerbread, and chocolate almond. We are starting the year off right!)

Have a great week! Chau for now!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-22T18:19:00.000-03:00

A recent trip to Las Bajadas left us with some great photos that give a good summary of our 2011:

~exploring and discovery~

¡fútbol!

~laughter (yes, and tears)~

~chopping wood for a hot fire~

both literally and figuratively: trying hard to figure out how to make sense of the ax, the branch,

the fire that we've been given, and knowing where to chop

~asado-ing~

in Argentina, the asado is a great cultural experience and much is shared around the grill

~siesta-ing and mate drinking~

~making new friends in all walks of life~

~sharing meals~

do you think the chickens in the background are disturbed by what is on the table?

~being with (and serving) children~

~celebrating new seasons in life~

this photo was taken at our friend's wedding (obvio not in Las Bajadas)...

we celebrated from 9:00 pm until 3:30 am

Now we say chau to 2011 and bienvenidos to 2012.

Eternal life is in Him,

and this life gives light to all mankind.

~John 1:4

May His beautiful and amazing and unconditional love light your way.

Merry Christmas!

Much Love,

Chris, Krista, David, Andrew, and Johnny

Egresados, Escoltas, y Ejemplos

2011-12-16T16:32:00.001-03:00

Johnny is an official kindergarten graduate. We had the ~~last~~ second-to-last acto last night.

A couple of weeks ago I received a note that said:
“The administrators of Niños Argentinos have the honor to communicate with you that your son, David Frohling, has been elected to be the escolta of the Cooperative Flag that represents our school. We congratulate you and we share your emotion and pride for this accomplishment.”

Well, there is no fitting translation of escolta into our USA English language, at least in how it applies to the flag. The Argentines are a very proud and patriotic people. Every school day, upon arrival and upon dismissal, the flag is raised or lowered and the national anthem is sung. It is a very, very big deal. There are abanderados who actually hold the flag; the escoltas help the abanderados, I guess you could say. (The literal translation is "escort".) They are all elected by both their peers and their teachers based on their grades and behavior.

During the sixth-grade graduation, there was a “changing of the guards” so to speak. The graduating sixth-grade flag bearers gave over the responsibility to the incoming sixth-graders. It was definitely a new experience for us. Everyone kept congratulating Chris and me. I asked David, “Why do they congratulate us? We didn’t do anything.” And he replied, rather embarrassed, “Well, I think it’s because you raised me.” I had to bite my tongue.

And finally, today, we had the final acto of the year and got the libretas (report cards) for each boy. I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that this school year is over. I feel quite proud of the kiddos for learning a whole new language, making friends, and having good attitudes. They are examples to me!

David's classmates all said their lines in English.
Suddenly, Seño Gimena said, "We have our very own translator!"
And she called David up and had him translate all the English into Spanish.
His face was as red as his hat. This would be one of my personal pesadillas (nightmares)!

Chau, Salita de 5
¡¡¡Bienvenidos 2012!!!

Have a great, school-free weekend!

Felices Fiestas

2011-12-09T18:04:00.002-03:00

HAPPY SUMMER!!!

It has been a little difficult for me to wrap my brain around the fact that it is the Christmas season for any number of reasons:

The boys are finishing their school year and anticipating a 3 month vacation, not just a 2 week one.
It's summertime. And it's hot — so hot that one is known to sweat stinky just sitting still.
The twinkling lights, family photo cards, and consumer mayhem have not become important parts of the festivities down south. I'm feeling particularly thankful that there is no such thing as "Black Friday" here... no further comment.
The Christmas decorations that we have used for the past 17 years of marriage and family life are resting in our attic in California.

December 25 of last year does not go down in our memory books as one of the best days of our life. I'll spare you the details. What a difference a year has made. While we still miss what we've known our entire lives, we are thankful for each other and for new traditions, while keeping many of the old.

Since, as I said, all of our Christmas decorations are somewhere else, last year, we had to make due and come up with our own. In so doing, we have laughed and learned a lot... and cried a little.

My favorite Christmas items are our Nativity Sets from all around the world. Many have been gifts from Jill (lover of all things Advent) and my mom. We have also done our fair share of collecting throughout the years. This year, we have a special one on loan made by our friend Kristy and a few others created by certain boys in my life.

Drawn by Andrew last Christmas

This is Johnny's Lego Nativity Scene.
You can't see R2D2 who is the Angel "because he can fly"
and Mary isn't here because Johnny didn't have the "right kind of Lego hair for her."
And just so you know, "Jesus's manger has gold all around it because it's His birthday."

Part of the Nativity made by Kristy over 25 years ago

Throughout the month of December, we used to read a different Christmas book each day from the collection we had built up over the years. Now, we spend time reading through Ann Voskamp's Jesse Tree Devotional that I was blessedly able to download. It has readings from scripture, beginning in Genesis, and covers significant events throughout the Old Testament that all point to the coming Messiah, the baby Jesus. There are also daily family devotions that include an action plan on sharing Jesus's love with others. Last year, I printed out the beautiful ornament drawings in black and white and the boys took turns coloring them. We had a unique and handmade collection of ornaments hanging on our Christmas, um, plant. This year we have the same cute ornaments and a more festive tree.

At the risk of boring you, I'll tell you that our other traditions haven't changed. Every Christmas morning, the boys wake us up and we read the story of Jesus's birth from the gospel of Luke in the comfort of our cozy bed.

We figure that because we're celebrating Jesus's birthday and He received 3 gifts (gold, frankincense and myrrh), and gift-giving is a part of the joy of this season, the boys also receive and give 3 presents. One is a wanted toy, one is intentional family-time, and one is a gift-given-in-their-name. With this last one, Compassion International and World Vision have captured our hearts, and we peruse their catalogs to find something that has been particularly meaningful to each of our boys. David has been known to give soccer balls and sports equimpent, Andrew likes to give education or medical care to orphans, and Johnny seems to change each year from chickens to mango trees to mosquito nets.

After gifts, we have cinnamon rolls and smoothies for breakfast.

This year, we have some special handmade adornments created by forever-friends. If you're looking for a personalized, made-with-love gift, I highly recommend Jill's Joy in the Small Things.

As far as cultural differences are concerned, in Argentina, Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) is the time of family celebration and Christmas Day is a time for sleeping off the festivities of the night before. There is a big, lit up Christmas tree in Plaza España, but not many other green and red items. Various stores sell plastic trees and ornaments, but there are no tree-lots or Santa's lap photo shoots.

I like this mellow version. It's nice. We will enjoy it with sweet friends this year and will definitely join in the firework extravaganza at midnight on Christmas Eve. We will, however, miss our family, Santa Barbara friends, and our Christmas season beach walks.

Joy and Love and Peace and Hope to you this Advent Season.

Lucky Lady

2011-11-30T12:19:00.000-03:00

Love these boys!

Giving Thanks

2011-11-25T10:23:00.000-03:00

On the day after the USA holiday Thanksgiving, Chris and I have set a goal: we're going to be mindful of the things we are thankful for and begin recording them in our own personal journals. This is no new idea; we have been reminded of the importance of being thankful by dozens of people, including historians, authors, prophets, and wise friends.

I have no plans to make public any of the items on my list - not because they are scandalous, but because I believe in the importance of keeping this as an intimate act of worship between my Creator and me.

However, I thought you'd like to see my Thankfulness Journal. You can guess what one of the first entries is.

"I love you Mommy"

by Johnny

Church Retreat 2011

2011-11-16T09:22:00.003-03:00

We had a great time with our church,

Jesucristo Rey,

a couple of weekends ago at the annual retreat.

I was reminded me Santa Barbara Community Church's retreats except for the following:

Waiters served us our delicious food (appetizer, entree, dessert)
The schedule was a bit different (see my notes in red below)
Everything was in Spanish
Young folks from another church came to do the childcare
I came home with a scalded mouth due to all my mate drinking

Gorgeous hike in the rain - Andrew was in heaven!

"Guiller-moto"

Games with a purpose, organized by our amazing friend Pato (Patricia)

Great conversations, mate, and food

And, finally, surfing the river. David shredded and taught everyone how to do it.

They LOVED it and now have a new tan to prove it.

We are incredibly thankful for this body of believers and the way God provides.

Santa Teresita Again

2011-11-11T11:11:00.083-03:00

These 2 men are very like minded and as I've said before, Guille and Susi are huge blessings in our life. We had our first encuentro (meeting) with the neighbors in Santa Teresita to go over the results of the survey and to further equip them in helping themselves in the problems that the survey revealed.

It was necessary to get the galpón (abandoned workshed) ready for the meeting. We were so thrilled to find this place with a roof and walls. Even though Santa Teresita is a rural neighborhood, there aren't big trees that offer shade against the strong sun or heavy rain. The galpón had a bit of trash that was easily removed and weeds that were macheted away by the muscles of our almost-12-year-old.

The trash-picker-uppers

Getting ready to begin the meeting... we had facturas (I'm not sure how to describe this typical Argentine food - maybe a danish?) and of course mate.

Here is an acto in action. Chris was "playing the part" of the extranjero (foreigner) who came along with the desire to help those in need. David and Guille were the locals who desperately needed to cross a river but didn't know how to swim or where the rocks were placed within the river. The foreigner knows all about rocks in rivers and how to swim so he generously offers to carry David across. But by the time he gets halfway across, he is too tired and can't go any further. He deposits David on a rock structure in the middle of the river without giving him any instructions on how to get to either side. He reaches the bank where Guille is waiting and informs him that there is no way he can carry him and offers instead to teach him how to cross, which is what you see in action above.

They arrive at the midpoint and the tired, well-meaning foreigner can't go on. But, since Guille now knows how to cross on his own, he is able to teach David and they cross together to the otherside.

Here they are, after victoriously crossing the river on their own, able to show other locals the way as well.

It's a little silly, but it got good reviews from the neighbors who liked what it represented: they are smart, they need some tools and instructions on how to accomplish the things they want for the barrio, and we can work together for its good.

Going over the results of the survey

This was a great exercise in talking about Salud Integral (Integral Health) and what the neighbors thought was needed for a healthy community. Many important themes were brought up and discussed at length.

Chris and Guille will continue visiting with the neighbors a couple times a week and Susi, the boys, and I hope to attend the meetings on the weekends. It will be interesting to see what God has in store for this barrio que no es olvidado ya.

PS I'm such a ~~geek~~ numbers person and very much enjoy the fact that today is 11-11-11 and this post was published at 11:11. :)

Las Violetas

2011-11-08T08:15:00.003-03:00

One of the neighborhoods, or barrios, that we are working in is called Las Violetas. To translate that to English, The Violets, gives an inaccurate description of what we witness inside. It is not all "Roses are Red, Violets are Blue..." Rather it is full of spiritual and material poverty which, unfortunately, often lead to violence, drug-use, and unemployment. When we have mentioned to our Argentine friends that we are working in this barrio, we always get raised eyebrows and the ojo warning. The people living in Las Violetas are consantly being prejudiced against simply because they live in this notorious zona roja. We feel thankful that we are able to be with the people almost each day in one form or another.

Inside, there is a community center, El Refugio, run by Argentine Christian missionaries, and we have partnered with these locals to provide additional workshops, job training, and tutoring sessions as many (young and old) have dropped out of school due to getting pregnant, taking drugs, behavioral problems, and/or the necessity to try to find work. We are trying to explain to them the importance of education and helping them enroll in a local night-school. Taking an entrance exam places you in the appropriate grade (7th - 12th) and, obviously, it's best to get tested into the highest grade possible.

Every Thursday morning all 5 of us go to El Refugio and do a cooking taller with adolescent girls. It's generally the highlight of my week because the girls are precious. We cook, share some verses that apply to their lives, eat, and then play soccer in the street. Last week we brought our blender and made fruit smoothies and then created pulseras or bracelets together. They really like the boys and the feeling is mutual.

You have to chuckle at this last photo. They are fighting about whether or not it was a goal.

As Bill Shankly, the great Scottish soccer player and manager says:

"Football isn't a game of life or death, it is much more important than that."

This rings true even in friendly, neighborhood, street games.

Fútbol in Buenos Aires

2011-11-05T12:48:00.005-03:00

About a month ago, David's soccer team, Boca-Córdoba, travelled to Buenos Aires to compete and to watch a professional game together. Chris went with him.

It was a 3 night trip: 2 on a bus and 1 in a hotel.

As you can see in the photos below, they had a lot of fun adventures together.

(What you may not be able to see is that they also dealt with their fair (or not-so-fair) share of culture, um, differences.)

David with teammates outside the real Boca stadium, La Bombonera

Inside La Bombonera

Getting ready to compete

Coach and player

David plays position #5 or center midfield

In the Boca museum... surrounded by trophies, his dream...

Outside the Velez Sarsfield field, in time to watch the pro players

Love those 2!

Andrew and his Hippo Friends

2011-11-02T14:48:00.000-03:00

This is a bit random, but did you know that Andrew's favorite animal is the hippopotamus?

He has a blanket with a hippo head that we refer to as "binks"... but when he was a baby we called it the "magic blanket" because if Andrew was upset all we needed to do was give him the blanket and he'd stop any and all fussing.

He also has a stuffed animal hippo named "Tubby Wubby."

However, the other day he and Johnny were playing super heroes with their animal friends and Andrew decided to name Binks "Super Flatso" and Tubby Wubby "Super Fatso".

Get it?

Andrew feeding Tubby Wubby aka Super Fatso outside his homemade house.

And did you know that our Córdoba Zoo has its very own hippo clan?

It was the first time we had seen real ones up close.

They are just as big and round as you imagine them to be.

Andrew was in hippo heaven.

Cultural Differences as noted by David (11), Andrew (9), and Johnny (6)

2011-10-17T10:25:00.011-03:00

This photo was taken in March, on the first day of school.

(School begins in March and ends in December in the Southern Hemisphere.)

Many things have happened in the months since then and the boys wanted to share some of their insights regarding cultural differences.

It's (mostly) unedited and will give you an interesting glimpse into their daily lives and their, eh-hem, unique personalities.

We sing the national anthem every day while we raise and lower the flag. I know the Argentine one better than the USA one. ~David

When we change clothes in the locker room at the swimming place we go to once a week, the boys like to dance naked. ~Andrew

We do a lot of rough play during school. It's fun. ~Johnny

I've noticed that everyone picks their noses in front of everyone. And then they eat whatever they find. ~David
[Note from Krista: Just an FYI, this is not acceptable behavior in our house - nor in public. I get all gaggy crazy when they talk about it.]

They sell candy and soda in the school kiosko and everyone in my class has at least one silver tooth. On Thursdays I get a pebete [ham and cheese on a bun with mayo] heated up and it's SO good. ~Andrew

We do a lot of singing at school. I know a lot of songs. Do you want me to sing one for you? ~Johnny

All the boys in my class, except me, have novias [girlfriends] and it's difficult not to get distracted by all the drama. I don't get it. ~David

We all wear cologne. Including me. ~Andrew

The toilets don't have seats. I try to go at home. ~Johnny

When my teacher demands something, many of my friends say "No" and do not do what she asks. They do not get any consequences. ~David

Sometimes the kids get a second chance if they got a no sati [an "F"] on a test. ~Andrew

We play soccer a lot and one of the boys in my class punches people in the face and kicks people in the privates. ~Johnny

My friends eat dinner at 10:00 at night and go to sleep at around 1:00 in the morning. ~David

My friends get to play video games whenever they want. I only get to on Saturdays for 1 hour. ~Andrew

I have a hard time remembering my friends' names so I number them based on who's my favorite. Here are some of their names: Lisandro (he's my #1), Israel, Luciano, Juan Ignacio (there are 2), Facundo, Ezequiel, Julieta, Martina (there are 3), Sofia, Susana, and a Johnny. ~Johnny

We have school at home in the mornings since we go to Niños Argentinos in the afternoons. At home, we are studying math and reading in English. We do fun projects together. ~David

It's a bummer if one of the extra teachers doesn't come, like for Art, Music, or English. Because we don't get a sub and then we have to do Ciencias Naturales o Lengua. I'd way rather do Music than Lengua! ~Andrew

I'm getting homework now. I had to draw 3 things that began with the letter that my name starts with. I drew a jirafa [giraffe], Jesús, y una jaula [birdcage]. ~Johnny

My friend, Facundo, and I usually finish our math assignments early and then we just sit and talk about whatever. Sometimes for the entire hour. Or we throw paper balls at our other friends. ~David

We share our food, drinks, and candy with everybody. We don't care about germs. A couple times, my friend gave me a whole pack of Oreos! ~Andrew

We get to do a lot of actos [plays] because there are a lot of holidays. And we have a lot of swimming which is really fun. And in soccer, my team, like one time, won 29 - 3. They say that I am worth 2 people and when I get to pick the teams I put an extra person on the other team. ~Johnny

That's all folks.

Or at least all I'd allow.

Peanut Butter Love

2011-10-15T21:05:00.000-03:00

In our house, we eat a lot of peanut butter. On celery, toast, apples, bread with honey, ricecakes, in pasta sauces... a lot.

The main reason I tell you this is because the past 14 months, we have lived on generous peanut butter donations from our friends in the States. When our moms came to visit, each brought at least 6 containers each. When Norm and Trish visited, I think they brought 8. We've received great packages in the mail, generally with Peanut Butter inside.

You may be wondering why we need it from the States? Well, it's ridiculously expensive here. And it's gross. The boys won't have anything to do with it, and frankly, neither will I. I've been challenged by a good friend to use only what my Argentine friends use (in terms of food). If it's not available here, then I need to try to figure something else out. This often involves many internet searches and questions to the aforementioned friend. I've learned to make maple syrup, create a new cookbook entitled "Argentine Recipes", be satisfied with sugar that is only brown due to the coloring added to it and not the molasses, and now to make my own peanut butter.

That's a kilo (2.2 pounds) of maní (peanuts) for 15 Argentine pesos (or about USD$3.75)

I used 4 cups of maní, about 3 tablespoons of peanut oil, some salt,

and the really good blender brought from the States, that I admit none of my Argentine friends have.

Plus the transformer that I need to plug the blender into in order not to blow it up.

On the Grind Grain speed.

Success!

Andrew did a little dance when he saw the homemade PB and Johnny jumped up and down after trying it.

Although I do not see a marketing career in my future, I have to say I'm a very good Peanut Butter Maker.

I crossed out the Kirkland brand name as well as the Organic declaration.

I have no idea if the peanuts are organic and I don't care anymore.

I buy what I can find. I know it's local, that's for sure.

Economic Temperature Gauge

2011-10-10T22:37:00.000-03:00

I'm not sure if you are aware of the 2001 economic crisis that occured in Argentina. To sum up a long and sad story, after 4 years of recession, Argentina could no longer service its $132,000,000,000 public debt and defaulted. It was and is the largest default in the history of the world. Your jaws would drop, as ours did, if you heard some of the personal stories of our Argentine friends and what they went through during that time.

Recently, I finished reading Argentina: An Economic Chronicle. How one of the Richest Countries in the World Lost it's Wealth by Vito Tanzi. The title says quite a lot. It also explains one of the reasons why we're here trying to doing economic and community development.

In June, we came across this article, "Which emerging economies are at greatest risk of overheating?" in The Economist online magazine. It ranked 27 economies according to their risk of boiling over. "We take each economy’s temperature using six different indicators: the inflation rate, the unemployment rate relative to its ten-year average, GDP growth relative to trend, excess credit (the growth in bank lending minus the growth in nominal GDP), real interest rates, and the forecast change in the current-account balance in 2011."

Unfortunately, Argentina is at the top of the list with 100. The maximum risk is 100.
If you are a praying person, please pray with us for Argentina.

Just wondering...

2011-10-05T19:16:00.000-03:00

This is a question for you dog-owners out there:

When you walk your dog, how many of you have to carry a rock to throw at the street dogs who try to attack your four-legged family member?

Like I said, just wondering.

On the way to the kids' school, there is a street corner where a pack of 7 dogs lay in the sun all day, after scrounging around for food, I suppose. They must be jealous of our gordito, well-loved Buddy or maybe they just like to bark, bare their teeth, and act all tough. For some reason, a transformation from the semi-normal, animal-loving person I usually am occurs and I become a bit of a lunatic. I'm not even going to begin to write about the neighbor's crazy dog who escaped from his chained-up-24/7-life and attacked Buddy. Here, in the big city, many dogs are not considered pets and are only kept to keep the thieves away.

They're scary (both the dogs and the thieves).

Some day soon, you may be reading a story about a well-aimed rock or a well-placed kick

and a mad-dog who has escaped this life and entered doggie heaven (or hell).

Miracle - Un Milagro

2011-09-29T11:49:00.000-03:00

Chris and I got our Córdoba drivers licenses today.

It truly was no small feat.

We laughed as we drove away when a bicyclist ran a red light and a taxi made a U-turn

(according to the law, they're never permitted) right in front of 3 police officers.

Chris y yo consegimos nuestras licencias de conductor (de Córdoba) hoy.

No es algo pequeño.

Nos reímos cuando salimos porque vimos un ciclista se pasó una luz roja

y un taxista giró en "U" justo en frente de la policía.

Santa Teresita

2011-09-26T10:56:00.001-03:00

Together with Guille Sanchez, Chris has been going to a neighborhood called Santa Teresita which is about 45 kilometers outside of the city. Guille and Susi (and their daughters) have been serving in Despeñaderos, a pueblo across the highway from Santa Teresita, for over 15 years. We are so lucky to be their friends. Seriously, everyone who knows them can only say nice things about them. About their faithfulness, integrity, sincerity, and genuine Christ-like love. They have encouraged us tremendously in our work here and it is a gift to have people like them to work with and to live alongside. It helps too that they laugh a lot, are willing to be vulnerable, love without limits, and are patient with our Spanish.
Con Guille Sanchez, Chris ha estado yendo a un barrio que se llama Santa Teresita que está casi 45 km afuera de la ciudad. Guille y Susi (y sus hijas) han estado serviendo en Despeñaderos, un pueblo a lado de Santa Teresita, por más de 15 años. Estamos bendicidos tener amigos como ellos. En serio, cada persona que los conoce solo puede decir cosas lindas sobre ellos. Acerca de su fidelidad, integridad, sinceridad, y amor como Cristo. Nos han animado mucho en nuestro trabajo acá y son como regalos en nuestra vida. Con la familia Sanchez, podemos trabajar y seguir su ejemplo. Nos ayudan también que se ríen mucho, aman sin limites, y tienen paciencia con nuestro nivel de español.

Anyway, Chris and Guille went to a CHE capacitación together last May to learn more about community development work in the Latin American context. In Santa Teresita, they are trying to apply some of what they learned. For the past 2 months they have been meeting the neighbors and on Saturday began surveying the people asking how long they've lived in the barrio, about their families, and their opinions about what is most needed in the neighborhood. After compiling the responses, they plan to have a neighborhood meeting to discuss the results and begin the trainings to equip the people to transform their community. It's all done in the hope and love of Christ. He can do the impossible...

Entonces, Chris y Guille, fueron a una capacitación de Red ECS Latina en el mayo pasado para aprender más sobre desarrolo comunitario en el contexto latinoamericano. En Santa Teresita intentan aplicar algo de lo que aprendieron. Por los últimos 2 meses, han estado juntandose con los vecinos y el sábado empezaron haciendo una encuesta con la gente. Pidieron hace cuanto han vivido allá, cosas sobre las familias, y sus opinions acerca de lo que es más necesario en el barrio. Después de compilar las respuestas, van a tener una reunión con todos para hablar y empezar las capacitaciones para entrenar a los vecinos como transformer la comunidad. Todo está en la esperanza y amor de Dios. ¡Él puede hacer el imposible!

Happy Day of the Student - ¡Feliz Día del Alumno!

2011-09-21T08:53:00.001-03:00

Today we are celebrating the Day of the Student... so there is no school.

It's also the first day of Spring which was celebrated yesterday, in costume as always.

Johnny was a Spring Clown or Payaso de Primavera.

Further words are not necessary.

Hoy, celebramos Día del Alumno... así que, no hay escuela.

También es el primer día de la Primavera y los chicos celebraron ayer en disfrace, como siempre.

Johnny fue un payaso de primavera.

No es necesario usar más palabras.

Did you know...? Sabías que...?

2011-09-12T08:14:00.051-03:00

...It has been over 13 months since Chris has surfed? I know he still shreds. And I also know he profoundly misses the ocean. We all do.
Han pasado más de 13 meses que Chris había hecho surf? Sé que todavía es el mejor. Y también sé que extraña el oceano tanto. Todos de nosotros lo hacemos.

...Our nephew, Domonick, graduated from High School and is now in college? We love him a lot.
Nuestro sobrino, Domonick, se graduó de secundario y ahora está en la universidad? Le queremos mucho.

...In Argentina, to not use a tablecloth is rude? Unfortunately, we didn't realize this until we'd been here 8 months.
En Argentina, para no usar un mantel es mal educación? Desafortunadamente, no nos damos cuenta de esto hasta que habíamos estado acá por 8 meses. ¡Lo siento, amigos!

...Last June, our hometown, Santa Barbara, California was featured in the tourist section of our local Córdoba newspaper?
En Junio, nuestra ciudad en los EEUU (Santa Barbara, California) estuvo en la sección de turismo de La Voz Interior?

...We pay all our bills in cash? Including the car, rent, school tuition, and monthly bills. There are places called Pago Facil where you pay your utilities and insurance and depending on the day of the month, there can be a lot of people waiting. Tuition is paid at a bank. Rent is paid at the property manager's office. It's, um, interesting.
Pagamos todas de nuestras facturas en efectivo? Incluyendo el auto, el aquiler, la matrícula, y los utilidades de casa. Hay lugares llamado Pago Facil y se puede pagar muchas y depende del día de mes, puede ser muchas personas esperando. La matrícula está pagado en un banco. El aquiler está pagado en la oficina de inmobilaria. Es interesante.

Adenitis y Ecografías

2011-09-07T17:02:00.000-03:00

I wasn't joking when I said the boys were sick. Johnny has been home from school since Monday with a fever and body aches. And although Andrew's fever is gone, yesterday his neck swelled up like he swallowed a baseball.

Someone mentioned paperas. Or mumps. Mumps.

We took him to the doctor this morning and after a complete exam, the doctor sent us to get an ecografía. I had no idea what that was, but quickly discovered that it's an ultrasound. He does not have mumps, thank the Good Lord in Heaven, but he does have adenitis or a severe case of inflammation of the lymph nodes.

Nasty stuff blowing around here.

And at Johnny's ENT follow-up appointment (we try to do them all at the same time since the clinic is about a 20 minute drive) the doctor said his ears looked impeccable but he is definitely sick. Glad to hear it about the ears.

He also pulled out Shrek-sized-wax-bombs from Chris's ears.

Sick.and.wrong.

David is hanging in there, hopefully behaving himself at school.

There are much better things to post about and I promise to do that in the near future if and when I get caught up on some sleep.

They're Back!

2011-09-04T11:32:00.000-03:00

We are so thankful to have Roman, Bethany, Abi, and Eli back! They were in the States for 3 months where Roman completed many Linguistic courses at a University, with top marks. These studies will be very important for their work with the deaf community. Additionally, they have shared some of their research with us and it will be helpful in our continued language acquisition as well. Anyway, it is so good to have them back.

They brought us back some fun treats from the good ol' US of A. Maple flavoring for Maple Syrup, Chili Powder, and Carmex were among my favorites. The boys were jumping up and down when they saw the Snickers bars and the Paper Airplane and Dinosaur books. They'll come in handy today since we're stuck inside with sick kids.

Did you know September is a time for windstorms here? Since we haven't had rain for 8 months, everything is very dry so windstorms create duststorms. And when your windows and doors do not have proper seals, your house becomes very dirty as do little boys' lungs. All that to say, we're going to make chicken soup, fresh bread, and do a lot of reading today.

Chris is on his way to Santa Teresita with Guillermo to be with the people there. And just so you know, I'm not complaining about the lack of proper seals on our windows and doors . . . many of the people in Santa Teresita don't even have windows in their cement block homes.

Have a great Sunday and start to your week.

Lisandro's Birthday Party and a Big Surprise

2011-08-30T15:21:00.000-03:00

Johnny will always be Johnny.

He sure makes me laugh. This is Lisandro, his mejor amigo. His parents own a big party room, Diverty, and we had a lot of fun celebrating this sweet boy. Usually families just drop off their kids and scram, but we were invited to stay, como familia.

¡Feliz Cumpleaños, Li!

And then there's this.

They had face painting at Li's party and to my huge shock, Andrew was in line.

He's never had his face painted in his life - something about preferring not to wear makeup.

As the littler boys were being transformed into Super Heroes, I asked Andrew

(who avoids attention at all costs)

what he was going to ask for.

He said, "Glasses, a moustache, and a beard."

To say I was speechless is an understatement.

He was very pleased with the result. And we laughed for hours.

5th Grade Field Trip: Tucumán

2011-08-29T13:38:00.000-03:00

So, I'm just wondering how many 5th graders you know who have gone on a field trip that starts on a Thursday at 11:30 pm? And lasts until 6:00 am on Saturday morning? At least one: David Frohling.

As you know, we live in Córdoba Capital. This grand city is in the province of Córdoba. Argentina is divided into 23 provinces and a federal district called the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. David got to travel to Tucumán, another province of Argentina, with the other 5th graders at his school. He was SO excited. They went to the historic downtown and toured the Plaza Independencia, Catedral, Casa de Govierno y Convento San Francisco, Casa de la Independencia, Parque 9 de Julio, Museo Casa del Obispo Colombres, y Empaquetadora SEM (a business that processes lemons and strawberries for export).

When we Chris picked him up at 6:00 am, he was worn out and glad to sleep in his own bed (instead of a bus as he did the previous 2 nights) which he did until 1:00 pm in the afternoon. He had a great time and even took some photos that we can share:

I am so thankful for this group of kids; there are about 25 in his class.
They have a lot of fun together and are all very close.

FAQs

2011-08-25T15:59:00.001-03:00

I could write a book on our first year's experiences (and hope to), but I wanted to share with you the most frequently asked questions that we receive upon meeting someone new. I'll answer them for you too.

¿De dónde sos? Where are you from?

The United States.

[I'm generally asked this as soon as I begin speaking because my Spanish accent is clearly not Cordobés. And if we are all together, we don't even need to begin speaking for someone to ask us since we look so different from everyone else. It's often assumed that we're from Germany with our height, hair, eye, and skin color.]

¿Estás paseando? Are you just traveling through?

Nope. We live here.

¿Por qué estás acá? Why are you here?

My husband and I are accountants and missionaries. [I still struggle with this word.] We are working in various poor neighborhoods to try to share the hope we have in Jesus a practical way and not just with words. [If I'm feeling particularly bold, I'll ask my own question: ¿Qué opinás sobre Jesús? What do you think about Jesus?]

¿Te gusta Argentina? Do you like Argentina?

Yes.
[This is true. It is also the correct answer.]

¿Qué te gusta más? What do you like the most?
The people. They are warm and open.

¿Qué comida desayunás? What do you eat for breakfast?

Pancakes, scrambled eggs, toast, cereal, and bacon.
[Yes, this is a common question, and yes, I say this answer proudly. Generally speaking, Argentines do not eat breakfast and think it is very strange that we do. Clearly we do not eat all of the above every day, but I do enjoy watching the looks on their faces when I say it. Many questions are apt to follow that I won't bore you with.]

Monkey Races and Fetching Desires

2011-08-17T16:34:00.000-03:00

It's been an interesting last couple of weeks, filled with waiting (patience), goal setting (humility), and communication (grace).

Needless to say, my words for the year can be found in those parenthesis above.

I don't feel much like writing about it so I'll leave you with 2 funny pictures that can actually illustrate a bit of what I don't feel like saying.

Andrew, Johnny, and I made these monkeys out of paper, yarn, straws, and tape. They raced to the top of our closet... a particular orange monkey always seemed to win while the yellow monkey tried really hard to get to the top but couldn't quite make it. He needed help with his wounds (rips) that were caused by the friction of the assent.

He got the help from someone a bit older and wiser and eventually learned how to enjoy the climb without too much worry about winning.

Buddy: "I love you, tennis ball. I'd really like to chase you."

Me: "Buddy, you're being pathetic. Why are you so obsessed with that thing?"

Buddy: "I just want to play. It's my job to play. Why won't you throw me the ball?"

Me: "I threw it to you a hundred times today. You just need to wait."

Buddy: "Okay."

He eventually decided to stop waiting, nudged the ball with his nose and watched it roll across the room.

Then he chased it and started ~~the game~~ his work all over again.

Innovative and creative and willing to work.

Not so pathetic, I must admit.

1 Year & 12 Words

2011-08-03T08:34:00.025-03:00

Today marks the day of our arrival to Argentina one year ago.

As you know, there have been low lows and high highs.

(Just like life anywhere, really.)

We are thankful for this year. It has brought us much closer as a couple, a family,

and it has shown us the creative ways that God provides.

We are making lots of new friends, learning a new culture and language, and growing in grace and humility.

As a result of intentional contact and honest communication we have become even closer to friends who now live 5,812 miles away.

Back in May, a good friend of mine from Santa Barbara emailed me the following:
"What are your five most favorite words you have learned in Spanish since being in Argentina? I’m thinking they rank high because of the meaning, the cultural context, the way it rolls off your tongue (or others). Learning and speaking Spanish is such a HUGE part of your life. I want to know more about your life."

It was a great question for me and my answers represent much of our life here. The following is my edited response (I had 7 favorites):

Esperar: "To wait" AND "to hope". Since it means both, it has opened up loads to me in my Bible reading (don’t worry, they’re not all as spiritual as this one).

Me da piel de gallina: Literally this means “It gives me skin of a hen.” However, figuratively it means “I have the chills” (or "goose bumps", or as bilingual Argentines say, "goose flesh").

¡Ojo!: Literally means “eye”, but here people pull their skin down below their eye and say “¡Ojo!” as a way of saying, “careful” or “look out!” If you're into fútbol, you will see South American players doing this to each other.

Permiso: This is what people say before entering your house. It’s like asking permission and they say it before entering a new room or any new place in your home. The correct response is “Sí, pasá, pasá.” or "Yes, come in, come in." It is very polite. My kids have not gotten a grasp on how or when or why to use it. (They’re basically culturally rude most of the time.)

La Cola: This word is funny. It means “tail”, “butt”, or “line”. The boys like to say “Cuidado con la cola” and then smack their butt. In Spain it would be very offensive to refer to someone’s butt as a cola since it literally means tail; the Spaniards do not like to think of themselves with a tail. And if you think of the expression hacer cola you can think of us standing in lllooonnnggg lines at the bank, the grocery store, the bus stop, or at any the infamous DNI government offices. (However, I get ahead of myself. Clearly hacer cola belongs in the "least favorite" list below.)

Puede ser: This means “It can be” or it’s asked as a question “could it be?” You can use it any time, anywhere and feel like you know what you’re saying.

¡Que feo!: “How ugly!” We use it all the time. Kind of like, “How lame!”

This isn’t a word, per se, but I love the way people kiss when they meet and greet. It’s very warm and not at all creepy. I love how Andrew offers his cheek (face) when he meets a new adult or how a child comes straight at me with pursed lips and an expectant side glance while waiting for my dip-down to give a kiss and an hola.

And, of course, here are a couple that make my "least favorite" list of the day:

Hospitál/Hótel/Honor/Honduras…: Basically any word that is the same in English and starts with an H. Las haches no suenan en español. (The h’s don’t have a sound in Spanish.) Whenever we use a word that begins with an H we have to be very intentional about not making the H sound… Hugo (Ugo) makes fun of us. (In a nice way, of course.)

¿Me estás jodiendo?: Argentina is the only country where this means “Are you kidding me?” which is totally fine. The problem is if you say this in any other Spanish speaking country it means “Are you f-ing with me?” Yes, the f-word. Because I know this, I do not like hearing it and since the boys know that, they say it often.

Por/Para: Either word represents “for”. There are other translations for them too, like “through”, “by”, “on behalf of”. But I can’t ever get them right and saying them wrong can be translated into an embarrassing situation.

Necesito hacer pis: “I need to go pee" or literally, "I need to make pee." It just sounds feo to my English-listening ears. "Pis" in Spanish sounds very similar to "piss" in English and I still get a little red in the face and shocked when someone says it. I know that sounds prudish of me and I don’t know why it embarrasses me so much. I prefer to say “¿Puedo pasar al baño?” or, literally, “May I go into the restroom?”

So, there you have it wrapped up into a dozen or so words. After receiving my answers, my friend responded: "I absolutely LOVE this! Not only did I find out about the words that are becoming part of your conscious, but I got a little glimpse of how you are interacting with the new culture...Friend, you are dear in my heart. I wish there was an English phrase that expressed a deeper sense than that, maybe there is one in Spanish?"

She's right that there is a Spanish phrase that expresses this better: amigo querido. This past year has shown us that our true home is in Heaven and that God is kind to give us such special friendships here on Earth.

Chau for now amigos queridos.

NINE!

2011-07-29T08:41:00.064-03:00

Today is Andrew's birthday. He's 9. And we are very excited to celebrate his life.

He's a good one, that Andrew-boy.

Here are 9 things we like about him in no particular order:

1. He's compassionate and brave.

2. He's generous.

3. He's a really good dancer.

4. He loves his brothers and shows them this by his actions.

5. He likes helping his mama cook; he's also hospitable

and likes sharing time around the table with people.

6. He will drop anything to play a good game of Rummikub

(and he wins almost every time).

7. He thinks outside of the box and has a good head on his shoulders.

8. He truly knows the definition of a friend.

And he's a good and faithful one.

9. He has a very silly laugh and uses it often

with a certain twinkle in his eye.

We love you, Andrew.

God richly blessed our lives when he allowed us to be your mom and dad.

The day you were born will always be one of our favorites.
Happy 9th Birthday, buddy.

In case you're wondering, we celebrated with friends last night from 6:30 - 9:30 pm at Mr. Piruetas (a "party room").

We played indoor soccer, bounced in bounce houses, danced to funny music, raced electric cars, and ate lots of sugar.

[And Chris and I dressed up like the King and Queen that we are when we served the cake.

We do not typically wear blue and pink crowns or silky outfits over our everyday clothes.

It was mandatory. "All the parents do it... the kids love it!" we were told.

We continue to be humbled every single day.

Thanks to Tío Devin for getting it on film and being Chris's partner in crime in eating the kids' food.]

Banco Mundial de la Mujer

2011-07-22T14:02:00.000-03:00

We wanted to update you that we had another really great meeting with

Banco Mundial de la Mujer this morning and are excited to be partnering with them. Recently, Chris and I listened to a talk that Steve Jobs gave at a Stanford commencement ceremony and one of his points was that you can’t always connect the dots on things that happen in your life. However, he said, in hindsight sometimes you can.

The work we’ll be doing is designing and conducting a survey for Banco Mundial’s current (450 people) and prior clients to find out what other services they would like/need in addition to the loans being given. (Currently, they only give loans.) They really want to do more for their clients, but have not had the financial resources to do anything more. We will be able to get to know 450 micro-business owners! Additionally, we’ll get acquainted with the barrios they live and work in. After the survey is over and the results are calculated, we will be able to begin creating systems to implement these other services (micro-insurance, health classes, basic business principles courses etc.) that the clients express interest in.

It also felt really good to tell Gabriela that we came here to share the love of Christ. We explained to her that our idea is to show God’s love to all different types of people and that working with her and the foundation will enable us to do that. We also told her how much we appreciate what they have been doing for the past 20 years and think it’s very admirable and necessary in the alleviation of poverty.

We wanted to share our excitement and thank you for walking this road with us. It sure has been a process and we know it will continue to be (it’s life!), but we’re thankful for the way we can see God’s hand connecting the dots for us.

Have a great weekend!

Feliz Día del Amigo

2011-07-20T23:29:00.000-03:00

We get to celebrate a lot of occasions, here in Argentina.

Today is the Day of the Friend.

It was such a blessing to receive (and send) emails, texts,

and even gifts in the name of Amistad.

Here are some recent photos of some special Argentine friends and me.

Lucia, Me, Marcela, Graciela, and Ivana

[We went to a conference in the province of Chaco about how the church can be instrumental in the education, prevention of, and restoration from sexual abuse. It was very intense, especially when I had to look up various medical terms in my English/Spanish dictionary that I didn't understand in English either.

However, this seems like it should be another post...]

I have to admit that I had to hold back the tears when I saw the sand.

The river was beautiful. Unfortunately there were no waves.

Thank you, sweet friends - both here in Argentina and in the States,

for being faithful, encouraging, and good examples to me.

I'm a blessed lady.

Alta Gracia

2011-07-18T08:41:00.001-03:00

In the middle of our winter vacation, we got a beautiful day of sun

so we made the best of it by going to Alta Gracia with the Fields.

It was a wonderful time, enjoying nature, friendships, and imaginative games.

(Kings, spies, messengers, servants, boat bombings, the works!)

The kids (and Chris) even went swimming.

The only way I would have even touched the water was if I needed to do a rescue or something drastic like that. It was nice and sunny, but the water turned your skin blue. I'm not into that.

Chris loved getting wet and even took a siesta on the sand while Martin, Julie and I drank mate.

It's supposed to snow any minute. That is not a joke.

Argentina 3, Costa Rica 0

2011-07-17T08:01:00.001-03:00

Have you heard of the Copa America? It has been called the most important soccer tournament in Latin America.

Guess what country is hosting it this year? Argentina. How stoked are we?

The boys have been collecting stickers of players, teams, and stadiums and put them in a treasured album and study it daily. This weekend we'll be watching the quarter finals (and hopefully hear that USA Women won the Women's World Cup).

Chris, Devin, David, and Andrew were able to go to the Argentina vs. Costa Rica game last Monday. Johnny and I stayed home and watched Argentina dominate from the comfort of our living room. Messi was at his finest and set up some nice goals - 3 to be exact.

Go Argentina!

5th Grade Gaucho Dance

2011-07-16T11:36:00.000-03:00

On the last day of school, before

Winter Vacation

(yes, winter vacation in July),

David was in an acto at school celebrating Día de Córdoba.

He danced a gaucho dance with Milena, Facundo, and Milagros.

I'm very aware of how time flies when I look into the face of my oldest child...

whom I used to call Baby-David. Sigh.

Circo Solidario

2011-07-01T14:29:00.000-03:00

Since 2004, our church, Jesucristo Rey, has put on a Circo (circus) that raises money to benefit a local organization. It is a big production and the kids in the Sunday School program participate. We were incredibly impressed by the use of their own time and human resources to put on such an amazing event (sewing, painting, designing, music, dancing, choreography, etc.). The kids sold bonos for 10 pesos each in an effort to raise money to give to Prodanea, a program that helps children with “epidermolisis ampoliar” (they have a rare skin disorder that causes their skin to fall off when touched).

We had a fun night of laughing, drinking mate, and being thankful.

Johnny’s age group were prehistoric creatures and Johnny was the head of the caterpillar-saurus.

The 6 & 7 year olds were knights and princesses.

Did we tell you the Fields are back? (We’re so happy!)

The 8 & 9 year olds were Egyptians with a mix of clown-parts.

This would have been Andrew’s group, but as you know, he prefers to skip out

on these types of things instead of pinching himself through it.

The pre-adolescents and adolescents were robots from the future. David had fun dancing and juggling. (Today, at school, he’s in an acto with the other 5^th graders and "has" to dance with a girl. No comment.)

These were 2 of the funniest clowns I have ever seen.

I’m not particularly fond of clowns, but these guys had us crying we were laughing so hard.

And this act was so fun. They did a bunch of hand tricks all together. We loved it.

There were lots of other great acts that were creative and very well-done.

It was a great night.

And tonight marks the first game of the Copa America!!!

The Fields will be joining us for the big event. Go Argentina!

Fun Photos from Norm

2011-06-24T21:37:00.000-03:00

It's nice to have really good friends who are also really good photographers.

Norm took some great photos of our time together

and you can access them here and from Norm's photo blog.

And the download info from Norm:

"Anyone can download the photos FOR FREE simply by mousing over the photo they want--- a drop-down menu opens, and at the bottom is a little folder symbol with an arrow that allows you to download the photo to your computer." Here's the link again: Norm's Great Photos

Have a great weekend!

Presupuestos y Finanzas en el Campamento

2011-06-20T19:31:00.000-03:00

Our workshop ended up being a lot of fun – can you believe it? The attendees were very gracious with our level of Spanish and they were very interactive and participatory. Basically, the 120 people attending the conference are people who give Christian camps to kids, pre-adolescents, adolescents, jovenes (young people 18 – 30 years old), adults, and people with special needs. They do things like we’ve experienced at Forest Home or Hume Lake.

Here are some of our take-aways for next time:

If we don’t have Dan Michaelson here, we should probably try to get someone to hang out with the kiddos. They were great sports, but it was a long time to wait. There was a basketball court that they played on for about an hour, but it got too cold to play outside.

Definitely make cookies. It was a great idea and I think it helped with our evaluations.

On the aforementioned evaluations, the main feedback on ways to improve was to have more time. The seminar was 2.5 hours. We will need to learn how to make the best use of the time given. I could not bear to give a seminar for longer than 2.5 hours.

We made some new friends as seen above and are thankful for the opportunity (now that it's over).

¡Feliz Día de la Bandera!

(Day of the Flag – it’s another holiday today!)

A Few Things

2011-06-18T17:13:00.000-03:00

It’s been a full week.

It seems like David has become a pre-adolescent overnight. Hasn’t he grown up?

Andrew got very sick on Sunday night (he’s much better now) and was home from school, doctor’s orders, all week. He slept in our room a couple of nights and here is his faithful friend wishing he could be right next to him. Buddy would not leave the door knowing that Andrew was on the other side.

We’ve been working on our “Budgeting and Finances for Camps” presentation all week and it’s been painful. We’ll be giving it at the Argentina National Conference for Christian Camping International tomorrow. I baked some cookies in an attempt to get the attendees to like us in spite of the topic of our seminar.

We welcomed Dan Michealson to Córdoba on Friday morning. It’s been great to have him here with us.

Out on Friday night at the Bicentennial Plaza.
Look at Chris's new jacket - Thank you Dixons!

Playing Uno Spin - you'll have to ask Dan who won
and what he thinks of Johnny

Chris and Dan are on their way to pick up the President of CCI at the airport and deliver him to the conference in Bialet Massé. It's their 2nd trip out there today since the poor guy missed his connecting flight in Chile.

The adventure continues.

As a family, we'll go back out tomorrow, after church, to give our wonderful part of the conference. And Michaelson family, thanks for sharing your dad with us! Ahnika, you were right about the wine. He's very easy to please.

Happy Father's Day to you great dads out there!

Her (a post by Chris)

2011-06-15T04:00:00.003-03:00

Krista blogged about our 17 year anniversary the other day. On that day, I thought a lot about her. We met almost 19 years ago. It’s been a privilege to be her best friend and companion over these years. We have both grown in so many different ways as we have experienced life together. There have been highs and lows and lots of time in between.

In the midst of our process of deciding to come here to Argentina, selling most of our stuff, moving here and adjusting to a new life in a different culture we have faced new challenges and also experienced new joys. We are both organized, planner-types and so learning to deal with constantly changing plans and seemingly insurmountable challenges has tested us. We've had to depend on each other in serious ways. I am happy to say that I believe that in the big scope of things, God is changing us for the better and we have grown closer together than ever before.

Through this whole experience, my appreciation, love and respect for Krista has continued to grow. There are not many moms I know who would have even been open to the possibility of moving overseas with our three young boys. We had a good, comfortable life in Santa Barbara and she was willing to leave it for a time. Since we have been here, I’ve been able to witness Krista’s perseverance in improving in her Spanish despite her feelings of discouragement. I’ve watched her handle some incredibly difficult and uncomfortable situations. I’ve seen her sadness at missing all of our friends and family. I’ve seen her make our house here a home and gently guide each one of our boys through the adaptation process. She's encouraged me in my low times. Through it all, she has continued to be a godly woman, a wonderful mom to our boys, a great wife to me, and one of the funniest people I know. I love watching her interact with her new friends here and seeing how she encourages them and blesses them by being the person that God has made her to be.

I am so thankful to God that He has given me the privilege of sharing my life with Krista, my beautiful wife. I love her strength, compassion for others, love for Jesus, intelligence, heart for the poor, determination, sense of humor, and her ability to be “real”.

At our wedding, we played the James Taylor song, “My Only One”. Krista will always be my only one. God has blessed me abundantly with her.

Seventeen

2011-06-12T13:08:00.000-03:00

June 11 marked 17 years of marital bliss for Chris and me.

"Bliss" is obviously overstating it, but I am very thankful to be married to my best friend and someone who knows me and yet still loves me very well. These past 10 months living together in another culture have brought us closer and reminded us that we make a good team.

(We're also in the process of working through all the yucky parts that being married brings out, but that's another post.)

There really isn't anyone else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with, and I'm thankful he feels the same about me.

Devin came over to hang out with the kiddos so Chris and I could go out.

When they boys heard this, they literally cheered. He is like a big brother buddy to them and he fits into our family really well. They had a dance off to U2 music and Devin brought them more Copa America stickers for their albums. They ate breakfast for dinner and the kitchen was clean when we got home. I know, nice.

Chris and I went out to Peruvian food and very much enjoyed the different flavors that Peru offered.

After dinner, we went to ice cream and Chris got a Pinito.

Look how happy he is. I know just what you're thinking too.

Happy Sunday!

Chunder

2011-06-08T14:33:00.000-03:00

Johnny's home today with the barfs.

Yesterday, he had to decline the honor of being the bandadero (the flag taker-downer) because, as he told his seño, "No me siento bien. Creo que voy a vomitar." (I don't feel good. I think I'm going to vomit.) He ended up yakking in the bushes right before we picked him up. Needless to say, he skipped out on basketball practice last night and informed me very calmly each time he needed to throw-up.

He's very non-chalant about it... it's almost weird.

This morning he's had a few more puking episodes and just said to me,

"Mommy, I'd like to cuddle you and watch a movie."

I like him. A lot.

PS Do you like how many different words I used to describe the regurgitation process? I left out a few like up-chuck, hurl, ralf, heave, and praying to the porcelain god.

Sports, Conferences, and Dinner & Dog-dates

2011-06-06T18:51:00.000-03:00

We have had a good last few weeks. The kids are loving their new life here and that makes everything rosy. A few weeks ago, there was a race at Instituto Niños Argentinos in order to have fun, raise money, and have time together as a school community. Every grade ran and the top 3 runners of each got medals. Johnny and Andrew got fourth place and truly enjoyed themselves. Here is David in his victory stance for placing third.

In the girls’ race, his friend Sofia also got third and I’m not sure they were too happy about me taking this photo. I like her and wish that the whole boy/girl thing wasn’t so awkward at this age so she could come over for a play date. I’m sure someday soon, I’ll be wishing the opposite.

Andrew and Johnny have started playing basketball at our neighborhood club, EPEC. They are so fun to watch. Johnny loves running up and down the court. Andrew loves dribbling and shooting baskets. Chris and I love watching them and hearing their teammates yell their names.

Chris went to a week long course on Transformational Integral Ministry (using the global CHE network method) at Asociación Campos Blancos. It was very informative and he made some great new friends. There were some people there from the northern, poorer province of Chaco and Chris was able to talk with them about the solar powered Unite to Light. He gave some of the lights we had ordered so they could share them in their communities that do not have reliable electricity.

And finally, here’s a photo of our most recent dinner with the Sanchez family and Devin, the Fulbright Scholar who has become such a good friend. When the Sanchez’s asked what they could bring, I asked them to bring una botella de vino. They brought two: one from Argentina and one from California. The Argentine Malbec will always win, in my humble opinion. I also asked them to bring their dog, Camilo, who the boys are enchanted with. Buddy enjoyed some special dog time.

It is good to share life together.

We love hearing about your life too. Fill us in...

El Acto

2011-05-23T19:51:00.000-03:00

So, Andrew and Johnny had their play today about the beginning of Argentina's independence. It's a wonderful history about working together with little resources to get to a common goal: freedom.

I also learned from a neighbor that this week is more important to most Argentines than the actual day of independence.

They tried on their gaucho costumes before to make sure

everything borrowed actually fit.

Johnny was so proud of that dumb horse on a stick.

I forgot to tell you that the pole taped to the horse head is from our gazebo that literally blew away last summer. One night the gazebo was in our back yard and the next morning it was completely gone. Our neighbor brought it back to us in a box. (We have a lot of stories like this.)

Johnny's quote after his performance:

"I don't know why, but I just LOVE things like this!"

He loved running around on his horse and liked when everyone laughed when his hat fell off.

And then there is Andrew's quote:

"I was pinching myself the whole time because I was so embarrassed.

I HATE things like that."

I don't think it helped that he had to hold a girl's hand and do a little dance.

The play was about what happened on May 25, 1810 mixed with things from today. It was fun to watch.

Bravo chicos.

Weekend Activities

2011-05-22T22:17:00.000-03:00

As is custom, our weekend started off with David's soccer games.

He had a lot of fun and played well.

After spending most of the afternoon cleaning our very dirty house, we went over to Bethany and Roman's house for dinner. I didn't know they'd have a party planned. It was so fun.

They leave on Wednesday for 3 months to the USA to get further training in linguistics. (They're really smart.)

We are going to miss them.

Today we celebrated my cumpleaños with some friends.

Aren't they cute?

Lucia, me, Pato

I really like these ladies.

Marisol, Alan, Chris, Krista, Lucia, Hugo, Pato, y Susana

I felt very loved by many people today. I even got wished a "feliz cumpleaños" from the pulpit at church. Thank you, friends. I do have to admit, however, that I really missed my mom today.

And, last but not least, I spent an hour making this

"cabeza de un caballo en un palo".

May 25 is Argentina's Primer Gobierno Patrio where we celebrate the beginning of Argentina's winning independence from Spain. We will celebrate Independence day on July 9.

Anyway, Johnny and Andrew have an "acto" at school tomorrow to commemorate. Both are "gauchcos" (or Argentine cowboys) and Johnny will be riding this homemade horse on a stick.

David is thrilled not to be participating and I'm thrilled to watch!

Have a great week.

Post Op

2011-05-17T22:09:00.000-03:00

This is Johnny before the surgery, and yes, those are angry eyes.

When we got to the hospital at 7:30 this morning, we found Bethany already there.

Please remember that 7:30 am is very early for anyone who lives in Argentina.

By the time I took this photo it was about 10:00 and

Johnny was very hungry and tired.

Not a good combination... for anyone.

The nurses had to try multiple times to get the IV into his arm.

He has a huge bruise, but I would like you to know that he watched them poke and prod him and he laughed.

He watched and he laughed.

Here he is, with Doggy, after the surgery.

His first words to me in the recovery room upon waking up were

"Hi. Can I eat now?"

Unfortunately, the answer was no. In terms of health care, Argentines are very cautious and prefer to wait 2 hours after surgery before letting a patient eat or drink anything, due to the potential after-affects of anesthesia.

I heard Johnny say "I'm hungry" about 100 times before begging the nurse to let me at least give him something to drink.

This was the low part of the day - the hungry, tired, angry child part.

It did make me thankful that he usually has a full tummy

and that we don't normally worry about food, like so many others in the world do.

(That's my profound take-away for the day.)

Watching as the IV was removed after being in the hospital for 7.5 hours.

We played dots and boxes, tic tac toe, read 115 pages of the Children's Bible, played who-am-i?, and then he got to eat jello and pudding, both of which were big treats.

On the way home, Johnny commented on the sounds of the buses that he had yet to hear, listened to me whisper, and didn't stop talking. The non-stop talking is normal, as is the high-volume voice. I'm hoping that in the next few days of supposed "down time" he will discover that he doesn't need to talk quite so loud because when we have ears that hear, we can speak in regular inside voices as I remind him of often.

Thank you for all the emails and prayers and support. We feel loved.

Two Good Men

2011-05-16T23:09:00.000-03:00

We sure miss the Popps!!!

(I'm pretty sure Norm got some good photos of Trish and me hanging the laundry.)

And as a side note, no pun intended...

Did you know that Bessie got side-swiped on the freeway when Chris was picking Neil Cantrall up from the airport in March? I will not even begin to bore you with all the details of insurance claims. We'll see if she gets fixed after it's all said and done. (We certainly are not going to be paying for her cosmetic surgery.)

Tubos

2011-05-11T23:00:00.000-03:00

After 3 attempts in the USA to enable Johnny to hear (read: ear tube surgeries, adenoid removal, tonsillectomy) we're going to try a fourth time in Argentina. Poor buddy still has fluid in his ears which make it impossible to pass a hearing test. Imagine learning a new language if everything in your world sounded like you were at the bottom of a pool. He's a trooper, that Johnny-boy. He sings all day long, loves his new school and friends, and continues to make us laugh even while making us cringe with his volume.

Dr. Escalera is going to put in the type of tubes seen on the far left of the drawing above. They are supposed to last a year instead of 3 - 6 months like the others have.

We have had so many offers of assistance from friends here and Bethany is going to go with Johnny and me to the clinic to make sure nothing gets lost in translation. If you think about it, you could pray for Dr. Escalera and Johnny on May 17 at 7:30 am Argentina time.

The Popps

2011-05-04T01:06:00.000-03:00

Here is Johnny's Thankfulness Journal drawing for today.

(That would be Trish and Norm Popp.)

We love having Norm and Trish here. They are amazing friends and we have already spent 2 great days with them, talking in Spanish and English, taking photos, making food, drinking coffee, staying up late, hanging laundry, introducing Argentine friends, telling jokes, creating scooter tracks in the back yard, visiting Patio Olmos, playing legos, walking around Parque Sarmiento...

On the floor examining Legos

The first leg of the Scooter Track.

The second and final loop of the track
(with names for each element, like "spider trap", "tunnel of doom", and "barrel face")

Some of our favorite Argentine friends: Abi, Roman, Bethany, and Eli.
(This is right before I got bird turded on by a humongous pigeon with a very full bowel.)

Dinnertime jokes, to Chris and Trish's dismay and Norm's and my delight.

Finding a bug in his ice cube (it's a joke on him this time and he played it very well)

Be sure to ask one of the boys sometime what they think is the funniest thing Norm has said.

You'll laugh your head off.

Did You Know...?

2011-04-25T23:39:00.000-03:00

In keeping with Santa Barbara Community Church's tradition...

Did You Know...

...that if you have a chronic tummy ache for an extended period of time, it could be caused by the quality of water you're drinking?

These are not salt & pepper shakers. The water filter on the right is clean.
The other, well, it's dirty with whatever is in the water (after 2 1/2 months of use).

In January, we were at Bethany and Roman's house and David told me his stomach was hurting (for about the 10th time that week - and it was only Tuesday). Johnny and I had been eating Tums like candy and I happened to mention it to Bethany. She asked if we drank the water out of the tap.

"Yes, we do and we have been for the past 5 months." I answered.

Roman interjected, "Oh no. Please, do not drink our water. We don't drink our water. Especially during the summer time, before the rain comes, the water levels get low and the water gets worse." For so many reasons, we are so thankful for these friends. They set up an appointment for us with someone they knew who came over and installed a filter on our tap right away. And our tummies are much better.

Did You Know...

...we have some great new friends named Guillermo and Susy? They have 3 daughters, ages 24, 20, and 16. We enjoyed a delicious asado (with 5 or 6 salads!) with them on Saturday and the boys played soccer with their dog, Camilo. We were so thankful to be with new friends during a holiday weekend that, until this year, has always been spent with family.

Chris, Julieta (16), Luchi (20), David (11), Andrew (8), Johnny (6), Meli (24), Guille, Susy

Besides playing with the dog, I think this was a highlight for the boys: Cracking open a homemade, huge chocolate egg.
It had Rocklets inside (similar to M&Ms) and the boys ate so much I thought they might barf.

Did You Know...

...we visited a pueblo, Despeñaderos, on Easter Sunday with Guillermo, Susy, Meli, and Edu (her fiance)? They have been working in this pueblo for 15 years as a family. They began with a food program for some hungry kids; then they added kids activities; then they started discipling people, mostly moms who were curious about the people being kind to their kids; and then they began a church. We appreciate the way they are doing integral ministry, serving the people in practical ways (food, activities, nutrition classes, etc.) while sharing the Good News about Jesus. It just makes more sense than starting a church without understanding the people in that particular pueblo.

David, Andrew, and Johnny-boy have seen a lot of things in their short lives, but when Guille and Susy dropped off a set of siblings who the boys had been playing with for the 2 hours of the adult church service, they sat in stunned silence at the appearance of the "house". We had a great talk with them on the 30 minute drive home about different kinds of poverty - how someone could have all the things they want, but be poor in their spirit because they don't have Jesus in their heart. (I loved hearing Johnny say, "Well, He's in my heart because I asked Him there.")

Snack time - note our 3 boys squatting in the back.
There were lots of thorns on the ground and their buns couldn't handle the pain.

Did You Know...

...dogs like to hang out on roofs? We found this guy on our neighbor's roof trying to make friends with Buddy.

I have to admit that Buddy was less than impressed by this dog's feat and just wanted me to throw the ball.

Did You Know...

...birthday celebrations are very, very important in Argentina? The boys love getting invited and the parties usually include lots of dulces, everything-goes bounce houses, and tons of kids. This party was for one of Johnny's friends and was especially fun because the moms stayed, talked, and shared mate. We all enjoyed ourselves (and Chris got to enjoy some quiet time at home and worked on our taxes - I know he'd have preferred jumping all crazy in the castillo!)

Painting a picture of David & Goliath.

During a little rest from the castillo, basketball was necessary for the bigger boys.

Did You Know...

...that a special comb is needed for the removal of lice?

In case you need one (I hope you don't), here's a site where you can get your own extra suave, irrompible pedi-peine.
http://www.claudegarnie.com/

As a mom, until today, I never had to deal with these foul creatures; luckily Andrew escaped the epidemic of his 2nd grade class in the USA. Well, Johnny was scratching his head like a street dog with fleas, so I examined his head (literally) and discovered an entire colony of black ickies on his white hair.

Okay, chau for now.

Fulbright Scholars are Smart

2011-04-16T14:34:00.000-03:00

We have had the privilege of getting to know Devin Dvorak who is here, in Cordoba Capital, on a Fulbright scholarship from Pepperdine University. Small world, I know. He is researching economic development here, working with different institutions, and being a good-will ambassador from the USA to Argentina. We have been able to collaborate with him on some projects and gain some valuable insight into the Argentine financial landscape from his extensive research.

Together, Chris and Devin visited an microlending foundation, Banco Mudial de la Mujer, to meet with the president. She was very helpful, informing them that the foundation has 500 borrowers, 5 loan officers who collect the loan payments in the surrounding communities, the average loan size is USD$400, and many other things (Chris and Devin had a list of 17 questions). She expressed openness to working with other organizations, so there is a possibility that we would be able to provide some small business development training.

On a personal note, here's a photo of David in his first soccer game.

He's playing for BOCA-Córdoba.

Andrew and Johnny just started playing basketball at a neighborhood club.

At the moment, they are outside practicing their dribbling skillage.

Thoughts on Bidets

2011-04-10T19:20:00.000-03:00

I’ve adapted to a lot of things, but using a bidet will never be one of them. I actually researched how to use them and even watched a few youtubes.

I will not use one.

Ever.

Anyway, since our bidet just gathered dust and leaks whenever I clean it (gross!), I came across the coolest invention at a friends house: A Bidet Cover.

Don’t you love it!?

And just the fact that it has lace on it confirms the fact that I have learned to adapt and accept the things around me. Lace has not existed before in my house, well, not in a decorative home “style” at least. Is there anyone else you know who posts about their bidet?

It fascinates and repulses me all at the same time.

Chau for now!

(I promise to write something of more substance later – lots of great things going on!)

3 Positives & 1 Negative

2011-04-05T23:00:00.001-03:00

Being in Argentina for 8 months has taught us so much.

There are many things we truly admire and appreciate about our new country and culture.

Here are 3 off the top of my head.

The Argentine people are very resourceful.

Whether it be a rope to tow a car, a stick and rag to mop the floor, or scraps of wood for home repair, they are good at making due with what they have.

The children here always respectfully greet adults with a kiss and a hola.

I love it.

We have learned so much about tranquilidad from the Argentine people.

Generally speaking, they are calm, warm, helpful and hospitable.

And now for the negative.

Clearly, I love the man in this photo. What I do not like are the crickets surrounding him. In one 30 minute period, the hero above killed over 100 of them with the shoe in his left hand and the insecticide in his right. I watched from inside as he was dive-bombed and informed him of the huge one sitting on his shoulder (like any good wife would do).

PS Please don't judge us for using insecticide. Crickets are food for scorpions, scorpions sting, and the venom can be quite dangerous for young boys. Without crickets, we won't have scorpions. You also can't imagine how difficult it is to find natural insect-killing methods when you still have trouble finding whole wheat flour.

SIX!

2011-03-28T10:48:00.000-03:00

Johnny's 6th birthday is today.

Here are 6 things I really like about him (in no particular order):

1.) He's funny and makes me laugh.

2.) His eyebrow raising skillage.

3.) His love and admiration for his brothers.

4.) His never-ending energy.

5.) His no-fear, go-for-it attitude.

(Even if this makes my heart skip a beat every once in awhile.)

6.) His willingness (and ability) to make himself heard in this crazy family.

I love you Johnny-boy. You have my heart - wear it carefully.

Another Johnny Quote & Neil Cantrall

2011-03-23T18:27:00.000-03:00

Doesn't this picture make you happy?

At night, before going to bed, I often just sit at Johnny's bed and stare at him.

He's so calm and quiet and peaceful, even if he is sprawled out across his entire mattress.

He's such an angel when he's sleeping.

Here's his latest pondering:
"I don't want to be a Police Officer anymore. But I want to be the guy who asks the neighbors if they want me to cut their grass. It would be fun. Daddy would cut. I would rake. Brothers would scoop it up.

[Side note from mom: What the heck would I be doing? Cooking? Cleaning? Laundry? Whatever.]

Being a police officer would be a good job, but being a grass cutter would be funner. I wanted to be a police officer because it would be fun, I could get the stuff that the robbers rob, put sticks in their bags as a trick, and I'd like to have a gun."

I love the way he thinks. He's hilarious and I love laughing with him. It also seems to me that he already has a bit of a grasp of micro-enterprises! There are a few guys (and some with their families) who come around asking us if they can spruce up our front yard. For about 20 pesos (or USD$5), they weed-wack and trim the grass. Johnny is clearly fascinated by the whole process.

On another note, we have a new, fun friend visiting us right now. His name is Neil Cantrall and he is here as a LAM missionary appointee checking out Córdoba Capital as a possible place to use his gifts to work with kids. He and his wife, Kelsey, have 2 cute boys, spent almost 2 years in Peru, and have lots of amazing stories to tell. It's been great to show him around the city and to introduce him to other people who also have a heart for children. We're selfishly hoping this is the place for them and we'll be able to partner with them in showing people the grace and unconditional love of the Lord!

We just welcomed Autumn down here and are thrilled with the lower temperatures. Johnny brought home a handmade leaf drawing that said "Llegó el otoño."

I promise not to complain about the winter weather this year. Promise.

DIY & Perseverance

2011-03-18T16:20:00.000-03:00

I'm in a bit of a funk today after saying good-bye to Melinda and Frank. Actually, a funk is putting it lightly. "I'm in a foul mood" is more accurate.

So, to dampen my spirits further, I decided to rip out the disgusting, molding caulking in our bathroom. I won't go into the finer points on things that are hecho en Argentina since I'm already grumpy, but suffice it to say that when a shower floor doesn't have a slight slant toward the drain and you need to literally sweep the water until it disappears, mold can tend to grow. I hate mold.

Last night and today, I took it upon myself to pull out all the repulsive caulking, dry the shower thoroughly, and recaulk the floor. You wouldn't care to see the before and after photos in this Do-It-Yourself since it was ugly before and it's still ugly after (and I didn't take any anyway). Now, it's just really clean and not at all moldy.

Just as it was in the States, life can be difficult to balance. To vent a little? It's hard to balance trying to raise 3 kind, generous, God-fearing boys; be nice to my husband; learn a new language and culture; cook, clean, launder; start a new ministry; visit poor villas; miss my family and friends; make new friends and contacts; take an online course; kill bugs; update spreadsheets; buy school supplies for 8 subjects with new lists every other day... I guess that was more than a little venting. I told you I'm in a bad mood.

Everyday, we post a new word and verse for our family. Today it's

Perseverance

and the verses are Hebrews 12:1-2 (from the Message):

"Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever."

Okay. Okay. I still feel like this:

but, I'll keep on running with my eyes on Him....

Gratitude

2011-03-16T17:05:00.000-03:00

I don't think there are many women out there who can honestly say they thoroughly enjoyed a 17-day visit with their mother-in-law.

I can.

I am richly blessed by my relationship with Chris's mom. And with her husband, Frank.

The past 17 days have been a whirlwind of activities: the boys started a new school, Chris and I finished our level 3A/B language course, we all traveled to La Cumbrecita, and Chris and I started an online course that has been hugely helpful for our work. (We're analyzing and investigating the current financial landscape in Argentina - more on that in another post.)

We've lived life in Argentina together these past 17 days.

We've cooked Argentine meals, hung laundry, talked, prayed, laughed until we cried,

and played lots and lots of games.

It is going to be terrible to say chau tomorrow. We love them so much.

Not that you're asking, but I do feel the need to offer some unsolicited advice.

Please, please, enjoy the people around you.

Do not take your relationships for granted.

Whenever the kids write emails or send little notes to their friends, that is the one thing they always write: "Don't take anything in your life for granted." Good advice.

First day of 3rd and 5th Grade!

2011-03-01T14:49:00.001-03:00

Aren't they handsome? I'll write more details as I get them.

And these lovely people arrive tonight!
When I asked Andrew how he was feeling about starting school, he said, "I'd rather not think about that. I prefer to remind myself that today Grandma and Frank are coming. That's better."

First Day of Sala de Cinco

2011-02-24T12:48:00.000-03:00

Today, Johnny started Kindergarten!

(If we were in the Northen Hemisphere, he'd have started in September.)

Inititally they have an adapted schedule which I am so thankful for.

Today I got to go with him to meet his new buddies and the other parents. It was SO fun and I loved watching Johnny discover all the new things and the smiling faces.

Tomorrow and Monday he goes for an hour and a half and then on Tuesday, the day David and Andrew start, he will have his normal schedule which is 2:15 pm - 5:55 pm. (David & Andrew start an hour earlier.)

We decided to change schools for a few reasons, the main one being the fact that Haroldo Andenmatten was so so far away (30 minutes one way). Their new school is Instituto de Niños Argentinos and is about 6 blocks from our house. They'll be able to have neighborhood buddies and we will save more than 2 hours a day travelling. It just makes sense.

Johnny gets to wear the PE uniform under his pintorcito each day.
Seño Andrea, Johnny, and Seño Valeria

The other boys, however, have grey slacks, collared shirts, and dress shoes.

They are excited to start the new school, but very unimpressed with uniform, especially the dress shoes. They will get to wear their PE uniform once a week with tennis shoes, but those other 4 days will be quite a bit more formal. Is it mean that I think it's funny?

I loved his classroom: the brightness, the organization, and the fun atmosphere.

I am still a little shocked, however, that my youngest is in Kindergarten.

The Barfs

2011-02-19T12:37:00.000-03:00

Last night Johnny had the barfs. Right before he was supposed to start his swimming performance for the finale of his summer camp, he started to puke, in the locker room bathroom, in front of all the 4-5 year olds. He said, "Oh, darn it. This was going to be the best day yet."

He slept next to me all night and would wake up and say, "I need to barf. I'd like to barf in the toilet, though, and not the bowl." He's a tough cookie, and I think that's what he had eaten too.

Here is his drawing of the experience(s).

The toilet, Johnny, and me.

He is all better now - it must have been the 12 hour flu - and he's begging to play Uno Spin.

Have a great, barf-free weekend.

Cena con Hugo y Susana

2011-02-13T10:26:00.000-03:00

Last Thursday night we had dinner at Hugo and Susana's house. As you know, Hugo is our language professor and very good friend. His sweet wife has become a good friend as well. They have blessed us more than we could have imagined.

Besides teaching at the Facultad de Lenguas, Hugo teaches high school classes at night to adults who didn't have the opportunity to go to school in their youth and now want to grow in their knowledge and better their lives. He will be able to offer our business training courses to students of his in whom he sees potential and the desire to grow.

My boys and their first course.

Hugo annd Susana have a beautiful home and we loved being surrounded by all the well-cared-for greenery on their front patio. We also enjoyed being able to look through their house at their vast library of books. Susana recently received her Masters in Education and instructs professors how to teach. She used to be a Philosophy professor, so Chris was in heaven looking at all the titles of her books, even if they were in Spanish.

On another note, did you know Chris's mom and Frank will be here in 16 days? It will be a great comfort to have them here as the kids start their new school year and we begin our work.

Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow.

Sientan el amor desde Argentina.

Just wondering...

2011-02-07T21:41:00.000-03:00

What would you do if you found the largest one of these in the shower with you?

Crawling up the wall, next to your towel, with its long crusty body creeping closer and closer to yours?

(And please don't forget that when you're in the shower you are in an exposed and semi-helpless state.)

Just so you know, my reaction was to scream a very girly scream and then yell Chris's name.
He came to the rescue, like always, but I did have to point out the sick cooka-rotch (as Johnny calls them) to each son before it was crushed.
These are some vulnerable times.

Photo credit to Grant Johnson
(thanks for taking such a beautiful, disgusting picture)

Our profile

2011-01-31T20:05:00.000-03:00

We just updated our profile on Latin America Mission's website (the prior one read like we hadn't left yet). I wanted to share the update with you too; it's more official and that seems to be my theme this week.

Chris and Krista Frohling along with their 3 sons, David, Andrew, and Johnny, live in Córdoba Capital, Argentina.

They partner with a local church to provide micro-enterprise training and micro-finance services. They work with the materially poor who desire to support themselves and their families through the effort of their own hands. Chris and Krista’s work includes the formation and maintenance of savings and loan groups, lending start-up capital to micro-business owners, and offering basic business courses. They desire to help alleviate poverty and to share the hope of Christ through the relationships they make and through the Biblical principles incorporated in their training materials.

After receiving degrees in both Business/Economics and Philosophy from Westmont College, Chris, a Certified Management Accountant, worked in various finance and managerial positions throughout Southern California for close to 20 years. Similarly, Krista received her degree in Business/Economics and worked in banking, accounting, and fund-raising before dedicating the majority of her time to raising their three children. From home, she also maintained her own small-business that serviced companies with their finance and accounting needs."

Maybe I'll think of something else official to write about soon.

Chau for now.

(He's cute, don't you think?)

It's Official

2011-01-31T16:04:00.000-03:00

Today, all 5 of us left our house at 6:45 am to go to the Office of Immigrations for the 7th time.
~
We finally had all of our paperwork in order - a terribly terrible long and boring story that I won't bore you with - and our tourist visas expired today. We hoped and prayed that this nightmare would be behind us and we'd be official residents of Argentina.

We got to the office, waited for 30 minutes (which is no time at all!), talked to someone who discovered that one of our papers - that we had just gotten - had already expired. The look on Chris's face must have convinced him to waive this minor infraction and we were sent to the next person. (A total miracle, by the way.)

We all got fingerprinted and signed a formal declaration of our personhood - even Johnny wrote his cute little name, whispering, "Mommy, does the 'J' go this way?"

After this was completed by all 5 of us, we were moved down the hall to the next person. [He was a huge blessing and we actually exchanged information with him because he would like to start his own business and is interested in what we are doing here.] We waited about 2 hours while the paperwork was processed. During this time, I was able to take the boys to their summer camp and then returned to sign some more papers.

After this was finished, Chris and I needed to go to 2 separate banks to pay the rather large fees. It went smoothly at the Banco de Córdoba. Not so at the Banco de la Nación de Argentina. By the time we got to the front of the line (1 person separated us from the teller), the bank's computer system died.

Gracias a Dios, it was resuscitated, we paid our pesos, speed-walked back to the Immigration office, gave our receipts, and signed more papers. We got our temporary paperwork that proves we're legal (they say the real thing will arrive in the mail), caught a taxi, and picked the kids up from summer camp in the nick of time.

We're legal! We can work officially now. Can you believe it?

Now, it's back to studying. Here is Johnny studying on Rosetta Stone while drinking mate. He loves it (the mate, not the studying).

As you know, our first 6 months here have been dedicated to formal language acquisition and culture adaptation. We have one more month of formal studying and are so excited to actually start our micro-finance work....

Weather

2011-01-25T16:20:00.001-03:00

I am aware of weather changes throughout in the world, but being from Southern California I have never really experienced them. We were willing to pay a high price for the fine weather we enjoyed in that beautiful little coastal community. Now we are learning firsthand that in Córdoba, however, as the seasons change, the climate changes as well.

Yesterday morning and all through the day, we sweated through the 95+ degree heat. In the late afternoon, clouds started rolling in and we found ourselves in the middle of a "typical" summer storm. Hail, thunder, lightening, rain. We ate dinner around a candlelit table since we lost electricity for a number of hours.

You know the funny part? We continued to sweat through it all!

Our front yard.

Suffice it to say that Bessie is not allowed to drive in this weather! The water was so high in our street that you couldn't see the curbs.

We felt very thankful to have a solid roof over our heads and prayed for the many people here who don't. You should see the damage done to trees, pool covers, and pretty little flower pots.

I just wanted to share a little part of our day. Hope you're enjoying yours!