Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Chris's 2nd Post

Here’s a quote from a book I am reading called Radical by David Platt. Krista and I began reading it after many of our friends from SB Community Church recommended it (thanks to Todd for the e-copy).
~
“This brings us to the crucial question for every professing or potential follower of Jesus: Do we really believe He is worth abandoning everything for? Do you and I really believe that Jesus is so good, so satisfying, and so rewarding that we will leave all we have and all we own and all we are in order to find our fullness in him? Do you and I believe him enough to obey him and to follow him wherever he leads, even when the crowds in our culture – and maybe in our churches – turn the other way?”
~
What a challenging question. We still do not know how this adventure here in Argentina is going to turn out. I am hoping and praying that the Lord will give us the privilege to bring practical help to many along the way with the good news of Jesus. However, when I read the quote above I was struck by the fact that, however our work in Argentina turns out, we have had the great privilege to make a statement to God with our actions that He matters more to us than anything. It was hard to sell our cars, our stuff back home, to leave our family and friends, to leave the beach and surf, to walk away from a great job, and move here to Córdoba, Argentina.
~
In one sense, it all seemed so crazy. Those people who know me well know that I am a very deliberate, careful, risk-averse person and what we have done seems so out of character for me.
~
But, what a privilege it was (and is) to have the chance to say with our actions that Jesus IS worth abandoning everything for. God has been so real in my life. I have seen Him do amazing things and He has changed me. I DO want to share the treasure that I have found in Jesus with others, and if God permits us, I want to help others in His name.
~
As I stood there on the day of our massive garage sale before we left our home in Santa Barbara, I looked around at all of our friends who were helping us to sell most of our possessions. Then, I looked at all of the people who were buying our stuff. I was deeply moved by the craziness of it all. As I said goodbye to my secure job and the people I enjoyed working with, I was also struck by the cost of what we were doing. As I said goodbye to our amazing community of friends and our wonderful family back home, I couldn’t believe we were actually leaving. It was almost impossible to leave my brother Brad and know that I would not be able to talk to him every day or to surf with him for a long time. Since we have arrived here, we have encountered many challenges, and I have found myself saying to myself numerous times, “What in the world have we done?”
~
I was struck deeply this Christmas with the realization that by coming to earth as a baby, God made an unfathomable sacrifice for us. He risked it all. God himself became vulnerable and entrusted the care of His only Son into the hands of a young, poor couple from a small town in Israel.
~
So, no matter what happens here in Argentina, God has given us a unique opportunity to say with our lives that He DOES matter more than anything else. This whole journey has been so scary, but also exhilarating. No small sacrifice of our compares to the sacrifice that He made for us in coming to earth as a baby and later dying for our sins to save us and bring us to Himself.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Feliz Navidad...

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So, here we are in December – summertime – celebrating Christmas in a different land, as foreigners, away from family and friends. Somehow, this culture stress and homesickness seems appropriate as we wait for the arrival of our God to come to save us in the form of a baby.
~
2010 has been a year of change and joy and sadness and peace and chaos all wrapped up into one (it’s still missing the pretty bow). As we celebrate the birth of Christ down here in Argentina and wait expectantly for his coming, we are reminded of how all-knowing, gracious, and good He is. He has a profound love for each of us and I happen to find that amazing.
~
These words were written by the prophet Isaiah about 740 years before the birth of Christ. They speak of Jesus's coming with truth and strength.

[Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 (NCV)]
“Before those people lived in darkness, but now they have seen a great light.

They lived in a dark land, but a light has shined on them.
A child has been born to us;
God has given a son to us.
He will be responsible for leading the people.
His name will be Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God,
Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.
Power and peace will be in his kingdom
and will continue to grow forever.
He will rule as king on David's throne
and over David's kingdom.
He will make it strong
by ruling with justice and goodness
from now on and forever.
The Lord All-Powerful will do this
because of his strong love for his people.”
~
He loves you and we love you.
Blessings on you and your family this Christmas season.
Chris, Krista, David, Andrew, & Johnny Frohling

Friday, December 10, 2010

Bessie, Heat, and Electrical Problems

So, as you know, we spend a lot of time in our car. Her name is Bessie. Yes, it's true, I've finally succumbed to naming an auto. This habit of my close girlfriends has always, um, bothered me, but Bessie needed a name. She's a good, old girl and has already seen us through a lot in the one month that she's been a Frohling.



Today, however, she got too hot and bothered and decided to stop. In a dangerous neighborhood, in 100 degree heat, and in the middle of the day (where everything is closed because people are siesta-ing because they were up too late eating dinner).

What do you do when this happens in a foreign country, where the language escapes you in times of stress, and when you have 3 boys sweating in the back seat?

Here's what we did:

  • Prayed that God would miraculously fix our car. We're very close to Him, but today was not the day for Bessie miracles.
  • Found a mechanic who could diagnose, but unfortunately not fix, the problem. It's electrical. She just won't start.
  • Called our seguro (insurance) and asked them to send a tow truck.
  • Looked for a kiosko to find something cold to drink (none were open because of the siesta). Instead we found helado at an air conditioned Grido.
  • Waited for an hour for the tow truck to arrive.
  • Communicated with the tow-truck driver where we live and all pile in the truck and get a ride home with Bessie on the back. We were under the impression that he would drop us off and then take Bessie to his taller to fix her problem.
  • Sweat until we're dripping. Johnny was on my lap, David on Chris's and Andrew was straddling the gear shift. I looked over at Andrew and just started laughing uncontrollably when I saw the brown streaks all over his face - a precious Andrew mixture of dirt and sweat - and the dots of perspiration on his upper lip. What. Are. We. Doing???
  • Arrive home and the tow-truck driver begins asking us where we want him to put the car. "Is it safe on the street?" he asks. "Um, What?" responds Chris. Needless to say, something got seriously lost in the translation.
  • I got out of the truck, shook off my sweat - in a very ladylike way, I must add - and calmly offered him something cold to drink. Turns out, the tow-truck driver can only make one stop, and our house was it.
  • Figure out what-the-heck-to-do-now with our car that won't start. Oh, yeah, Bessie is her name.
  • Be very, very thankful for our 3 boys, who never, not one-single-time, uttered one word of complaint. They continue to amaze and teach me. I had to catch myself several times, during this 2.5 hour excursion, when I wanted to "comment" on the heat and my thirst and the ridiculous situation we were in. Instead we talked about the grand Argentina adventure. (Did you know that Chris and I are NOT adventurists? Seriously. This is a very true statement and therefore these "adventures" do not always sit well with us.)
  • Bottom line? She got towed to another mechanic who we have confianza in and they're going to get her back to tip-top shape. However you say THAT in Spanish.

Now, I'm enjoying some Argentine wine, cleaning out the the boys' backpacks (we found out today that today was their last day - clearly it was a bad Spanish language day), and figuring out what to make for dinner. Ice cream won't cut it. We did that yesterday.

Have a fabulous weekend.

PS These pictures were obviously not taken today. You can use your imagination of the dirt and sweat that actually occured today.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Stages


So, tonight during dinner we were talking about the different stages each of the boys has been in. David happened to be a very easy 2 year old. Andrew and Johnny were NOT. They like hearing about the things they did when they were "little". Like Andrew dumping my entire wallet down the heater chute or shoving as many quarters as he could into the car CD player when I was otherwise occupied - probably changing a diaper or something. Or how Johnny only grunted and screamed for the first 2 years of his life.
~
Right now, Andrew doesn't require much. He is very easy and aims to please. David and Johnny, however, are in, um, different stages.
~
I said to David, "It seems to me that right now, you are in the process of testing out the waters. Seeing how far you can push...."
~
Then I looked at Johnny and said, "I think you're in the same place, buddy-boy. You like to test the waters too."
~
To which he responded, "No I don't! I just jump right in!!!"
He is, obviously, very self-aware.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Car Conversation

Here is a portion of a conversation in our car the other day on the way to school...
Chris: Do you guys know that you can never hide from God?
Johnny: Well, sometimes I forget about God.
Chris: Me too, Johnny. I try to do things through the day to help me remember Him like thank Him for the good things or ask Him to help me when I need it.
Johnny: Yeah, I'm going to ask Him to make the days til we go home go fast. At least the last 8 days have gone fast.
And then, a little bit later...
Johnny: When I grow up, I want to have a bunch of dogs that are good. And if they're lost, I'll take them. I'll have about 15. Then I'll start with cats who like dogs. And I'd like to have a calm wife who will probably be grumpy when she doesn't sleep enough. We'll have zero girls and two or three boys.
Hmmm.

Monday, November 22, 2010

ELEVEN



David turns 11 tomorrow. I'm not sure where the time has gone.

He is one of my favorite people and I am so thankful for the privilege to be his mom.

He's helpful and funny and a really good soccer player.


He's curious and creative.


He loves making up games, obstacle courses, and directing his brothers.


He's smart and encouraging and responsible.
Today he said, "I didn't like doing my math, but I liked getting it done."
(He has been working through the Spanish Math book that his school uses and has almost completed the entire year in one month.)

I am continually amazed at his willingness to go into new situations that he realizes are necessary but I know he despises. He does it without complaining and sets a good example for his brothers.

He has developed a new desire to travel the world and learn more languages. After Spanish, he intends to learn Portugese, French and then German. And I have no doubt he'll do it. We got him a world map for his birthday along with some money from Brazil and Uruguay. He's already begun saving for his world travels.
(He's standing in front of the Panama Canal in the above photo.)

I'm not sure how come I got such a great kiddo. Must be his dad's genes...

Happy Birthday, David.

I love you to the sky a google times... and back.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

New Friends & Field Trips

We found some new friends! It's a bit of a long story, but suffice it to say that each day I am reminded that God will provide. Sometimes it's just enough to get us through that particular day. Last Wednesday, His provision came when I was feeling very lonely. I met a family from Australia who has been in Argentina for the past 3 years ministering to many of the University students here.
(Did you know there are close to 150,000 of these students in the city?)

In about a week, they are returning to Australia for a time, but we are thankful to begin a friendship with them. They have 4 kids who are 12, 10, 8, & 6. We're missing their oldest son and Andrew in the picture above which was taken at Jacob's 6th birthday party on Friday.

David, Andrew & Johnny had a great time playing with some new friends who could speak English. It was a natural connection. I loved being able to communicate well with other little ones... sometimes I speak my worst Spanish with the kiddos here. I'm not sure why.



Feliz Cumpleaños Jacob!



On another note...
So, I've done a lot of really hard things these past 3 months.

One of the hardest was letting Andrew go on an e i g h t hour field trip. He was so excited to go and there was not a legitimate reason for me to say no.

Friday morning, they loaded up the buses and went across town to Parque San Martin and had a day of games, fútbol, and hang outs. Not one other person spoke English.

And this is Andrew getting off the bus...





He was totally bummed about the green apron thing, but thrilled to be able to wear his own clothes (he had the faux-hawk going on this morning).

He painted his lips with a red lollipop and only ate one alfajor (cookie sandwich).

When we went around the table talking about our highs and lows of the day,
he did say the best part of his day was coming home.

Makes a mom happy.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Friday, November 12, 2010

Typical Day

Quite a number of people have asked me, "What does a typical day look like for you?" With the rather large exception that Chris wasn't here all week, we've had pretty regular days. This is what they look like during this season of our life.
~
5:15 am - Buddy barks because he's thirsty, he heard another dog barking, or he wants to play. I get up to let him out and then try to go back to sleep while begging God to give me a good attitude/perspective/vision for the day. It helps when I remember to do this.
~
6:30 am - The boys wake up and begin their day playing with Legos. We eat breakfast together and read 2 Psalms. We all have our own way of getting ready - some take m u c h longer than others (johnny).
~
8:45 am - The boys pile in the car while I unbarricade the 7 locks in our garage doors in order to get the car out. I back out of the garage, park on the driveway, get out, rebarricade the 7 locks. Then we begin the 25 minute commute to their school - how I miss the 3 minute walk to Peabody!
~
9:10 am - We arrive at Haroldo Andenmatten during their first break and Andrew and David go off to meet their friends. Johnny and I wait for 20 minutes until his jardin starts.
~
9:30 am - I give Johnny a big hug and kiss and say "Chau, te amo mucho" and watch him walk down the hall to his aula.

9:31 am - I flag down a taxi to take me to el centro in order to get to my class at the University on time. It costs 26 pesos for the round trip taxi. It costs 24 pesos for parking + gas + stress to drive our own car there. So, obvio, I take the taxi.
~
9:50 am - I arrive at the Facultad de Lengua ready for my lesson with Hugo, the best profe in the Uni.

12:25 pm - Hugo and I damos un beso, say nos vemos mañana, and I walk, rather quickly, to the next block and pay the lady on the corner with the orange vest to flag me a taxi.
~
12:30 pm - I get in the taxi, say "derecho hasta Pedro Zanni" and enjoy the 80s pop music.
~
12:50 pm - 5 minutes late, I arrive at the door of Johnny's jardin and greet him with a big hug. We then wait an hour for his brothers to get out of school.
~
1:45 pm - David and Andrew come out of their classrooms and we all re-pile in the car and make the 25 minute drive home.
~
2:15 pm - We shed our backpacks, wash our hands, sit down, and eat lunch.

Each afternoon looks different, but they are all filled with studying and playing. And a selection of cleaning, grocery shopping, figuring out the next meal, emails, making new friends, meetings, and exercise. I wish they were filled with siestas, because I am tired.
~
6:00 pm - Merienda, the pre-dinner snack, involves bread, jam, yogurt, and/or peanuts.
~
8:00 pm - Dinner
~
8:30 pm - Showers for the boys
~
9:00 pm - Bedtime routine. We're reading The Jungle Book right now.
~
I'm thrilled to have Chris come home (early Sunday morning). I have missed him terribly. I'm also looking forward to being re-inspired about why we are here. He has gotten some great training, come up with some exciting new ideas, and made many new collegues and friends.
~
Meanwhile, his b e s t friend is here, waiting...not so patiently.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Parque Sarmiento


I've neglected to inform you that we, down here in the Southern Hemisphere, have welcomed Spring. We officially live in a place that has unique seasons. As you folks up North embrace Fall and all things pumpkin, we're celebrating Spring. This includes flowers, peaches, and heat.


Saturday it was 101.3 degrees.



Our house stays remarkable cool, but we ventured out to Parque Sarmiento for some scooter rides around the lake. It was interesting to see people spread out on blankets in the shade drinking hot mate. No gracias por mi.



I threw the pelota for Buddy. People keep telling me he's gordo. I think that's rude.

Even after I put ice in his water bowl, he's panting at my feet. Tomorrow he is off to the Peluqueria for a much needed hair cut and bath. He wreaks.


After peeing on a tree (some things never change), Johnny was ready for a rest in the shade with Buddy and me.


This is a sign I thought was funny and I'm pretty sure Paul will too. I was tempted to photograph the people playing soccer a little behind the sign, but I resisted.


Happy Fall to most of you... enjoy some pumpkin bread for me.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Toys, New Family Member, Visitors, Guatemala, and a 69th Birthday!

We got a fun package in the mail this week that included, "Vines" a stuffed monkey for Johnny, a Hero Factory Lego dude for David, and a 3 in 1 Lego creation set for Andrew. These are very loved boys.

The package also included Tom's deoderant for Chris (thank you from all of us), Trader Joe's lip balm for me, and coffee and cilantro seeds for La Familia.

I'm looking forward to making some picante salsa.

The boys also discovered a new toy to collect here called "GoGos".
They are mini-figures that have a sticker book with all the guys in it, along with games and comics. It's been a fun way for them to spend their time together
(and their own pesos).

It was no small task to procure this newest member of our family.
It's a 1995 VW Quantam and it's easy to drive, although the streets here make any driving difficult. We're excited to explore and discover new parts of our new city.

We had our first set of visitors this week! Who's next?
~~
María Ogenia and Valdir Franca from Latin America Mission came for a 3 day visit. María Ogenia is from Argentina and Valdir is from Brazil.
They both speak 3 languages (nice) and are experts in multi-cultural relations.
We felt affirmed, encouraged, and challenged by their visit and we miss them already!
[Dang, I need to paint those pink walls!]



As I write, Chris is on his way to a week long conference in Guatemala about implementing microfinance programs with local churches (exactly what we hope to do here). Here's a link to what he'll be learning: Course Descriptions « CEDI Guatemala Conference
~~
It was a tearful good-bye, but I know Chris will be inspired and will come home
with great ideas and a renewed passion of being in Córdoba Capital.
~~
Of course, we got lost on the way home from the airport.
(Can I blame my getting lost on the lack of coffee I had in my system at such a God-forsaken hour?)
But, never fear, my fearless 10-year-old navigator got us back on the freeway.
We got home, ate breakfast, and Andrew disappeared into another room.
When he came out he showed me the above Lego creation he made for his dad.
(It says, "I Love You".)



And of course, I saved the best for last...
~~
Happy Birthday Grandpa!
We love you and we miss you.
We've all grown up a bit since this fun time in Arizona (especially you)
and we like remembering our special times together.

Have a great day, eat some chocolate, and laugh a lot!

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Baptism & Bad Things

This past weekend was a big celebration at La Gracia de Cristo. It marks the 11-year anniversary that our Argentine church (who we are partnering with in our work with the poor) has been ministering here in Córdoba Capital.

On Saturday night, all 5 of us went to the service that began at 8:00 pm. It was a beautiful time of worship, baptism, teaching, and prayer. It was one of our favorite yet.

After the service was over (11:00 pm), Chris stopped at the local, neighborhood Choripan truck and ordered our dinner. I proceeded to walk home with the boys (yes, they had already eaten). On the way home, we began talking about baptism. Here is part of the conversation:

Andrew: When we go home [meaning Santa Barbara], I would like to be baptized.
Krista: That's great, Andrew. Would you want to get baptized here?
Andrew: No! I want daddy to baptize me.
David: Me too. And I want to be able to understand the language when I am getting baptized.
Krista: That makes sense.

Throughout this conversation, Johnny is surprisingly quiet. Then,


Johnny: What is baptism? Why did they get all wet?
And before I could reply...
Andrew: Well, Johnny, it's a symbol. It's a promise of how you want to live your life. It's like telling everyone that you are choosing to make good choices and want to be done with the bad ones.
Johnny: Oh... [another time of rare silence, then he says,] I'm going to wait until I've done a lot of bad things and then I'm going to do the baptism.
Krista: Hmm, Johnny. What bad things are you planning on doing?
Johnny: I have no clue.



Have a great week.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Mother's Day #2

Since Mother's Day is celebrated in May in USA and October in Argentina, I got to enjoy 2 celebrations this year. How cute are these boys? David made me the necklace, Andrew made me the bracelet, and Johnny smiled nicely at school and I got a mug with his photo on it. I'm a lucky lady!
We went to Rubén & Graciela's house for a yummy lunch of homemade emanadas and here are all the mom's pictured. As if you didn't know, I'm the giant, 3rd from the left.
(Angelita (Karina's mom), Karina, Giant, Victoria (Graciela's mom), Ezequiel's mom, Graciela's niece, Graciela, Miriam)

My friend Sonia is a champion sewer (I'm not, and don't aim to be). She made 55 purses for the moms in the church. I told her that I could help somehow, maybe cutting or something? (I'm good with scissors.) She said she was making cards for the kids to give to their moms too and maybe I could help with those? Sure! I said envisioning a very small project.

Suffice it to say that after making a few of these, my cussing fast had to begin anew. I not a big "ribbons and bow" type of gal. I'd post the DIY instructions for these little diddies, but I'm not sure how to explain it using nice words.

I do know that many moms loved their gifts and I feel thankful to Sonia for her extreme dedication to making sure every mom felt celebrated, even though I prefer the homemade cards made by David, Andrew, & Johnny.

~~

On another note, did you know that today is "census-day" in Argentina? Everyone had to stay home - from school and work - in order to be available to answer all the questions from the government worker who comes directly to your house. It is very interesting and I think a very good way to make sure everyone is counted. There are approximately 40 million people living in this country, half of whom live in Buenos Aires. I'm glad we don't live there. We have about 1.5 million people living in Córdoba Capital and I think that is a much better number. Funny to think we'll be counted in this census. Do we get to be counted in USA too? Does that mean we are worth double??

Also, the president's husband died last night. (David asked me, "How would it be possible for him to have a husband?" I calmly informed him that WOMEN CAN BE PRESIDENTS too.) The current government, we've been told, is corrupt. Kristina, the president, is not truly Peronista and it was thought that her husband, who himself is a former president of Argentina, would become president when her term was over. Not so, now. Very interesting times.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

¡Feliz Cumpleaños, Mamá!

I've got a great mom. And today is her birthday.
~
I love her a lot and am thankful for the example she has been in my life.
~
She is encouraging... thoughtful...

generous... passionate... loving... beautiful

affectionate... creative... funny.
~
She has greatly influenced my life and I am blessed to have her as a mom and friend.
~
She and Dick will be here in early December!!! I'm counting the days.
~
Happy Birthday Mom!
I miss you so much and love you a whole lot more.
PS Your gift is in the mail.
In case any of you are wondering, she turns 62 today.
(She's also a little vain and doesn't like people knowing her age. hehehe.)

Friday, October 15, 2010

Fear Not

I'm not one who typically quotes Scripture - I'm not sure why as God's Word does happen to dictate my life. I guess I'd rather tell a joke. Or actually live the Words rather than just quote them....

However, the past few weeks I've had a lot of trouble sleeping as a result of some crazy fears. I won't share the specific fears out of fear I'll give you something to fear. [Um, WoW.] But suffice it to say that when the morning comes, I am aware of how irrational they are.

And while these thoughts in the dark of the night can seem very powerful I'm thankful that I can read (over 200 times) throughout the Bible God saying, "Fear not, for I am with you" in a number of different ways.

I'm determined to rest (even if I can't sleep) in this truth.

Here are some of Words of Truth that battle for my mind when I'm scared.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity,
but of power, love, and of self-discipline."
2 Timothy 1:7
~
"Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."
Isaiah 41:10
~
"Do not be afraid or discouraged.
For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
Joshua 1:9

Sleep well, friends.

PS I'm not sure why I picked the photo for this post. I guess I'm feeling like a caged monkey? Or needed to throw in a joke with the Scripture quotes?

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Reflections on the Past 2 Months

It's hard for me to believe we've been here for 2 months.
Some days it feels like home and others days I struggle to get out of bed.

Here are some things I am learning and relearning, in no particular order:


I like my husband.
He's funny, reliable, strong, and a really good leader.
He has saved our sanity with his desire to explore,
his ability to read a map,
and his daily readings from the Bible during breakfast.
(Much to my dismay and the boys' delight, he is shaking a monkey's hand below.)

~~
We couldn't be here without the support of people all around the world.
It is good to be part of the Body of Christ.
~~
Mate is good when prepared with suave yerba.



~~
Duct tape is a semi-good replacement for my tool-box.
(Yes, I did say "my" toolbox. It was mine. And I miss it.)
~~
It is really hard to learn a new language when you're 37 years old.
~~
It's a lot easier, but still painful, to learn a language when you're 10, 8, or 5.
~~
God is on the move in Argentina.
I have seen great need and great joy and I have a sense of purpose for our being here.
~~
I am not in control of my life.

~~
My mind freezes when the weather is too cold.
~~
Argentine wine helps in language aquisition.
~~
The boys are very resiliant.

~~
I'm thankful for the way each kiddo communicates with me...

even Johnny's hissy fits since I can relate to them.





~~
Trader Joes really is the best grocery store. I miss organic peanut butter (but have a good supply thanks to generous package senders), well made (translated "low sugar") granola bars, healthy cereal, organic banilla yogurt, edamame, fresh hot salsa, and virtuoso lip balm.
~~
Sleep is very important for a healthy lifestyle. Sugar is not.
~~
I can find Tabasco Sauce in WalMart.
~~
I really miss my friends and family. And the beach.


~~
I'm making new friends and finding beauty here. God provides uniquely.
~~
Hail can be as big as golf or tennis balls and ruins plants and damages cars.
Taxis will not drive in hailstorms.
~~
Laxatives aid digestion after the consumption of a lot of meat.
~~
Bringing Buddy here was a very good choice.

~~
Fútbol is a universal language. So is math.
~~
Grieving is hard, takes time, and is different for each person.
Tear Soup is a must read.
~~
The Psalms are a good way to draw me closer to the heart of God.
~~
Hang drying laundry isn't so bad.
Jill's right: It's a good time to think and pray.
It also helps to have a really good lavaropa.
~~

Reading the Bible in Spanish opens up God's Word in a new and incredible way.
~~

Female hormones are very powerful.
(Sometimes I grow horns.) ~~
Chris's garage exercises and work-outs would make Chuck Norris proud. He's religious about doing them every single day and he's got the biceps to prove it.
~~
The ability to drive in Argentina signifies the ability to drive anywhere in the world.
~~
I still don't feel like I'm missing out by not having my own FaceBook page.
~~
We can always make good, new friends and still keep the old.
~~
Bidets are yucky.