Photo Friday: It's summer here!

... and this is one of Timmy's favorite summertime activities...

The past couple of weeks...

...have been pretty crazy!  I have a lot of catching up to do on our blog!  But, until I have a chance to do that, here is a little of what's being going on:

- Both Dan and I were able to help with a vacation Bible school program that our church did in two different neighborhoods here in Atenas.  It was a blessing to be part of what God did through that program.  I think all three of us still have the Spanish Bible songs we learned stuck in our heads!

- The earthquake in Haiti has affected our team here in various ways.  Two of our teammates are there now assessing structural damage to hospitals and other buildings, and setting up water filtration systems in refugee camps.  We have been praying for our missionary friends working there, as well for the Haitian friends that Dan made during his two project trips there last year. 

- Our new group of interns arrived a week ago.  Last week, we got them settled into their host family's homes and did a week-long orientation with them.  They are currently in language school.  It is fun to get to know some more young people excited about using their professional training and skills to serve the Lord!
- I've been able to start to make a little bit of progress on my goal for this year of improving my Spanish.  Last week, I started taking some Spanish classes again!

- We had a little earthquake here in Costa Rica last week.  It was a very small one (Dan didn't even feel it), but as Haiti has been so much on our minds and hearts lately, I found this little tremor more disconcerting than any we've had while living here so far.

- I decided it was time for Timmy to give up his morning nap (yes, he's almost two and he still takes two naps... and, yes, I'm a little crazy and thought it made sense to try to get him down to one nap).  In the midst of all the other craziness going on, a very tired, sometimes hyper, sometimes fussy toddler made things pretty interesting.  He's now back on a two nap schedule, and I'm a happy mommy.

I'll write more specifically about most of these things as I get a chance.  Thank you for your prayers for us; we thank God for you all.

¡Adios, practicantes!

Last month, we said good-bye to Avery, Ben, Christy, and Nick.  They were such a great, fun group of interns, and we really miss them.  The weekend before they left, we got to experience how Costa Ricans sometimes say "hasta luego" to their friends.  It's definitely different from what we've experienced before!

The host families of Avery and Christy attend our church, and they both really got to the jovenes (youth) of the church really well.  Of course, everyone was sad to see them go, so many of them showed up for the good-bye party Christy's family hosted.  We started with a cafecito (kind of like a tea party, but with coffee), and a time of sharing what we have learned from each other over the past several months. 

So far, the good-bye party seemed pretty normal.  But, then we walked over to the central plaza in town for some games.  The plan was to play Mafia, a favorite with the jovenes. 

But, then the good-bye became a new cultural experience for us.  While Avery and Christy had their heads down and eyes closed as part of the Mafia game, the jovenes crushed eggs over their heads!!!  Ew!

After this, Jeremy, our pastor, whispered to Dan to tell Avery and Christy that they were supposed to chase after everyone and try to get the egg on them, too, so a messy chase ensued.  I was glad to have been designated a photographer of the event... and I was glad that we were not the ones leaving!  We joked that after experiencing this good-bye party,  we were never going to leave Costa Rica.  Jeremy told us that was exactly the point.

The next day, we took all four of the interns to the airport for their return flight to the States.  We are praying for them as they reenter life there, look for jobs in engineering and architecture, and find Christian fellowship whereever God leads them next.  I like that in Spanish "good-bye" is adios, which literally means "to God."  We know that these interns are in God's care!  This is our last photo of this group of interns, and it fits them so perfectly: so fun, so silly, such good friends with each other...

We did not have to say good-bye to all of the interns.  Ben returned this week to serve with EMI for another intern term.  We had lunch with him today, and it's great to have him back.  This week Dan is busy making final host family arrangements and language school plans for the four new interns who arrive next Monday.  Next week we'll be busy with orientaton for these new interns!

Our Costa Rican Christmas: our guests!

The best part of our Costa Rican Christmas was that my parents and my brother Andrew got to experience it with us!  They arrived the Sunday before Christmas and stayed with us here in Atenas until the Monday after.  It was so fun to have them here!

We did not try to do a lot of touristy things, which was nice and relaxing for us.  Dan and I actually realized that after living in this house for a year, the week of Christmas was the first time we felt like we really relaxed in our own home!

We relaxed, but we still managed to do a lot during the nine days that our guests were with us:

We did some projects around the house...

...and took them shopping at the farmer's market we get our produce at every week.

We introduced them to a couple of our favorite restaurants in Atenas.

They got to enjoy some sweet snuggle times with Timmy...

... and Timmy had so much fun with all of them.

We explored a butterfly garden here in Atenas...

...and visited a volcano (which you can't see in the photo!).

... and hiked through a nearby national forest...

... where we discovered a scarlet macaw's nest!

We baked and decorated Christmas cookies...

... to share with Costa Rican friends (and we ate way too many ourselves).

We opened presents...

... and they surprised me with the most amazing Christmas gift:

... a piano (!)

Dan translated for the Bible study at our pastor's house that we took them to, and they experienced a beautiful Christmas Eve service at our church.  I like how one of them summed up that service, "It really seemed just like Christmas Eve services we're used to... until they brought out the piñata!"  We had a wonderful celebration on Christmas day, which I will write about soon (and that, I promise, will be the last Costa Rican Christmas post - really).  I am so thankful that we had my family here with us for Christmas.  We miss them a lot!

Our Costa Rican Christmas: our month of Advent

I shouldn't be surprised that my plan to write several blog entries about our Christmas season during the week of Christmas didn't work out.  But, I'll try to abbreviate my original plan, and write a few posts that summarize our celebration. 

This was our first year to have an Advent wreath.  I've always thought that it seems like a fun, meaningful tradition to include in the Christmas season, and I like how it helped us focus on the coming of the Messiah throughout the whole month of December.  It will definitely be something that we will want to continue in the years ahead.  I found that Advent wreaths are not a tradition here, so it was a little tricky to make one, but some greenery, ribbons, ornaments, and candles ended up making the wreath I'll probably continue to use each year.  Even if Advent wreaths aren't at all Tico, our wreath did end up having a bit of Costa Rican uniqueness.  I could not find tapered candle holders anywhere (even though I could find tapered candles - kind of strange), so I had to get creative.  For our candle holders, I filled four baby food jars with dry, black frijoles (black beans, the most common food here) and stuck a candle in each one (a very similar idea to our Christmas tree pot).  It made me smile each time we lit the candles to see those frijoles. 

In the past, we've always had a nativity scene set up during the month of Advent.  We did not bring it with us when we moved here, and I missed it.  I did set up Timmy's Little People nativity scene on our bookshelf, and he enjoyed playing it with it right there on the shelf.  One week, during our Advent reading, we used it to act out the reading so that Timmy would remain interested.  Here you can see him showing how the shepherds went to see baby Jesus in Bethlehem. 

Something we have found interesting about the Church here in Costa Rica is that many cristianos (the Protestants) tend to shy away from any tradition that the Catholic church also has.  Because of this, many cristianos do not have nativity scenes in their homes.  However, since it is a Catholic country, we see nativity scenes everywhere - at restaurants, in the bank, at shopping malls, etc. - a little different from the States!  I like the tradition here of not putting the baby Jesus into the scene until Christmas day.  In this photo, Timmy and I are looking at a nativity scene set up at a restaurant here in Atenas.  A few things about that scene made me understand why many cristianos may be skeptical, such as the basket to collect offerings, and a few random objects like a Hello Kitty doll! 

It is my prayer at the end of the Advent season and at the beginning of the new year that "cristianos", "catolicos" and all others here in Costa Rica would seek Jesus as those shepherds did long ago, and find Him, not in an image in a church or a nativity scene, not as a cultural tradition, but in His Word.  May our hearts be open to Him, our promised Messiah!

Our Costa Rican Christmas: let it snow?

A few days ago, Dan arrived home from the office just as it was getting dark outside and as Timmy woke up from his nap. The three of us settled down on the couch for a little family snuggle while we gazed at the lights on our Christmas tree. I said contentedly, "it doesn't get much better than this." Dan then vocalized what we both immediately thought after what I had said - if it was snowing outside, it would be better. But, it's just not going to snow in Costa Rica! We just feel like it should be snowing because we're North Americans who've grown up feeling like white Christmases are the ideal.

Ticos seem to be really into snow at Christmas time as well. We see snowman decorations everywhere.  "Let It Snow" (in English!) signs are hanging on front doors, and we hear "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" playing in the stores. It makes us laugh. Last week, Timmy got as close as he's going to get at making a snowman this year. (Thanks, Bree, for sending these craft supplies to us!). He loved our creation, hugged it repeatedly, and carried it around with him all day. It now resides on his bedroom door.

As much as we dream of white Christmases, we know that this Christmas will be very green!