It's official!

the Mission Mobile with a friend

After seven months and at. least. 50 appointments and paperwork errands, plus untold numbers of phone calls to find out what on earth is taking so long - the Mission Mobile is finally registered!

She used to be American, but she decided to give up her American citizenship and become a nationalized Argentine automotor. It was hard - leaving her home country, being knocked around in a container on the open ocean for months, then driven over thousands of kilometers of rough terrain until her screws literally began to come loose.

working hard

she doesn't forget to help her neighbor in need,
even if it's 1am in the middle of nowhere

Sometimes she feels depressed, longing for the smooth roads of home - but, alas, she's given her body for Christ. Missions is for life for her. She knows she will never return to her homeland. But she really likes the attention she gets here in her new country. People stare at her when she strolls down the street, a foreigner they can tell, a real beauty. She is even slightly flattered when complete strangers pull up to her, roll down their window, and ask if she's for sale. She knows she's special here. When people climb in, they ooh and ahh, their eyes widening as they gaze up, down, and all around her luxurious interior. Back home she was a nobody, nothing special. Here she's a real gem, and they let her know it.



she visits the less fortunate, but sometimes feels like she doesn't fit in -
she thinks they view her as a snob, a rich girl. it's not true.



Her owners? Oh, they are now enjoying a glass of wine and talking of taking her on vacation. She deserves it. She works hard and they know hers is a sacrificial life, so they treat her really nice, like a queen. She gets regular sponge baths, manicures and pedicures, and the full interior treatment, complete with special products and lotions - something she never got back home. She knows here in her new home she will not likely be viewed as less valuable to society as she ages, and her owners know it, too. They treat her as she deserves, and even pray for her health and safety, almost daily.

sometimes she gets to see some really pretty places

Her owners are just glad - celebrating, really - that they no longer have to fear being pulled over by the police, having her {perfectly legal} temp papers questioned, along with her honor; threats of having her taken from them and detained or impounded; or insults of bribery money thrown their way for her. She is not for sale, and no, she can't be bought. How degrading!

 
She knows where she stands now. She knows her status. She's a legal resident now, with all the rights. Finally validated, finally accepted, a nationalized citizen.


ching! ching!



my stellar IT abilities and my poor deprived children

I just deleted ALL our cell phone pictures from our computer. The dangers of the digital age. And of leaving Chris in charge of all our IT issues. I never said I was qualified for this. Fortunately, we take most of our pictures with the regular camera. Like this one, which I like just because.

Chasing a flock of wild turkeys in the remote Patagonian wild. Because somebody's got to do it.

an Introvert in Buenos Aires

I wasn't planning on posting anything this week (up to my eyeballs in boxes. and about to kill the husband... man, is he high strung or what? It's like we're moving overseas or something. Sheesh. Relaaaaxxxx, dude. Esta todo bien. And you know what?, it was just a fender bender. It wasn't my fault. They ran into ME. Who cares if we're shipping it overseas in 10 days? See, not even a scratch. See that? Isn't the Lord good? Praise the Lord. la la la...lala lala la)

Anyway, I wasn't going to post because the only thing going on around here is packing. And a wee bit of tension. My house is a MESS - and it's driving me CRAZY! (and obviously, so is the husband). And since everyone thinks I complain a lot: nary a picture for you.

Ah, but then I read THIS: Caring for your Introvert.

OH. MY. WORD!

Genius. Pure genius.

Everyone who knows me, or knows an introvert, MUST READ THIS.

It will bring a deeper understanding and more harmony into your interpersonal relationships. It will. Really.

The only thing I would do differently is rename this article, "Caring for Your Introvert: and Why You May Find Buenos Aires a Nightmare," or something like that.

In three weeks we will be in Buenos Aires. And, may the reader understand, it is IMPOSSIBLE to get away from people in Buenos Aires. They are ev-er-y-where. 13 million of them. And it is a sin to be alone there. I'm tellin' ya. I know. I've tried it. You will undoubtedly be met with, "Alone? You're going alone?" or, "You were alone... all day???". *gasp*

After reading this article, I think I feel truly validated and fully understood for the first time in my life.

No wonder my extrovert husband doesn't understand me. He never will. EVER. It's just not in his make up.

Read the article, and you'll see.

random Brazil pics

In packing, I came across several more boxes of old photos. Here are a few.

camping with my friend Leti in a place we dubbed "The Palmtree Graveyard",
somewhere in the NE of Brazil

a little boy in a little town somewhere in the NE of Brazil

Christmas in a little sand for streets, fishing village called
Canoa Quebrada (Broken Canoe), Brazil

The same day I came across the journal I kept on that trip from Rio to the Amazon. This is what I wrote about our time on 12/23/97:

"In Canoa Quebrada, Ceará, Brazil, Pousada Alternativa R$3 [Alternative Hostel, 3 Brazilian Reals/US$3] per person. Swinging in my rede [hammock] with a cool tropical breeze blowing and Bob Marley playing next door."

LOL. Wow. And what an incredible and fun trip. Once in a lifetime. So thankful.

How to handle the stress of moving overseas

Coffee (no rest for the caffeinated)...

this sign I saw at the donut shop sums up my life right now

and donuts...

There is a third option: a double whiskey Just don't do it.

I have never been so stressed in all. my. life. So forgive me for not blogging, calling, coming over, following up, doing something I said I would (which I probably forgot), or sending a thank you card. I can not think straight these days.
I am losing my mind. Yes, I am.

But only two more months! Two more months and we'll be on the (hopefully) funner side of this craziness. At least that's what I'm telling myself...

:)

gratuitous happy pic

my favorite thing about this picture? there are no kids in it!
and we're faking the happy-in-love thing incredibly well :)

Tony and I are celebrating 12 years of marriage! Hard to believe we were flaming pagans when we bumped into each other in an elevator 13 years ago in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (God's blind date, I always say).

Marriage is hard work, but we're so glad we've stuck it out. I tell Tony he's one lucky guy I never ditched him - because between the time I got saved and he got saved, we almost didn't make it - many times almost didn't make it. He just tells me I hit the lottery with him, then flashes one of those smiles that has saved him more times than I can count.

It's never boring, and always an adventure with Tony. Who ever would have thought God would hook us up, save us, then send us back to South America to share Christ with others? His mercies amaze us, and we are forever grateful to the Lord for all He has given us. We haven't deserved a bit of it. And if He wants to send us to the ends of the earth for his purposes, then we will happily and thankfully go.

Happy Anniversary, bebé! ¡Te amo para siempre, aunque me vuelvas locaaa!

Everybody's Happy in Her World

My daughter is always smiling; she's been smiling since she was born. She's just like her dad - always happy. And everybody's always happy in her world. (Well, until the toddler touches her stuff).

The sun and the moon and the earth are happy....

The fish are happy....

The jellyfish are happy...

Even Jesus is happy....

My husband says she doesn't get it from me; I'm bitter and miserable. I tell him it's because I have depth, I actually think about things - unlike you shiny, happy people....

I'm just jealous.

How To Make a Header

All three kids have the flu right now, and it's strangely quiet around here. I don't think it's been this quiet in YEARS. I'm rather liking it (the quiet, that is). Tony and I have miraculously escaped illness so far.

But, I'm sure now that I wrote that, I've sealed the deal - tomorrow one of us will go down for sure.

In the quiet, I have been having fun making blog headers! Thanks Courtney for explaining how! I never could have figured it out myself.

Here are few headers I've made so far over on Photobucket.

And, of course, this one...

{those are Tony and his brother's feet!}


...that's looking dorky, small, and off-center up there in my header... which, if Blogger would stop spazzing on me, I would be able to remove and resize. One handed, with napping toddler on my lap. Because I'm a Mom. And I'm totally bored, and not used to having free time, or a baby that actually naps. For two whole hours! So, being forced to sit, I'm making headers.

a little smackerel of spring

It was 60 and 70 all week. Ah, Spring Fever! So we RAN headed outside - the kids to play in the mud and ice melt...

...and me to play with my Cheap-o Wal-Mart Camera. It has potential, I just need to study it more and play with it some to see what I can get out of it...

[fiddling with macro vs. infinity focus and black & white editing]



[sepia]



[night landscape - mental note: need tripod, steadying doesn't work]

I've also been busy planting seedlings for the garden...

...and reading... (I have big dreams lol!)...

[homemade seed starter = egg carton flat, old plastic cake tray, and some plastic wrap]

And since we find ourselves with a tad more time on our hands lately, we've been socializing a bit more than usual. Which mean lots of cooking...

[I scored an almost mint condition Williams-Sonoma bread machine at the thrift shop!!! I've wanted one for YEARS!
Fresh baked, homemade bread everyday with NONE of the work. I want to smuggle it in my suitcase to Argentina. :) ]



[tarta de jamón y queso// ham and cheese tart]


So, one warm Friday evening I made this tarta de jamón y queso, some empanadas de cebolla y queso (cheese and onion pastries), a huge salad, some homemade bread, plus had a leftover pan dulce from Christmas (a veritable feast) - all in preparation to have our Bolivian missionary friends over. They never showed up.

Wrong Friday. Oops. Lol! Duh.

:)

Random Act of Culture - the Hallelujah Chorus

On Saturday, October 30, 2010 the Opera Company of Philadelphia and over 650 area choristers met at Macy's Center City Philadelphia. Unkown to shoppers, they had arranged to burst into song at noon.

I can't even imagine having been there! Amazing.


Imagine what heaven is going to be like! Wow.

:)

What Would Jesus Do...

"When someone asks you 'What would Jesus do?' remember, a valid option is to freak out and turn over tables." ~unknown

 

 

God uses the weak and apparently messed up

I just read this bio and it just cracks me up. I love how God uses the weak and apparently messed up. I fit right in lol! And this radio personality doesn't look anything like the overweight, out of shape, middle-aged man I imagined in my mind!

And because I am just brimming over these days with a plethora of free time, that's my post for this week.

:D

My Cheap-o Wal-Mart Camera

When I am in South America it's as if I have a sign taped to my forehead which says, "Please Rob Me."

I've been robbed so many times there, once even at knife point.

So the thought of having to buy a good (=expensive) camera to take to Argentina, as opposed to my cheap-o Wal-Mart one, just wasn't what I really wanted to do. It surely would get stolen from us sooner or later. A waste of money and an added and unnecessary stressor to the already challenging missionary life.

So... I was inspired to look again at my Kodak EasyShareC160 and actually learn how to use it. I was surprised that it actually had a lot of little settings on it that make for measurably better shots.

So, here are a few unedited pics taken in Granpa's yard yesterday. Purely amateur, but I am pleased with the results! I may still purchase a slightly better camera, but I am so happy I will not need a $1000 Nikon!

 

  

:)