Maybe we should go to Argentina tomorrow?

We are both pretty impromptu-travelers, but this is a new record for us.

We found out this afternoon that our visa paperwork won't get in on time, so we can either pay $100 each to renew them, or leave the country.

(Duh...)

So we'll leave early in the morning for a 6 hour bus ride, go camping tomorrow night just north of the border city, and head back Thursday afternoon to make it back in time for Tracey to lead small group.

God sure has a funny way of answering prayers for our paperwork :)  

Veggie Dip

I'm sorry, but this is the best veggie dip I've ever had and it doesn't feel right to not share it with the world, or at least our 18 followers :)

4 parts nonfat plain yogurt, 1 part light cream
To taste:
salt
olive oil (tiny bit)
dill

Cheap and super healthy!!  Thank you Heidi Phillips!

We Got a House!

After many people praying and lots of bike rides around the neighborhood looking for signs, we finally found a house!!

It's in the perfect location in between our school/church and the subway, tucked back in a little side street, and within easy walking distance of our friends and host family here.  

WHY IT IS AWESOME:

- biggest space we've seen in our price range

- cheapest (by far) we've found in the neighborhood we love

- corner house 

- lots of natural light

- upstairs is already built with 2 (big) bedrooms

- we could easily built on more when we want

- there is a side area of 2 small rooms with it's own door outside that could be used for our tutoring business or, if Tracey has his way, our own almacen where we sell wheat bread, homemade peanut butter, and his new discovery: banana ice cream (it's better than it sounds)...

We've definitely got some work to do once we get the keys; the owners weren't the most intentional with upkeep :)  

Yesterday we signed a contract to reserve the house for 90 days- Now we just need to wait for our paperwork to come in, get a bank account, and make it official!  As soon as that all happens, they have 60 days to give us the keys.  So hopefully by January, we will be living in our first house!

Thank you all for praying!  This was HUGE!! :)

 

One Day at a Time

Whatever it is that forces us to live one day at a time... well, I never like it, but I always (eventually) appreciate the trust it pushes me into. 
  
It reminds me of one of my favorite prayers.  I hope you are encouraged by it as I am!


“MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. 
I do not see the road ahead of me. 
I cannot know for certain where it will end. 
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. 
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. 
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. 
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. 
And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. 
Therefore I will trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. 
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone." 

          

                   ~Thomas Merton 

Medium/Small Un-monumental things

Before we left a missionary told me that one of the best things to share with your friends and family through your blog is the day to day, the little un-monumental things.  "It lets people see your life, the funny, the sad, the weird details, not just the work you're doing." 

So here are some medium/small un-monumental things

  The crate arrived (as we already posted).  They forgot to mention that we had to either use our own forklift to get it off the truck or take everything off piece by piece.  Guess what we did?  Of course we used our forklift that we always have in our backpocket.  Our host family helped us out a ton!

 After getting everything off, we packed it all back in to store until we have our house.  What a blessing to get the crate, especially with all the craziness that it has been with the paper work and customs issues.  

THANK YOU FOR THE PRAYERS!

I got our bikes put back together and we're commuting on bikes now which reduces our transportation cost a lot and we're getting more exercise!

 Our host brother was baptized this past sunday!

 I got my Chuck Taylors PF Flyers Sandlot Edition out of the crate and I'm feeling like a Champ!  By the way Joseph, I can't tell you how useful all of your groomsmen attire has been for me.  A good pair of slacks and some smooth sneeks.

  

Chile's not big on whole wheat anything although all the suplies are super cheap.  Here's to our first loaf. 

And you thought I'd leave out the review of how my beans are going.  They're going really well with the homemade whole wheat bread!  I feel like Aunt Jemima. 

To Our Teacher Friends

So we've been observing a lot in all types of schools here in Chile - Trying to get an overall feel for how the education system works and find ways to improve the English programs at our 2 schools.

What we've found so far is a great need for classroom management techniques!  Not so much discipline wise, because there aren't real behavior problems in our schools.  But there is a HUGE need to improve the time on task and overall attentiveness of the students.  

Thankfully, we know a lot of really great teachers...

So we are asking for your help!

We are trying to compile a giant list of as many resources/strategies we can offer them for all grade levels, PreK-12.  If you have ever used anything in your classroom that seemed to work for:

- increasing time on task

- having a quiet classroom without having to say anything  

- smooth transitions

- individual/small group/whole group motivators

- overall classroom management

if you wouldn't mind emailing them to us, we will add them to our compilation!  We are hoping to do some professional development with our teachers here.

Or, if you have any questions or are just curious about our schools, feel free to email us as well!  You know how much teachers love to talk about their jobs :)

Thank you for helping us help our teachers and kids!

May your Monday be full of energy and angelic students :)  

      

Best Day Ever

Monday was pretty incredible.

1) We have our CRATE!!  Everything made it just fine and they didn't even open it.

2) We got 2 packages in the mail - Bike parts and much needed paperwork for Visas!

3) We are getting a PUPPY!!!!!

I love our life.