7 years and counting

Naty and I are celebrating our 7th anniversary. It's hard to believe its been that long already! These years truly have been the best years of our lives and we are looking forward to many more together. To celebrate, we had a babysitter for the night and went to Culture Fest by the river in Columbus. After that we spent the night out in Rosedale and enjoyed sleeping in for the first time in a long, long time. Thanks Mim for keeping the kids! It was so nice to be in the country and not hear the constant hum of vehicles on 270 for at least one night and morning.

The past few weeks have been very full with lots of cookouts and times to share with new and old friends. I love spring and summer!

Friday night our house church celebrated Jim Conley's birthday with a surprise party. It was a great time together. We had "la pollada" otherwise known as Peruvian chicken, along with other culinary delights followed be Jim singing some of his songs for us and a sharing and prayer time. Happy birthday Jim!

The past two weekends have been beautiful so we have been able be outside doing all kinds of fun stuff. Last Saturday Gaby and Marcus helped me with mowing grass and changing oil in Aubrey (our mini-van) and washing Tabitha. We are trying to sell Tabitha, so if you want her, she can be yours! We also got a bird feeder to hang up out back and Gaby and Marcus had fun helping me with that. Tonight I saw a goldfinch at the feeder for the first time. Of course, by the time I got my binoculars for a closer look Gaby had run outside and scared it off!

Yesterday, Naty went to a women's retreat/seminar at a local church, so I had another fun day with Gaby and Marcus. They really are great to work with. We mowed grass at our house and at B.J.'s (a neighbor) and then we cleaned out the shed out back. We have a bunch of empty boxes we are saving to pack out stuff in to go to Venezuela and they were taking up a lot of space so we moved them up in the attic. Gaby and Marcus went up in the attic with me and we had fun telling stories about horses and unicorns in the dark.

After that we went out for lunch at Chick-fil-A so they could play in the playland there. After that we went to the flea market here on the Westside where I got Gaby and Marcus their soccer uniforms. They are from a Mexican professional team called "America". I found out from one of my ESL students that they are in the playoffs so I guess it's a good team!

As far as Venezuela is concerned we are still waiting for the house to sell. If it sells by June 30, we will go this year, if it doesn't, we'll wait to see what God has in store for us here. God wants us to do.

The last pic is from this afternoonwith the kids a d Roger, a neighbor who gives Gaby and Marcus all kids of interesting toys and/or videos that he finds at yard sales.

waiting

We still have not had any prospective buyers look at our house yet since we put it on the market in March. However, we are planning to have an open house this Sunday from 1-4 PM, so that may draw in some buyers. In the mean time we are just waiting to see how God moves. We have felt very certain that if we are supposed to go to Venezuela this year, God will sell our house for us. As of now, it hasn't sold, but we are not giving up on it yet. We've decided though, that if it doesn't sell by June 30th, then we are just going to stay where we are.
As we are waiting it is amazing how many ways God has shown us that He is already using us in great ways here in Columbus. It seems like we are finally starting to see growth in the lives of several people that we have been relating to over the past few years. He is faithful!
We are also trying to look at other options that may be available for us to do if we are not able to go to Venezuela in August as we had planned. Basically, the past few weeks have been times of giving everything to God and asking for Him to lead us to what He wants, not just what we want. It has been very difficult for me to surrender all of our goals and dreams to Him and "not be anxious about anything" but He has also given us peace to get through these days. God has brought us to where now we know that if we stay or if we go, He is the one who is leading us in the path He wants.
I have to think of the line in the song "Jesus All For Jesus" - All of my ambitions hopes and plans, I surrender these into your hands... for it's only in your will that I am free.
With all of these stressors, we have felt free, so we must be in His will.