Newest updates...

Julie Marcum updated her blog with the most recent info...

We got home from the funerals about an hour ago after a long day of hospital visits, memorial services and graveside services. I wanted to update everyone on the new conditions of all our members...

Josh was released about midday. He is moving very slowly and in quite a bit of pain still, but was insistent about being released so he could attend the funeral services. It took a toll on him, emotionally and physically, but he is resting now with his medication and has no plans to go anywhere for a couple days. Riding in the car on bumpy roads is just too painful! He was able to speak at the graveside services and the memorial service, and although it was hard, I know the families greatly appreciated his effort and presence there.

Bruno Vargas had surgery this morning on his broken collar bone and it went well. He might also have to have some minor surgery on some ligaments in his foot.

Alejandra Moscoso was released from the hospital today. Praise God for her recovery!

Freddy Vargas was to have surgery on his arm tonight at 7pm to set the bone.

Jonathan Sandoval is scheduled for surgery on the compressed disk in his back tomorrow at 2pm. Thankfully, due to the location of the disc, this will be a low risk surgery. They will insert a couple plates to expand the disk back to its proper size.

Rebeca Chavez is out of intensive care! The surgery on her femur went very well, and was less invasive than they thought initially. Instead of having a plate and screws put in, she only had to have some pins. It seems that the other surgeries are unnessecary at this time. Praise God for answered prayers.

Miguel Vargas continues in intensive care in a coma, but is still showing positive signs.

There was huge show of support at the memorial and graveside service today. It was a difficult time for the familes and friends of these girls and for those who were on the bus with them (Bruno Pol, Joshua, and Rachel were all in attendance). The Vargas family buried 2 grandaughters/cousins/nieces while Miguel continues in critial condition. Please pray for Miguel's other 2 children, Abril and Diego, who lost their mom a few years ago and now have lost their older sister while their father is in the hospital. Your prayers for all involved would be appreciated.

Tragedy in Cochabamba

I know that many of our friends and family have been made aware of the tragedy that occured with the youth group in Cochabamba. Julie Marcum updated their family blog ( http://jjmarcum22.blogspot.com/ ) with the most recent updates so I would encourage you to go and read the most thorough details I have of yet... Please continue to pray and know also that we've set up a blog to keep people updated and allow people to help as they feel called ( http://cochabambayouthgroup.blogspot.com/ ). Thank you so much for your prayer and support during this time. Please continue to pray for Gary and I as we explore our options of changing tickets to go home early as a family, or send Gary back early by himself.

Re-entry :)

No, this post won't be about our cultural re-entry, although those posts will come soon enough :) this post is my official re-entry into blogland. I think I've been avoiding this place since I'm so so so behind, but I'm not going to let that deter me... I'm not going to attempt to cover the lost ground... but I'm going to pick up from today going forward and see where that leads us :)

Today finds us stateside on furlough, in Perryville, AR visiting Gary's family. As my husband was getting in some good late night fishing with his brother, I was here at his mother's house bathing our stinky boys :) Mind you our boys are finding new aspects of their relationship as brothers daily, but for this moment in time my heart was absolutely overwhelmed as I walked back into the bathroom to find this...


What you have to know is that this sweet moment was initiated by my usually tackling, squashing or sitting on big brother youngest child Grant... these are the moments you savor, the ones you store up in your heart as you dream of these two little men growing up together to be men who will love each other as brothers and lead our family in the way God guides them... I can't wait to see it unfold :)

Wuv, twue wuv...

One of the blessings of being on a team of missionaries is watching our children grow up together. This morning was no exception... as we sat in the car on the way to lunch I heard Nathan say to Jubilee, "Juji, I love you." to which Jubilee replied, "Okay, do you want to marry me?" It was all I could do not to laugh out loud, but their sweet little sentiments were no laughing matter to them :) Thank goodness we've got a few years before we have to think about marrying off either one of them!

(And by the way, speaking of children, we're working on our third :) thus the silence on the blog. I'm always an awful blogger my first trimester... so let the 13 week mark come next week and the blogging resume :) Hope to see so many of you soon as we leave Tuesday to come back home on furlough... Please be praying over our travel, that they boys will be amazing, and that everyone who is seated around us on our flights, our flight attendants, airline employees, and immigration employees will all be kid friendly. This we've learned makes all the difference in the world!)

My new fashion icon...

Nathan's on spring break this week since his new school is on a North American calendar. So we decided to celebrate the start of spring break by going to the movies. Nathan apparently has a future in weather casting as you can see that he decided to wear his boots too the movie theater in case of flash flooding... what a mess this son of mine :)