Missing the Philippines???

As we have been speaking at lots of different venues, a common question people ask is if we miss the Philippines and are excited to go back. If I am going to be completely honest, no, I am not excited to go back. Not yet anyway, but I am praying that God will help me to begin to feel excited as the time comes to return. While it was amazing to watch all that God is doing amongst the Agta, life there was often very difficult, and it is hard to imagine feeling excited to return. However, regardless of how I feel about it, I am confident that the Philippines is where God has us, and the only place I want to be is in the center of His will.

All that being said, there are some pretty wonderful things about the Philippines that I definitely do miss:

1. Tropical fruit - mangoes and pineapples especially

2. 3-in-1 coffee - a little instant cappucino mix that I often grab for a pick-me-up in the afternoon

3. CWC - that wakeboarding place where we often go as a family for our day off; we have had some great family memories there

4. Volcanic hot springs - is an amazing place with pools of varying temperatures at the base of a beautiful rainforest-covered mountain

5. Eating out affordably

6. Having a helper to do the dishes, sweep the floors and clean the bathrooms

7. Being able to get my mending done for just a few cents

8. Knowing exactly how my kids are doing in every subject of school at any given moment

9. Our many friends - tribal, national and coworkers

10. Watching God work mightily amongst the Agta

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Part of the reason that I am not excited to go back (at least not yet) is because we are so enjoying our time here in the States. Here a few things we are loving:

1. Food, glorious food - fast food, easy-to-prepare food, Papa Johns pizza, real mexican food, real beef in all forms, dark chocolate... the list goes on

2. Left hand turn lanes, shoulders, disciplined drivers, cops who enforce the law - all the things that make driving so relaxing here

3. A dishwasher, reliable washing machine, dryer - and for that matter: consistent electricity, airconditioning, no leaks in the roof or plumbing; the many things that make living here more comfortable (did I mention that all snakes and lizards stay outside here?)

4. Walmart, Target, real grocery stores - all the choices!!!

5. Sharing with churches and small groups all that God is doing amongst the Agta and partnering with people who have a passion to be involved in what God is doing around the world

6. Watching the kids make friends and have kids to socialize with who see them as people rather than entertainment; being able to just be anonymous as we join a group rather than the celebrity "white people" whom everyone just sits back and observes

7. Catching up with family and old friends - being around to celebrate big moments with loved ones (bdays, holidays, Sunday night pancake supper, Friday pizza and movie night)

8. The weather - no typhoons to worry about or unbearable heat; enjoying the changing of the seasons instead; kids are praying for a little SNOW before we go back!

9. Worshipping with an English-speaking group larger than just our family and anyone who happens to be visiting at that time

10. Precious time with family; cherishing every moment of watching the kids get to know their grandparents again

Weekend to Remember

This past weekend we traveled up to visit some dear friends in Iowa and speak at their church.

We had fun attending their 10-yr-old son's first football game.
you can take the boy out of the Philippines, but you can't take the Philippines out of the boy...
The kids' fav part of the weekend was probably four-wheeling around their property. Steve and I didn't mind it too much either. :) I love the look on Mikayla's face in the pic where she is crossing the stream - and how her legs are pulled up so she doesn't get muddy.

It was a full weekend of fun times, but the best part was finally getting to hang out with our friends whom we have so missed so much the last few years in the Philippines.

True friendship is a blessing straight from heaven.

Our Treasures

Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day weekend was a busy but good one. We first went up to St Louis to visit Steve's best childhood friend and his wife. We had a great time hanging out with them, looking at the moon through the telescope, and playing Rock Star (computer game where you play guitar, drums and sing). Then Saturday am we went to the city museum - but it is a bit of a misnomer since it is not actually a museum at all but a HUGE play place with itty-bitty crawl spaces and suspended wire tubes all over. It was wild - and the kids had a blast. It wasn't the best place for pics since most of the tunnels were too small for me to fit with my camera (or without for that matter - Steve and the kids could barely squeeze through!), but I did get a couple of them on the wire tubes. Like the one of Steve and his friend especially. :)

Then we went down to the lake to spend the rest of the weekend with Steve's parents. It had rained so much that we canceled the camping plans and instead hung out at their house. (I honestly wasn't too terribly disappointed about this change of plans. After roughing it so much the last couple years in the Philippines, sleeping - or rather NOT sleeping - outdoors, peeing in the woods, and cooking over a fire have not surprisingly lost some of its appeal.)
Anyway, we "camped out" instead in their living room and set up a tent the 2nd night in the yard. The kids had a blast, and we all still got some sleep.

We had a blast on the lake wakeboarding and tubing. Zach developed quite the fan club as we passed boats and people hanging on the shore. :)

just regular old boring tubing apparently isn't enough of a challenge for Zach Attack. :)
Mikayla impressed all of us with her ability to hang on for the wild ride.

We also enjoyed some fun on the sailboat.

spiderweb on a foggy morning

fishing in the fog