the ongoing adventures

post by ~ Brin

It's time to bust out a new post so I looked through our pictures for some inspiration on something I could write about, or maybe the picture will be so awesome it will say it's thousand words for me. I came up with pretty pathetic options. What? Are we not doing anything picture worthy anymore? That's a pity because I go on Facebook and you all are living such marvelous lives, going on fun vacations, posing your kids for those precious first day of school pictures,  then all those posts about going out to lunch with so and so. Oh, the horror, so many fun things are happening without me. Something must be wrong with me.

Maybe yes, maybe no. But Facebook is not going to be the one telling me so.

Our family life has taken a lovely rhythm, Josh pretty much works an 8-5 job, much like all of you, but understand this is a bit of a first for our 16 year marriage. When Josh graduated from college he went into Doulos ministry working with youth (thus keeping "youth hours"), then had a youth pastor position for nine years.  When we arrived in Altamira as missionaries odd "working" hours and Josh traveling for weeks at a time was pretty much normal life. This 8-5 stuff is flipping me out. And I am getting rather...bored, maybe? The rhythm, like I said is lovely, but honestly it doesn't suit me perfectly.  I am craving something else, even if I can't quite put my finger on it. This craving prompts me to just put it all out there for God .  I am learning that as vessels consecrated to God we are called out of the ordinary. I believe that each person lives their God-given "extraordinary" differently, God custom fits each life. My rhythm changed in the last year. Without having it all figured out, I allow myself to question where is the adventurous life I crave?

Right around the corner, perhaps. Josh and I continue going about our daily commitments but are currently praying and pursuing adding to our lives some changes that will involve where we live and additional ministry opportunity to our lives.  I am excited for the possibility and that winds of change seems to be blowing.

But for now we press ahead.  Below are some pictures that I was able to find to give you a feel for what we are up to. Nothing stirring or inspiring. Simply God's assignment for us currently.

Our teammates Andrés and Camila are expecting their first baby. We hang out with them the most so Ava and Mia are also looking forward to helping care for this baby. Here is Ava alongside Camila at the baby shower playing "guess what is in the sack."

  A week ago Mia spiked a fever and started throwing up. It has now become second nature when anyone becomes sick to hang a hammock in the air conditioned room and then I run the 2 blocks to our market and buy coconut water, nature's perfect rehydrator. She recovered from her stomach bug just fine but not without passing it on to me and Ava.

 Once a week I go to the hangar to work in the med room. Each bin filled with various meds, dosages and carefully controlled exp. dates. I bring the girls with me and they homeschool themselves, with various degrees of schooling actually occurring but plenty of on-site learning instead.

A big project that the Asas mechanics are working on is completely rebuilding a set of 40 year old floats from a Cessna 172.

The old parts to the floats laid out on the floor. The reassembly will include close to 8,000 rivets.