3 MONTHS - WE MADE IT

Today is our 3 month anniversary of our arrival in Costa Rica. Does this mean probation is over? :) Hopefully, the next 9 will go by as quickly so we can being the journey in Lima, Peru with the people God has called us too.

Happy 3 month anniversary. Thank you for your faithfulness and provision, God!

And thank you to EVERYONE who has ever given to Lottie Moon! We couldn't be here without you.

Make me some dinner, please

Tonight when I was at the Bible study at my neighbor's house, I said to her in Spanish, "We should have you over to our house to eat dinner." Well, that's what I thought I was saying. What I actually said was, "We should have you over to our house to cook dinner."

No wonder she looked at my like I was crazy. It took a few minutes, but we finally got it straightened out through the laughter. But hey, she is welcome to come over and cook for us, too! :)

Cocinar(to cook) and Comer (to eat) are the verbs and they are similar, right?

I told her that I am smart in English, but I am not smart in Spanish. She got a kick out of that one. And I proved it to her by using the wrong verb, yet again (soy or estoy) when I was telling her I am not smart. :) HAAAA!!! Spanish is soooooo humbling.

Parker and Jaxson are sick with the fever virus. Praise God no vomiting or major headaches yet. Ally isn't acting well and I haven't felt great, but we are functionable. It could be sooo much worse, as it has been for my fellow classmates, and I am praying that it won't get that way.

On a completely different subject, I made my VERY first A on a grammar test. It was a test that was 2 pages of sentence writing on something called parifrasis. I made a 97 - A. Can you believe it? It is totally the Lord. I studied less this week, pursued Him more and placed my family above school and studying and HE totally gave me the A I had been pursuing. WOW! And I had a test in language class today. I only missed one - another A!! I had to name all the parts of the body, the classroom and the house. I was having a hard time remembering the names for pillow, bed, mattress, etc... I prayed she would NOT ask me these questions. And guess what? She didn't. But she did ask the other girls in my class, but not me. WOW! Another blessing from the Lord.

My dad

I received a package from my grandmother, dad and aunt today. My dad had packaged it up and sent if off. It was wrapped up in an Asics box. Before I left we picked out a pair of Asics shoes together. When John saw the box he said, "That is your dad's shoe box."

I said, "My dad touched this box." And then I held it close. He wrapped it and packaged it and it even had his hand writing on it.

It is the closest I will get to him until December when he comes to visit. Praise God! But it was nice to have him in my arms...even if it came in the form of an Asics box.

My Prayer

Everyday a student in my class has to pray. So far, it has only been in English. I decided I would like to pray in Spanish tomorrow so I wrote this prayer to help me along. I'm not yet to the point where this would easily roll from my brain to my tongue. However, here is the prayer I wrote. I am waiting for my friend, Jenny, to call me back so that she can tell me all the things that are incorrect and need to be changed - I'm sure there are quite a few. I will post the corrections as well (later), so you can see the error(s) (and there are many) of my ways. But here goes nothing. My VERY first prayer in Spanish. Never dreamed this would happen. Even if it's not TOTALLY correct, or partially correct, or mostly incorrect, at least God understands. :)

Senor, eres poderoso. Eres fiel. Gracias por esto dia. Gracias que usted amor nosotros. Yo oro que usted puede ayuder nosotros que espanol. Gracias por todos los estudiantes en esta clase. Gracias por nosotros maestra, Laura. Por favor, ayuda ella a ensenar nosotros. Senor, nosotros damos nuestros vidas a usted. En el nombre de Jesus, yo oro todos las cosas.

Father, you are powerful. You are faithful. Thank you for this day. Thank you that you love us. I pray that you can help us with Spanish. Thank you for all of the students in this class. Thank you for our teacher, Laura. Please, help her to teach us. We give our lives to you. In the name of Jesus I pray all of these things. Amen!

Here is the correct version:
Senor, tu eres poderoso. Tu eres fiel. Gracias por este dia. Gracias por tu amor. Oro que puedas ayudarnos a aprender espanol. Gracias por todos los estudiantes en esta clase. Gracias por nuestra maestra, Laura. Por favor, ayudala como nos ensena. Senor, nosotros te damos nuestras vidas. En el nombre de Jesus, oro todas estas cosas. Amen!

Prayer Harder Next Time

If I owe you an e-mail I only have one word for you: GRACE!!!! I will respond, but it might not exactly be this year.

Thanks for praying about the virus that's going around. I guess you didn't pray hard enough! Totally kidding.

After school, Jaxson came home and went straight to bed, on his own accord. Yeh, that like happens every day. So I knew something was up then. He didn't eat lunch or dinner and then I decided to actually look in his eyes. The red, hazy, this is no fun look, kind of gave it away. He had a 102.5 fever, which is relatively low for a Pham kid. We like to get them up in the 104's - 105's. Nonetheless, he is sick and this is part of that funky headache, stomach ache virus thingy that is going around at school. Praise God, though, this is the first sickness (besides Avery) that my kids have had since April! That is God, for sure!

Since your first prayers obviously weren't rooted in enough faith (totally kidding, again), you can now pray that the rest of us will be protected. I did name it and claim it today, but God really isn't a pez dispenser. :)

Okay, I'm kind of in a joking mood, please don't take my sarcasm for anything serious. It's all in good fun, my friends.

Before I go, here are 3 places I would pay $100 a piece to visit: The Olive Garden (I can taste the salad and breadsticks, Starbucks (a Moca Frappucinno - the slushy kind that tastes like pure sugar), and Target, I miss everything about that place, especially their really thrifty clearance sales.

Please Pray

John wrote:

I would like to ask you, our friend and partners, to pray on behalf of a dear friend of ours. At our appointment service in California a young pastor, named Stephen Jones, walked up to us and, after getting to know us, offered to have his church partner with us. Since that time, he has turned into a great friend. Their church, First Baptist Church of Yucca Valley has really taken care of us. They have truly loved on us.

Please be in prayer for Stephen's son Dylan, who will be having open heart surgery next Tuesday, Oct. 23. Dylan is almost two years old and has a condition called an “Atrial Septal Defect” (ASD). This means he has a hole between the two upper chambers of his heart which causes it to work inefficiently. Because of the hole’s size and location, the only way for the doctors to fix the problem is to give him general anesthesia, cut into his chest, and patch the hole in his heart. During the surgery, his blood will be pumped through a heart-lung machine. The whole process, from start to finish, is expected to take about three hours.

To me this all seems pretty scary, but Stephen's attitude is, “In everything give thanks” (1 Thess. 5:18) and "God is in control." What a great encouragement.

Thank you for your prayers.

A Blog

Blogging takes time - something I don't have much of right now. Not really sure why! Maybe it has something to do with 4 awesome children, a honey and language school. Oh yeh, and lots of homework. God is helping me to do everything in moderation. I'm so much of an all or nothing person. So, my blogs will probably be less frequent until I become fluent or inherit more time in the day. Neither of which are bound to happen anytime soon.

Anyway, there are MANY families in our school that have the vomiting virus. So far we are free from it, but it is spreading like a plague. I ask you to please pray for these families, their quick recovery (several people have had to go the hospital) and that WE will be protected from it.

Okay, the exciting news for the day............

I'm................





going to hang out with my Tica girlfriends on Sunday afternoon. WOOHOO! I'm sure you thought I was going to say I'm pregant. Sorry to disappoint you. That would be cool, but for now, my good news is that I am meeting my friends at the centro commercial (mall) at 4 p.m. I told them to bring their patience because they will need a lot of it to try to talk to me in Spanish. Of course, they already know this.

In other news, a taxi driver gave me his phone number today. He is 40 and single and he KNOWS I am married. I guess that didn't deter him from going for it anyway. I chuckled and then tossed his number in the trash. But I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me feel good - even for just a few seconds. :)

Lastly (okay, that's not even a word), I am going to my neighbor's Bible study, finally, on Friday afternoon. I've been trying to get there for like 4 weeks. I am looking forward to learning God's word in this new language. When I went over to my neighbor's yesterday to chat in Spanish, she spent more time laughing at me than talking to me. It is funny, but the truth is that it is very humbling to be smart in English and "not so smart" in Spanish.

Thanks for your prayers! They sustain us throughout these days.

God's Creation

The kids (Parker and Ally) and I returned from a 2 day, 1 night field trip to Tortugeuro Islands. More green turtles nest their eggs in this location than anywhere else in the Western Hemisphere. It took almost 4 hours by bus and 3.5 hours by boat to arrive to our "lodge." The boat ride was incredible and full of all of God's most incredible creatures. I took over 500 pictures, but I'm still behind in posting last weeks pictures, so maybe tomorrow. I did get to spend great time with Parker and Ally while John held down the fort and enjoyed himself with our littlest two.

While on our excursion we saw bats, crocodiles, parakeets, iguanas, sloths, monkeys, tucans, lots of wild and rare birds, a Jesus Christ lizard, a poisonous tree frog, baby turtles making their way to the ocean and the beauty of God's creation. It is one thing to see these animals in a zoo, but an entirely different experience to gaze upon them in their natural environment. I just kept looking at all that the Lord has made and wondering how anyone could ever see all of this and STILL deny Him. It seems impossible.

On another note, God is continuing to show me so much about him and myself everyday. This journey has been harder for me than I ever imagined - on many different levels. It is good, but very hard. But I did want to share on a general level, that in every struggle I have had, no matter what it is, He has met me exactly where I need Him too EXACTLY when I needed Him too. And most of the time, I don't even have to ask. He is just right there helping me. This week he brought an awesome woman named Sheila Dudney into my life at the perfect moment on the day when I needed her the most. She came over to my house the next day to help me get my "priorities" in order. In my old life (that is what I call pre Costa Rica days), no one would have ever had to come to my rescue like this (I would've been helping someone else with these challenges), but in my new life, I am humbled and broken and in desperate need of help. Not where I LIKE to be, but where God has me. But yet I am so dependent and needy for Him! So this is a good place. Anyway, her presence was just an example of God's provision. After she left, I had such a peace and a newer perspective. I am so thankful that even though this journey is often painful and challenging, it has brought me to an entirely different place with the Lord. I can't remember the last time I just cried out to Him for everything and knew that making it through this is not up to me, but will only happen with His help.

An Afternoon Delight

It has rained almost all day every day and even into the night since Sunday. This afternoon it let up and we were able to do something normal. Parker, Ally and Jaxson and I took a walk to a local gym to check it out. It was on a side of town we have never seen, so the scenery was a nice change as well. Ally even mentioned how pretty it was over there. It's not really, but just getting out of the house made even the city streets look beautiful. On our way back, we stopped at the local bakery for some juice and cookies. This is how I bribed them to take a walk with me. We all held hands as we were walking and it felt soooo good - soooo normal. It felt like it use to be when I was home with them all of the time. We talked and laughed and dodged stray dogs. We even stopped in a local park to play freeze tag. Parker has been waiting for 9 months to play freeze tag with me because I haven't been able too because of my leg. They even went down the big metal slide, but Parker said he couldn't because it "freaks him out." This afternoon was a little piece of heaven right here in Costa Rica. I couldn't help but to keep thanking God for this special time with them.

Spanish on the Phone - Not sooo great!!

I had my first phone conversation in Spanish tonight.

Okay, let me rephrase that...I attempted to have my first phone conversation in Spanish tonight. I spent most of the time laughing because I really can't speak well yet. I was talking to my new, and very patient national friend, Lucrecia. She sounded really happy that I called and was very patient with my continual, "Disculpe. Un momento and perdon?" Not one sentence came from my mouth that she didn't have to correct. Then,I kept having to look up words in the dictionary WHILE she was waiting for me to figure out what she said or while I figured out what I was going to say next. Yes, that means there was silence on the other end....and laughter, of course. But it must not have been too terrible because she DID invite me and the kids over to go swimming in her pool. She said we'll set the date on Monday when I see her again. Okay, she might not have said that, but that is what I'm hoping! :) Piscina is pool, right? And Lunes is Monday? :)

During training with the IMB, they mentioned we would find a person of peace - someone who is very friendly, warm, helpful, inviting and wants to help us in all sorts of ways. A person who opens up doors with language learning and ministry. I think Lucrecia definitely might be my person of peace for language learning. I can't imagine why she would want to hang out or talk with me since it's ridiculously broken Spanish and time consuming to talk (not to mention painful) but nonetheless (thanks Lord), she persists! And so shall I!

Our Trip

Here are pictures of the INSIDE of where we stayed! We took over 700 pictures so LOTS of slideshows to come. But here's the first since I know you've lost sleep over this!

When we arrived they had our name next to the door on little block letters. The fireplace was crackling, the classical music was whispering throughout the entire room (and bathroom). But it was the aroma of the aromatherapy in the bathroom that knocked my socks off. Or was it the free 30 minute message. No, it must've been the view or the hot-tubs. No, I think it was the princess canopy bed that did it for me.

Perfect and Improving

Our weekend:

Romantic! Peaceful! Spoiled! Relaxing! Perfect!

The most beautiful place on the planet!

It was the most perfect dreamed I've ever lived.

And we were reminded of why we married each other 10 years ago.
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KNEE UPDATE!

We walked for miles and hours up and down the side of the mountain. I'm virtually pain free! I only have to go to therapy 1 time a week now. The progress in the past week has been fast and furious. My therapist said that it is God! :) She is not even a believer, but still recognizes His power. I am so excited to feel normalcy in my leg. I'm walking and sitting and climbing and bending! The therapist said I can possibly run in January or February - maybe before, but for now I have to keep my eyes on next year. Praise God! I'm so glad I had the surgery and I really feel that in a few more months it will be as if this year of pain never even existed.

Hasta Luego

I spent about an hour last night writing a blog and right when I went to post it, the internet connection terminated. FRUSTRATION!!! So I apologize for this quick letter with feeling. :)

Thank you to ALL the nice people who have e-mailed this week words of encouragement and nice getting to know you letters. I am very far behind in e-mails, as always, and I will respond when time allows.

But it WON'T be this weekend, because me and my honey are going to La Paz (a waterfall and butterfly gardens) to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. Yep, this year, we are married for 10 years. Our anniversary isn't this weekend, but this weekend worked out for us to be able to go. I will post pictures when we return. Check out where we are going at http://www.waterfallgardens.com/lapaz-peacelodge.html. Our room will be 800 square feet - 150 bigger than our house. It will have a private hot-tub, hammock on the balcony and a man-made waterfall IN the room. SWEET! We are so grateful God gave us each other. I will definitely take lots of pictures so that you can live vicariously through us. Plus, you might want to go there for your own special occasion.

Also, here are the girls I go to school with. We are together from 7:30 - 12:00 p.m. everyday. Since I spend more time with them than with anyone else, I thought you might like to see them.

Keely, Jennifer (due in 2 weeks), Rhonda, Jessica and Maestra Rita!

Pressing On

I woke up this morning with a fresh sense of God’s grace. “His mercies are new every morning” was the first thing that popped into my mind as I struggled to crawl out of my comfy-cozy bed. I was filled with peace as I set out for the day. I was anxiously desiring to have intimate time with God before the hustle and bustle of the day started.

In the Bible Study I am doing, the question (not a coincidence, of course), was as follows:

Q: “How can we be sure that we won’t sacrifice something wonderful or something of value if we adopt the ultimate goal of following God?

What a perfect question as I am struggling with the sacrifice of ALL that is familiar to me: my friends, family and role as a stay-at-home mom.

The question then pointed me to Mathew 6:33 “Seek first His kindgom and His righteousness and all these things will be given (or added) to you.”

In short, my focus should not be on what I am giving up, but on God’s kingdom and He will fill in the rest in His time. However, the promise is that He will fill it all in. It’s one thing for me to know these things, but it is an entirely different story for me to live them out.

God also pointed me to Phillipians 3:12-14 where Paul talks about pressing on toward the goal and THE ONE THING HE DOES. He says “not that I have already attained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that which Christ Jesus took hold of for me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But the one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

I was struck! He says the one thing he does….the one thing that is vital is to forget what is behind him. And I noticed he didn’t say he just moves on. He says he “strains” toward the prize. Meaning to me, that it probably wasn’t an easy road to forget what was behind if he was straining toward what was ahead, but he pressed on, nonetheless. So, I purposed today to turn my eyes to Lima, Peru and the life we will make there; the ministry God is placing us in; the people we will hopefully share Christ with; and the family of believers that are waiting for us. I HAVE to strain towards this and NOT look back. I probably have the most clarity and peace I've had regarding this during this process. Please remind me of this if I start looking back again.

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I had physical therapy again today. Rosa, my favorite therapist and my friend, told me that when I first came 4 weeks ago, my Spanish was HORRIBLE! Today, she said my Spanish is improving a lot and that she can understand almost everything I say. I asked her about my grammar and she said it is okay. Not terrible, but not perfect. I can only speak in present tense, but I am SAYING SOOO much. I have had conversations about home-schooling, hanging out and cultural issues. God TRULY is helping me to learn 50-80 words a day, to retain them and then to apply them in sentences. This is truly God because I have a TERRIBLE memory.

At the end of our session, I told Rosa that I really didn’t want to come to therapy anymore (time isssues), but that I love coming to talk to her and I also know that I need to continue so my leg will get better. She said something in a Spanish that I didn’t understand. She then, in broken English, said, “You are our favorite patient.” Awwww…..melt my heart. If I could’ve skipped home, I certainly would’ve. Two great comments in ten minutes. Such a change from yesterday.

A Day

I had a hard day today! God worked out the situation, but it was still emotionally draining nonetheless. I am becoming more and more aware of Satan's schemes to attack and steal my joy. I did get to see John cry tears for me because he was very sad as well for the situation. He hardly ever cries (maybe like 5 times in 10 years), so this really meant a lot to me.

My heart, today more than ever, just longed for the comfort of my familiar friends who love and accept me. There is just something special about friends you have grown with over the years. I ached to get in my car and drive to Publix with the kids so that they could get snack-packs and I could get a diet-coke and some sushi. I mentioned it to the kids and they all started crying. Not a good idea to bring up stuff like that!

So I took a nap because I had worn myself out emotionally. I guess I cried ALL through my nap because I woke up with wet eyes and a sniffly nose. UGH!!

I went over to my friend Paula's house for about an hour and she was "skyping" her mom. That only brought tears to my eyes to see "HER" mom. Just a reminder of how much I miss my parents and would love to see their faces- and the faces of all my friends and family. It did bring a smile to my face to see her parents, though.

So, I guess God is teaching me to be content in ALL situations. Not so easy!! The pain of being away from all my loved ones for years to come is almost suffocating. I asked John today if he thought it would get any easier for me. He sure hopes so.

This is a void that ONLY God can fill.