~My Friend Marisol & our friends Carlos & Gloria~

~As I have told y'all earlier, when I was pregnant with Elijah, I was lonely and wishing I could have a lady friend to spend time with, cook with, buy flowers with, etc.  (This was before we started helping at Pastor Jimmy and Sis. Farly's church and became great friends with all of the people there.)
One day I was sitting outside the mall on a bench, eating an apple, waiting for Phillip.  I looked up and here came this Christian-looking lady (Marisol) eating an apple too.  As she passed, I told her that I liked her jean skirt.  She stopped and we chatted for quite some time.  She had seen me about 6 months earlier in the mall near her house, and so wanted to talk to me, but didn't get the chance until this day.
From that day on, we became fast friends. God sent her my way for my lonely heart, and she tells me over and over how God sent me to her during a very TOUGH and LONELY time in her life!~

 Last week my friend Marisol came by our house for a quick visit. Since I had to run develop some pictures in the mall near her house, Kimberly, Sarah, Marisol, and I rode to the mall together and had one last outing of just lady time. We ate supper at Subway and then Marisol treated us to ice cream at Crepes and Waffles.  She told me that before I came along she had asked Jesus to let her get to know a TRUE old-fashion American who baked, cooked, etc. She said that the people who started her church years ago were American and she had heard all kinds of stories of how the American ladies made their own jams and jellies, etc.  So, she was telling us that I was a ANSWER to her prayer about meeting a TRUE American.   She said that she still can't believe that she has gotten to come make homemade bread in the "American's home."  =)  She tells me that have been healing to her lonely heart.  She said that SHE is the reason God kept us here in Colombia instead of sending us to Argentina last Aug. or Sept., for she's going through a HUGE VALLEY and told me she REALLY needed me these last few months!  Please pray for her if she crosses your mind.
~I had just said something goofy right before Kimberly took this picture of Marisol and I enjoying our yummy ice cream.~

~Kimberly and Sarah enjoying their ice cream too. It was a delightful evening to just relax in the midst of our sorting, packing, etc.~

  ~Then the next day we were invited to our dear friends Carlos & Gloria's house for a special, yummy, Colombian dinner with them and Gloria's parents.  This is their adorable little Joel Felipe (named after my Felipe...my Phillip) eating his lunch.  =)~

~We had a nice afternoon together.~

~Goofy Phillip, Kimberly and Carlos put together these 2 coffee mugs with glasses, shoes, hair clip, ear phones, phone, etc.~

~Kimberly with their "finished product." =D~

So, here's an update, so you'll know how to KEEP PRAYING!!!
~We found out that we SHOULD BE allowed to take two  50#  suitcases EACH!!!  YEA!!!  We're so HAPPY for that will help us get more things HOME that we want to get home.  Praise the Lord!!!
(And if tonight is any indication...we'll need every BIT of that extra weight ....for 2 of our neighbors just rang our doorbell tonight bearing NICE GIFTS for our family!  How thoughtful.  =)
~Our hearts are filled with mixed emotions.  We're soooooo EXCITED to go home and see all of y'all our family and friends there, but SOOO SAD to leave our people here.
~Our babies don't really understand what is going on. Elijah was only 2 years old and Mary just 3 months the last time we were in the USA, so they don't know what "THE USA" is!!  
Every time they see yet another person taking OUR FURNITURE and leaving with it... Elijah gets quite upset.  So, we try to explain to him that we can't take beds and couches on the plane, and that we have some at home in the USA.  I've told our older children that Elijah and Mary will need lots of loving during these days, so they will feel more secure in the midst of ALL THIS CHANGE.  Please pray for their little hearts.
~Tomorrow everyone is to come and pick up their furniture, so by the evening we should have no more furniture in our house.  We have several suitcases packed and weighed. Praise the Lord!  BUT, in spite of the fact that we keep giving BAGS of stuff away, the house is FAR from empty!!!  Any volunteers to just come and PITCH the rest? =D
~Pastor Jimmy and Sis. Farly have graciously opened up their home for us to come and stay our last week with them.  That way, each morning we can come back to our BY THEN EMPTY HOUSE...HOPEFULLY ... and clean it, so we can turn in the keys soon, Lord willing.
~PLEASE KEEP PRAYING.  I'm getting SO TIRED that I might just have to let my family finish doing the rest of the packing and work.  =)