haven't you always wanted a mon-KEE?

Tarz has gone back to his family now...but that's just down the road. We miss him, but we can still visit. Really, he belongs in the jungle... i don't think we would ever get a monkey for ourselves - it was too sad to see him in captivity and imagine what life would be like for him in freedom. I'm not an animal lover, but i confess... he is pretty cute. His only downfall was that he ruined my little fig tree (in which we let him frolic freely without a diaper during the day), and he used to bite when we put his diaper on at night. Well, I guess, he didn't ruin my tree, but it's pretty spindly-looking now after he peeled all the bark back looking for little bugs. :) Monkeys do belong in the jungle.

monkey buisness

Ok, so this is the little orphan Beth and I have been looking after for the last three days. Cute huh? Dale and Janet Horst (and their four boys) bought this little squirrel monkey about three weeks ago from somebody who was trying to sell him. They named him "Tarz", and this week they are away for a few days, so we have become his foster home for the time being.

Craziness. I always wondered what it would be like to have a monkey? :) And I still think they should have named him George.

We have decided that the makeshift diaper is a great remedy for his monkeyness while he is in our house. :) He pees all the time.

Yesterday and today he spent most of the day outside climbing in our little fig tree (diaper-free) and eating bugs, raisins, peanuts, and bread. Poor little guy...I sent a couple of our school kids out hunting for grass-hoppers and other little bugs for him to eat. He's pretty easy to love.

Awwww.

the Scotia

These are the last of my pictures from Canada.

Here we are, my last weekend at home, making memories like tourists, but with entirely different sentiments, i must say.

Dad enjoyed the photo shoot...while I felt entirely awkward "posing" for the camera. But nevertheless, we enjoyed a beautiful afternoon in Chester (umm, homemade seafood chowder) and driving along the coast, with a few necessary :) stops along the way.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Mom and DAD!

31 years is a marathon, and I hope it is only a half-marathon for you guys!! I love yas.

tungurahua

Last Thursday, Aug. 17th early in the morning one of Ecuador's four active volcanoes began erupting, and continued with fury for the next four days. Tungurahua is 5029 meters above sea-level, and deep in the Andean mountain range...about a 6 hour winding bus-ride from us here on the coast. I have stayed in the small town of Baños (famous for it's hot springs), which is tucked under this active volcano on a few occasions - including a trip with Sarah last summer, and a holiday with Mom and Dad and Chris this past Christmas. On Christmas day there was dark grey smoke coming from the mouth of Tungurahua. At the time, it was so cool to witness volcanic activity..."live". I must say, I am sure that the 3-4000 Ecuadorian citizens that have been displaced from their homes because of this disaster, would not agree. Six have been killed, others burned in the steam and lava flow, and many left home-less with a complete loss of crops and livestock. My heart broke when I heard about the crises for so many people, and mostly for those who live so humbly off the land. It is beautiful countryside in the mountains. I do confess that I did, and still do have the urge to see something like this in person. However, as my roomate put it, so bluntly...I don't want to have anything to do with "disaster tourism". Please pray for those that are suffering because of loss during this time.



"I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will stengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting, men may know that there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I the LORD, do all these things...And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me."

fox family

Shauna, the new mama. Hard to believe we used to play dolls and now she is the real thing. :)

I met baby Hannah for the first time when I was home.

A Fox-family reunion of sorts. :) My cousin Emily entertaining the newest member of the family, my cousin Shauna's baby girl, Hannah.

malagash

...squeeze me please

... my favorite duo

...the orphan three

...a thousand words

Jenn, Sarah and I directed Senior teen camp in July. I was so blessed to be up there this summer. So blessed.

pei wedding

A picture of the beautiful bride (and Auntie Joan and Uncle Steven). The wedding was like something out of a magazine. But I didn't get too many great pics.

Nanny and Pappy and I just behind the farm house. It was so nice to be with them while I was home. Time was too short though. A special blessing to share about Ecuador at their church too.

pei

This is our family lighthouse. Hehe. :) Well, not really, but my great grandfather was the keeper for many years. It's the most beauttiful lighthouse on the island. West Point.

Jaclyn (cowgirl) had her wedding shower that weekend so we got a few cousin shots (with jess) for memory sake...

Our little road trip to the island while Chris was still in the East. And oh the pictures we took...





Sweet clouds, eh Chris?

The island. This one is Nanny and Pappy's farm (mom's homestead) ... and behind me, the red capes and Atlantic. Oh yeah, and a lot of potatoes.

intensidad

ECUADOR - INGLATERRA

the Atlantic

The Atlantic coast. It was SO cold. And we got soaked, remember SuzieQ? :)

And camp. The favorite place.

Upon arriving finally in Halifax, i made a point of visiting a few of my favorite places. This is early one morning...do you know the spot? Sweet salt air and seagulls.

family

And we also got to connect with our cousin Luke who is studing computer tech stuff (beyond me) in the big city. No pictures, but we also hung out with his big brother, Josh and fiancee in Regina. These boys are like brothers. :)


And then, after hours of driving (of which I LOVED being behind the wheel finally!) we arrived in Toronto and spent more time with family, my cousin Sonya and her husband and girls...

From there, our journey home through the States allowed us to connect with my cousin Jen and her sweet family in Iowa, as well as with my dear friend, miss Sarah (Tyrrell) Lillis who is expecting a baby in November! (pictures to come)...

The following week I spent some sweet time with my sister in Edmonton where mom and dad met up with us and we hung out as a foursome again finally and celebrated Chris's graduation from U of A Nursing. Horray, an RN!! :)

beauty

So. CANADA.
Well, I arrived in the sweet homeland out West, which isn´t so much "home" to me, but beautiful and breath-taking all the same. I spent some quality time with good friends (Jill, the Contact crew from home, Paul, Scott), and was blessed with a highlight hiking trip up Chinaman's Peak, in Canmore with Denis and Charlotte (Laura was unfortuneately home sick). Sweet times, reveling in God's Creation and His good gifts. To breathe deep, clean, fresh, cold air...ahhh.

later

Here I am. It's Tuesday...and this is all I have time for. Shoot. I'll post later...

constant

So, I'm back in the southern hemisphere again. And the sun definitely feels closer.
It is the perfect time of year to reajust to the Ecuadorian climat; not too hot during the day (only 25-30 degrees celcius), chilly enough for a sweatshirt in the evening, and cooler in the morning -making a hot cup of coffee that much more enjoyable. All the Ecuadorians think it's so cold. :)
Life here is great. The traffic is still crazy, the dogs keep barking, and there continues to be lots of people coming to our door to visit. It's been nice to be home with Beth. I feel like our little orange house is home, I really do...so it's nice to come back to something so familiar. I think I feel that way about everything really. I remember arriving back in Canada over two months ago and feeling a little uncomfortable, or just strange I guess, manouvering through the culture. "Fresh off the boat" was my sister´s oh-so-sensitive way of putting it. :) But I certainly didn't feel that way arriving back here. And that was, and is still, comforting.
I started teaching my English classes last week and "señorita, señorita!" has been music to my ears. I'm not sure how long that will last but I'm enjoying it these days. It´s been fun distributing the toothbrushes, stickers and worksheets I brought for the school from my dentist in Fall River. Lots of smiles. I laughed when telling one class that I had brought them something from my dentist and some of the kids shouted out "caramelos?!?!?" (candy) Oh gosh. At least they didn't say "cola?!?" :) I had my first grade 3 music class yesterday and all the kids wanted to do was sing the whole time...it was so fun! Again, their good behavior may only be a "honeymoon" phase for now, but it's great. :)
Things with youth are busy and I'm trying to jump back into things again. We were at the beach this past weekend, at the new camp...and I continue to be amazed at how God has made that dream a reality. It was a sweet weekend with the youth discipleship group from block 10, and just a reminder of God's faithfulness and consistency in their lives - and in my own life. He is so committed to us. Since coming back it has been such an encouragement to see change in some of the youth that have been continuing to grow and offer their lives to God. A awesome reminder that the LORD is the Author and the Perfector of the faith He has given to those that trust Him (Hebrews 12:1-2). Anyways, during the weekend at camp I found myself singing Dee´s song "Constant" the whole weekend (as I often come back to it), so I picked up a guitar and am trying to translate it for the youth here. (I need to ask you Dee, if you mind?!?)
So yeah. Here I am at the internet cafe...Tuesdays are my days off (no classes) so I'm going to try to post news every week on Tuesdays. We'll see how faithful I can be. My next post will be pics and a brief review of my two months in Canada, I hope. :)