Recent Activities and Upcoming Plans

Well, we've had about 5 semi-normal weeks. "Semi" because even though we haven't been traveling too much and have been able to settle in a bit, we have also tried to cram in all the special things we wanted to do. Complete normalcy provides the ability to spread those things out a lot more. But, we'll take "semi" over nothing.

So, as I said, we've had about 5 weeks of that. It's been so incredibly wonderful and I definitely wish we had more time for it all. But, it is time for yet another transition. This week we are beginning to pack it all up. Next week Joel will be gone for a training in Canada. The week after that I will be gone to Seattle for a training. Then after I get back we will only have 1 more week here. Soooo sad! We'll be leaving this area around July 5th.

I DESPISE the fact that we won't be staying for the Watermelon Festival! I know...you all in Saline have expressed your gasps over that fact. ;) I can't believe it either. But, Joel's family has a family reunion in Pennsylvania scheduled for that weekend, so we will be headed that way. It will be good to see them. But, don't worry...we will not be missing the Watermelon Festival ever again when we are in the states. So, we'll see y'all in 2-3 years! And I will be kicking your hineys in the seed spitting contest. ;) Hahaha.

We'll be in Pennsylvania for a few days and then will be headed to Boston for about a week. Then we'll be boarding a plane back to Brazil July 20th. Sad and happy...just the way our lives will always be.

Alright, gotta run and pack. I might not be updating the blog again before we leave Saline. But, here are a few pictures of the recent weeks. Enjoy!

Helping Daddy wash the van. I love Cass's expressions in these pictures. ;) She was later able to pry herself away from the soapy bucket and actually wash the van a bit too. Ha.

We went to Tucker's state track and field meet in Baton Rouge. His event was later in the day, so we took the kiddos to the Baton Rouge Zoo before the track meet. Fun!
And my favorite part...we introduced the kids to snow cones. Ahhh, and they were so good. It was seriously hot as hades that day.


After the zoo, we were off to watch Tucker's event. He had torn his hamstring playing softball, so he couldn't run this year (big bummer). But he did great with the discus. It was so great to be here for all his Senior stuff.
The fans with their star!! :)
Awww-eeee.
And out at the lake...best place on Earth. We spend as much time as possible there. LOVE!!!!!!


Grady and Hadley are having a ball playing T-ball. We are having tons of fun watching them too. SO fun!!

They have lots of support from their little sisters.


Movie night!
We had a family reunion with Daddy's fam, the Madden family. Took this picture with Daddy and Tucker, Daddy's sisters, Aunt Marilyn and Aunt Rose, and my only cousin on the Madden side, Brian. It was a really fun day spending time with the Maddens that we haven't spent time with in years.
Fun kiddos!
More fun, fun times at the lake(and with Tucker this day)!! Hoping we get to spend much more time there before we leave. This is my happy place!! ;)

Para Meus Amigos Brasileiros!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, English-speakers. Today is for the Brazilians in our lives. Last night I was wondering how on earth I was going to bring myself to wrap my brain around going back...this morning I woke up missing it and our Brazilian friends. He knows exactly how to 'work me.' ;) Anyhoo, so I needed to talk to them today...

OLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Voces sabem sobre meu portugues, mas talvez voces podem entender...rsrsrs)

Nossa, gente…nos temos saudades de voces!! Nos estamos muito feliz sobre voltando e conectando com voces de novo. Logo tambem.

Eu ADORO gastando tempo aqui com certeza. Com minha familia, meus amigos velhos, na minha cidade de lar, e ao meu lago (meu favorito lugar no mundo). A gente viagou MUITO aqui tambem, visitando muitos pessoas e igrejas. Agora, so gastando tempo com familia um pouco (nos temos dois treinamentos em junho tambem). Mas, a gente volta em julho para Anapolis, no meio da mes.

Nos temos planejados para voltando ai, a’ Anapolis. Provalvamente nos vamos ficar ai para uma semana, mais ou menos. E ai, nossos planos estao para indo para uma escola de lingua para mim. Eu preciso, neh? ;) Rsrsrs. Normalmente quando estrangeiros mudam para Brasil (ou outro pais), eles vao para escola de lingua antes eles comecam ministerio ou trabalho deles. Realmente, para nos, quando nos chegavamos ai, nao foi o tempo para escola assim para nos (para mim em realidade...Joel nao precisa, mas a familia integral vai ir comigo...para Campinas provalvamente). Eu fui para algumas aulas ai em Anapolis com professoras muitas boas, e foi bom. Mas e’ dificil com as criancas, sabe? Agora e o tempo para indo para escola para aprendendo intensivo...e bom porque Joel vai ficar com as criancas quando eu estou estudando. Nao sei com certeza quanto tempo nos vamos ficar na escola, mas nos estamos feliz sobre isso. Eu espero que eu posso FALAR COM VOCES depois isso...rsrsrs. Sim, eu falo agora, mas eu quero falar mais, e mais facilmente. Eu quero saber de voces mais.

Entao, nossos planos e assim.

As criancas estao crescendo demais! ;) Eles tem saudades de voces tambem...e as coisas do Brasil. Eles adoram aqui tambem, mas ainda as vezes quando nos vamos para um restaurante, eles perguntam para Guarana. ;) Estados Unidos nao tem Guarana. Rsrsrs. Eu tenho saudades de provolone no churrasco...mmmmm! ;) E outras coisas tambem...voces principalmente.

OK, preciso ir, mas so queiria falar com voces. De novo, eu espero que voces podem entender. ;) Logo, eu vou poder falar com fluencia...em nome de Jesus. ;) Rsrsrs.

Agora, nos vamos para o lago para nadar e um picnic! Aaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ADORO! ;)

Abracos e beijos da familia Ebersole!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ate logo!!

Doesn't Even Deem Worthy of a Title

There are so many things that I want to touch on, so many things that need to get out. But, the truth is that I have no idea how to articulate them. No. Idea.

That’s usually when I try to type/write. So, that’s what I’m doing.

Hard. I’ve never felt opposed like I have during this trip. It’s really weird. And I don’t understand. But, it’s been really difficult. Really difficult.

Most all of the things about being back in the United States, “home,” have been wonderful. But, that being opposed thing is kind of a big deal. It isn’t pleasant. It makes for tension and conflict and people behaving badly. It’s interesting what happens when one forges a different path…what good comes from it, but also the mess that others make behind them…and what, hmm, opposition occurs. It makes me happy about the different path we have set out on. Really confirms that in our hearts. Thank God for showing us and teaching us and setting us free. But, it also makes me wonder a lot about our future spending time at “home.” Only time will tell. Do I think we will spend less time in the states because of it? No. But, the time we do will probably look a whole lot different from now on. People are people and need God for change to occur. And that only happens if their eyes are opened and they see they need change, and then allow God to do it. It would be nice if ‘talking things out’ or even ‘setting boundaries’ would work, but that just doesn’t with some. God give us clarity.

I have really great news and lots of updates/thoughts about our future concerning other things, but for now this is heavy on me and I just can’t tell you about all of that other right now. Please pray for us and our remaining time here. Lots of good, but lots of yucky too. Help us, Lord.

Up To Speed

That's where I'm about to bring you. ;)

Recap:

Got to the states just in time for Thanksgiving. Had a glorious time there in Beverly, Mass. with Joel's immediate family for about 3 weeks.

Got to Louisiana mid-December. Had a great Christmas and New Year's. Finally found a house for us to live in while here. Cute little thing with a special history.

Settled in our house and got to work right away with homeschool. Joel worked on some transportation (a vehicle) for us as well as working on presentations for speaking engagements while here. We spoke at several churches. Have met several great people for the first time and caught up with many old friends and our family. Went to countless basketball games to watch Tucker (little brother, senior in high school this year) play ball. Got to follow him all the way to the state playoffs, which was a really cool, unexpected surprise. They lost in the semi-finals, but what a fun ride that was. GO BOBCATS!!

In mid-February (at the time of my last blog post), we started the traveling. I went to a conference in the Dallas area and also caught up with some friends in Longview. I got back from the conference and less that 24 hours later, Joel flew out to attend some training in North Carolina. He was gone for 10 days. He got home on a Tuesday night. On Wednesday, we went to Tucker's basketball playoffs over 3 hours away. On Thursday, we went car shopping and bought one (in a matter of one afternoon). On Friday, we packed. On that Saturday, March 13th, we headed out west on our trip to Arizona.

We stopped over in Longview for a few days. Saw lots of great friends and spent some time at New Covenant Church (formerly Church on the Rock, where Joel and I met; they are our official sending church). Then we headed out to Arizona. Took the kids to see the Grand Canyon and then headed down to Phoenix. Spent about 2 weeks there...saw tons of friends and visited a few churches too...so fun!!

Started driving on a Thursday night. Got back to Goldonna at 6:30 on Saturday morning...we had to be somewhere at 10am. TIRED!! That was Easter weekend. LOTS of fun seeing lots of friends and family and doing all the Easter things with the kids.

We spent the next few days unpacking, washing, changing over winter clothes for summer ones, and packing again. We also had to clean our house really good and rearrange/put away things because some other people stayed here while we were gone. Um, CRAZY few days. We left on that Thursday...April 8th.

We went straight to Dallas...Keller to be exact. Spent some time with friends and on Sunday morning Joel was supposed to fly out to Canada. It was a very unexpected trip that he had to make because he couldn't fit into the training he had planned on attending in North Carolina (in March; he got some training there, but not all that he'd originally planned on...the JAARS class ended up being too full). So, it was really impromptu. Around 1am on Sunday morning, Joel suddenly asked, "Do you have to have your passport to get into Canada now?" Woopsies. He's been to Canada before, but that was before you had to have a passport. Joel didn't have his passport with him. He was just going to postpone the trip until Monday and have his passport meet him where he had his layover (something with the airlines called 'counter to counter'), but when someone in Louisiana got his passport, it was expired anyway. Joel knew he was going to have to renew his passport while here, but because he didn't know he'd have to take this trip to Canada, just hadn't done that yet. So, yes...the Canada trip was a no-go. He hopes to be able to do it in June.

So, we all just stayed there in the Dallas area visiting friends and churches (and I got to attend a conference that I had wanted to, but didn't think I'd be able to because of Joel's travel...it was amazing!) until this past Sunday. We stayed with our friends John and Nicole until Saturday. Then we visited some friends in Ft. Worth on Saturday and went on to friends in Mansfield (Texas) to stay the night. Then we started the trek home after church on Sunday.

There was still part of one family that we hadn't gotten to see from the Longview area. We had to return something to them anyway. So, we stopped over there on Sunday afternoon. Their son and his wife and kiddos were also there (SO glad we got to see them) to help fix their roof that had hail damage. The son was doing it all by himself. So...we ended up staying the night unexpectedly so that Joel could help Paul out with the roof on Monday.

We headed home Monday afternoon and made a couple of stops along the way. Finally got home around 9 Monday night.

And, that's the life of a nomad.

We will travel once more here in Louisiana the first week of May. But, other than that, we will just be at Saline lake until July. ;)

We are looking forward to some relaxation (a little bit at least) and reading with the kids and routine. The kids are also signed up to play T-ball...fun-ness. I'm sure we'll have some VBS in June too. Lots of other things as well, but I'll write about those later. I LOVE summer...esp. summers in Saline. Looking forward to it.

The travels were great and we had no real troubles. Thanks so much for your prayers. The kids were healthy, had no mechanical issues. It was stressful, but seeing everyone and reconnecting was so GREAT!! I do have to say, though, that I'm glad it's over. Sigh.

So sorry it was 2 full months since I last updated. I'll write more soon hopefully, now that things are a bit more calm. Maybe some more weighty stuff...thoughts on the future, feelings about the present, and all that mumbo jumbo. ;) Just wanted to catch you all up to speed with our 'geography' though. Hope you are all doing well!!

Now just a few pictures to give a summary of the last few months...

Thanksgiving in the United States!! YAY!!!! Spent at Pastor Lou's house right on the ocean. Beautiful and SO American...I loved it!! ;)
Joel with his siblings...Danny, Angela, Andre, and Priscilla.
Fun with Grandma and cousins.
Being introduced to Grandpa's accordion.
Less than 24 hours after we arrived in Saline, our kids participated in a Christmas program...so fun. Grady was a shepherd (with some company from Uncle Tucker). Hadley and Eissa sang dressed up as angels, right next to cousins Kiley and Skylar.
Christmas morning.
Got to meet Aunt LeAnn...love her. She was Cass' favorite. ;)
Lots of fun times with cousins!
Grady's 6th birthday was January 3rd. He had a superhero birthday party.
Eissa was 3 in October, but we had a party here for her in February...she'd never had a party in the states with family before. She requested a ballerina party.
Got some snow while in Boston in December. Then got some more in Louisiana! This was at Mama's house...the house where I grew up. Love that view!! (note the horses down in the pasture)
At the conference I attended with some really fun friends, Nicole and Jen. So fun!!
The kids got to ride in my uncle's log truck.
At Tucker's last scheduled home game, the girls ran out and gave him a hug when they called his name. (Grady wasn't interested in running out in front of everyone :) )
Love those Saline basketball games!
Me with some friends from high school.
We got to ride on a school bus.
Hadley turned 5 Feb. 20th. We had a flower party for her as she asked for.
Granny and Papaw with their grandkids.
All ready for the state playoffs.
GO BOBCATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A picture of Tucker and Daddy (who is also Tucker's coach) that appeared in a newspaper after the state playoffs.
Our first stop, before Longview, was in Marshall to see our friends, Tracy and Teresa. Our kids had so much fun together.
At New Covenant (Church on the Rock) in Longview.
Grand Canyon. SO breathtaking.
One day in Phoenix...on a walk with the Woods fam. When we lived in Phoenix, our house faced this mountain. So pretty.
Back in Louisiana...Easter Sunday.
Lots of fun!!
Spring sprung while we were in Arizona. We got back and everything was so green and flowery and beautiful. This was taken in Granny's front yard. Gorgeous!
At John and Nicole's gorgeous house (actually in the back yard with friends) that they got hooked up with...gotta love foreclosures.
Fun on the slide.
Helpers in the kitchen.
All of our kiddos...of John and Nicole, Justin and Jen, and me and Joel.
This is how we were all feeling on Monday. So excited about being home for good for a while (well, except for one little trip in May, but we won't think about that right now). ;)

Don't have time to spell check, so hope you can figure this all out. Just wanted to catch you up to speed. Until next time...