I have two sons...

Actually I have 3 sons. Eli and Liam are my sons by birth and Ronan is my son by "adoptive" love. He is Jenn and Johns son but I consider him as much one of my own as I do Eli and Liam. Those 3 boys have my heart in their grips.They have also had me thinking a lot lately.

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http://thelittlewhitebook.wordpress.com

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http://sfbeta.com/category/coffee/

I'm not the kind of girl that envisioned her dream wedding or fairy tale dress. I never thought much about those things but the one thing I did always envision was my family. My family consisting of one boy and one girl. Just like I was raised. Then I began to have my own children. First came Eli, the oldest boy, just perfect and as I expected. Then we got pregnant again and along came Liam. A perfect, beautiful bundle of BOY joy....Not what I had anticipated. With my held low, I admit I struggled and at times still do...a boy? I always wanted a girl. A sweet little girl to dress up, to have coffee dates with, to stay up late chatting, to raise her to be a women of God and to love on.  Please, please, please don't misunderstand. I love my sons with all my heart. I would NEVER trade them for the world, it just wasn't what I envisioned.

Ro & Eli in their fancy matching ties

When a dear friend of mine had her second baby boy my outlook on my world changed. She helped me to see the beauty and perfection in having all these boys.  The Lord began to speak to me about relationships. My prayers have been redirected and my selfishness is in the process of being removed because ultimately it is not I who knows best but the Lord and when I allow Him to do what is perfect and right in EVERY aspect of our lives, it will be well with my soul.  I pray these boys will be more then brothers but they will be BEST friends. Even though I realize that boys don't think like me, communicate like me or are nearly as emotional as me, I pray that they will be able to share on a level I can't even begin to imagine. That they will have relationships with each other and their fathers, deeply rooted in the Lord. That when they are frustrated that they can go to one another because they understand each other, when they are filled with joy they will  call on each other, that they will always be there for each other.

My brother & I

My brother is an AMAZING man and I am proud to be his sister. We had an unusual relationship in that we RARELY ever fought and we just understood each other. I adore my older brother. Maybe we got along so well because he is so much older then me (4.5 years) or maybe its because I think more like a man...who knows. Regardless, our relationship was a real gem, a rare find between siblings and I will cherish it forever. That being said, I pray that these boys have a much greater relationship. A bond that only brothers can understand. Best friends.

David and Jonathan had a relationship that was beautiful. I pray the same for my sons. Jonathan was willing to risk himself for David and for what he knew to be right in the Lord. I pray the same for my sons.

Two jokesters are better than one!

Painting together

Eli helping Ro clean his ice cream face

David and Jonathan were not blood brothers yet they loved each other as such. Relationships go beyond our blood family. We are called to love one another. To turn to one another and have a special bond with others. To disciple each other. I pray that my sons will not just be best friends but that they will challenge one another in the Lord. That they will grow in the Word together and through that, they will have relationships with others. That they will Worship the Lord together and with others. That they will disciple others. That they will follow the Great Commission:
               
               


                 Matthew 28:16-20
                       16. Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee to the mountain where
                       had told them to go. 17. When they saw him they worshiped him; but
                       some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in
                       heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19. Therefore go and make
                       disciples of all nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father and Son
                       and Holy Spirit, 20. and teaching them to obey everything I have
                       commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of
                       the age."

I have three sons. These sons have taught me more about love, relationships and discipleship then I have learned in a long time. These sons have taught me where my faults are now and how I must be changed. These boys have taught me how to pray again, for them, for me and for others.

The boys hanging out!

I pray that you and your relationships will grow, be challenged and through your relationships you will learn what it means to be disciples. To lose the focus of ourselves and love others unconditionally.To share the love of Lord with others, because that is all that matters in this life.

It's a girl!...and other random updates.

It's a girl!

It's official, John and I are expecting our second little one in November and it looks like it's gonna be a girl.  We are thrilled...and a little nervous :-).  Just figuring the out the whole rough and tumble little boy thing out around here and now were throwing a girl into the mix, should be interesting! One thing's for sure with 3 older 'brothers' (Ronan and the V's Eli and newest little Liam)...she's sure to have a hard time having a boyfriend, but I imagine I'll be thankful for all that brotherly protection when we get there.  Anyhow the countdown has begun...only 2 months remaining and there are days I'm already not sure how this belly can get any bigger!  In the meantime, we are so enjoying the newest little addition around here...and my growing belly is the perfect shelf for little Liam to sit (or stretch his legs to stand) on :-).

5 month bellies...trust me they're a lot bigger now (well mine anyhow :-) 

Haven't decided yet on a name but the great debate has begun.  When I was pregnant with Ro, John and I both really liked Elaina (or Elena).  We'd actually like this name since very early in our marriage and it also happens to be a Spanish derivative of Helen: both John's mom's name and my mom's mom's (grandma's) name.  However, nicknames are a very important part of the selection process (especially for John) and he was totally sold on calling her "L".  Now that we live in Peru we decided it just wouldn't work to be calling her "El Tovar" and so the great name search has begun again :-).  This is a fun but labor-some process for the two of us...how does it sound in Spanish?...how will it sound in English?...something not too common...but not to difficult to spell or pronounce.  We go round and round but I'm sure we'll settle on something good soon enough. :-)

Amazing Toddlers

Ronan and Eli are changing and growing SO much.  Eli is just 10 months older than Ro and teaches him everything...from jumping to talking (whole phrases and expressions now) to wrestling...Ro is determined to keep up with his big bud.  They share a room and both sleep in real 'big boy beds' now.  Ronan thinks this is the coolest, and unfortunately often has a hard time settling down at nap time, or not waking Eli up out of sheer excitement as soon as he opens his eyes.  The other day I overheard them chattering away in the monitor towards the end of nap time and realized it was completely in Spanish!  We speak mostly English at home with the boys so they usually speak English with us...but they are learning a ton in school and I'm starting to hear alot more Spanglish from Ro these days...especially when he's talking to Eli.  The other day they finished at the table and Ro looked over at Eli with that mischievous Tovar grin to inquire "quires play?".  It is such a blessing for them to have each other and to be learning and loving their school time as much as they do. 

"Ro-bot"

"Space Mickey" Eli

Off to school in their 'recyclables'!

Learning the Language

Ronan and Eli aren't the only ones getting more comfortable with the new language around here.  Virgil and I are still taking classes (rather one-on-one tutor sessions) for 2 hrs, 3 mornings a week...most weeks anyhow, as children and paperwork allow.  My teacher, Melena, and I spend most of our time conversing, which is great fun!  I love hearing another Peruvian's perspective on life, and where to find or buy things.  We are constantly swapping stories on the many humorous or strange differences in our countries.  For example, the other day I was telling her about the inordinate amount of convenience foods in the U.S...how pretty much anything can be bought cheaply in a box or can..about the endless section of refrigerated Pillsbury rolls and Toll House cookies that can be baked 'fresh' in minutes.  She was completely enamored by the idea and thought we should start a business importing such items, LOL.  But I quickly explained that (aside from the abundant additives) the issue is that by the time you import such conveniences the resulting cost would be hard to justify verses making from scratch or buying from a local bakery at a fraction of the cost (a basic box of Betty Crocker brownie mix cost the equivalent of $5 or $6 compared to a dozen fresh rolls or sweets from the corner bakery for $1 or $2).  On the other hand, she gets a great laugh at me and my subconscious block in connecting live animals with the clean cuts of meat I buy at the grocery store.  When I translate a Spanish sentence about 'pollo', I'm thinking about what dish we're making for dinner...not a live 'pollo' running around the back yard...or someone's house! :-)  In between swapping stories about life, I am slowly but surely learning to conjugate verbs and to use present and past tenses.  This is where Virgil and his teacher are light years ahead of us, they've been much better about buckling down and getting through the grammar structure.  Virgil is much the same in Spanish as in English, he doesn't say a whole lot unless necessary...but he is listening to everything, understanding a lot, and when he does speak it is very correct!  I am notorious for just jumping right out there and taking, not in the correct tense, the deeper the conversation the less I use correct congregated forms, but somehow we figure a way to communicate ideas.  Anyhow, little by little we are learning and getting more and more comfortable communicating in this new place.    

Adventures in Coffee      

When I'm not learning Spanish, or cooking, or wiping faces and changing diapers...I am often drawn to one outlet in particular: Coffee!  Something you are bound to hear alot more about from both Yahiara and I.  Coffee is a favorite commodity and has become quite a passion, even obsession of mine.  First off, there is the sheer Experience of enjoying a good cup of coffee...and with that comes my Starbucks Confession.  LOL, I guess to understand why this needs confessing you'll need some background.  A few years ago I had my first cup of delicious local, artisan coffee roasted by a friend of a friend in Dallas (Oak Cliff Coffee) and it changed the way I enjoyed and sought out coffee.  No longer was a mocha from the conglomerate of Starbucks quite good enough.  Greune Grind Coffee became my favorite local work spot and 'watering hole' if you will in New Braunfels.  Yahaira and I tried to stop at our favorite Local Coffee almost anytime we were in San Antonio.  I made an effort to always get freshly roasted whole beans from Fair Bean or Summermoon (in Austin)....all this not just because it supported local businesses but because their coffee was so incredibly delicious, so perfectly crafted and brewed that there was just 'no going back'.  Sure if we were stuck in an airport or passing through a city where no local shops could be googled and scanned for rave reviews, we could compromise for a sweet but predictable cup of something from Starbucks...but a local (artisan) shop would be pursued at all cost.  (I realize I'm sounding a bit ridiculous now, don't worry...I'm about to eat my words).  Now that we're in Arequipa oh how the tables have been turned back.  Here in Arequipa Starbucks has regained some major appeal.  First off, you walk in and are somehow transported back in the U.S....it smells right, it looks and feels like you expect a coffee shop to be...and when I order a 'grande cafe mocha helado, medio-descafiando' (1/2 caf iced mocha) it tastes exactly how I expect it to taste!  You see here in Peru, we're finding all these factors a bit hard to come by.  There really are no safely processed decafs available (a crucial factor when your pregnant or breastfeeding) and the few 'local' roaster/shops we've found feature semi-fresh whole beans but of significantly different quality, roast levels, and flavors than what we have come to enjoy.  Anyhow, all that to say...Arequipa's two Starbucks locations are now our our 'best', most comfortable and predictable, options t...for the time being anyway :-).

In addition to enjoying the experience of a great cup of coffee...I'm coming to enjoy and be submersed in the science of coffee!  In anticipation of the coffee bean 'dilemma' described above...John got me a small home coffee roaster last Christmas.  So, the last few months Yahaira and I have been trying our hand at roasting our own coffee!  Only small batches for the time being, but we are quickly experimenting our way through the pounds of green (unroasted) beans that we brought from the states...and starting to seek out sources to buy beans grown here in Peru directly.  I have had some fantastic Peruvian beans that were freshly roasted state side, but am finding it's much harder to get your hands on the good quality stuff from with-in country.  Little by little though, we are determined to learn the processes: the science and finesse of creating your own roasts, exploring good sources for the raw ingredient, even learning new ways to taste and evaluate coffee.  It is all so much fun, it engages a part of my brain that is definitely in need of a constructive outlet...and oh the sweet reward of being able to make and enjoy a cup of something delicious!

(Be sure to read Yahaira's post for pics and the need for a prayerful balance on all such excitement and obsession :-)

Obsessions

Lately I have been thinking about what we love and what we spend most our time thinking about. I don't know if its because we are in another country and everything seems so far removed but I have really noticed some of our obsessions. Join me now as I "air out" every one's "dirty laundry"...

Grilling, drafting and enjoying the outdoors

Virgil's obsession is nothing new. His obsession is football. Always has been and always will be. Maybe I just notice it more because I was under the disillusion that we would move out of the country and never hear of the sport again. I was wrong. Very, very, very wrong. Since I know my dear husband reads this I think I should say how much I LOVE football, fantasy football and all things pigskin...go Broncos! Love you Honey! :) In all seriousness, it makes him happy. I mean REALLY happy. I mean giddy like a man on his wedding day happy. If that is the kind of joy he gets from watching one game a week, so be it, I'm good with that! John and Virgil recently had their fantasy draft. It really brought a lot of joy to me to watch them as they reconnected with old friends in Texas. They yelled, they game planned, they bantered and it appears to me that they had a lot of fun. Now I'll admit that I am not a fan of fantasy football, but I am a fan of the relationships it creates and the bond that the men share, which I will NEVER understand. Thank you guys in Texas for putting up with John and V and for playing Fantasy football with them. Soak that "thanks" in, guys, because you will probably never "hear" me say that again!

Planning and scheming

Sean on the other end, drafting with the boys

Then there is Jenn and I. We are obsessed with coffee. One of us is more obsessed then the other, but I won't say who :). Since we moved to Peru, pregnant and in need of the bean, we have found that getting good coffee here is a really hard thing. Prior to moving here we searched long and hard for the best local small coffee shops and beans. Starbucks...blah! Now that we are here we can't find decaf, which is a must in a pregnant or nursing moms life, and we cant find good freshly roasted beans. Peru exports some of the finest green beans but getting our hands on them is a whole other story...literally, we will blog about it later. So, since we can't get good locally roasted beans we decided we would roast our own. So we have become obsessed with figuring out how to roast. So now we spend countless hours on websites learning new things about beans, roasting, coffee cupping etc. We even have little Liam on the fast track to being a professional roaster! We have big dreams involving coffee. I know that sounds silly, but we do believe that Lord has given us a passion for it for a reason. I would love to have a little shop one day. Until then we can build relationships with others using this passion as a means.

Liam and I roasting as the guys draft their fantasy league.

Jenn and the beloved roaster

Liam and Jenn roasting

I think I actually have a couple more obsessions other then coffee, like Downton Abbey, cooking and my boys...but for now we will leave it at that. So whats the point? Well, there is two...1.) now you know a little bit more about us...what we love and how we spend some of our time. 2.) Now you know how we spend some...some times to much... of our time. I have to say I have been a little convicted by #2 lately. I can spend to much time on my obsessions and not enough time obsessing over loving people and the Lord. I can and should spend way more time reading the word and/or worshiping. Instead, though, I justify spending time doing other things as a means to relationships with others. Don't misunderstand me, they are exactly that. They allow us the opportunity to get to know others on a real level. They create conversations and a way to open up. Thanks to coffee we can have friends over for good coffee, interesting conversations etc, but I know its not enough. 

have passions, loves, obsessions and dreams. We can use these for good, but we need your prayers. We need to be reminded that we have to have balance. We need to love on the Lord and His people more then we love on the Broncos and beans! Imagine the possibilities! Peruvians coming over to watch American Football, learning new things and relationships opening up! Imagine, us roasting incredible coffee, meeting roasters from around the country and building relationships with locals as we sit and enjoy a GOOD cup of coffee together. 

Lots of possibilities with our obsessions. Balance, though, is key. 

I am convicted as I am learning new things about how to share life with others everyday.