Breakdown Blues

Let me start out by saying just how blessed we have been by our sending churches-- aside from the love and support, the encouragement and "standing with us" has been key to our time here in the states. Our sending church here in MN has continued to pour out blessings, searching for a house for us to live in, trying to find a car for us to use, providing a place for us to work, giving us multiple opportunities to share... and had given us use of their handy church van... for our entire time home! We can't believe just how giving they are!

Unfortunately, this absolutely wonderful mini-van started having some transmission problems... as in it can only shift up to 2nd gear... darn! (Honestly... how fast do we really need to go?) We'd hoped for the best, that it could be easily fixed (ummm... transmission... not so much), but realized the worst and started seeking out other options. We borrowed cars for a few weeks- many thanks to all our generous friends! And then, finally, after much deliberation... bit the bullet... and decided to tap into savings to purchase a used car for our time here in the states. We hope that our selection was wise and that we might get some (most??) of our money back when we sell it in a few months... we'll see! But with a baby on the way and a MN winter looming large in our near future, we felt it wise to have a somewhat reliable mode of transport.

Eddy's soccer team has hit a bit of a plateau, witht their record 2-3-1 (w-l-t)... We're hoping for a few more wins this week, 3 games! The tricky part has been motivation. Some of the girls are just absolutely, completely unmotivated- not showing up for practice, being disrespectful, putting forth zero effort... Needless to say, Eddy has his work cut out for him- but I can't think of a person better suited for the challenge! Go Eddy! Go Orioles!

I've hit the 36 week mark- hooray! I'm feeling good and it seems that my belly has started "dropping" a bit... which is great for eating- less indigestion and heartburn... but a bit tricky on the nerves- think: sharp shooting pain down the right leg, leaving me temporarily incapacitated... who needs to walk or stand when they want all the time? BUT, honestly, I'm still feeling great and truly can't complain!

Photos: The poor ol' church van... Our "new" 1999 Honda CRV... Eddy and his JV soccer team... Some crafts I've been making during this "nesting" phase (purses and key chains... to name a few!)...

Endurance

Endurance... for Eddy AND me! As some of you may know, Eddy has been training for the Twin Cities Marathon, coming up here on October 4th, and just today completed his longest training run-- 20 miles!! Keeping focused for so many months in preparation for a marathon, with long runs getting longer and longer, can be (or IS) a grueling process. But he's stuck to it and tomorrow will start "tapering" down the mileage, in prep for the big race in October. Well done!

And for me, well, I'm heading into the home stretch of my first pregnancy, 35 weeks and counting... Endurance for sure! I actually cannot complain one bit- it has been quite the uneventful and somewhat "easy" experience. So while physically, I'm holding up great, psychologically speaking, I think Eddy and I are trudging through the "terrified-clueless-first-time-parents-to-be" phase... which has lasted pretty much the whole gestational period! How do we prepare for something that we cannot possibly prepare for? How do I cope knowing that in a few short weeks I will go through some of the worst pain I will ever experience in my life? How do we DO this?!?! And then the somewhat comforting thoughts return... People have been doing this for years, decades, centuries!! We're not the first ever, we won't be the last and we're definitely not alone. We have wonderful friends and family that have all given timely words of advice, prayer and encouragement. And, of course, we have God... and no one tops his wisdom, insight and experience with children! AND, the big and, we're in going through all this in Minnesota- which has its hot moments, but is NOTHING like the land-of-sand... thank you for this wonderful respite, Lord!



We're continuing to work at the church in the mornings and Eddy is coaching a girls high school JV Soccer team. They've had 2 games- one win, one loss. But the loss was to a team with 20 players--Eddy only had 13! So, we're rooting for the St. Louis Park Orioles and hoping he continues to coach and train them through to a great season!

Pictures: Eddy on the run- the LRT in Minneapolis makes for an easy, but boring out-and-back... Our dear friend Jen and I at the MN state fair- check out that belly and the best roasted corn ever!... Me- the monthly update--he's still growing... I've started nesting and have taken up sewing again- with great fervor; here's one of the many items I've whipped out as of late...

Fellings of home

Finally, after 4 months traveling and moving here in the States, we got a home to stay for the next few months. We are in Minneapolis MN in a rental unit that needed some work. So we did the job and with that the rent had a break for us. What a wonderful place!!
The feeling of going "home" is just great! Don't have to go through our bags to get my clothes or the feeling that nothing in the place belongs to us is over for a while.
Jess has been "hunting" on Craigs List for some furniture and some Garage Sales still going here. Good Will is one of our best places to shop too...
A supported family gave us an offering for the baby and/or a couch. We have a couch!! After two and a half years of marriage we have a couch. Craigs list scores again!! Brand new IKEA Ektorp for last than a half price!! Now we can cuttle!!!

This last Sunday we had a baby shower that a couple put together for us here in Minnesota. (Thank you so much Heather and Jeff!!!) We got so many baby clothes and presents for the baby. It was fun!! I never have been is a baby shower, so I didn't know you have to show the presents and say ahhhhhhhhhh for everything, but when the bags of clothes came in, some guys told me that I didn't have to show everyone, just few ones... The best part is to feel loved by close friends!! People that care and love!!

Next week we start working at the Church and my soccer season is going very well.

Blessings

Photos:
Diamond Head, Honolulu and some beach glass from 5 tables beach, North Shore, Oahu. Our baby shower

Wrapping up Time with Family...

Eddy's already made the trip back to Minnesota and I'll soon follow him this next week... Our time here in Hawaii has been wonderful! We decided to make it a little longer than before, as with the arrival of our son in October, we may not get back here so soon or often. Our days have been spent with my (Jess') family, visiting old friends and taking in as much as we (I) can of "home". We were blessed to have a few weeks with close friends who flew out from FL for a family vacation (photos in older post) and gave us an excellent excuse to be tourists and venture around the isles a bit!

Eddy is back in Eden Prairie, as he starts his soccer coaching job on Monday. We both will start working at the church within the next few weeks, creating a manual for short-term trips and helping out wherever possible.

I'm 31 weeks pregnant and feeling great! Eddy and I are both surprised at just how much a tummy can grow to accommodate a little fella, but are blessed that this has been a relatively pleasant, healthy journey thus far. And while we are excited about getting things ready for our little bundle-o-joy, we know that our future isn't necessarily so easy to prepare for... Africa remains on our hearts and in our "plans". But, as many a wise parent has told us, all plans are off when dealing with your own child! So, we are waiting until baby Soboll arrives before making any definitive decisions about timing and moving.

Photos: Random summer shots... Eddy catching a "wave" on the OR coast... Eddy and Mom on the Big Island watching lava from Kilauea run down the slope into the Pacific (note reddish/orange stuff in between their heads)... Eddy and Dad at the Pacific Aviation Museum near Pearl Harbor... Eddy running on the North Shore- 14 miles!!... Eddy and Mom, the fearsome Stand Up Paddlers (SUP), surveying the ocean... Eddy and I on the north shore... The tummy progression (from month 1 to month 7, minus month 5...oops!)

In Hawaii

Just some pictures of Hawaii and Jes's tummy... (or our tummy :))

A quick one

Just to say that we are doing great!! Jes's tummy is growing and 29 weeks are here. She is in great shape and not complaining on anything, which is great... The baby
I got a job at a school in Minneapolis as soccer coach for high school girl. The job is going to be 6 weeks long and starts on Aug 17th, with that I'll be going back to the main land on Aug 13th.

The carpet finally came, the home is ready and we are excited to start getting the stuff that we need for the house and baby's room specially.

Here in Hawaii we are so blessed seeing at the big Island lava coming down the mountains, snorkeling and swimming with dolphins. Right now a family from Miami is with us and we are having a bless with them.

We are spending lots of time with Jes's parents and it is great to see grandma wondering about the baby and the mother to be.


Photos: Our baby (no name yet) at 24 weeks old. Two more months and we will be a family!!

No Internet, No house, No carpet... God is good!!!

It has been almost a month without publishing anything... We are lacking of time or what??
Well, since we arrived from Africa, we still using the same clothes from our bags and we still on the "traveling" mode. We have no "home" to live and our clothes are the same one that we brought from Africa... With that note, internet is just another thing that we don't have at the moment.
We went to Salem OR and saw some good friend and our beloved Church. It was so good to be there and connect again with people that love us and support our job in Africa. What a good time with our pastor and the Church family... we ready miss you guys!!
On the way back we stopped in Wyoming for few days to visit our "second" family. A short stop but very refreshing and encouraging seeing Gods work there too. I wish i could live in WY, but it would be another challenge for Jess.
Now we are back in Minneapolis. We were staying in someones house and now in the Pastor's home. The house that we are going to stay in needed some painting and a new carpet install. This week I spent time painting the house when Jess was the runner for more paint, food and materials. Long days and after 10 gallons of paint, the place just need the carpet and the bathrooms painted. The carpet guys came this morning to install the new one and on the way out, after they started laying the pads, I saw that the carpet that was brought was the wrong color... OOOPS! Jess ordered and it was wrote on the bill the wrong color... I told them to stop and ran to the Home Depot... The manager changed the order but now we have to wait... It was to be installed in 72 hours, now only God knows when!!!
We are a little tired of jumping bed to bed and roll our suit case for almost two months now.

Jess is getting more and more pretty with the baby showing more. We went to the doctor this last week and seems like that she has a gestational diabetes... with that say, that baby is little bigger than it should be. The good news is that the baby is healthy and dont have any signs of abnomarlities. Praise God!!! She is going to do a 3 hour sugar test this week to see the reality, she is not to excited about it because we "love" suggar and now that we are in the country that we can eat.... we have to be more careful!

Tomorrow Im running a 10K race and the Marathon training has begun... Oct 4th, here we come.

As soon as we find our card reader, we place some pics.... our stuff is everywhere...

Blessings

In Salem OR - 21 weeks

It is so good to be in Salem again!! The Base, friends and where the calling came to us the first time.
We had an opportunity to come and bring some equipment to the program that we use to run here from Minnesota. Such a blessing with the financial help and the Van that the Church in Minnesota is lending us. God is faithful!!!
We just came to know that our both insurances are going to work together for the prenatal and deliver of our baby. We were worrying about the cost and how much we would have to pocket out on the cost... again, He is taking care of us!
Jess is looking prettier and prettier every day, she still pretty small and you have to really look to see if is a baby there, and the baby is kicking and moving all the time.
We are having a ful days here of visits and meetings with people that support us and work at the same agency. It is so good to see freind and be loved by them. Fun to hear their histories and that their lifes are moving too and the Lord is taking care of each one.

We will be going to WY on the 15th for few days and back to MN on the 20th.

Sorry for no pictures, I have to post some later

Blessings!!!

Stateside!

Whilst we officially arrived home over a week ago, the actual adjustment to the arrival is just now starting to take place... We are both overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of this place- the trees, the grass, the rich blue sky... We can't help but make "oooo" and "ahhh" sounds on a regular basis. We've been overly blessed to have a comfortable place to stay and the use of a vehicle- a fabulous mini-van (which Eddy and I think is the handiest invention- tons of space, removable seats, standing room... what a concept!). Our friends and church have welcomed us back with open arms and we've been bustling about sharing meals and stories together.

We decided it might be a good idea to take a few days, just Eddy and me, to sort of debrief a bit, get away and "breathe". I (Jess) decided a trip "up North", as they say here in MN, would be just the thing. And that would have been the case had I checked the weather forcast... doh! Duluth, MN, the port city on Lake Superior, and the coastline up to Canada, CAN be absolutely beautiful; but can also be absolutely horrible! (Curious? Listen to Gordon Lightfoot's "The Edmund Fitzgerald") So, completely unaware of the gail of 40 mph winds and 30F temps that awaited us "up north", we ventured out in our handy mini-van, packed to the gills with firewood, camping equipment and food. We'd even spent a few hours carefully planning out our geocaching goals -- Grab a cache in Canada!! (never heard of it? You're missing out! www.geocaching.com)We should've guessed there'd be problems as we started out way too late, driving out of the cities around 1pm- guess Africa is still in our blood... We scored our first "find" an hour or so outside the cities, a relatively easy park and grab with a short venture into the woods. The next one followed suit, easy hike to a quick find. We were on a roll! Until... we were back on the highway and I glanced down towards Eddy's legs and saw... a TICK!!! Ugh! And then another! And another! And another!!! (FYI- it's wood tick season in MN...) We honestly should've stopped then. From that point on we were itching and scratching and shaking and just plain PARANOID. But we kept on trucking- all the way up to the frigid Superior. We managed to find a few more cahces, but our hopes of a quiet get-away, with campfire time and walks along the placid lake shore were dashed. We took a few pictures, tried to take in the icey beauty, jumped back in the van and raced back to sunny Minneapolis.
Otherwise, we are well! I'm around 20 weeks along and officially started looking more pregnant a few days ago- and we've even been feeling the little guy move! My mom arrives tomorrow to visit for a few days and Eddy will be running a half-marathon on May 31st. (He's training for the Twin Cities Marathon in October.) We're hoping to take a trip out to WY to visit some friends in the beginning of June and then back to MN to help lead a Church outreach up North.
It's definitely a bit surreal being back and we're still trying to figure out which end is up, as they say. But each day gets a little easier. Making sense of living the last year in the Land-of-Sand and adjusting temporarily to life back in the U.S. has and will have its challenges-- maintaining vision while seeking out refreshing and "plugging" back in to our social networks. We trust God will triumphantly lead us through this next chapter of our lives, as he always has!
Photos: A couple of dust shots- the usual view of the Nile, followed by the view during our 5 day Habuub... Eddy in the stairwell- it was swept a few hours before... geocaching in MN- Eddy's the dark glob in the background... Our first cache in Duluth- freezing!... Eating Tobies famous caramel rolls and caching- does it get any better?... Eddy pointing out into the frigid surf, where some college guys were boogie-boarding... fools!!!... Eddy finds a cache in Duluth- debriefing at its best!

Fatima or Ahmed?

Today we had our final visit with our friendly Dr. Samir to see one last $30 glimpse of our little bundle of joy... and... We our happy to announce that we are having a BOY!!!!! It's apparently very apparent! More importantly, everything looks completely normal and he is developing well; even putting me/him a week farther along than we thought.

And the weather... always making sure we experience the full scope of possibilities here in the land-o-sand! The temps soared this past week, hitting a high of 125.4F one day, followed by several days above 120F. Then in fine desert form, the sand storms, or Habuub, have hit in full force. It's been pretty much constant habuub-ing for the past 4 days. We've tried to keep up with the cleaning while packing up, to no use. Even now, visibility is down to 1/8 mile and we're wiping our eyes and coughing INSIDE the house. We just hope it lets up eventually so we can do a final cleaning before heading out of here on Thursday morning (2am).

Nile Valley Academy is also closing up shop after this next week. We will only be there 2 more days, finishing up grading, cleaning and preparing things for the summer. We've been busy this past week with awards ceremonies, higlighting those students with exceptional skills in athletics and who played on teams. Eddy and I both realized what a pleasure it has been to work with these students and how much we're going to miss them. Most of the students are begging Coach Eddy to stay on another year... as always, he's won their hearts!

I'm not sure if we'll have time to write before leaving here on Thursday... We'll be flying out of here via London and landing in Minneapolis on Friday. While the heat, sand storms and stress of school have us anticipating our break, we do wonder how we will handle and adapt to this next chapter of our lives. Living here has been amazing and tough, adjusting to language, cultural and religious diferences has been at times overwhelming, aside from the daily life struggles that everyone experiences no matter where one lives. We are relying on God to continue to lead us and speak to us, refreshing our vision and passions while continuing to use us wherever we hang our hats. We plan on maintaining our blog throughout our time in the states... We have so appreciated your prayers and encouragements... Thank You!!!

Photos: At Dr. Samir's, getting an ultrasound... Our little baby boy, measuring in at 17 weeks 4 days- and look closely- there's the proof that he's a boy! The Habuub... during and the aftemath- and which continues to rage outside- ugh! The awards ceremony held at the school... Evidence that it got above 125F- ridiculous.

The Energizer Mutt

Meet Toffee; pronounced like "toe-fee", not "tah-fee". He's your basic, friendly neighborhood "watch-dog". He lives on the ground floor of our good friends Mike and Suzanne's flat. A nice Khawaja family owns him; they've lived here about 10 years and are heading back to England in June. Over the months and years we've gotten to know Toffee quite well. He's a bit of a street mutt, always on the prowl, looking for another fight and returning with another wound. Over time he's become quite attached to us, loping (or limping) over when we stop by, rubbing his scabby, crusty infected eyes on our clothes and occasionally, following us wherever we go.

For example, in December, when a few of us ran the "First Inaugural Khartoum International The Four Bridges Fun-Run to Save Darfur Half Marathon", he ran the first 6 miles with us. That's right, that pathetically malnourished, half alive pup trotted half way across the city with us. Needless to say, you can bet we got quite a few more stares for not only being Khawajas jogging in the city, but having a mangey mutt galloping along side us.

And more recently, he yet again, donned his loyal cloak and accompanied Suzanne and I on an outting to our local Suuq (big, open market). Let me preface this by pointing out that DOGS DON'T GO TO THE SUUQ. It's like an unspoken rule. Even the multitude of strays stay out- as if they have an instinctive sense and know they're just not allowed. So, there we are, two fair-skinned, light haired Khawajas non-chalantly walking into the Suuq accompanied by Toffee the Wonder Pup. The amounts of stares, calls, frowns, comments, questions and followers that four-legged accompaniment brought on was unimaginable. We tried frantically, desperately, yet overtly, to send him home- the stern "go home Toffee", both in english and arabic, had no impact. It was no use.

We stopped in a pharmacy; good ol' faithful Toffee stopped in too. The owner was NOT amused. We tried to explain that this truly in fact was not our dog; he wasn't buying it. We stepped into a street vendors clothing booth; Toffee browsed with us, IN the booth. It was awkward, uncomfortable and emabarresing. Finally, desperate and exaserbated with our furry friend, we resorted to sneaking into a rickshaw (a 3-wheeled, semi-enclosed form of transport with a 2-stroke engine), thinking that going anywhere in a motorized vehicle would comfuse him and he would eventually, hopefully, wander home. Of course there was a small traffic jam, as the Suuq is located in the middle of the local bus station. So we waited, unmoving in our roasting little rickshaw, slyly peering out the sides, watching Toffee's response to our mysterious disappearance.

I felt bad at first. Poor guy; just trying to help, guarding the khawajas on a day at the Suuq. But people were STILL staring at us in the rickshaw, and at him as he turned circles scanning the multitude of people for us. Finally, looking totally perplexed and confused (and very pathetic), he slowly turned around and trotted off into the crowds towards home. Suzanne and I, still not gaining any distance in our rickshaw get-away mobile, thanked the driver for the 5-minutes stuck in traffic and hesitatingly crept out of our hiding place. Glancing over our shoulders, and avoiding the numerous stares and comments, we high-tailed it to a different section of the market, praying Toffee hadn't caught on to our antics and was still heading home. And apparently the charade worked, as the rest of our shopping trip was most uneventful...

What's Left: We're down to just 2 more weeks here... School is winding down and we're in the process of finishing up classes and closing down. The weather has remained hot, never dipping below 110F (it's 11am and 113F), but thankfully, we've had fewer power cuts in the last 5 days... making things much more tolerable! These next few weeks will be spent cleaning and packing; all our belongings being stored in a friend's shipping container.

Photos: Toffee, rubbing his infected eyes on Eddy's shorts... Eddy and Timo, a family friend who will be moving to the north to contiue the family business... A small going away party for Mike and Suz and us thrown by our organizatin friends... The view outside our flat window... and Toffee, always on the look-out...

Gracious Uncertainty

Before we meet for school everyday some of the staff gather for devotions, each taking weekly turns throughout the year to lead these 15-minute re-focusing times. It's our turn these next 2 weeks and I had spent some time trying to plan what I was going to say. I was thinking to share some cool life experience with a neat truthful tie-in, when last night, at 8:30 pm our power was cut. My plans changed a bit... It wasn't that the power cut deleted my little talk or that there was no more power to finish composing it. Rather, it was how things continued to transpire that inspired me to change the topic.

It was close 105F outside when the power cut and reaching 100F inside. With no fans running and no swamp coolers cooling, it would likely become much hotter. We immediately called some friends who happen to live in an area with lots of prominent businesses and business owners and therefore, have virtually no power-cuts. We threw ourselves at their mercy and begged to stay the night with them. They gladly welcomed us and Eddy and I slept in their living room, swamp coolers whirring about us.

Now this all sounds nice and good, we handled the situation well. But what I neglected to report was our rather awful attitudes throughout this time. We were discouraged, frustrated, angry, hot, irritable, grouchy, catty to each other... and the list goes on. And as the night progressed and I had time to reflect, I realized how much we wrongly assume about life and living, especially here in the Land-o-Sand. Certainty. We, especially as westerners, take so much for granted, assuming so many things are assured, trusted, reliable and dependable. Things like electricity, health care, national security, food, shelter, clothing, governmental assistance, our "rights" as citizens, freedom, etc. When in reality, and Biblically speaking, almost nothing is certain! God promises us that- as it says in scripture... who knows what tomorrow will bring? The only thing truly certain, in things, events, life, is God himself, all else being certainly uncertain!

As the saying goes (sort of)... Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we respond to what happens. So in light of this promised and experienced uncertainty, we fall on the grace and mercy of God and ask him to work in us a response that is glorifying to him and encouraging to others. 'Cause we can bank on all sorts and lots more of uncertainty in this place!

Visa Update: We have successfully renewed our visas for another year- thank God Eddy is Brazilian! It cost us a pretty penny, but almost guarentees us re-entry next year. We are now in the process of getting our exit/re-entry permits (we literally cannot leave the country without them... they usually cost around $900... nice.)

Pregnancy Update: I'm working on my 15th week, and all seems to be progressing just fine. We'll go in for another ultrasound before we leave.

School Update: Only 11 more days of school... whew! We're in the process of closing things down, returning library books, cleaning the nurses area, etc. Eddy is trying to figure out what to do with the kids when it's 117F outside; or more simply put, how to keep kids from dying during PE.

Photos: Pool time again! We jumped at the chance of chaperoning a pool party for a multitude of middle schoolers... anything for a swim! Neat tricks? Eddy still can't move his next freely! I've had a strong hanckering for cantalope- and we found these Galia melons, a close cousin.. delicious! We went with some friends to explore a park/zoo in the city- sort of, or rather, very depressing... (that's a giant replica of what they serve coffee in).