Surfing!

Yesterday we headed out to Pal Mar for more shopping for the restaurant and just to check things out. Just before we were leaving a friend of Mike's dropped in with his wife and 2 kids. Steve and Vicky are a very nice couple with a daughter just about Abby's age and a son Noah's age. They insisted that the kids all head up to their place across the street to go swimming. The kids were a bit taken back but couldn't turn down the opportunity to go swimming and meet some new friends. Well, as you would guess the kids became fast friends. They played all morning and then went to the beach with us in the afternoon. Noah's new friend had a few surfboards so they brought them along. Noah went surfing for his first time ever and rode several waves. He had a blast!

Rodrigo came along with D and I to Pal mar for our shopping trip. We got to experience the small town and pick up some flour. We had a great time talking with each other and getting to know our spanish a little better. We had lunch at a small cafe (called a soda) and for the first time in probably 25 or more years I had a Pepsi in a glass bottle! What joy.

The Lord really seems to be giving us small blessings in various ways. I guess the trick is to focus on those good things He provides for us. We miss our friends greatly but there is a comfort in knowing we will be together someday soon. Thank you God for what you have done for us. Your son dying on the cross for our sins is more than enough.

Big Rain / San Jose...again

Tuesday night it rained so hard I thought the roof was going to cave in.  It rained all night and neither D or I caught much sleep.  The problem with that is we had to get up at 4:30 am to leave for San Jose.  I thought due to the rain that the mountain road would be closed forcing us to use the beach road (logging trail posing as a road).  To our surprise the mountain road was open.  

We had to go to San Jose to pick up our oven which was in for repair and get supplies for the restaurant.  We scored on the coffee syrups and also found a really cool  couch for our place.  All we have now are 2 very uncomfortable chairs and there are 4 of us.  

We had garlic pizza last night, ate some peruvian ice cream and crashed.  

I am happy to say we both slept well.

IN SAN JOSE - WHOLE AGAIN

We are finally all here and all together. I am sitting on the rear patio area of our hotel typing this. D.G. just came out to pay me a little visit and check out the smells. I finally feel whole again. We all feel that way. We ate at Denny's last night and just caught up. Due to the Hurricanes in the Gulf we have been getting a bit of residual rain over the last few days. I thought that was going to hinder the girls flight but there were no problems. D and I are talking about how thing are going to be set up at the apartment as we watch D.G. check things out in the hotel yard.
Whole again!

Finally Online

Sorry it has been so long...  No internet and busy weekdays makes it difficult but we are back!

So much has transpired within the last few weeks I am not sure where to begin. The boy and I are down here trying to get both our new home and restaurant started. The gals will be here soon and we can not wait! The boy actually misses BOTH of the gals. Crazy huh?
Well, last week found the boy and I along with Rodrigo and Justin (the cook and the neighbor) in the river in the dark shrimp hunting. The shrimp run in the river here as well as the sea and are approximately 6" (15 cm) long. No luck for us that night so we have traps set tonight. The boy went with the neighbor down the street and brought home at least 8 dozen limes (which are orange in the middle). After we got the kitchen cleaned out we used our commercial juicer and juiced 4-5 mandarina oranges (grapefruit sized super sweet oranges picked off the tree) along with some of the limes and a little coconut milk. Very nice. The cook cut opened up a coconut that was sprouting already. The milk at that point turns into a spongy like substance but is sweet and really cool to eat. It truly is a different world down here. Our water was out for the day today (water main repair) and there are sudden short blackouts regularly but we are beginning to acclimate. Today I saw a large howler monkey crossing a small road like he owned it. That is a brief update of our lives up to this point. I know... I haven't mentioned the huge waves, daily rain, lizards up the wazoo, the extremely loud crazy sounding birds in the mornings or the washed out roads but hey, I can't fit everything into a single post.
More soon...

Chicago Adventure Coming To A Close

The month of July is almost over and Chicago is coming to a close for us. 

 

We have been pretty this past week with visits from friends and sight seeing all over the city.

Last week we visited Icosium Kafe for crepes and craziness! 

The turkish coffee was well worth the nose umbrella display.

A lot of people are threatening to head south to visit us and we couldn't be happier.

There are really some amazing people in our lives.  We are truly blessed.

All the real work will begin for us next week as we gather all of our stuff and figure out how to get it all down south. 

Hot Dog! New Title

Well, due to overwhelming demand the blog title has been changed.  I guess using your actual name is not always the best way to go.  Anyway, we are now known as Central American Yoopers.

Time is moving along at a steady clip here in Chi-town.  The men leave for CR in 23 days!  Man where is the time going?  We experienced Hot Dougs today.  This place is the ultimate hot dog joint and has been recognized by both The Food Network and Fodors as the coolest hot dog place in the midwest if not the entire planet.  Doug's is "The Sausage Superstore and

Encased Meat Emporium ".  We had fun and broke our table.  You can't beat that for a great lunch.  

More soon,

-TF

Sick in Chicago

Okay, so since the last posting a few milestones have been met.  I am self-unemployed now as of 6/30 and totally homeless and car-less.  (That's car-less not careless)  We are here in Chicago still and have been dealing with some illness.  I (joe) have been sick for the past two and a half weeks with some sort of Martian virus.  A few days in the hospital in Macomb and a visit to the emergency room in Chicago has left me sick of being sick.  Things seem to be getting better though.  It has been a bit difficult being here at JPUSA only because we are so used to doing tasks and jobs.  So since we've been here we've been dealing with a little bit of cabin fever.  But the Lord is trying to show us something while we are here and we are hoping to hear His voice.  We spent a long week at Cornerstone Festival.  It would have been better if I wasn't sick but it brought back some old memories nevertheless.  I have never been to the festival with a wife and kids.  The kids were blown away by all of the music and crazy people.  D and I were intrigued by their reactions.  All in all it has been a log couple of weeks but we're hanging in out here.  God is good and faithful and has not brought us on this journey to fail.  Thank you Lord for friends/family but most off all for your peace through your Spirit.  Amen.