While on our trip to Costa Rica I really wished I could update my Facebook status, but there just was no internet connection in the village!!  So when I returned home I came up with this list and posted in on Facebook, and since many of you are not on Facebook or not my friend yet (for shame!) I am putting it up here.  For those not familiar with Facebook status lines let me explain.  There is a place on each persons page where one can type what they are currently doing.  (Mandy is … working on the computer.)  And it is super fun to write your own updates and read what others are doing or thinking.   So with no further introduction here are my status updates from Costa Rica - enjoy

Mandy:
is enjoying coffee at the missionaries house in Costa Rica.
is up at 4:30 in the morning heading to the village in Costa Rica.

(we decided all status updates should end with “in “Çosta Rica!”)

is stuck on the side of the road (for three hours) in Costa Rica.
is off roading making it to the village in..CR
is on the side of the road again in .. CR
is hiking in a rain forest in ..CR
is carrying a 2×6x12(? IT IS BIG!) with Anna Schrott in CR
is sleeping on the floor in .. CR

is up and working by 6:00 am in..CR (was this just one day?? it must have been 3!)
is building a bridge in CR
is digging a trench in the wrong place in .. CR

is dead weight for the day in..CR
is totally out of her comfort zone scared in the back of a truck off roading in CR
is singing songs to fix her eyes on Jesus!
is loving hearing about how the Lord works in peoples lives while working in..CR

has ring worm in CR
wonders if she was healed in CR (where did that worm go?)

is crossing the river in .. CR
is collecting rocks in .. CR
is making up songs about rocks in.. CR
is saying too much in CR (sanguine hangover!!)

is headed back to the city in .. CR
is in culture shock!! in a Costa Rican city (there are lights and mirrors)

is hiking a volcano in CR
is buying soccer jerseys for my kids in CR
is loving her pillow in CR

is dancing the salsa in CR!
is doing the dishes in CR (somehow they always find me, those dirty dishes)

is talking to her kids over skype in CR and crying!!
is on her way home from CR
is talking to an amazing bus driver, AJ, who needs prayer!
is home and kissing my kids in bed!

IS MISSING COSTA RICA!!!!

Well we are officially home from all our summer trips!!  We are different than many other families in that we travel for half if not more of the summer each year going on student missions trips and family vacation.  This year’s travels included Philadelphia, St. Thomas, New York, Costa Rica and Texas :)  Not every family member was on each trip, but details are for another blog.

For now we are HOME, and it feels good!!  Currently, Addie and Emma are sleeping in (something they rarely do!!) and Owen and Isabelle are enjoying playing with familiar things (right now that would be Ranger!)

So this week it is all about getting ready for school to start and the fall schedule to come rushing in with the cool breeze and the leaves beginning to change.  Every year I say the same thing “I just love fall!!!!”  I can’t wait to see those beautiful round orange pumpkins and plant some mums by the mailbox.

Tomorrow I take the girls to get their hair cut.  They have been growing it long to be able to give to Locks of Love again, so the cut will be drastic.  Brian will take Addie and Emma each on a date to get a new school outfit and have a good talk before the year starts.  I need to fill out all those papers and forms for schools.  Each year I have to write out a color coded schedule of who does what when so I can get it memorized.

We have our first leadership meeting tomorrow with the small group leaders for Jr and Sr High.  In the car yesterday we went through the list of leaders who are wanting to work in Mpact again this year and the new ones so we are getting our minds wrapped around a new year.

It is the beginning of a new school year and we bid the summer with all its wonders and heartaches farewell!  Maybe I will gather some sharpened pencils and put them in a vase, as You’ve Got Mail talked about the smells of fall are coming.