ahhhhh.....where do I start?

So, I know, I know, you probably have stopped checking for new blogs...but just in case any of you out there still care I thought I better write something!! How have you all been doing? We are doing really good. I don't know how 2 people who don't work can be so busy...who knows?

The congregation is doing really well. We had our special assembly day on April 17th and we had 6 people baptized from our congregation! It was really special for us because 3 of the 6 were the Criollo kids (the family that lives up in the mountains)! And the mom, who always comes to the meetings, but in pants...showed up in a skirt! I was sooo proud of her!! They really are such a cute family. I continue to study with the other daughter, who by the way just gave her first talk in the TMS last week, and the mom. What a pleasure to see the family progressing! Two of the other young brothers that were baptized had each been studying with Chad! Both of their moms are in the truth, but Chad had been studying with them. I told Chad that he needs to start keeping track now of the people that he has helped come into the truth. I think these were his firsts...but it was well worth the wait! We were so proud of them all!

Other news....Chad gave the special talk here in our congregation. There kingdom hall was packed out and Chad really ROCKED it! ( I know I am biased, but he really did awesome!) The brothers and sisters were so proud of him...they really give us a lot of support and encouragement as far as our spanish. He was really happy to feel like himself after how nervous he was for the last minute Memorial talk!!

And...our life continues to change...never a dull moment in Jehovah's organization! I had just told Chad a few months ago how I was finally starting to feel comfortable here in our cong. and with the language. I should have known better than to say that because...yep...another change! A few months ago we received a letter from the branch for all of the need greaters that are here in Ecuador for at least a year and speak spanish. It asked us if we would be willing to serve where there is a greater need. Of course, I groaned when I read it...I am perfectly happy where I am right now. But, after some thoughtful prayer we decided to make ourselves available. We had never turned down an invitation from Jehovah so far, why start now? So, (with my heart in my throat) we wrote back and told them we would be willing to move. GULP! A few months passed and we never heard anything back. And then....we received a response...drum roll please!!

QUICHUA!!!! The good news is that for now we can stay where we are in Cuenca...the bad news is WE GET TO START ALL OVER LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE!!! ARRGGGHHHH!!! At least we have grown used to sounding like idiots learning a language...humility is no longer a problem for us! haha Quichua is the indigenous language spoken here in Ecuador. I do have to say that the people are very nice and hard-working. I look forward to getting to know their culture better. There is a group here in Cuenca of about 30 publishers but their territory is HUGE and they can use some more brothers. They will be sponsoring a foreign language class that starts May 29th and we have just received our invitations. It took me quite a while to convince myself to go with it...(you can ask Kami about that! One day I would be excited, the next day terrified!)

Anyway, I started to think about all of the huge changes we have made in the last few years and what HUGE blessings they have each turned out to be...so, I am sure that this too, will be a blessing for us. One day that I was feeling particularly nervous about it, I was reading my yearbook for this past year. I happened to read about a missionary couple that had been assigned to a certain area and learned the new language...a few years into it...a new assignment with a new language! The wife mentioned how difficult it was to start again, but how they had been blessed because of it! Now, I know we are no way missionary material...but, it was a good example for me!

Sooooo...there it is...the cat is out of the bag...I know you probably all think we are crazy. So do I at times! But, hey, why not?

For those of you who know Jenn Morris...she is coming to visit for 10 days and will get here on Friday. So, we are looking forward to that! Then 2 weeks after that...June 4th...some friends of Mark and Beth are coming to stay for a few weeks. June 8th we have the visit of our CO. Our Quichua class will last 3 months, which takes us until the end of August. Busy, busy, busy!

I know many of you are wondering about Mark and Beth... they hopefully have some interest in their house, but are just cutting through all the red tape to make it official! We are hoping to hear some good news about their return any day now!!! I know you are all missing her blogs since I am such a slacker! haha

Well, there is a lot more going on here, but that is all I have time for for now...pray for us as we embark on our next journey! We are going to need all the help we can get!

Hope you are all doing well! Miss you all lots!

PS I tried to upload some photos for you, but the internet isn't working right. I will try again later! Sorry!