Last Days at RGBI

THis is the dinner a couple of nights before graudation. The first picture is Ramon and Angelica together a friend of Ramon's from venezuela who is also a student at the school. THe secone one is Pastor Pedro and Kathy Garcia who Ramon worked with our last 7 mths in Texas and people who we came to think of like family.

THe picture of the 4 men together were the people who were going to be graduation they were being prayed for. The other one is of Ramon, Mundo and Benji together. And finally that last one is of Ramon and Benji. Benji is the person who we will be working with in Panama.

Suffering

I'm doing a Bible Study by Beth Moore called Jesus the ONe and ONly. Last night the video was talking about suffering and I found that kind of ironic because the one thing I have been noticing the last couple of weeks is how much suffering there is in this world. Thanks again to my friend Stephanie who reads other peoples blogs all the time she has made me aware of so many other people stories. ONe that I really encourage you all to go check out is www.cfhusband.blogspot.com they are going through some difficult situations right now and yet both of them have wonderful attitudes about it and are praising God. I don't know them and they don't know me but they could use our prayers right now.
It seems to me that we are surrounded in a world of suffering and pain and not on purpose by any of us we seem to forget about it. We tend to just stay in our comfort zones and forget about all the people who are out there going through difficult situations. We as a society and christians need to stay more aware. We might not be able to do anything personally for them but we can definantly use the most powerful weapon we have.. which is prayer. There are people out there who need all the prayers they can get.
Everyone out there who is going through a difficult situation and who knows Christ as there Saviour knows that Christ is in control but there is a comfort in knowing that thousand even just 1 or 2 are praying for you. I encourage all of you to pray for people that you don't know. Lift them up to the throne of Christ take them to the feet of the King, where better to leave them than with the person who has known them since the beginning of time?

Graduation Pics to Come Soon!

For my Uncle Wes

Dear Uncle Wes,

Even though you are no longer here with us we continue to think and talk about you daily. Right before you died I was able to have a few minutes alone with you and was able to tell you just what you meant to me. I'm not sure if you heard me or not so I just wanted to take a minute and write it here.

You and Aunt Sylvia are in my memories from the very first one. I remember coming to your house and climbing your tree or coming and sitting on your lap. My favorite memories are of the ones when we went on vacation together. I loved that motor home. The best part of the summer was that one week with the 2 of you when we were altogether. The saddest part of moving to venezuela was leaving the 2 of you behind. I know that I didn't tell you enough but I loved you. Even in your roughness I knew you loved me to. I won't forget you and I'll tell my kids all about you. THanks for being you thank you for loving me.

I know that your last days here were filled with pain and I'm so glad that you are finally at peace. So as you go on up there in the midst of perfection in the midst of our Saviour, I will keep treking on here waiting for the day when we'll see eachother again.

I love you and you are greatly missed!

THanks to my friend Stephanie she has made me aware of other people blogs. People who greatly need our prayers right now. Me and my children are now trying to pray for these people daily. One that had me in tears today was someone that I just read about on Stephanies blog (you can see her blog by clicking on www.garcias2chile.blogspot.com ) It was about the Mathenia family. Her name was Amber Mathenia and she died last week from a car accident. She had 2 small children and a husband. Her and her family were missionaries in Ethiopia. Even though I have never met her I am deeply touched by what her friends and family had to say about her. Over and over again people said she loved the Lord in everything she did. My heart goes out to her family and my prayers to.
We need to live our lives as if we will not have another second. It seems that everywhere I look in this world anymore is pain and suffering. Sometimes it seems so overwhelming and yet at the same time you know pain and suffering are all part of our lives.
If i sound like i'm rambling i'm sorry. I'm not a good writer and yet there are times where I just need to do something with my thoughts or explode.
Sometimes life is overwhelming and yet we know God is still in control. My point is just remember to pray for the others out there don't become so wrapped up in our own lives (as painful as they may be at times) that we forget about all the others out there.

Friends

As I watched our home slowly get smaller my mind was thinking about "My girls"
My heart filled with sadness and my eyes filled with tears
These women were the reason I survived RGBI
THey were there with me through pregnancies, through hospital stays, through financial issues
They stayed up late with me, they ate icecream with me, they were on call whenever I needed them.
SO to you my 5 dear friends
Amy, Esther, Maudiene, Angi and Stephanie, I miss you guys!

“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.”

"A friend is someone who helps you up when you're down, and if they can't, they lay down beside you and listen.”

Our 2 birthday boys

It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons. ~Johann Schiller

Prayer

Please pray for a dear friend of ours, her name is Sherry Woodruff. We had the pleasure of meeting them a year ago. They came down here with a church from Simonton to minister to us and they were a huge blessing. We were able to see them several times after that as well. In June Doug (sherry's husband)found out that he was in need of a liver transplant. He had the transplant last night and had sever complications immediately following. He passed away just minutes ago. Sherry is going to be in alot of pain right now as will there 2 children. Please remember to pray for them. THey need all of the prayer they can get right now!

Tonight....

Tonight is Ramon's graduation banquet! SO many emotions this week. So please forgive me if some of my post are bit confusing but this has become the place for me to get my feelings out so welcome to graduation week from the eyes (and heart) of the wife.
When we first got here it felt as if the 2 yrs were never going to be up, as if we were just going to live the rest of our lives here. And now........ Ramon is graduating! I can not believe it. 2 years after we started dating Ramon was talking about coming here. SO this has been a work in progress for more than 8 years. Over the past 4 years since living here this place has become my home. The only home really that my children know. Logan who always wanted to move back to virginia and has always shown excitement about moving. Came to me the other day with tears in his eyes telling me that he didn't want to move. He wanted to know what was going to happen to his room and to his friends. I know he will survive this missionary kid thing (I did) but I do know that it's hard for him.
I just can't believe Ramon is graduating. I am so proud of him. He has worked hard and deserves so much. Way to go babe!
Anyways off to get ready for tonight. Have a great night out there in cyberspace.

Tonight....

WOOOHOOOO!!!!!

Ooh Aah CHAVEZ LOST!!!!!!!!! Way to go venezuela. The booths were packed yesterday for the voting. Even here in the US people were in line for hours waiting to vote. My prayer now is that this is the first step to freedom for venezuelans once again. The people spoke and there voice was heard!!!!

Pain

Please pray for Ramon and his family. TOday Ramon's grandmother passed away. She was very old but that doesnt make the pain any less.
Ramon is feeling very guilty as this is the 3rd person that he was close to, to pass away since leaving venezuela. He has never been able to return to be with his family and that will not be different this time. Please pray for him.

Today,

Today there is voting going on in venezuela. Please be in prayer for venezuela today. Today, will determine the future of all venezuelans. CHevez said in a speech last week that he was willing to hurt anyone who got in his way. THat he was willing to personally get his rifle and start shooting. Please pray for Ramon's brother and sister, JeanCarlos and Cenia, as they are working the voting tables in the town where they are from. Pray that the people will come out and vote no and not be afraid. Pray that the voting will be done legall and the voice of the people will come through. Just please remember venezuela and the people there!

Mops

Today I went to mops and I was very glad as we had an excellent speaker. She shared with us some poems that she has written and I loved them. With her permission I'm going to post them on here. I"m sure that you can identify as I did with them.

I'm TIred

I live a life filled with stuff and things
To do's add up like erutping springs

What am I doing it all for
Running to the church or to the store

I know that you have a plan for me
But does it include insanity

I know I won't win mother of the year
But today I gave hugs and wiped a tear

Here I go swimming in a sea of unmet expectations
I've gotta make dinner, clean the house, wash a load, call friends, and solve the issues of United Nations

Tell me houw easch of my small things will become a life
A life lived for You along with being a mother and wife

Help me O Lord, becuse I am tired
Doing an endless job, Can I request to be fired?

FIll me, Oh Lord, I have no where I'd rather be
The light just came on and I am running on empty

And there you are waiting with open arms for me
With a tank full of love giving compassionately

And Lord you knew all along that I was tired
But you let me run on caffeine until I was wired

I give up I've crashed and I think I need a 6 day nap
Then I realize you have held me close curled up in your lap

WIth you dear Lord I no longer need to be tired
YOu have filled me with your love and now I am inspired.
Michelle Price

Fearfullly and Wonderfully Made

You were fearfully and wonderfully made
Even before you were born and weighed

You sweet girl are made just by Him
No mistakes or could've been

You were made with freckles or curly hair
Every inch of you made with care

You wer given beautiful eyes
And yes even those thighs

He looked upon you with such pride
I wonder if he sang you lullabies

Your beauty He looks upon with wonder
No part of you was a blunder

You see to Him you are gorgeous beyond any to see
He knit you in your mothers womb uniquely

You were made valuable beyond rubies and gold
After He made you He broke the mold

He knew exactly what you would become
A wife, a teacher, and even a mom

There is only one you can never be replaced
God rejoiced the day you were fearfully and wonderfully made
Michele Price

me allegro de que esten por alla......

THis was in an email from Ramon's cousin. Someone who used to be very chavista. Someone who is a lawyer in venezuela. Here is another part of her email... aqui en venezuela las cosas estan mal... y si aprueban la supuesta reforma que no es ninguno reforma, pasaremos practicamente a otro cuba...... To see these words from her is not a good sign for venezuela.

Please, please pray for venezuela. On sunday they will be haveing voting again. Yesterday Chavez ex-wife was on tv begging for people to vote no. And apologizing for helping him in the beginning saying that she did not know that it was going to get this bad. Yesterday as students were protesting fighting broke out. Students were throwing rocks at the guards as guards were throwing tear gas at them. Ramon's family wants out and yet can't. If the rumors come true that we are hearing things are not going to be good this coming year. Please pray!

The other day as this picture was being taken tears came to my eyes. As I realized that something that Ramon and I have been talking about for more than 8 yrs is finally coming to pass. In exactly 2 weeks from today Ramon will be graduating! I can not even begin to explain how proud I am of him. He has grown into a strong, intelligent and Godly man since being at this school. He has always had a full schedule class wise. Never less than 18 credits every semester worked full time and has kept his focus on keeping his family number 1.

Ramon, I am so proud of you, more than words can explain. I am so glad that I have been able to go through this journey with you. We have had so many ups and downs and yet we always come out loving eachother more because of it. I consider myself priviledged to call myself your wife. I love you and the night of graduation I will be crying tears of happiness and pride. Job well done my love, well done!

Good TImes

Over the weekend Ramon and I were able to go away with some close friends of ours. People that we have know our whole lives. People that we grew up with. I am so thankful that the Lord allowed us to be able to share in this special time with them. THey came here to the school 1 year after Ramon started. We had visions of spending many nights playing games with them and drinking coffee together but life just kind of took over and before we knew it 3 yrs had gone by and we were getting ready to say goodbye. So even though we haven't spent that much time together we had a WONDERFUL weekend. It was so much fun and I'm very thankful for the 2 of them. So to you Esther and Mundo we will miss you guys more than you know.

Brotherly Love....

THis is what I walked into the living room this morning to see. Logan was watching cartoons and had gotten Jesse and his bottle up in the chair with him and they were watching cartoons together. THere are so many moments when the kids are fighting and I wonder "do they even like eachother?" So to walk out to this warmed my heart. What a terrific start to the day!

Jesse

Mixed Emotions

I know I have written about this alot lately but there are some days when I think about leaving that I am so excited and other days when it scares me to death and then other days when my heart is breaking.
You see I've become comfortable living here. I enjoy my life here. I know what to expect, I have a routine people who mean the world to me. It scares me out of my mind to start this new phase of our lives. Have you ever read a book that was so good it was a little bit sad to close it for the the final time? If you have you will know what I mean when I say that is how I am feeling now. I will miss my tiny little apartment.... THere are so many things I'm going to miss.
And yet I'm excited to see what is going to go on in this next chapter and yet at the same time scared to death.

Lord, help me to get through this. Give me the strengh. Allow me to feel your arms around me when I'm sad. Help me to lean on you in this time. Help me to make time for you daily so that I will lean on you. Amen

Game night

I am on my way out the door for a game night! I love games! We are going to have popcorn and brownies and chips and sodas. And the kids will be occupied watching a movie projected on the side of the storage building. About 6 or 7 couples are coming. So...... Let the games begin!!!

update

THe last we heard was that the couple was going to be deported this evening and arriving in miami at 6:40.

Prayer Needed

I just want to ask all of you who read this to pray for a couple (friends of ours) who were arrested yesterday in venezuela. They are being deported to Miami today. The rumor is is that the wife and 2 kids will be deported and the husband will be left there in prison. That part no one is positive of yet. Please pray for them. There children are 4 and 11 mths and the wife (Sarah) is 5mths pregnant. THere names are Gary and Sarah Greenwood. THey were not allowed to go home and get any of there belongings.
This just proves venezuela is not as safe as some poeple are led to believe. Please be in prayer for this couple and for venezuela.

Then and Now

This first picture was taken in april of 2002 just days before our wedding.

THis second picture was taken on a mini vacation with friends in may of 2007. Oh how time flies.

mommy can I hold your hand????

These were the words out of my 4 year olds mouth yesterday as we went to the grocery store. I love this kid with everything in me. As I was holding his little hand in mine I realized that in a couple of years he will no longer want to hold my hand. Let me take the time to tell you about my son Logan.
1)He is loyal
2)He is very energetic. Always going until you make him stop
3)He is very intelligent. He remembers things he did when he was 1
4)When he loves he does it with everything in him
5)He loves sports
6)He is kind and caring (sometimes)
7)He has a smile that lights up his face
8)He loves to help people
9)He needs to feel loved and in order for this he needs 1 on 1 time daily
10)He is a born again christian
I love you logan. You bring so much joy and laughter into my life! Thank you!

4 weeks left!!!!!!

Here I sit and I realized that we only have 4 weeks left till graduation. A day that we thought would never get here. It's been a long 4 yrs. So many things have happened in our life since being at this school. Many trying and difficult times and yet God has seen us through all of them. He took us through them and brought us out stronger people because of them.
4 weeks and we will be leaving the apartment that has been our home. Part of me is saddened by the thought of leaving. Sad for the friendships that I will leave behind. Sad for the freedom that my children have been able to have living here. THey are able to go outside and play and not worry. So many nights as the sun is setting you will hear the childrens voices floating inside and childhood laughter. I'm saddened for my kids as I know the life they about to embark on is a difficult one to get through.
And yet I'm hopeful as I know they can get through it. And Ramon and I will get through it. It's not an easy life missionary life but it's worth it.
So yes even though part of me is sad the other part is so excited and peaceful. Ramon asked me lastnight if i was scared to move to panama and my answer was immediate. No. I'm excited about moving back to latin america. Yes I know it won't be the same as venezuela but I love latin america with all it's imperfections. I'm excited to know finally what God has for us. I'm excited to start the work that HE has for panama. I'm excited to start this new adventure.
So as the boxes are being taped and pictures taken off the wall, I will wipe away a few tears. But not to worry the tears will not stay. As peace that can only come from a KING floods my soul I will be happy in the next 4 weeks!

struggling.....

THere are days when you just know you shouldn't get out of bed. Today is one of those days..... I knew it wasn't going to be a good day for me the moment I opened my eyes and yet there wasn't alot I could do about it. Even before I pushed the covers off of me there were little hands knocking on the door and little voices informing me of what they needed. Some days I just need some time to myself. I need to be able to wake up and have a cup of coffee before my time is demanded by other people.
Packing..... That is a story in itself. I feel like i'm doing something almost non stop and yet you look around and nothing has changed. I need help and I don't have any. My husband is to busy with school and work to really help with things around here and I don't have my family around. I'm just tired and yes I'm struggling........

For my mother in law

This is dedicated to my mother in law, Josefina. I have been thinking about her so much. On september 30 Ramon passed his 5 yr mark of being here in the united states. My heart breaks for his family and his mother especially. As a mother I just can't imagine going 5 yrs without seeing one of my children. We never invisioned it being this long but money has never allowed us to go back for a visit. THere are days when my eyes just fill with tears when I think about how she must feel. My kids have never met her and that is sad itself. I know they would love her. She is just a bundle of fun, so much fun to be around. So Josefina I know you will more than likely never see this but this is for you. We love you and miss you more than you know. Hopefully one day soon we will see eachother on the soil's of venezuela!

Venezuela

Growing up in Venezuela had it's ups and downs. The downs weren't really the countrie's fault that had to do with other circumstances. But you see I love venezuela. It is a beautiful country with wonderful people. Even in the jungle is gorgeous. There is nothing like going out onto the river where the only noises to be heard is the birds and the quiet yet strong current flowing by. I love the jungle. As strange as that is for many of you to hear me say that I truly love venezuela and all it's many faults. Don't get me wrong I love the states as well but there is always going to be a piece of me that belongs in venezuela. Ramon finishing school in 5 weeks is very bittersweet for the both of us. We were supposed to be returning to venezuela but since we feel that door has been closed for our family we will be moving to panama instead. I'm excited about the idea of moving there but my heart cries out that we won't be able to go 'home' instead. It saddens us greatly when we think of the things that are happening there. It used to be a place where we could walk around and feel safe even us americans. But the reports we are getting now is that even for the national girls it's not safe for them to out alone. Please if you think of venezuela pray for it! Pray for the people who are living there and are struggling with the new laws, pray for the churches as they are trying to be wiped out, pray for the missionaries that are still there, and most importantly pray for the president! If God can change Pharoahs heart he can certainly change this one!

My husband.....

Recently I read on a friends blog 15 things she loves about her husband. So I'm going to write about mine now to.

1) I love his passion and love for the Lord

2) I love his desire for more knowledge. The way he is always trying to better himself. Always trying to grow as a person, a father, a husband and a son.

3)I love the way he is with our children. Fun yet able to be firm at the same time.

4)I love his smile. It lights up his entire face.

5)I love his loyalty to people.

6)I love to listen to him teach the word of God. (you know what i mean pedro and steph. shhh keep it to yourselves now)

7)I love how much fun he is. He is always up for a good time.

8)I love his ability to make people feel so comfortable with him. The moment you meet him you feel as if he has been your best friend for a lifetime.

9)I love his ability to take control over a crazy situation.

10)I love the way he loves his parents. He is such a kind hearted son.

11)I love his laughter. It brightens up my world. 12)I love the way that he is not as impulsive as I am.

13)I love the way he loves me!

14)I love how he thinks of others.

15)He is one of the least selfish people I know, and I love that about him.

The bottom line. I am deeply, madly and passionatly in love with my husband! I love you Gago!