How's our transition going?

Photo Credit: Katy Lute - www.katyroselutephotography.pixieset.com

Our transition has gone very smoothly and we’re thankful for your prayers.  We’re often asked, “Have you experienced a lot of culture shock?”  Honestly, not really.  Yes, we’ve experienced some reverse culture shock but not in an overwhelming way.  Our recent furlough year in Indiana definitely prepared us for a move to the states.  We also believe that the effort we put into “leaving Nicaragua well” has made our transition be smoother than it might have been.  

What do we miss about Nicaragua?

People. We miss people.  We miss our long time friends who we’ve done life with for many years.  We miss the people we worked with and who worked in our home, providing more than labor but also true friendship.  We miss our school and the rhythms of activities that we now are reminded of through Facebook.  A few months ago Nicaragua celebrated Independence Day and a flood of memories were brought back for us.  We miss our beautiful home and our faithful, fun-loving dog.  

What’s it like living in Colorado?

We love it!  We’re constantly amazed at the beautiful scenery and the gorgeous weather.  I wonder if we'll ever get tired of seeing the mountains?  Low to no humidity is also super nice (a treat from the sweltering heat we’ve been used to for so long).  We’re also very thankful that we live nearby one of Luke’s sisters, Katy.  She and her husband have two girls who are close in age to our girls.  What a blessing for both of our families to be near each other since the past eight years we’ve each not had family nearby.  We’ve found a genuine, welcoming, gospel-centered community in our church.  We’re so thankful to have gotten involved right away and do believe that’s another key piece to our smooth transition.  Luke has really been enjoying his studies, the professors and atmosphere at Denver Seminary and we are continually grateful that God has lead us here.  

What have we had to get used to:

• Checking the weather every day.  We’ve learned that this is essential if you want to dress appropriately.  We NEVER had to do this in Nicaragua.  It was either hot or hotter.  Or you knew it was likely to rain if you were in the rainy season or definitely not if you were in the dry season.
• Checking the mail.  Having a mailbox we’ve got to somehow remember to check regularly is a foreign concept to us.
• Using a dryer.  How easy is that to toss a load in the dryer instead of hanging each article on the line?!    
• Using a dish washer.  Truthfully we have only done this twice because well, it’s just easier to stick with what you’ve been used to for so long.
• Not letting our kids play outside by themselves and whenever they want.  Our house in Nicaragua was open-air style where kids were safe to constantly be in and out of the house.  Here they’re having to get used to staying in our apartment unless we take them on a walk or out to the playground.

How are our kids doing?

Our kids have been doing phenomenally and we’re so thankful for their flexibility. They've embraced this change really well and we're so proud of how they've handled a different world.

David turned five this summer and in August he started Kindergarten.  He’s been doing well at his new school where he gets lot of opportunities to be creative and make things with his hands.  David talks about Nicaragua and his friends there.  We’re thankful he’s made new friends here.

Emily is 3 ½ and loves being home with Mommy and Lucy.  She loves to ride her bike, play on the playground, make up songs and dance.  Emily reverted to speaking Spanish almost 100% of the time when we moved to the states.  She’s speaking mostly in English now but I’m trying to keep her Spanish up by doing weekly Spanish classes with her and some neighbor kids.

Lucy is a bundle of energy and attitude.  She recently turned two and has a very strong personality.  She’s our goofy one who loves to laugh and be silly!  She loves to run, play, ride on scooters and pull hair.  We love our spunky and many times challenging Lucy!

Praises:

• Baby #4 due April 2, 2017!
• Provision of a Spanish teaching job for Ellen & internships for both of us at our new church.
• A built-in community and new friends where we live on campus at Denver Seminary.
• Provision of furniture for our apartment.
• Peace in this move and fulfillment for Luke as he pursues Seminary studies.
• Ellen’s paperback was released! (Missionaries Are Real People)

Prayer Requests:

• Wisdom in balancing school, family, work, and church.
• Continued smooth transition.
• Provision for increased expenses when the baby comes and when Ellen's ability to work outside the home decreases.
• Wisdom and patience in parenting our young kids.

Missionary Ventures will still be accepting financial gifts for us through the end of December. If you would like information how to contribute, please click here.

Thank you for your prayers and support of our family!

Blessings to you during this holiday season,

Luke, Ellen, David, Emily, Lucy and baby #4