Where to start...

I think I have been putting off blogging because I have no idea where to start...there is so much to share. First, we want to thank you all for love, support, prayers, encouraging emails and comments. You have no idea how much it means to know you are all praying for us and thinking of us back home! And it is encouraging to me to see all your comments...it brightens my day:) Thank you, thank you friends and family!

I think we will have to break things up into different posts because there is so very much to tell. The trip went really well and we met up with Olivia who will be one of the 40/40 with us in San Francisco so we were able to make the trip together. We arrived in Arequipa safely Friday night and walked off the plane into the pouring rain...it felt like home already:) We were welcomed by Daniel Duran and Ryan & Sarah Foster from Extreme. The took us to the school where we met up with our host families and headed to our new home (for the next three months). We have a wonderful host family who are so sweet and we have a great room...in fact we have a little apartment almost instead of just a bedroom which is what we thought we would have. We will write more about our home and family and post pictures soon.

It has been a whirlwind so far with a couple outings, church, many meals, and we started language school yesterday...much to learn! Peru is so very different from what we are used to. But, the people are wonderful and kind and beautiful and I am falling in love with them already. I so very much look forward to being able to actually have conversations with them soon (hopefully!)

Our family is doing well. I honestly don't know if it has hit me that we are not returning home anytime soon. I feel like I am adjusting fine so far to life here but I think it will hit me soon and I will have to begin to deal with "culture shock". Tyson thinks the culture shock has hit him already and it is interesting to hear the things he notices that I have yet to. He will have to write a post soon to share it all! Kai is adjusting pretty well. He has been sick since Saturday with a cold and it is sticking around. He is not used to the meals...not the food so much, but the times they are at and not having a high chair to keep him contained. He is not eating much but it could be because he is sick. Hopefully he will be back to himself soon. This week Tyson is taking afternoon language classes and watches Kai in the morning while I go to class. Next week we will have someone to watch him so we can go at the same time. I look forward to going together and having time together to do things in the afternoon. At this point I am pretty much stuck at the house because I don't feel comfortable taking a taxi anywhere by myself (with or without Kai). I do have to say it has been nice having the Durans here. Not only to have friends, but to have someone show you how to do things, where to go, and help us take care of things has been huge!

We will post more soon. Again, there is so much to tell so if you are wondering about something specific post a question in the comments and we will try to answer it! Thank you again for your prayers, they are being felt! God Bless!