Goodbyes...

Goodbyes are hard. This last weekend my sister, niece and mom came for a quick visit. They helped us with our garage sale, some packing and spent lots of time playing with our boy. It was great to see them but hard to realize it will be two years before we see them again. I love my family and even though don't tell them enough, I appreciate them and am incredibly thankful for them! I didn't cry when we said goodbye, because I don't cry when it is appropriate or expected. I cry later, when I process, when I am in the middle of a coffee shop writing about them...like now, with strangers all around and tears down my face. I love you guys. thank you for your love and support!

Kai with Auntie Wicky...I mean Vicky:)

Me and my big sis...

Kai playing trains with Grandma Julie
Me and my sweet baby niece, Jaylee...
Oh wait! She is no baby anymore! I love this girl. I remember when she was born...literally, I was in 8th grade but Vicky asked me to be in the room when Jaylee was born and it was an amazing experience. They let me babysit her when she was a baby and have always felt a special bond with her. Now she is in 8th grade...the age I was when she was born....wow! I am sad that I will miss her 8th grade graduation, her first couple years of high school and it is crazy to think she will be driving when we get back! I am proud of you Jaylee, for the beautiful girl you have turned into both inside and out, for your boldness, your humor, your honesty, for the way you love people and the way you love Jesus! I love you!
~Auntie Tracy:)

This weekend...

...Tyson is visiting his brother in Texas. Kai is spending the weekend with my super great friend, Erin. And I am home with another super great friend, Melissa, packing away. A great weekend on all accounts...hopefully there will be a significant dent in the packing/organizing...but either way, good times had by all:) I am once again blessed by amazing friends who are so willing to help...and I have learned over the past year that help is okay, that asking and allowing help is not only a blessing to me but to those that help is accepted from. As I love to help others, I need to let them help me. Thank you friends...words cannot express the gratitude we have. Thank. you.

Chase the Age

Wednesday night Tyson and Daniel played a show at our local coffee shop. They have been playing music together for a year and a half now and began the process of recording a CDs about a year ago. It has been such a huge blessing from the Lord...an amazing opportunity that could only be from Him. An extremely generous man offered to record them for free...donating his own time and resources. Tyson has been extremely touched by his generosity, the giving of himself and what he has for the Lord and others. Thank you to Carl and his wife Lori for the friendship, time, patience and love you have shown!
So Tyson and Daniel (Chase the Age) began recording. Then we decided to look into going to Peru. Imagine our surprise when we heard another couple from the church was also looking into going to Peru--Daniel and his wife Abby (and their little ones, Joshua and Mylie). Although Tyson and Daniel played music at least once a week, neither had discussed with the other the idea of Peru. So long story short (or short story long as it always seems with me) both of our families would be going to Peru.
What then would happen to their music you might ask? They finished their CD only a couple weeks before Daniel would leave for Peru. They were also blessed once again by a very generous giver who would pay to have CDs made and profits would go to support our two families in Peru. Very exciting stuff!
So, back to the concert. Wednesday night Chase the Age had their last concert at Union Block Coffee. Daniel and Abby were leaving for Peru the next day so it was a great send off. They also had presales for their CD which will be out in a couple weeks. The place was packed and it was a wonderful turn-out with lots of family and friends supporting and coming to say goodbye to Daniel & Abby. Thanks to all who came, who worked to put it on and who bought CDs!
Check out their music at: http://www.myspace.com/chasetheage or http://www.chasetheage.com/.

Peruvian Nights 2009

Here we are with Abby & Daniel Duran (they are the other family from our church headed to Peru...and they leave next week! Keep them in your prayers!)

We had such a wonderful time at the Faux Prom fundraiser...the theme: Peruvian Nights. Our friends did an amazing job of putting it together and everyone had a blast! We felt so blessed by their hard work and the support of all those who came and joined us. It was a super fun time and here are some highlights:

The group doing the electric slide

Sweet, sassy friends

A "rad" dance competition

cute couples Crazy dancing

Lots of laughs with each other

Thank you to all those whose hard work made this happen, who donated things and who came and made this an amazing evening! We love you all and we extremely blessed by you once again. Thank you!

3rd Anniversary--Peruvian style

This last week Tyson and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary. He surprised me with dinner up in Portland at a fabulous Peruvian restaurant, Andina. The food was amazing but probably unlike food we will actually have in Peru, this was more "Peruvian inspired" we're guessing...but amazing! The atmosphere was wonderful as well but the company was the best. It was great to take a break to celebrate our three years together. It has been a wonderful three years and we are so very much looking forward to what is to come! I don't have any pictures of our evening so instead I will include a picture of us on our wedding day. Tyson, thanks for an amazing anniversary and an amazing three years *cheers*!

Faux Prom Fundraiser

We have some super great friends who decided to do a sweet fundraiser for the Durans and us. It will be a little thing we like to call the Faux Prom...here are the details...hope to see you there!

You (all ages and generations) are invited to join us for an evening of reliving your high school days! So, dust off your fancy digs, from then or today, or hit up goodwill for some flashback styles!

Saturday, January 10th

8:00 - 11:30 p.m.

Ben VanDyke Farms

15221 NW Westside Rd.

Yamhill, OR 97148

Tickets available at the door:

$25.00 per person / $40.00 per couple

*All profits from the evening will go to support the Durans & Smiths in their mission to Peru.

The evening will include:

•Voting and coronation of Prom Queen & King
• Selection of “Best Dressed”, etc.

• Prom photos by Creative Photography By Dale

• And much more!

For more information please comment on my blog and I will get you the info:)

Praising the Lord, Driving the Hornet

Today we are praising the Lord as we celebrate the sale of both of our cars this weekend! We have had them for sale for a while now and it just happened that one sold yesterday and the other today. This is another example of the Lord's faithfulness through this process. Thank you Lord!
It was a bit unexpected to go from 2 cars to none so quickly with another month and a half to go before we leave. Tyson's parents offered to possibly let us use one of their cars but the car is in Washington and they are currently in Spain visiting Taryn so that is not currently an option. We were extremely blessed that our generous friend, Ben, offered to let us use one of his extra vehicles until we can figure something out. The Hornet is a 15-passenger van that is glorious and makes for great memories:)

Kai seemed to enjoy the view...and all the extra room:)

And Tyson is extremely happy in the driver's seat of the Hornet!

We are super grateful to have some mode of transportation and are unbelievably grateful to have the cars sold as that was one of our big hurdles before leaving! Thank you for your prayers for our preparations!

Snow!

Snow is something we won't be seeing in Peru...so, we are enjoying it while it lasts here in Oregon. Check out our family blog here to see more pictures!

Kai wasn't too sure about the snow...I'm thinking he is more of a warm weather boy...Peru here we come!

Extreme Purpose

Brian, the Director of Extreme Nazarene, sent us the official purpose statement the other day.

"The purpose of EXTREME is to seek and deploy people into an extreme global expansion of the Kingdom of God by prayerfully and thoughtfully engaging the specific talents, skills, experience and resources God has given them and to further develop them into permanent full-time constructors of the Kingdom."

I found this statement so perfect because it so perfectly describes just what Extreme has done for us. We had been seeking the Lord and asking what He wanted for us, where He wanted us to go...we were willing but we just didn't know where to go or what to do. We began praying and seeking last January, we tried many avenues and the Lord closed many doors. When we heard about Extreme Peru we knew this was what we had been waiting for, what the Lord had been "holding" us for. The Lord is so good and we feel so blessed to be a part of this ministry. We are thankful to the Lord and thankful to the visionaries of Extreme for providing an avenue to serve the Lord and spread the Gospel to the nations!

Passports!!

Kai and my passports came in the mail yesterday! Tyson's had a different process but should be here soon too. Here is Kai checking his out:) Peru here we come!!!