West Coast

We landed in California a week ago and it has been one hit the ground running, non-stop action kind of a week!

We started off on a good foot for sure by hitting up In-N-Out within the first 30 minutes of our visit!  Need I say more?!

The Fisher family is spread far and wide around the globe and with our coming and going, you can imagine how each and every minute is a gift for all of us to be together.  Therefore, there is no wasted time, thus the non-stop action.  The cousins were living on pins and needles for weeks, maybe months, for the arrival of Samuel, Emma and Luca.  And are now having a blast.  As Luca told Diego after a full day together, "This was the best day ever!  You know why? Because you were here ALL day!"

My older sister and her family are packing up and preparing for their soon return to the Dominican Republic as missionaries.  This past weekend we held a two-day garage sale as a fundraiser for them. Items were donated from churches and we sold them.  The kids sold cookies, Emma made rubber band bracelets to sell and everyone participated from young to old.  It was a very successful event and it was a joy for our family to participate.  I often feel so far away and helpless in serving my own family so this opportunity to physically be present and participate in blessing my family meant so much to me, despite the exhaustion that followed.

We also had the joy of meeting our newest niece, Nyah, for the first time this past weekend.  The 8 kids, ages 3-11, all get along so well and love each other deeply despite the distance that separates them more often than not.  What a gift of God's grace!  Maddie, who lives 1 hour and 15 minutes from Papa and Nano's house was in tears on the way home and the next day wishing they lived closer so she could see her cousins more.  So precious!  And now we are awaiting the arrival of Zoe on Tuesday to complete the cousin reunion.

Here is just a snapshot of the action...

Thoughts to Ponder

Not sure if these would all be on my top 10 list, but some certainly resonated and were expressed well in this following article.  Something to think about...

10 Things Missionaries Won't Tell You

Independence Day

We started off the holiday celebrations on the 3rd of July with a trip to the ballpark.  After all, what is more American than baseball?  It was a first for our kids and let me tell you--they absolutely loved the experience!  We cheered on the home town minor league team of the West Michigan Whitecaps.   It was a high scoring game with lots of action and even though our team lost 8-9, it was a great game.

 Rally cap time!

The kids were enthusiastic to say the least in their cheering.  We adults might have been more entertained by watching them than the game.  Heads kept turning around to see who was screaming.  They were highlighted on the big screen, but of course I was in the bathroom when they got on camera so don't have the proof of their fame.

We stayed after the game for the fireworks show, again another highlight for the kids.

The morning of the 4th, Samuel woke up with a fever and nausea (the same virus Luca had 2 days prior).  Therefore, our day was really low key.  Emma baked and decorated cupcakes and a cake, then she, Gramma and I went to a craft show in the afternoon.  Hamburgers on the grill were amazing and then we ended our day with fireworks in the driveway.

The kids were each given $5 from Munga and Gramma to buy fireworks at the dollar store.  It actually wasn't too bad of a show...not as dramatic as our next door neighbors, but why pay the big bucks when you can just watch theirs!

Happy Birthday, USA!

Ohio

After our stop in St. Joseph, we drove to northeastern Ohio to begin our week in the Buckeye state.  In trying to keep our kids engaged while driving, I give them crop and animal identification quizzes and like to ask questions related to their surroundings. Here is an example:

Me: What is the nickname of the state of Ohio?
Samuel:  The Buckeye State
Me:  And what is a buckeye?
Samuel:  A deer eyeball.

:) I therefore proceeded with some education on the subject.  We've got two Buckeye's by birth in the family, but when you are a third culture kid, identification with your roots is always a complicated matter.

I always find it interesting how our kids' memories are triggered when we visit places and stay in peoples homes.  They insist they don't remember places or people, but if you can get them to remember the animals associated with the people it is instant recognition and the floodgates of memories start to spill out.  "Oh, this is the house where they had chocolate chip Eggos...this is where Trixie lives, the dog with one blue eye and one brown eye...this is where they had pet rats...this is where we played horse shoes...this is the church where we ate McDonald's happy meals in the lobby before the service..."

As they are growing older, your names are being remembered and the ways in which you have invested and blessed them in our brief visits are taking precedence over your identity as the owner of your pets.

Pastor and Mrs. Hayes are now identified as Cocoa's parents

After two church visits in NE Ohio, we drove to Cedarville where we camped out for the week.  So it definitely wasn't "camping" as we were hosted in the lovely home of our dear friends, the Potter's.  

We had a wonderful week reconnecting with friends and churches in the area.  Our days were full and nights were late, but the blessings of rich fellowship and encouragement received were truly a gift to us.  A highlight for us is always the time we spend with our home pastor and his wife.  We could not ask for better leaders and encouragers who are full of wisdom, vision, insight and understanding of missions and the unique challenges faced by missionaries.  They get it...and that is a gift to us along with their friendship! 

In addition to the late night game playing with Mrs. Potter, the kids love the peer interaction they get while in town.  This visit was highlighted by the growth in their bonds with the Wallis and Ardnt kids.  Samuel also really loved that he got a chance to attend youth group.

Thank you to everyone who spent time with us, opened up their homes, fed us, treated us to ice cream, the pool, told us they pray for us and so much more!  We love visiting Ohio and wish we could stay longer!

Our the road again...

Reunion in St. Joseph

Sarah, Tara, Jodi, Noella

It has been six years since this group of college friends have all been together.  Tara and I were roommates for three years in college and our families do see each other every time we are stateside due to our proximity in the mid-west.  Jodi and Sarah were roommates at Cedarville too and all three lovely ladies were nursing majors.  I always felt that maybe I should have received a honorary nursing degree.  

What a special abbreviated weekend we had together, June 20-21, in St. Joseph, Michigan.  Even though states and countries separate us and we go years without seeing each other, it is always a wonderful feeling to be able to pick up where we left off. A very special extra thank you to Jodi and family who drove from Minnesota and for Sarah and her family from Pennsylvania!  Your sacrifice meant so much to us and we are so thankful we were finally able to make this reunion happen.  Let's plan on not going six years between visits again, okay?!

We have celebrated a few births since our 2008 reunion and our kids have grown just a tiny bit...

The kids got along so well together and had a blast at the beach and in the hotel pool.  Our motley crew of 15 kids ranging from 6 months to 11 years old formed instant friendships.

And the hubbies (Jesse, Jon, Jonathan & Steve) were there too soaking up the fellowship...