Enjoying diversity in my day

I did not realize until this morning how much I missed the 'normal' diversity of my life.


The last few months my daily schedule looked mostly like this:

Up.

Check E-mails now and then.

 Eat.

Open school with devotion and prayer. Study. Answer a few school questions.

 Bible with the kids.

  Study. Lunch.

A short rest/devotional time. Study. Exercise while studying.

Shower. Study.

Supper. Study. Bed. [And I'll admit that I studied at the table a few meals a day.]


First 4 hours today: Up. Checked E-mails/face book.

 Worked on my in-box [now down below 30 from over 300].

 Ate. Started school with devotions and prayer.

Almost filled one large box with give away stuff.

Met with both Eli and Anna to work on school plans for the next 3 weeks [up to missionary retreat].

Put away items from the trip.

Hung up 4 loads of laundry.

Corrected Eli's science papers. Picked mulberries and cherry tomatoes.

Picked some weeds from my flower bed while talking to another missionary on the phone.

Wrote out my to-do goals for the week.


[While I do intend to study a few hours during weekdays in the afternoon I will now spend more time on my 'normal' life. ]

Continued the day with Bible class.

Started to think and research next year's school curriculum.

Corrected more papers.

Lunch. Rest/devotional time.

Reviewed history and literature questions with both kids.

Put away laundry.

Weeded more of the flower beds.

Exercised while reading a FUN book.


Studied a bit.

Blogged.

Will enjoy supper and more time reading before bed.

 A nice normal day! Thanks Lord.

Interesting sites this morning.

 The Three Eyes.

 The Lighthouse..a museum where Christopher Columbus remains are housed.

 I saw this as a child with my family but not at this location.

Pictures from the 7 hour tour...not a peach palm in sight.

Pineapple plants 

Checking out the nail causing the new rapid clicking noise. 

The hunt for peach palms...

Today we headed out to try to find peach palms north and then north west of the capital in the support of Cory's ministry and love of fruits.

We saw lots of country. We drove on great roads, Ok roads and bumpy dirt roads.

We ask directions several times.

Passed lots of pineapple fields, some sugar cane fields, cattle, sheep, forests, mountains, but never spotted the apparently rare, elusive Dominican Republic peach palm.


Stopped at a couple tree nurseries to ask and Cory visited a bit with some workers from Haiti.

Actually from Limbée who he invited to stop in and see us the next time they visit home.

Now family code for a 'snipe hunt' will forever be going to look for peach palms.

7 hours later our family returned [thankfully as we found during the trip that one back tire picked up a nail.

 Thankful we did not go out on test morning to find a flat tire as I first heard the clicking noise on Monday]

Quick break and then headed out on foot. Visited a couple cathedrals, the fort and a chocolate factory.
Enjoyed Chinese food, chocolate samples, and ice cream.

Cory and Anna already have a papaya vender who smiles when he sees them coming for their daily treat-they split one.

Happy Birthday Mom!!

April 23. Testing done!!

Hi from the Dominican Republic.
 We enjoyed a wonderful Sunday sunrise service at Cowman school. The sermon focused on how God can move any rocks in our lives. We just need to trust He who died for us, rose again, and lives today - loves us and wants the best for us.

After heavy rains Sunday night that totaled over 2 inches we headed out early Monday morning for the DR. The paperwork at the border took about 1 hour. Thankful to find it open as we heard that Friday it was not.

Eli noted that the roads were better than those in western Michigan. Started out in dry areas but after a while more mountains, trees and green. Cory only stopped at one fruit stand. We enjoyed sandwiches and ice cream for lunch.

Once in Santa Domingo we struggled a bit to find the hostel but a nice man jumped on a motorcycle and lead us the last few blocks.

On Tuesday Cory and the kids headed out to find the testing center and did a bit of sight seeing while I reviewed. Thankful to find out last night that although the DR does not do daylight savings, right now they were on the same time. Not being to the test center 30 minutes before test time would have resulted in my not being able to test.

Today, test day. Very peaceful and calm for me so the Lord did provide that miracle [I tend to be a worrier] Not only did I remain calm I brought my passport. Several types of ID could be used said my information but once there the sign on the wall noted if testing outside your country of residency you could only use your passport.

I praised my way through the day, secure in the knowledge that God's in charge. I'll praise Him if I pass or if I don't. I know He could provide a miracle for me or has a better plan. Hard to boil down the vast knowledge base of 'family medicine' into 370 questions [a few don't count-hopefully ones I did not have a clue about].

I heard folks talking about all the support this week as they ran the Boston marathon from the folks on the side lines.




While I couldn't not see my support team I know that many were praying and cheering me on.

Thank you!! All the peace and being able to focus - thank you.

Praying for so many in pain: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Do not know why the Lord gave me the life I lead but thankful.