We’ve been enjoying a couple weeks without teams. This has made for some very productive planning time for future teams. This will allow me to be more present for the upcoming teams when I won’t have to do as much of the computer work.
During this time off we have been able to travel a lot and enjoy different parts of the country. We spent our first week in Las Terrenas.
The second week we had a staff retreat in Cabarete with Joe and Shannon. This was our first time there, it was beautiful and windy! It is known for kite surfing and lots of adventure sports!
And to finish off the vacations for this month, we spent the beginning of this week in Pedernales on the Southwest coast. It has been on Jeff’s bucket list since we moved here to visit Bahia de las Aguilas. At all 3 of these places he was able to spearfish, snorkel, and enjoy his love for the water. We got to see a lot of wildlife up close too. There are iguanas that roam around, bigger than Braegan. It was neat to see them in their natural habitats. Jeff and Randy fed one of them a half loaf of banana bread, Braegan really enjoyed that! When we were out in the water, Jeff had picked up a large conch shell. When he handed it to me, I noticed something was squirming around….a baby octopus. Jeff let it wiggle around in his hand and as soon as it touched the water it was inking.
This has also given us time as a family to focus on where God is leading us next. In my March blog I shared about being inspired by a team that was visiting from Phoenix, Arizona. A few weeks after they left I received an offer to teach 2nd grade in their school district. As Braegan is getting older, I’ve felt called back into the classroom. With that said, we will be wrapping up in San Juan at the end of June and moving back to the states. Our plan is to spend a couple weeks in the midwest visiting family and then heading to Phoenix so that I can start my new job on August 1. I’ll officially be joining the DREAM team! Jeff is excited about new places to explore and will plan to look for a job once we are there. It is so encouraging to see how God has provided for us during our time in the DR, and how He is continuing to lead the way in the journey ahead.
There are a lot of bittersweet feelings that go along with this. We are excited to start relationships in a new community with the foundation of what we have experienced in our time in San Juan for the past 3 years.
Ways you can pray:
-For our family as we transition out of our time in the DR and prepare to live back in the states. There are a lot of overwhelming thoughts about this for me about living “Americanized” again. We have learned to live so simply here, and I pray that we can continue to when returning stateside.
-For Braegan. As of right now she thinks we are going on another vacation. Every time we leave San Juan, even if only for a couple days she will tell us she is ready to go back. This has been the only home she has ever known. I know she is young, but I pray that these experiences are in her blood.
-Completing my Arizona teaching certification, I’ve been able to submit a lot from here, but there are a few things that will have to wait until we are back in the states.
-During this time of transition as we wrap up in the Dominican, and for whoever will be stepping into the guesthouse position. Be praying for our current staff and the ministry of SRI moving forward.