A sure sign of adjustment...

I have stopped killing spiders and knocking down webs in our apartment because I know that they kill mosquitos. They are my new best friends.

Continued Birthday Celebration in Manuel Antonio

I just wanted to share a few pictures from our weekend in the small coastal town of Manuel Antonio. I'm so sorry for the bad layout and formatting, but I still haven't figured out how to get the pictures and captions where I want them on this site! Also, I didn't take my good camera...this will just have to do! Enjoy-

My first birthday in Costa Rica

Today was my birthday! It was great. My sweet husband made sure that I felt loved on my special day by having all of our friends and family send him birthday cards for me before we left the States. He has been hiding them ever since, and when I got out of the shower this morning, this is what I had waiting for me...

So many thanks to those of you who sent a card or thought of me today. We love and miss you all!

Day to day life for us in San Jose

Jeremy hard at work...trying to harvest a lemon from our tree for a batch of lemonade!------>


It's 8:00 a.m. and the sounds of Maribel and her mother talking and singing as they wash and hang laundry are streaming in through our apartment window. I usually tend to fall back asleep. Jeremy wakes up and begins convincing me to get out of bed at about 8:30. I shower, get dressed, Jeremy does the same, and we go into the kitchen in the main house, and are promptly greeted with a hug and a kiss on the cheek from Maribel, our new Tica mom. She prepares freshly brewed coffee and usually some version of eggs, fruit, frijoles, and bread for us as we enjoy some morning conversation. (I know, we are definitely spoiled!). After breakfast, I usually change again because I have decided what I am wearing won't be sufficient for the weather for the day, and Jeremy and I begin to work on homework before our tutoring begins at noon. Usually, Maribel uses the time in the morning to clean, do laundry, and get the kids ready for school. I feel guilty for my lack of help and contribution to the household chores, but she absolutely insists that I get back to studying anytime I try to help. Maybe that means I am more trouble than help most of the time...

It's strange because all three of the kids go to school at different times, and it seems that their schedule changes every day. I'm never sure which one is going where, when, or when they will be back. Some days, one or more of them won't have school at all. I still haven't figured it out. During this time we work on our homework, catchup on emails, and clean up around our apartment. Just about the time Jeremy and I are finishing our homework, we begin to smell lunch cooking in the kitchen and at about 11:45, we eat again (believe me we are getting fatter by the minute) and enjoy more conversation with the family. For lunch, the menu usually consists of some version of rice and beans with a little salad of carrots, cucumber, lettuce, and lemon juice, and maybe a little portion of chicken or pork. By this time, the kids are usually up and showered, preparing for school, so we catch up with them too before leaving. Then, all at once, there is a rush out the door, all of us hustling to our end destination. Jeremy and I take about a 10-15 minute walk to the Spanish Language Institute 4 days a week for our separate tutoring sessions. We will begin regular classes in January, but until then, meet with our tutor for an intense two hour grilling in Spanish. I repeat, it's intense.

Trying to hold his tongue just right...
After our sessions, we may stop by the fruit stand or the grocery store on our way back to the house, or run any errands that might happen to be conveniently on our route back. By this point, my brain has reached utter exhaustion, because although it doesn't sound like much of a day so far, keep in mind everything is transpiring in Spanish. Every word we hear, every sign we see, every instruction or direction that we receive. All of it. Then, also keep in mind, everything is different! They use spoons for things we would use forks for, and forks for things that it only makes sense to use a spoon with! Although, in and of themselves, these small things are no big deal, add them all up in the context of living somewhere where EVERYTHING fits into an unfamiliar category, and it is exhausting. Not to mention we are always on guard for suspicious characters, on the lookout for dangerous spots that we need to navigate around, and dodging speeding cars, buses, and motorcycles. Not wrong, just different.

Ta Da! The product of his work: a fresh lemon ripe for the squeezing!


Our afternoon plans vary anywhere from resting and reading to catching a bus downtown with Maribel to buy new Christmas lights. Sometimes we will go with her to pick one or more of the kids up from school, and she will show us a new place or to for this or that in the process. At about 3:30 or 4:00 it's cafecito time. We are fed more caffeine and carbs despite our not so convincing protests that we are still full from lunch. In the evening we can be found playing Spanish board games with the kids or watching them sing along with Justin Beiber on Youtube. We partake in watching "Bonanza" in Spanish and talking about the most recent Costa Rican news with the family. Sometimes, actually, the majority of the time, we will have company over, an aunt, cousin, brother or sister stopping by to catch up and visit for a few hours. All the while, Maribel is cooking up dinner, preparing another delicious treat. It's funny...if anyone walks through that front door, regardless of who they are, she immediately heads to the kitchen to prepare an offering of food. It's great. After a few hours with the family, we retire to our room, change into our PJs, and curl up in bed for an episode or two of the Office via the computer. Then it begins all over again!

Q & A

Hello readers! This will be a short post. I just wanted to offer a Question and Answer opportunity for those of you who have been following our journey so far- Soon, I will be including more pictures and stories about our new family and country, but for now, I thought there might be some specific questions that you may want to ask!

Please post your question below, and I will do my best to answer!!

Thanks for following along with us!

An Introduction

How do you even try to begin a blog entry when so much has happened over the course of three days? There are so many details, and interesting pieces to share, but it's so difficult to do without writing a novel! I'll do my best to introduce you to our new family and their home. It will be difficult, so bear with me please-

After a very long morning of traveling, we finally arrived at the airport in San Jose, Costa Rica, and began the stressful task of picking up luggage and getting through customs in a foreign country. Luckily, Costa Rica's airport is pretty easy, and the process wasn't bad at all, and before we knew it, we had all 7 bags, heading for the exit to begin life in our new country! It all happened so quickly! As we exited the automatic doors that lead to the pickup area outside, the first thing we saw amongst a crowd of bodies standing outside, was a little white piece of paper pressed against the glass that read "Jeremy and Kerbi Smith". How can such a small, flimsy piece of paper provide such relief?! Attached to that humble little sign was a man wearing glasses, small in stature, wearing a big grin. Jeremy waived to identify ourselves, and the man waved back, knowing that we were the couple he was looking for. Outside, with our mountain of bags in the midst of it all, we introduced ourselves for the first time to our new house dad, who we came to know as "Leo". Somehow, I managed to understand him as he explained our plan for getting all of our luggage and our bodies to the house, and off we went. The conversation was very broken because my Spanish is SO rusty, but we were able to communicate and soon arrived at our new home. When we arrived, we met the rest of the family, Maribel, the mother, Carolina, their oldest daughter, Sofia, the middle daughter, Luis Andres, their youngest son, and Rodolfo, Maribel's cousin. Our luggage was unloaded, and we immediately sat down together for some Costa Rican coffee and an afternoon snack. We were quickly integrated into everyday life in their home, and feel so blessed that they are always kind enough to invite us to participate in EVERYTHING they do, going everywhere they go. Such great Spanish practice! Already, we have been to drop the kids off at school, taken a walking tour of the neighborhood and our new route to the Spanish Language Institute, gone to the bank, the grocery store, ridden the bus into downtown San Jose for shopping, and tonight, will be going to a youth event at the church.

Leo is such a patient, kind spirited man who loves his family and works hard to provide for them. Maribel has such a joyful, effervescent personality, and has a tender heart for animals (they have 2 birds, fish, chickens, dogs, and a free ranging rabbit!). Carolina is 11 years old and has the sweetest smile and gentle spirit. Sofia is 9 years old and the drama queen of the family. She is bubbly and rambunctious. Luis Andres is the little lady's man. His eyelashes are the longest I have ever seen and he loves to beat Jeremy in mini soccer matches on the porch. Rodolfo has helped us so much, because he speaks English and has been able to give us important information that we might not be able to understand otherwise! He takes such good care of his family, and will be a good friend to us. This is just a GLIMPSE into our new home, but I will write more when I get the chance! I will also take some pictures of the family to include next time!

Thanks for reading- will talk more soon! (I have included some pictures below of our little apartment here!)

Days 7 & 8: Fort Worth, Texas

The last leg of our journey was to Fort Worth to visit Jeremy's mom, Janie. We arrived on Sunday afternoon and decided to unwind by going to the movie. Good decision. Afterwards, we went back to Janie's house and ate pot roast and veggies while attempting to watch the Cowboys' game (we turned it off before half time because it was so pitiful), and then hit the sack pretty early (still adjusting to the time change!). It was really good to spend some time with his mom, even though the visit was short, it was sweet. We met up with our friend Mark for lunch on Monday, then hit the road back to Tyler.

This trip was really hard because it was filled with so many emotional, difficult goodbyes, but we were so glad that we made the time to do it. We were once again reminded of the many people who made it possible for us to be where we are, ready to leave on this journey to Costa Rica. On one occasion, Mother Theresa compared herself to a pencil in the hand of God, writing a love letter to the world, and I can truly see how each one of our friends, family, and supporters has been a tool used by God to get us to those kids in Puerto Viejo.

So now, we are back in Tyler, preparing in the limited time that we still have here (7 days!) to leave. We are excited to be participating in the GABC Missions Conference which starts tomorrow and ends on Sunday, but know how many "to do"s are still left on our checklist! Your continued prayers are welcomed and appreciated...

Days 4,5,& 6: Coleman, Texas

After leaving Lubbock, we made our way down to Coleman to say our goodbyes to Jeremy's family. It was so nice to have three un-interrupted days to spend time with family! As one of Coleman's new billboards advertise, it's definitely "Life at a different pace..." which was a welcome change for us after traveling for a few days.

We went to watch Jeremy's brother, Josh, coach the Junior High Bluecat football team on Thursday night, relaxed Friday night, then enjoyed everyone's company at a housewarming party on Saturday. Finally, on Sunday morning, we had to say our goodbyes, which was really hard. Jeremy's sweet grandmother, Sue, is suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's, so it was especially hard saying goodbye to her because we have no idea whether or not she will remember us when we return. She helped raise Jeremy and his brother, Josh, all throughout their childhood, and I know it was painful for Jeremy to sacrifice his relationship with his grandmother during the time that we are away.

Jeremy and his newest cousin, Paizlea Noel Smith


Thanks to Kenny and Gwen for having us in their beautiful (and finished!) home, thanks to Jeff and Brandi for driving all the way down from Abilene with their newborn baby girl to see us, thanks Josh for hanging out, and Uncle Mike! You will all be so dearly missed!

Days 2 & 3: Lubbock, Texas

After leaving Oklahoma, we couldn't wait to make it back to Lubbock again to visit with everyone we have been missing so much since we moved to Tyler. On Tuesday night, our Mission Support Team hosted a farewell "Desserts and Coffee" event at St. Luke's UMC, where some our very first supporters and youth kids came to say goodbye. We happily shared the news that we had received 100% of the financial support needed to leave, and thanked them for their diligent prayers and encouragement. Many of the people in attendance were among the very first to lay the foundation of support for our ministry, and we are forever grateful for the faithfulness and generosity.

On Wednesday, we ran errands (i.e. $200.00 eye exam visit! AHHH) and went over to our dear friends',David and Brandi, house for dinner. It was so good to see them again! Everytime we see them, it feels like we can pick up right where we left off, as if we were never apart. We look forward to a visit from them someday in Costa Rica :)

Jeremy had the chance to say goodbye to several of his close friends as well as some younger guys who he has been spending time with over the past few years, which was really important. We also had coffee with our sweet friend, Meagan, who we love and will miss immensely. (Hopefully we will see her someday in Costa Rica too!)

We are so blessed to have so many people to say goodbye to, who care enough for us to keep in touch and wish their blessings and prayers upon us. Many thanks to Mrs. Dawn Flemming, owner of the Woodrow House B&B, for generously allowing us to stay in one of their suites free of charge during our time in Lubbock. God has used so many of you to help guide us through this process day by day, trip by trip! (Pictures soon to follow)

Next stop...Coleman!

Day 1: Choctaw, Oklahoma

As most of you know, we are in the process of traveling to say our final goodbyes to friends and family before we leave a couple of weeks. We will be documenting our trip here on the blog to keep you readers up to date!



Our first stop on this road trip was in Choctaw, Oklahoma to visit the Funderburgh family. Jeremy's first job in ministry was at a church in Choctaw, and during that time, the Funderburghs welcomed him into their lives and acted as his family away from home in a new city where he knew noone. They were generous enough to host us in their home and put up with our crazy dog, Mia, during our visit. We enjoyed dinner together in their home with a group of their friends and family, talking about our future ministry and laughing over YouTube videos. Thanks to the Funderburgh family for their hospitality and for taking care of Jeremy during his time in Oklahoma. You all hold a very special place in his heart, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to meet each of you!

13 Beds: The Stateside Life of Future Missionaries

One day, in the midst of traveling from one place to another (which seems to be such a regularly occurring instance for us) we decided to count how many beds we have slept in since making the decision to be full time missionaries and quitting our jobs in Lubbock. After brainstorming and counting, we came to the conclusion that since June 30th, we have slept in a grand total of 13 different beds! To say the least, it can be a tolling experience, but we can't help but feel blessed to have been guests in so many families' homes even if only for a brief period of time. Many sincere thanks to those who have been so generous in hosting us during our travels!

2 Corinthians 9:8,11

8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Don't let us forget that as Christians, we have all of the spiritual resources we need through Christ Jesus!

A Look Back

Hello readers! We have just finished our 5 week training in Palmer Lake, Colorado and are living in Tyler for the remainder of our time in the States. We met the most amazing people at MTI (Mission Training International) and learned so much from our time there. Here are just a FEW pictures-

Our friends at MTI

Rocky Mountain National Park

Hungry chipmunk eating from Jeremy's hand

Ladybug Mating Season on Mt. Herman

Mount Herman Hike

Westcliff, Colorado

Elk Herd at Rocky Mountain National Park

Quickie Mart Video

This video documents some Costa Rican skaters bringing donated equipment from their sponsor, Quickie Mart, to the skatepark where we will be working in PV. Check it out! Great insight into the impact of the park on the local community-

(Note: there are a few choice words towards the end of the video, so don't be shocked when you hear)

Just a few pictures from our short time so far in Colorado- Enjoy!

We Made It!

Finally, we are finished driving...for now at least! We arrived in Colorado Springs, CO yesterday, and moved into our humble new abode this afternoon. Tonight we have our orientation for our classes here at Mission Training International. The biggest (and maybe best) shock of all was....NO TV in our room! Although shocking to a born and bred American couple like us, I think we both welcome this little change.

Will write more soon and include pictures. Drop us a line!

Moving Day

We are EXHAUSTED. Today we packed up our U-Haul and tomorrow we will be leaving bright and early in the morning to drive to Tyler. Jeremy and I are so surprised by our dogs' reactions to our move. They are in total freak out mode. All day today they have been pacing, panting, and whining. Yesterday, Gus destroyed a wooden door, ripping it to shreds from his frantic clawing in an effort to escape the room where he was certain, he would be abandoned forever. For some reason, this move is different than the rest to them and they are in a panic that we are leaving them "Homeward Bound" style. Unfortunately, it is an accurate foresight into their near future when we will be forced to leave them while we are attending MTI classes in Colorado. I know some of you are thinking we are like those crazy dog people, and maybe we are, but they have truly become a part of our little "Smith Family". They are as much a part of our family as we are. We will miss them so much during this transition time.

On another note, we are excited to actually take a step forward and begin this journey! Lubbock has been our home for the last 5 years, and as difficult as it will be to leave, it is also the first step that will guide us into our new life in Costa Rica.

Please keep these things in mind during your prayers:

Our travel to Tyler and then to Colorado two weeks later

Healthy, happy homes for our two dogs temporarily

Our hearts to be open to change as we prepare for our big move and new work

Our relationship to remain strong as we experience so many changes and transition

Weekend Getaway

This past weekend, Jeremy and I took a well deserved weekend trip with a group of our friends to the hill country. I am writing about it here, in our blog, because from experience, I know that trips like these can be some of our biggest sources of inspiration, spiritual renewal, and decompression time. It was such a blessing to have the finances and time to be able to take a weekend for ourselves spent outdoors, with good food and great friends. Laughter, sleeping in, old trees and the sound of rushing water can do good good things for the soul...namely my soul. As a couple, we had the chance to enjoy each others company outside of the responsibilities of everday life, and took the opportunity to have fun again together. It was so nice to be able to have conversations with our friends that didn't revolve around Costa Rica, fundraising, logistics, plans, etc.

The river, and the land that surrounds it, has a beauty all its own, and reaches me on a deep spiritual level that I'm not sure could ever be reached sitting in a church pew on Sunday morning. I know I can speak for Jeremy as well, when I say that the power of the nature astounds and astonishes me still today, after 23 years of experiencing its wonder, and I think the same can be said for our Lord. Each and every day, I hope to discover something new about Him, replenishing and renewing my faith as the water springs forth from lakes and underground springs to make the river flow as it does.

I am so thankful for the time spent away, my friends, my husband, and my God. As we continue forward with our preparations for Costa Rica, please keep us in your prayers and ask for a continual renewal of faith.

Kerbi

Blog? What?

What are you supposed to write in a blog anyway?

I'm not sure about what people are really interested to know, so if you have an opinion about this, please leave a comment!

Jeremy and I are really excited because we will be starting our marriage counseling class in a few weeks. We met with Ken, our teacher/counselor, last week and had a really great conversation with him. He talked about what types of topics we will be covering, how we will proceed, all of the basics, and then he sent us a link to the fun stuff. An online assessment about our relationship- I love those things. There's something about answering questions about yourself (and in this case your partner) and then having a stranger look over the results to "assess" you as a couple. Not assess in a "good" or "bad" way, just assess. I love it. Very cool. Anyway, I already took my part of the assessment, and Jeremy still has yet to do his. It should give us some good incites before taking off around the world together for mission work. I'm excited.

On another note, we MUST begin to purge our house of "things" very soon, because we will be moving out of the parsonage and into a rental by the end of May. Ah! There is so much to do...but for some reason, much to Jeremy's dismay, I like the thrill of waiting until the very last second to really get going.

Again, if any of you (if there are any readers out there) are interested in getting involved with us and our ministry in Costa Rica, think about joining one of our Mission Support Teams, praying for us, giving financially, or all of the above! We will be building two teams, one in Lubbock, and one in Tyler, so if you are interested in even hearing more about it, please let us know-

Until next time....

Too Early?

Is it too early to begin writing about Costa Rica? We haven't gotten there yet, but I think that the preparation for a journey like this might be just as interesting as the journey itself! As most of you who are reading this already know, Jeremy and I will be moving to Costa Rica to serve in the small, Caribbean town of Puerto Viejo. Our hope is to leave this fall so that we can attend language school in San Jose from October 2010 until May 2011, then move down to Puerto Viejo following our school term.

As we speak, we are in the process of raising sufficient financial and prayer support so that we can actually leave when we need to. Our most urgent and immediate responsibility right now is the task of building a Missional Support Team. This team will be made up of individuals who want to play an active role in our ministry by helping us to maintain regular communication, developing and maintaining our prayer and financial support, and coordinating our needs when in the U.S., among other things. If any of you are interested in being a part of this team, or learning more about it, please let us know!

We also ask that you pray for St. Luke's UMC in Lubbock during their staff transitions. They are in the process of interviewing candidates for Jeremy's Youth Ministry position and are about to welcome a new Senior Pastor, Dr. Andy Hurst. We are so blessed to be a part of that church family and have been humbled by the support and encouragement that we have recieved from our friends there.

Feel free to post! Let's stay in touch!