A couple of weeks ago we had the chance to do something as a family that we never really thought would happen - we went to Paraguay for two weeks!!!
Most of you, if you know us, probably know that I lived there for 8 years as a child, where my parents were church planters. It's where I learned to love the Latin culture and the Spanish language and where all of my first memories are from. I had an amazing time growing up there with my parents and brothers and also had amazing life-long friendships that were formed there.
Dallas and I were able to go there twice shortly after we were first married, and it was fun to experience that together. But this was the first time we went for holidays (the 2 times were with missions teams) so it was much different. It was a bit of a two-fold trip - I wanted to have time to visit friends and see specific places (and eat specific foods), and we wanted to see where my brother Travis and his family are church planting right now, as they are in a city that we had never been to, and we wanted to be part of their life there for a bit.
It was also a dream to go with the boys and they LOVED it. They have talked everyday since we've been back about it and keep asking if we'll get to go back sometime.
I just wanted to post a bunch of pictures here and share about the trip for memory's sake!
First of all, the plane ride. Can't leave that out, as we do enjoy the traveling aspect as well. And I think the boys spent at least 20 minutes describing all the movies they watched on the plane to their poor Grandparents so I think that was a big deal ;)
We flew Guadalajara - Mexico City - Sao Paulo, Brazil - Asunción, Paraguay. The boys are great travelers, and while flying overnight makes it hard to sleep, like I said, the movies kept them well entertained and quiet for their fellow passengers.
15 hours or so later...we arrived in Asunción! While I haven't lived in Paraguay for 23 years (!), it's still the place that makes me super nostalgic and feels so familiar while so distant.
My brother and sis-in-law, Trav & Rosey, and their kids were at the airport to meet us, as well as 2 of my childhood friends and their families!
My brother lives 6 hours from where we landed, so we all spent the first few days at Hannes and Gabi's house. Gabi was my best friend growing up, we were attached at the hip while we lived there, and we were so happy to spend a good amount of time with them!! Her sister Anja also lives there with her husband, and my other friend Wendy stopped in with her family. So there were 5 of us MK's there, including Trav.
It was sooo good to spend time visiting with them, we talked a lot about our lives and it was so refreshing to have that time together.
The boys with their cousins and new friends.
We then headed 6 hours east to Minga Guazú, which is were Trav & Rosey work. As we were 9 people in total, Rosey and I took the bus for the longer trips. Which meant lots of chip for me.....!!! It's a typical Paraguayan cheese bread that is sold everywhere.
Below is a chipa stand, a little hard to see, but on top of the stool is a basket that is covered and that's where the chipa is.
Our time in Minga with Trav & Rosey and their kids was so good! We did life with them, we went to their church for the different activities, and did some other activities together.
Below is their church, with their car. The dirt there is very red and clay-like, and it rained several days while we were there making for some good mud.
Good mud = scrubbing shoes
The boys with their cousins, Zippy and Moi. I feel like we didn't have to take care of the kids a lot, they were so busy playing together.
Trav & Rosey's backyard...just a small part of it.
Road to church.
Brady and Moi...the troublemakers.....
Our boys like to tell everyone that they went for ice-cream 5 times while we were there. I guess that is important.
Besides all the food we love to eat there (although Logan wasn't the hugest fan of it all), Paraguay is known for tereré and mate. Tereré is with ice cold water, while mate is with hot water. Below you can see my niece Zippy drinking...Carter is saying "chug, chug, chug!".
My friend Wendy was in their town also for a couple of days to visit so they came over, and the boys made some new friends.
I think it was so nice that our boys know Spanish, as they weren't uncomfortable in Paraguay and had no problem playing with the other kids they met. We went to the wedding of a couple in the church and they had a good time with everyone.
Wedding food - bbq'd chicken with a rice salad, chipa guazú (corn & cheese dish), and sopa (corn dish like cornbread).
As it was raining for several days, we looked for something indoors to do, and went to an art museum. There are paintings covering the walls, floor, and ceilings that are 3D.
One other activity we did was head into Brazil (just 1/2 hour from Minga as they live at the border) to the Iguazu Falls. It's a beautiful place.
These 2 also love to be together, we would often find them lying in bed reading books together or just hanging out. It was often these 2, and then Logan, Moi, and Brady together.
There is also the Argentinian side of the falls, as the falls lie at the border. However, to get into Argentina we would have had to pay $75 US per person!
(Perhaps I should have broken this up into more than 1 post ;) onward we go though!)
Something I did not get any pictures of were the other missionaries we visited with. Several that worked there when we used to live there still live in Paraguay, and it was neat to say hi to all of them again and visit.
We also stopped in at Caaguazú, which was the city Trav and I lived in as kids, where we wanted to visit some of our Paraguayan friends. We said hi to Richard and Suni, who work with the church conference and who we had met on our previous trips. We also visited Nidia, who was one of my best friends a child also, and her sister and family.
We drove by the house we grew up in, we went to the cementary where another best friend is buried (she passed away when I was 8 years old but we spent a lot of time together), and we drove by the churches my parents worked in.
After that we headed back to Asunción where we spent another couple of days with our friends there, visiting and laughing and making food :)
Carter loves his cousin Zippy and his new friend Nadine...he has decided to save his money to visit them again one day ;)
It was so special to spend this time with Trav & Rosey, as we love to hang out with them and their kids! And it was also special to re-live memories, spend the time with Dallas and the boys there, and see old friends again. While we love being in Paraguay, the people are what made the trip and we are so thankful for the opportunity to have gone. It was a bit of a last minute decision to go now when we did, but I'm so glad we did it.
Maybe after another 8 years of saving money we can go again?? ha!
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I am also so thankful to God for the peace he gave me in being able to return to Mexico. Just before we went, I became a little fearful that going back to Paraguay would make it hard to come back, as I spent many years coming to terms with not being there anymore and asking God for peace no matter where I was living. And He gave it to me! We have always been at peace with being in Mexico, but, I became nervous that going there would "un-do" that process. I am soooo thankful that we had an AMAZING time there and even more thankful to see that God has my heart and that I truly can love life where I am in the moment. Do I want to go back? For sure, I will always love it as one of my homes. But God has given me a measure of a home here in Mexico also and as that's where we live at the moment, I'm grateful. I believe the one thing I would ever wish for more than anything is peace and contentment with God and with life, than to have a "thing" that I wish for and always be looking for something more.
