Tuesday, December 30th

It was such a beautiful day we just had to do something out in the sun... Mom had a day-pass for four to Blizzard Beach water park, so while she and I floated the "lazy river", Kara and Tim chose rides like the ones pictured here!

Monday, December 29th

Vacations are not all fun and games... Kara took this picture while stuck in traffic on I-4 headed to meet old friends from Nicaragua (Aldo, Nikki, Michael and Giuliana Ahlers). Not as bad as it could've been (for us), however, they med-e-vac'd one of the people involved in the accident by helicopter.

Sunday, December 28th

One of the Christmas presents that we've had a little fun with already is this "speed chute" of Tim's... it claims to make a person run faster (by training with the additional wind resistance)... I suppose we'll see...

We went to the interdenominational service in the club house of the retirement community this morning... the sermon was taken from II Timothy 4, and focused us on the "December of our lives", and the importance of "finishing the race" well... made me think of how well Lana lived out that lesson before us this year...

Saturday, December 27th

Every one of the seven members of my parents' family has worked at Disney World at one time or another (I stocked shelves on Main Street part-time while in high school), and several still have benefits that include signing friends and family into the park any day except those designated "black-out" (like today). We're pretty resourceful, though, and still spent the day out there exploring all the free-access areas of the property. Kara took this picture of Cinderella's Castle and the Main Street Train Station from the shuttle boat we rode this evening...

Friday, December 26th

(L2R) Leif & Jennifer Courtney, Kailey & Nick Kynast (my brother, Mike's kids), Tim, Kara, G-Mom, Jason, Jay (Susie's husband), Mike & Susie (my brother & sis).

It has been three-and-a-half years since the last time I had dinner at my mom's, which might not seem so strange unless you knew that she'd have a house-full year-round if she "had her druthers"... spending this time here has reminded me just how all-consuming the trials of those years have been...

Christmas Day

Jesus' Birthday has had us feasting with family in Gainesville and Orlando... this picture was taken after the second meal when someone suggested we walk some of it off! (L2R) GK, Tim, Kara, Susie (the older of my sisters), "G-Mom" (my mom), Jennifer & Leif Courtney (Susie's daughter and son-in-law).

Christmas Eve

We spent the day on Lake Santa Fe in Melrose, Florida (as planned). It was an absolutely gorgeous day on the water. Laurie has been fighting a cold and had to stay home, but the rest of us had a great time. (L2R) Faye (Clyde's mom), Kara, Mary (Lana's mom), Tim & Clyde Pfeiffer.

It has been good for all of us to spend this time together... New Christmas traditions?

Tuesday, December 23rd

Mitch, his fiancee (Heather) and daughter (Katie) will be dining elsewhere tomorrow, so "grandma" put together a fancy feast for all of us tonight, and "Christmas" got an early kick-off.

Plans for the morning include a few hours on a lake in Melrose with our old friend Clyde Pfeiffer (mentioned in my December 3rd entry). That should be "just what the doctor ordered" for all of us!

Monday, December 22nd

OK, so it's not a really clear picture (flash photography was expressly forbidden)... my 12-year-old niece, Katie Wright (Kara & Tim's only cousin on Lana's side), is in the light blue dress on the far right. She was one of the "party girls" in this year's showing of the Nutcracker Ballet, and we are really proud of her.

I had to break down and buy a couple of hours of internet time tonight; last night Kara and I just parked in front of one of the neighbor's houses where we found an unsecured wireless connection... were later told that it is illegal to do so in the state of Florida (maybe everywhere). Anyway, I figured $2.95 is a small price to pay to comply with the law...

Sunday, December 21st

God's timing all the way! It was our first time back in our old home church since the service in celebration of Lana's life (last May), and who should give a testimony but Sarah Reid! Her parents, Lana and I go way back; Sarah came to Nicaragua ten years ago and "got bit by the missions bug"... she is now on a two-year assignment in Colombia through the International Mission Board (see www.servinginsouthamerica.blogspot.com for details).

Lana and I joined Westside Baptist as newlyweds in 1983; we were commissioned 13 years ago as their missionaries to Nicaragua. The church has grown in many ways in the 26 years it has been under its current pastor, Gary Crawford. It is definitely true to its motto: "Where friends become family".

Saturday, December 20th

This is the group with which Kara works most closely, mentoring sophomores at Georgia Tech. (L2R) Kami Burns, Garrett Simmer, Jonathan Keim, Kara & Neal Baker.

Tim and I are headed out to pick up Kara in Atlanta on our way to Gainesville (about 10 hours of driving all told). Lana's mom is expecting us for dinner, so we are on a schedule today, and plan to be with our church family at Westside @10:45 tomorrow morning, but the rest of the next 11 days are to be a free-form celebration of the fellowship afforded us as children of God through His provision in Emmanuel.

Friday, December 19th

This picture was taken at the Georgia Tech Christian Campus Fellowship "Staff Christmas Party"; Kara is on the back row, third from left. She works with this group in a variety of outreach, discipleship and service ministries, and continues to pray about what's next? when her current commitment ends (May 2009); the campus ministry opportunity at the University of Salamanca is still a strong possibility...

Thursday, December 18th

Last school day of 2008 for us, and a little extra fun hosting mens and womens teams from Australia!

One thing of which I've become keenly aware in this season of gift-giving and various expressions of love and appreciation: Lana has "had my back" over the years (buying gifts, making cards and goodies to give out for special occasions) and now that she's not around, I find myself feeling more than a little guilty hauling home my take of freshly-baked pies, breads, cookies and everything else people have given us for Christmas...

Wednesday, December 17th

We took our 137 middle schoolers skating yesterday afternoon... one of the perks of working in a "small" school.
Elizabeth (arms outstretched) is one of our precious 6th graders... we made it back to the school with only two relatively-minor casualties (a twisted ankle and a cracked wrist).

Kara has been talking up the idea of taking Tim's "half-time show" on the road to market his talent for half-court shots...

Tuesday, December 16th

We went to a varsity basketball game at Christ School this evening; at halftime, they pulled a dozen people from the stands and told them the first person to hit a shot from half-court would win $100... Tim drilled his second attempt!!!!

It's funny, I knew he was going to win; when he played basketball in 8th grade, he always used to win the half-court contests they had at the end of practice; he had trouble with the easier shots, but he was "king of the half-court"... I thought it a rather useless skill until they presented him with that hundred-dollar bill tonight!

Monday, December 15th

I'll probably post a few of the Christmas Banquet pictures as they become available. This one was taken at Anna's house before leaving for The Cove.
(L2R) Anna, Tim, Sarah, William, Laura & Austin. ACA doesn't have a Prom, so this is the dress up afair of the year for our students... don't they look great?!

Sunday, December 14th

Kara's home! Plans are for her to be here until Thursday morning; Tim and I will pick her up in Atlanta Saturday on the way to Grandma's (Lana's mom's) house in Gainesville, Florida; we'll be there through Christmas morning and then drive further south to their G-Mom's (my mother's) house in Davenport (near Disney World)... We are all looking forward to a little time away.

Kara had this picture taken in front of a wig shop in Asheville... just having fun!

Saturday, December 13th

Snapped this picture of Tim and his friend Austin Smith as they headed off to pick up the young ladies they're escorting to the Christmas Banquet. Plan was for a group of them to spend a little time after dinner at the Grove Park Inn, so I expect the guys home after midnight.
I normally serve as a chaperone for these types of events, but decided to give my son a little space, after all, it can't be easy to have had "dad" as his principal for 12 of his 17 years...

Friday, December 12th

Tim and I went to our first swim meet together this afternoon... ACA's team is three members strong. (L2R) Eric Shuman, Han Sung Lee, Shaylee Kruse scored 29 points in six events; if I'm not mistaken that was 2 firsts, a second, 2 thirds and a fourth place finish... These Lions can swim!

Thursday, December 11th

Tim and I were on the front row at the Christmas Concert, but this is all we could see of the 7th & 8th grade choir, because the band was at the front of the stage. Three choirs and three bands entertained a packed auditorium tonight!

Wednesday, December 10th

Sure wish I had a senior breakfast picture to share with you... suppose I was too busy making sure everything and everyone was taken care of. I'll let these nine represent the 38-member Class of '09.

It was really quite the event. We put away eight quiches, four pans of cinnamon rolls, a stack of scones, eight yogurts, twenty croissants, half-a-loaf of toasted bread, some rice crispy treats, five pounds of bacon, three gallons of OJ and a couple of dozen cups of coffee and tea. Don't worry, I had lots of help, and believe the place was cleaner when everyone left than before they arrived!
It is a very special group and I look forward to seeing how God will use them throughout their lifetimes!

Tuesday, December 9th

It's the 9th of the month (the 8th one since she left for "greener pastures"), so time for another picture of Lana.
I took this one on the way to a Gainesville High School (Purple Hurricane) soccer game... though baseball was far-and-away her favorite sport, she became a very perceptive and involved "coach's wife", and often helped iron out "wrinkles" in our team to help us perform at capacity.

I've got everything ready for tomorrow morning's senior breakfast (I think...) Quiche, croissants & jam, yogurt, cinnamon rolls, coffee, tea, juice.
You all remember breakfast at your principal's house don't you?

Monday, December 8th

Our annual Board/Staff Christmas Social was tonight; wish I had a better picture to share with you, but this is the best I could do with my camera phone. The Monte Vista Hotel opened in 1919 and is a beautiful hostess for such events; there looked to be about 150 faculty, board members and spouses in attendance tonight!

One parent gave testimony of how blessed he felt to have had one or more of his three sons at ACA for the past 17 years, which reminded me once again how blessed I am to have my own son there... As we prepared to move back from Nicaragua in 2005, Lana and I asked God to provide just the right school to partner with us as Tim's parents at this critical time in his life... and, as always, God went above and beyond what we could've asked or imagined...
What an incredible team He has assembled to carry out His ministry through Asheville Christian Academy!

Sunday, November 7th

Francisco wrote saying that he has lost his job as a real estate attorney (due to "cut-backs"), and that things are not going well in his country, in general... He's the man I wrote about June 10th in the CaringBridge journal (still available on-line), who had given testimony of Lana's role in his becoming a Christian. He's not one to ask for help, but he did make a modest request for me to bring (in June) a couple of medical supplies that he has found difficult to get and asked for our prayers. Life on this earth is unimaginably tough for some of our brothers and sisters in the Lord!

Saturday, December 6th

It's a fun time to be an alumnus of the University of Florida. My alma mater won the SEC Football Championship today by downing previously-undefeated & #1 ranked Alabama 31-20... the really special part for me is that the team leader is one of the most dynamic young men in America; as much is made in the media about Tim Tebow's Christian faith as the fact that he is the best college football player in the country. He sees his success on the playing field as giving him a platform for sharing his faith with a bigger audience... may God continue to bless him for his faithfulness, and Go Gators!

Friday, December 5th

My first attempt at quiche was a moderate success... I ended up using a recipe available on-line through the Blue Moon B&B in Homosassa, FL (on the gulf between Cedar Key and Tampa). I added bacon to two of the three, because we have at least one administrator that has to have meat. I plan to make nine for Wednesday's breakfast.

Our indoor team had two games tonight. We won the first 12-3, and battled back from a 5-2 deficit with two minutes left in the second to tie the game at five on a gorgeous strike from Tim.

Thursday, December 4th

Everyone seems to enjoy these old pictures... here's one of Tim's U-10 soccer team coached by his NCA P.E. teacher, Edgard Fajardo. Tim is next to coach; some of you Ashevillians will also recognize Chris Vargas (front row, second from right). His family lived in one of the mission houses at Arden Presbyterian, while his mother was being treated for breast cancer in Asheville; Judy went to Heaven exactly one week after Lana.

I have invited the entire senior class and their advisors (45 people) to breakfast at my house next Wednesday, promising them quiche as the main dish. I've never made one, so I've been poring over recipes, and intend to try one out tomorrow morning; it's my turn to bring food to the 6:45 a.m. administrators' meeting... we'll see how that goes!

Wednesday, December 3rd

Tim asked me to get him home right after school... he has been in bed four hours already. He has never been one to complain about his health... nor about anything else, for that matter. It just made me think about the concerns Lana and I initially had about taking our kids (aged 9 and 5 at the time) to live in a "third-world country", and how soon thereafter we gave testimony of how blessed we felt to be there!

The picture was taken in December of our first year in Nicaragua (1996); it's easy to remember, because the Pfeiffers (in the back of the truck with Lana & the kids) spent that Christmas with us. (L2R) Kara, Julianne, Lana, Tim, Katie & Desi.

Tuesday, December 2nd

I have a meeting with the middle and upper school faculties on alternating Tuesdays... This is the middle school cast as we wrapped up today's session. They are an exceptionally gifted, hard-working and cooperative group and I feel blessed to be a part of the team God assembled to work with our 6th-8th graders!
(L2R) Linda, Becky, Jill, Laura, Erin, Linda, Fred, Scott, Kelley,
Mary Alice, Tim & Peter.

Monday, December 1st

Today is my sister, Susie's 25th anniversary... she and her husband, Jay, have two (dark haired) children: Jennifer (married November 24th to Leif... the man in the cap), and Jason (shown with his high school sweetheart, Lauren). It is also Jason's 22nd birthday... he is a senior at the University of Florida.
Here's wishing all of them many more occasions to celebrate!

Sunday, November 30th

One last hug for the road.
Tim and I have thoroughly enjoyed having Kara home the last four days; the past couple, it seems, we've spent remembering the fun and crazy times of the first few years we were in Nicaragua... such a wealth of happy memories!

In this picture, I am wearing a sweatshirt from the University of Salamanca that Kara brought back from her trip... we invite you all to pray for her as she seeks clear direction concerning that ministry opportunity for next fall.

Saturday, November 29th

Kara has been chipping away at an assignment for the Biblical Interpretation class she is taking at Atlanta Christian College (a requirement of her CCF internship)... she let me take this more-or-less candid shot.

This was the first year in which Kara's and my alma maters both won their football games against their in-state rivals (since she moved to Atlanta in 2004). Georgia Tech downed "the Dogs" 45-42 and Florida beat FSU 45-15... so that added a little extra excitement to an already fun and relaxing day.

Friday, November 28th

When we got ready to take the picture I posted yesterday, we were joking about Kara being able to go back and edit in or out anything she wanted... I said: "she could even put the President-elect in the picture". She made that her challenge, and here's the result.

In the past, we have celebrated "Black Friday" by staying home and therefore budgetarily "in the black". The three of us did venture out today, however, and it was fun... the malls were not nearly as crowded as we had imagined, and I got to wish one of our alumnae (Megan Day) a "Happy 20th Birthday!" in person... God is GOOD!

Thanksgiving dinner

I'm so full I can't think of anything creative to write... suffice it to say that we had a FABULOUS Thanksgiving dinner at the Piersons! (L2R) GK, Cory, Bill, Lacy, Charles, Sarah, Christie, Ginny, Kara & Tim.

Thanksgiving brunch

We're "doing Thanksgiving" at the homes of two of our neighbors: The Logans and the Piersons. This picture was taken after brunch... the saying in Nicaragua is: "Barriga llena, corazón contento" (literally: "belly full, heart happy"). It is a huge blessing to have neighbors with whom we share such close fellowship! (L2R) Donna, Bethany, Mark, Andrew, Livia, Erin, Sarah, John, Kara & Tim.

Thanksgiving morning

I'll probably make more than one entry today... my heart is just so replete with thankfulness, beginning with Lana's "fave" (having "all her eggs in one basket", in other words, the "kids" home).

The picture is of Mr. Herzog's Bible (Worldviews) class at lunch on Tuesday @the Mellow Mushroom in Asheville. I am thankful that before too long we'll be handing off the leadership of our country to sharp young people like the eleven gathered around this table. (L2R) Seth, Anna, Sarah, Shelby, Samuel, Mr. H, Walter, Han Sung, Stephen, Matt & Tim.

Wednesday, November 26th

A funny side-note to yesterday's story: Lana wanted a dozen or so bales of hay for props... she and one of her "partners in crime" drove all over the countryside trying to find them, until someone said the farmers had all sold their hay to the circus for the elefants; somehow Lana found a way, and we had plenty for our creche! Lana's version of that particular adventure was hilarious, especially her retelling of conversations she had with individual farmers...

Kara is home... took her four-and-a-half hours with the traffic coming out of Atlanta this afternoon, but she made it, and Tim and I had homemade pizza waiting for her when she arrived!

Tuesday, November 25th

It's exactly one month 'til Jesus' birthday!

Have I mentioned how special occasions were one of Lana's things?... One of the first years we were in Managua, she decided we should do a live nativity (and Bethlehem village) on the campus of the Nicaragua Christian Academy. She rounded up sheep, goats, candle-makers, a blacksmith shop; she mobilized an army of people from our church family to play a variety of roles as a witness to all our visitors of the special nature of the holiday season celebrated every year in our adoptive country in a variety of ways, most forgetting the "Reason for the season"...

Monday, November 24th

My next favorite... I just love that girl! (clicking on the picture should enlarge it)

Tim and I have a short week, just two days of classes... and tomorrow's is still "up in the air", as the weather folks are telling us to expect rain/snow overnight... we'll see. We are planning to spend the five-day-weekend here in Asheville, and Christmas with grandparents/aunts/uncles/cousins in Florida.

Sunday, November 23rd

Kara posted 149 photos from her trip to Spain on her Facebook... I like this one best! She'll be "home" from Atlanta Wednesday night for Thanksgiving, and Tim and I will get the full report... can't wait!

After this morning's service, Tim and I got to help pack up the 1,856 shoe-boxes given at Biltmore Baptist for Operation Christmas Child... that was fun, too!

Saturday, November 22nd

Tim and I spent a little time in the yard this afternoon; here he is patching the driveway.

Kara is back safely in Atlanta; the girls were flying stand-by to save money, and were upgraded to first class today... what a blessing, especially on a nine hour flight!

Friday, November 21st

This is our adult co-ed indoor team: (front) Beth, Anna, Brittany, Marisa, Coach Hughes; (back) Zach, GK, Tim, Tim Watson, Garrett (hiding). We apparently have a very competitive side, and are 2-0 after tonight's 15-2 victory over Team Asheville.

We had our first "snow day" of the year at ACA, but just like the October "dusting", it had melted everywhere but on the mountaintops by early afternoon.

Thursday, November 20th

Kara wrote very briefly yesterday only to ask me Tim's favorite Spanish soccer team... I told her "Barcelona", although now that they have traded Ronaldinho (photo) to AC Milan, probably less so... I'm assuming this all means she's paying by the minute for internet time (in Euros), and loves her little brother enough to want to get him just the right souvenir...

Wednesday, November 19th

Tim and I had the most delightful dinner this evening at the home of his Bible teacher (Jeff Herzog), his wife (Susan) and their sons (Jonah and Ezekiel). What a blessing to know that the men on our faculty are so committed to their roles as spiritual leaders in the classroom and their own homes!

Tuesday, November 18th

Taken at this morning's baseball team workout... Tim is on the back row obscured by one of his jumping teammates. They had "Carlos" after school, so he's beat... doing a little homework and looking forward to retiring early.

We miss Kara... haven't heard from her since she e-mailed from Madrid upon arrival Sunday morning. As always, we consider no news to be good news, look forward to having her home for Thanksgiving and getting a full account of her adventures!

Monday, November 17th

Here's a look at the weightroom where Tim spends his MTuTh afternoons; he was evading the camera and doesn't appear in this photo. His trainer "Carlos" is in Carolina blue; baseball teammates: Zach Hines (seated), Brad Guenguerich (on the bench) and Lawson McDonald (spotting)... Yes, the girls are there to work out, too.

Sunday, November 16th

This is from today's edition of "La Prensa" (one of the leading newspapers in Managua). It paints an unflattering picture of President Daniel Ortega's cronies (the jackal) and the recent mayoral elections (the ballot marked "fraudulent"), but the primary target of this political cartoon is the leadership of the protestant church in Nicaragua. The "pastors" are the late Monsignor Brenes ("Polito"), representing the Catholic church's principled call for a recount, and a Bible-thumping, dollar-tie-wearing "bubba", as the "evangelical hierarchy", saying what he feels to be politically expedient.
Since political humor can generally be counted on to contain a measure of truth, we need to pray for the church in Nicaragua. And to the extent that the same charges could be leveled here in the US, we need to get on our faces before Almighty God and ask Him to forgive us and help us honor Him in the ways we excercise our civic duty...

Saturday, November 15th

Well, here's a picture from today's high school tournament opener, with Tim taking his turn in the goal. We had just enough players to field a team, and lost 9-6. Tim scored our first four goals and is playing really well.
It's the 22nd anniversary of Kara's "arrival"... she has been such a blessing to me and to her mother her entire life. As I write, she is in the air over the Atlantic Ocean and will touch down in Madrid sometime after midnight (our time); she hopes to have a few hours to tour the capital, before boarding a westbound train to explore the possibility of a two year missionary assignment at the University of Salamanca. Her daddy is really proud of her!

Friday, November 14th

We played our first indoor soccer game in the Co-Ed league this evening... Tim had a couple of goals in our 9-3 victory, and I even assisted on one of them; how fun is that? Father and son competing together... I meant to take a picture; maybe next week.

Thursday, November 13th

I must be in an "old pictures mode"... This one was taken sometime around 1950 (Dad was born in 1928) on one of the beaches in the NYC area (Long Beach?)... none of the people facing the camera are still on this earth to confirm. (L2R) Grandpa Gus, Grandma Min, Dad, Mrs. Schwartz (a friend of the family) and my Uncle Joe (Dad's only sibling).

Wednesday, November 12th

I found this picture on my brother Mike's Facebook. The adults are my Grandpa "Gus" (mentioned in yesterday's entry), my dad and mom. I am on the far left, then Steve, Susie and Betsy (the first four of my parents' five kids). The picture was taken in the living room of our house in Nashville, Tennessee in 1962, a couple of years before our youngest brother, Mike, was born.