Our Summer

In case you are not friends with me (or my mom) on facebook, I thought I would update with a summary of what we did this summer.

MAY

 
On May 23, with a whole 2 weeks to prepare, Eddy and I got on an airplane (his first) and flew to Miami and then Chicago.  Even though Eddy had his visa and everything was legal, I don’t think either of us could relax until he got through immigration in Miami.  Actually, flying isn’t really Eddy’s thing, so I don’t think he relaxed until we landed in Chicago.  My mom and my sister came to pick us up with a welcome sign and then treated us to Eddy’s first Starbucks.  We arrived on Wednesday night and had family night, complete with Aurelio’s  pizza (my request).  On Thursday we had our first of many meetings and on Friday night I had my sister’s bachelorette party.   

On Saturday, we headed up to Michigan for my cousin’s wedding and then we stayed for the long weekend (Memorial Day) at my brother-in-law’s cottage.   The rest of that week was filled with preparations for my sister’s wedding.  I had a lot of fun going with her to her final dress fitting, helping with seating charts, making decorations, etc.
 

JUNE

We spent June 1 setting up and decorating and then had rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.  And June 2 was the big day.  My little sister got married.  It was a very long, fun day.  A couple days later, Eddy and I took a Megabus from Chicago to Kansas to visit our friend Katie.  We had a great 5 days in which we basically road tripped with her from her old home in Kansas to her new place in Oklahoma.  It was really great to see her and I was excited that Eddy got to see part of the country as well. 

The next couple weeks we focused on ministry.  We presented at three different churches, we met with some of the Illiana kids from the last team, and we spent a lot of time organizing our schedule and contacting all of the people who had mentioned wanting to see us while we were in town.  We also spent some time with the family (father’s day, girls’ night with my cousins, free concert at Millennium Park).

The last week of June, we flew to Buffalo, New York for a conference with our mission organization.  We had four great days full of worship services, informational seminars, getting to know other missionaries, etc.  It was definitely a great time where we could rest and focus on God and what He is calling us to do.  We left feeling re-energized and focused on our ministry and our life in the Dominican Republic.  The last day, they brought us to see the Niagara Falls and we even got to go on the boat “Maiden of the Mist” that takes you down and under the falls.  It was a great experience.

 
We got back from New York just in time to help with some last minute wedding preparations.   On June 28 we had my brother’s rehearsal and on June 29, we celebrated David and Christine’s wedding.  I still can’t believe that my little brother is married. 

So we started and ended June with weddings.  It meant so much to me that Eddy was able to be there for the weddings of both my brother and my sister.  I don’t think there are words to express how grateful I was that God granted us the visa in time for him to be there as part of the family for those two important days.

JULY

The first three weeks of July were completely full of ministry work and spending time with all of our new friends and supporters of the ministry.  Eddy and I were overwhelmed by the amount of people who were so excited about our trip to the US and wanted to see us and invited us into their homes.  During those three weeks we presented at two more churches and every single week night we had a commitment, most of which were dinners at peoples’ houses.  We also had lots of meetings and other work to do with our stateside committee and our mission organization.  We were very busy but we were so encouraged by the love that was showered on us. 

My mom also threw Eddy a birthday party in order to give everyone else a chance to see Eddy while he was in town as well.  We invited everyone in the area from the work teams that have come down as well as our family and friends.  So many people came out and we had so much fun.  Eddy said it was the best birthday party he has ever had. 

The last week of July we were able to go on my family’s camping trip.  My family has been taking this trip to the same campground every year since I was 3 years old.  Over all of those years, there have only been two years that we have not gone.  One was when my brother (who just got married) was a baby and the other was last year, because of our wedding.  Eddy and I had planned to go home the third week of July, but when we found out about the camping trip, we decided to extend our trip another week so that we could go.  Although we had had a lot of family time throughout our trip, it was mostly centered on weddings and other busyness.  For our camping trip it was a great opportunity for us to relax and for my family to really get to know Eddy and for us all to spend some quality together. 

We got home from camping on a Sunday, spent two days doing laundry, packing, last minute shopping and on Wednesday, August 1 we heading back to the airport and flew home.  Our trip, as I think you can tell, was kind of a whirlwind of activity.  I don’t think that we could have fit anything more into our trip.  I think we were able to find a good balance of ministry and family.  Personally, this trip was so beneficial for our marriage and for my family.  Eddy understands me and knows me better after spending so much time with my family and friends and seeing me in a different environment.  My family had the opportunity to really get to know him and to see us together as a married couple.

As far as ministry, this trip was so necessary and beneficial as well.  We were able to spend time and build relationships with our mission organization.  We presented together at all of our supporting churches.  We were welcomed with open arms by our amazing group of supporters.  I also believe that my deepest hope for our trip came true in that, not only my family and friends, but also our mission organization, our committee, and all of our supporters were able to not only meet Eddy, but get to know him and hear him speak and get to see what an amazing heart he has and the gifts that God has given him and how important he is to God’s ministry here in the DR.  If that were the only thing accomplished by our trip, that would have been enough for me.  But as I have learned, God gives us more than we can even hope or desire and in our time in the US, He allowed us to accomplish more than I even thought possible.   

The Visa Story

A Little Background

Three years ago, God gave me a faith like I had never known before.  It was with this faith, that I made the decision to go to the Dominican Republic to serve in His ministry there.  I was absolutely certain that God wanted me there and that He had a purpose for me.  I had no idea what He had planned for me, but I was so sure of His will that I was completely filled with peace with the decision.

Since then, God has blessed me over and over again.  God continued to give me one blessing after the other without me even having to ask.  It was as if God was presenting me with these amazing opportunities and all I had to do was have the faith and the courage to accept.  Everything I wanted, every major life decision was made in the complete assurance that this is what God had planned for me.  It was as if He said “Here is a man that I have spent years preparing for you, He will love you and be a spiritual leader to you, will you take the step in faith and marry him?”  or “the school needs a preschool principal, you have the knowledge and ability to do this job and you will feel useful and fulfilled in your role, will you accept that position in this ministry?”  Each time, all I had to do was accept His blessings and follow His lead.

Each time I accepted, God blessed us more.  He provided for our needs and He gave us the courage, the faith, and the joy that we needed along the way.

You may remember from my post “Eddy’s Visa” that several months ago, Eddy and I started the process to get his visa.  We had tried last summer and been rejected and it was very difficult.  We talked to a few lawyers to see what we should do this time and were told that our chances were very, very slim.  In fact, I think the word “impossible” was used a few times.  We knew that even though getting a visa was “impossible” that God had the power to grant one if He chose to, so we went against legal advice and decided to at least try. 

A Personal Request

Eddy’s visa was something that I wanted so badly.  I wanted him to come to the states for so many reasons.  I wanted him to come to the churches to present with me so that everyone could meet him and get to know his heart.  I wanted my family to have a chance to really get to know him.  I wanted him to be at my sister’s wedding and my brother’s wedding (they were both in June).  I wanted him to see the house I grew up in, I wanted him to meet my grandma.  I felt so strongly that him coming the states would be so beneficial for the ministry, for my family, and for our marriage.

The visa was so important to me.  It was a major, life-altering thing.  Now major, life-altering moments were not new to me, having moved to a new country, started a new career and gotten married over the last 3 years.  However, this time was different.  All of those other things were offered to me along with an undoubted assurance that this was God’s will.  The visa was not just offered to me, in fact it was an impossible request.  And although I completely believed that God had the power to grant that request, I did not have the undoubted assurance that He would.  I knew that He knew better than me and just because I had my reasons for wanting this visa, did not mean that I was right, that it was actually what was best for me.  And there was nothing that I could do.  I just had to wait for His answer.  And that was hard. 

God's Hand

Even though it was a very personal desire of mine, I felt led to write about it in my blog and I was amazed by the response.  God really used the situation to show us what an amazing group of supporters we have.  I received emails from people saying that they added it to their church’s prayer list, I had people offering to write letters on Eddy’s behalf.  It was amazing.  We could see that God was already using the situation to bless us and teach us.

Bargaining

We knew that if God denied the visa, it was for a reason and that there was probably something that we needed to learn.  So about a week before the appointment I started to try to learn everything that God might be trying to teach us before our appointment.  Shamefully, I admit to you that I was trying to earn it, I was trying to show God that we deserved it.  I was so powerless in the situation that I was trying to take some of the control back.

Admission

So there I was, trying to be the best Chrisitan I could be, trying to learn all of the lessons God might be trying to teach me and then something happened.  The night before we were supposed to go to consulate for our appointment, someone let us down.  We were promised that a letter that we needed for our appointment would be emailed to us that night, and it never arrived.  We tried to get a hold of that person every way possible because we needed that letter, and we never did get a hold of them. 

Here is something that you need to know about me:  I am a sinner.

I try my best to follow God but I sin just like everyone else.  There is not a time that my brokeneness is more evident than when I am hurt and angry.  And that night I was very hurt and angry.  I will tell you that my thoughts and words and actions were not filled with love or grace or mercy.  I was not acting Christ-like. 

Late that night, I  skyped with a friend and she told me that she had just heard a sermon in which her pastor said that whatever struggle you are going through, it is not about the struggle, it about Christ and the cross.  That it always goes back to the cross.  I told her that that sounds like a great truth, but I have no idea what it means.  I couldn’t wrap my mind around it.

I woke up the next morning full of shame.  And I thought to myself, there goes our chances.  If we had any hope of getting a visa, we just lost it, because after a week of trying to show God much I could learn and how great I was, I had completely failed.  I knew that I completely did not deserve to be granted my request for Eddy’s visa.  I didn’t deserve anything.  I was completely aware of what a sinner I was.

My Journey

Since we didn’t know how to get to the consulate, Eddy’s cousin drove us there in our truck.  Eddy was in front with him, so I had over three hours in the back seat to myself to think and pray and listen to my praise and worship cds. 

I spent most of that time talking to God.  I told him that I knew that we didn’t deserve this visa but that we had to at least go to the appointment so could He please just be with us and help us get through what promised to be very difficult day.  Soon after, a song came on my cd.  It’s a song that I grew up with so the words were very familiar to me, but for the first time I actually listened to the lyrics and heard the words.  These are those words:

God be merciful to me
on Thy grace, I rest my plea
Plenteous in compassion Thou
Blot out my transgressions now

Wash me, make me pure within
Cleanse, oh, cleanse me from my sin

My transgressions I confess
Grief and guilt my soul oppress
I have sinned against Thy grace
And provoked Thee to Thy face

I confess Thy judgment just
Speechless, I, Thy mercy trust

I am evil born in sin
Thou desirest truth within
Thou alone my Savior art
Teach Thy wisdom to my heart

Make me pure, Thy grace bestow
Wash me whiter than the snow

Gracious God, my heart renew
Make my spirit right and true
Thy salvation's joy impart
Steadfast make my willing heart
Steadfast make my willing heart

Broken, humbled to the dust
By Thy wrath and judgment just
Let my contrite heart rejoice
And in gladness hear Thy voice

From my sins, oh, hide Thy face
Blot them out in boundless grace

After hearing that song, I finally understood what my friend had said about everything going back to the cross.  There was no way that I could earn or deserve this request that I had made to God.  Just like there is no way that I can earn or deserve God’s love or His grace, nor do we need to.  It is freely given to us.  I fail, I fall down, I sin but I am God’s child and He saved me by His death on the cross and He loves me no matter what and He will always take care of me and work everything out for my good and His purposes.  Compared to that something like Eddy’s visa seemed very small.

The Appointment

We went to our appointment, we stood in several lines, we waited hours, and then it was finally our turn.  When it’s your turn they tell you which line to go in and it’s like you are at a teller.  They are behind glass and speak through a microphone.  After asking us a few questions, he turned his mic off to talk to the other guy sitting next to him and then confirmed what we already knew.  I could see them talking and I could see him say that he was sure we were telling the truth but he just can’t give us the visa.  So then we knew. 

He turned the mic back on and started basically explaining to us why we our situation is so difficult.  We can’t do the spousal visa because we live in the DR but there is so much fraud so we can’t get the visitor visa either.  We could tell he felt bad but that he just couldn’t do it, he didn’t want to see any of our letters or anything that we brought.  I was actually just happy to be talking to someone who knows the law and asked him what options we had.  His answer told us that we had no options, the visitor visa was the right visa, we just won’t ever get it because of all of the fraud that other people have committed. 

But then something changed, I don’t remember what I said but he changed and he actually looked at our letter from the mission organization.  We had been invited to their North American missionary conference.  He was reading it but then he should his head and stamped something and handed Eddy a paper and then said something in Spanish that I did not understand.  I thought he was finally sick of talking to us and was giving us the final “no” but Eddy looked happy so I said “what?” He said “go pay the cashier”  (I knew that the only reason to  go pay the cashier is to pay for them to ship you the passport with the visa inside.)  I said “so, yes?”  He said, “yes but don’t tell anyone I did this for you.”  So we took our papers and we ran.  We paid the cashier and she said that we would receive the visa in 4-6 business days. 

Then we realized that we had no idea how long it was for and when it started. 

Reality

Although we were so excited to know that the visa request had been accepted, the next couple days were difficult.  At that point I already had a plane ticket booked for two weeks later in order to be home for my sister’s wedding.  Talking to that guy confirmed that this could very well be a once in a lifetime opportunity and we may not get a visa again for a very long time.   The reality of the situation was hitting us.  We knew that this would be a burden that we would always have to carry.  That we would always be fighting this fight, trying to get visas and we knew that we had to find a way to accept that.  But we were  realizing how hard that was actually going to be. 

We knew the visa would either be 1 month or 3 months.  We were praying for 3 months because we knew that we had to fit everything into this one visit.  In my wildest dreams I thought maybe we would get 1 year, because then we could have one Christmas with my family but I knew that that was a long shot, so we focused on hoping and praying for 3 months. 

The Answer

A few days later, we got a call that the messenger was in the area so Eddy ran down to meet him.  He came back and told me that the visa was for 10 years.  I didn’t believe him.  I think I said “no” 15 times. 

Then he showed me the visa and I read: “expiration date May 6, 2022”. 

 In that moment, God took away our greatest burden and worry all at once.  Getting a ten year visa is unheard of, especially for your first visa.  It’s unbelievable, it’s impossible, but it’s what God did for us.

(FYI -What this means is that for the next 10 years, Eddy can travel to and visit the United States as much as he wants.  We can decide to make the trips based on personal reasons or ministry needs.  Our visits are no longer based on whether or not we will be able to get a visa.  It is the most amazing gift that God could have given us.)

So here I am, a sinner.  Someone who first tried to convince God of all of the reasons He should give us a visa, and then tried to earn and deserve it, and then proved how much she didn’t deserve it and how far she has to go in her walk with God.  And in the end, God not only gave that sinner the desire of her heart, but He gave her 10 times more than she even dared to hope for. 

Eddy's Visa

This is a blog post that I have been thinking about for a while and I have been putting off. I'm not sure why, probably because it is a topic that I don't even like thinking about. Eddy's visa. I have mentioned things in passing in other posts, but have not specifically explained what the situation is. I will start with explaining the basics, because most of you are probably like I was 2 years ago, in that you don't have any personal experience with immigration laws, or if you do, not immigration laws for someone from a 3rd world country.

(Side note: The purpose of this post is not to state any political opinion about immigration or immigration laws. The purpose is just to share the personal experience of my husband and to ask for prayers. I am also not an expert on immigration or immigration law. What I state in this post is the information that has been given to me by people who have been through it themselves or by lawyers that we have spoken to.  Also, in this post I am talking about our attempts to get Eddy a visitor visa, not a spousal visa or anything else of the sort.)

A Little Bit of Background/Common Misconceptions

The first major misconception that I have come across in talking to Americans about Eddy's situation is that these are Dominican laws that are keeping Eddy from traveling to the US. That is incorrect. I, as an American residing here in the DR, have to abide by and work within Dominican immigration laws in order to live here. Eddy, as a Dominican, wanting to visit the US, has to abide by and work within American immigration laws in order to travel there.

The second misconception is that you only need a visa if you want to live or work in the United States. That is also not true. Even to just visit, Eddy needs a visitor visa. You may think that something like that would be easy to get. Also not true, not in the Dominican Republic. Why? because they believe that once you get to the United States, you will not leave again. That you will stay and live there illegally. When trying to get a visitor visa, the most important thing is to try to prove that you will come back to the DR that you will not stay in the US. Why do they think you will stay? Probably because so many people have done just that. Because of this, I understand why the laws are what they are, but it is still frustrating when you (or your husband) are being honest and don't have any intent on staying, and really do just want to visit.

Misconception number three: Now that Eddy and I are married, getting a visa for him to visit should be much easier. I wish. Having read the previous paragraph, you may have already connected the dots on this one. In case you haven't, let me tell you that being married to an American does not help when trying to convince the American officials that you will not stay in the US to live. In fact, in their minds, the risk of that is much greater. There is an assumption that any non-American who is married to an American has the goal of living in the United States. Now that we are married, it is actually more difficult to get a visitor visa.

We have been placed here in the DR permanently by our mission organization. We do not know how long God will continue to call us to serve him here or when He will lead us somewhere else. However, if Eddy receives a visitor visa, we will only be visiting. We will definitely be coming back to continue our work here in the DR.

Why do we want Eddy to visit the United States?

First and most importantly: ministry purposes. Our mission organization has invited us to the North American Conference in June. This would be a great opportunity for us to build relationships with other missionaries, for the leaders of the mission organization to meet and get to know Eddy, and for us to learn and grow as missionaries and leaders. Also, we have been invited by our supporting churches to present about our ministry as well. It is very important that these churches meet and get to know Eddy and for us to represent our ministry together. This summer we will also need to be working on raising our personal support. Having Eddy in the states with me would help tremendously with that as well.

As you can see from reading about our situation, the chances of Eddy getting a visa are slim to none. It is a very long shot. We learned this the hard way last summer when we tried and failed to get him a visitor visa. However, the reason that we are trying again is because our chances of getting a visa for him have improved because of these invitations from our mission organization and support churches. Also, our mission organization can attest to the fact that we are placed here in the DR and will be returning.

Secondly: family and personal reasons. It would mean so much to my family to have Eddy home with me this summer. He is a part of our family and he should be there for family celebrations and family camping trips and just to experience everyday life for a little while. Also, on a very personal level, I just really want my husband to come with me to the United States. I do not want to be separated from him for six weeks in the first year of our marriage. I do not want to go and present to all of these churches by myself. I want him to experience family night. I want him to be at Sunday dinner. I want him to meet my grandma and my aunts and uncles and cousins. I want him to see the house that I grew up in and hear all of the stories that go along with it. I want him to see me with my family in a relaxed setting. I want him to come with me to my home church. And most of all, I want him to know me in a way that he can only know me by seeing for himself and experiencing the place where I grew up and became the person that he fell in love with and married. I have learned so much about Eddy by watching him with his family and hearing all of his childhood stories, (seeing where he used to play baseball with his friends as a kid, where he used to go swimming in the creek and always got in trouble.) I want him to learn about me in the same way.

Our God is an Awesome God

I stated before that our chances have improved because of the letters of invitation, but the odds are still very slim. However, we know that when it comes to God, the odds don't matter. We could have the best odds, it could be that 99% chance that we will get the visa, and if it is not God's will, we won't get it. We could have a 1% chance of getting the visa (which is closer to reality) and if it's God's will that Eddy go to the states this summer, he will get it. God is bigger than immigration laws. He is in control and what He wills to happen is what will happen.

Revelations 3:7b-8 "These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. ⁸ I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name."

On May 7, we have our appointment at the American consulate. On that day God will reveal, in regards to this particular door, if he will open it, or close it. The desire of our hearts, for all the reasons listed above, is that Eddy receives this visa. Your prayers would be greatly appreciated.

Philippians 4:6-7 "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

We know that above all, God's will will be done. If we receive the visa that day, we will know that it was only because of God and may He receive all of the glory. If we are denied the visa that day, we will be disappointed, but we will know that it was in God's hands and that everything that happens is for the good of those that love Him. Over the next couple of weeks I will memorize Philippians 4:6-7 and I will pray over and over again that He helps us not to be anxious and that He gives us the peace that surpasses all understanding.

I would like to invite all of you to join us in prayer for this situation. Please join us in "letting our requests be made known to God" and pray that God may grant Eddy this visa. But more than that, please also pray that God would provide peace and acceptance of the decision (no matter what it is)not just for me and Eddy but also for my family, his family, our church members, the school staff, friends, ministry supporters, and everyone else who will also be touched or effected by it.

Thank you all for your love and support and your prayers.

high school

A few weeks ago, our fourth work team for the year came down to visit.  A team of students and teachers from Illiana Christian High School.  This is the third year that they have come down on their spring break.  I enjoy every team that comes down here to work, each one is special in its own way and all of them help me feel like I have a piece of home here in the DR for a short time, but the Illiana teams have a unique effect on me.  I graduated from Illiana, and when the teams come from Illiana each year, it is more than having a piece of home here, it is like having a piece of my youth brought down as well.  Most of the other teams that have come down have people on them that I either know personally, or who know people that I know.  Friends of friend, friends of cousins etc.  But all of these people are connections to my adult life.  When Illiana comes down it's different because the people that I know personally, and the people that we know mutually, are almost all teachers that were at Illiana when I was there as well.  The connections that are made are to my youth.

Also, the students that come down bring me back even more.  It turns out that kids at Illiana haven't changed all that much in the last 12 years since I graduated.   As I get to know the kids and see their friendships and the way that they joke around and relate to each other, they are just like the kids that I knew all those years ago.  I find myself thinking about how I would have fit into a group like this, which of them I would have been friends with.  I also think about who I was when I was a teenager, how much I have changed, and how much I haven't changed.  I think about the fact that had you told me 12 years ago, when I was finishing my senior year at Illiana that down the road I would be a missionary in the Dominican Republic, married to a Dominican, speaking Spanish and receiving work teams from Illiana, I never would have believed it.  I had no idea what God had planned for me.  It's also exciting for me to know that these kids also have no idea what God has planned for them, and I am so excited for them to discover what that is.

Having not had the chance yet to bring Eddy back to the United States, the Illiana group is also one of the few ways that I have of sharing a little bit of my past with my husband.  He hasn't seen the house that I grew up in, he hasn't gone to my home church with me, he hasn't had Sunday dinner with my family, he hasn't even met most of my aunts and uncles and cousins.  But when Illiana comes down, I get to have a week of remembering and sharing stories with him about my past and what I was like as a teenager.

This year, the team came down when we were also on Spring Break, therefore, we had a lot of time to spend with them.  I had so much fun with them and they got so much work done.  The school went through a complete transformation in the week that they were here.  I also have not laughed as much as I did that week in a long time.  They were an exceptional group and I hope to see all of them again soon, either here or back in the states.

The Wedding

I shared with you before the wedding, the plans that we had made.  So instead of giving you another description of everything that happened, I think I will share with you my unique perspective during that monumental week of my life and the feelings that I experienced.

In the days leading up to the wedding, I was somewhat stressed.  Ok, I was very stressed.  People were arriving on different days and there seemed to be a lot of problems with people getting here when they were scheduled to.  I blame the Miami airport for this, but I really don’t know who’s at fault.  All of our lists of things to do did not get done before people started to arrive as we had hoped and to top it all off Eddy was sick and getting worse by the day.  Fever, sore throat, body aches, etc.  Our house was full of suitcases and all of my house wares that my family brought down for me.  It was really nice to have my family and friends in Santiago and I was so happy to have them there to stay at my house and spend time with Eddy’s family, but I had a hard time enjoying it.   Even though we were able to do most of the things that we had planned to dos, and even though I was really trying, I could not relax.  My mind was spinning.  I was worried about trying to make my family as comfortable as possible, I was worried about my list of things to do with no time to do them, I was worried about Eddy and the fact that he was not himself because he was sick.  (For those of you who know Eddy personally you will find it amusing that at first my family thought he was quiet.)  My visitors, through all of this, were great, they were gracious when the first day we had no running water all day and the second day when there was no electricity.  They went with the flow and as I think about it now, everything actually did go pretty smoothly.  It was my inability to relax that was the problem.

But then something happened.  My family and Eddy’s family were packed (tightly) into the bus and we were finally on our way to Jarabacoa.  I had given the bus driver a CD of praise and worship songs to play and I was sitting next to my future husband listening to my favorite songs, looking out at the mountains and suddenly became very aware of how loved I was.  For a big part of my life, I let the enemy convince me that I was not loved, in fact, that I was unlovable.  But in that moment, God opened my eyes, and I looked around this bus crammed full of 30 people who love me.  One of whom, loves me so much that he was about to willingly choose to spend the rest of his life with me.  And then I became aware of how much God loves me as well because He is the one who put all of these people in my life and He is the one that brought me and Eddy together and He worked in the hearts of our families and friends and helped them choose to support us in our decision.  That is the other thing that I felt: support.  All of my friends and family that came to wedding were not just there to relax and enjoy the day.  They were put to work.  They were ironing dresses and steaming veils.  They were doing our hair and makeup.  They were tying bows and putting together flower arrangements.  They were taking pictures and videotaping.  They were setting up music equipment and cooking sancocho.  Everyone choose to chip in and help because, they supported us in our marriage and wanted to be a part of our wedding.

On that bus ride to Jarabacoa, I found peace and I guarded that peace because I wanted to hold on to it.  Although the stress came here and there, when the ceremony was held because the flowers were late, when the food was late and people were getting bored, and when the music at the reception was a complete disaster, those are not the things that I remember when I think about that day.  When I think about that day, I remember getting ready in the morning with my sisters and Katie and Marci.  I remember my uncle’s reaction when I came out of my room in my wedding dress.  I remember watching everyone take their seats and Eddy walk his mom and my mom down the aisle.  I remember that the ceremony was perfect.  I remember being full of joy, looking into the eyes of the man I love, saying our vows, promising our lives to each other in front of our family and friends and just as I had hoped, I remember feeling wrapped up in the arms of God surrounded by His creation.  I remember the hug that I got from my brother after the ceremony. I remember the toasts that were given by my sisters and by Katie. I remember my mom going around and taking pictures of all of the Eddy’s family.  I remember Dan telling me about the pictures he got of Eddy’s face when he first saw me.  I remember Katie C. dealing with every issue that came up so that we wouldn’t have to.  I remember George and Dan entertaining us with their fans at the table.  I remember dancing my father daughter dance with my dad.  I remember my first dance with my husband to the song “I will be here” by Steven Curtis Chapman.  I remember purposely throwing the bouquet to Christine because I knew (and she didn’t) that in a few days she would be engaged.   I remember Melissa taking fun pictures of us after the reception.   But most of all, I remember Eddy singing me his song.  It was a classic Spanish song, but I had never heard it.  There are no words to explain what I felt, but it was the perfect song and he looked so handsome and happy as he sang it. 

Un Pacto con Dios

Solamente yo queria

decirte por si no lo sabias

que estoy pensando en ti

en cada momento

siento aquellas tentaciones

idioma de dos corazones

que aprehendieron a amarse

de un modo ideal

lo nuestro no tiene final

un pacto con dios hicimos tu y yo

y nada en el mundo tiene mas valor

asi es este amor que no se rompe ouuu no

no me cansare de repetirtelo

tu vas mas alla de ser mi gran pasion

dejame decirte que

que te quiero

tu naciste siendo bella

mas bella que cualquier estrella

asi eres tu para mi asi eres tu

parecia fantasia que alcanzarte no podia

y aprehendimos a amarnos del modo ideal

lo nuestro no tiene final

un pacto con dios hicimos tu y yo

y nada en el mundo tiene mas valor

asi es este amor que no se rompe ouuu no

no me cansare de repetirtelo

tu vas mas alla de ser mi gran pasion

dejame decirte que

que te quiero

si vivo contigo, si muero contigo

dejame decirte que que te quiero

TE QUIERO

Home

Today was our first full day living in our new place and it was a good day.  A pretty normal, uneventful day, but a good day.  We spent the day without any electricity organizing and cleaning and trying to put the house in order.  We also went to the school and visited for a while.  It was good to see everyone.  We have a few meetings there tomorrow and we will be back full time on Monday.  We went to La Sirena and got some groceries and a new bookcase.  I made Eddy's favorite dinner, we relaxed on the couch for a little while and now we are listening to music while Eddy puts together the bookcase and I blog.  This is actually our second night at home, but last night the electricity was out so we were in the dark.  Tonight I thought I would take advantage and update my blog.  Every once in a while I have to stop to hold something in place for him or hand him something.  I decided to stop giving any input or suggestions as a form of helping pretty early on and now I am just watching in silent amusement and lending a hand when I can.  I am feeling very blessed and very happy.

I am looking forward to building a life here together.  I am looking forward to my new job and responsibilities at the school, to trying new recipes (when I can find the ingredients) until I find at least a few that Eddy likes, to spending lots of time across the street with his cousins and the newest member of the family, Isaac, who was born yesterday, to inviting the girls (Eddy's nieces who I used to live with) over in the evenings because we miss them, to hosting Eddy's mom and aunts when they stop randomly to visit, to skyping with my family and friends, to running down to the house next door that always has really good natural juice for sale, to inviting both my American and Dominican friends over because now we finally have a place of our own... But most of all, I am looking forward to many, many days and evenings like this one; normal, uneventful days building a life together as husband and wife.  God has blessed me and I am so thankful.

almost done

he did use the directions (to hold the nails)

mission accomplished

 Psalm 16:9 "Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure"

Our Wedding

Even though Eddy didn't propose to me until Valentine's Day, I have been planning our wedding since December.  We are now one week away from the wedding and everything is finally coming together.  Planning a wedding in the Dominican Republic has definitely been an interesting journey, but I think that all of our hard work is going to pay off.  The wedding that we have planned is perfectly unique to us.  It is not an American wedding, it is not a Dominican wedding, it is Eddy and Carrie's wedding.  Some people would not even want a wedding like ours, but to us, it sounds perfect.

First of all, it is not just a wedding, it is weeks worth of activities, that include, two weddings, twelve out-of-town visitors, and three different parts of the island.   It all starts with Katie.  Katie left Kansas early Wednesday morning.  Almost two days and three countries later, she finally arrived in the Dominican Republic (the wrong city, but in the DR nonetheless).   She did everything she could to get here before Friday, because Friday morning was our first wedding.  The DR is a catholic country and they do not recognize Christian weddings.  For this reason we had to get married legally at the "court house" before our Christian ceremony.  Guille and Shelley were our padrinos and witnesses and Katie was our photographer.  Eddy and I decided early on to view our second wedding as the real wedding and to not live as a married couple until after our Christian ceremony.  Although, we chose to look at it as just a formality, we are definitely aware that it is more than that.  We are legally husband and wife.  We spent the morning together praying and then we exchanged rings, while being supported by Guille and Shelley (who are our mentors as well as our pastor and pastor's wife) and Katie who has been good friends with both of us since the very beginning of our relationship.  We had an ice cream reception at Haagen Dazs with the five of us and had a party at our new home in the evening.  Although, it was not our "real" wedding, it wasn't a fake one either and it was very special.  And in my mind, it doesn't make our wedding next week any less real.

My sister, Ellie, and her fiance will be arriving Tuesday.  I am very excited about this and have lots of fun things planned for our day together before everyone else arrives.  On Wednesday, my mom, my sister Heather, Marci, my best friend Katie, and my cousin Melissa will arrive.  They are all going to get a true Dominican experience and will be staying the night at various family members' houses.  On Thursday, my Dad, my uncle Don, my brother David and his girlfriend Christine, and my brother-in-law George will arrive.  That night we will all be staying at the mission house that also hosts our work teams when they come down.  Eddy and I will be staying there with them.  Friday morning we will have a rehearsal at the mission house and then we will be heading up into the mountains to a place called Jarabacoa with Eddy's family.  That night, Eddy's mom and sisters will be making a traditional Dominican meal called sancocho and we will spend some time together as a newly blended family.

We chose Jarabacoa for many reasons.  One of the biggest reasons is because, for our wedding, we wanted to be in presence of God.  I may have mentioned before my love for the beach because, for me, it is impossible to look out at the ocean and not feel God's presence.  We both feel the same way in Jarabacoa.  Our location for the wedding is in the middle of the mountains, surrounded by the beauty of God's creation.  For me, it is awe-inspiring and the perfect place to say our vows and make that promise in front of our friends and family, feeling completely wrapped up in the arms of God.

Our wedding will be Saturday morning at 10 am, outside, and will be in both English and Spanish.  The food will be traditional Dominican food with some corn and green beans thrown in for the Americans.  We will do all of the traditional reception things, like throwing a bouquet, and we will have some special things as well.  Eddy's cousins will be our band, and they have prepared a few surprises for us and I think Eddy has some surprises in store for me as well.  From the beginning, we wanted our wedding to be small and feel more like a family party.  We wanted an environment where our families could relax and get to know each other.  We have less than 50 guests and it is only our close friends and family.  After the reception is finished, there will be a few hours before the bus will leave so we are going to invite everyone to change and join us at the pool were we can all hang out, swim, and continue to celebrate in a more relaxed setting.  At this point, I really hope that my family will get to experience a little bit of the culture and see what the family parties are like here.  

Since most of the people from our church and from the school, are not able to come to Jarabacoa, on Sunday morning we will be heading back to Santiago where we will all worship together and then celebrate with all of our brothers and sisters in Christ by watching a video of the wedding and eating cake.  After our celebration, we will be heading to Puerto Plata where we will start our honeymoon/family vacation.

These are the plans that we have spent so many months planning and organizing and, God willing, this is how we will start our new life together as husband and wife.  However, this is the Dominican Republic, where nothing goes as planned, so it should be pretty interesting to see what actually will end up happening over the next week and a half, what will go as planned and what will not.  At this point, it is just time for me to let go, enjoy myself, and let what will happen happen, because no matter what we will be married, we will be surrounded by love, and we will start our new life together.