Waiting

Hi,
Since Jon has been back we have been living with his parents in Wheaton, and he has applied for jobs both in Chattanooga TN and in Wheaton.
We made a hurried  trip to the south because my Grandfather passed away. I was able to see him one last time, for which I'm very grateful.
Since we were close, we decided to spend time in Chattanooga scouting for jobs and housing. We stayed in a pretty cheap hotel (I felt the need to buy lysol wipes and clean it) but it was the only extended-stay thing around that was reasonably priced. Jon had one interview, and we got a better idea of the city, but we didn't get any definite leads. We did get to see my sibs and mom, and celebrated Abby's 1st birthday a little early.
Now we are back in Wheaton again. I've discovered over this whole transitive summer that I'm up for adventure but I'm not very adaptable. With each move or trip I struggle to settle in  quickly and make everyday life "work". So this time around, I'm trying to mentally settle in, even though I know we could possibly be moving again soon. Jon and I re-arranged the basement (it's a work in process still) so it works better for us and keeps the toys mostly down stairs.
Lately  I've been garage sale shopping for educational toys (Lincoln logs, etc.). Jon has started chopping down some brush trees in the back yard, making it much larger and more friendly.
He has had a couple initial interviews, and it's possible we will hear back about a job this coming week.
In the meantime we are waiting.

Jon Returned

Yay! After two weeks in Bogota, Jon (Daddy) has come home again. Sophie especially is very happy. :) Mommy and Abby are too, of course!!!

Our Plans

Hi Everyone,
Once again we apologize for the delay in relaying our most current news. If you read our last post, you know that about three weeks ago (July 12) our housing plans in Colombia fell through rather last minute. At that point, we gravely questioned if we should be returning to Bogota, because while Jon had plenty of good things to do with the library, our home life was beginning to slip in the stressful environment. The next days were a whirlwind of thoughts, questions, emotional ups and downs... We bounced off our feelings and thoughts on several people, and finally on Thursday evening, July 21, concluded that it is best for us as a family to move back to the states now. The next couple of days were spent making arrangements for our friends in Colombia to sell some of our belongings and pack aside things we want to bring back.
We left July 25 for a week long vacation in the MN/ND areas where we had a lovely time with Jon's extended family, culminating in a special 80th birthday party for Jon's Grandad. Jon's parents and Jeff and Gracie also came! We were glad to share many moments together (especially driving in the car. :) Sophie watched Tangled on the trip up and on the way back! (Thanks Vicki ;))
We got back Monday morning (midnight) and have been trying to make some plans for the next steps. Jon is going back to ECA for two weeks (Aug. 11 - 26) to finish what he can with the library, hopefully train a new librarian (ECA is looking for one) and bring back our essential belongings. I and the girls will probably stay with his parents in Wheaton while he is gone. Then, we want to settle down in Chattanooga, TN where I have family nearby. The city is also beautiful, with many activities to offer for the kids (Aquarium, museums, zoo, etc) and us (art, music, tech fields). Jon has been wanting to continue his schooling, and has applied to the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga for Computer Science. He has applied for two paying positions, and we are looking for others. Our current foremost question is whether we should invest in renting a temporary place in September so we can explore the area more thoroughly for both jobs and long-term housing, or if we should wait a bit longer to hear an answer from the couple of jobs Jon has already applied for. We do have a lot of furniture we will eventually want to take with us, but may need to find a def. housing arrangement before transporting it all down.

How to support us now....
We will keep our blog (most of you may like to have a few updates as we move on through life :))
We have just enough funds to get us by for about two months on our own, so we need jobs soon.
Wisdom for planning and for finding a living arrangement. We hope to find something close to those of my sibs who are in Chattanooga.
Our girls to have peace through all the transitions. (Us too, I suppose) ;)
Jon's trip back to ECA to be productive and efficient, and good closure.
God to protect and guide us as we enter a new stage of life, focused on growing and  thriving individually/as a couple; ministering to our kids; and enjoying our families.

If you are interested in still supporting ECA we can recommend supporting our friends the Ramlers, who have committed to being there for four years and as of now have met 80% of what they need monthly.

If you are interested in supporting work with Colombian street kids, we can recommend our friend Claire who is in desperate need of funding.  Both Claire and the Ramlers are with First Love International.

Thank-you all for your support during our 2 and 1/2 years in Bogota. It has been a productive and difficult journey, sprouting advancement in the ECA library and in our own understandings of life.
Blessings,
Jon and Christy, Sophia and Abigail Grace

P.S. If you have questions or would like to know more details about our time in Colombia, our decision to come back, or our current plans, we are happy to share. Just email us directly - you should have the address :)

Prayer for housing

This evening we learned that we will not be able to rent the house that we were planning on renting with the Ramlers.  This throws a large wrench in the machine of our thoughts and plans.  It makes it feel very difficult to go back since we are now so uncertain about housing.  We know that it would not be healthy for our family to remain in our previous two bedroom apartment, and none of the other apartments we looked at were fit for two families. So we are left having to look for an apartment and figure out where to live in the few weeks we have left while we are in the states.

 

In many ways, this new revelation makes us really question whether we are supposed to go back this coming year.  Finding the Maranta house felt like a just right solution to our thoughts about Colombia, providing our family more space and fellowship.  Because while work at the school has been going well and I still feel like I have more I could give and add to the Library and the school, as we have been back, we have realized how difficult/stressful life in Colombia is for us as a family.  We have had to look close at what is really best for us (all of us), and life in Colombia has not seemed the best option, (life with Ramlers would have probably been second best).  We simply do not know.  

 

Well I need to go sleep soon since we have a long time traveling tomorrow.

Jon    

The Southern Life or a trip to the zoo

Well for all you who we have not been in present contact with, we have been living it up in the South. Drinking Sweet Tea and going to the Zoo. While in Chatanooga to fill our days while Christy's siblings worked we observed the animals of the Chatanooga Zoo (we went about 10 of the 15 days we were there (Christy got a family membership on Groupon for cheap)). Then nights were spent eating tasty food and visiting with her family, with many trips up and down Lookout Mountain. The time was very good. Then on either side of our Chatanooga time we stayed with Christy's older sisters in Blountsville and Cullman respectively. On Tuesday we will be making the long drive up to Wheaton, hopefully our girls will survive (we might possibly stop at a zoo on the way up since our family pass works at a bunch of different zoos). At Christy's first olders sisters Sophia had fun looking at the goats and chickens, and the Doggies and Kitties, Then this last Friday we spent a long hot day at the Birmingham Zoo with our nephew Asher.

At each place we have been greatly blessed by Christy's siblings taking our little ones for a time so we could get much needed rest and dates so we can plan and prepare for our coming year in Bogota, and then what the future will hold after that.

Home for a visit

Hi everyone,
We are headed back to the states soon!
To summarize our plans:

Alabama/TN area -June 17  until July 12 or 14. 
Wheaton from July 12 or 14 until July 17
MN area from July 24 until July 31 or August 1.
Flying back to Bogota - probably from Chicago on August 2.

Sooo.....
We want to make plans now to see you!
Especially those of you in Wheaton, we will only be there for about 10 days. PLEASE let us know your schedule and let's set down dates to see each other. Also, if you are available ONLY on say July 11 or something like that, let us know that too.
Take care you all!
Love,
The Jon Larsons

New Furniture

Here is the new furniture for the library. On Monday and Tuesday the
Middle Schoolers are going to help us transfer the approximately
16,000 pounds of books from the old library to the new..