Dreams...

There is so much to say about the last month and a half. I have been in South Africa and Namibia (the two countries where my husband grew up) for the very first time. It has really been a dream come true for me. I have met many of Ruco's extended family (aunts, uncles, and cousins) for the first time. We were also able to spend some wonderful quality time with Ruco's grandma in Cape Town. I got to see the hospital where Ruco was born in Cape Town, the house he lived in, and even the area of South Africa where my father-in-law's family comes from.  We are currently in Swakopmund, Namibia and have loved spending time with Ruco's mom, dad, and brother. Its been so great for me to finally get to SEE the places and MEET the people that I've heard so much about for the last 10 years. It really was SO special for me!

Ruco's grandmother grew up in this old farmhouse in South Africa!

Stellenbosch-where Ruco's parents went to college and met! It's beautiful wine country.

Ruco's dad's side of the family in Oudtshoorn, South Africa

I am blessed to have spent so much time getting to know my husband's culture and traveling through Southern Africa and  SouthEast Asia this summer. It has been an incredible 3 months, but I must say that I am DEFINITELY ready to have our own place and be settled again. Last night I had this CRAZY dream that my teeth were all loose and about to fall out. I could wiggle them and knew that they were about to all fall out. It was terrifying and so vivid...haha! I don't think I've EVER looked up the meaning of a dream, but I looked up Christian symbols in dreams, and the website I found talked about how if you dream about teeth being loose, you may be anxious about transition or change in your life/feeling unsettled. hmm...

I have definitely been feeling unsettled. It's been great fun traveling all around, but I am SO ready to get to Kenya and start building our life there. Ruco is also excited about starting his job...he is the new "food assistance advisor" for Samaritan's Purse. We will be based in Nairobi, but Ruco will be traveling to all offices where SP operates food programming to offer insight/training, etc. I think the role is perfect for him and he will do great. I am continuing my online MPH degree, and am hoping to either work part-time or find volunteer work. I am praying about that one, but I know God has the perfect opportunity already lined up for me. He is so faithful.

I am amazed at the way that He takes care of us. Even though it feels like we are continuously starting over in new places, He always provides. He always provides friends and a church family to surround us, and a place to call home. I have faith that He will once again make provisions for us in Nairobi and we will find "home" there.  Matthew 6:26 says, "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" I know it's so true. We are His children that He loves! Of course He is going to provide for us in this new place!

Thanks for your prayers! We love you all!

My brother in law and I at the family's old farmhouse

Got to visit the southernmost point of Africa!

Ruco and I at the southernmost tip of Africa.

sigh...I love South Africa!!

Our Asian adventure!!!

I am so glad we were finally able to do this trip! We had saved up money and had planned to do a backpacking trip after our time in Uganda a couple of years ago. However, Ruco was asked to help out in Haiti following the earthquake, and we decided that going to Haiti was probably a little more important at that time. (just a little bit). ha!

 But God knew when the perfect time for this trip would be, and knew that I would need this time with him more now than I did then. I was tired after our time in Uganda, but I was in a better place spiritually. This trip, I was seeking to be able to spend time with God to renew my spirit and realign my heart with His. He did just that! It was amazing.

As far as South East Asia goes, it was beautiful beyond expectation. I was telling a girlfriend recently (and I'm embarrassed to admit it), but for a long time, I didn't really care too much about traveling through Asia. For as long as I can remember, I've been so smitten with Africa. But now, I cant believe I didn't care about this place. Thailand (especially down south around the islands) is the most beautiful place I've ever been. There are majestic rock formations and islands sprinkled all over this amazingly gorgeous ocean. At one point, Ruco said, "I think God had so much fun making Thailand!" And that's exactly what it looks like!

Beyond that, the people here are so kind and welcoming. We had so much fun learning about Asian cultures in Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand. We spent just a few days in Japan to start our trip. Then, we spent about 1 month in Indonesia-starting out in Bali and then traveling to Nusa Lembongan, Gili islands, Lombok island, and Sembawa and back to Bali. Then we were in Thailand for about 3 weeks. We flew into Phuket and spent time down south in the islands first-Ko Phi Phi and Koh Phangan before taking the train all the way up north and going to Chiang Mai. We head over to Bangkok tomorrow, and fly out of Thailand on July 13th. I can't believe our time is almost up here. It has gone by so fast! But as far as logistics, its so easy to get around here (traveling isn't a headache at all like it is in Africa)! And it is SO cheap! We had dinners on the beach and stayed in beach bungalows and did things we would never be able to afford back home. I would highly recommend South East Asia for a vacation locale! Send me a message if you want more info about where we stayed/what we did, etc. I can't take credit for our trip planning (Ruco did most of it) but would love to share info if you are coming this way!

Now there are so many other places we want to visit in Asia, although I highly doubt we will be able to take 2 months and travel like we did this time...at least not before retirement! ha! I am so thankful for all the work Ruco put into planning this trip for us, and hope these memories last us a lifetime!

On July 13th, we are on to CapeTown, South Africa!!! After 10 years of dating/being married to a South African boy, I get to see where he was born and grew up! I cant wait!!! 

What's Next? Good question...

In late 2009, while in sunny Moroto, Uganda, Ruco and I decided that he would apply for grad school and we would come back to the US for 2 years. We felt as though we needed rest. So, Ruco applied for NINE grad schools, and we prayed that God would make it financially feasible for us.

In all of our dating and married life, we had never, EVER talked about living in California. But then Ruco received a fully paid fellowship at UC Berkeley, and through prayer, we felt as though God was calling us to live in Berkeley, CA for two years. The beauty of this place exceeded all my expectations. Daily, I drive past the grizzly peak overlook (we live way up high in the hills) and watch the sun over the hills and golden gate. It's a spectacular kind of beauty.

Grizzly peak overlook by our house.

In other ways, our time here didn't meet my expectations. Even though I was surrounded by God's glorious, beautiful creation, I still must say that the last 2 years have been a very spiritually dry season for me. It's only my fault for this. We quickly found a great church in Berkeley (within our first month here), but through my own shortcomings, I haven't committed to spending the time in prayer that I require. I think I blogged about it before, the complacency that set place in my heart here and lulled me into a spiritual sleep. Perhaps I was distracted. My job is incredibly fast-paced. For whatever reason, I don't think I spent the time in prayer, and thus, didn't give God the opportunity to renew my soul that I so desperately needed during this season. Sidenote: our pastor texted this to us last week, and I have found it to be SO true: "God invites you to pray, NOT because He needs your words, your time or attention. He invites you to pray because HE LONGS TO RENEW YOUR SOUL." Oh, how I feel renewed when I do take the time to spend with Him.

Ruco has worked hard, and I have too. We did go through some trying times with Ruco taking so many international trips (doing relief work) since we have lived here, but overall, we have been blessed beyond measure. We have also been blessed that SO many wonderful friends and family have come to visit us! That was such a sweet and wonderful part of our time here. And despite it all, I still know that I am loved more than I can ever imagine by my Savior and he chooses to continuously bless us. I pray that we have made some sort of difference here.

Tred came to visit in March...such a great time together.

Hugo, Ruco's brother also came to visit in March--what a stud

Ames and Josh B also came!! I love her!!

Now, two years later, our time is coming to a close. We plan to leave Berkeley in 3 weeks following Ruco's graduation. A lot of people have asked us, "whats next?" And to be honest...we aren't quite sure! We have committed to spending time in prayer, and have been considering options we didn't think we would. For now, our plan is to leave the Bay Area on May 14th. We will go and spend time with our family in Florida and Louisiana. After that, Ruco has planned a one month vacation for us in Asia/South East Asia. I have been totally hands off and let him plan our vacation (he loves it). We are headed to Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. We will spend time just the two of us, neither of us have ever been to Asia. I am hoping God gives us the rest we had been searching for during this vacation together.

Then, we are off to South Africa and Namibia in late June to spend time with Ruco's family. I am SO excited about this! I have been dating/married to this South African boy for 10 years (& have lived in Africa myself) but I have NEVER been to South Africa or Namibia. Oh, the joy that fills my heart when I think of Ruco finally being able to share where he grew up/his culture with me!!! And how wonderful to see my in-laws again! The last time I saw them was also in 2009.

After our trips, we will finish in Swakopmund, Namibia and spend time with Ruco's parents until we are able to find work again (hopefully with Samaritan's Purse and hopefully in Africa)! Will you pray that God makes it very clear where we are to be for this next season? It is always our desire to do everything we do for his glory alone. We love you all, and thanks for your continued support of us.

Big Sur trip with Tred--waterfall

Napa with Huggie

Beach trip this weekend-Gray Whale Cove State Park

keeping my heart in love

So far this year, it's been really low key. I'm just doing my thing at work, and Ruco is busy in his last semester at Cal Berkeley. He has been teaching a class this semester (graduate student instructor), and has been loving it. He never thought he would. But, I could always see him as an old man professor! ;) ps-T-minus 2 months until Ruco is finished! I am SO excited!

In February, we had our hang out with the Lohse's in Lake Tahoe. That was awesome. Such a special time of renewal with friends who are just so easy and loving! They have a lot of life changes-they just moved to Las Vegas, were busy closing on a new house, and pregnant with their first baby! It was great to hang out with them in such a beautiful place and catch up...

God has been teaching me so much lately! I think I got a tad bit prideful around Valentine's day. There was a plethora of blogs about marriage, and I read so many of them. They were all Christian blogs, and all talked about how marriage is WORK! and how it's so hard, but it's what God has called us to do, so you have to man up...

 I REALLY appreciated the honesty and openness, but I haven't been able to relate. My marriage thus far, hasn't been "work" or "hard." For some reason, Ruco and I rarely fight. I think maybe neither of us have the energy to do so...haha!

But I got really prideful about my marriage. And then God started bringing to my attention how little "work" I have put into keeping my heart in love with Him, lately. And how relationships ARE work. ouch! As usual, I get so focused on what I am "doing" for God, without really understanding why scripture talks so much about the fact that God is concerned about my heart and relationship with Him. I read a really good devotion that talked about keeping my heart in love with Jesus. I mean, really how can I "DO" anything, and be obedient in my life if my heart is not fully aligned with God's? I started thinking that God might be calling me to do things NOW, and that I have not been listening/being obedient (therefore possibly affecting the lives of others), because I haven't been WORKING on keeping my heart in love with Him!!!

And, so for the last week or so, I have been crying out to God to keep my heart in line/love with His. Why do I need this lesson over and over again??!? Staying close in relationship with God IS work (thought it feels like it more in some seasons, and less in others). And perhaps that will be the way it is with Ruco and myself. For this season, keeping my heart in love with Ruco hasn't been hard...but who is to say that in another season of life, our relationship won't in fact, feel like "work?"  Maybe when babies come into the picture!??? ;)

Because certainly, I can remember other seasons in my relationship with Jesus..when He was all I could think and talk about. I only wanted to be in His presence. I am praying for that now. For my heart to desire communion with His more than ANYTHING else...

Happy Valentine's Day!

My marriage, to date, has been God's biggest gift to me.

I feel so blessed to get to be with Ruco all the time. He loves me like Christ loves the church, never wavering. I would still follow him to the ends of the earth (and have)!! ha!

Ephesians 5:22-33

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church- for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery-but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

my family

I feel the need to play catch up just a little bit since the last time that I blogged! Ruco and I had the chance to go to Pensacola for Thanksgiving AND Christmas this year! What a treat. I think I finally get the whole "aunt" thing and it is absolutely wonderful. I love my brother's children as if they are my own, and I would really, really keep them forever-- if only someone would let me. Noah has loads of energy and is as cute as can be! Little Nehemiah loves to interact with people and is going to be a deep thinker...I can tell! Jordan, my brother's step daughter is also so, so cute and I love her! It's crazy that my little brother has 3 children. I have lots of catching up to do! ;)

 little noah and I on the trampoline

 my mama! I love her...she's the BEST listener.

 my little brother (one of them at least). I am a blessed girl.

Noah Tristan--what a cutie! And where did he get those bright blue eyes??

In January this year, my grandmama and Aunt Kimberley also came for a little visit SF! It was a blast. They got a hotel room and we all stayed together in the city. We went whale watching, went to China town, and went to Napa/Sonoma Valley. I love showing off where we live, because I really think it's so amazingly beautiful. God blesses me more than I could ever, ever deserve.

 love that Napa is only 45 minutes away.

 So cool that we are here together.

 We spotted some gray whales on our whale watching adventure!

 some of my most favorite people in the world.

love my auntie kimberley!

Firemen and Tiffany's!

Sorry I have been kind of MIA the last few months. Life has been a bit hectic with my work, and with training for my first ever half-marathon. I've been training and raising funds for the last 5 months with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (Team in Training). With the help of my amazing friends/family/colleagues, we raised $1,849 for LLS!!! And I am so grateful to each of you who helped me with my goal. It has truly been the BEST experience, and I would wholeheartedly recommend doing "Team in Training." 

I am running the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco TOMORROW!! I love that it is really geared towards women. At the end of the race, there will be firemen in tuxes handing out Tiffany's necklaces to all who finish (I know...ridiculous)! There will be 20,000 of us tomorrow morning lining up in Union Square!!! I feel like it is Christmas...I am SO excited to run with my TNT friends. God has provided me with such an awesome opportunity to meet so many wonderful people here in the Bay Area (when I still felt new to the area). He has also allowed me to be opened up to another world entirely, and to realize that there are things I can do to serve him and love on others wherever in the world I am!!! I have had a blast!

Here's what I've been up to:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/nikesf11/kvandermer

LOVE from the Bay Area!