Author: monstauffer

Brainless in the States

It was naptime and the house was quiet. The oldest two just sat at the table finishing their school work… and clearly stalling some.

Abi: “You know,” all reflective-like, “I really thought we’d be coming back to this house at furlough. Like I didn’t think we’d never be coming back.”

Rachael: Emotionless with her mind still on her work, “We’re never coming back to this house.”

Abi: “Yeah… I know now.” Thinks for a few seconds. “And like… our friends are going to be older because we’ll be older.”

Rachael: “Yeah, Lexi (who’s currently in elementary school) will be DRIVING!” She finally engages her mind in the conversation.

Abi: “But what if we forget her name?”

Rachael: Quickly dismissing her sister, “—We’re not going to forget her name!”

Abi: “Yeah…” (attempting to be persuasive), “but what if we forget her name?”

Rachael: (Not buying it.) “We won’t forget her name.”

Abi: “Yeah, I guess we could just be like, ‘Sorry we forgot your name we are on FURLOUGH afterall!”

 

 

Processing isn’t always sad.

Sometimes it’s just hilarious.

 

 

– Apparently everyone should automatically assume we will leave our brains in Africa. 😉

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Squishy Sweet Science

We learned about atoms and molecules through toothpicks and marshmallows today. First we bonded two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom to make our water molecules. Then we filled our cup with our water.


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We had to build molecules quickly to avoid small helper’s consuming fury. 😉



Just ask the girls and they’ll tell you that the best part by far was “drinking” the “water” at the end of the demonstration. Hehe.


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We also saved some marshmallows for Hanbah since she was napping during our lesson. 🙂

Squishy Sweet Science for the win!

P. S. Never mind our stylish hair. The kids did their own hair today, therefore it all fell out by Science time, and nap attacked Eden. 😉

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To the Ends of the Earth… All of Us

I’m sure you’ve figured out by now the appointee service went well and we are now officially being sent to Mozambique by the IMB to share the truth of Christ. This stirs up insane delight and there has been MUCH celebrating.

This also kicks processing up a notch as we venture into the world of goodbyes with the girls. We’re trying to take things as gently as we can since saying goodbye to some of their norms hits some of them harder than others.

Abi (age 5) cried the night we came home after appointment service. It finally hit her that we were not going to be returning to this house once we leave for Orientation. Rachael (age 7) has had her moment of grieving and cleaving to Africa, but Abi was just beginning to process the reality when we left for appointment. With arms wrapped around her, Abi shared her hurts in saying goodbye and I shared my same hurts. Then we both talked about what things she really wants to bring. She rattled off some toys and we discussed which location they’d be traveling to since some will be going to Quelimane in luggage and some in boxes to Maxixe, which we will receive after our 18 month Quelimane trip. Abi went to bed with a smile. There is loss. And there is also gain.

I’m sure this is just the beginning of many tears as we are all hit with the reality of this move.

And I’m equally sure that this is the beginning of many smiles as the Lord brings new delights to our horizons.

It is a process, an opportunity to honor their feelings and give them as many choices as can be given.

This morning Rachael and Abi sat in the other room making “soup” from little magnets when this conversation emerged:

Abi: “Rachael, when we get to Africa we can go door to door to tell them ‘Jesus loves you.” [Future strategy leader? Hehe.]

Rachael: “But we can’t just tell them ‘Jesus loves you’, we have to tell them the whole story!”

Abi: “Well yes, so Jesus loves you and He gave His own life because Adam and Eve sinned…”

Rachael: “And then we all sinned and so Jesus died to save us from our sins.”

Abi: “But what if they don’t believe us?”

Rachael: “Then we’ll tell them again and again!”

 

We’re going to get there. It’s all a long process. One step at a time.

 

Their hearts are beautiful.

  • 5 Months until Orientation.

 

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Pre-Appointment

We’re getting excited. And we’re on the brink of full-blown packing, which bring on both butterflies and sobering thoughts. Part of me wants to be there yesterday and part of me wonders if in hindsight the emotions of leaving the States will hit me like an monsoon wave. I feel so ready and yet so unprepared all at once.
I miss my family thinking about how old my girls will be once we return to the States for our first furlough. And yet, part of me really longs to be there. I know in my heart that it’s not going to be romantic. The past ten years at this church have been both sobering and joyful. The body of Christ is tough. And lost cultures are tough too. Spiritual warfare is heavy and I feel like we’ve only just barely glanced the tip of it’s iceburg. But then God reminds me that He has designed us for this. He’s the one equipping and so purposing our lives. It’ll be messy. This world always is. And we’ll cry and hurt, of that I am sure. But I also know that God’s plan always has beauty that catches us off guard and blesses us to the core.
I just feel ready. Ready to make the sacrifices and re-define so much in the delight of faithfulness. And yet I also know that many things in our family culture will be universal. And we are not seeking to flee America but to find a balance with Mozambique culture. It makes my mind fuzzy and is a really hard reality to conceptualize until we’re there.
Packing sometimes feels like a lockness monster hiding under the water’s surface, but I know if we meticulously chip away at it, then we will survive it.
It’s still hard to give away the bassinet in which all four of my babies slept away their newborn little lives. It’s still hard to know at some point in time I will have the last hug for a good long while from my dearest family. That lump in my throat just thinking about it reminds me of the depth of our relationship. It’s still hard giving away an era of our family lives and trying on some new foods and habits. It’s weird to continue compartmentalizing our lives as “memories to keep in the States”, “to go to Quelimane” and “for the Maxixe crate”. It’s weird planning what of ours to replace and what of ours to simplify. Everything comes with a deep questioning now, “do we really need that?” or “do we want that enough to bring it at the sacrifice of something else?” Eight hundred cubic feet of crate. The details are panning out. What would you bring for a family of six in eight hundred cubic feet?
Future Mozambique team members and beginning friendships have been such a blessing. “What would you bring in hindsight?” “What would you not bring?” “What’s available there?” “What’s not available?”
Sometimes the research feels like it never ends and yet it has just begun.
Homeschool planning has taken on new phases as we work around unavailable English book options in Mozambique.
The floodgates of information from the IMB have opened once again as we prepare for appointment on Feb 23rd. It still feels like orientation is a lifetime away. And stepping foot on Moz soil is two lifetimes away. Portuguese comprehension bounces between feeling impossible (Like who in their right mind can actually learn a new language?! Ha!) and then again we will devote all we have toward learning Portuguese. We will overcome! Because swimming is the only choice!
Rachael has told us she’s ready to move. She’s excited. She’ll miss her friends, but she can’t wait to meet new friends.  All things Africa are burning in her mind. She gravitates to African stories, seeking out anything she can find to cross the seas in her mind. Her heart is being married to Africa. And mention of Mozambique now lights a spark in her eyes.
Abi has begun to express sadness in leaving. I’m thankful that she is beginning to process this big transition. We continue to talk through our losses, grieving as a family, and also holding tight to God’s truth of going before us and behind us. Abi also freely expresses that she wants to go to Africa. She’s still processing Portuguese school and she’s beginning to try to grasp the concepts of future change. I’m thankful she’s thinking about it now instead of just carrying on with her normal as if nothing is changing.
Hannah and Eden remain clueless. The only difference between the two is that Hannah takes the opportunity to tell others that we’re moving to Africa. Sometimes she identifies Mozambique. She’s excited about the beach. And swimming. And wearing her swimming suit. She’s excited about playing in the dirt. And she gets a light in her eyes when she talks about jumping in rainy season puddles.
Eden is simpler. If Mommy goes, Eden goes. Paci also has to go. And ba-ba. Mommy should hold Eden. At all times. Stroller is an acceptable substitute. Sometimes. “Up”. “Mama”. End of Story.
And so the adventure continues…
Next up: Appointment on Feb 23rd at 6:30p (EST).
Click here if you’d like to live-stream the event.
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The Big 07!

Someone fantastic turned 7 years old yesterday!

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Prior to her birthday, Rachael celebrated with Matt’s side of the family with a cookie cake and blessings from Aunt Ellen and the gang as well as Grandma and Grandpa. Rachael was thrilled to receive an origami book (we’ve already made a butterfly together) and a Snow White doll. Rachael also received two awesome packages in the mail the day before her birthday.

One from her (Great) Aunt Greer revealed a beautiful prairie bonnet that will protect her little head from the future African sun.

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And the second package came from Aunt Jes. What was inside? None other than Laura Ingalls Wilder herself. 😉

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Rachael is one HAPPY and BLESSED girl!

On her birthday, it was a more normal one with homeschooling, house chores, and a quiet night in. As an added surprise, Rachael got to skip any one subject in homeschool for the day that she desired, so Grammar got the boot. Hehe.

And as per tradition, she got to pick out dinner. This year she wanted to have a candlelight birthday meal so I decked out the table in celebration.

And guess what we ate via Rachael’s choice?

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Soft tacos, mashed potatoes and root beer. =) Not all blended of course. 😉

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After a giant cupcake happily split amongst all of us, Rachael picked the first Ice Age movie to enjoy her birthday evening. My favorite part of the whole evening is a toss-up between sharing things we like about Rachael’s character at dinner time (though the preschool crowd comes up with some random things) and watching Rachael lose it in hysterical laughter at the stinky diaper scene when the Ice Age characters are trying to figure out what the baby needs. She DIES laughing during that scene at their utter panic as they fumble about to stop the crying baby. Hehe. She doesn’t realize the natural training she’s had with babies and little kids so it makes the scene even more entertaining to her.

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My Dear Rachael,

Happy 7th Birthday!!! Wow! SEVEN! You’re getting HUGE!

I love your heart and the way you flock to babies because you love to love them and play with them. I love your contagious smile and the way you’re not afraid to explode with excitement. I love how you genuinely think of others and just have to make people cards and pictures when they’re not feeling well, have birthdays, or you just want to brighten their normal. I love how you create such cool 3D (even if you don’t quite know what that means yet) pictures, recreating things you have seen or imagine with construction paper and craft supplies. I love how you love to read, not even aware that you happily initiate sitting for 30 or 40 minutes to read books to your sisters or curling up on the couch with one of your chapter books. And I love how you find me amongst my house chores to tell me a funny part of the chapter, fighting through the giggles as you reread the section to me. I love how you think about others, serving them, especially your sisters who aren’t always easy to serve. But so often you see the greater lesson and take the low road so they can have first choice. It may not look like I see that or hear that in those moments that you’re just trying to keep your little sisters from being grumpy during one of those awesome games you have created, but I really do see that and it’s a beautiful thing to watch. I love how you dive into Eden’s world, fully absorbed in helping her be happy. Whether it’s boosting her up so she can also see and be a part of the fun or dressing her up too so she won’t be left out, you see her and it’s so beautiful to watch. It’s no wonder your sisters copy you and want to be like you. You’re a wonderful person! And we all se something in you that we just want to be around.Rachael, you make my day so much more fun.

This year, the week after your birthday, I am going to Peru for a missions trip. I know that you’re nervous about it and don’t want me to go, while you also want me to go to tell the little kids about Jesus.  I hear your heart. I’m going to miss you A LOT too. But I wanted you to know what I’m going to miss most of all about you in the ten days that I’m gone. Rachael, you help make my normal. I’m going to miss most the normal things: that twinkle in your eye, sharing homeschool lessons with you on our bellies with Eden riding my back, seeing your maturity break through when I serve a side dish that is not your favorite and yet you eat it without complaint, hearing you talk about Africa with a bounce in your step and a thrill in your tone, passing by a room to find you secretly and humbly investing in your sisters, that big smile as you read another chapter of a book you’ve picked out. Rachael, I’m just going to miss you, wonderful, fantastic you. So thank you for being such an awesome kid that I can’t wait to come back home to even before I have ever left!

 

Happy 7th Birthday, my sweet Rachael. You’re such a light in my world and a delight to my heart.

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I love you so.

 

Love,

Mommy

 

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The Apple of My Eye

I remember teaching Hannah how to eat an apple at 2 years old. A whole apple. And not the core. I didn’t realize I needed to give more instructions until she took a big bite of the core and swallowed the seeds before I could even speak. Hehe. Apple etiquette has learning curve needs.

And then there’s this little person who figured it out at 17 months. 

  
Ten teeth won’t hold her back, friends! She’s using those four molars to their full potential! And she is one proud little person.

  
“Lookit, Mommy, I’m amazing,” says her eyes. Hehe. 

(Cue the music). 

Anything you sisters can do, I can do faster. I can do anything faster than you. 😉

– Eden Rose is getting huge!

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