Two Happy Kids

Without Further Delay

Okay, it's been a long time since we last updated the blog.  We thought about just deleting our account, but we'll keep it for a while longer.  Since we posted the webpage (web.me.com/casabailey), I have had little motivation to keep this up.

There is not much new here.  This has proved to be a nice and long summer.  We have had more sunny days in the last four months, than all of the previous  two years (including language school) we've spent in Costa Rica combined.  Although it is sometimes fairly warm (and always very dusty), I cannot complain.  The last rainy season was especially brutal.  It rained virtually every day and we endured weeks without an appearance from the sun.  Our house was so saturated that water seeped through the walls.  I think I developed an allergy to our wet house and sneezed for seven months.  So... I'm not really looking forward to the end of the dry season.

In other news, we are leaving Costa Rica in the coming months.  Knowing that God was leading us to go seminary, we have planned this move for nearly a year.   After many months of researching and visiting schools (and praying), we have decided to attend Beeson Divinity School at Samford University.  Through God's grace and provision, we have a house to live in there rent-free through a job with the school.  We will miss Costa Rica and our friends and community here, but we are confident this is the right move for us.  With the clock ticking until we leave, I guess we need to start stockpiling Lizano sauce and coffee to take back with us!

Drop us a line if you get a chance.  It is always good to hear from friends.

Decorations

Okay, for all of you who saw our Charlie Brown Christmas tree last year...

...we have a major upgrade this season in decorations...

Now that might not look like a big change, but those are real lights!  Special thanks goes to Mimi and Papa for the tree.

More Dancing from Claire

Okay, Claire is much better.  This is a video of her dancing at a the wedding we came home for.  Where did she learn this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1rry0Tla4Y

Claire is better

Thanks for praying for Claire.  Although she still has some fever, she is much better.  Pray for continued health for her and for our family.  Thank you!

Pray for Claire

Ali took this picture two days ago...

Our little girl has been sick, off and on, for a month.  This week she had an ear infection, congestion, a cough, and an on-going fever.  Her ears are better, but she still has the fever.  Pray for her complete healing, so she can enjoy this week with Ali's family.

Thank you!

Landslide

The Inter-American Highway begins in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and passes through Central America before its terminus in Panama.  In Costa Rica, this "highway" (really a two lane road) crosses the highest mountain range in the country as it winds from San Jose to the southern frontier.  This section of the Inter-American is notoriously dangerous and travelers are often subject to delays due to car accidents and landslides.

As a result of heavy rains, one such landslide happened a few days ago.  This landslide completely closed traffic through the mountain range.  Some friends of ours were on a bus, returning from a short vacation in Panama.  Their bus and countless other cars, trucks and buses are still stranded south of this natural roadblock.  What was supposed to be a 3 day trip, is now on day 9, and counting.

Now, pretend that I-75 was ONLY road that connected south Georgia and Florida to Atlanta.  If there was a landslide that blocked traffic on I-75 in, say, Cordele, can you imagine being stuck there for a week while workers tries to clear and repair the highway?