An April Shower

Yesterday afternoon in Managua, it rained for the first time in several months. As you can imagine, several months without a drop of rain (the norm for the dry season) causes almost every plant to turn brown. The rolling hills around town, instead of being beacons of lush, tropical vibrancy (to wax poetic) are mounds of yellow grass and scraggly, thirsty trees.

April is notorious for being the hottest month of the year—a fact that we can attest to. Temperatures have been in the upper 90s, there is little wind, and humidity hovers around 60%. Rain, on the other hand, usually lowers the temperature but raises the humidity (75% this morning!). In any case, it’s a welcome change from the dry season monotony.

The rainy season hasn’t fully begun, but we expect it to within the next few weeks.

i believe, but do i really?

Experience makes words on a page come to life. Scripture can mean one thing at one point in your life, but come alive in a completely different way depending on what you are currently going through in your life. I have definitely found this to be true over the last 4 months.

And not only this, but we find out what we truly believe when "life happens". I can say that I believe God is good (and think that I really do believe it), but then a friend has a miscarriage or I watch someone suffer from unexplainable pain and health problems or death comes unexpectedly where it doesn't seem to belong. And it's through those realities that my true beliefs are revealed.

Sunday came…

and I’m grateful.

Sunday’s coming

Happy Easter!

the road begins again

I’ve been out of the hospital (the second visit) for two weeks now. Since I was not there for as long as the first time nor was I as sick as the first time, I bounced back much quicker than before. Nonetheless, I have still been tired and weak, but gaining new strength each day.

I finished 3 different antibiotics at home, and the infections seem to be gone for the time being. I am, however, anemic again, which causes me to be more tired than normal. Also, my blood pressure has been on the  fritz—high then low seemingly without reason. But besides these two things, I have been feeling well and am thankful to be past the worst of hospital stay #2 and all that was associated with it (but thinking about the ice bath still makes me shiver!). I am currently not taking CellCept, my immunosuppressant to treat Lupus, since it is what allowed the infections to take over in the first place. However, there aren’t really any other good options, as far as Lupus medications go, for me to take, so the plan is for me to go back on CellCept in about a week. And then we just hope (and pray!) that the bone marrow/white blood cell/infection issue does not take place again!

Currently, Chase’s parents are in town and all the Nicaragua Russells have been enjoying their company. Certainly Beckett and Hatley have loved having Granddad and Lolli here, and we have all been benefitting greatly from Orell’s cooking! We went to the beach on Tuesday, but mostly have just been relaxing, playing games, and eating delicious food! Since it is Semana Santa (Holy Week), we all have off work, and the break has definitely been a welcome one.

Found it!

Almost 4 years ago, Chase gave me something that I have treasured every day since. It is the most expensive thing he ever bought me and the thing that he had to work the hardest for to buy. I have worn it everyday of our marriage (I don’t even take it off in the shower), and I love to watch it sparkle in a room full of bright lights. In case you didn’t figure it out, I’m referring to my wedding ring (and engagement ring, as they are soldered together).

When I was in the hospital, I had super swollen fingers, so we decided to take the ring off and Chase took it home for safe keeping. A few weeks after I got out of the hospital the first time, I asked for it back, and Chase had to confess that he had lost it. Although I was really sad, I could tell he felt absolutely terrible, so I just forgave him. And I prayed that somehow, someway my ring would turn up. His theory was that Paul’s (who lets us use his washer & dryer) washer ate it. After taking it apart a few weeks later, however, no ring was to be found. Sad, sad day.

Back in the hospital

Well, if you haven’t heard yet, I am back in the hospital, although this time Lord willing, it shouldn’t be for as long. Chase sent an e-mail out to everyone on our newsletter list with a few more details and if you didn’t receive that or would like to, let us know.

Otherwise, I just wanted to give you a brief update of the last couple days here. I checked my temperature right before coming to the hospital and it was at 104. Yikes. We check in around 9PM Wednesday night and at about 2 that morning I was woken up to a torture session  ice-water-bath-in-bed. Chase had done that the night before for my 105 fever, but since there was husband sweetness involved, he did things like put on soft music, NOT turn the AC on max, and NOT break open half-tied ice water-balloon gloves in my armpit (Although my whole body and bed was soaking wet at that point anyways, so I guess it didn’t really matter). My thoughts during this process varied between “I’m gonna die, this is worst thing ever, I’m pretty sure they are freezing me to my death” and “This too shall pass.” And it did. The passing, not the death.

“the traveling russells” turns 2

Two years ago today, we launched our blog. That is to say, Julie launched her blog, but over time I started throwing in my cynical 2 cents often enough to call it “ours”. Life was really different for us in April 2009: we had only just recently accepted a position with One by One, but didn’t really know much about what we would be doing—but we originally weren’t going to be working with kids!

Since then, we’ve moved twice, painted twice, we went to Costa Rica, flew back to the States 4 times, obtained 3 nephews and a niece, learned a lot of Spanish, learned a lot about ministry, learned a lot about wealth and poverty, battled serious mold, culture shock, heat, rain, health problems, power outs, and vermin. I don’t have any gray hair yet, but think I’m starting to develop wrinkles around the eyes.

Anyways, thanks for reading this blog. I’m always pleasantly surprised that a number of people take the time to read the things we put on here.

Here’s an interesting excerpt from our first post:

We currently have this blog named "the traveling russells" because that's what we do. We travel. Almost every weekend...However, as soon as we think of a better name (suggestions anyone?), "the traveling russells" is history.

So much for ever coming up with a new name!