Hey folks,

It is good to see some action on the blog again. For a while, there, I thought it wasn't working.

S&P it is good to finally hear from you. We heard a little through mom and dad. I'm glad you all like your cottage and think it will be good for you. Ca and Muki, are you excited about joining the other kids for phys. ed. and Canadian geography? I loved geography when it was in school. And Hannah, how excited are you that you get to go to kindergarten with other kids! You will have so much fun and make new friends to play with. Have you kids explored the whole camp yet? I bet you won't be able to explore it all in the 10 months your there. There must be so many new things to see and do. FUN!

So, Scott, Patsy made it sound as if you were already dragging after only a few days! It sounded pretty intense from what she wrote. How has your first week been? How many students are there? When is your first trip planned for? Do you spend time in a class setting? How are your muscules doing? It is a good thing you and Pipa were running and trying to get in shape, hey? What kind of computer did you find or buy? A Dell? How was your trip out to Medeba? The van worked well? Did you get everything in? I hope you like yours as much as we liked ours.

Patsy, thanks for the update. People are wondering how you are doing in Canada. I think a letter for your Brazilian friends is a good idea. So what are you planning to do with all your free time this year? It sounds like your kids will have great opportunities to meet new friends this year. That will be cool. It will be good to talk once you get settled and get the cheap phone rate. Speaking of rates, I read on the internet yesterday that the gas prices in and around Toronto are the cheapest in Canada. That must be nice. They are aslo the cheapest they have been since March 28. That is great for you!

Tres, your holidays sound as if they were all but holidays. WOW, you were busy! But it is always good to see people, especially the ones from home. Even though you were very busy I hope you enjoyed having your guests. Now school is on and rutine is the name of the game.

Markus, how is your new boss? It is good to hear that he really takes interest in people. Do you see yourselves being friends away from work? I hope this year goes smoother for you than last. I read that you changed offices, right? Was that just a switch of rooms or was that a change in position as well? What are you working with now, still enrollments and such? Are you all healed up from you v-ball injuries? Do you start that again soon? Howard showed us your house and really the whole BFA setup on Google Earth while he was here. It was neat to see your place.

Brenda, is the countdown on for the arrival of students? When do they officially start? Do you need to take a lot of courses like you did the other day? I guess today you leave for your little holiday, right? Say a big "HI" and "CONGRATULATIONS" to Sylvia from us. We were very excited to hear she was getting married. What a great girl! Shannon really connected with her at Madge.

Al, how were your meetings in Sask? How is your new position going? Do you like it more than being on the road selling? What differences are there in what you do now compared to what you did before? Are you glad you made the switch? Brenda wrote a little about the new home group you a planning. It realy sounds good. It will be nice to meet and get to know your neighbors more and to invest in their lives. I hope that goes well for you. It will be nice working with the other couple as well.

Last Friday, Shannon and I went out for Fondue for our 4 year anniversary. It was a beautiful night so we went for a walk after supper as well. It is nice to have Lidi here to watch the kids which allows us to go out. I hope we will do more of that now that Jessi is eating other foods and she doesn't need Shannon all the time.

This past Tuesday I got my third wisdom tooth pulled. The bottom right side. It didn't go as smoothly as the last one which just popped straight out. The roots on this one were curved and so he took it out in three peices. Again, it was a huge tooth. I have to take a few different pills and use some sort of alchohol to swish over the holes to keep them clean. Last night when we were playing UNO, Jaden and I stacked the deck against Shannon because she was winning every round. So we were joking that the past while has brought me to taking drugs and alchohol and that I was even cheating on my wife. Next week Monday I get the last one pulled, then they are done. I am sure glad I don't puff up like some people do. Really it is pretty painless for me, thank God.

I have started my Portuguese classes this past week. So far I have had 4 and they are great. It is a lot more conversation based with homework for each class. I do 2 classes each day I go. Each class is 1 hour. It has been good for busting my confidence to speak, even if I make a mistake.

Well this is pretty long so I will get off and let someone else write. We love to read about what is going on in your lives, so keep writing.

Dwayne

Hey family....finally we have the oportunity to let you know that we are alive!!! It has been a great experience thus far. Scott is going to be learning A LOT, because he is already feeling an overkill on his brain cells(never mind his muscles and syatic nerve)! It will definitely be a challenging year for him(he has already done high rope jumps and used his new climbing shoes, which really hurt his feet Mom), but he is really enjoying every aspect of it. I'll let him fill you in sometime on the course. The family on the other hand hasn't had the greatest of weeks because the cabin we are living in this week at the camp is full of MICE!!!! Mommy is the worst of course. She hasn't been sleeping very well hearing the mice scurrying around the room! But this too shall pass. We did go to see our "cottage" and we all loved it. It is small, but the space is well used. We should be OK> We decided to enroll Hannah in public school for kindergarten. She starts on Sept.11. She goes for full days every other day. Then today the principle of the private Christian school at Medeba told me that for no cost our boys are invited to participate in their afternoon phys.ed and Canadian social studies programs...so we'll see. I might even get a few afternoons to myself this year!!! I have been enjoying the kids a lot and the family time has been precious.

We miss you all...it's another culture change altogether. The staff here has been so very kind and good to us all. They are doing their best to make us all comfortable. Anyway, I could write a lot more, but I have no idea where my boys are, so I should go and round them up. Scott is sitting at the next computer at this minute and is ordering our laptop which will allow me better access to the internet...I'm feeling disconnected with my world.

Dwayne, I'm glad you are enjoying your classes...write in portuguese as soon as you are able. We want to write an update soon to our Brazilian friends. Shannon, thanks for the email regarding Lidi's money situation...sounds good. Your girls are so cute!!!

Tres and Markus, I'm so glad to hear you are finally getting some routine back into your lives. All the best with the new school Matthew, with the new boss Markus and with the new work hours Tres.

The rest of you...when exactly are you coming to visit??????

We love you all.....Patsy

trying again with one pic at a time to see if it works

shannon

hey family and especially Emily, cudos for the two teeth! that is impressive!!! Teresa, glad to here you survived the summer holidays. we are looking forward to summer. this cold wet stuff isn't my cup of tea but it could be worse, we have had it pretty good according to others here. Patsy how are ya??? mom said you move into the permanent house on the 6th, correct? Brenda thanks for the call, it was good to here a familiar voice. mom & dad thanks for the phone call, our funds are definitely limited these days with Dwayne's course, my language and helping Lidi as well. No worries but every little bit helps. the kids are all well and Jessi now likes to bite!!!!!!! You know what i mean girls!!! Lots of pain!! anyway here's a couple pics hope they work, Dwayne usually does this part!
love and laughs,
Shannon

Hi everyone, well Shannon - Emily just lost two teeth in a week!!

Let me recap and then go on since this is what my mind is doing today.

June 9 - grad
June7 - 12 - Toews here (on and off)
June 16 - 20 - Ireland
June 23 - knee surjury
2 weeks to recover
July 8 - 30 -Greg and Dd here
July 30 - August 8 - Al and Brenda here
August 10 - 18 - David Beck here
August 21 - 25 - work ful time getting things ready at school
August 29 - opening ceremonies

No wonder I have been through the most emotionally drained feeling I've ever experienced in life - not depression, just drained.

Now we are into routine. School started yesterday and all the kids had hours of talking to do because it was so great. I won't even go into detail. For Niklaas it seems like having Matthew in middle school with him, it gives them actually both a sense of confidence or courage.

Markus' new boss is very people oriented and funny - hopefully this will be better.

Dad - we have not forgotten your birthday, but it hasn't worked for us to call you when you are home. We all love you tonnes and hope you had a great day.

I will be working M/T/W/F 9 - 2 and Thursday 12:30 - 4. This gives me this two hour period I'm using right now to do things like this. I've been very good at having a meal plan now for about 5 months so this helps with not wondering what supper will be every night.

I;m gonna try the picture thing now.

I wonder if you need DSl and not the old dial up for this. It didn't seem to work.

I'll try again because I have some photos I know you would love to see!!

Love to you all, the kids will be walking in the door any minute,
Teresa

Hi all!

D&S it was good to get all those pics from you guys! Jado, I like your haircut. Your family pictures at the sitio turned out nice. Jasper is such a princess! Give Jessie a big "grandpa" pinch for me Dwayne! Well, how did the offering go on Sunday? Let us know. We are praying for you guys, in all aspects. Please know we think of you often. Shannon, it was nice to talk on the phone with you. Dwayne, I was sorry I missed you. I'll call again soon.

M&T I hope the dust has all settled at your house, after all your guests left. Thank-you for the CD of pictures. I got them yesterday. When is school starting for you? We start Sept. 6, but I went back on Monday, just a little each day. Today I was at a Math seminar all day.

Yesterday we had S&P and mom and dad over for a bbq to celebrate dad's birthday early and bid farewell to S&P and the kids. Then Grace and Joseph came by as well. It was a lot of fun! I guess by now S&P should be at Ron & Elsie's in Thunder Bay. (Wed. evening). Caleb, I put your braided gift on my shelf in the kitchen. Thank-you! I will think of you everytime I see it there.

Hard to believe it's back to school already. I will work hard these next five days. Al is away at meetings in SK Aug. 28-30. Then I have a staff meeting Aug. 31. That evening we will leave to Clear Lake to stay with Danny and Irene at their cabin, till Sat morning. Then we'll head home to be at Sylvia Fehr's wedding at 2:00 p.m. Then school begins a few days later.

We are having an exciting "hosting" week. Monday we had three neighbors over for coffee and dessert - the two girls next door (Patty and Trish), and Doreen, the older lady on the other side of us. Then yesterday family. Then tomorrow, neighbors Paul and Lisa and their two girls are coming for a BBQ and Yanik & Melanie, our neighbors across the street (the lady who had cancer last year.) We are so excited that they are coming! Pray for us as we are hoping to start a Bible study with our neighbors. Al already talked to Paul; and he and Lisa are interested. We would be a core at least. We'll see what happens.

Our church has also asked us to help in marriage ministry. We would be helpers in a 6 week course that teaches Biblical principles for marriage. It's a video series and we would just help facilitate discussion. We have a meeting next week about this. We'll see what it's all about.

I love you all!

Brenda

PS This picture was taken in Rome.

As of last night we have renters for our house as of September 1. A young couple who isgetting married on Sept. 16. Her family is part of our church. Brenda, it is Michelle Burik and Wayne Bass from Birch River. Also, just areminder to pray for Sunday. Bethel, where we got married, is focusing on us and taking an offering towrd a vehicle for us in their Aug mimssio Sunday. That is pretty much it for now.

The following postings are some more recent pictures of our family. We would love to hear from you all.

These didn't take to the last blog.

Here are a couple of family pictures taken during our escape to the sitio.

Jado doesn't really like to get his pictur taken too much, but he he is at one of the water holes at the sitio.

And here he is intensely playing a video game.

Our little princess likes to be involved in everything that goes on.

Sorry these did not get through on the last blog.

Here are a couple of pics that mom asked to see. Jessi is growing (in all directions) and will catch up to Jasper soon. It is raining here and the wind is blowing. I'll probibly make fire tonight, we'll see how cold it gets. Sunday Bethel Christian Assembly will be taking an offering for us towards a car. God knows what we need for that. Schalms, have you gotten some rest after all your visitors? Brenda, how's your brain adjusting? Buhlers, I'll get the information from your phone call from the others. Hope your meeting goes well with Jack tomorrow. What time is it?

Love you all, Dwayne

Wow, is it ever good to hear from everyone. We are in sask for 3 weeks and what a long 3 weeks they have been. It has been a time of growth for us to say the least. I am an emotional bomb ready to blow, so it's definitely time to head out. Not sure how God will chose to use us as Madge in this state, but when we are weak, HE IS STRONG. that is our only hope right now.

Stan and Rick are on the last legs of their marriage, and it is difficult for us all to see this happening. We have had the oportunity to talk to them both, but God needs to be their healer. Please pray for them.

The rest??? I have felt very attacked here mostly by my father-in-law. Verbally he expressed the fact that I am too much for this family. That was very hard for both Scott and I to hear. Scott has been fabulous through it all. He is protecting my heart the best he can. I really appreciate his love for me.

The kids have been doing well. Caleb told me that he is having problems with Jim Elliott's quote, "Whereever you are, be all there." So I asked him where his heart is and he said that it is already in Ontario. I told him just to stay there and the rest of us would catch up with him soon enough...he seemed content with that!

Dwayne, please send our love to everyone we have met. Share what God puts on your heart regarding Quest. WE are sharing very openly here, and waiting to see what God will do in His time. Shannon, hang in there...I love you girlie!!!

Hannah is about to lose her first tooth, but is scared to death. the permanent tooth is already coming through, but there is no way she is pulling that tooth out!

Anyway, we'll talk with you all soon. It just amazes us how much God is teaching us about our faults and how much He desires that we become Christlike. Please pray for us on this journey.

We love you all and we'll be back in Niverville on Sunday, August 13th....Late afternoon or evening.

Patsy

Hello Family!

Al & I arrived home last night 10:20 p.m. safely and with all our luggage! (Not like in Germany when we spent 4-5 days wearing the same clothes!) Of course, my brains are a bit juggled, as I got up at 6:30 a.m., but it was actually 1:30 p.m. Germany time. I woke up first at 3:00 a.m. which was 10:00 a.m. Germany time. You know what I mean...

We had a wonderful trip! It feels like we've been gone for a month. We enjoyed discovering Rome together for 4 days. Ancient Rome was fascinating, seeing the area where Paul and Peter would have walked and discussed, the building under which was the prison they supposedly were chained in. A building in Rome is NEW if it was build 300-500 years ago. The Vatican is amazing in the sense of the superstition of the catholic church and it's grip of fear on people, and it's wealth! It was disheartening and yet eye-opening to see this. Each church has a claim to fame like the "skulls of Peter and Paul" in one church, and the "finger of doubting Thomas " in another church, etc. You really get the idea that this is a hoax. And so many fall for it! Spiritually it all seemed so dead. We got an idea of the power the church had as state and church. We are fortunate to have moved away from that. We saw four churchs, and the catacombs where many chiristians were buried underground, during years of persecution and even after the Roman empire came down. The best part of Rome was the little cafes spread throughout, and the Italian food! Pasta heaven... It was a romantic city, beautiful to walk. Beware of the wild traffic though...

We liked Rome better than Paris, which is more spread out, not as quaint. Still beautiful though, but we were "citied out" and Paris was also cooler, when we were there. We did a bus tour and saw the main sights.

It was good to spend time with Teresa and Markus, Niklaas, Matthew and Emily. They were Greg and Deedee'd out! They gave us warm hospitality in spite of being tired out. I enjoyed the view out of their living room window, playing games with the kids, visiting around the supper table, touring the school, going fro drives in the countryside, having a picnic in the forest, and exploring a new part of Switzerland together, Vevey.

In Vevey area, we visited a cheesmaking demonstration - as done in the past. Quaint. In this little timber frame building up in the hills! We visited the Nestle factory near Vevey, which makes Callier chocolate, owned by Nestle. And saw the Castle Chillon. It sits on the waters edge near Vevey. Beautiful medieval castle! I thought the Buhlers would like this because they studied it so much!

Throughout our time at T&M's we were reading Love and Respect, a book on marriage. Wives are to respect their husbands and husbands are to love their wives. It sounds so basic, but it's amazing how we as wives sometimes are NOT respecting our husbands. It really helped focus things for Al and I. We will buy the book here, and finish reading it now. It really spoke to us.

All right, time to go shower!

Love, Brenda & Al

Hey everyone!

I am out in Curitiba writing on a keyboard with half the letters rubbed off of it, so if my spelling is bad, today I have a reason.

We are having a good time here (Pipa is with me). And have a number of different meetings lined up where at we will be sharing our vision for Quest and what God is doing. Tomorrow night we are going to attend a youth cell group, Thursday night we will be going to the youth pastor's house for the evening, and Saturday night I have been asked to speak at the youth group meeting about camp and Quest.

I would just like to add to the weight/size loss conversation and say that I am officially under 200 lbs and just bought a size 42 pair of shorts!

Scott & Patsy, Jack wants to meet with you ASAP and let me know if you want me to say anything specific or from you guys.

Markus & Teresa, get some sleep and enjoy your time off, don't just work.

Al & Brenda, welcome home and to your own wardrobes.

Mom & Dad, I hope all is well and Dad, that your still feeling alright. Just think, in less than a month, now, you'll be recovering from surgery.

Okay, I need to get off of the computer. Have a great night.

Dwayne

Okay, i still have enough energy in me to wrote a sgort entry.

Al and Brenda left this morning. We hope their luggage got to Winnipeg with them and that the flights were all uneventful. We enjoyed our time together with a good balance between busy and relaxing. I really enjoyed the castle we found in Switzertland - the best one I've seen yet. It was Switzerland Day when we were there so we got in on the fireworks and celebrations.

I am exhausted from company. Al and Brenda really got the very last strand of me. This level of exhaustion is a new feeling for me. Maybe it's that I'm getting older. The second bed has been set up in Emilys room since mid April! Today her and I put her room back together they way she wanted it. We're not done, but no rush now.

Dad and mom, thanks for the things you sent along with Wiebes and Wiebes.

Of course the kids have all had friends over today already - Britta is here for a sleep over! On Thursday the Porters come back. We've been able to see the Pletts already. The Kraines (sams parents) are here doing an English camp so we've caught up a bit - we'll do more once camps are over.

It feels like school is starting up again. Different orientations are happening, people are coming back, there is excitementin the air. I'll feel more excitement once I get a few days of sleep.

Markus is taking next week off work so we can get stuff done this summer yet. This will be good to get a few things done. Matthew needs to get glasses - we'll go next week. The kids are all getting their third Hyp. shots tomorrow AM.

We are not getting teeth, but yes we are loosing them. Matthew and Emily still have afew more to go. Niklaas will get four pulled at some point during his ortho porcedure.

Niklaas has decided he's ready for school to start again. Emily is ready, I'm not sure about Matthew. I kinda wish he would let us cut his hair, but it seems to be very important to him to start school with very long hair.

I'm really just babbling because I am so tired. i thinkI will go to bed (it's only 9:00) so I need to go make the girls sleepover beds.

Goodnight!
Teresa

Okay family,

The blog has been very quiet since my last about Jessi's tooth. And so she has decided to up the stakes by adding one more tooth!! Yep, that's two. So I think it would be cool if anyone else could out do her by either losing a tooth, growing a few inches in a short time span,(that will not be Jasper I'm sure!) or something else just so i have something of interest to read. I am a little, dare I say bored, well not really bored maybe just a little lonely for some discussion of something in English. My brain is full of Portuguese and needs some English relaxation okay. Maybe Niklass you could write me a story, Patsy says you have a good imagination and I am interested to hear it in print. Okay, Patsy by the way I am down to a Brazilian 40 and lost another kilo. I'm putting on the pressure for you to fit my other pants when you get back.
That's all i have to say right now so tchau e beijas para voces!!!
Shannon