Flowers, Rain and Spanish.

This is a picture outside of our Apartment "House" with the land lord. His name is Alvaro. He is a very sweet and nice man. Andy calls him his Costa Rican Grandpa. And he treats us like his grandchildren...
Here is Alvaro's House. It is sort of confusing but the garage they are outside of is like an open area, their is no roof. It is split up into three different apartments. Ours is on the top level on the right, where the tree is. Alvaro and his wife own the two vacant lots next to ours.
This is some Mountain, i don't even know the name of it. But we can see it when we walk to school each day. This picture was taken at the chuch we visited last Sunday. It was a church of 2,000 people... Crazy kindof.
This is a picture of a beautiful Hydrangea plant. Alvaro and his wife took us to a really ritzy hotel last sunday, and they had 2 acreas of just gardens. Lots of beautiful flowers. I took lots of pic's, i just could not put them all on.
Okay, so we have taken down all the curtains in our apartment, except these ugly ones, they are in a little corner, by the dinning area. Any way, we walked into our apartment last night and saw on the wall. YES a GECKO.. Like the Gieco Gecko. In Costa Rica, these little reptiles are everywhere, but they say you should leave them because they eat insects. But truly that would be the last option in my book. Andy trapped it in a tupper-ware box and then let it free.... Now, my family members might be thinking, Chelsea did you not at one time own a newt, with the name of Mr. Bojangles. Yes, i did, and this is pretty similar. But i am older and wiser and it Grossed me out...... i talked to my nephew Jaden, and told him that i would bring one home for him. If i found another. Just Kiding. But he did find some tupper ware, just in case i do.....

Anyway, those are the happenings of the last week. We have made alot of new friends. And been having a good time learning Spanish.. It still is a little hard, because i do miss seeing our family alot. The Skype, is so wonderful. But i really have found peace in the scripture 2 Timothy 1:12.. " I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." I have been trusting God with my Family and with my heart. And it makes me feel lots better.... It would be a lie to say that i have not missed home, but it seems like God makes that feeling go away pretty quick, when i remember that he is watching over them and loves me...Plus i will get to see them at CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!

Classes have begun.. agggghhhh

Well today was the first day of classes..
The word to best describe the overall feeling that i got was.
I feel like i am a complete IDIOT.

The teachers speak in Spanish the entire hour, and during this time my brain is straining to remember what i was taught in highschool Spanish.
Our first class is Grammer, Second is Phonetics, and third is Conversation.
Thier is 6 people in our class and Andy is one of them.

The funniest part of the whole time was the Phonetics class. The teacher, her name is Lizbeth, had us hold up mirrors and say words and watch how we say them in the mirror. Andy was singled out as the young man who was prouncing the letter F wrong. So he had to say it over and over, with his mouth wide open and his jaw not moving. It was HILLARIOUS!

I have met a lot of friends. We are thankful for the slingbox and skype. I would be having a much harder time without this wonderful technology....

Happy Birthday Joe

My brother Joe turns 15 today.

5 favorite things about Joe.

1. He is kind hearted and cares about others

2. He is smart and is really good at art.

3. He is really good at sports, his ability far exceeds Melissa's and mine.

4. He is funny, he licks his fingers all the time. Sort of a little Quirk.

5. He Is the BEST BROTHER one could ever have...

Love you Joe-G.. Hope that you enjoy the Pics!!

Do you know the way to San Jose, la la la la la la la laaaaaaaaaa

We are finally here in San Jose, Costa Rica, here is some pictures of our Costa Rican apartmento. We are not done putting pictures up yet. But here are some pictures anyway. I' ll try to put up a blog of just our pictures. any how, we like it here. The place we are at is VERY SAFE.. and their is beautiful mountains next to us.. The first picture is our living room, next is flowers and outside our apartment. Next is the dinning area in our apartment. Then it is our bedroom.
Some weird things, we have cable and there is like 10 channels in english. Also we get the Denver Colorado news.. IT is the rainy season, and it rains everyday. as of right now, it has been raining non stop for 4 hours. They have fast food restaurants like Mc Donalds, Wendy's, Burger King, Pappa Johns. And manicure's are 5 dollars. YEAH. Also Andy said that San Jose was 3rd city in the world to get ELECTRICITY. Also Costa Rica is one of 2 countries in the world that does not have a Millitary...

Well that is all for now, keep you posted Chelsea and Andy

Spiders on steroids

Okay, our friends Jonathan and Erica Barthalow, left to go to India.

They live in northern India with their 2 kids, and she sent me a picture of the spiders that she finds sometimes in their new house. and this is one of them. She said they are the size of her hand.... SICKINING!!!!!!!

Just take a look at that and tell me that you would not be scared out of your skin..
So please pray for Jonathan and Erica, because this would be hard to transition to, after living in the u.s.a. for so long.

Crazy Month

This has been a crazy month, we have been busy all month....

These are some pics that i have wanted to post, i just have not had time.

The dirty little girl is Elle Davis. She has oreo cookie all over her face.

Their is a picture of Joe and Jaden and Ethan at the zoo. Which was a blast!!

Silly pictures of Katie and I, and my sister and mom and I.

Lastly is a picture of Andy and I with friends at Mary's birthday lunch..

We have eaten out alot with friends and Family before we leave, which is bittersweet. We leave in one week and it is going to be hard to be cut off like this. But we come home for Christmas on December 14th. Yeah...

I am thankful for family and good friends..

BIRTHDAYS GALORE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOM: JEAN ANN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DAD: GREG

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FRIEND: MARY

AUGUST IS NATIONAL BIRTHDAY MONTH...

I LOVE YOU ALL AND AM SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE IN MY LIFE!!!

Making Memories

So here are some of the pictures of what has been happening in the lives of Andy and I. First off, I had a friends dinner at the Latin King Restaurant. I am leaving at the end of August and wanted to hang with my friends one more time. The picture is horribly not clear. A lady took this picture and it makes me sort of mad.. Also it is missing my mother in law and sis in law. They had to leave before the pic was taken. The next 4 pictures all take place in South Carolina. Andy and my family all went down to South Carollina last week for a VACATION.

I thought that these pics were very cute of all of them and the last one is of Boone Hall Plantation. It was were parts of the movie the Notebook were taped. It was interesting to see a live Plantation where their were slaves at one time and everything.

Anyway, Spending time with our family is what we are trying to do lots of right now. We leave for Costa Rica on August 29th. IT is sort of overwhelming to me. We have been planning to do this for so long and now the time has finally come.. Bittersweet....

I know that through it all that God has his hand on our Family and I believe that he is going to do amazing things through them all. Any way that is all for now...

Chelsea

10 things about me

I was tagged by my beautiful sister in law Becky.

So here are 10 things you might not know about me.

1. i really like to paint my toe nails. Especially in summer. I like bright colors also.. I have about 30 finger nail polishes, not even joking.

2. I love fresh flowers and i wish i had a Huge Garden.

3. I have a bullet serve in Tennis... That crushes my competition ... Andy

4. I love to eat Squash and i hate pineapple. I really enjoy a glass of Ice Java. It is mixed with like Java Sauce, then add ice.

5. I am sort of Cheap, but only when i buy things for myself. I will spend lots of money on stuff for others. But i will buy only cheap stuff for me.

6. I think that Cars are the Necessary Evil in this world. You have to have one, especially in Iowa. But they are so expensive!!!

7. I love Perfume. My favorite's are Romance, Princess, Irrestible, Chance, Lillia, and Miss Cherie. The last one is one Andy picked out on his own.

8. I want to adopt a child some day. A baby. This is going to be after andy and i have had our own kids.. So were talking not anytime soon..

9. I would love to go see an Oprah show, some time in my life. I know that many people have many opinions about Oprah, but i would love to meet her...

10. I can name the first 25 President's in order, really fast. I learned this in 8th grade and i am still able to recite on command. I sort of have a good memory. It is just selective.


That is all about me.. Now i think i am supposed to tag some people.

i tag

Melanie Reed
Angela Albers

Family Time

These are pictures of our Family.. The first is Andy and I on the 4th of July.. My brother is in the background. We went to an I Cubs game. At the I cubs game, we saw Barack Obama.. Crazy i know!!!!! He actually looked straight my way in the crowd... It was weird.

The next is Andy and His precious Mom, this picture is from the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago..Isn't it the nicest photo. Andy and His Momma..

The last is of Andy and our two nephews.. Jaden and Ethan. Our favorite little boys.

Family time, it is important to Andy and I. One of the most precious things to us.

We are so thankful to have a good family. A family that loves us and believes in us.. Hard to find these days.

Thought for the Day. We should all be more thankful for Family.

mi esposo

I recently took this photo and thought, how wonderful of a husband i have.

Thank you Lord that Andy is in my life.. He is a strong and loving man.. And i thought that i should just be thankful today.. Plus he is so cute, with his blue eyes in this photo..

Memorial Day

This is a picture of my Wonderful Dad. His name is Greg. He is a big tall man, with a soft heart. And i Love him lots. I was at my parents house this week and thought that i would take some photos.

Happy Memorial Day to everyone. Sometimes their are holidays that you are think, why is this even a Holiday. For instance: Boxing Day, St. Patricks Day. Any way i am glad that we have a memorial Day. I have 2 grandpa's. The one on the left is my mothers dad. His name is Kenneth Johnson and he served in WW2. I am very proud that he served his country. And made it possible for me to live a wonderful life. My other grandpa is named George Hanson and he died when i was in 5th grade. He also served in WW2. I am very proud of my grandpa's and the way the served. I love them both so much. So even though we are to be remembering the ones who have died during combat. We have to believe that the men living saw lots of their friends and loved ones die in combat. We need to thank them all.

chelsea

Anniverary Numero Dos

Today is our 2nd Anniversary. It has gone by so quick. I am so Happy that Andy is with me on this journey. I am so thankful to God that he is my partner. I love him more this day than the day that we got married.

Chelsea

Birthdays and Haircuts

Today is May 1st. Happy May Basket Day and Happy Birthday to my sweet sister Melissa Ann. She turns 21 today. I am so blessed to have her for a sissy. She makes me laugh and smile and knows me so well. It makes me sad for those in the world who do not have a sister to share their lives with.. i love you Melissa.

The top picture is of her and I eating together today at Cheesecake factory.. Yummo

I also got my hair chopped off short today. I have wanted to do this for awhile. I believe that I look a lot better with short hair than i do with long hair. But now i sort of feel like i look like Peter Pan or Tinkerbell... Any who are some pictures.

Name that State...

These are three pictures from three different states. Andy and I have been super busy this month. It has been a good busy, because we are now at 87 Percent of our monthly Budget. It is amazing..... Only because God is so good, can we be at this point..

So i thought that i would show you these pictures to show where we have been.. The Corn Palace is in South Dakota. We just drove by it. It did not really look that Amazing to be honest. Next is me on the Yellow Brick Road. That can only be found in the great state of KANSAS. To go visit a replica of Dorothy Gail's house you must visit Liberal, Kansas.. And lastly is my great Friend Erica Barthalow. That picture was taken in Iowa at the District Council. The Barthalows and their two children are going to be missionaries in India. It is awesome that they are going to do this, but also sad. I have really drawn close to her as a friend. She is one of the Best i have. So i will miss her alot.

Iowa, Arizona, South Dakota, Missouri, Minnesota, Kansas, these are the states that we have itinerated in so far. So this keeps us busy. But it is good to be busy.

chelsea

samoa cookies

Yummmmmoooooooooo!!!

I recieved 2 boxes of samoa cookies about 2 weeks ago. Samoa cookies are a type of Girl Scout Cookies. If you have never tried them, you my friend are missing out or you just have more self control than I. On Tuesday i was cleaning in the kitchen and realized that i ate the entire 2 BOXES of SAMOA cookies!!!! Andy had about 3.. So that makes me a HOG.

SO, i am thankful that these cookies are not out year around..

Cookies are my for sure WEAKNESS!!!! But what a delicious weakness to have..

Chelsea

Tales from a NURSE

Tommorow is the last Full- time Day of work for me. I will still continue to work, but only PRN. Which means, as needed. So i can sign up to work whenever... Hooray. This is because Andy and I will be traveling to different states for days to raise money to go to Mexico. And i want to be with him as we travel.....

I have really treasured my job. It is one of the most inspiring and hardest things i have done..

I have learned so much from being a Nurse. I truly believe that God created me to be a Nurse.....

I know that i love working with Children... I love how they can get better so quickly and that is amazing to see..

I love feeding and bathing new born babies.. I think it will help me so much when i become a mama...

i love seeing awesome parents who stay with their child and are very active with cares.

I am challenged to make good desicions, and am able to priortise well.

I know the differences between a lot of medicines and how to give them.

I truly have hidden these things in my heart. I am exicited to use them all in Mexico..

Know on the flip side..

I have also been in a lot of life and death situations, i believe that God has used those situations to help me see, what a gift life is..

I have worked with difficult families who were mean and rude to me. And i have grown.. God uses difficult people to help me realize that life isn't fair and that God is so Good. He loves no matter what and i am not God.. But, i am learning that teaching people and loving without anything in return, is so much eaiser said then done. But should always be my goal!!!

All in all, I am so thankful that God placed me where i was in the last 4 years..

I know that i will miss all of that..

but I am so exicted to see where God is going to use my SKILLS in the next couple of years..

signing of Chelsea Reed R.N.

If You're Going to San Francisco!

Here are some pictures of our recent vacation in California. We went with our good friends Bill and Mary Campbell. We had a great time in the Redwood Forest and in San Francisco. Chelsea was able to bless us with multiple versions of the songs "If your'e going to San Francisco" and "This land is your land"! It was awesome. Chelsea also found a friend along the way in an old antique shop! His name is Henry!

Neat People!

Hey, just wanted to post a picture of some really neat people we met a while back. We visited their church in Inwood, Iowa. They are the pastors there. We have had the chance to meet a lot of neat people like these two over the past 10 months of itineration. We are currently at 78 percent of our budget. Hey, God!

kung fu fighting

Here is some pictures of Valentines day and my Birthday... Look how i am able to use my awesome KUNG FU SKILLS, along with my NUN CHUCK Skills to take down the house....

It was a great birthday, i am now 23 years old. And am enjoying life.. We also spent the weekend at New Hope Assembly of God.. It was a Breath of Fresh Air to us during this Itineration Process...

Hope everyone is doing well.

Love "Sensai Chelsea" "ha ha"

Skeeterville

We had great time this last weekend in Kirksville, MO. Kirksville is about 45 minutes south of Ottumwa, IA. We stayed in the home of the Fredricks, pastors at the church. Great people!

On the way home we passed a town called "Skeeterville", no joke. I almost stopped and took a picture but we were kind of in a hurry. I did happen to take a couple other pictures though. It can get pretty boring on the road!

Good thing that Shelton's puts the NO SMOKING sign on their building! I saw that the one right off of I 35 burnt to a crisp last year. No kidding. Chelsea and I drove by it on our way to Springfield, MO. Two weeks later we drove back home and it was still smoking!

Shot Out!

Just wanted to post a shot out to my ball playing brother-in-law Joe. Chelsea and I got to go see one of his games last week. Let me tell you, I think he is headed for the NBA! Here is a picture of him sinking a free throw. Way to go, JOE!

whats new with us

Hi, friends! This is Andy. I decided to go ahead and post a blog. Can't let Chelsea have all the fun. We have been to some really fun churches in the past couple of weeks. We have shared with a few youth groups as well. That is always muy fun! Hope everything is going well with you. Pray for us to get our budget raised so that we can leave for Costa Rica in August! Here are some pics of some of the kids from the youth groups we have been to. Oh yeah, I had to include a pic of the king as well!

missions update

Last night we went to the youth group of Atlantic, Iowa. First off we visited this church on a Sunday morning last summer and it was awesome. The church had many people who had gone on Missions trips to Mexico and loved it. It made it so easy for us to talk about Mexico. Also my great grandma lived in Atlantic and she is also buried their. So we went and found her old house and her burial plot after we left.. It brought back lots of memories for me... So Andy had called and offered to speak at the Youth group and they said of course. So last night we went and it is just a church that you fall in love with. The people are truly loving and kind. The youth group has a male leader who has sort of taken over the Youth Pastor role and one women leader. That is it!!!!!!!

They had about 12-15 kids there, but we had a wonderful time.. It is just hard, i know at Berean we were so grateful for all the help we had. It was awesome, it just breaks your heart to go other places and see all the needs.. I must always remember though, that God sees those needs and i believe and pray that the right leaders would be rising up now, to go to that church and give of themselves.. If i could i would go to that church every Wednesday.. It was a good group....

Anyway i thought i would also write an update on how we are doing with raising funds......

On our Monthly Budget we are at about 60%, and on cash offering we are at 95%..

Praise God, this whole process, i have said that i am not going to worry, because God will make a way!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I believe that 100%

Our goal is to leave at the end of August...... to go to Costa Rica..

love chelsea

today is his BirthDay

Today is Andy's 24th Birthday.. We had a nice time eating out with his family and tonight we are eating out again at OutBack Steak house... Yummo!
I am so glad that Andy is my husband. He is so encouraging and loving. I am so thankful that we are together. He is my Breath of Fresh Air...
Chelsea