Well, here I am.... back in America. When I arrived, it was springtime on the east coast. That means apple blossoms and the dazzling greens of leaves unfolding. It's the smell of freshly cut grass and berry fields kissed with rain.... / Cuando llegué a los Estados, era la primavera. Esto significa arboles de manzana florecidas y los verdes increibles de ojas recien nacidas. Significa el olor del cesped y campos de fresas, besado de la lluvia...
It was me and the sock monkey on long, long highway. / Es mi y el mono de medias, andando por una careterra muy muy larga
By now, I've come to expect that my life will be busy and unpredicatable.... but this may have been my craziest month ever. According to mapquest, since landing in NYC I've covered more than 5,650 miles! To put it another way, that's roughly like driving from New York to Egypt ...and it's not over yet! / Ya he llegado a esperar que mi vida será loca y ocupada... pero, de pronto este mes ha sido más loco que nunca. Según el mapquest, desde que llegué a Nueva York he viajado más de 9,092 Km! Para decirtelo de otra forma, es casi como manejar de Nueva York a Egipto! ...y no ha terminado todavía!
This is more-or-less what I did last month / Donde he estado, mas o menos
I've spent my entire adult life living abroad, and living very, very far from my family. So, this past month was a tiny bit of catching-up for lost time.... It was more than slightly crazy... but sometimes these are the things we do for the people we care about; and the things they do for us. So, after going through customs in NYC, my next destination was Atlanta Georgia, for my brother's wedding. / He pasado casi toda mi vida adulta viviendo muy muy lejos de mi familia. Entonces, este mes pasado fue para recuperar un poco del tiempo perdido... y fue un poco bastante loco tambien... pero a veces estas son las cosas que hacemos para nuestros seres queridos, y las cosas que ellos hacen por nosotros. Entonces, despúes de pasar por aduanas en NYC, mi proximo destino fue Atlanta Georgia para la boda de mi hermano.
Kayla Compton & Marc Taciak
May 7, 2011
The Taciak family... / La familia Taciak...
and, the FAMILY! haha There's a lot going on in this picture! / y, la FAMILIA! jaja Sucenden muchas cosas en este foto!
Everything is so different here in America. It's all shiny and polished; instant and automated. Also there seem to be no stray cows wandering around anywhere!? (It's very strange) I guess the trip still always brings a little bit of culture shock for me... hard to explain.... I'm going to blame this photo on the jet lag. / Todo es tan diferente aqui en America. Todo es nuevo y limpio, instantaño y automatico. Y nunca encuentro vacas vagando por las calles! (¡que raro!) Supongo que al viajar, todavía experimento un poco de choque de culturas....
the party / el baile
It was a treat to have four generations of my family together in one place. That doesn't happen too often. With my niece and nephew, it'll be 5 generations who've known Jehovah. / Fue algo especial tener 4 generaciones de mi familia juntos en un solo lugar. Eso no pasa todos los días. Incluyendo a mis sobrinos, será 5 generaciones de mi familia que han conocido a Jehová.
After the wedding, the Stringham family had a little reunion too / Despúes de la boda, la familia Stringham tuvo una pequeña reunion tambien
My mom got to wear this really amazing wig, so... / mi mama pusó se esta peluca increíble, entonces...
So we thought it was only fair that everyone should get to wear one! / pensabamos solo será justo que todos podran tener pelucas!
(That may not have been our greatest idea ever...?) / (de pronto, no ha sido nuestro mejor idea...?)
a few of my favorite photos from that weekend / Estos son unas de mis fotos favoritas del fin de semana
a few of my favorite photos from that weekend / Estos son unas de mis fotos favoritas del fin de semana
Jim and Ellie (in their real hair!) / Mi tio Jim con Ellie (es su pelo real!)
My sister Jenny & her husband Byron / Mi hermana Jenny y su esposo Byron
My mom (I'm pretty sure that's a chocolate coated vitamin she's holding.) / Mi mamá (esoy casi segura lo que ella tiene alli es una vitamina de chocolate)
My aunt Margie and Grandma Bev / Mi tía Margie con mi abuela Bev
Sir Isaac Newton's third law of motion states that 'for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction'. Sometimes I think that must mean that for every good thing that happens to us, something bad must happen too. At least, that's the way it feels some days. The longer I live, the more I'm impressed with what Job said at Job 2:10 "Shall we accept merely what is good from the [true] God and not accept also what is bad? In all this Job did not sin with his lips." ...This trip has seen sadness; funerals, emergency rooms, heavy hearts, and then some...... But there were plenty of fun things too; like riding on roller coasters... / Señor Isaac Newton dijo, en su tercer ley del movimiento que para toda accion, hay una reaccion de fuerza igual y opuesto. A veces pienso que esto tiene que significar que para toda cosa buena que nos sucede, algo malo tiene que suceder tambien. Por lo menos, a si se parece a veces. Mientras más tiempo vivo, más aprecio tengo para las palabras de Job 2:10 "¿Aceptaremos solamente lo que es bueno de parte del Dios [verdadero], y no aceptaremos también lo que es malo? En todo esto Job no pecó con sus labios". Este viaje la visto tristeza; funerales, salas de emergencia, y corazones pesadas.... pero tambien pasaron muchas cosas alegres.... como subir en los rollercoasters....
going to movies.... / veindo a películas...
and playing with really cool toys. / y jugando con juguetes super cheverísimos.
This is my nephew Aiden / El es mi sobrino Aiden
And my niece, Ellie / Y mi sobrina Ellie
One very important thing I learned from my sister:
"Never leave home without your emergency clown nose! "
Una cosa muy impotante que aprendí de mi hermana
"Nunca sales de la casa sin tu nariz de payaso de emergencia!"
Going out in service here has been really fun too. This area has a lot of international business and so you never know who you'll meet behind the doors. Lately, I've been getting the opportunity to have some nice conversations with Muslim people; I even met a fascinating woman from Pakistan who gave me a copy of the Quran to read. / LLendo a predicar ha sido muy interesante tambien. Este area tiene muchos negocios internacionales, entonces nunca sabes quien contestará la puerta. Ultimamente, he tenido la oportunidad de conversar con varias personas musulmanes. Incluso conocí a una mujer muy intersantes quien me regaló una copia del Quran para leer.
Over the last few weeks there's been meetings in Portuguese, phone calls in Cambodian, service in Spanish ....English, Sign, Karen and Cambodian too. I've never had a problem getting my languages confused before, but jumping states and cultures so fast, has my brain completely scrambled! haha Lately, there's no telling what will come out when I open my mouth! / Durante la ultimas semanas han habido reuniones en Portugues, llamadas en Camboyano, predicacion en español ...ingles, señas, Karin, y camboyano tambien... Nunca antes tuvé problema con mezclar mis idiomas, pero brincando del estados y culturas tan rapidamente, tiene mi mente totalmente revuelto! jaja Cuando abro la boca, no se sabe que saldra!
I made stops in Florida, Virginia, and DC to see family and friends. There were quick breakfast rendezvous, leisurely diners on the water, long, late-night chats by the campfire... / Tuve paradas en Florida, Virginia, and DC para ver familiares y amigos. Habian desayunos rapidos, cenas relajantes sobre el agua, y charlas largas en la fogata...
Also... / Tambien...
brevemente consideré un cambio de carera
Then, back in New York.... / Luego, en Nueva York...
Emma Thomas & Dan Ingalls
June 24, 2011
Another beautiful family wedding. Except for the fact that it started pouring and POURING sheets of rain the at the same time the bridal party was trying to get to the hall, it seemed absolutely perfect. / Fue otra boda hermosa. Solo que justo en el momento que la novia quiso ir al salón del reino, empezó a llover y LLOVER como nunca. Bueno, aparte de esto, todo fue casi perfecto.
The Thomas house, the day before.../ La casa de la familia Thomas el día antes...
The day of.... / El día de...
And the Thomas house, the day after.... / Y la casa de la familia Thomas, el día despúes....
Man, if this tree could talk! well..... we'd have to cut it down! :)
Upstate New York has always been a nice place to come home to. The brothers and sisters in the congregations around here are always so encouraging and supportive when it comes to serving where the need is greater. I often get asked to share stories, show pictures, or give a little assistance to other pioneers who would like to go where the need is great too. This year I had the really special privilege of being interviewed at the District Convention about what it's been like to pioneer in foreign countries.
The way the circuits were divided this year, I felt like really didn't know that many people in the audience at this convention. But after the program, I thought it was amazing how many people approached me with appreciation, or to share some exciting experiences of their own. I find it inspiring to see people's eyes light up with enthusiasm when they talk about spiritual things and working for Jehovah. I've really been blessed to be in the company of some amazing people here.
Well, it's been fun, but my time back is quickly drawing to a close. But before I go, there's just a couple of things left to do... / Bueno, ha sido divertido, pero mi tiempo aqui esta rapidamente llegando a su conclusion. Pero, antes de ir, solo me quedan hacer unas cuantas cositas mas...
"Hope in Jehovah; be courageous and let your heart be strong. Yes, hope in Jehovah." -Psalms 27:14- "Espera en Jehová; sé animoso, y sea fuerte tu corazón. Sí, espera en Jehová."
