7 years ago...


7 years ago today, our family moved back from language school in Costa Rica. We lived there for 8 1/2 months, during my sixth grade year. Being a new missionary kid, I'll be honest and tell y'all that I was not a happy or willing participant in the move. In fact, the night we arrived to our tiny yellow home in San Francisco de Dos Rios, I broke into tears and (I'm pretty sure) yelled at my parents.

Looking back on my time spent in Costa Rica though, those were some of the happiest days of my life. Here is a list of some reflections of things I am grateful for 7 years after we left. To all those missionary parents out there wondering, "Will my child ever forgive me for this?"it might take some time, but eventually they will!

Thankful for the 8 months I was able to attend a "real school" and make class friends (other than my siblings). Just going to go ahead and make a note here and say thanks to my 6th grade teacher Mrs. Burch for putting up with us for that year. Working with kids now, I realize she had so much patience to deal with us day after day!

Thankful for afternoons spent outside on the back porch and at the park around the corner.

Thankful for how the Lord worked on my heart that year, showing me it was okay to be scared, but it was not okay to not trust him. Costa Rica was definitely a turning point in my walk with the Lord. I was scared of so many things, but he showed me his protection, provision and power through it all!

Thankful for the excursions we were able to take. They were crazy and rain filled, but spending time together as a family was so much fun. The bridge picture here is of our family excursion we had to take to renew our visas. We were crossing a train bridge, that had been turned into a "walking bridge". Yes, there are two feet holes over the entire thing and there were crocodiles in the river below. (ah memories!)

Thankful for all the people we met from all over, itinerating to serve all over the world. They became like family to us during our time there.

Thankful for the new cultures and customs we were exposed
to. It was honestly so much easier to move onto the missions field after that. Costa Rica was like the calm before the storm.

I'll miss this place and the times we spent there for the rest of my life. I can say now that I did not appreciate all the Lord was doing then, but now I can look back and see how the hard things that were happening then, He used to mold me into the person he wanted me to become. Pura Vida!


(All photo creds to my momma, Kristy Holliday!)

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