gregandmeg.net

Written by Meg Thursday, 29 April 2010 22:58

I feel a lot better today.  I tell you that because I have been in a low the past couple of days.  I realize that there are many of you that keep up with us through our website.  I have posted this update through facebook and an email, but I need to update the family site.  Here is a copy of the email I sent the morning after Maggie's doctor's visit:

I felt like I should update you all on our appointment since it wasn't what we had hoped for.  At our appointment 2 months ago, the doctor looked at Maggie's Xray and was very optimistic.  Her dysplasia in one hip was totally gone and the other was a few degrees off.  He uses a chart that correlates to her age so the angle of her joint in the socket changes as she grows.  He told us two more months in a different harness and he was confident that there would be no more treatment.  So... all this time I have been psyched to last 2 more months. 
We were the first appointment--4 pm.  I had planned for us to eat out for celebrating afterward.  Ana, Maggie, and me have all been fighting nasty head colds so the fact that the doctor showed up to the appointment at 6:30 didn't help with that (did I mention that the girls hadn't napped that afternoon?).  So I was thankful to rush into his office and hear the verdict that I had hoped to hear the last 4 months.  He looked at the xray, did his measurements, and then asked to see her on the examining table.  After he examined her he instructed me that he was done and I could put her harness back on.  I just looked at Greg.  The doctor is not saying anything while he is "doing his work."
Apparently, she now has dysplasia in both hips again, and all he said was "2 more months, and we will see."  I don't think he remembered what he had said at our last appointment.  Well, you know me.  I can't wait to leave the doctor's office, so I immediately started weeping.
I can dwell on so many negative things right now.  Besides the milestones I will continue to not see her pass in the next couple of months (or longer), I can't even put her in the stroller.  I looked so forward to walking with a neighbor this Friday using my stroller.  Anyway, I am dwelling aren't I?  Maggie is healthy otherwise.  She is such a content, smiley little girl.  She doesn't know life without her brace so it isn't like something was taken away from her that she knew.
I am praying for God to heal both of her hips with his power.  So if you can think to remember Maggie Kate in your prayers, please pray for God to totally heal her.  I am sorry I didn't call many of you in person.  I was majorly bummed last night and it still lingers this morning.  I didn't really feel like talking to anyone.  I realize that there are things so much worse that happen to children.  I think that I am learning a lesson of getting my hopes up way too high.  It is like I should wake up from a bad dream; however, it is life.  And life goes on.

I just love our two little girls.  A friend who happens to be a missionary, Nicole, encouraged me by saying that she hoped the smiles of my two little girls would cheer me up.  Well they do, Nicole.  Here are two pictures that make me smile:

Is it bad to envy your own daughter's blue eyes?

Ana came out yesterday to show me her "baby carrier."  If you can't tell, it is an udder.  It goes with a cow costume my mom made for Halloween.  I thought the udder was a perfect idea for carrying the baby around.  :)

Written by Meg Tuesday, 29 June 2010 15:42

Today is a holiday in Arequipa.  We are celebrating Saint Peter and Saint Paul.  Ana doesn't have school, and we are heading over to Willy's home (Manuela's son) for a birthday celebration--Willy is hosting a joint birthday party for Greg and Kyle.

Maggie's appointment was rescheduled for tomorrow at 5:30 pm.  In Spanish "Ojala" is said when you really hope that something will happen.  We really hope that Maggie gets her brace off tomorrow.  Whatever the result, it will be for the good of Maggie's health, but we are so hoping that the brace has finished its work.

I will keep you posted.  Greg's birthday is tomorrow.  It sure would be a nice birthday present to see his daughter out of that harness.

This is how happy would be if Maggie got her brace off...

Last Updated on Saturday, 12 September 2009 20:54 Written by Greg Friday, 02 November 2007 08:54

"It is better to be truthful and good than to not."

-Freddy Benson, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

"Killing is wrong, and bad. There should be a new, stronger word for killing like badwrong or badong. YES, killing is badong. From this moment, I will stand for the opposite of killing, gnodab."

-The Chosen One, Kung Pow

"Do you use your power for good or for awesome?"

-Strongbad

"You'll never get away with this, Black Helmet Man! You are bad! You are bad and we are good! Your badness will be the end of you, and our goodness will be our triumph! Bad is bad - good is good! Bad-bad-good-bad! Good-good-bad-good, bad! Good."

-Princess Bunhead, Thumb Wars

Last Updated on Saturday, 12 September 2009 21:49 Written by Meg Monday, 10 November 2008 14:15

What a journey this has been.  Sometimes it is hard for me to believe that we really are living in Peru.  I have really enjoyed this transition so far.  There were some obvious times in the beginning (when we lived out of suitcases) that were trying but overall I love living in Arequipa.  It is the first place for Greg and I to settle for good.  Everywhere that we have lived (apartment to a rental house to an apartment in Memphis, the Hendersons in Tyler, and my parents in Tullahoma) we have known that it was temporary.  It is hard to believe that Peru isn't temporary.

I wanted to document a short reflection of some things that I have learned in the last 2.5 months:

1.  My family is Greg and Ana. I worried about leaving my family in the states.  I am such a homebody and I am one of those that wouldn't mind moving back home one day.  I am the middle of five children. and I have a good relationship with all of my siblings, including my parents and in-laws.  I really haven't been homesick one time.  I have missed people from home.  I have missed occasions and season changes, but I have not had a huge cry session b/c I am here.  Skype has been such a blessing to me and my family, but I have also come to realize that I really am at peace with my husband and my daughter close by me.

My father told all of his children that the best thing to do when marrying someone is to move far away from both sets of parents and make your family your own.  When we discussed this on a walk (before I married Greg) my Dad said, "Megan, I wasn't really thinking Peru, but I would say that is far enough away for both of you!"  In some regards, it has been a blessing to be far from family.  My marriage to Greg is strengthened in this situation because I rely more on him and our relationship.  We hang out more as a family because we are the family.  I have loved this.  Now, it has only been 2.5 months.  The holidays are approaching.  I may have my cry session then, but for now, this is my reflection.

2.  I learned in mission classes that all missionaries go through a "honeymoon phase." This typically lasts around 6 months.  When we had no place to call home and were sick of living out of our 9 suitcases, I commented to Greg, "If this is the honeymoon phase, I don't even want to touch culture shock!"  He explanined that we were under different conditions and things would get better.  Well, they have gotten better.  We are settled in a very comfortable apartment, I am comfortable with knowing where to find all the things we need for good prices.  The bulk of our resettlement expenses are over with, and I am improving in my Spanish.  I am definitely in the Honeymoon Phase.  Life is not only good, it feels great!

I have always had a fear of what culture shock would do to me.  I am a very emotional creature, but for now I am agreeing that the Honeymoon Phase is a fun part.  Check back in 4 months to see if the rest of the theory is true for us.

3.  Being a Mom, a wife, learning to shop in a foreign place and taking more time to cook and plan meals is hard to do while learning a language. I am so thankful for the little bit of background I had in Spanish before coming, but I have struggled with learning Spanish and feeling confidence in myself.  This really has more to do with my insecurity than anything.  I have always had a fear of failing and not being what others expected me to be:  that would be called a "people pleaser."  I come across as a very confident person sometimes, but if you peeled away my layers you would not see a confident person in all things.

A few weeks ago, I hit a definite low in how I viewed myself in language development.  I was comparing myself to my other teammates (thinking, "I have got to be the worst one on the team") and feeling very inadequate about improving and mastering something that seemed impossible for me.  One thing my family has taught me to be is open with others.  I am thankful that I am from a family that openly shares their problems and inadequacies.  I went to lunch with my teammate, Larissa, and told her about my thoughts.  I talked with Greg and shared in our team time.  Being open with my teammates and humbling myself before God, gave me the encouragement and hope that I needed.  I am not empowering myself to do God's work.  It is Him working through me.  "Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart as working for the Lord and not for man."

I know that there will be many "lows" in this journey.  I am thankful to God for my teammates, a husband that listens to me and "talks it out" with me, friends back home that can listen and give a perspective off the field, and my God who I can come before and confidently know that it is his power that gets the work done, not my own.

4.  Relationships are key. We are in a difficult place for feeling like much is being accomplished.  We came here to do Kingdom work, and I blog mostly about the food we eat and the things we are buying.  I am tired of this.  I am ready to seize the day and get into it.  But it isn't time.  I am not saying that we are glued to our plans and not open to God working through us right now.  I have actually seen him at work.  I have been blessed to see my husband sit down and have multiple Bible Studies with contacts we have made through our school.  But he knows the language.  I don't.  I am getting there.  What I can do is build upon relationships that God has placed in my life.  I am not able to say a whole lot in a conversation regarding my faith right now, but I am able to build upon the relationships that God has given me.  I have learned that you never know where the relationship web will link.  Seize what God has given you for now, even if it doesn't seem like much.

5.  A missionary wife is a wife and momma before anything else. I admire my mother so much.  She attained her 4 year degree and wanted to live independly for a while.  Her highschool sweetheart (my father) convinced her to leave her independence behind, marry him, and become a mother of 5 children (along a journey that included putting him through medical school, residency, and starting a private practice).  The only glory that my mother received were the kisses and hugs from her children when they said that they loved her and the love she received from her husband.  She never received awards for her work, was never in the paper for the the countless hours of taking care of and raising 5 children in the home.  Many of you had a mother like mine or are living the life of my mother now.  I am growing in admiration for my mother more and more each day that I live as a wife and mother to Ana (and I only have one!).  When Greg had a Bible study here in our home, I sat down to read and listen and learn (be supportive of what was happening).  I soon learned (after Ana awoke) that being supportive means babysitting my daughter.  I hate babysitting when I feel like I need to be part of something, but it is a huge part of my role.  And I intend to live out my role here in Arequipa as a mother and wife before all else.

I am thankful for the wonderful examples I had in my life of Christian wives and mothers.  I ask God for the patience, strength, and humility to put my wants and desires aside and to live with the attitude of Christ in this journey.

6.  Reading God's Word is so fulfilling. Living in the Bible Belt, attending a Christian college, going to church with many Christians on a regular basis, you can almost feel like you don't really need His word.  It is very tempting to allow all of those things to fulfill you.  God's word is powerful and so enriching.  I don't have all of those things to fill me up so life feels very empty if I am not in the Word.  Our team has been studying 1 Peter and now we are starting John.  Each week, we have made it a practice to memorize part of the book we are studying.  It is a very simple discipline but very rewarding.  It keeps God's word in my mind when I am held accountable week to week to recall it.  This is a practice that we want the church here to learn.  I guess my memory work for this week applies well to this point:  "In the beginning was the word..."

7.  Finally, I have some new thoughts on short-term work. I am not saying that I know for sure what the future holds.  For all I know we could be sent home next year or we could live here to see our 50th wedding anniversary.  All I know is that we are comitted to being here for 5-10 years.  As an aside Greg and I struck a deal a while back.  Because he knows how close I am to family and that I would love to see them on a regular basis, he is open to the possibility that we might move back to the states one day.  On the other hand, since I know how comitted he is to this foreign work and planned to come here for life before comitting to me, I am open to staying here a lot longer than I planned.

But after this short period of time, some advice given to us from a veteran missionary are ringing more and more as true:  it takes 5 years to really get good at the language, learn the culture, and start solid relationships.  It takes another 5 years to develop the church leadership and see growth.  That is 10 years already!!!  I totally believe the first 5 years of learning.  Right now, for me, it just seems like a shame to invest all of the work and energy into a work and leave right when it seems to be getting good.  Decisions for family and children factor into all of this I know, but I am definitely leaning toward the longer comittment right now.  And that says a lot if you know where I have come from in this journey already.

This has definitely been an assortment of refelctions.  I want to somewhat "journal" aspects of this journey.  It will be neat to read and look back on a year from now.