Hablas espanol??

As of today, we officially have less than three months left in Guatemala. I am sad. Over the past year and a half I have used this blog to share our day to day experiences as well as to keep my own personal account of our time here.

However, as we anticipate the future and reflect on the past, I see that I've talked a whole of Dove and not much Guatemala in a blog called "Doves in Guatemala."

So, one of my many goals over the next three months is to share with you (and for my own 21st century scrapbook-memories) a little bit more about Guatemala. And, of course, about the Dove family in Guatemala. Lots to come. Be excited.

One of the most amazing things about being in Guatemala has been watching my children learn and speak Spanish. Both Ruth and Sam are fluent, no kidding, and it makes me so proud. In the house I don't often get to hear them speak because the language of choice is English. However, there are a few moments I overhear them speak with friends or with our nanny, Leyda, and it's really cool.

Recently, I shot some "secret" video footage of Sam with his friend Sebastian speaking in Spanish. It's terribly out of focus (in my effort to have him not realize I was filming), but the audio is clear. It's only 36 seconds long. Take a listen. Be amazed.

We still struggle with him counting to 20 in English and a few other "basic" things in English, so I imagine there will be lots of adjusting when he starts Kindergarten in August. But in Spanish? No problemo for my little canche.

We're Not (Really) Missionaries

Despite popular belief here in Guatemala and in the US, we're not (really) missionaries. So why are we in Guatemala, again? And we're moving where?

I think I can best explain with a timeline, even though it will barely skim the surface of events in our (almost) nine year marriage.

All of these events and moves and changes in our lives have been coupled with a more beautiful story of spiritual growth and "love" growth. Many parts of this more beautiful story can be inferred as you read through the trajectory. And the deepest part of the story takes too many words– lovely, eloquent, challenging words – which I just don't have for a blog.

1999 – We meet at Baylor through a Christian missions group

2001 – We fall in love and talk a lot about missions

2002 – We engage



2003 – We marry and live in San Antonio, Texas. Stephen works at the San Antonio Express News and I work at BaptistTemple. We want to be missionaries, so we decide to save money and raise money and do it.



2004 - We move to Chiapas, Mexico and volunteer at the Good News Friends clinic (www.goodnewsfriends.com) for seven months. We love it, but start wondering if this is the "kind" of missions we are destined to do. In August, we move to Pasadena, California. Initially we were both to enroll at Fuller Seminary in our journey to become missionaries, but for some reason I have a change of heart about this and don't want to go. Stephen still does. I decide to get my teaching credentials instead. I enroll at Pepperdine while he's at Fuller.



2005 – I land a job as a high school Spanish teacher even before my degree is finished. I love the job. Stephen starts talking about maybe not wanting to be a missionary in the traditional sense after all. Through the help of professors, friends, and the seminary experience in general, he realizes he may be cut from a very academic cloth. He begins to think about how he can tie together academia, missions, living abroad, his gifts, etc.

2006 – I finish my Master's degree and then we get pregnant.



2007 – Samuel is born in February. Stephen decides to enroll in a PhD program and applies to University of Texas's History program with an emphasis in Religion in Latin America. He's accepted even though he has no background in history. And didn't even take one history class in college. And has a seminary degree. In the summer, we move to Austin and Stephen starts
his PhD program. I continue to work as a high school Spanish teacher.

2008 - After the first few months of being full time mommy and teacher, I realize it's too much. Money is tight, but I am fortunate and start working part time. We become licensed Foster parents. I get pregnant again.



2009 – Ruth is born in July. That fall, Stephen stays home with Ruth in the mornings while Sam is at preschool and I'm at work. He balances work and classes in the afternoon/evenings. We have 3 short-term Foster care placements.



2010 - In the spring, Stephen is awarded the Fulbright Fellowship to research his dissertation about religion in Latin America in Guatemala. In July, I am offered work by Wayland Baptist U to translate textbooks. In August we move to Guatemala with our 3 year old and (barely) 1 year old. Stephen dissertates. I translate.



2011 – We enjoy Guatemala so much that we talk about perhaps living here during Stephen's 5th (and final) year of the program. In the summer, UT decides for the first time ever to offer a study-abroad program here in Guatemala. Stephen is offered the assistant teaching position and we have an official reason to stay. In the summer, I'm also offered a new on-line teaching job. I get pregnant again. In the fall, we start our new jobs and have our new baby. Stephen starts applying for tenure-track professor positions.

2012 – Stephen gets a job as a professor at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. And then…