Bull Fighting

During the month of December, Bruce was able to participate in the Zapote Running with the Bulls.  Although it really isn't running.  Put about 200 people in a small ring with dirt and a bull and run for your life!  Sounds like fun, right!!??

Well, he did it, and survived.  Our friend Nathan and Bruce did it and here are the pictures from the television.

The kids and I watched from home and they were very worried at first, but luckily, he promised the kids that he would not get very close to the bull--and thankfully he survived without any goring!

Watching daddy and Nathan try to kill themselves!

First bull of the night--he was a BIG ONE!

The first sighting of Daddy and Nathan

Daddy again, kinda close--does he resemble Big Foot??!!

Daddy behind the guy in yellow

That is one big bull!

Why yes, the bull is turning around to look at Bruce in the upper left hand corner...

Those are daddy and Nathan's legs in the top to the right

Bull number 2 Bruce is behind the guy kneeling

Bruce is to the upper right behind the bull

The guy running with the hat is Nathan--CRAZY!!

Bruce and Nathan are right behind the bull

Another of Daddy

Bull number 3

Yes, they kneel in front of the bull, Why? you ask, I don't know!

There is Nathan

Bull number 4

Whew!  They made it home alive and in one piece!  If you want to hear a fun story, ask Bruce how he got the really nice shirt!

Here is a link to a video, hopefully you can open it!  Here is a video of how Bruce got the shirt!  See if you can find him!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10100255446744587
(if not, it can be viewed through my facebook or Bruce's)

Beyond blessed!
The Crawfords

Wildlife in Costa Rica

Here are just a few of the wildlife that we see on a daily basis here is Costa Rica.  I think it is one of my favorite parts about living here....

This is our most famous friend that was found outside of our house...yes, a tarantula

One variety of the many flowers of Costa Rica.

Trying to find out the names of all the flowers is impossible--too many that I have never seen before!

Elephant ear plants as big as my son!

My favorite and they are everywhere!

Banana trees everywhere

Emme and her butterflies

Don't know, different but interesting looking

This butterfly has see through wings!

One of the many variety of trees, plants, etc.

Roses grow everywhere here too--these are on our campus at school.

This was the friend that was trying to shower with me...

Hermit crab from Rincon (South of San Jose)

Here is a itty bitty crab

Flowers from the mountain side of the 3 crosses

One of the many strange bugs in and around our house

Leyton and a baby preying Mantis that he found

Another friend in the laundry basket

We have a duck pond within walking distance of our house at Parque Okayama

Our friend Baillie and an iguana

There are so many more pictures of iguana, birds, and flowers and trees that it is too hard to show you them all, but the plants, trees, animals and flowers are not like any we have in Kentucky or Indiana.

If anyone wants to experience it for yourself, you always have a place to stay!

IN HIM,
The Crawfords

29 Then God said, "I give you every seed bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it.  They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground--everything that has the breath of life in it--I give every green plant for food." And so it was. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.  And there was evening, and there was morning--the sixth day.  Genesis 1:29-31

Receiving Packages!!!

Since we have been here, we have been overly blessed by people sending us packages.  We have received several and we want everyone to know how much we enjoy it!

However, having said that, we also know what a sacrifice it is!  It is VERY EXPENSIVE to ship packages to Costa Rica.  It is a talk of all the students when a package is received--the first thing everyone looks at is the cost of shipping!  Buying all of the stuff to go into the packages, and then having to send it is a huge sacrifice and we know that!

We never expect to receive anything, but it is such a neat feeling to see what different people send us!

Thank you to everyone who has sent, asked about sending, or anything that was added to a package!

                               THANK YOU!!!!!                                  

 

Boxes from Southside Christian Church Youth Group!!

And all of the goodies they send us!

Box from our friends Tina and Sasha!  They are always so thoughtful!!

Tina sent me some of her home made Quince Preserves!  YUM!!!

Probably one of the best treats that have made it to Costa Rica!  Thanks Chad and Chandi!

We are so thankful and blessed for everything that we have received!  Thank you for your thoughtfulness and kindness!

 

God bless you and be with you always!

Love,

The Crawfords

Festival de La Luz

On December 15, 2012, we were able to go to the Annual Festival de la Luz in Costa Rica.  This is one of the biggest parades in San Jose.  We had about a group of 20 students and kids and family members trek down on the bus, then take a special train to La Sabana to see all the hoopla.

We found a great spot near the beginning of the parade and got to sit down on the grass for the whole thing.  Although we missed out on some of the bands, and other acts, we were able to see the floats up close and personal!  Which was fine with me!

All in all, we had a great night and it was fun to hang out with the other students and to be a part of the culture in San Jose!

Enjoy the photos!

The coke float was overall awesome and enjoyed by Buddy! He liked the train

Dancing elves

Everything on the float was made of repurposed Coke materials

And the final float had these dancers.  We like her!

These were the Mu (milk) company dancers!

                                                          The fireworks were really good!

Buddy fell asleep and missed all of the fireworks, but woke up for the floats!

Waiting for the floats to start with our friends!

This is was my favorite float--under the sea!

Even had real scuba divers....:)

Cool details!

Wild animals

Emme like the Barbie float!

Technology is Amazing

Just thought I should drop a little line to everyone out there that we now have a telephone in the house!

This is not just any telephone, nor is it just any old number--it is a MagicJack Plus (yes, that is a as seen on TV product) that we were blessed to purchase from another missionary couple.  The unit works over the Internet and you are able to have a US phone number--which means there are no international charges to call us or for us to call you!

Isn't technology wonderful??!!

I feel blessed to be able to talk to people who do not have a computer or internet, where I couldn't in the past!

So, as long as we have our computer on and the internet is working, we will be able to receive calls! Eventually we will hard wire the phone so we don't have to have the computer on....but I am not worried about that right now! Just having the ability to call the US without having outrageous charges is such a blessing!

So here is our phone number-
859-577-5762

Please, feel free to call us!  Right now there is a 1 hour time difference, and after Spring time change it will be 2 hours--FYI!

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us!  We need it everyday!

In Him,
The Crawfords

PS, right after I posted this blog, that "technology is wonderful", I received a Facebook message from one of the missionary kids to call his parents and let them know that he was going to take a taxi home because his cell phone was dead and his parents were not on Facebook--so I called them and within 5 seconds, everyone was in the "know"!!

                        TECHNOLOGY IS AMAZING!!