Florida vacation

Bryan and I had a wonderful week away together, without kids. It was amazingly great and very refreshing. We had originally planned to go the space shuttle launch together that was originally scheduled for April 19th but now has been moved to April 29th. Because we missed out on the launch together, we decided to take advantage of our planned trip anyway. Bryan had already arranged to get the time off work and we had the grandparents taking care of our kids. We also knew that Bryan couldn't get off work to go to the launch on the 29th. So, we got a wonderful, sunny, warm vacation in Florida.

We spent 2 days in Orlando with one day at Universal Studios. We had a blast! Bryan ended up helping a guy that had a heart attack on a rollar coaster and we got to enjoy some nice perks at the park because of his kind actions. We had a great time going on rides and enjoying the movie shows/rides. We did the two parks in one day thanks to the express passes we got.

Then we were on to the gulf coast of Florida. We stayed two nights on Siesta Key. It was beautiful. We had read that there are amazing white sand beaches on Siesta Key and it is true. We enjoyed the beach. Used lots of sunscreen and got a little red. We strolled on the beach, looked for shells and ate long, leisure meals. We read a lot too. It was a very relaxing time.

We came home to an empty house and then my parents brought back the boys on Friday before Easter. We missed the boys and it is great to be back with them. I also can't wait for the next time I get to be away with Bryan! No plans for that now but I am always looking forward to more time with Bryan.

Honduras donations

We are excited to be going to Honduras again in May 2011. This will be our third trip to Balfate, Honduras to help at Loma de Luz (http://crstone.org). We will be gone from May 12th to May 29th. For this trip Raquel’s parents, Oscar and Judy Vilhauer, will be joining our family of four in Honduras.

Bryan will work in the medical clinic and hospital again. Raquel and her mom will take turns with our boys and making meals. We will also help with the eye clinic, local schools, area churches, the children’s foster care house and a feeding program to kids living at the dump. Raquel’s dad is an all-around handyman and will put his efforts into construction, farming, plumbing, electrical and auto-mechanical projects. God has given each of us talents and we are excited to use them to help others in Honduras.

There are many requested items related to the ongoing projects at Loma de Luz. We are hoping to fill our suitcases with those items. We are including a summarized list of items at the end of this message that you can buy and donate to us (by mail or in person). You can also donate money to World Medical Mission for us to purchase supplies (we will use 100% of the money donated).

We would also love your prayers for protection and for the difficult lives of those living in Honduras.

Your financial donations are tax deductible and may be done online (enter Jarabek in the box) or sent to:
World Medical Mission
Attn: Dayna Wright
PO Box 3000
Boone NC 28607
On the memo line, please write “003493 Jarabek”

Thank you for partnering with us in prayer and donations to help the people of Honduras. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21

Bryan, Raquel, Jaden (6) and Clay (4) Jarabek
7528 W 111th St
Bloomington MN 55438
701-367-0372 (Raquel)
952-412-0563 (Bryan)
astromom@gmail.com (Raquel)
doctorj.md@gmail.com (Bryan)

Requested Donations
-used glasses (5 years or newer) of any prescription with no scratches
-good to new glasses cases with no scratches
-reading glasses 2.00 and higher (5 years or newer)
-5 battery operated wall clocks
-foam hand sanitizer
-5 new stand up fans/pole fans
-15 new medium firm bed pillows
-gooseneck lamps
-scissors, all types
-newborn caps/hats
-2 basketball nets
-soccer balls
-ball air pumps and needles
-sensory toys (can be used in good condition)
-wooden train set
-animal hand puppets
-Crayola crayons jumbo and regular size
-pots with lids (all sizes; good quality that don’t rust easily)
-kitchen towels
-silverware
-small knives
-plastic pitchers, containers (Tupperware, Rubbermaid, etc.)
-cooking utensils
-10 metal two-pronged wall hooks
-2 toilet paper holders for walls
-3 battery backup alarm clocks
-thin blankets (fleece is fine but no thicker) for twin beds
-Backpacks with standard pencils, pens, notebooks for the schools
-American candy for missionary kids camp: Bubaloo gum, Rice Krispie treats, Air Heads, Blow Pops, Tootsie Rolls, Fruit Roll Ups, Fruit Leather, Nerds, Root Beer Barrels, Jolly Ranchers, M&Ms
-bandaids
-Q-tips and cotton balls
-1 liter commercial quality spray bottles
-hot water bottles
-isopropyl rubbing alcohol
-neomycin or antibiotic ointment (over-the-counter)
-Zinc oxide ointment (Balmex-like)
-Cetaphil lotion and cream, Lubriderm, or similar
-Over the counter cold meds in liquid and tablets
Prefer: 1. combo of antihistamine/decongestant
2. combo of antihistamine/decongestant/dextromethorphan
3. dextromethorphan or guafenisin (not a combo of both)
-heavy-duty stapler (commercial quality) and staples
-printer ink cartridges HP 21 and 22
-acetaminophen or ibuprofen

LARGER DONATIONS
-sewing machine for the missionary community
-2 new dorm size fridges (2’x2’ fits in luggage to take with us)
-new or like new carry on luggage
-digital camera for wound care documentation
-6 ton long neck floor jack
-6 VSR 3/8” corded drills of good name brand
-Airless paint sprayer
-6 heavy duty 10 guage extension cords
-microwave
-used or new laptops for clinic rooms
-20 used laptops for the villages
-printers (color with cartridges or laser printer with cartridge)
-HAM radios (model FT1900R or model FT25QR)
-large coolers (about 54 quart size)
-French/Spanish (side by side) Bibles to train Honduran missionaries
-French Rosetta Stone DVDs or Standard Deviants DVD

Note: There is a longer medical supply list (medial and large items) available upon request. Email astromom@gmail.com to request the list.

my funny Jaden

Last week we took a trip to Madison, WI. Bryan had to go to a conference there and we tagged along for a little fun. It was a last minute decision but we decided to take advantage of me not working and the kids not technically in school and just go.

On the drive there, the boys were asking lots of questions. Where are we going? What are we going to do? Where are we now? How long till we get there? Are we still in Minnesota? Are we still in the United States? and the best of all...
Do they speak English there? asked by Jaden.
I love that my boys realize that not everyone speaks English. Love this and love his questioning and honesty!

We had the boys play in the backseat for awhile and we ate dinner in the car. Then it came to be movie time. We have some PBS TV shows recorded on Bryan's laptop for the boys to watch. Instead of starting the long conversation and enduring the fighting decision with the boys about which show to watch, I just picked one. I chose a Curious George episode because I know both boys usually enjoy George. I setup the laptop and got them ready.
Then Jaden said, "Mom, why do you like Curious George so much? Because he is not mean and there are no guns?"
To which I replied emphatically, "Yes!"
My Jaden knows me well...sometimes too well.

I think my kids are gifted and smart and I love to see their learning progress. Jaden is still practicing addition and subtraction and is already working on multiplication. The boy loves math! I love it too. Yesterday was a big day for him because he completed the thousand chain of beads at school. Yep, that's right, he lined up 1000 beads with number labels along the way. I love that he can better understand what 1000 is now. He was so proud of his work. We even took some pictures.

turning the grateful corner

I just read a book about raising grateful kids and now I am learning to be more grateful. I found out that there was another layoff at ATK March 31st. I knew this was coming again for them. This is the third one in about a year. So sad. I feel for the additional 12 people that got laid off. People need their jobs. I wish there was some other way for companies to do this. I hurt a little tonight for a friend of mine that got laid off.

I am grateful it wasn't me this time. I am grateful that I feel like I am turning a corner in my career journey. I have found happiness in volunteering at the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Minneapolis Market. I can actually appreciate that I am not working right now. I have time to do some other things I enjoy. I have had plenty of time to take care of my sick kids. My to do list has never been shorter. I have had time to get prepared for foster care and adoption. I have had time to organize a family reunion and my parents anniversary party.

I feel like not working is now a choice. I have not had any job offers but there are engineering jobs out there if I really wanted them. The jobs are not worth my time and I like that I have time for other things I want to do. I have not been offered my dream job yet so I will keep pursuing that but for now...I have chosen to not work in an office. That feels good to write that. I know I will get back to my career field eventually but I can not predict when that will be.