Summer with this family

I have been a long time away from our blog!

Whitney and Parker have returned from Africa. They had an awesome opportunity there to minister to a young missionary from our church.(for about a month) When they arrived in Portland (after a wild trip home of lay overs, rerouted flights, stranded in Philly and lost luggage) we did not recognise them. They had all ( the team) done their hair in a weave (kind of like corn rows but with out the corn) We were glad to have them home!
In the mean time (or as we say out West "back home on the Ranch") Garrett and Cody (the boys of Summer Ball) were having great Baseball seasons. Both of them made it into the State Play offs at their level. Garretts team battle they're way to about 6th in the State Play offs and Cody's team fought to the second round. But as they say, all good things must come to an end!
No more loading the coolers, packing chairs and canopies from the Sub to the fields...(and the many trips to the Porto Potty's) It will be missed!
We are somewhat back to normal! Now I can water my lawn and start fixing things around the house...!
So what is on the docket for the Smith Clan...Paint and more Paint! My crew is altogether again and now it's time to play catchup!

The "Ear" saga

Isaac's journey to the ENT doctors was not with out incident. Yes they found the toy and yes they did extract it. (which we are saving for him to give to him on his wedding day as a wedding present because we won't be able to give a present...I will still be paying the ENT...you know the guy with the Porsch?) They put him in a child proof straight jacket to keep him from flailing around (umm...sure) he managed to get one arm free and tried to take out the Doc and his two assistants, and was yelling something about not being taken alive before they pend him down. They said you could hear him howling 3 blocks away! (he must have got this from his Mothers side because I don't remember being like this as a young child. My parents said I was like Mary Poppins...you know "practically prefect in every way!") When they got home I told my wife no more Sponge Bob.
Well Parker turned 20 this week...that means I have 2 post teens...wow. Him and Whitney are 2 weeks away from they're trip to Nigeria and are still waiting for Visa"s! Pray they come in time!
Back to the "ear saga" Isaac has promised us he won't stick anything smaller into his ear than his elbow...wow I can't wait to see how they get that out!!

Sunday was my 52nd birthday (when I was in my 20's I thought people in they're 50's were old...now I think people in they re 70's are old...your as young as your kids keep you!) Speaking of young kids, my youngest, Isaac, (5 going on 20) decided that his ears just weren't good enough the way God made them, so...he shoved some large object off the floor into his left ear. You ask why I am sharing this, well Sunday was my birthday and we had 2 baseball tournaments (read the blog "boys of summer ball") so my wife was going to take me out to a movie ( a good one) on Monday for my birthday.
Instead we were in the ER on Monday with Isaac and his modified left ear. Spending 51/2 hours in the Dallas ER with a fussy 5 yr. old was not my idea of a birthday night. We got home a little after midnight with a prognoses of heavy wax build up, but no toy in his ear. So Tuesday we took him to his Doctor in Salem who told us he has a toy shoved in his ear but he could not get it out. (gives you great confidence in the Dallas ER?)
This Friday we have to go to an ENT (ear, nose, throat) specialist to remove this EXPENSIVE ear modification.
The kids always ask me why we don't go to Disneyland, buy a new van or fix the fence's around the back yard...I say remember that time you stuck something in your ear?...the ENT bought a new Porsche instead!

Living out of coolers

The wild summer ball season has begun.(lady and gentlemen start your engines)
Last weekend was our first tournament weekend. We took 3 cars to church because we were going in 3 different directions...same tomorrow.
We initiated our coolers last weekend loaded with water, cheese sticks, apples, sodas, juices and Tuna fish sandwich's. My lovely wife put the sandwich's in a plastic bag ( you know where this is going) and I threw it on top of the ice in the cooler and assured her they would be ok (you have all made this mistake before too) which by the time we got to the game 3-4 hrs in the sun it was no longer a cooler but a not so cooler. Needless to say the Tuna fish bag sunk in the icy water(you would think the Tuna would be right at home) and there was a little hole in the bag. I'm thankful to report that the Tuna fish did fine in the icy waters of the cooler, but the bread surrounding the Tuna did not. The bread was happy to absorb all the water that leaked in to the bag. I promise that by the end of the season I will have the mastery of the cooler thing down.
So the moral of the the sog(a)gy Tuna story is double bag the sandwiches and place them in a float able tray.

Boys of summer ball

Cody just finished his Dallas High School baseball season. He had some great pitching and hitting not to mention his base stealing. (We tell our kids that stealing is bad and yet we encourage them to do it in baseball???...go figure!) Cody gets a couple of weeks off before summer ball starts, mean while Garretts JBO baseball season is in full swing and Parkers mens league Softball season is underway(...and somewhere in the middle of all this summer ball madness I'm supposed to work and my wife and I are trying to raise a family!!) Last week we were playing ball in 40-50 degree rainy weather and then this weekend we're in a tournament in Corvallis and it's high 80's and we're getting sunburned and over heated. Only in Oregon. For the next couple of months we'll be in a ballpark somewhere almost every night and on the road every week eating out of a cooler or some concession stand (if they have good Nachos) This is why we had kids. God blessed us with 6 awesome boys and a precious girl, who by the way has grown into a beautiful young lady. (we'll cover that in the next blog...she is getting ready to go to Abuja Nigeria with Parker this summer. You can catch all the news at http://www.abujabound.blogspot.com/ )

Diet Shasta

No, that is not a drink I'm talking about. That's the Real Life spring retreat that Parker and Whitney are going to this weekend. (Real Life is the name for our church's college ministry) I think about 175 youth ( I call them that because they are soooooo much younger than I am...when I was their age, I...well never mind about me!) are going down to lake Shasta in beautiful northern California. They will be living on house boats, and getting around on ski boats and Jet ski's. The weather is supposed to be 75-85 all weekend...jealous? yea me too. The teaching and the worship will be awesome.
Pray they have a safe time there and that God will minister to them there, and they will have a safe trip down and back. Parker is driving his car with 4 other youth and is car pooling down with another car.
Oh to be young again...sun, water, jet ski's, ski boats, worship, more jet ski's, food lots of food...ahhhhh!

4 yr old view on Easter

Our 4 yr old going on 20 (Isaac Robert Smith) had some interesting comments this Easter. His Mother and him were shopping one day at the used and antique furniture store in Dallas where we live (she's getting him started early) and they came across a shell lamp with a cross in it. When he saw this "Christian icon" he said "look Mom, this is the time that Jesus died on the cross and was swallowed by a giant clam!!" My wife said the lady who overheard his pointed comment almost died laughing when she heard this new twist on Christianity. When she came home and told me what he said, my comment was,"OK no more Sponge Bob for him"!
As we were going to church Easter Sunday we were passing pastures and fields with various animals which we like to point out to the kids (probably because when we were living in the Bay Area there were only fields of buildings, bridges, houses, freeways and parking lots) so they can enjoy the beauty. My wife said to IRS "look at those little lamb's Isaac, they're playing with their Mother" Isaac quickly shot back in a dead pan tone, "yea I know Mom, we ate one of those for Passover."

Brasil there and back again

They're back and they're all alive(I even noticed that

all of the leaders had smiles on their faces and had their wits about them!!) We were so glad to get Cody back...the fam just isn't the same with out him. We have been hearing all about everything...the good the bad and the ugly(whawawa..wa,wa,wa. sorry had to throw that in for all you Eastwood fans) God has been good to them and brought them through an awesome opportunity. Cody brought everybody some really cool things from Brasil...they will always be a memory of his time there.
Well , got to go and listen to more of the great stories and events that took place in the lives of Cody and his team.

Brasil there and back again

7:30 am Last day in Brasil

Sounds like the team has had an awesome last few days as they are wrapping up their trip in Curitiba. We will probably not hear from them again unless they have flight problems.
I know this has been a wonderful experience for Cody and his whole team these last few weeks. They will have memories and story's to tell that will stay with them their whole life. I would just like to say thank you to Rory and the Staff for taking our kids on such an awesome trip. Thank you God for keeping them safe and giving them so many outreach opportunities. Thank you supporters for the love, prayers and financial support...they couldn't have done it without you.
The Flight plan for today and tomorrow is:
Leave Curitiba 3:30 pm fly to Sao Paulo
Leave S.P. at 8:30 pm fly for Chicago USA
Leave Chicago 8:00 am (Sat) arrive home in Portland 10:40

Sorry I never figured out how to load pictures...maybe next trip

Brasil there and back again

6:30 pm 4/1/09
we just received a phone call from Cody...he seemed stoked. He is having an awesome time and just praising the Lord for all the good things that are happening.
He said he had an opportunity to speak publicly at the Favelas(shanty town) today and was so excited about the response. He said he is loving Brasil and the foods there but that he was looking forward to some good ol American food(I'm thinking Taco Bell or BK, Kinda like the Iron Man Movie)(or his mothers good cooking)
He caught up with an old friend of mine (Lois Broughton) last night and they went out for coffee and cake with a couple of Friends. FYI I have a picture of her and her brother Dave ( one of my other good friends, I guess I do have at least 2 Friends in the world) and I on a Shuffle Board Court(for those in Canada, it's kind of like Curling, but with sticks and pucks on a concrete court) in Brasil when we were young.
We are looking forward to seeing Cody again on Sat. I will send out a flight itinerary so you all (y'all) can pray for a safe journey.

Brasil there and back again

7:30 am 3/1/09
In view of the day I could tell you a joke or pull a prank...but at my age I only have one joke that I can remember and most of you have heard it already.(twice at least)
It's hard to believe that Cody and his A-team will be winging their way back to the USA in a few days. (Why didn't the Beatles sing a song "Back to the USSA"?) The 2 weeks went by so fast. This week Cody's HS Baseball team is playing Woodburn HS.
I will go to the game tonight in Dallas to update his coach on his progress and cheer on his teamates.
After this week we will continue with the family blog that will update the rest of the family.(there are 6 other kids in our family, not a big as my friend Matt Sabo who has 12,...and you thought our family was big)
Cody's team is having an awesome time. They were at a couple of schools doing they're drama and music and just hanging out with the kids, it sounded great. (Side note: we sent Cody with a bunch of shorts, but all the pix of him, but one, he is waring his jeans...saves on laundry)

Brasil there and back again

tues.31 7:00am
We received a great report from the Brasil team late last night. It was so encouraging!! They had a fantastic weekend retreat and were hard at it again yesterday. they sent some great pictures...it was just fun to see. They were trying to teach the Brasilians how to play baseball (this is soccer/volleyball country) Rory (Cody's youth leader) said the Cody was leading the practice session.(his Baseball coach from Dallas High School would be proud) The team continues to do out reach through drama and music. Go ahead and check out the Brasil team blog and you will be blessed. In the mean time this computer illiterate guy is going to figure out how to import pictures to this site.

Brasil there and back again

Mon. 30th 8:30PM
I was thinking about Cody's ancestors who lived in Brasil besides his immediate family.(me,his Dad and his uncle and aunts,((his aunt Corrine still lives in Sao Paulo with her husband Jim)) and his Grand parents(( who have since retired and his Grandpa Smith has gone to be with Jesus))) He also has a cousin and her husband who are also living in Sao Paulo (Mellisa and BJ) and there was my uncle Alan who was a missionary in Brasil for 50 yrs (I think that makes him Cody's great uncle)But for all you genealogy buffs here's a hard one. I was taking to my mother (Cody's Grandam on his fathers side) who was born in Canada ( a really long time ago before I was born, which was along time ago according to my kids) she told me that her aunt (on her mothers side) and her family moved down to the Brasilia Brasil (the capital of Brasil) to acquire land from the government to grow rice crops. Some of my Moms cousins(on her mothers side) are still living there and farming today. So here's the ?? how is Cody related to my Mothers Aunt on her Mothers side. Would that make her Cody's great great Aunt 2nd time removed. Or is it Cody's Dads Mothers Mothers Aunt...I just wish I knew her name.
Well if you know the answer please let me know.
I know that Cody's team is having an awesome time in Brasil. Thanks for your prayers and support.

Brasil there and back again

3/28/09 7pm
The Brasil team left for a weekend retreat yesterday Fri 27 and will be back on Sunday the 29th. Right now they are out of Internet reach...so I will take this time to give some background and information about Cody's family background in Brasil and the city of Curitiba.
Cody's Grandpa Smith took his young bride to Brasil back in the 50's where they did they're first tour up in the Amazon Jungle (its a jungle believe me I've been there)After that Cody's Grandparents moved to Fortaleza (thats where I grew up, I'm Cody's Dad but thats another story) Cody's Grandpa loved Curitiba so much, in 1973 they moved there and served there until 1986 when they moved to Rio to finish they're missionary careers. While in Curitiba Neal Smith (that's Cody's Grandpa)started a half a dozen or more churches and founded a Bible College and Seminary to train young Christian National Pastors and Missionaries. So Cody has deep roots in this city. If you would like to find out more about the City of Curitiba, google "Curitiba Brazil" and go to Curitiba wikipedia and you will find a wealth of information about this great city. There is even section on "15 of November st." which is where the young people are performing they're drama. Just enjoy the tour of this city of 1.8 million people set on a plateau at about 3000 ft above sea level...and that makes for interesting weather like we have in Oregon. If it is cold and windy there like it is here at home I hope the group is having good hot strong brasilian coffee with some warm "Tapioca cakes" (with lots of extra butter and jelly for me...oops didn't mean to droll)

Brasil there and back again

The Brasil team has been in Curitiba now for 5 days. They have had some awesome opportunitoies to share the Word of God with alot of people through they're street drama,music and just one on one. Jonathan (one of the youth) shared that him, Ben and Cody were sharing with a kid at Micky D's (yes they have those there) his name was Wellington and he was a christian. They had a chance to encourage him in his walk with the Lord. Many people have come to know the Lord through the teams ministry there.
I recieved an email from a missionary friend there in Curitiba (Lois Broughton) and she said she was looking at the Brasil team blog and said it was so cool that our team came down these 2 weeks because the city of Curitiba was celebrating a couple of weeks of "street drama festival" Gods timing is perfect. So our team fits right in except we are not selling anything but sharing the love of Jesus.
Cody says in his email that now he knows why I loved growing up in Brasil.
If you want to catch all the blog stuff and pix from the Brasil team check it on the web.

http://cccbrazilteam.blogspot.com

Brasil, there and back again

tues 8:30pm
We have received news from the Brasil team..!They had a safe and wonderful trip.
Cindy said that every airline they traveled on announced who they were over the intercom and wished them luck. Monday night they took a bus ride out to one of the Church's they will be working with for a praise and worship time. Today they had a 2-3 hr bus ride around the city of Curitiba, Cindy (a leader) said they were a great testimony and witness with their manners and good behavior...she was really proud of them. If I can figure out how to upload pix to this blog I will show you visual progress of the team. They are getting ready for bed...they are 4hrs ahead of Ore. time.

Brasil there and back again

This is the second day of the Brasil trip and we haven't heard word for the team.
They arrived Monday morning probably got some rest and then had oriantation. Today they will visit the City of Curitiba and have a special dinner with the leaders there...maybe black beans and rice, or pastels w/ guarana (soft drink) or maybe a churasco (all you can eat meat etc.) Whatever it will be it will be great and they will love it.
You can pray for Cody...Saturday before they left he played a baseball game for Dallas High School (Cody plays Pitcher and Right field) and was on first base trying to steal to second and the pitcher tried to pick him off about 6 times, so... he has big strawberries on his fore arms and knees...needless to say we don't want them getting infected on his trip. (FYI he did steal 2nd and then 3rd and he scored a run for his team. they did go on to win the game)
Please keep the whole team in your prayers if you want to contact Cody by email his address is:
Cody Smith "acts29vs1@gmail.com"

Cody's Brasil trip "There and back again"

Cody and his Brasil team (20 - 30) youth and leaders left Sunday morning 22nd at 11:00am from the Portland airport. They were flying to Chicago to Texas to Sao Paulo to Curitiba. They will be arriving in Curitiba sometime Monday morning. They will get settled in and rested and start preparing for they're ministry there. As we get more news we will update the "Brasil there and back again" trip. Thank you for your support and your prayers. They were excited at the airport yesterday as they getting ready to leave...so chances are they didn't sleep much on the plane trip.