Top 10 things we will miss the most about living in Ecuador

10.  Leaving the house in the morning, and seeing off in the not-too-far-distance the mountains, clouds, rainforest, and at times, two volcanos.  I never get tired of the view.

9.  Walking to the pharmacy, bakery, shoe repairman, bicycle repairman, butcher, and veggie market without needing a car to get me there.

8.  Speaking in Spanish as a regular part of my day...even more, as a regular part of my kids' day.  I love it when they have conversations at home in Spanish (sadly, and a bit humorously, they use Texas accents on purpose to make their Spanish sound twangy).

7.  Eating very lean beef--cows here are simply not pumped up with all the chemicals that ours back in the States are.

6.  Having nothing to do in the evenings and on the weekends.  We have no soccer practice, swim meets, drama club, birthday parties, prior commitments, etc. that requires us to rush around from place to place without time to breathe.

5.  Enjoying 65-85 degree weather all day, every day.  Yes, shorts are always appropriate, and no, a sweater is never necessary.

4.  Eating the most exotic fruits and veggies that are dirt cheap and ever available.  Bananas, strawberries, watermelon, cucumbers, limes, avocadoes, guayaba, mangos, pitahaya, mora, uvillas, naranjillas, and so forth. 

3.  Letting my kids play in the jungle with big machetes knowing that they're having fun.  (Never thought I'd say such a thing....)

2.  Hearing no noise at night when we lay in bed except for the occasional dog barking in the distance.  It is super quiet and, on an overcast night, super dark.  Peaceful.

1.  Knowing that an era has ended will cause me to be sad that we will no longer be considered "missionaries".  Yet I know we will only be called to do something else, someplace else, working with someone else.  Being a missionary, as I've come to discover, is more of a mindset than an occupation.  It's simply being intentional about loving those you're with, whoever that might be.  May we all love and serve others wherever we find ourselves....

Blessings, kim