Wonder and Wander

If Instagram is your reference point, it looks like we are nonstop pleasure-seekers galavanting from one thrill to the next. We are trying to take advantage of the limited time we have here, for sure, but there’s also a lot of quasi-normal life going on behind the scenes. School, strawberry trials & observation, grocery shopping, exercise, laundry, and what’s-for-dinner. These daily activities, however, aren’t on autopilot. Far from it. Where is the grocery store? Am I going to actually buy one of those fish flopping around in the ice? How do I figure out what it is, communicate with the fishmonger how I want it prepared–and how do I want it prepared? What are these? Where is the sugar? And beyond the shopping–how does this roundabout work? Is that stop sign for me? How do I get this laundry machine to work? Can I find cod liver oil (or xyz supplement for Vance) here?

And those are just the little questions. There are bigger ones–how do I get the kids to actually try speaking Spanish? Where do I get a tutor? How much school should we get done? How much “normal” are we supposed to try for?

I still don’t know the answers to all those things, just like I don’t know the answers to all the big questions in my everyday life. I do know that all those little instabilities are healthy for our family. Shaking things up makes us more aware of our limitations and frailty. The dependence on God that we feel makes more room for the things that are unshakable…if we are paying attention. And I am increasingly aware of my need for this kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews12:28). I have two people in my household on the cusp of puberty, and as a result we are encountering change on the daily. It’s too easy for me to get bogged down in all the attitudes and feelings and conflicts, when really I need to lift up my eyes to Christ’s eternal kingdom.

There has been a lot of sweetness in the everyday, too–we’ve had a lot of family time together, and Vance’s flexible schedule has enabled him to do some little field trips with us. Family field trips are awesome.

One of Huelva’s claim’s to fame (there aren’t many, although it seems like a great place to live) is that Christopher Columbus planned and set out for his American voyage from a monastery near here. The monastery is small and tucked away, still holding on to it’s history, and it is easy to imagine Columbus poring over half-made maps there.

There are also replicas of the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria in a little harbor not too far away. If you ever thought those ocean explorers were crazy, you would be absolutely sure of it after standing on the deck of those little caravels. To set off with so few provisions on such a small boat, sleeping on an open deck most of the time, with such basic navigational tools? It’s amazing that there is such bravery in the world.

We also took a day trip up into the mountains, driving by the Rio Tinto mine. It’s thought to be one of the oldest mines in the world, and certainly the oldest continually used mine. 3,000 years later, the area is still being used for it’s rich copper, iron, and mineral stores.

The area is full of oak trees, and they raise the black Iberian pigs here to make the world-famous jamón ibérico. Truly, the Spanish know how to do pork–their cured hams are amazing. Authentic jamón ibérico is made from hogs that roam the forests eating only acorns, roots, and grass, and the flavor of the jamón is deep and intense as a result. After six weeks here, our kids are finally starting to like it ;).

We drove to Aracena to explore La Gruta de Las Maravillas. After all that pre-Raphaelite literature in college, I was up for a real grotto–and one of marvels?? Sign me up. Actually, the day was cold and windy and uncomfortable, and I wasn’t sure this little out-of-the-way cave that I had never heard of would be worth the price of admission. Oh, it was. No pictures allowed, but the mineral formations and underground pools and lakes were amazing.

We finished the day with an unexpectedly scrumptious lunch at a little traditional taberna–patatas bravas, grilled asparagus, good bread ,stuffed pork tenderloin, and leche frita–and then we drove to a little castle up in the hills. It was lonely and windswept, not the most impressive ruin we will see, but beautiful in its own way. We were back in time for Vance’s video conference and dinner at home. Exploring together is definitely my favorite way to go.