International Driving Permits

So Travis and I spent about 5 hours at the Department of Public Safety getting my name changed on my driver's license last week. We spent about 5 minutes at AAA getting International Driving Permits yesterday. Apparently it is super easy to get driving privileges overseas. Unfortunately, I have no clue how to drive standard, and automatics are not at all common in Peru. We'll add that to the list of things to learn upon arrival.

My Compassion Kid

When I first became a believer, I felt like God put two things on my heart. 1) Learn Spanish. 2) Love India. As a teenager, I did not really know how to respond to, "Love India," but God gave me a way.

A good friend and I started sponsoring a child from India through Compassion International. We were about 16 years old. A few months ago I received a phone call from Compassion International. The caller informed me that Christuraj, my Compassion kid, had been in a video that was shown to a class Holland. The kids wanted to send him something, but they needed my permission first since I was his sponsor. I agreed instantly, but I was really impressed by Compassion's effort in calling and even telling me about this video. I wanted to share it. Meet Christuraj.

Hem of His Garment

Of all the Ransom Notes I've done, The Hem of His Garment, is probably the closest to my heart. I think I've made about 10 of these for different people. It speaks of healing, specifically, I'm referencing the story in Matthew of the woman who had bled for 12 years. She believed that if she just touched Jesus' robe she would be healed. Travis and I pray for gifts of healing all the time. My counselor, Jan, said that we will never be fully healed until we see the face of Jesus. I agree, and I think that Jesus offers us glimpses of Himself all the time. And in the wake of these glimpses, restoration comes.

Priorities

I think that sometimes the way we prioritize things gives insight into who we are at our core.  Here is an example of Emily prioritizing on a Sunday afternoon.

We had a wonderful morning sharing with our International Missions Community Group about Peru and were driving back from lunch.  I asked Emily if she would like to look online at refurbished Mac Books when we arrived home.  (*note* this is something that we really need to take care of, Emily's 5 year old laptop is at the stage where it randomly decides when it's done being a computer and shuts down.  Also, the desktop disappears every once in awhile)

Emily told me she just wanted to watch an episode of the TV show Fringe.  I really couldn't argue with that since I love the show.

About 5 minutes later she said, "You know, if Chris Brown, Kanye West, Jay Z, TI, and Wiz Kalifa were all standing in front of me, I don't think I could tell you who's who."

I proceeded to explain to her the visual differences between the rappers.  Not that I'm any kind of hip-hop expert (although I do know some Dead Prez and Tupac rhymes by heart thanks to my time spent in my buddy Drew's Toyota in high school, blasting gangsta rap as loud as it would go.  Oh, and I was in a rap group in college for a bit.  All of our songs were about dorm life.  Thank you liberal arts education for giving me free time to pursue my dreams).

Another pause.  Then Emily asks, "Do you think you could make me a document where you line up all their pictures and I try to pick out which rapper is which?"

I tell her of course and ask when she wants me to complete it.

The answer:  "Before we watch Fringe."

So if our priorities offer a glimpse into our hearts, my beloved chooses hip-hop cred over technological necessities.  I love being married to this woman!

Wedding or Dance Party of Awesomeness 2k11?

You decide!

Highlights:


Emily & Travis Wedding Highlights from Ben Wyman on Vimeo.



Dancing!



Emily & Travis Wedding Reception from Ben Wyman on Vimeo.


Be on the lookout for my mistake during the ceremony, a High School Musical Shout-out, crazy kids dancing like they've just ingested a half-ton of sugar (which they have), and a very unimpressed Emma watching Matz's crazy dance!

We are incredibly grateful to be surrounded and supported by such amazingly fun people!

Our Wedding Pictures

Kimberly Chau is a wonderful photographer. I loved how much she paid attention to details. She is creative and extremely talented. If you need a photographer, hire Kim ;-)

Here is a link to some of our pictures:
http://kimberlychauphotography.com/blog

A glimpse of our next step

Travis and Mattt on our scouting trip last March. They are buddies.

A farm.

A river.

A view of the city.

Just thought I'd give you a glimpse of the city where we will be living.

Real conversation

After a long bit of silence (I had been working on ransom notes and Travis had been writing our July update), we had a conversation that went like this:

Emily to Travis: Are you bored with me?

Travis: Why would you ask me that?

Emily: I'm insecure.

Travis: What makes you insecure?

Emily: Your face.

Yep, how's that for ridiculous.

Government Subsidized Housing

When my family came for the wedding they asked where Travis and I would be living. I told them that I would move into his apartment. I also mentioned that his apartment was subsidized by the government. Their eyebrows went up, and I am sure images of broken windows, moldy carpets and drugs flashed through their minds. So for those of you who did not get to visit our apartment, I wanted to give you a tour.

Emily and the Epic Ransom Note

For those of you who do not know what Ransom Notes are, the title of this post could have been a bit unnerving. For a detailed explanation, you can visit this website: Through Emilys Eyes. In a nutshell, I combine photography and collage, sell it, and give the proceeds to organizations working to fight human trafficking. Currently, all the money is going to my dear friend, Erica, who is working with rescued girls in Cambodia.

So last week my mom's bff, Tami, contacted me to do a Ransom Note for her. I welcomed the opportunity, and here is a little snapshot of the process.

1. Get tools:

2. Use tools to cut out hundreds of letters. (Normally I cut about 7 letters, but this was a special order).3. Paste cut letters.


4. Mat and frame. (I can see my reflection in the glass...oops).



So if you are interested in getting art and supporting the freedom of some kids around the world, let me know, and I can make one of these for you. (Tami is the only one who gets epic messages on her Notes).

Date Night

So Travis has been talking about seeing a movie called Tree of Life for a while now. We made the drive into Houston last night, bought our tickets and rushed upstairs to the theater. Apparently there were two doors. We went through the open one. After waiting a good half an hour for the show to start, the lights dimmed, and the movie began. About 30 seconds into the show Travis leans over and says, "We're in the wrong movie." Awesome.

Tree of Life had started 35 minutes earlier, so we ended up watching Beginners, and I cried. Travis called it a hopeful movie. I called it super sad. We liked it.

Beach-Jamming and Peru Happenings

As teachers, Emily and I know a thing or two about the end of the school year. It's a time for reminiscing about all you've learned and the ways you've changed. It's a time for parties and movie days. It's a time for frantically cramming the night before a final. And it's a time for looking forward in excitement to the next year.

Our summer so far has been an end-of-the-school-year as directed by Michael Bay. No explosions or buildings thrown into other buildings, but plenty of life developments and a little bit of romantic dancing.

On June 18th, Emily and I were married at The Woodlands United Methodist Church by a former missionary to Peru. A bunch of our family made the trip to Texas from Wisconsin and New York, and it was an amazingly fun weekend full of BBQ's, swimming, bowling, dancing, and cake pops. We are incredibly grateful for our family and friends. I wish we could do it all again, this time as bystanders. Pretty sure I would end up passed out from all the candy and ice cream.

After the wedding we were able to spend five days on the beautiful island of St. Lucia. It pretty much looks exactly like the island from Jurassic Park, and our resort upgraded us to a villa sans fourth wall, which made for some incredible views. I am pretty sure that we only ever saw/interacted with locals or other couples; Emily made the astute observation that it was kind of like summer camp for honeymooners. We ate some amazing food, hung out in an active volcano, shot birds with squirtguns, and chilled on the beach. Emily finished the new Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants book and a couple of sections out loud to me. Don't get me started on how awesome it was.

The next big happening (as if our new marriage wasn't enough!) is that we are officially moving to Peru! The plan is to move to Arequipa by mid-September. This means that we have a bunch of logistical stuff to take care of, including but not limited to: visiting as many of our friends, family and supporters as possible, buying clothes for me because I am not of a Peruvian body type, getting paperwork in order, figuring out travel plans, and continuing to speak with groups about joining our support team. We are excited to know for sure we are moving, and Emily is already making plans to never speak Spanish while we're together in public, thus forcing me to practice on-the-fly whatever I learn in language school. That's the teacher in her coming out.

There is an open door for the ministry we will be working with (MCM International) to help out in some public schools for low income kids, and Emily and I are pumped to be able to possibly work with those kids. Initially I will be focused full-time on language school, but Emily will be looking for different schools to help with, either in ESL classes or reading programs so this could be a huge opportunity.

That is it for life at the moment. We are learning how to live with one another (I even bought headphones the other day so that Em doesn't have to hear Call of Duty gunfire) and are enjoying having our days free to spend with friends. We will update more soon!

Currently Reading: The Inner Life - Thomas A Kempis

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz

Currently Watching: Fringe Season 2

Teen Mom Season 1

Currently Listening: Bon Iver- Bon Iver

Burst Apart - The Antlers