No Pictures Today!

Nope, not a single one!  The only time I would have taken one my camera was not in reach-which doesn't happen often!  We walked to school this morning in the rain, after it rainned all night and yesterday evening!  When we got to school, we found Ginger!  Ginger is our dentist's wife and she is here to study this week also.  Doug has been our dentist for almost 25 years, and we love them dearly.  They have taken great care of us!  Doug will be coming with the medical team in a couple of weeks.  Ginger took us to show us her room at the school.  Oh my, I WILL have pictures!  On top of her roof is the most beautiful view ever!  I had my new teacher today, Gloria, and things went MUCH better!  She thinks Gladys just was giving me too much, too fast.  After school we showed Ginger the town...lunch, grocery store, and market.  We got our stash of fresh veggies and fruit. After we were done shopping, Ginger and I took a tuk-tuk back to our homes.  Now THAT was funny.  Cary wanted to walk, and we needed to ride because of our groceries.  A tuk-tuk ( I am sure that is not how you spell it,) but it's a glorified motorcycle with a bit more protection!  So, Cary flags one down for us, hands me a bill, and sends us on our way.  No, we have no idea if the bill will cover the cost.  Then, I have no idea where we are going and I still don't know how I got to where I belonged.  We went places I'd never seen before!  Then, I have to get out and send Ginger off on her own and trust he takes her to where we told him to and doesn't try to charge her any more than I've already paid him!  We laughed the whole way, and I am sure he was wondering what in the world we were laughing about.  It was a great day and I will get pics of the view, a tuk-tuk, and my new teacher!

World Cup in Guatemala

This is the new Mama.  Her name is Bonita (Beautiful) and she came and found me this morning.  She purrs constantly and her little claws never quit.  She quite enjoys the loving!  She came around again to tell me goodbye.  Can't wait to see the babies in a couple of weeks!  We left Santiago and took a boat back to Pana and just relaxed.  Had coffee at a cafe' and just took our time checking out the market area.  It was kind of funny, really.  Usually they are all over you trying to get you to buy things.  Today, however, they were ALL involved with the World Cup!  It was very interesting to see them so caught up in the game that they just let us roam around in peace!  We saw several places with TVs set up and just chairs in the streets-even an occational car would stop in the street and view the game from their window!  All I can say is that I am thrilled that it is over!  It was a long time comin!We had an uneventful trip home this afternoon and had a wonderful dinner in Antigua when we got home.  Tomorrow starts week two of language school!

Santiago

We left Pana on Saturday morning and took the boat over to Santiago, to the Bamboo Hotel.  THIS is the view from our room!  It is beautiful!  We had lunch at a hotel, and got massages.  The "hut" in the trees was the little massage room.  The lady was pretty old and had no experience, but, oh well, it felt good anyway!  We walked around the local market for a while and Cary met Lydia.  She was adorable!  Of course she was trying to get us to buy from her, but she had personality.  Cary taught her to say "I am cute"!We spent the evening at the hotel where we saw 4 new baby kittens, just born!  When I come back they will be 2 weeks old!  I walked back to the room, in the dark, to get something and this HUGE frog jumped out at me.  I've never seen anything like it!  It's even bigger than it looks!  I made Cary go back with me to take the picture.  Note to self...never travel without a flash light!

Road Trip!

After school on Friday we left in a van for Pana.  Our van was full, and it was supposed to be about a 2 hour drive.  Not so!  It was more like a 5 hour ride!  We were to be picked up at 12:30, and it wasn't too far from that, but there were many more stops after picking us up before we were on our way!  It rainned terribly, we saw a horrible accident, and for a while, we were completely stopped.  We didn't know what was going on.  Well, like I said, it was raining a lot and we eventually found that each car was stopping, trying to decide if they should try to "fly by" a mud slide that was gonna happen!  It was a huge waterfall coming down the mountain and sooner or later, it was going to slide.  Adventure.  We are looking for adventure.  Not really, I just kept studying me Spanish!  So, we finally made it to Pana and we were supposed to take a boat to the other side of the lake where we were going to stay in Santiago.  The people running the boats saw their opportuity (they don't run the boats that late) and wanted to charge an arm and a leg to take us over.  We just stayed in Pana for the night!  We ate dinner at a beautiful place right on the lake, Sunset Cafe'.

Sky Cafe'

After the coffee plantation we walked back to the apt. and found this church along the way.  That night we went to the Sky Cafe' for dinner.  The view AND the food were amazing!  The picture of us is not great, but it's the only one we have!  This is the same church we saw earlier in the day!

Coffee Plantation

On Thursday we took a chicken bus to tour a coffee plantation with our teachers.  It was a great break from the dark hole, but the only problem was that the guides only spoke in Spanish.  Needless to say, after only three days of school, not a lot was understood!  But, from the pictures you can see coffee trees, beans, and the packaging.  Also, you can see pictures of Cary and I with our teachers.

Back To School

No, I didn't write yesterday.  It was a rough day, not one I wanted in print!  We had our first day of language school, and it was rough for me!  Cary asked how I liked it, and I said "I hate it."  I felt pretty hopeless.  After a lot of self talk, we went back for session two today, and it was MUCH better!  No, I won't say I'm a success story yet, but at least I have hope today!  Kenneth and Diana surprised us and came to dinner with us last night, so they worked at giving me a pep talk during dinner!  We went to the market after school today, ate lunch at McDonalds, and plan to eat in tonight and study a while!  These are pictures of our class rooms.  Cary's is inside, I am outside.  I refer to mine as the dark, damp hole.  It really is pretty, but it is dark and damp!  My teacher is very nice, her name is Gladys.  Cary likes his teacher too, his name is Julio.

Happy 4th of July!

I am pretty sure this is the first time I have been out of the country on the 4th of July! Interestingly enough, it was brought up today in several places where we were. I woke up to hear church bells ringing! It was so pretty! It wasn't long before Chico and Sandy were waiting at the door for their morning greeting! We went out and played a little ball before breakfast! Actually, we played avocado. Sandy has a hard time remembering where she has left her ball, so she gets the next best thing. When she needs a rest, she just peels the avocado and has a snack break, then goes and gets another! Chico just wants to be loved on and have his belly scratched. The grounds where we are staying are so beautiful. Lot of pretty trees and flowers, mountains in the background. Ruth and Paul invited us to go to an English speaking church with them. It was a beautiful church, loved the stained glass window! We went to a Sunday School class, and I just want to say it was the first time in 25 years my husband and I sat in a class and listened! Usually he is teaching and I'm doing a million other things! It was on prayer and the teacher did a great job. The service was a traditional service, made complete with The Old Rugged Cross, All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name, and even the Lord's Supper. The pastor spoke on The Model Citizen, and brought in the 4th of July and whatever the Guatemalans call their independence day. Paul and Ruth took us to one of their favorite places for lunch, and it was beautiful, and the food was very good. It started raining this afternoon and rained most of the afternoon and evening, making for a real nice nap time! It has been a wonderful day of worship, fellowship, and rest! Tomorrow, we start language school!

Highlights of Today

We've found the market, McDonalds, and the beautiful hotel just behind us. We are allowed to use the pool there, and it is a really nice place. More pictures another day!

We've Arrived!

We arrived in Guatemala City yesterday afternoon. We were greeted at the airport by our missionary friends, Kenneth and Diana. We had a nice dinner together, shopped for groceries at a store similar to Walmart, and then they drove us to Antigua to our apartment. It was very rainy yesterday in Guatemala, and we went to sleep with all the windows opened and the rain pouring. There are a lot of "sky lights" in the apartment, letting in the moon light, as well as the sun in the mornings! We are renting the apartment from a retired missionary couple. Our apartment is one of three on the grounds where their home is. It is beautiful, with lots of trees, plants, and roses! They asked us to have breakfast with them this morning. We had a very nice time with Paul, Ruth, and we even have adopted pets, Chico and Sandy! We feel right at home! After breakfast they showed us around the place and Ruth even offered to let me "use" her herb garden!

Leaving For Guatemala

Tomorrow morning Cary and I will leave on a great adventure! After many trips to Spanish speaking countries, we are going to language school in Antigua, Guatemala! We are excited about it, been planning it for months, and it's almost a reality! We will be in school 4 hours a day, for two weeks. We have rented an apartment about 10 blocks from the school. We will have a few days between language school and the arrival of over 50 of our college and twenty somethings for mission trip. That means we will be in the country for a full month! So far, the greatest challenge has been getting a month's worth of books into a suitcase. Today I decided that suitcase will be the carry on, the one they don't weigh. There just are some things I won't budge on, and that's one of them! Are there really people who don't enjoy reading? My children will inherit a library, at least, and if that's ALL they get, they will be very wealthy!

















We've never left the country for a whole month before! It has required a lot of thinking ahead and preparation! Time will tell how well we have done! We are looking forward to the time away, the cooler temperatures, and learning the language. I am pretty sure we will miss our children terribly, both the biological ones and all the adopted ones too! I was looking back over the pictures from the last couple of months, and the ones that bring instant smiles are of our kids. I never get enough of being together and watching them enjoy each other too.


















I'll be checking in as I can...I might have stories to tell!

The Andrew Widman Award

On Thursday, it was Carissa's turn to graduate! It was a very exciting and meaningful night for our family to watch Carissa graduate from the Police Academy! This process has been a family affair...every day we would look forward to hearing Carissa's stories, and we were never disappointed! Early on, Carissa learned of a new award that would be given in memory of Andrew Widman, a Ft Myers officer that was killed almost 2 years ago. Based on academic excellence, Carissa received that award! She was top in her class! While we were THRILLED that she received the award, it also had added meaning for us. Andrew and his family had been missionaries overseas and they were here raising support to go back on the mission field. He was a strong Christian and impacted the lives of those around him. It has been obvious over the events of the past few days that Carissa also made a difference in her world. She stood firm for her Lord and made an impression on others with her integrity and character. We had a party for her on Saturday night and some of her classmates came, along with many others! We have all been a little wound up since Thursday, with plenty to celebrate. God has been so good to have allowed Carissa to earn this award! We are PROUD!

This is Carissa with her instructor and her friend who was the recipient of the same award in the corrections division.

We are a very happy and proud family! These are some of her classmates that came to her party!

The Party

Yes, Yes, I know. The party was a few days ago! I'm just recovering from all the hoop-la of Kaylee's graduation, while trying to gear up for the next round with Carissa! The party was a huge success, with almost 150 guests! I am pretty sure Kaylee felt very loved, honored, and worn out as well! Patty made LOTS of pink and black cup cakes, per Kaylee's request, and they were wonderful! Carissa graduates from the academy next week, and we are planning to do it all over again!

Celebrating Graduation

Well, we've made it this far! We were worn out when it was all over last night, but we slept well and have worked hard today to prepare for tomorrow's party! We've cleaned, cooked, and even done some remodeling, with Uncle Rob's help! Tons of friends and Uncle Rob and Aunt Laura came for the occasion and then helped us a lot today! Rob installed a fan and Laura helped in the kitchen.

We had a very nice dinner with the graduates before the graduation and Kaylee received several awards. Then we were off to the ceremony, which went very well. The speaker was Chuck Allen and he was excellent, yet brief! With over 40 graduates, it was a bit long no matter how you look at it! We all had a very nice surprise when Kaylee was presented with the Martha Kreller Scholarship of $1000.00 to the school of her choice! This award was especially meaningful to us. We knew Martha personally, a precious lady who loved the Lord. Her son is currently the chairman of the school board, and years ago was my boss, as well as Cary's. When Kaylee was in third grade, her class went to sing at the nursing home where Martha was. The scholarship was awarded for outstanding leadership skills and service to the school and community. I couldn't help but be reminded of getting the "Good Guy" award when I graduated from High School. It was just what it was called, an award for simply being a good person. I'll never forget my mom telling me that she couldn't have been more proud of any award I could have gotten. I grew up expected to make good grades, but in the end, I also knew it was just as important, if not more so, to be a good person and make a difference in the lives of others. I think I learned that lesson well, because while I was thrilled for the awards being given to worthy students for Physics and English, I don't think I could have been more proud of my student!

That brings you up to date. Stay tuned, tomorrow will be another big day of celebration!

Kaylee's Graduation Day

Here we are, June 4, 2010. We have been talking about this day for a year, literally, you can look back and see! Kaylee is off running around, doing graduation stuff, so Cary and I did our normal day off thing and went to the beach to read. While I was reading, (yes, it was Beth, of course) I couldn't help but think of how proud I am to be a mom. I guess there is something "finishing" and "final" about the baby graduating, even though we all know the parenting isn't over by a long shot. They are our life time commitment, through the good and bad. At some point when they were little I made the decision that with God's help, I would change ME so they didn't inherit the bad, and prayed the good in me (that is there only by God's grace) would stick. These three precious children have prompted a lot of change in my life, not all easy, but because of my love for them I was committed to it. It's easy to look back and see the mistakes, but God is faithful! Kaylee is just a joy! She loves Jesus more than I could ever have dreamed of when I was her age. That alone is enough to look forward with great anticipation for where she will go in life. She loves to serve others, has endless commitment, (maybe that's not ALWAYS good) seldom has a bad day, gives without expecting anything in return, and she is a wonderful example to her peers as well as to those who look up to her. This year has not been one of the easiest for Kaylee, but I can certainly say that I have been proud of her character. She has done the right thing when it hasn't been easy, kept her head high even when her heart was broken. She lives with honor. I am so glad she is mine and look forward to tonight when this chapter will close and a new one will open! Kaylee, go on from this place and love and serve Him and others and never forget that you are His princess! Your Daddy has EVERYTHING you need!

Erin

Erin and I met at the beginning of high school. I had just moved to Lancaster and we went to the same school and church. I honestly don't remember the actual time or place that we met, but our lives were very much entwined. There's a lot of history here. Other than family, Erin has known me longer than anyone and we have shared a whole lot of life-even if it's been by long distance. Erin and David (David also is from Lancaster) married not long after Cary and I did. They have two beautiful daughters, two sons-in-law, and twin grandboys! Erin and David live in Montana now, and until last week, we had not seen each other since they moved from Lancaster. When we last saw each other, Britney was 1 and Joshua was 7 months. They came to Florida for a sunny vacation and some time away from the cold! We were able to be together from Thursday evening until Friday night and the time was precious, but oh, too short! Being able to share life, over many years, just leaves you with some deep roots. She knows my heart, and I know hers. We have both lost our parents and then been parents. We have secrets. Shared hurts and pain, laughter and deep faith. There's nothing we won't talk about, and yet so much that doesn't even have to be said. It is amazing to think about staying in touch for almost 40 years and feeling so close after miles and years of separation. I am sure that Erin is one of God's greatest gifts! I'm so thankful for the little window of time that we had together last week!

Mother's Day 2010

You just can't have Mother's Day without thinking about your mother! My own mother has been gone for four years now. My day started off with having my own children sitting next to me in church. I'm not sure I can explain it with words, but when I am surrounded by my children, and especially in church, all is well. No matter what is going on around me, no matter what is going on in my life, everything is still and quiet, I am at peace. It is the most calming feeling I know. Of course, children without a Mr. Wonderful wouldn't be at all the same, but someone had to take the picture! There is no better gift. THAT is the best.


As I sat there with my own children, I couldn't help but think about mom's last time in church. It was Christmas Eve, and she had all of her children together for the day, then three out of the five of us were with her at the Christmas Eve service. She was gone from this world just three weeks later, and I know she knew that her time was near, even that night. What were her thoughts? Did she find comfort and complete peace just having us with her that night? We missed the photo of us together, but it's in my head! When I was in Arizona in January of 2009, there were four of the five of us together at my brother's church. That was a pretty meaningful thing too, because my oldest sister was able to be there, even tho her health has not been good for a while now.
I realize that church is not the normal place for family portraits, but I am sure that these photos are my favorites. These things seem like small things, but when kids grow up and have their own lives, and when siblings are strung all over the United States, it doesn't always happen so easily! I'm very thankful for a mother that taught me the importance of worship with a body of believers, and also thankful for being surrounded by family today! We all went to lunch at Carrabba's (including the adopted child, Steve) and then came home to open presents. It has been a wonderful day! God has blessed me SO much and I am VERY thankful! Years ago, mom gave me a little plaque that says "The BEST things in life aren't things at all". That pretty much sums up how I feel today!