Fun Surprise Drive-By Visitors!!!

 What a fun surprise!  Beth drove by on the way up the street to take their puppy to the vet, and she called and so I got to run down and deliver fresh cookies for a treat/mid afternoon snack!  Jack, Carleigh and Beth on their way to the vet!  How great that I got a few minutes to give hugs, and get some laughs with them!  I love these three people.  Little Jack will always have a special place in my heart, other than my own kids, he is the only baby I have ever been present at his birth!  And look at him now.  I think this is what is so striking about how much Graham is growing....I will turn around and he will be walking, talking, and driving!  O.k. maybe that's a bit dramatic, but it seems that way with our own four!  One day I was loading up four kids in carseats, and the "next" I was walking down the aisle at their weddings!!!!! Just like that!  It goes so quickly, and I know that that is hard to believe in the middle of it, but if I could say anything to new moms, it would be savor each day, and don't try to accomplish too much, there will be lots of time for those things some day, but these days will never be retrieved!  Soak them up, snuggle, have fun at bath time, and whatever else you are trying to juggle if it is making you stressed....talk it over with the Lord and see if it couldn't be re-arranged, or delegated, or back-burnered!  If not, ask him for the grace to see it His way, and see His grace gifts, the eucharisteos, that are all around you. 

Beth, with dog carrier beside her, and two little ones in car seats!  What a brave, courageous lady!  [I didn't say crazy!!!! :) ---love you beth!]

Isla Del Sol! Here we come!

3 1/2 Days (but who is counting!) and this is what I will be looking at in between serving breakfast and dinner, and leading some discussions and prayer projects!  :) 

Busy and Satisfied! More grace gifts! part 2

 Tuesday afternoons I get to spend time with little Graham who was just 7 weeks old when we got here, and today turned 11 weeks old!  He is growing right under my eyes and I am amazed and awed and grateful beyond words for this moment in time when I am lucky enough to be able to spend time with him and his mamma!  Cameron and I have been friends for a long time!  I took her to Cebiche for lunch and conversation when she was considering coming down here as a single missionary!  She did, and she met and married Roberto, a great Ecuadorian guy.  Now they are parents!  And I get to hang with Cameron Tuesday afternoons and discuss life, faith, being a mom, ministry, culture, etc. etc. etc.  We never run out of things to cover!  It has been such a privilege for me to walk life with and journey as a soul friend with Cameron for many years now.

 No words are necessary!

 o.k. just one, PRECIOUS!

 We wore him out with weighty discussions!  Snoozing in his mamma's arms!  A profoundly moving picture for me and his mother yesterday afternoon of complete trust and abandoned peacefulness and rest!  God desires for us to rest in His infinitely capable and loving arms in just this way, and sometimes I guess it helps me to get a glimpse of this in some concrete way!  Are you resting in His arms today, or are you restless and anything but at peace? Come unto me all you who are weary and burdened, heavy laden and I will give you rest for your souls!  Matt. 11 my paraphrase

 Beach countdown!!!  3 1/2 days!!!!  I have cooked 12 to 14 pounds of BBQ beef all day yesterday it was slow cooking, in this dutch oven, and in the crock pot, and it is back in today finishing up.

 The Business students come for dinner on Wednesday nights and Bible Study/discussion and so their dinner of spaghetti is cooking on the left, and the chili for the beach for 23 is cooking on the right!  (Thanks to Sandi Miller's wonderful pots I am able to be cooking for a large group).

Marlo loaned me her kitchen aid to bake today, she is down at the beach already, and will join us Sunday with her family!  We are taking all the Quito Quest interns and many of the Short Term Full time Staff down for a mid-summer retreat.  We will worship, discuss, learn together, eat together, relax, go for long walks on the beautiful beach, and last but hardly least eat seafood right out of the ocean every day for lunch at Bernabe's--he has had a little shack that has grown to quite a restaurant over the years!  It is a family favorite and I will be sure to eat some of each: cameron encocado, cebiche, cameron alijilo, cameron apanado for A,L,N,S, & D.!  Oh, yum!   Above, are the days goods of baking, several batches of chocolate cookies, and thanks to Austin's team giving me 2 huge jars of peanutbutter this morning, I am also on my fourth batch of "Angelina Bars" :)  [peanut butter bars].  A small jar of peanut butter costs 8 dollars here, and so I was not going to be able to bake anything with peanut butter!  But this is one of the "little" ways that is so significant to me of how God provides above and beyond what I expect, or even think to ask!  Thank you God, another grace gift!

 Angelina Bars on the left, some of the cookies cooling--on computer paper!  Improvise, innovate!

 More cookies waiting to go in the oven!  It is awesome to have such a huge kitchen and loads of counter space to be doing all this cooking and baking! 

 At 48, and at 10,000 feet it is more important than ever that I keep my self in check, and organized with my eternal lists! The mind isn't what it used to be! To Do's on the left, shopping lists for the perishables on the right, I don't have a lot of space for perishables, so needed to get them closer to the time we leave. 

 Monday night Phil and I did all the shopping ahead that could be done, unperishables and all the meat and produce that we needed to be doing the cooking with.  This is everything loaded up in the entry way.  Again, it is so wonderful to have so much space to pull something like this off.  We will be 23 or so at the beach.  We will leave early, early on Sunday morning and return on Thursday afternoon.  Teams for block 3 begin to arrive on Friday and Saturday!  And our friend Stephanie Richardson arrives on Friday for the pre-wedding fun!  So we will move into high gear doing flowers and anything else that needs to be done for Dana! 

The Taco Salad meat already in bags and frozen for the coolers!  Same, Isla Del Sol, Erik and Gladys here we come!  So, so excited.  It has been two years since I got to go to Isla!  Have I mentioned that it is my very favorite place in the whole wide world, and I do mean of every place I have been!  If you are looking for a wonderful vacation spot, this is it!

Busy and Satisfied! Eucharisteo abounds!

 Focus on the flowers, not the scary looking girl behind them!  This was the end of a great afternoon of playing with flowers, and coming up with options for Dana's upcoming wedding centerpieces and even bouquet for her!  Christy and I were in our element!  At least one of our elements! :) 

 It isn't really easy to take a picture of yourself!  The risks of self-portraits!  We were happy girls!

                                                           Ideas for the place settings!

 The finished products for Dana to select from!  She could mix and match which jars and sizes and arrangements that she liked!  I did not get to see her face when she came in, but I heard that she liked what she saw!

This will be something like the bouquet I make for Dana, the beautiful bride to be!  

In an unrelated, random siting, that I have to share:  this is the construction site that I am watching out our kitchen and bedroom window!  I love to see their progress each day, and try to imagine the finished apartment complex!  I have been struck by and impressed by the major improvements in construction in Ecuador in two years!  These men are wearing hard hats, they are roped in, (two things that were almost unheard of two years ago!)  They are on "regular" scaffolding, not bamboo tied together!  They have cement mixers coming and pouring, rather than handmixing with a shovel in the dirt!  But I had to chuckle the other day and shake my head just a little, and think "good thing Oscia won't be showing up today!"  Here is a man in a hard hat (check) roped in (check) standing on block turned on its side!!!!! Not check!!!!!  Asi es la vida.  I love it! 
To be continued in my second blog for today!

Pictured out!! Just print today!

So yesterday's blog probably was over the top with pictures, so I will take a break today!  Nothing much to show unless you want to see me sitting in a dentist's chair, or Phil sick!  Phil has been sick with something since Wednesday.  He pushed through and kept going Wed. and Thurs. morning early he had an airport run, but then he has been pretty out of it.  He got up Thursday afternoon and moved a bed for some people, and yesterday he got up to deliver money to students, but other than that he's been sleeping and feeling really puny!  He doesn't get sick often, but when he goes down he goes down hard.  So please pray that he will soon be feeling better.  Today he is up and trying to be on the move, but by noon he was needing to rest.  So definitely not 100% yet. 
I broke a tooth just before coming to Ecuador, and Thursday afternoon I got to go see a dentist!  But this is not just any dentist, it is Dana's finance!  He did a root canal on me in two appointments, very very minimal pain, and not a horrid process as all my others have been.  He was wonderful!  Gentle, considerate, thoughtful, and kind!  Also, very gifted and good at what he does.  So that was fun.  I was there again this a.m. and now his Uncle will do the crown part!  Voila!  A great dentist experience, which if you know any of my story or history, this is a BIG deal to me.  Thank you so much Andres!  You are the best dentist ever!  (Stay tuned for a picture, because Dana took some on Thursday I just don't have them yet!) 
The last few days have been a little more about being around "home" and cleaning, cooking, and taking care of some things here, and taking care of Phil.  I had fun playing with flowers with Christy and coming up with possible center pieces for Dana to choose from for her wedding, July 14.  Teams are all over the place, and students are getting around so well, and really doing a great job diving into their internships and their homestays.  It was so good to sit with them on Wednesday night and have such stimulating conversation.  They are just wonderful boys and give me lots of food for thought and reflection!  I am beginning to work on food preparation for our beach retreat July 1-5.  There is no Costco here, and so cooking for big groups is more time consuming.  We will 23 people heading to my favorite place in Ecuador, Isla Del Sol, Same! (said samay).  I enjoy doing this for the interns and pouring into them as they have poured out and given so much to teams and ministry sites, translating, and doing logistics, etc.  I love getting the chance to love on them. 

Happy Anniversary: Part 3 Tribute of Thanks

 G'pa Gordon and Logan walking down the aisle at the wedding!

 Derek walking his mom down the aisle!

 My boys walking me down the aisle!  I love you both!  So, so much!

 Little Pare, bear, and Jack, Jack!  Flower girl and ring bearer!  Jack did not want to walk on the flower petals!  They were so adorable. 

 Drum Roll!

 There she is!  With a proud pappa!

 Wow! 

 Phil did the ceremony and got through without choking up!  Practice, practice, practice! 

 The Miller family sang!  It was beautiful, a touch of heaven. 

 The kiss!

 The head table!

 Amber's bouquet!

 Gina and Rheanna had been the brains and organizers of all things at the wedding site! They are wonderful!

 Such sass!  Such attitude, such beauty!  Christy and Sarah!  having fun.

 Stephanie, Christy and Sarah--goodness girls!  You are loved!

 Cameron, Dana, myself and Christy!  I love you girls!

 Doing the capaberry Dana style!  Love you Mora! 

 These are all girls I had the privilege of coaching over the years at Alliance Academy, they are soccer players, and love God, and it was some of my best times ever getting to hang with them and coach them.  Such a fun reunion to have them all together at Amber's wedding!

 Wendy's creation, mini cupcakes, and the wedding cake!  Amber and Derek getting ready to cut the cake!

 A toast, by Logan!  Twin B! 

The end of a glorious day, and season.  Thank you to each and every one of you who sacrificed and came down for the wedding, who were here and helped, and were part of this special day in our family's life!  Thank you so much for your love and prayers.  It is with some wonder and incredulity that I have reflected these last days that it has been TWO years since all this happened.  It seems impossible that this is so.  So much has happened since.  There were so many grace gifts that were part of this time.  I am being mindful to thank God again for each one.  I love you Derek and Amber, and am thankful for your marriage and your lives.  This blog is for you!  May God continue to richly bless your lives and your new home!  I can't wait to see it!  Love you up to the moon, Mom!

Happy Anniversary Part 2 A tribute of thanks!

 Rehearsal Dinner!  This is a table full of fun!  We had such a great evening at one of our favorite restaurants in the valley--La Briciola!  Berend and Carla hosted a great meal and time!

 U. Stevie, G'pa Gordon, G'ma Payne, G'pa Payne, and Bob and Janice Stuck!  Family in the most meaningful sense of the word.  We love you all, and are grateful you were with us that night!

                                           The happy couple the night before their wedding!

 Carla, and Berend, the parents of the groom!  Really meaningful and special to Amber and our family to have them come and see our lives in Ecuador!

Sandi, Janice, and Gina!

 So, I think one of the only things one could call a hitch, was the problem with the flower delivery!
So this is the night before the wedding, after the rehearsal dinner, and my best friends came and helped put bouquets together.  These flowers were 5 days late in being delivered.  They actually came just as we were leaving for the rehearsal dinner.  So, Christy, Dana and Stephanie came over while we were at rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, and prepped all the flowers.  A serious act and labour of love!  This requires, stripping all of the hundreds of roses of leaves and thorns, cutting them and putting them in water.  So that night when we returned, we changed into warm clothes and began the process of making the bridesmaids bouquets, and Amber's bridal bouquet.  Again, this would not have happened without the amazing help of dear friends.  And it was fun!  Yes, a late, night, but if you have to be up late, working with flowers and friends is hard to beat!  I love you ladies!

                              Wendy, my best friend from College days, and my maid of honor many years ago, helping me assemble Amber's bridal bouquet!

 Rheanna, with a little help from Shamus, going through all the rose petals and separating them, and taking out unwanteds!  Yes, we are bundled against the cold of a Quito late night! 

             Sandi working on a bridesmaids bouquet!  Wondering if her friend has lost her mind!

          Gina, also working on bridesmaids bouquets!  There were nine of them to make!

                                  Wendy holding Amber's bouquet that is almost finished!

      Janice, Sandi, Gina, Rheanna, and Wendy (I am taking the picture)  the valiant, self-less flower crew! 

                                        Wendy took this picture, and I jumped in!  We were giddy tired, but happy           to         be finished!

 All the bouquets resting in glasses of water to keep them fresh overnight!  We were counting on no one coming over the fence and taking all our hard work!  I was up very early checking to make sure that they had survived the night!

About 7 a.m. the girls all got to our house.  This is Stephanie, Lindsay, and Katarina steaming Amber's dress!  

 Wendy, hard at work decorating the wedding cake and cupcakes! 

 The dress, finished and waiting!  Hanging in our family room!

 Sarah Miller, hair and make-up artist extraordinaire, working on Sammie's hair.  Denise is helping too.  Sarah and Amber have been friends since Sarah came in 7th grade and Amber was in 8th grade.  Denise, Sarah and Amber are all nurses!  Denise was a mentor and friend to Amber as she went through the nursing program at Biola.  It was great to have her down for the wedding.

 Sandi Miller, outdid herself on this bridal brunch that she delivered to our home the morning of the wedding for all that were at our house getting ready!  It was delicious scones, quiches, fruit etc.  And done with such attention to detail and lovely finishing touches.  The flowers were what I had left over from bridal bouquets, and it was fun to fill the house with gorgeous flowers everywhere!  Made the house seem very festive! (That's for Brad miller if he reads this!)

 Wendy, hard at work!

 The videographer, and photographer friends who came down from the States!

 Katarina, and Leah, making sure that the girls bouquets are placed securely in this box for transport out to the venue!

                                                              Amber's bridal bouquet.

 Phil and I helping Amber into her dress, and getting it cinched up tightly! 

 Phil, putting on the necklace that Carla had given her.  It had been given to Carla for her wedding by Berend's mother, and now Amber was going to have it for her wedding!  A very special gift with deep meaning!  Thanks Carla for making Amber one of your family without any reservation, and with such love!

                                       All the girls looking on as Amber finishes getting ready!

                                                          "It needs to be tighter mom!"

 We had to put down the red sheet because one of the boys had had a hair cut that morning and the hair was getting all over Amber's dress!  Here she is with her blue shoes (the something blue) all ready to go!

                                            Amber with her bridesmaids and friends!