Capturing December: Day 12

{ A Beautiful Sight }

While we may live in the city, we are only 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean.  And there's just something relaxing about being able to sit along the beach and watch the waves roll in and feel the breeze on your face.  We have an awesome Creator!

Please enjoy the overload of ocean pics...I just can't help but take lots of pics every time we go!  =)

January 2011 

February 2011 

August 2011 

August 2011 

October 2011 

November 2011 

November 2011

Restaurants that line the shore - awesome places to eat!

Capturing December: Day 7

{ Something Bright }

There's not much brighter here, than the sun!  It's really quite blinding when you walk out of the shadows of your house, to the blue sky and bright sunshine outside!

(This is at the park across from our house.)

A Mountain Top Service

Today we took a "short" trip just across the border to Guatemala.  Michael had been invited to speak in a special service at Esperanza, a small town where our fellow H.I.M. pastors are opening a new work.

We started out our trip by leaving very early in the morning!  I had made sausage muffins and hashbrowns to take along for breakfast - our own version of McDonald's!  We were planning a smooth 2 and 1/2 hr. trip to Motozintla where we would meet pastor Javier.  Unfortunately, the very curvy roads and our greasy breakfast did not agree with Taylor!  Thank the Lord for wet wipes and a pastor's wife who washed the dirty clothes and provided pants for Taylor to wear!

After getting everything and everyone loaded in Motozintla, we drove for another 45 minutes on mostly bumpy, dirt roads that headed further up into the mountains.  It was a fun drive with beautiful scenery.

Once we arrived at the event location, I kind of felt like singing a song I remember from a film we used to watch in Science class.  "We're on top of the world..."

There were lots of people from our local H.I.M. churches represented at the service, plus some new people from the community.

After the service, we were served a meal.

Here's the people waiting in line for their plate of food.

Our plate of food.  The chicken was really yummy!

On our way home, we stopped to take a picture of the roads that we traveled that wind their way around, and then eventually up (or down) the mountain.

It was a long day for us, but a good day!  We trust the work of the Lord will prosper there in Esperanza, Guatemala.


*Stay tuned.  Next weekend we have a wedding planned, as well as a marriage seminar with Butch Heath.  We're planning to have a busy and exciting time!

Dear blog readers,

You have my deepest apologies for not posting in sooooo long!  What happened, you ask?  Well, since the last I posted, my in-laws were still here, half of our family got sick, then I spent three days with a fever, doing nothing.  And since then, I think my energy and inspiration have flown right out the window!  Of course, the high heat and humidity doesn't help anything either!!  And if I'm honest, homesickness has been running through the family...and it will leave you half depressed, wondering how on earth you can continue on.

But, (and I say this while holding my breath), I think we're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.  While we're still craving American foods very badly,  =)  and still get lonely and discouraged, our hearts are being ministered to with some TLC from our Heavenly Father.  Thank you so much to those of you who pray for us.  We appreciate it more than words can say!

Hopefully, this post will be the start of many more posts (that are posted in a timely fashion, of course)!  I still have things to share from when the Mason's were here as well as an update on our "newly fashioned" Santo Domingo church.

And since I hate to post without a picture, here's one from a drive we took through the mountains when the Mason's were here (more about that later).  It's a beautiful natural arch made from bamboo trees.

Pacific Scenes

Mondays' are kind of like the preacher's day off...at least in our household. Today, we were able to get away for a couple of hours and head to the Pacific. It was a beautiful day; the sky was painted with various hues of pretty blues and different types of clouds. You can't get much more relaxing than this!

I also liked this pic of Taylor! If you know him at all, this will just make you smile for some reason! =) The boys really enjoyed playing in the sand.

Another Year (Older)!

Somebody celebrated a special day today!!!

We spent most of the day relaxing, and then this evening, we went to the ocean. It's always relaxing to eat on the beach, watch the beautiful sunset, listen to the pounding surf, and breathe just a little bit deeper!

Here are a few pictures to commemorate the day.

Michael's favorite dish - Shrimp Cocktail w/ a side of french fries.

This little guy was wandering around and decided to join us for supper.

And then I took a few snap-shots of the kids.

Kyle

(notice his second baby tooth came out the other day)

Taylor

(ornery as ever!)

Parker

(couldn't get this guy to cooperate with me...

...and I just love the little bit of curly hair on top...)

After we came home from the ocean, we had cake and ice cream and Michael opened a few small gifts.

Happy 34th Birthday, Michael!

We hope you had a special day and that you will have many more to come!

Love,

Crystal, Kyle, Taylor, and Parker

[ Just a Glimpse ]

And, the last 2-3 weeks, we've been enjoying these beautiful primavera trees that are sprinkled throughout the local landscape. I love the beautiful "pop" of golden color against the crisp, blue sky!

This particular picture was taken right down the street in our little community.

Colorado: Part III

[10-03-10]

A Sunday spent in beautiful Colorado. Also an eventful day.

Sunday morning and afternoon were spent sharing and fellow-shipping with the dear people at Western Colorado Holiness Chapel. Afterwords, the pastor took us up on top of Grand Mesa.

Once again, very beautiful scenery. We took some time to take pictures and I also tried to get some of Parker since he had just turned six months old.

Meanwhile, back down at the pastors house, Taylor had stayed to play with the other kids. Apparently while jumping around, Taylor somehow hurt his arm and was crying and holding his arm by the time we walked in the door from our sight-seeing trip. So, we ended up visiting the ER in Delta, CO that night. Conclusion: according to xrays, there was no break, but the membranes between the two arm bones had been pulled or had come loose. The treatment was a hard splint with a sling to keep his arm immobilized and then after two weeks or so, we could see what he felt like he could do with his arm.

[waiting to see the ER doc]

[getting ready to leave Colorado the next morning]

But, all in all, we really enjoyed the time we were able to spend in Colorado. So happy we were able to go!

Colorado: Part II

The second full day we were in Colorado [10-02-10], we went to a little place called Telluride that is situated in a valley between tall mountains. And let me tell you, out of all the places Michael and I have visited, this probably was our favorite. The village was quaint and picturesque and the view was breathtaking!!!!!!! The golden aspens just shimmered against the evergreens. We were wishing we had a whole week to enjoy and explore!

We parked in town, then walked beside a creek until we got to a " gondola station." We boarded the gondola (similar to a ski lift), and took the ride up the side of the mountain. It was a very cool experience! There is a station located at the top of the mountain where you can get off and hike or bike on trails, or you can continue riding the gondola down the mountain on the other side where there is another small, more modern and high class town called Mountain Village.

Anyway, we absolutely loved this area! If anybody near there is looking to donate their ranch, we'd be happy to take if off your hands!!! ;-)

[Walking through town beside the creek]

[The gondola line]

[Parker]

[Looking down on the village of Telluride]
[Us]
[Looking down towards Mountain Village]
[Daddy and Taylor enjoying the walk]

Colorado: Part I

We recently had the pleasure of being in Colorado to hold a missions service. While there, we were able to spend two days sightseeing. The first day we went across the state line into Moab, Utah to the Arches National Park. It was a beautiful day and we had fun exploring the park.

I also really enjoy landscape photography, and am trying to learn more about it. These photos are definitely not pro status, but I hope you can glimpse some of the beauty I was able to see.

Arches National Park
Moab, Utah
10-01-10

[Overlooking the Petrified Dunes]
[The North Window]
[The Turret Arch]
[An AMAZING Sky!]
[The Balanced Rock]
[The Skyline Arch]
Stay tuned for more picture of where we went on our second day in Colorado.

A Short Trip to South Padre Island

This whole week, Michael has had no classes!!! It is Founders Week here at RGBI, and therefore, Michael has only had to attend a morning chapel service and go to his regular tutor hour in the afternoon...this also mean no homework...which also means, more family time!

So we decided to visit South Padre Island (1 - 1/2 hrs. away) and enjoy some relaxation by the water! It was in the 70's, but a little windy, and that made it kind of chilly (I know, you northerner's just can't imagine!!)!

I tried to get a good picture of Kyle, but just when I snapped the picture, the sun came out really bright, and then Taylor got sand in his eyes, and the beach-walking expedition was over! But, I really liked this picture of Taylor...isn't he cute!!! (Must take after his mother! Ha! Ha!)

I tried to take a picture of Michael and I...but, forgot my tripod. We did set the camera on top of the vehicle, and set the timer...but the lighting was horrible, the angle was wrong, etc,... etc,... etc... Just enjoy the picture below (with no comments about comparisons...) ;)

Trip Pictures - Part 5

Thursday p.m./Friday ~ We visited and stayed in Santo Domingo (the place we've been assigned to go after language school). Kyle got sick during the night, but seemed a little better the next day. Unfortunately, it was I who got sick on Friday! Not fun! I spent a lot of time in the bathroom...which was interesting in and of itself. Let's just say, no toilet seat, and then you had to use buckets of water to flush... I spent the day with Benjamin's dear family (well, mostly in bed) while everybody else went sight-seeing. That also explains some of the pictures...Michael had the camera!!

Mountain scenery.

This is the Casa Grande. A German man moved and started the town of Santo Domingo in the early 1900's, I believe. He built this house and also started their coffee industry. I'm sure there's more history to be told, but you would have to ask someone else. I wasn't along on the grand tour!

This is a very strange styled house for Mexico. Also, a lot of the houses in Santo Domingo and areas surrounding it, use wooden planks instead of the typical cement block/brick for their houses. This resulted from the German influence in their beginnings.

Benjamin, his wife, and one of his daughters with her child. Benjamin is a convert of Hery Santiago working in Marydel, MD. This is our main contact in Santo Domingo.

Friday evening ~ Just a snap shot as we were crossing into Guatemala. We spent a lot of time at the border trying to get our papers and permits...it was nuts! At one point, some fellow we were using to walk us through, left, with our truck title and a few other very important papers. Needless to say, we were a little concerned! Fortunatey, he gave them to some other guy who contacted us, and helped us to finish everything!

We spent the night right across the border with Grace's family and acquaintances. Saturday, we spent driving 8 hours or so to Jalapa where the conference/retreat was held.

Click here to see Philip & Collette's first post about our trip! (They have some coffee plant/bean pictures that Michael didn't think to take.)

One more trip post to follow!