Honduras Recap - Hangin' at The Complex Edition

This post includes several random photos of us at the complex where we stayed

Shannon and I after a day of being soaking wet from the rain (although we were pretty dried out at this point). It rained pretty much daily as it was rainy season while we were there. The rain would come in pretty heavy for a while, soak us all (as we worked at the church or rode in the back of the truck) and then move out as quickly as it came in.

I tend to get a little goofy.... This is me trying to dry my hair in front of the fan one night....while saying things like "Luke, I am your father" into the fan....and then giggling at myself.....like I said, I'm goofy.

Joanna, Tanner and Gabriel all dressed up after church....Tanner preached his first sermon that day (we were at the church at El Zapote and didn't get to hear it though)

Sam hanging out in the warehouse where we stayed every night (there are also several bedrooms in the warehouse). Along with other things that get donated, this lovely pink chair was housed in the warehouse.

This couch was also in the warehouse....it was a nice place to sit and talk in the evenings at the end of each day. (Josh is trying to fit in with the gals on the couch while Joel is content to sit on the back)

Another shot out in the warehouse hanging out on the couch and chatting Any (with Reina looking on) opened her backpack full of school supplies and other fun stuff....we brought each of the people living at the complex a gift. Any lives with Keith and Joanna. She is a college student, so we brought her all the necessities for going to class.

Shannon brought Joanna some Bath and Body Works goodies and we also brought several items like cookie/muffin mixes spaghetti sauce, etc... things that are harder to come by in Honduras. I also made her a bag/purse (pink/blue, sitting on the counter).

Gabriel opening his gift bag....he LOVED the "Cars" crayons and the Hot Wheels!

This picture cracks Shannon and I up! This was Rick one night when it was down-pouring.....

Joanna made sandwiches for us to take for lunch every day when we were working at the church

This was a new game that Keith taught us called Golf....we loved it!

While we played Golf, the others played Uno

Sam has "UNO!"

Gabriel sat on the couch like this a lot with his chin up and body laid out watching TV....he's so cute! Me and Gabriel

One Crazy Kid!

Watching Toy Story for the ump-teenth time while we were there.

Joanna and Reina taking it easy on the love seat

On another night, Keith fell asleep on the love seat....he really must have been tired, because he sure doesn't look comfortable!

Not sure why, but blogger turned my picture sideways....just thought this one of Gabriel was too cute not to post

This was Shannon and I on our last day of working at the church....we were back at our room and decided to take one last "grubby picture" before cleaning up for the night....although I don't think we look too grubby, we sure felt it! One last parting shot of the resident cutie, Gabriel

The 30 - Topic #3

30 Years Ago

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Each Monday until my birthday I am writing a post that has to do with the number 30....since I'll be 30 soon! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What a glorious year 1979 was!

Not only was I born in that year,

but here's an additional 30 things that happened 30 years ago:

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1. YMCA filed libel suit against Village People's YMCA song
2. "Dukes of Hazzard" premiered on CBS

3. Two Iowa girls High School basketball teams played 4 scoreless quarters. The game was won 4-2 in 4th overtime period

4. 204th and final episode of "All in the Family"

5. Longest doubles ping-pong match of 101 hours

6. Kevin St. Onge threw a playing card a record 185 feet

7. Little Richard quit rock and roll for religious pursuit

8. Charlie Daniels Band released "Devil Went Down to Georgia"

9. Susan B. Anthony dollar is issued, 1st U.S. coin to honor a woman

10. Rainbow seen in Northern Wales for a 3 hour duration

11. President Carter was attacked by a rabbit on a canoe trip in Plains, Ga

12. Comet Howard-Koomur-Michels collided with Sun

13. L.A. Court ordered Clayton Moore (the actor who played the character) to stop wearing Lone Ranger mask due to a lawsuit over public appearances

14. Theodore Coombs completed 5,193 miles on roller skates from LA to New York City and back to Yates Center, Ks

15. CompuServe began operation as 1st computer information service

16. Pope John Paul II is 1st Pope to visit White House

17. NHL's greatest scorer Wayne Gretzky scored his 1st NHL goal

18. Walt Disney World welcomed it's 100-millionth guest

19. Ronald Reagan announced his candidacy for president

20. John Wayne passed away

21. McDonald's started serving Happy Meals

22. Sony introduced the Walkman

23. Gas was 86 cents a gallon

24. The Trivial Pursuit board game was launched

25. The First modern Bungee Jumping was performed by a group from the Oxford University Dangerous Sports club. They jumped from the Clifton Suspension Bridge joining England and Wales

26. Saddam Hussein was elected president of Iraq

27. The NBA adopted the three point shot

28. The Center for Disease Control reported the first known cases of AIDS

29. ESPN started broadcasting

30. The first Post-it notes were invented.

Honduras Recap - Making Bracelets Edition

CJ brought several colors of yarn to make bracelets with the kids.

Honduras Recap - The Little Girls Room Edition

When you're out in a village Honduras, away from the luxuries of indoor plumbing, you pretty much "do your business" where you can find a secluded spot.

This was mine and Shannon's spot all week. Although, we found out later that the spot we chose was actually on the trail that lead over the mountain to the next village. At one point someone even lead a donkey through there! Good thing we didn't find this out when we were actually in the process of using the "facilities."

One foot on each rock.....and try not to get any on your socks! Make sure to have plenty of sanitizer ready!! Of course when you look at the alternative to squatting in the woods....

You actually do prefer squatting in the woods!!!

Honduras Recap - The Complex Kids Edition

While we were in Honduras, we stayed at a complex that housed several different buildings. The missionaries, Keith and Joanna (and their children), live there in a house. There's a big warehouse building for storage that also includes several bedrooms (that's where we stayed). There's a building that has 4 one bedroom apartments. There's also a large multi-purpose building, where they have church on Sundays and are able to house larger groups that come to minister. The complex is also home to 6 orphans. This is part of Keith and Joanna's mission....to provide a safe, loving, Christian home for these children. Right now, there is one home for the 6 children (and a house mother). They are hoping to add more homes for more children to be able to live in the future.

Here's the home where the children live.

One of the bedrooms

Another bedroom Me and the girls having fun one night outside Yolanda riding in the truck Manuel after church - isn't he handsome? This little inflatable pool sat was out in the yard and they seemed to love dunking their heads in it! It wasn't all that hot most days, but I guess it cooled them down. All the kiddos inside their home at the complex Back Row (l-r): Manuel, Celena, Daniela Front Row (l-r): Felipe, Yolanda and Anheleina (By the way, I have no idea how to spell most of their names!) The last evening we were there, we gave the kids presents we had brought with us. Many of you reading this blog were instrumental in helping me to be able to buy these presents!

The last morning we were there, we spent one last time with the children before they left for school

They hung out the car windows waving to us as they drove away! (I cried a little!)

The 30 - Topic #2

30 Reasons it's Great to be Single

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I'm trying to make myself feel better for being single at almost 30!

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1. I control the remote
2. No in-laws to deal with
3. If I want to go somewhere, I just go. No checking with anybody else.
4. If I want to buy something, I buy it - with no worries that someone will be mad at how much money I've spent (careful though - this one can come back to bite the bank account if too much is spent!!)
5. My heart doesn't get broken (at least in essence)
6. If I put something somewhere, chances are, that's where it will be when I come back for it.
7. I get the whole entire bed to myself
8. I don't have to share my groceries
9. I can be extremely spontaneous
10. I can go anywhere God tells me to go....Honduras, Kiddo Camp or wherever!
11. I don't have to share my closet space....it's all mine
12. If I want to take an unplanned weekend roadtrip, I simply set out for the open road
13. Three words - Make a Mess - I can make a mess and step over piles of laundry with no one to nag me.
14. I can sleep late and nobody bothers me
15. I get to be a great Aunt! (at least I'm hoping I am). I get to see my nieces and nephew on a fairly regular basis (even though we live a few hours apart).....I think they think I'm pretty cool....and I have the time to spend with them when we are together....if I had a husband/kids, I probably wouldn't get to see them as much.
16. I can eat cereal for dinner every night and not worry that I haven't actually cooked a meal in ages
17. My weekends are free to do as I choose - craft project, scrapbooking, visiting family, sleeping all day, working, volunteering - whatever it is, I get to choose!
18. I have my own personality - I am not half of a couple, I am wholly me. (This is not a jab at any couples out there or to say that couples are not whole without their mates)
19. I can barely keep up with my own schedule sometimes, much less a husband or kids!
20. If I change a dirty diaper, it's because I'm being nice to my brother and sister-in-law
21. I get the chance to really know myself - I get to see what I am really like without trying to be something someone wants me to be (not that I should ever do that in the first place, but it happens you know). I get to see what I really like and what makes me glad, mad, sad or whatever.
22. I get the chance to see what I really want in a husband....the older I get the more life I get to see.....I have seen good marriages and bad ones.....and it helps me to learn from the mistakes of others and really figure out what kind of character I want in a mate one day.
23. I get to spend a lot of time alone - while this may not sound very appealing to some, right now it's something that I tend to like. I really do enjoy spending time by myself...reading, being crafty, listening to music....I always did play well as a child by myself and I guess it has served me well into adulthood.
24. I am able to take advantage of many different opportunities.....I can max out my schedule as much as I would like
25. I control the car radio.....unless I'm riding with Andrea and she makes me listen to her choir practice tapes, when I'm driving I get to choose the music....maybe my friends are just too nice to argue with my selections?
26. If I have to stay late for work, I just stay and get my work done. I don't have to worry that I don't have dinner on the table at a certain time.
 27. I get to make big decisions all on my own (well, with the help of the Lord). I know this may sound weird, but I like the independence of making decisions without having to ask someone their opinion.....that's not to say I don't consult others more wise than me, just to say that ultimately, the decision is mine alone.
28. I don't have to pay the family rate for health insurance at work
29. I don't have to worry about anyone else right now.....dating and marriage come with a whole bunch things to worry about and I don't have to deal with any of it!

And the top reason I am glad I'm single....drum roll please.......

30. I can toot in my sleep and no one is there to hear it! :) Just one to make you laugh!!! My apologies to anyone I've embarrassed.....I just try to be real on this blog.

Thanks for reading and no matter what stage of life you find yourself in, be sure to remember the blessings and not just the "curses." The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence. Sometimes things that you don't even realize are blessings. Enjoy the stage of life you're in for now....good or bad....and may God grant you patience and contentment if you find yourself in a stage of life that wasn't part of your original plan.

One Year Later, plus 'The 30' - Topic #1

One year ago today, I started blogging. I can't believe it's been that long already! I am really loving keeping a record of my life, my thoughts, my journeys, my struggles and my pictures. Thanks to everyone who stops by - hope you have enjoyed this last year with me!

To commemorate the fact that I've been blogging a year and I turn 30 soon(YIKES!), I decided to start a weekly post about the number 30. Each week on Mondays I'll blog about something related to the number 30. Tune in each week to see what it will be!

This week, I've decided to list 30 things I hope to accomplish in the next year:
1. Go tent camping See Here.
2. Attend a Major League Baseball game
3. Learn Spanish
4. Get another stamp on my Passport See Here.
5. Run a 5K
6 .Scan all my old negatives with my nifty negative scanner
7. Blog more
8. Visit at least 4 more States I haven’t been to yet
9. Take a road trip where I roll the dice to pick the destination
10. Take a ballroom dancing class
11. Play in the rain
12. Learn to play guitar
13. Give blood
14. Find the love of my life See Here.  (We started dating in May of 2010).
15. Go on another International Mission Trip See Here.
16. Go to the beach
17. Start writing more cards to people I care about
18. Be nicer to my Momma
19. Help my parents finish cleaning out their basement
20. Live completely debt-free for at least 6 months
21. Start an Etsy shop
22. Get out of my comfort zone and do something I wouldn’t normally do
23. Push myself to do something that doesn’t yield immediate results
24. Finish at least 6 of the craft/photo projects I’ve started
25. Sew something using a pattern
26. Go to the rodeo
27. Turn off the light by 11:30 every week night
28. Become proficient at Photoshop
29. Rent Jet-Skis
30. Watch the sunset from the Eiffel Tower