Baby is here!

Matthew Jordan Waller was born around 1:20pm today! He weighed in at 8.7lbs and looks big and strong in the pic Steve sent me! Wish I was there. I talked to Mia and she sounds so old now! Steph is recovering from surgery, but all in all, everyone is doing well. We will travel to TX next Thursday to visit for a few days. Can't wait!!!

Track season is in full force. And so are the random, freak injuries. Caden was smacked with a dumbell in the weight room last eve. Ended up with 2 stitches under his right eye around midnight. Had to wait to go to ER cuz of the BB banquet and WSingers CD recording.

The weather is wonderful. Spring is way early and everything is starting to bloom. Unfortunately, it could end up freezing again before too long. Only in KS.

Kobe sang a solo at contest a couple of weeks ago and received a 1 rating. The judge had no criticism or advice at all for him. He sounded great. He just learned he landed one of the leads in their musical. It's the same musical Caden did his 7th gr year (he was the Prince).

Caden is shooting in a contest during the NJCAA tourney next week. He is competing against other area seniors. The winner gets new uniforms for their school. He is bowling tonight with FCA and Bowl for Kids Sake. This will be his 4 and last year to participate in this program. They have to go to Newton to bowl, as Hutch's alley has closed down. He has made a decision about next year. Playing FB at Sterling College. It was a difficult decision as he really had a great connection with both Sterling and McPherson. Sterling has pursued him a little more in football, and he felt really comfortable with the coaches and players. I'm just glad he made a choice, and now we can move forward with his future!!!


We've been entertained a couple of times by watching my friend Misty compete in the roller derby. She skates with the ICT club. It's interesting and slightly addictive to say the least.

Finally, some Big News for us. Wichita got a Chic-fil-A!!!! We are so excited. Haha! We can't wait to visit! We are also excited to visit TX over spring break the end of the month. Hopefully lil Matthew will be here by then.

I am at a loss for words. Basketball is coming to an end. Caden had Sr night a few games ago. He was inducted into the National Honor Society yesterday. I am on the verge of a mental breakdown, he will be gone very soon!

We are gearing up for Substate on Tues against Cheney. Definitely a team we can beat, just have to keep the momentum. I had to get Caden his 3rd pair of replacement shoes today. He is really hard on them I guess.

Caden attended McPherson's Presidential Scholarship day. He had to participate in an interview, round-table discussion, and write a 45min essay. He was awarded a $48,000 scholarship as long as he maintains a 3.5 gpa. So some pressure, but a great opportunity. He is still very interested in Sterling College as he had a great visit with the football coaches.

Kobe made state KMEA and it is tomorrow at Century 2 in Wichita. He got to tag along with the HS students and even gets to stay in the hotel with Zane tonight. I'm sure he is bored about now as they left early this morning. They will be eating out at a fancy place tonight, I wonder what he will get? Hopefully they have chicken strips...

Caden is going with his team to OK for a Thunder game on Sat. He is excited. I'm getting really excited for my nephew to come into this world. Stephanie is due anytime now! We are planning on visiting them for Spring Break but I may need to go sooner, if lil Matthew comes before!

February is almost history! Woe is me!!!

End of seasons

Tonight was Kobe's last regular middle school basketball game. League tourney starts next week. He has had a frustrating year with a new coach (who actually only coaches soccer), and not much playing time. However, tonight he played almost the entire game and did rather well with 7 pts and 8 rebounds! I'm proud of him and happy he ended his season on a high note.

Haven High's homecoming is tomorrow night. Looking forward to some great basketball at one of Caden's last few home games of his high school career. Time is moving so fast this year! Rupp Tourney is all next week. We play Tues against Moundridge. Today was celebrity day for Spirit Week and Caden dressed as Paul Pierce in uniform including diamond earrings. Jess told me he was the best dressed... haha

Mia is coming to visit for the week. Mom and I are meeting Steve in OKC to get her. Mom is off all week and she is looking forward to spending it with lil miss Mia. She will go back to her parentals on Thursday as they are all taking a trip to Vegas over the next weekend.

My boot is really driving me crazy. I put a heel cup in to help alleviate pain after working all day. Now the straps are loosing their velcro and it's not as secure and makes strange noises when I walk. PT is going well, but limited due to the boot. Ugh...so ready to get out of this thing! Hopefully next Wed will be the day.

This week we have had games every night. Kobe had 2, Caden 2, and last night, Caden and I went to watch the HCC girls game. I received free tix. So, I am ready for a relaxing weekend...

Peace

Big Re-Cap of 2011

So much time has passed!

Caden's Sr year is halfway over! Football season went well with a new head coach. Ended with a 2-6 record with the highlight of beating Nickerson in a district game. Caden was selected for All League D-Line 1st team and All Area 11-man Honorable Mention. He ended up 4th in the area for tackles. He was also recipient of the Wendy's Heisman Athletic Award, which was a big honor. He won Homecoming King and survived College Algebra and Comp I. We are now full force in basketball season. Had a slow start before Christmas, but things are looking better in the New Year. Decisions about colleges have been occupying lots of his time these days. Still working at Famous Footwear as seasonal help, and reffing the little kids games every so often.

Kobe had a good FB season as well. Basketball is almost over for the middle school. His ankle has done great, with no problems. He was selected to State KMEA and will perform in Feb. He is also singing a solo and doing a trombone quartet at contest soon. He is also in Quiz Bowl again this year. He is looking forward to Track, as he was unable to participate last year due to his broken ankle.nn

I had a mishap the last week of VB season. Playing with the girls in practice, I planted my R foot to jump, and tore my achilles. Long story short, had surgery on my bday, was in a cast and didn't walk for 8 weeks. 11 weeks later and am now walking in a boot. Started PT and hopefully will be in a shoe in a few weeks. While off work, I had a hysterectomy and was able to get back to work very quickly.

Mia turned 3 and we were all able to celebrate with her! She is getting so big and is very smart! Got wonderful news that my brother and his wife are expecting a BOY in March. We are so excited!!! Just wish we could see them more often.

It has been a trying year for us, but we are looking ahead to whatever awesomeness 2012 will bring!!! We are ready for a great year!

Spirit Night 2011 was a sucess. Both boys scrimmaged, Kobe as an 8th grader and Caden a Senior! Weather was hot, but tolerable.

It has been too long. So much has gone over the past many months. It's full force summertime and I have been busy with a capital B. This week has been refreshingly slow due to both boys being out of town. Kobe is at Camp Mennoscah with his Mennonite buddies, and Caden is currently in Vegas. He went to Arizona with Tim, Kristy, and Jess, Nana, and Papa Ford to watch a couple of Giants ballgames, and then to Vegas for some extra fun.

Caden has had a really crazy summer. Boys State was all last week at KSU. He came home on Fri and had to take the ACT on Sat. Then turned around and left again on Wed for AZ. The rest of his summer includes LIFT camp, basketball, and more basketball. His calendar is pretty booked. Would have liked him to get a job, but there is literally no time.

Kobe will go on the Middle school road trip in July, but is otherwise busy with basketball and softball all summer. I pick him up tomorrow and I'm sure he'll be glad to see me. 7 days without tv, ipod, computer, phone is probably about to kill him. Kobe and I took a trip to DC/NY the end of May. Same school trip that I went on with Caden. It was exhausting but great!

In Feb, I started working Fridays at Prairie Star in Hutch. I absolutely love it. It's a nice change of pace considering it is a governmental dental clinic versus a private practice. I only work 1/2 days so that's nice also. Looking forward to another trip to Vegas with my office at Dr. Jensens. 11-11-11 is the date, sounds lucky, you think?

That about covers the most recent doings around here. I will now attempt to note some not so recent moments that are worth remembering...

Both boys had good basketball seasons. Kobe started on the 7th grade team and usually led in points and rebounds. On most occasions he was the tallest kid out there. Caden played primarily on the JV due to 8 Sr's on the team. He got some varsity court time, and really helped the team out during the Rupp tourney while 1 player was injured. It was unfortunate that he didn't get more opportunities, but he still had a great attitude and was a great leader on his JV squad. Looking forward to next season for sure!

-Caden had a successful track season, with increasing PR's in all events. He received many medals this year! Jr Prom was fun. He took a good friend and went will several other couples to dinner. We helped with after prom at All star sports till 4 am. Took a couple trips during school, St Louis with Wildcat Singers, and Dallas with the Band. Being chose for Boys State was exciting, and even though he's not big into politics, he had a great time and made lots of new friends. He even signed up to be on staff next summer.

In Feb, we had a pretty significant blizzard, and Kobe fell walking home from school. Making a long story short, he took a ride in an ambulance to Hutch, and had surgery to fix a broken left ankle. Dr Lairmore placed a plate and 4 screws. Poor kid had 6 weeks with no weight bearing, and since crutches were scary (for me), we opted for a knee scooter, which Kobe mastered in no time. He could really get around on that thing...faster than his normal, healthy walk! Had a few weeks walking with the boot, then on the last day of school had 2 pins removed. He actually went to school for an hour with no restrictions. Our trip to DC was only a week after, so all the walking was a little bothersome and painful, but he did well. The plate and 2 pins will stay forever...which he thinks is cool. Needless to say, Kobe was the track manager and will have to wait till next year to participate.


Our school district has been under fire the past couple of years due to budget cuts. The board voted to close Mt Hope grade which had created some emotional debates amongst towns. It is sad to see a school close, and with a new board coming in, it will be interesting to see what is the final result is.

Until next time...

Kake play of the week

Haven is up for the KAKE football play of the week. Voters have till Thursday to submit votes. http://www.kake.com/highschool/headlines
Caden is in the video, during the play and the TD celebration.

Haven Wins!!!

Tonight, Haven football won it's first game in 2 years! We beat Belle Plain 27-18. The game began last Friday night on the 10th, but was postponed to tonight due to weather. We were up 20-12 at the half. So, it was a great ending to a huge drought for HHS football. Caden did great, and the boys were very excited.

Went to Pizza Hut after. After eating I discovered a fly in the cheese shaker that I had been using all night. We all got a big kick out of that. Honestly, I didn't even care, cause, We Won A Game!!!

Good job boys! Finally a payoff to all the hard work and dedication. Well done!

The weather was perfect

for some football tonight! Kobe's first game of his MS career started with a huge win over Hillsboro. 36-14! He started at center and played an entire game of offense. He played defense for the 5th quarter and showed some intense drive as he took out some of their lineman! It was nice and cool out, around 65 degrees.

Looking forward to Caden's opening game tomorrow night against Kingman. They are talking about him over there...possible double team coming his way.

I am blessed with great kids and their God given talents!

Black and Gold Scrimmage

Spirit night was last night. Booster club hosted a big carnival, silent auction, and raffle. There was a hamburger feed, performancse from the chorale and band, and a dance. Both boys scrimmaged. Kobe went against the 9th graders and won! He was pretty excited. I think he enjoyed throwing down a Jr. Caden did well with a recovered fumble. Overall a good showing. Michael won a Sony Reader for me, which was awesome!!! Been wanting one of those.

Today was our varsity volleyball pre-season tourney in Pratt. Saw many good things, but unfortunately didn't get the wins we wanted. Needless to say, I am exhausted from 2 days of little rest and lots of business to handle.


Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. ~Winston Churchill

Back to school

School has started! Caden is a Jr and Kobe is in 7th gr! I am so shocked how they have grown up right in front of me. My eyes see, but my mind remembers how small and helpless they used to be. Now, they could probably survive on their own...well, for at least a week. Once the food ran out and the underwear was all dirty, desperation would set in! Anyway, football is also underway. Had a cooler week to start, thankfully. Temps in the upper 80's all week, with some rain. Sat, they both had their scrimmage. Along with the O line, Caden will also be playing Def end and special teams. He had a good showing on defense at the scrimmage. Kobe will more than likely start center, and has been exhibiting a great attitude so far. I wondered how a daily practice would work for him, and so far, no complaints. He showers and crashes everyday when he gets home. Ha! I am coaching volleyball at the high school this year. I have the C team and it works pretty good with my work schedule and the boys' games. The other coaches are great to work with which makes it fun! We have another week of practice before matches/games start. Friday night is Spirit Night with the Black and Gold Scrimmage and lots of fun activities hosted by Booster club. Sat, the varsity squad has a pre-season tourney. I'm excited to see what we can do.

Looking forward to a busy season with 2 football games a week and 2 volleyball dates a week. Michael and I are also directing Cubbies again this year. A replacement wasn't able to be found, so I was led to continue. It will be a little stressful during VB, but we will make it work. Maybe next year we will be able to take a break.

End of another season

This week was the end of the kids' church softball seasons. Kobe is on the 12 and under team, while Caden moved up to the 18 and under league this year. Both of our teams placed 3rd and ended with double header wins the last night! It was a great summer!

We are in the middle of re doing our entire yard. Had a well put in on Wed. Will kill all the grass, level the yard, install a sprinkler system, seed, and landscape. We are bartering services with a friend who needs a roof. He runs a landscaping company. This has helped with the expense of it all for sure. Can't wait to see the final result.

We are praying about what to do with our roofing company. This summer has hit us pretty hard. Business is non-existent and we are contemplating closing shop. The extra income from the company gave us comfort, and at this point we are beginning to feel the pressure. Just unsure what to do. It costs every year for insurance and licensing, and when we aren't doing any jobs, it doesn't pay to even be open. So, we will see! In the end, we know God will provide.

A couch and a truck

The boys are all on a scavenger hunt with the church youth group. "The Great Couch Event" is an annual event involving a truck with a couch in the back. The groups must complete a list of tasks with the couch and a video cam. Sounds like a good time.

I am so sad to see summer go by so quickly. Less than a month till school starts. Trying to get things organized around here before the craziness of football and school set in. Kobe is excited for Middle school and is ready to go. He can't wait for me to buy his new calculator. Ha! That's all he talks about these days.

Not sure we will be able to get to Dallas before school starts. That was the original plan, but with everything coming up so quickly, not sure we will have the time or the money. Steve, Steph, and Mia were here last weekend. We were able to have a big family lunch at Gambino's. Both sides of the fam came to eat and fellowship.

Grandpa had some scary times last week. His pacemaker wasn't functioning correctly, and once they finally figured it out, a new lead wire was placed. At one point his heart rate was dangerously low. He spent some time in the hospital and is home recovering. Darian and his fam are coming to visit this upcoming week from Indianapolis. I think we are all getting together next weekend for a Mexican meal! Duane's were here a couple of weeks ago from S. Carolina.

Another work week ahead. Michael's company is on shut down, but he is working. 7 days a week! Whewy! Looking forward to a rewarding week!

Ciao

Caden got home from LIFT camp last night. He was excited to tell all about it. Sounds like he had a great time and met some new friends. He is speaking in church tomorrow. I think they are doing a skit of some type. Anyway, it's good to have him back home!

Tomorrow is July 4th. We are having a special church service with music, video, and a patriotic sermon. I'm singing the Star Spangled Banner with a trio. Michelle and Lizzie are here for the night and will come to church with us in the morning.

I have to work on Monday. That's sucks. Kobe and Michael head off for the Jr High Road trip on Tues. They are going to Denver to do a service project, attend a Rockies game, go to an amusement park, and do some hiking. Should be a good time. It's definitely going to be quiet around the house that week.

Weather is rainy and dreary out. Hope it clears up for the 4th. Gotta blow some stuff up around here!

Michael's lucky day Thurs, June 17th, 2010 as seen in Hutch News

Two men injured in porch collapse

"Two men were injured Friday evening when part of a roof they were working on collapsed at 1406 W. Second Ave.

Acting Battalion Chief Jason Holland said two men were working on the roof of the house and a third was standing on a ladder. One of the men had just stepped from the roof of the house onto the roof of the porch when the porch collapsed to the ground, also taking the man on the ladder with it, Holland said.


The man who fell from the roof, Michael Littlejohn of Haven, was flown by helicopter to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. Sgt. Bryan Stephens said Littlejohn's injuries were not life threatening. Holland said Littlejohn had been in and out of consciousness immediately after the fall, and Stephens said Littlejohn was being taken to Wesley as a precaution.

The man on the ladder, Gary Vincent of Hutchinson, suffered an ankle injury and was taken to Promise Regional Medical Center."

God was definitely protecting him that night. It's truly amazing that with the fall, and the roof falling on him, that he didn't have more serious injuries. He is still sore, but walking and breathing. Praise the Lord!

Team Mexico 2010

Let's try this again. Was trying to blog our Mission's trip the other day, and the power went off. So, here goes:

I'm 36 and Caden is 16. We are headed to Merida, Mexico with 13 others to help build a church! We are excited and ready for whatever the Lord has for us there. There are 11 from our church in Hutch, and 4 from Grace Baptist in OKC. Me, Chase, and his mom Shelly are the only adults. The rest are teens. Amber, Lyndsay, Mallory, Lacey, Ashley, Lindsey, Caden, Jeff, Jonathan, Caleb, Chris, and Wes.

Day 1, June 1
Bus picks us up in Haven. Kobe was sad to see us go. We are driving to OKC to meet the others and get to know them a little before we fly out tomorrow. Once there, we play games, some VB, have dinner, and a Bible study. Girls spent the night at Shelly's and guys went over to Chris'.

Day 2, June 2
Up for breakfast at each house. Loaded up and headed to airport for flight at 1:10pm. Lengthy layover in Houston, and finally arrived in Merida around 10pm. Took awhile to get through customs and had an hour drive to the church where we will be staying. First thing I noticed off the plane were the heavily armed guards and how stinkin hot it was! OK Lord, get me through this. We all know how much I LOVE the heat of summer...not! We met the local Mexicans and had sandwiches for dinner. Vickie is the Smith's 15 yr old daughter. She will be will us for the entire time to help with translating. She immediately fit in with our group, which was great. Most of our team slept in hammocks, but there weren't enough hooks so some of us, including me, got beds. Pretty sure the hammocks were cooler, with the extra air flow, but I was OK with a bed. I kept running the scene from Gilligan's Island through my head. Took a cool shower and got to bed around 1:30am.

Day 3, June 3
Didn't sleep well. Noises of nature all around, and the heat...oh my goodness...was bad. Up at 6am, to begin our first day of work. There's a huge load of dirt (or should I say rocks), that has to be moved into the floor of the new building. I helped with that. We had to shovel into wheelbarrows, then transport up a ramp, and dump. A couple people leveled all the dirt. This was pretty intense work. Chase and his group mixed mortar, moved cinder blocks, and began to build the walls of the new auditorium. This was very intense work. Add in the high temps and 100% humidity, and it was downright difficult. Some painted chairs for a bit, but the majority of the day was spent moving dirt and building walls. Stopped for breakfast at 8am. Had eggs n ham with veggies, beans, and OJ. It was delicious! The wonderful ladies from the church have volunteered their time to cook for us, every meal, all week! We are blessed. Worked till noon time, had some sweet bread which was cooked over a fire pit. It was yummy. It was break time as the heat of the day was at it's highest. We walked to a local swimming hole which was located underground in a cave of limestone! It was the most amazing place I have ever swam. We wore our nasty work clothes and just enjoyed the crystal clear water and coolness. One of my favorites places in Mexico for sure! After the swim, we enjoyed another great Mexican meal of fajitas, rice, and beans. The siesta follows lunch. We relaxed, napped, and got some much needed rest. Back to work around 4pm. It was so hot and muggy! Stopped at 6pm. Everyone showered, and unfortunately we ran out of water! A couple kids had to use a cup and bucket! The heat is so crazy that I would sweat constantly, while I ate, slept, or showered! CRAZY!!! That evening we headed downtown Motul to the square where all the action is. Some of the kids rode in the back of a truck, standing! Walked around, went into the Governor's house, and had some ice cream. Got back around 9pm, had a dinner of tostadas that were to die for. One weird thing is the eating schedule. We eat breakfast early, then late on lunch, then really late on dinner. I asked if this was typical, and Vickie, said not really. Bed by 10:15pm. Our roommate the little lizard, is quite noisy, so little rest again for me.

Day 4, June 4
Up 5:45am. Worked till breakfast. Pancakes and fruit. Really good! The am was cool, but after breakfast, the torturous heat arrived. Some teens stamped Bibles, while the rest continued on with the walls, and dirt. Today was our last day in Motul. Swam again around 1pm, and actually got a little chilly in there! Lunch was fried fish with a wonderful carrot sauce, tortillas, COKE. It really does taste better here! After siesta, we passed out the Bibles (Books of John), to the locals. We split up into groups, Jon was with me, and we went up to the homes and shouted, "Buenos Tardes!". It was quite the experience for me. Completely out of my comfort zone for sure. But the people were nice, and didn't laugh to much at our Spanish. Had a Spanish church service that evening. Caden and Wes gave their testimonies. 4 of the kids that Caden's group gave a Bible, came too. And they got Saved!!!! PTL!!! Enjoyed their choir, and singing with them. Dinner after, tostadas with a cream sauce. Got to bed around midnight. Lacey and I decided to sleep outside, due to the heat. I was still very restless.

Day 5, June 5
So we got eaten alive overnight. Lacey has little bites (chiggers) everywhere, and the mosquito's feasted on me. It's Sat. Worked till 8am, finished 2 dump truck loads of dirt!!! The kids did an awesome job of working hard, with no complaining. Even when it seemed impossible, we kept going. Definitely with some help from above. The pastor and missionary were very impressed with all we had accomplished. Breakfast was cheese empanadas, which was a favorite for many. We relaxed till 10am, then headed to the beach. Stopped at some ancient ruins for around 30 min. Kids climbed the pyramid, and we walked around. It was off the beaten path, and no one was there. It was beautiful, my mom would have loved it. Playa De Coco was the beach we ended up at in the Gulf. Swam for a bit (once again in our clothes), and then went to a place where we could swim with big, freshwater fish. Cost around 880 pesos for all of us. We rode in boats down a forest covered canal, powered by a man using a long stick. This trip took at least 30-45 min. The mosquito's were ridiculous! We tried to use bug spray, but it didn't matter. I, once again, got attacked. Big time. I counted over 100 bites later that evening. Thankfully, Richard took me to a pharmacy to get some calamine. I am eternally thankful for that! So after the long boat ride, we get to the swimming area. It's not freshwater at all. It's slimy from all the algae, and the fish are huge! I got in for a short time, but it was pretty gross overall. Kinda reminded me of Lake Cheney. EWW! Rode the boats back, and headed back to church. I rode with Kique. He stopped on the way home to get us a Pepsi. Here he has very little, but gives it all. This is how we should live. Had lunch around 4pm. Pork with tortillas. Amazing again. Showered and go on the road to Merida for a youth rally. Mallory and Jeff gave their testimonies tonight. Service was in Spanish again. We sang for them. Trading my sorrows. Went pretty good considering we didn't prepare much. After church, we hung out in their outdoor fellowship area. Played games, mixers, and had some really good Mexican pizza. Got to bed pretty late.

Day 6, June 6
Woke up with my right eye swollen shut from another stupid mosquito! I'm pretty miserable with all the bites. We packed up and cleaned. Breakfast was corn flakes, fruit, and choc cookies. HA! We sang happy bday to Amelia the head cook. She is truly amazing! Had church, and after we were presented with a couple of banners telling us thanks and that we will be missed. It was a wonderful moment for our group. The fact that we don't understand each other, yet can communicate, was awesome. Had lunch and then our group and all the Mexicans all sat around the table and played games. They taught us one, and we did them. They played "down by the creek bank". The connection was made. People exchanged emails, took lots of photos, and said their goodbyes. Vans were loaded, and we were on our way to Merida, and a hotel!!!! AC and WIFI!!! Had church that evening in Merida. Chase preached and Richard interpreted. Lacey, Jon, and Lindsey gave testimonies. After, Richard and Valarie took us to a restaurant where they have the world's best tacos (according to Valarie). She was correct, they were great! We also had coke in a glass bottle. Went back to hotel, and the teens all walked to town square in Merida. Us adults were exhausted. Bed by 11:30pm.

Day 7, June 7
Up at 7am. We have rented cars to travel. Each adult has one. Plan was to go to breakfast at the Smiths. Had no address or directions. Vickie would guide us. Except she wasn't in my car. We all got separated. I had no idea where I was, or where I was going. I knew they lived on the same street as the hotel, so I just started driving. Needed gas, so stopped. Ended up giving the gas attendant a really large tip, as I had no idea how much was normal. Ha! I guess it's usually 5 pesos, but I gave 50! Oops. The speed bumps in this country are insane. There are different types and are located randomly everywhere! Pretty sure I caught some air a time or two! Anyway, after getting lost, returning to hotel, and calling Richard, we were finally able to make it to their home. 1 hour late. Had mango muffins, cereal, fruit, and yogurt, with some really amazing mango juice. I was able to call Kobe from their vonage phone. He was still a little sad, but it was good to talk to him. Ten of us traveled to Tahdzibichen to help build again. Chase and Jeff did concrete walls, while me, Caden, Lyn, Mallory, Vickie, Chris, and Wes dug a foundation for a wall, and mixed mortar. So digging was hard. Huge lime stones had to be pick-axed and then dug. Wes had to physically lift gigantic boulders out of the way. He was impressive to all, including the Mexicans. And we forgot our gloves! So this first day here was trying on us all. I did get to use a machete!!! That was fun, for like a second, until I couldn't breath....ha! Lunch was some amazing bbq chicken, noodles, beans, and ice cream. YUM! The other group stayed and helped out at the church in Merida with painting and cleaning. On our way home, I was leading and missed our exit. Mainly because we were all laughing hysterically due to me hitting a speed bump at a high rate of speed. But Chase got us home. Hotel by 3pm , showered, and rested. Went back that night for a volleyball tourney with all the guys. I had 3 Mexicans on my team, along with Mallory and Lyndsay. We pretty much rocked! It was a cement court, but lots of fun! Dinner was tortas. The bread was so good.

Day 8, June 8
Breakfast at Smiths. Pancakes, bacon, fruit...so good. The bananas in Mexico are excellent! Worked again. Lunch was chicken fried steak, rice, beans, COKE. They filled their pool for us, so we were obligated to use it. Most of us just put our feet in. We were not clean! A couple swam. Got to hotel around 4pm. Walked down town, had dinner at a coffee shop. Had a great time bonding as a group. Did a little shopping. Bed 11:30pm.

Day 9, June 9
Slept in till 8am! Met as a group to talk about trip so far. Everyone spoke of unity, and teamwork. This experience has definitely changed the hearts of all involved. Breakfast at Smiths. Cereal, cranberry bread. Left Kobe and Mom as message. Drove 2 hours to the Chichen Itza ruins. It was so awesome! Saw the sinoche (altar) where the Mayans did virgin sacrifices. So hot again. Just us and the sun! Had tortas that the Smiths had packed for us. Valarie came along. There were lots of vendors, so did more shopping. Got Mia a Mexican dress! Got into some heavy rain on the way home. These rental cars are a pain. Not power steering, or tilt steering, and little leg room. I'm more sore from driving than from all the intense manual labor I've been doing. Church tonight at Tahdzibichen. Chris, Amber, and Ashley all gave testimonies. Home by 10:30pm. Gave the kids a 1am curfew. They want to spend time with Vickie before we leave in the am.

Day 10, June 10
Up 4:15am to get to airport. Lupe took our luggage. Richard and Valarie came to see us off. It was especially hard to say goodbye to Vickie. We were her favorite group ever. Took a few more group photos, then boarded. In Houston, customs took forever, and we were cutting it close to making our next flight. Caleb ran to stop the plane. We had to run through the airport and made the 10:20 flight at 10:19am! CRAZY! Once again, we were sweating! Got to OKC around 11:30pm. Chris' dad took us to Panera for lunch. Even though the authentic Mexican food was amazing, it was great to eat "normal" food again. We all shared our favorite moments. We will miss the people most.

All in all, this trip was for one thing. To show God's love to the people of Mexico. To do whatever they needed. That's what we did. In the meantime, we made friends, built relationships, and saw decisions made. We want this same unity and commitment here in Kansas. We want to all be on the same page. We want to win the battle we're in, not just complain about it. We live in a wonderful country. A country with power tools, air conditioning, proper transportation, safe water, sewer systems that can handle toilet paper, etc. We have everything, but give very little. The people of Mexico have little, but gave everything. We learned a lesson while there. Don't take anything for granted, and live for God, not yourselves.

So I can't remember who all gave testimonies and which day! If you know, tell me please!

Camp

Dropped Kobe off at Camp Mennoscah yesterday afternoon. He was pretty excited cuz his buddies from school will be there. Camp ends on Sat, so this is the longest he has ever been. His cabin was small and stuffy. Very hot. It stormed last night, and the river was already really high, so I doubt they will be doing any river play this week. Praying for good weather and fun memories.

Home sweet Home

So we are home from Mexico. Full of God and His glory! Many awesome moments and stories to share. Lots of great food and so many wonderful people. Missing them already! It's great to be home to recover from 10 days of hard work, hot temps, bugs, and no AC! My ankles have never been bigger than they are right now. Sunday the Missions team will present testimonies about our adventures in the Yucatan. We all kept journals, and very soon, I will document some experiences on my blog. I'm ready to get a great night's sleep for now. I appreciate all those who gave and prayed.