Our time in Asheville

We finished the weekend off with KFC! It was OH so good and we were so appreciative of the families that provided all of the food for us throughout the week! We love you all!


This is Kathy and Roy. They loved on us this weekend like they had known us all their lives. We want to thank them for their wonderful hospitality! Kathy's eyes look closed in this smaller version of the picture but if you click on the picture you can see they aren't! :o)


Opening my birthday present from Grandma. She always does so good!!


What a blessing! A precious lady named, Barb gave us her little cabin in the woods to stay in while we were there. It was AWESOME!!!

We worked at having a good booth this year. It worked! The kids continued coming back to play the bean bag toss.

The real reason we do what we do!

Alex, a true Colts fan!

Part of our display showing things from our people's culture.

We had a lot of fun visiting with old friends! This is my friend, Allison.

This is our new friend, Dottie who was a trooooper and face painted all day long!

Joe and Heather are dear friends of ours and have recently adopted 2 boys from Ethiopia. They were precious!

My mother-in-law, Charlene came to visit us in Asheville and she had a great time as well!

Our friends, Jeff and Debbie are serving the people in India now. God is good!

They aren't married! That is Greg with our friend, Keri. Mike was home with some sick boys and Keri was getting some time away for the day. She and Mike and their class too, have been so good to us!

Our old neighbors came by to see us. This is Mike and Brianna. Sorry if I have spelled it wrong! Joanne, her mom was working that day but we enjoyed seeing them all! (we saw here when we went to see our old house)

This is Greg doing a wonderful job of sharing about our people.

We had a great week and enjoyed every aspect of the Global Focus Impact week. We had a great time seeing old friends and making new ones! Now we are smack tired and ready for a rest! Thanks to our Church for loving on us and for supporting us! Thanks to Keri and Mike's class!! I really think your class treated us as good as was physically possible! From salsa and chips to Reese Cup cereal to the cookout on Friday, you are AWESOME!!So...THANK YOU!! Love to you all and hope we can see you all again very soon!

Love you, Miss

So much to tell!

This is Salvador! We are so proud of him!!


Here is Cesilia and her family. Please pray for them, it is rainy and cold and they don't have a well sealed home, so the water is dripping everywhere.

This is Barbara and Icho. We are so proud of Icho because he has been going to Salvador's home each week 3 times a week to take him to AA. God is GOOD!

Angelica is soooo happy with all of the changes that have been made and she is giving God all the glory!

Annie has been having a great time at school! Ya never know what you are going to find her doing, but today it was coloring balloons in our hallway.

Studs! I said they were number 77 and 33, but they switched Alex once he got there to number 19!

Skip to the bottom and go up it will make these next pictures more fun to view.

This guy is saying to Alex, "Hey dude, thanks for letting me get by, it was my first touchdown!" Alex says, "Won't happen again!" :o)

"Oh, man I almost had him!"

This was Alex on the ground after number 55 slipped through his fingers!

"Hey Mom, watch this!!"

I know you can't see it very well, but on the other side of those two boys is my Alex grabbing the pants leg of the guy with the ball. You can see his little hands on his thigh. He was soo close!!

This was Alex before that play saying, "Hey Mom, check out that score, remember we are guest!!"

This is Jerod blocking!

Jerod blocking some more.

Oh, I have so much to tell you. I have been too busy to even write which has really made me mad because I really have wanted to share lots of news with you. We started the weekend off with a Dr. visit because my leg was infected. SOOO stupid! Anyway, then we had our football game and of course we had a blast watching our boys having fun! They won again, but I can't remember the score. I think it was 21 to 14. Then the boys had a sleepover. We had our friends, the Mims boys sleep over and Annie spent the night with their daughter, Ila. It was her first night away, she had a blast!! So our weekend was pretty busy. I will upload the pictures of the 5 boys playing later, I am too tired.

Yesterday we decided it was time to call our friends in the village. We started out with a call to Angelica and Salvador. Angelica started laughing when she heard our voices and said that she was just saying that morning that we had forgotten them. So we were glad we called. She said she was so happy, there was peace in her house. She told us how Salvador had started attending AA with Icho, another friend of ours and he had gone 5 times in 2 weeks. Salvador got on the phone and told us how he needed the help and he was finally getting it. Praise GOD!!

Next we spoke with Icho and he told us all about the church and how everyone was attending. They seem to have everyone that they had when we were there and that there were 3 people teaching the children. He said it was just really going well and they always had a full attendance.

We then called Cesilia to see how she was doing. You may remember we had asked you to pray for her because she had quit going to church and I was really bothered by this. She was so happy to talk to us and she said that for the first month she didn't go and then she felt like she really needed to start back and ever since she has been attending every Monday and Friday and she said she is really enjoying it! So, your prayers really do work! She even said, "I don't know why, I just started going again and really like it. " So, we were so encouraged to see that God is moving and everything is going well with our precious friends! I will say I found out that our sweet mutt (the one pictured in the post below) died on Friday. He really was thinking about me, he was hungry! So, that made me sad, but I wasn't too shocked. So, that is how everything is going in our neck of the woods!

We are heading to Asheville tomorrow for our church's Global Focus. We would appreciate your prayers over the next few days. We will be busy, busy until Monday when we will return home. Love you all! Missy

What do we miss?

I am sure little Tiana is saying, "Where did they go?"



We miss our friends in Mexico!

We miss the breath taking views!

We really miss the tacos!!

We miss our sweet neighbor's mutt. I KNOW he is thinking, "Where did they go?"

We miss the corn!! Although, we have enjoyed the corn in America too!!

We miss the roadside taco stands where the family can eat for under $10! (and be STUFFED)

Did I mention we missed the tacos?

We miss the sloooooow and simple life of Mexico.

So, for all of you who have asked me what we miss about Mexico, we really miss our friends there, but aside from our friends, that would sum it up. We had similar answers when asked about what we missed about the US when we were there. It was the food, the scenery, the cleanliness, the convenience of everything, the food, the grass, the simple things here. Ya know the other day I actually went out in the middle of a baseball field and lay down in the grass and just enjoyed lying there. I felt at complete peace. It was awesome! I am trying to remember those things I longed for and not take them for granted now that I am here.

The boys have their second game tomorrow. They are excited. They have new uniforms, they were given their permanent numbers this week. Jerod is number 77 and Alex is number 33. Annie is ready to cheer them on, she is ready to wear her red shirt and cheer! I will try and take more strategic pics this week! Just so you don't get bored! I will write more Purepecha stories soon. That was my goal tonight, but I was just too tired. Hope you are all having a restful weekend! Love you! Missy

So you had a bad day?

You would think that a mom of a burn patient would no better than to let this happen! I am soooo stupid!


Reassurance!


You know that song that was sung at the end of American Idol? So ya had a bad day, dadadada.....? Well, it pops into my head quite often. Sometimes for someone in a full leg cast, sometimes for someone who is pulled over by the cops, and then sometimes I sing it for myself.

Yesterday I was singing it for many people. The people I saw in a car accident, my friend who was rear ended by someone, my other friend who pulled off the road to let a trooper pass who was on his way to a suicide call and she wound up in a ditch and almost had her van tipped, for a little boy who found out he was allergic to bees and swelled up from head to toe (he was also in the van that almost tipped) for the family of another friend who took his life due to depression and me because I am a stupid woman! ( look at photo number 1) :o)

Yesterday just wasn't one of those really good days for many people. In the midst of all that was going on, I felt like I was swimming upstream in a very rough current. I just felt like things were so out of control. So I started praying on my way to get Annie from school and I was begging God to just assure me that everything was okay and that He was still in control even though to my tiny eyes it was looking pretty messy down here. I can't understand so many things. Why good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people. It's just cause we live in a very imperfect world. However....I rounded the corner and looked up and was astounded at what I saw. It was, well... breath taking. It was what is in picture number 2. Except in real life it looked A LOT bigger! He assured me He was still in control. He was still on the throne and although it looked messy to me, He was still right here with me walking through the mess each and every day right by my side. I was encouraged and felt so in love with MY Savior! Hope you are encouraged too! SO....Have a good day! Love, Missy

funny story

When we first arrived in our village we relied on our prayers for "people of peace" to gain entry into the village. We had been living among our people for a few months and had some new friends. We had come into the village and everyone was looking to take advantage of the gringos living among them. We were asked for "loans", asked for jobs, food, you name it. I am generally very giving but was tired of this! However we had decided to donate some sports equipment to the elementary school as a "good will" offering. As we were dropping this equipment off at the school a woman came to our car with her two daughters. I was sitting in the front seat with the window down and she began to tell me how her husband left her to go to the United States 5 years ago and had never sent her any money. Of course my defenses went up and I was already trying to figure out what I would say. She told me she needed new shoes for her daughters and had no money. I think smoke was coming out of my ears as I again was feeling used. So I kindly explained that most of the village had similar needs and we couldn't meet all of those needs. About that time my discerning husband came around the car and asked her what it was she needed. She told him the same story. He then asked her if she could go into town with me the next day. Then in English asked me if that was okay. Hmmmm.... well... I guess since you already asked her, I guess I will go. (Very submissive wife, I am!!) She said she would be ready in the morning.

So, the next day I had a better attitude and went to pick her up. She climbed in the car with her two children and we headed off for the nearest city. We talked the whole time and we started getting to know eachother. My heart started to melt for her as I realized just how tough her life really was. We went shoe shopping and generally had a good time. As we drove through town, she kept doing her "persignarse" or crossing herself, like they do over her chest. I told her I didn't understand much of her religion and asked her why she did that. She said because Jesus lived in the temple and we had passed a temple. I explained that I wasn't Catholic but I really wanted to learn more about what she believed. I asked her if we could start studying the Bible together so that she could help me understand more about her beliefs. She was so excited and said she would love to study the Bible. So, the next week she came to our home with her girls and we started listening to Bible stories. After studying with us for about 6 months she gave her heart to the Lord. That was 3 years ago, since then God has used this uneducated, unhappy, unloved lady to begin His work in our village. Little by little she would bring more and more people to our home. God had a larger plan when all I saw was a woman needing shoes.

I have to tell you something funny that happened on that trip. We didn't have Internet at the time, so when we would go into town we would stop by some apartments that had wireless Internet and with their permission we would use it to check our email. So, before we headed back to our village I told my new friends I had to make a quick stop. So, I pulled up to these apartments and I got out my laptop. I was checking my email and I think I probably responded to a few really short ones. So during that time they were talking back and forth in their mother tongue and I had no clue what they were saying so I finished what I was doing and we headed home. Now, about 6 months ago these friends of mine confessed to me that during that time they thought that I was having them sold to some Americans. They really thought I was sending someone some kind of message to come and get them and take them to America to be their slaves. Now we all laugh hysterically over this as they beg us to take them to the US and promise to work for us for free! ;o) Soooo funny! It is amazing how little we know about culture. We are scared they are going to kidnap us and they are sure we are going to do the same. So, there is my first story from way back when! Kinda funny, huh?

Julia/Julia

Hi friends! 3 times in one day, man am I making up for lost time or what? I needed to get away tonight and my precious husband sent me away to do whatever I wanted to do. Isn't he sweet? So, I tried to find a friend to accompany me first, and then decided extrovert or not, I am really happy going places by myself. So, I went to see the movie Julia/Julia by myself. It was such a cute movie. A little bad language but it was overall really good. I enjoyed myself. I picked wherever I wanted to sit and ate popcorn all by myself and drank 1/2 Mr. Pibb and 1/2 Coke Zero. I even ate some Milk Duds. I know, I said I was going to try and lose 20 pounds by October but I think 1/2 of me losing it is confessing to you that I did that! ;o) So, I will start again tomorrow and try and be a little better and exercise a little harder.

So, in this movie a girl named Julia is blogging as she tries to make Julia Child's recipes from her cookbook. She has a heart for writing and decided that since she wrote a book and no one published it, she would just start blogging. I won't tell you the rest, so you can see the movie yourself. However, it got me more pumped up about writing/blogging. I realized that I love blogging when I am telling you all about my people and the things we did or were doing. Then it dawned on me that I didn't start doing that until 2 years into my time in Mexico. Hmm..... I have a lot of stories NONE (or almost none) of you have heard. So, I thought I could start bringing to life some of the very fun and interesting stories that went on in 2006 and 2007.

It will be a little hard writing them in the present since they did happen in the past, but I will do my best to make it as interesting as possible. Ya know, all of you out there, you faithful blog readers, I really do feel connected to you in some weird sort of sisterly way. Maybe brotherly too, I don't know how many of you are men, I do know a few men read this, but I don't know how many. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read and I will bring back to your memory all of the wonderful people that are so vivid in my mind. Or maybe I will be introducing you for the first time. Either way, enjoy! Love, Missy

WE WON!!!

WARNING these photos will probably be too much for most people! UNLESS you are a grandparent! I just had to put them on here for all to see, but I know there are WAY too many! Sorry! If you do want to enjoy them they are much better if you click on them to enlarge them!
Alex played defensive lineman and Jerod played offensive lineman.

This is my new friend Teresia and her precious little Faith! Her sons Josh and David have become great friends with Alex and Jerod and her other daughter, Hope has become good friends with Annie. She has another daughter, Grace, but I just couldn't keep up with her! I was going to tell you something funny Hope said today! She is 4 and she went into the Porta John to go potty. I asked " Do you need help?" She said, " Yep." So I asked her what she needed and she sheepishly looked at me and said, " How do you flush it?" Poor thing was thinking that was the most clogged potty she had ever seen! It was too funny! Ya gotta love kids!!


Jerod is #67, he is the one in the middle of the 3 reds.

Jerod again in the middle.

Jerod in front of #19.

Coach Wood. So serious! He didn't know I took this picture. ;o)

Now for Alex, he is number 38! Maybe smaller, but that didn't stop him!! That started off having one person blocking him.

And now we have 2 people blocking him. Not bad for his first game, smallest and youngest on the team!! :o) Oh he wants to play professional so bad he can taste it!! I guess he could be the mascot during half time! ;o)

Alex says, "You ain't nuthin'!"

Alex and his buddy waiting for someone to get up.

I am pretty sure Alex is thinking, wonder why he isn't telling me any really cool stuff?

"Good job Alex!"

There is Jerod going after his man!

Jerod again in the middle of things. He was always at the other end of the field so it was hard to get really good pictures of him. Maybe next week!

Jerod in the huddle.

Alex says, "I may be small, but I can hit hard!!" Not really those are my words but I think he thinks that!

What studs!

This is Alex going head to head!

This is number 70 next to Jerod, we thought he was quite tall!

Number 70 next to Alex.

Okay, so we thought that number 70 was big until we say number 46!

All I could think about was, I am so glad he didn't hurt my baby!

So, it was a GREAT first game! 20 to 12 was the final score! We were very happy! I wasn't near as nervous as I thought I would be after I saw they seemed to know what they were doing. We really enjoyed the fellowship after the game as well. We had a picnic and the kids played more football with their friends while Annie played with her friends in the sand box. All in all, it was the perfect day! Thanks for praying! I love you all and you are all invited to any game!