Problems downloading!

Sorry, I am having problems downloading my pictures. So... I promise you will see pictures tomorrow! Love to all! Missy

What's Happening?

I have so much to tell you all and I know you don't want to read a lot. Sorry.  I always have these great goals of writing on here a little at a time but then I don't have the time. I really don't have the time now because it is late and I am exhausted. But.... you need to hear what has been happening. I will write like the ADD person that I am so if this goes from one place to another very quickly, you will know why. :o) So, buckle up, here I go.

Our prayer retreat with our company was so wonderful. We got to see many friends that we hadn't seen in a long time and it was great getting reaquainted. Annie loved seeing all of her old friends and had a great time being with some of the older kids for VBS. The team that came was great and all of our kids enjoyed their week. The boys and I stayed up playing cards most nights and Greg enjoyed going to bed early with Annie each night. :o) That is how it usually is in our home. We left the retreat refreshed and educated.

We then headed to one of our favorite cities for a little extra time with the family. We had fun eating pizza and watching movies. We shopped at a pet store and we think we know what kind of dog we want to purchase. Greg has promised us all that we could purchase a dog in October. We shall see.

We then headed back here to our home and have enjoyed hearing the rain outside ever since we arrived. The temperatures have been around the upper 50's and lower 60's. We have loved it! It really hasn't stopped raining since we got home. That would be 4 straight days. Of course our friends have said that it was raining for about 3 days before we arrived. It is funny because if you had told me 5 years ago that I would live in a place where it rains almost every day for about 3-4 months, I would have said, "You are crazy, I will go nuts!" However, I love it! I love hearing it and I love that I get a break from lots of visitors. One thing that changed when we left the US was that Greg became the extravert and I became the intravert. Okay, well maybe not the intravert, but I don't mind staying home! :o)

We have been enjoying our friends. Today I spent the day in town buying school supplies with one of my good friends. We laughed most of the day and I can't wait to put some of the pictures on here from these past few days. We were leaving a store and I was driving, my friend's daughter was in the passenger's seat and she was in the back seat. My friend's daughter had told her that she needed to use her seat belt because it was safer. So, being the obedient mother that she is she used her seatbelt. Okay, I have to go downstairs, get my camera and download this picture, because without that you won't fully appreciate this story. It was TOO funny. She had the strap around her whole body but it wasn't buckled. It was like a harness ready to hang her! I about wet my pants. We showed her how it was supposed to go and she said, "I think I will risk it, this is way to tight." :o)

Then tonight we spent the night with some friends of ours that are extremely quiet people. Can you imagine ME with quiet people? Well, they think we are ridiculously funny. We were playing Jinga and had a blast! Our friend, Alicia who is about to have her baby, laughed so hard I thought she would go into labor for sure! They laughed at the game but they laughed more at Greg. We heard some water dripping from their fridge and Greg, otherwise known as " Mr. Fixit" said, " Hmm... let me see..." and put his whole head in the freezer, stayed there for a few minutes and with all seriousness shuts the door, and says, " No, everything is fine." I bust out laughing because somehow he thought he knew that there was nothing wrong with their fridge. I told them there would be a flood tonight. So that became our joke, Greg says everything is fine. Anyway, this may not be funny to all of you, but we got a lot of laughs out of it!

Now it is time for me to go to bed. I will upload the photos and you can see some of what we have been doing!  Please keep praying for us. Love you all! Missy

Out of town.

No pictures yet. I am sorry I have not been on here for a few weeks. I have been out of town and we have not had much internet service. We are back and I can't wait to share all we did. It was sooo much fun! I will update you all tomorrow but for now, I am smack tired! Love to you all! Missy

Last day with the team.

This was our team's last day and we took them to a fun tourist spot. This is called, Janitzio and it is a Purepecha island. They live off of tourism and we helped their economy! This is the team in front of a very famous statue. It is at the top of the island and when you get to the top you can climb up inside of the statue and peek out of his hand. They all enjoyed doing that!

This was at the restaurant where we ate. The three of the boys in the front were dancers that do a typical Purepecha dance. They were the owner's grandsons and they did a dance just for us.

This is the statue of a man named Morelos. I took this when they were in the hand. I will have to post another one where you can actually see Rachael in the hand.

This island is called, Janitzio and it is a Purepecha island. They live off of tourism and we helped their economy!

Do you appreciate your water? Imagine having to carry your bottles of water up to your home. There are a ton of stairs here because the island spirals up to the top and their are no cars, horses, donkeys or anything to help them with this job they rely on good old fashion shoulders!

This little girl was too precious! I took more of her but only had time to download one. She was just standing there by herself and wanted to see her photo after it was taken.

One thing that they sell a lot of is fish. These little fish are just simple minnows. Now for some people eating fried minnows with eyes and a tail is no big deal. For others....like Racheal and I it is tough. However, she arose to the occasion and took the plunge.

"I can't believe I am doing this!"

"Oh it's grose! I mean really grose!" As you can see, Alex was enjoying this!

This was the little guy after Racheal got ahold of him!

"Okay, I am doing it, see!"

"I did it!" I am with Racheal, not exactly something I will willingly do again!

This is how they are sold. Some actually have their mouth open. Yuck! Greg loves them. He is weird!

Please pray for us this week as we will be traveling. Pray all goes well with travels and we have no delays of any kind! Pray also for my sweet friend Fair. I talked to her last night and she is doing well but does need prayer for quick healing. Pray also for a friend of mine named Krista. She lost her father yesterday and I know she and her family are suffering. She is my age and her father was a very well known person among our company. Thanks for praying for us. We always need it. So if you are thinking about us for any reason, pray! Love you! Missy

Okay, so this is out of order. This was of Jim, Annie and me on the boat that takes you to the island.

What happens when we pray.....

This is Juanito and he is precious. When he first met us this is how he looked.

Then as he gets to know you he starts to warm up and he looks like this.

Then after spending some time with him you can get him to do this! Have I mentioned that I love my job?

The team is off... and we are sad!

Well friends..... our house is a lot quieter, not much going on here. The team left for the airport at around 8:30 am and will be heading back to the US. It was a wonderful week full of great times and lots of laughs. We enjoyed the worship and eating together, seeing the smiling faces and watching our people fall in love with our friends. I get emotional watching our people meet and love on our other people. It is like you are seeing what it will be like in heaven. I have never been so happy to call myself a M. This is the job for me. To see people fall in love with Jesus and then grow in their faith. It is just plain fun! Kingston Ave. will always be remembered here and always be talked about by the people with whom they touched. There are more pictures and I will try and pick the best ones to put on here. That is a tough job but I will try.

Before I try and download lots of pictures I need to ask you to pray. Please pray for my sweet friend Fair. Fair has been my friend for many years! Our friendship was birthed in Asheville, NC and has grown stronger ever since. I was fortunate enough to be able to catch up with her while we were in Wake Forest as she now lives near there. While we were there Fair was blessed by God with a horrible ear infection that gave her verdigo and made her extremely ill. Although the Drs. were sure all she had was an inner ear problem, they did an MRI to make sure there were no other problems. Because they did this, they found she had a brain anyurism. Had this not happened I cringe to think what would have happened. However, God is good! He showed them at just the right time what they needed to know. She had brain surgery on Tuesday and is now recovering at home. She shouldn't have any problems now. However, Fair tends to heal slowly from things. So, PLEASE pray for my friend, Fair. She needs prayer that she won't have any ceizures and that the large scar on her head will heal quickly. Pray also for her husband, Tom and their 4 children. They are very close friends of ours and it would mean a lot to me if you prayed! Thank you! Missy

Volcano Paricutin behind them

Lupita giving Rachael a gift.

Rachael with Cesilia, Ani and Lupita

Jamie trying to be a Purepecha woman and make tortillas.

Rachael actually got good at this process. They were showing their tortillas. The big one is our friend, Angelicas.

Enjoying typical soup.

Jim washing his hands in the "faucet."

Lupita, Rachael and Annie at church.

The three of us showing off our outfits.

VBS at the start....

VBS at the end.

Jamie preaching.

An older Christian couple, happy to be a part of the VBS day.

 On our porch having devotions in front of a fire. We are blessed. More pictures to come! Love you all! Missy