We're BAAAAACK!!!!!

Wow! The last 6 weeks have FLOWN by! I apologize for my failure to blog during the last few weeks. I had grand intentions of doing it more while I was in the States......

So...To catch you all up... We had a great time with family and friends while we were home. Some of the highlights...

1. Fried venison

2. Our niece, Amy's ladybug birthday party and weekend with the Elliotts

3. Reprieve from cockroaches

4. Nani's bread...inhaled in various forms- loaves hot from the oven, rolls, sticky

buns, cinnamon toast....you get the idea

5. Our nephew, Cayce's birthday party and weekend with the Striplings, Mom & Dad

Martin, David Martins and MortesDD put this really cool collage on her blog, and it would open up when you clicked on it. I'm not that sophisticated with the blogging world....so sorry for the small pics. :-) This was the first time we saw Cayce since he was born!

6. Lots of time with two of the cutest nephews in the world...Tanner and Daylen- AND their beautiful mom...Kim :-)

I kissed Tanner's little cheeks... A LOT (well...maybe they're not so little)

7. Mexican food...several times

8. Shopping....Including a 5 1/2 hour trip to Wal-mart....accompanied by Dwight :-)

9. A FABULOUS few days (for me) spent with Emily, Peepaw and Bo on the farm

10. Chik-fil-a and SWEET TEA

11. Settlers of Catan with Mom, Dad and Trent (important side note: Mom & I won)

12. TEXAS BARBECUE

13. Dinner with Mrs. Lupe and Vikki...got to see Ryan too!

14. Awesome time in worship with our home church family

15. Mason jar burgers and homeade pizza from Shelley :-)

16. Short but fun time with Kristin & Chris...this included STEAK

17. American Idol with my daddy

18. Shopping (and packing) time with my mom!

19. Sausage cheese balls and oatmeal chocolate chip peanut butter cookies (at

separate times) with Mom and Dad Martin...
20. Sopapilla Cheesecake and LOTS of laughs over old yearbooks with Jeremy and

Carrie

21. Houston Rodeo with David & Kim....Who knew how many Tim McGraw songs

we knew ALL the words to?!?

Wow....There is no way I can mention everyone we spent time with on this list! I'm sure Dwight could make another list and mention 20 different things I am forgetting.

Mr. & Mrs. Martin gave us a ride to the airport last Wednesday. Anyone see any similarities in this pic???

Mom stayed home from work to help us frantically pack. :-)

At the airport.... I wish I had a picture with Dwight's mom, but she conspicuously left all of the ones of herself off of her blog. ;-)

We got into Quito on Wednesday night. Our good friend Darryl Chambers, who runs a guesthouse in Quito, picked us up. Patti Sue and JP were waiting up for us at the hostal...SO GOOD to see both of them!

We got back to Shell on Thursday afternoon, and it feels SO GOOD to be back!!! I wish everyone could visit here, and then you'd understand what I mean. We moved into a new house, so we've been trying to unpack and move in...still a work in progress. :-) We had a team arrive yesterday afternoon, so we've hit the ground running.

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On another note.... Dwight and I needed to raise financial support after we committed to stay another 6 months. Our home church, Conroe church of Christ, agreed to accept money for us in order for donations to be tax deductible. The elders suggested we do a presentation and then the church would give a love offering. We received more than double what we needed to cover these next 6 months!!! We were/are so humbled and overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone.

To all of our family and friends who fed us and welcomed us into their homes last month....Thank you! We love you!