Leaving Home, Going Home

Last Tuesday we flew back to Guatemala.  Our day started early- 3:30 A.M. to be exact!  We got up, got dressed, loaded the car, and headed into town to pick up David's mom.  She went with us to drive the car back.  Let me just mention that we were blessed to be able to stay in David's aunt's furnished extra house, drive his sister's extra surburban, borrow a car seat, pack 'n play, stroller, and his Mom bought all the diapers, wipes, bibs, blankets, clothes, etc. we needed for Cruz for the whole two weeks.  Yes, we are blessed!

our family at the Jackson airport

We arrived at the airport at 5:15 for our 6:15 flight.  We had no trouble checking in.  Cruz soon fell back asleep and ended up sleeping until we landed in Houston.  We ate breakfast at Wendy's (our last sausage and biscuit for a while) and enjoyed some Starbuck's coffee.  As soon as we arrived at our gate we started feeling "at home" again.  It was full of Guatemalans waiting to board the flight.  They immediately started asking about the baby- what's his name, where was he born, how much does he weigh, etc.  And, they wanted to hug and kiss him.  We love how the Latins love our baby!  We made it to Guatemala on time- 11:16 a.m., got our luggage, and caught a taxi to our mission house there.  We rested that night before driving on to Coban the next day.  It was a great day of travel and we thank each of you who prayed for us.

We also thank you for praying for us during our vacation time.  It was one of the best trips home we have taken yet.  Our families getting to hold and love on Cruz was worth every dime we spent to get there.  We wouldn't trade it for anything!  The photos and memories we have are priceless!  That said, it was also the hardest return trip we have made yet.  Having to leave our families this time was very difficult.  The realization that they will not see Cruz grow up and that he will not be a part of their lives makes us very sad.  We've never felt like we've ever sacrificed much to be on the mission field, but leaving this time felt like a huge sacrifice.  I'll just say that a lot of tears have been shed this past week- in both countries.  We know without a doubt that we are right where we are supposed to be, but that doesn't mean it's always easy to be here.  God is good, and His grace will sustain us through the hard times.

                            

Cruz and David on the flight back

On a happier note-

We just returned from our third and final house hunting trip to Sayaxche'.  We found a place to live!!!  We are very excited about that and will be blogging about the trip tomorrow.  Thanks for praying about that too.  :-)

Family Times

We spent all of Monday packing and saying goodbye to our families.  My mom, dad, grandparents, and aunt all came by our house to say goodbye.  We spent the afternoon and early evening at David's grandmother's house saying goodbye to them and eating dinner.  It was a long, sad day!  On all of our other trips home we have spent our last night in a hotel close to the airport.  We'd check in and then our friends Reagan and Malinda would come get us for dinner.  It was tradition to eat dinner at O'Charley's and then run through Starbucks for coffee.  This trip we sadly broke that tradition.  We felt we needed to stay and let family visit with us and mainly Cruz as much as they possibly could.  Maybe on our next trip home we'll start it back up.  Here are a few photos we took that afternoon.

 Cruz and Memaw

Larsen and Cruz

Memaw and Cruz

Aunt Robin and Cruz 

love this one!

Kaylie, Sawyer, and Cruz

Kaylie, Sawyer, Larsen, and Cruz

Kaylie, Sawyer, and Cruz

precious!

Lake Chautauqua

After Sunday lunch several of us loaded up and made another trip to the lake.  We needed to walk off all that food we had just eaten, ha. 

me, Aunt Libby, Aunt Lisa, Larsen,

David, Kelly, Shane, Sawyer, Kevin, Kaylie, Robin, Ms. Linda, and Cruz

This time we remembered to take bread so we could feed the ducks.

I held on to Cruz's feet because I was afraid the ducks would bite them.

Let me also add that the weather was beautiful and it was a perfect day to spend outdoors.

Kaylie, Cruz, David, Larsen, and Sawyer

David, Larsen, Cruz, and Sawyer

family

We walked across the swinging bridge again

the lake is so pretty!

We decided to walk the Treetop Trails this time.  It was fun.

David and Robin

Cruz and Memaw

We even spent a little time on the playground

David and Kelly

David and I on the see saw

I pushed David and Cruz on the merry-go-round

A few family photos

What a fun afternoon we had!!  Cruz makes family times like these so much sweeter.  We are soo very thankful we got to spend a few days like these with our families.

Sweet Feet

Lately Cruz has become obsessed with putting his feet in his mouth.  I couldn't resist taking a few photos of him one night before his bath time.

An Early Thanksgiving

Sunday morning we attended church with my Mom at Shady Grove Baptist Church in Hazlehurst. 

the Pastor Bro. Jason and Cruz

my Mom and Cruz after church

For lunch we headed to Crystal Springs to David's grandmother's house.  All of his family had gathered there to eat and visit with us.  

Cruz with Nannie Roberts

Nannie Roberts, Cruz, and Aunt Libby

They took a lot of time to plan a menu for us.  They fixed a traditional Thanksgiving meal with all of our favorites to go with it.  It was very sweet and thoughtful of them.  I ate until I was almost sick!  ha 

We miss meals like this!!! 

Somehow they knew that I LOVE the carrot souffle from the Picadilly.  David's Mom drove all the way to Jackson just to buy me that casserole.  I almost cried when I found that out.  That was one of the sweetest things ever!  They said it was because she loved me.  They are just nice to us like that.

We then tried to get photos with all of the family members there 

Us with Nannie Roberts, Aunt Pat, Uncle Larry, and Don

Us with Aunt Terry, Tiffany, Nacho, and Brandon

Us with Kevin and Aunt Libby

Us with Maw Maw Farmer

Us with Uncle Roger, Aunt Lisa, and Shane (and Larsen)

Us with Memaw (David's Mom)

Happy Fall Y'all

Saturday night my parents joined us for a pizza dinner.  After eating we rode out to David's Aunt Pat's house to see all of her fall decorations she has in her yard.  For every season she decorates really big for everyone to see.  My parents have always enjoyed us taking them out to walk around and view all of her stuff.