Super Bowl 2024

After a quick overnight trip to Chiquimula, we made a stop by our mission house in Guatemala City to join our mission family for a Super Bowl party.  It is a tradition of ours to get together each year.  

 

 

We arrived just in time for kickoff.

 

We had pizza, wings, and snacks.

 

How cute are these Krispy Kreme donuts!!

 

Cruz and Luke

 

me holding sweet little Aurora

 

 

We were all divided on who we were cheering for.  It got lively at times but in the end the Chiefs pulled it off.   I, for one, was happy.  It was a fun night!

Guatemala Mission Christmas Party 2023

Every year our IMB mission family gathers for a Christmas party.  This year it was held in Quetzaltenango because that is where everyone but us currently lives. We met for lunch at a quaint little restaurant called Nonnos Chalet.  In addition to the meal, we always buy the kids gifts and do a white elephant exchange for the adults.  There is always much laughter around the table and also joy as we reminisce about Christmas party memories from the past.  Our mission family has definitely slimmed down over the years, but the new families that we have recently added do excite us. 

Here are some photos from our time together.

 

a group photo

 

our family at the party

 

The MK's- two are ours, three belong to the Robertsons, and two are adult MK's of the Stones.

 

 

One of the rooms at the restaurant had a wall decorated in old vintage sewing patterns.  I loved it!

 

the kids opening gifts

 

Cruz and Luke

They are buds!!!

 

our Guatemala IMB MK's

(we now have a new addition that was born in early January)

 

On our drive back home to Antigua we stopped along the way for a family photo.  The views were really pretty.

 

our family December 2023 

Life Lately August 2023

Here is a look at some of our family activities during the month of August.

 

We began the month having a meal with friends.  Several between us were having birthdays so we celebrated everyone at one time. We had not seen this family since mid-June so it was great to catch up in person.

 

A video of us celebrating David's 50th birthday earlier that week.

 

 

We had two visits from the Waldraffs in August.  Their baby girls are precious!! 

 

David and I squeezed in a few coffee and dessert dates.

 

We had a family game night and played The Game.  It's a card game that our June mission team brought us.   It was fun.

 

Cruz did some cooking.  Here he made egg in the hole.  You can watch him make it on the video below. 

 

 

We made a weekend trip to Quetzaltenango to visit our IMB mission family.  Here we are enjoying a meal with the Stones at Cardinali, which is a wonderful Italian restaurant there.

 

 

Having coffee in Xela with the Stones.

 

The boys with Timothy enjoying ice cream at the mall.

 

A team meal at the Stone's house. 

It was our first time to visit with the Robertsons since they arrived in Guatemala mid-July.

 

The boys with Timothy

 

Cruz with sweet little Luke.  He loves "Cruzie".

 

the boys with Lauren

 

the boys with Lindsay and Lauren

 

Church with the Stones before driving back home to Antigua.

 

A video of our drive to Quetzaltenango.

 

 

A video of our time there with mission family.

 

 

A video of the boys at a trampoline park in Quetzaltenango.

 

 

The boys enjoyed a field trip day with Encounter Academy.  The older kids went to two Guatemalan museums.

 

Selvin, David, and Cruz

 

 

A video of Cruz's field trip.

Here is a video of Ben's field trip.  The elementary went to the Guatemala Children's Museum.  Another parent took some videos and shared them with me.

 

So what did we do while our boys were off on a field trip?  We enjoyed a very relaxing breakfast date at Finca San Cayentano.  The food was delicious and the volcano views were fabulous.

 

As we sat and ate we could see Fuego constantly erupting. It was cool to watch!

 

 

 

We began the new school year.

 

Cruz during a recent Science class doing an experiment.  Below are a few videos of him doing Science experiments during August. 

 

 

 

 

 

This semester Cruz is taking a theater class here in Antigua.  They will perform a play in late November and he got the part of Prince Jodrel.  He is excited about getting to perform. 

 

He is taking the class through the Guatemala Academy of Performing Arts.

 

At the end of the month we had a farewell gathering for the Waldraffs. They are transferring to another country of service.  We are going to miss their sweet family.

 

We met for lunch in Guatemala City.

 

the kids table

For most of my boys' lives they have been the only IMB MK's in Guatemala. It is so nice to have other kids around especially at gatherings like this.

 

Hanging out together at our mission house in Guatemala City.

 

Showing what it's really like when we all get together.  What a fun group we get to serve with!

 

 

A family photo from August on a visit to Union Church in Guatemala City.

 

Christmas Luncheon with our IMB Guatemala Mission Family

It has always been an IMB mission tradition to get together for a Christmas meal and fellowship time in December.  In years past when we had a larger mission family our gatherings were big.  It was always a joyous time being together and seeing everyone. Although now we are much smaller in number we still get together.  We like to reminisce about old gatherings and reflect on those who are no longer on the field. Memories bring us laughter and joy. 

This year I hosted the meal at our home in Antigua. It was just us, the Stones, and our journeyman Lauren.   We all fit around my table, which was something I loved.  I served pulled pork and brisket that I picked up at Pappy's BBQ in town.  To go with it I cooked a potato casserole, macaroni and cheese, corn, English peas, rolls, tea, and a chocolate chess pie. 

 

Christmas luncheon with our IMB family

 

a group photo

 

the MK's and Lauren

 

the boys opened a few gifts

                                                             new t-shirts from the Stones

It was a fun gathering.  We missed the Waldraffs, who were in the States, but were excited to have Lauren with us this year.  

The Guatemala mission family has a good reputation for being a close family.  We have always been honored to be a part of it.  Lord willing our mission family will grow a little over the next few years. Will you join us in praying for that?