Meanwhile.. back at camp

While Daddy was in Belize, the kids and I decided that we all wanted to 'Get out of Dodge' for a few days! We love to camp and had not been able to do so for over a year.. true, this was the first time that we were going to attempt it without dad.. but he had already gave us his blessing to go since his sons have become such great (BIG!) helpers! So we headed up to Walupt Lake in the National Forest, out near Packwood. It was such a beautiful 5 days! The weather was perfect.. in the 80's during the day and in the 50's or 60's at night. We met many special folks.. and even had a few conversations about the Lord with a few of the campers. It was such a reminder that we need to be available and with an answer at all times, even when we are in the middle of no where! :) We came home feeling very refreshed.. and looked forward to Daddy's homecoming from Belize, just a few hours after our return. Once he got home of course, the older girls, dad and mom stayed up until 4 am talking about the Belize trip and catching up! 6 am came pretty early the next day!

This campground is worth the bumpy 15 mile trip down the bumpy gravel forest service roads~

 

Walupt Lake

The boys were dismayed to hear that in this paticular lake they could not use bait or barbed hooks

Even so, they had fun catching a few smaller fish with flies, bubbles (?) and other various thingy-ma-jiggies that mom doesn't know the name of!  :)

 

 

Best friends

Watch out Gracie!

Grace and Laura washing the dishes

Good Morning!

Going for a ride in the bike cart

Poor little Laura's eyes started swelling shut on that first day we arrived. We think she may be sensitive to wood smoke. In addition, just like in Belize, every mosquito in the area found her!

The poor baby was covered in bites. Thankfully, a more prepared camper in the next site over had some children's Clariton which she gladly shared. She and another camper also gave us some very strong bug spray which also helped.

I found Gracie cutting up this watermelon.. with a MACHETE! Hee Hee

(notice the blade is pointing UP!)

 

The creek that flows into the lake was so beautiful. The boys had fun catching huge craw dads there.

 

 

Yummy! Steel cut oats taste even better when cooked over a fire!

 

 

On our trip home, we stopped at Mayfield Lake and Rye caught this big one right away!

Ryan, Amanda, Laura, Gracie, Ashley and Grant

~Our Blessings~

Photos from the Mission Trip

Grady, Jim and Jake had such a wonderful trip! Almost everything that they had hoped to accomplish was accomplished! They were able to distribute support funds for Maria's home and to the Succotz family.. acquired the Spanish tracts and a few Bibles as well as visited with some very sweet folks from Mount Zion Literature in Belize City.. They were even able to spend some time with the wonderful Miss Nancy! Her testimony and story is amazing! Check out her book here: http://www.clp.org/product/miss_nancy_2577
 They attended a funeral of a friend who passed during their visit, helped our friends settle in to their new home. They were able to visit with some old friends.. although they had been hoping to see others who they were not able to reach or meet up with. They moved our storage things from our old rental into the Proper's home and get our van back from some missionaries in Belize and assessed the mechanical needs of it in order to get fliers out to sell it. Our friends from the States who originally purchased the van for us still owe on it.. recently their family and ours decided that we should just sell it down in Belize and have our family purchase another vehicle when we go back down. Grady also checked on the business licence that he had applied for before we left in April. It was not approved but only needs proof of schooling before being issued. The government worker told Grady that even just a Microsoft Certificate would allow for it to be approved and issued. So although not approved, it sounds like it could be very easily. I was amazed how much they accomplished in one week! {And yes Grady I have forgiven you for forgetting to bring back Marie Sharp's hot sauce and some recado spice! ;) } Here are a few photos of their packed week! Grady was so blessed to spend time with special brothers in the Lord!

                                                               Life with the Propers

Mark waves hello from his newly acquired sofa~ the back seat of the van!

The rental came with this lovely table

The kitchen

Jim, posing for a photo by the staircase

Grady spent quite a lot of time going through our things, packing what we wanted him to bring back and then stuffing it all under the Proper's staircase!

The road which leads to some property which they went to look at

These nice children lead Pam out to a barn where they hope to be able to possibly utilize

Mark and Pam check out the possibilities!

A nice structure

What a lovely piece of property!

Here is another structure..

.. and an abandoned house

There is so much potential on this 200 acre piece of property!

We will see what the Lord has in store for it.

                                                                 
                                                                     Familiar Scenes:

The San Ignatio Market

Grady was able to witness and share with this man at the market. Thank you Jesus!

                                     Maria's Home, Almost Finished! A generous gift allowed
                           Grady to give a gift which will allow them to complete the project!

                  Rudy's feet, which both need surgery. Our friend who is a doc asked Grady to snap
                                    this photo.. this poor guy is in constant pain due to this deformity.