now that im home.....

im not used to anything here anymore, the food, the weather, and i dont like not being able to see for miles on end its so weird. i miss it down there i want to go back so bad i loved it down there i wish i could move down there but it is nice to be home and see my family again i did miss them alot and i wanted to come home so bad when i was down there but now that im home i want to back

We're Home!

The bus crew arrived home safely lastnight, despite some technical difficulties and underestimated travel times. We didn't get a chance to post to the blog while traveling due to travel times. We left Roswell at 6 AM on Friday and didn't get to Terry's house outside Denver until about 9:30 that evening (hotel at around 11 PM). Saturday, we left the hotel at 7 AM and didn't get to the next hotel outside St. Louis until midnight. Yesterday we left the hotel at 8 AM and didn't pull into the church until 12:15 AM. We've been making fundraising plans for a return trip to Roswell next summer, but it's going to be a while before we feel like crawling into that bus again! As soon as I get my photos downloaded to my home computer, I'll post some pics from the trip home. We saw some beautiful American scenery along the way. By the way, we loved Kansas- it wasn't as boring to cross and we were led to believe. Ohio on the other hand...

Stretching from our comfort zone-again

Today we had the emotions of our last day at VBS followed by a new stretching experience. Jorge asked last evening if we would join him in Atresia for a radio program. He would arrange for a translator. His radio show reaches out to folks in the Pecos Valley. He invited Jerry and I but we thought Sarah and Chloe should join us. Autumn was going for photos.. But when we arrived at the radio station, Jorge had questions for all of us. We were able to share a little about our church, our experiences , our blessings and he asked for some advice. This wasn't originally part of the plan but then He has been directing our path so he took us there. We are bringing back a recording for you all to hear. I was so proud of our young ladies, they stepped up and expressed themselves with great confidence.

Tomorrow we leave again for home. I'm praying that this leg of the trip is more uneventful than the trip here.

Susan

Farewell to New Mexico

This may be our last post for a few days. We're not sure if our hotel in Colorado has internet service or not. The bus is loaded (and the load is lighter) and we'll be pulling out of Roswell at 6:00 AM. The fliers take off at 10:35 (at least that's the schedule). We're hanging out at the Dexter Church- they're making us dinner again (we love potlucks in New Mexico- maybe more than potlucks at home). The pastor and his wife are taking us on a tour of Dexter after dinner to show us some of the homes of the children that we taught this week. This will be a new experience for us- we haven't been allowed to see their homes before.

We'll keep you posted when we can. Pray for our safe travel tomorrow and the next few days.
Autumn

Storms Are Different Here

I have video, can't post it, but I have it. We experienced our first New Mexican lightning storm on Tuesday evening, and our second last night. They are amazing- like nothing we've ever seen before. The video doesn't do the lightshow that we saw justice. Sideways lightning, exploding lightning, star-shower lightning, and a few normal bolts thrown in to remind us that we were viewing lightning. The storm started in the mountain range several miles away, and at times radiated from Capitan Peak like those balls that make your hair stand on end at the Science Center. One bolt went from the ground clear up into the sky as far as we could see and was so bright we were temporarily blinded. God gave us a lightshow that we'll never forget. The rain came to Roswell after we were all safely back in the hotel.

VBS Photos

VBS went really well this week, despite curriculum challenges (it wasn't as good as it looked). We had about 50 kids total, but only about 32 each day.

We had a sleepover with Amber and Colin lastnight, who came in from El Paso, Texas. Colin kept us laughing.

Bottomless Lakes State Park

We're a little behind in our blogging. The last few days have been pretty hectic. By the time I get the computer booted up, it's time to load up the bus to go back to the hotel or something. Tuesday evening we went to the Bottomless Lakes State Park. The facilities have expanded since the last time Jerry and Sue were there, and the rock walls are now off limits for "explorers". Adam and Esther went with us, as well as Jorge, Jorge Jr., and a few teenage guys that have been helping with VBS. It was an AWEsome sight. Afterwards we all went to dinner at a little pizza place in Hagerman, "Piccolino's" - as Jorge explained it, a nice little Italian restaurant with Mexican cooks.

Here are some photos...(a little out of order)