Christmas 2006

Well, we spent the day just watching movies and not doing a whole lot. Matt spent a few days in the city with Alejandra's family so it was just Mike, Amber and I. I made a pan of cinnamon rolls to take to an open house later in the day. We also spent 3 hours talking to my parents on Skype, a great free form of communication through the Internet. We went to the Open House at Mark and Dayle's house, another missionary family, and played games and watched the football game. Well, we didn't watch football but everyone else did, we're not football fans. When we got home we called Mike's family on Skype to wish them a Merry Christmas. It was a great to day!

Decision to make a lifestyle change

About 3 weeks ago I finally said ENOUGH and completely put myself on the South Beach plan. So started Saturday, December 2nd. It’s been tough but all in all I feel really good. I have turned A LOT of good sweets and carbs away but at the end of the day, I feel really good physically and mentally. With my mom’s health coping with the whole white flour thing, I thought I would do a test and stay away from it for a while and see how I feel. You know I feel better and am sleeping better. I am not going to lie and say that it’s been easy, trust me it’s not, not with all the good food down here. I am also making commitment to go to the gym at least 4 times a week, which is running and weights. I am also looking for another 5K race to run in Guatemala. Bottom line, I decided that I want to be happier and healther for my family.

How many more meals???

Our home church sent a team down in December. They had all their lunches and one dinner at our house. I believe I have cooked more meals in the last 6 months than I have my entire married life. The weather here in Antigua is very nice almost all year around and we are really blessed to have a court yard big enough to accommodate 20 people. It has been a joy to be able to cook for all the people who come through our home. And thank God for "ALLRECIPES.COM"!!

Wow, we have been here almost 6 months!

As of December 15th, we have been in Antigua, Guatemala 5 months or so. Wow, where has the time gone? We have experienced a lot of different things during this time from buying furnishings for the house and to learning to buy food in the market and learning to deal with the horns of the "chicken buses" driving by the house. Yes, we have had a few meltdowns but all in all, it is good. God has us here for a purpose, all four of us. It is great having the kids with us experiencing this. They are both taking online classes with SPC this semester. Amber hopes to have her BA in two years and Matt, he is still trying to figure out what direction to take.

First 5K run in Guatemala!!

December 9th was my first 5K (3.1 miles) run in the country of Guatemala. This race was sponsored by a small Christian School in San Cristobal right out side of Guatemala City. The course was a little challenging to say the least. It was a lot of up and down hills, on gravel, over potholes. But I was determined to break my PR from the last race that I did in St. Petersburg in October. And I was determined not to let all the high school students to get ahead of me. They all had to do it for their P.E. credit. However, when I got to this point in the race at mile marker 1.7 I had to stand and drink the whole cup of water and to literally catch my breath. Coming from Florida that is at sea level to roughly 5,700 feet this is a bit of a stretch. So all in all, did quite well and will probably do it again next year.