Ecuador Post Part 1

NOTE: FYI THIS WAS WRITTEN SEVERAL DAYS AGO.

ON MY WAY TO ECUADOR!!!

Unfortunately, I've been too busy to post the big news, but here I am on the plane telling you now that I am on my way to Ecuador with my dad! We're going on a mission trip with Compassion International and Stadia (an amazing church planting organization) to visit the churches they planted and the children they rescued last year. And, believe it or not, Wes Stafford, the president of Compassion is coming with us! This is a nationwide trip that many pastors (and their kids) from all over America are going on. I looked at my trip info and there's people from Nevada, Arizona, California, Ohio and all kinds of states coming.

When we got to the Akron/Canton airport, we checked our bags in and waited for the plane. While we were waiting we got acquainted with two of the people going with us. Greg Nettle, the pastor from a church that we planted called Rivertree and his daughter Tabitha. We chatted and got to know each other a little more while the plane was being repaired.

I happen to be wearing a just-below knee-length skirt and ballet flats on the lower half of me and it just happened to snow today! Bizarre! It hasn't snowed all winter (very strange) and the day we decide to take-off, it drops like three inches! So, as I was crossing the bridge from the “portal” to the plane, the wind picked up and was whipping the skirt around my legs and I was using my purse to keep it contained. When I made it to the plane, the stewardess (who looks like Aibileen from the Help) said, “Whoo, girl! You wearin' that skirt with no pantyhose and those little flat shoes! You makin' me cold!” I smiled. She seems very nice, like someone I would be friends with, so I prayed for her.

We're about half way through our first flight from Akron, OH to Atlanta, GA. It's an hour and a half flight and we were delayed, thank God! There is a 5 hour layover in Atlanta and with our delay, it's cut down to something like three hours, I think. From there, it's 5 hours to Quito, the capital city in Ecuador. We'll arrive some time around 11 or midnight. The crazy thing is that Ecuador is in the same time zone as Ohio! Isn't that bizarre?! Look it up!

Daddy and I are sitting in the very back of the plane by the lavatory and the engines. I guess we got the cheap seats this time :). The stewardesses just passed out puny peanuts and drinks. I took a zero-cal water poured into a coca-cola stamped plastic cup from a goliath-sized water bottle. Why don't they just give me the whole thing? I'll drink it all and take it as a souvenir!

Speaking of souvenirs, yesterday, I went around and asked all my siblings what they wanted me to bring back for them from Ecuador and I got a lot of different responses: Max wants an ancient artifact (which unfortunately, is illegal to take), Moses wants some LEGOs, Mirial wants “jools” (you LOTR fans will know what I mean), Matthew wants a sword and so on. But get this, Marley asked for me to bring her an ancient rock and some leaves and also...wait for it...bottled air. I laughed and promised her a rock, a leaf and some air. So, I'm going to ask the stewardess Aibileen for the bottle and bring Marley back and extra-large bottle of air!

ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Jan. 2, 2011 3:27 PM

I'm waiting here to board our second plane to Quito. The time is passing slowly, so I'll share what has happened since my last “entry”.

After we got off the last plane and were waiting for our checked luggage, I had the opportunity to talk with a little girl. She looked to be seven or eight years old and she was waiting with her mom who was also waiting for her luggage. I saw that she was holding an American Girl doll, and dolls, especially American Girls, being a subject of which I am exceptionally knowledgeable, I commented, “I like your doll. What's her name?”

“Rebecca” she replied.

“Oh! I remember, she's from 1914, isn't she?”

“Yeah.”

“I have an American Girl doll, too. Her name is Kaya.”

“Oh, yeah! She's the...um...”

“Indian doll.”

“Yeah! Doesn't she have a horse?.”

“Mhm, but I don't have the horse.”

“Rebecca doesn't have a horse...”

“But she has cats, doesn't she?”

“I think you're right!”

The conversation went on and I sat by her while her mom was picking up their bags. I asked if she had any brothers or sisters, and when she told me that she has two brothers, I told her that I had four brothers and three sisters. I was impressed at how quickly she did her math and determined that I had seven siblings and that there were eight kids in all. “Wow, busy parents.” A mom nearby commented. A moment later, I said goodbye, but after we were in the terminal, she came up and thanked me for watching her and talking to her. I wanted to scoop her up and kiss her because she reminded me of my Mirial, but of course, I couldn't, so I just smiled and told her that I had a nice time, then waved goodbye. I'll never see her again, but I will never forget her and always keep her in my prayers.

Well, we still had plenty of time to eat lunch and get to the gate in time, so we took a train to our gate (which was on the complete other side of the building) and walked around until we found a good restaurant. And it was GREAT! It's called Nathan's Famous (www.nathansfamous.com). I had a Philly Cheese Steak with bell peppers and mushrooms OMP (oh my pie)! It was really good! It came with a medium fry and a bottled water. If you can locate a store, get there and see for yourself.

Daddy eating his Nathan's. Isn't he handsome? Tired, though.

"Nathan's Famous" logo.

After a quick chat with Marley on the phone over a Starbucks Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate (Please try it, I know it sounds weird, but it's awesome!), we headed to gate T4 and here we are. It's about 4:00 and we're waiting for our flight which departs at 5:30. I am writing this post down in a document file and will copy and paste it later into a post, once we find some internet usage! It's not working here!

Max'n'Cheese!

Here's a great recipe for any day that's quick to throw together and (not to mention) makes a great meal for those who just had their wisdom teeth out or something like that...At my house, we call it "Max'n'Cheese" because my brother Max usually makes it. It's an altered Alton Brown recipe (we usually double or triple it, depending on how hungry we are feeling :)

Max'n'Cheese

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs
• 6 ounces evaporated milk
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (we use Quaker Steak and Lube's Louisiana Lickers Sauce)
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

Directions

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes or until creamy

Optional:
Slice a package of Coleman hot dogs 1/2" thick. Brown over medium heat. Add to Max'n'Cheese pot just before serving.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we have!

Chipmunk Cheeks :)

Last night, Daddy called us all together in the living room for family devotions and reminded everyone that today I was going to get my wisdom teeth out. As we were praying, and I smiled on Mirial (6) and Matthew (4) asking God in their simple, precious words that I would be safe and (according to Mattie) not look like a bad guy (you know, like how cartoon bad guys have missing teeth haha!) Daddy prayed for me last and as he was talking, his words suddenly grabbed my better attention. He prayed that I would remember Proverbs 3: 5-7 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Of course I've heard that verse a gajillion times, and we even made a song about it, but last night the Holy Spirit really caused that verse to stand out to me like it never has before.

I thought about it later as I was falling asleep and was deeply convicted. My personality is the calm, cool, collected type who isn't phased by anything much, plus, I'm very smart and always have a plan ready. But that often gets in the way of my faith. I tend to put my flawed intellect on the "throne" of my heart and worship it instead of God. And it often leads me to become in danger of apathy, the most deadly temptation I think a Christian could ever be faced with. I tend not to make a big deal about things at all and usually don't make a big deal about my sin either. The Lord has been teaching me that I need to depend on Him more and more every day and realize my desperate need for Him always. That's my new favorite verse in the Bible, because even though probably everyone's heard of it, the Lord has given new meaning to it for me and I hope I'll think of it always when I'm tempted to fall into Apathy and neglect my Bible reading and prayer times that should be so precious to me. I ask that you would pray that I continually apply that verse to my life and keep it in my mind always.

Anyway, back to the story...this morning, I had every intention of waking up at 6:15 and having time to get ready before my 7:55 appointment, but when the alarm rang, Marley (12) promptly got up and turned it off instead of pressing the "snooze" button so I went back to sleep and didn't wake up again until 7:12! Ahhhh! I had less than half and hour to get ready and the tee shirt I had planned on wearing wasn't even in the dryer yet. I scrambled around and was finally ready with mommy's approval, so I climbed in the car beside daddy and we were only five minutes late (that's got to be some sort of record :)

After I took a quick bathroom break, the nurse led me into the operating room. I made small talk until the doc came in and started on my IV. That was probably the worst part and was only a small pinch. They put on a nose mask with smelly oxygen and told me to breathe through my nose. I sounded like Darth Vader, so I said, "Luke, I am your father!" You know, to reassure the doctor that I wasn't nervous an ounce (which I wasn't). I started reciting my new favorite verse and then I don't remember much after that. I woke up in the chair and the nurse let me get my bearings a little before she led me, stumbling down the hallway to a small waiting area with a bed and blanket so I could wake up more. Daddy was there and the doctor came in to tell us that the procedure couldn't have gone better. Meanwhile, I was just trying to swallow through my gauze-stuffed and swollen cheeks. It was pretty much impossible so I just sopped up my bloody drool with a tissue. I felt fine, just a little groggy and the nurse told daddy to pull the car around back so I wouldn't have to go through the waiting room. It was snowing flurries outside when I stepped out and the ride home was also uneventful.

Coming home was the best part. Marley had made a bed for me on one of the couches and promptly laid me down to start recovery. There was a glass of water and get-well cards that the kids had made for me. I'm awake enough now to appreciate them, but at the time, it was just nod and try to smile as little chubby fingers waved the construction paper hearts and snowflakes in front of my face. We took out the gauze (what a relief) and put less back in so I could actually talk and swallow. Mommy gave me some motrin and presented me with a creative and very useful ice pack system she made: ice in sandwich baggies inside socks with the open tops tied together so it drapes over my head and rests on my cheeks. It looks hilarious and unorthodox, but it's ludicrously effective! I love it! I fell asleep after and woke up an hour later for mommy to give me new medicine that starts with a v and I can't remember what it's called. Here I am now, waiting on the couch for a vanilla milkshake and watching my brothers watch LEGO videos.

The moral of the story is: It's not that bad to get your wisdom teeth out: the IV is the worst part and that's only a small pinch. Also, don't become Apathetic, it's the worst thing that can happen to your faith!

A Clean Room is a Happy Room!

That's exactly what my mom always says and I believe it!

I just finished cleaning my room and it looks so much better!!! What a difference in makes to take a couple of hours and spruce up...I hope it won't take that long next time. Usually, Saturdays in our house are specifically for house cleaning, especially bedrooms, then when that's done we do something fun in the evening. But, I hadn't cleaned my room in about a month, so it took me awhile to get it back in shape. Plus, I share the room with my sisters Marley (12) and Mirial (6) so there's 3 times as much mess! It's a labor of love that has it's rewards. When I was almost finished, Mirial came in and declared that I must love cleaning because I do it so much! Hahaha! I don't always love it, but I always love the feeling it gives to walk into a room that is clean because of my accomplishment. Satisfaction!

Here I'll give you my list of things I do in order for bedroom cleanification:)

1. Make the bed. Clear it off and make it nicely. Put fresh sheets and pillow cases on and maybe take the comforters down to be laundered.

2. Make sure the closets and drawers are ready for clean clothes to be put away. Clean them out if need be.

3. Pick up all the clothes and fold them on the bed, tote the dirty ones to the laundry room NOW. (I've found that if you wait until the end, it doesn't get done until a couple of weeks later and by then, the clothes get spread out so the dirty is mixed with the clean and you have messy room again! Not fun!)

4. Separate the clothes you want to get rid of, put them in a trash bag and take them directly to the car so when you're out, you can just drop them off at a local thrift store when you go out next.

5. Put the clean folded clothes away in the drawers and hang them up in the closet.

6. Pick up trash from the floor and cluttered spaces. It's amazing how it piles up!

7. Put away all toys, books, etc. Your goal right now is to get the floor completely cleaned off. Now would be a good time to put away shoes.

8. Organize cluttered areas like dressers, vanities, side tables and bookshelves. Dust shelves, clean mirrors and windows and tackle other clutter-corners. Remove any marks on the wall and dust the baseboards.

9. Finally, vacuum the carpet or vacuum the rugs and sweep the floor. Make sure you clean out under the bed as well.

10. For an extra-special touch, put freshly laundered towels and washcloths on the bed(s) and place little hotel soaps and shampoos on the side-tables (I know you have some, we all do!:). As a final goody, put a chocolate on each pillowcase. Just make sure you don't forget and sleep on them. When you wake up, you'll think your brain has been leaking out your ear and you'll freak out! (Don't ask me how I know that...)

You can copy this list and paste it in a document if you like. I love sharing my joy of cleaning!

What's that in the Dryer?

This morning, baby Mandee (Child #7 of 8. She's 20 months old), took the liberty of emptying one of the dryers of its contents and climbing inside. I spotted her from the kitchen and just had to take some pictures! She's such a little joy-girl! I love you, sweetie!!!

Enjoy the pictures, y'all!

One must always investigate one's surroundings before becoming comfortable.

"Look at me, sister!!"

Peek-a-boo!

Still smiling as she said, "All done!" and promptly climbed out.

My Dream Car!!!

What a BEAUTIFUL car! My mom took a picture of this one. It was parked right outside our house. It's very much like my dream car. My DREAM car is a red 1960's truck with white-wall tires, beige leather seats and wooden bed-rails! Oh, yeah! What's your dream car look like?

Questions or Comments Email

I've just created an email for this site, so if you have any questions or comments about any of my posts or need advice, please drop me a line at cherishingmyrole@gmail.com !