After Iowa, we took a wrong turn. JUST KIDDING! We enjoyed a week of rest and relaxation at the Perkin's cabin in Estes Park, Colorado. What a delightful time to reflect and rejuvenate after a very busy time surrounding Karen's wedding. Glenn and I were so looking forward to this time to not have any emails, phone calls (fortunately, the cell phones didn't work very well at this location, so that helped to minimize the communication), and be bothered by the day to day stuff.

We enjoyed long walks through the Rocky Mountain National Park.



Glenn enjoyed watching the chipmunks. Everyday we packed up our picnic breakfast and had cold cereal and milk along with a banana for breakfast before taking off on our long morning walk.

The first day, we headed towards Bear Lake, then walked down to Bierstein Lake. That was quite a hike for us. However, we stopped along the way to enjoy the beauty. Glenn even found a walking stick for me to use.



More later.
Judy

Today we got an email from good friends that stayed at the cabin the week after us, and they found BEAR tracks in the drive-way. Yikes! I am glad I wasn't there.

The Newlyweds!
While in Chicago, we did some "light" sight seeing. We were pretty tired from the big event on Sunday afternoon, so Monday and Tuesday we rested up. Grandmommy and Granddaddy enjoyed seeing the sights at Millennium Park.
How cool is this?

Reflection
We got up to the 9th floor to see Michael, but he wasn't there. So, we sought out our good friend Tommy Lee. G'daddy was impressed with the football helmets he had in his office.

Esteban and Karen are both Moody grads. We have known Esteban since Bolivia days. He graduated from SCCLC back in '01. They are also dear friends of Bob and Ann Henriques from Guatemala. The Pommiers were so nice to have us all over for a meal. Their precious baby, Gabriel, was a delight.
Group Shot!
Monday after our radio interview with Collin, we came out to the Plaza and had lunch. Glenn picked up some hamburgers at Mr. J's. We shared them with Roger Bassick and John. We first met Roger on the radio back in 1999 when Glenn was listening to WMBI on streaming audio in Bolivia. And we've been friends ever since. When Roger he brought a WMBI 50 person tour to Guatemala, I joined them and we visited some local orphanages in Xela, Guatemala City and Huehuetenango. John was walking across the plaza and we asked him to join us. John is friends with Karen and Thomas.
Cathy Sywulka works for MBI and is a CAM MK from Guatemala. We work with her parents Paul and Jean. Small world to run into her by chance in Chicago.

More later. I know, this posting is a couple of weeks old. The above events happened, July 6 - 9. I will eventually catch up soon.

Judy

Table Rock, Nebraska. That is the small town of 30+ people and the famous Willard and Minnie Binder's home. Willard served as mayor of this town for around 20 years I believe. He was best man in Glenn's dad's wedding back in 1952 and then again in 1994 when Don married Vi. The Binders even drove down to our wedding in 1980. We appreciate their interest in mission and their love for the Stewart family. Mr. Binder took us out to his garden. We were just 2 weeks a head of the Nebraska corn harvest. Next time.

After Karen's reception, Glenn and I headed towards the south. We stopped and stayed with dear dear friends, Scott and Carol Boerckel. We introduced them to "letter boxing". That was fun. We have known the Boerckels since 1990 when we were introduced by Carol's brother. They were serving up in LaPaz. We hit it off right away.


Then we stopped off and visited with Patty Obrien. We caught her on her Garage Sale Day with her 2 friends. We found some good buys too - new towels, a practically brand new backpack and some new tennnis shoes for Sherrie's girls. We have know the Obriens since Reinhardt days back in the 80's. They served a missionaries over in Europe. We always appreciate Patty's yearly gift to us in the shape of a Christmas ornament.

The Frees were missionaries with us in Bolivia. They arrived just before we packed up and left for the states in 2000. It was good to reconnect with them (Thanks Virginia). They have 4 precious kids. I love the names of their kids (Skye, Jerick, Coral and Denim).

Today is Glenn's 53rd birthday, so we are off running errands, doing some Member Care stuff at SETECA and about. We also have our friends, the Josephs with us for a few more days. Happy Birthday Glenn



Bar-b-Que Dinner at Russ and Emily's house, Thomas' parents home. Right after the Chicago Reception on July 6th, we enjoyed an evening meal at the Bartz.
Russ, the Chef - excellent food.
They have this huge long table in their dinning room that can easily sit 24 people. its kinda like at the Lord's supper.
Yum!
More later.

Judy
Ps Even though this Blog is several weeks old, it has been fun "reliving" the Wedding activities.

Home Sweet Home for Thomas and Karen
The Inner Sanctuary - Thomas' favorite place to study.
After the Chicago Reception, and before we headed over to Thomas' parents house for a Bar-B-Que, we stopped off and visited their new little apartment. Karen opened a few wedding gifts that she and Thomas received.
Granddaddy enjoying a few relaxing moments from a very busy day.

Thomas and Karen


My beautiful daughters

On July 6th, the Bartz hosted a Chicago Reception for their friends and family in the Chicago area. Grandmommy and Granddaddy flew up to Chicago with Glenn and myself on the day before. The Reception was held at a nice country club. Lots of friends came to celebrate with the newlyweds. John and his wife both work at Moody. Karen interprets for his wife at Moody Church.

Karen with Grandmommy and Granddaddy.

Karen, Glenn and Ellen

Ramona and Eldon Schroeder with Karen. Back when I attended Moody from 1975-1978, I attended Foster Ave. Baptist Church and this was where I first met up with the Schroeders. They have followed our family ever since. When Ellen was a Moody student, she would go out to their house in Elgin and spend Thanksgiving with them. Then Karen came along and has been friends with them also. It was nice to have them attend the Reception.

Thomas with his mom!
Karen with friends.
John Thomas and Lindsey - Karen's friends from Moody.

Annette Moy, former Admissions director at MBI. Annette and I traveled together on a College Fair through Europe several years ago, representing Moody at some Missionary Kid's school. She also spent some time with us in Dallas. Annette is a dear friend.

Melinda and Karen. Melinda was Karen's first room mate at Moody in 2006. She also was a bridesmaid and was very helpful in the Dallas wedding. Aunt Sherrie loved having Melinda in her home. They are best of friends!!

The lovely couple.
Karen with Grandmommy
I wonder what he is thinking?

More about the Sunday Reception and party at the Bartz' house later in my next blog.

Judy

Friends from Grand Prairie Bible Church

The Wassells, the Moores, Joyce Nies, the Jones, the Reeves, Patrice Villegas, the Bertas, the Stewarts and Ruth Bartholomew Smith. We took this photo at the very end of the afternoon just before the bride and groom left the church. There were several other families that left before we took this picture. Sorry we missed them.

Jordan Berta did a great job in capturing some candid shots of our friends

Susan Smith and daughter April attended. Bill and Fran Eubanks in the back ground. April lived with us in 1998-1999 kind of like a foreign exchange student in Bolivia.
Jenny Wassell and Abbey Moore

Susi Berta, Delores McCowen (my Mexican train domino partner), Linda English and Catherine S

Rachel Burdett Andersen, Bill and Janis Burdett. We've know the Burdetts since FOREVER. Our girls grew up in the nursery together. And how could we forget those WhiteWater days back in 1983 and 1984. I would drive my Suburban and we'd go around to the neighborhood and pick up our friends and all spend the morning at WhiteWater. The Jones, the Reeves, the Burdetts, the Wecks and others would join us for fun in the sun and a picnic lunch. We even had Ellen's 2nd birthday party at the Park.

Our good friends Richard Allen and Rosemary Farmer and son Timothy. Karen use to babysit Timmy when he was younger. Glenn first met Richard Allen in Guatemala, back in 2002 when he was the guest speaker for the CAM Guatemala conference. We have followed them on different occasions as helping Rosemary with some mission projects at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, even loaning out our car to them. Richard Allen was the guest soloist at Moody's Founder's week back in February of 2008.


Bruce and Shelly Akerly with Linda English. We've known these guys from way back also. The Akerly's daughter is Gary's age. And we'd reconnect each time we would come home for furlough.

Ed Bagby did a great job in some candid shots of the wedding. Thanks. Susie Berta is famous for being the mother of Jordan Berta, Gary's best friend. Gary is always welcomed to stay at the Berta's house when he is in town and not staying at Grandmommy's house. We've know Susie since forever. The Akerlys and Steve VanRooy. Steve is kinda related to us. He is married to Judy Beekman VanRooy, and Judy has a brother named Gary, whom we named our Gary after. Plus we met in the Beekman's home back in 1978 through Tom and Mary Beekman, friends from Moody and Wycliffe/Mexico.

Rachel and Janis

The Wassells and Moores. Karen babysat for Abbey when she was a newborn and we've know the Wassells since forever.

Judy