Our Neighborhood Volcano

Agua

Beauty of the Earth

For the beauty of the earth

For the glory of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies:

Refrain:

Lord of all, to Thee we raise

this our joyful hymn of praise.

When I saw this flower, the old hymn "For the Beauty of the Earth" were the first thoughts in my mind.

~J

Saying Good-Bye

I just cried til my heart ached when I had to hug little David and Emily "good-bye" at the MGA airport on Tuesday.

 Last Hug and Kisses!

 Sleeping away!

 Oh I wish she had a passport and I could bring her home to Guatemala with me.  Oh well.  It has been fun to help Ellen and Luke out these past 2 weeks.

 I have been blessed by...

every little spit up I've mopped up
every poopie diaper I have changed
every nightly baths given 
every song sung
every little sweet hug that I have received
every little temper tanturum that I have witnessed
and every little sweet smile shed in my direction.

Grammie is going to miss these little grandchildren once again! 

Ellen's Growing Family

David holding little sister, Emily

Ellen, David, Emily and Luke

Emily - 2 weeks old

Did You Loose Sleep?

I didn't loose an hour of sleep last night. 
Guatemala and Nicaragua (where Ellen and family live) do not go on Day Light Savings Time.

I like the time change, because we receive East Coast News (aka Miami, Florida time) via the cable company in Guatemala,
so the 11pm Miami news will now come on here at 9pm Yea! :)

Dr. Howard G Hendricks - "Prof"

Last night, I finally got around to watching the 2.5 hour memorial service for Dr. Hendricks.   I remember taking a Christian Family Life course at Moody 35 years ago, and having to walk over to Fitzwater Hall, up to the 3rd floor, and checking out an Audio tape (cassette:) of a series that Howard Hendricks was speaking on.  Good stuff.  

I never knew the man well.  But I know he has been very influential in many many people's lives through the years.  Several years ago, he came to SETECA along with his wife for some lectures, and I went over to Jenny's house for a ladies tea/brunch for Jeanne Hendricks.  Nice.

Click here to view the 2.5 hour memorial service held last Saturday, March 2, at Stonebriar Church.  Memorial Service

I was also sent another link to a 30 minute spot about their marriage.  It is very God honoring.  It was produced by Day of Discovery.  Love's Lasting Call: The story of Howard and Jeanne Hendricks

Saying Goodbye to GrandDad

We had a few days together with little Emily and big brother David in Nicaragua.  Glenn flew back to Guatemala on Tuesday morning.

Just after we had a GrandDad and Grammie photo shot, little Emily decided to spit up.  

Spit up R-o-y-a-l-l-y. 

 I looked at Glenn and thought, "How can you leave Ellen and me here at the airport?"

On Tuesday, we did...

• 5 loads of wash
• hung out all 5 loads on the clothes line
• ate left-over pizza
• held little Emily on my lap for several hours
• gave David 2 baths
• cleaned up 2 big spit-ups from little Emily
• read David a bedtime story
• changed about 20 diapers 

 David just clung onto GrandDad before he went through security at the Managua Airport.

I'm here a few more days to help Ellen and Luke as they juggle the task of parenting two under two.  It can be a handful at times.

Villas at Apoyo

Over the weekend, we took a one hour drive to the laguna de Apoyo near Granada to the Villas at Apoyo.  It is a 5 star resort that we were able to enjoy with a 3 star price tag.  Not too bad.  There are these thatched roof units complete with AC.  The landscape is dotted with bugambilla plants, ferns and all kinds of tropical vegetation. It is a relaxing and refreshing place.

We enjoyed the beautiful view, infinity pool, relaxing, watching the sunrise

and the monkeys swinging through the trees.

Little Miss Emily

 9 day old Emily with Dad

19 month old David with Mom
~J

Meeting Miss Emily for the First Time

 GrandDad holds Baby Emily

David meets 5 day old Emily for the first time.

David was in Guatemala with us for 10 days, so missed all of the unexpected early arrival excitement.  When you ask him, "Where is Baby sister?" he first pointed to his mother's stomach, then we had to redirect his little finger to little Miss Emily.

Grammie and baby Emily

Sweetness!

David and Basketball

Ok, this little boy is obsessed with Basketball.

Step 1:

Find a basketball game at the local Eskala Mall

Step 2:

Sneak the Grandson inside the cage

{with permission from the attendant close by}

Step 3:

Swish

Way to go David

Dallas Cowboy David

No caption needed.

David

19 months old

A GrandDad and His GrandSon

What does 

a GrandDad

+ bicycle

+ little boy = ?

------------------------

click here

and

to see 2 different videos.

Answer:

Fun Bike Ride

David's Weekend Trip

 Over the weekend, we had David with us.  This little boy loves to swim!  He did great in the pool.  Each day he was pretty tired.

On Friday morning, as we were eating breakfast, we had the biggest surprise of them all.  We got a call via Skype at about 8:30am. Glenn handed the smart phone for David to see his parents, but instead, there was little Emily.  What a surprise to all of us.  Ellen had sent several email messages the night before and then early in the morning to let us know that she was in labor and going to the hospital.  But we didn't have internet connection in our hotel room.  But then again, as Grandparents, we were pretty tired out and needed our sleep too, much like Boy David.

Most of the meals we fed David in the highchair on the balcony of our hotel room.  What a view.

Then on the last day, just before we headed back into the city, Jenny offered to let David have one last swim.  He didn't complain. 

GrandDad puts David right in the middle of the van, so he can look out the front window and see the winding road ahead.  This also keeps David from getting car sick from all of the winding roads.

~J

Emily Kay

 

 Our daughter, Ellen Kay, delivered a baby girl this morning in Nicaragua. 

 Mom and our new granddaughter are doing fine.

They named her

Emily Kay

7 pounds and 11 ozs

born at 4:35am, February 22, 2013

 

photos courtesy of Luke R

Proud parents:

Luke and Ellen

Big Brother:

David

We currently have David with us in Guatemala, thinking this little baby girl wouldn't arrive until closer to her due date on March 8.  We finally got on Skype to talk with Ellen this morning and immediately handed the smart phone for David to see his Mama.  But there was a beautiful picture of baby Emily.  We had no idea that Ellen was even in labor through the night. Ellen had delivered  2  weeks early.  David smiled really big when he saw his new baby sister.

And proud Grandparents:

Glenn and Judy

known as GrandDad and Grammie

Another Hair cut

David is with us for 10 days in Guatemala.

So, we took him back to the same barber that cut his hair in December.

Again, he enjoyed sitting on the big tractor.

He liked it when the barber sprayed water into his hand. Imagine that?  This kid loves water.

Good boy!

Mike Stephenson

  Mike Stephenson, Camino missionary for 30 years here in Guatemala, suffered a heart attack while at the Doctor's office.  Glenn and Mike would on occasion walk together in the mornings.  Mike had a sweet spirit about him and will be deeply missed here in Guatemala by fellow missionaries and by the Mam people with whom he worked for so many years.

This is the email that Glenn sent out recently.  I thought it was important to include it in a blog format.

Sunday February 17,

10 days ago, February 7, the perfect number, our friend, Mike Stephenson passed away after struggling with some health issues, from a massive heart attack. He was buried on Saturday, February 9th in San Sebastian surrounded by over 500 Mam people bearing witness to his life and ministry. A number of Camino missionaries were also in attendance. 

"And regarding the question, friends, that has come up about what happens to those already dead and buried, we don’t want you in the dark any longer. First off, you must not carry on over them like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last word. Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus....So reassure one another with these words."  I Thess 4:13,14...18

On Friday, February 15, we met with our president, Doug Livingston, along with newly named VP of Global Ministries, David Ruiz, for an afternoon meeting.  After the formal gathering, we had a time of reflecting on Mike's life. It was a bitter-sweet time with many tears. We closed the time remembering those whom we have lost in recent years such as Mike Stephenson, Ed Sywulka, Abel Morales, Esther de Nuñez, David Ekstrom, Wayne Berger, Pauline Sywulka and Pauline Williams. Incidentally, we had our gathering in the Pauline Williams room at SETECA.

On Saturday afternoon, February 16, our good friends, Jeff and Kathy, missionaries with South America Mission, joined Mike's family and a few friends, about 20 people in all, at the Paulo's 3s Company Restaurant, in Dania, FL, for lunch. Mike's older brother, Tom, asked Jeff to say the blessing for the meal. Later, Jeff was given about 15 minutes to share. The restaurant was closed to customers on Saturday, so there were no interruptions and the Gospel was clearly presented. Jeff reports that not only was there instant rapport with the family and much appreciation expressed on behalf of the family that Jeff and Kathy would be there representing Camino, but that God was doing a work in people's hearts. 

Three accepted Christ, including Mike's aunt.  We Praise the Lord. Jeff told Jacqueline, Mike's mother, that God really loves her. She responded, "Now I really know that is true." Thank y'all for praying.

"God didn’t set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. He died for us, a death that triggered life. Whether we’re awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we’re alive with him! So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it." I Thessalonians 5:9-11

Marshall Family and Klyde Warren Park

I came across this recent photo of the Marshall family.  Gotta love them!

Mom's 84th Birthday.

We drove down to see the new highway park in downtown Dallas.  Literally the park is built over the highway.  Cool.

Klyde Warren Park

 Klyde Warren Park over Woodall Rogers Freeway in Downtown Dallas