Moody Bible Institute photo

Just after the Bolivian reunion photo shot, we had an MBI photo – you know I have to submit a photo for the Moody Alumni Magazine.

Molly (Hoetzel) Goodson , Ellen Stewart '04, Joe Goodson, Thomas Bartz '08, Karen (Stewart) Bartz current student, Chris Hilgeman '96, Judy (Marr) Stewart '78, Glenn C. Stewart '78, Dan Wicher 'ASP 80, Susan Wicher 'Women's guild '80, Erin Crocker current student and Belinda Guerra current student.

NOT PICTURED was Terry Brabon '78, Dale and Sandi Vick, Jason and Kristin (Vick) Brown '02. I might have gotten some of the years wrong, but its close enough.


Dale and Sandi Vick along with Kristin (Vick) Brown and Jason Brown and family. Karen worked for Dale in 2004-2005 at KCBI Hispanic Christian Radio. The Vicks also served with CAM International in Dallas and in Guatemala where we live now.


Terry and Julie Brabon - Terry and Glenn were roommates at the chair factory while students of Moody Aviation in Elizabethton, TN back in the 1970s.

Judy

Cook out - Evie preparing salad

During the Wedding week, Glenn and I moved into a nice large home that had extra bedrooms. These new friends, the Clarks, were out of town and opened their home to our busy activities. Linda Self stayed in 1 bedroom, and Virginia and her sister stayed in another bedroom. Glenn grilled out and we had a PARDY! We had the whole gang over - Karen and Thomas, Melinda, Thomas's brother and cousin, Ellen and Luke, Neva and Andrew , Linda, Virginia, Evie, Gary and his friend, Jordan, plus Glenn and me. Full house and full stomach! Fun!

Melinda and Karen
Surfing and putting together a puzzle. Evie, Aunt Sarah (Glenn's sister) and Virginia
Jordan (Gary's friend) and Andrew (MaryJo's brother)
The Chef.

Virginia and Karen
Jordan and Gary

Yes, I still have more photos and more stuff to post.

Judy

A week before Karen and Thomas' wedding, several close friends from GPBC gave Karen a Bridal Shower. They were truely blessed.



Karen (24) and Ellen (26) - some think they're twins.

"Sisters - Sisters, There were never such devoted sisters, Never had to have a chaperon, no sir,
I'm there to keep my eye on her!"

Beth Moore with daughter, Abby, and Bernice Wassell
Jan Carlisle and Derlene Webb
Patrice Villegas, Delores McCowen and Gloria Jones
Aunt Kelly, Cousin Meredith, Grandmommy and Thomas

Thomas and Karen

The table of Gifts! Wow!
This was Thomas's favorite gift. Ideal for him to have his lap top, cup of coffee and Bible with him as he studys.
Grand Prairie Bible Church ladies that gave Karen and Thomas a wedding shower. They are truly blessed

REHERSAL DINNER - the night before the wedding


El Fenix - Karen's favorite Tex-Mex food.


Aunt Kelly and Uncle Ronnie


Thomas' grandparents


Grandmommy and Granddaddy

The Bride and Groom

Natasha, Granddaddy, Grandmommy and Erin

Thomas, Karen, Grandmommy and Judy
Karen and her baby brother

Friday afternoon we all met at North Highlands Bible Church for the 2pm Rehersal and the dinner following at Karen’s favorite Tex-Mex Restaurant, El Fenix. The rehersal was needed since the wedding was bi-lingual. James, Karen’s deaf pastor, performed the wedding ceremony and his wife, Ginny, was the voice interpreter.

We had choices of taco salad, fajitas or enchiladas for our meal. Karen handed out her appreciation gifts for her bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls, etc.


Judy

Stewart family with some Stewart relatives from Kansas/Nebraska that surprised us by driving down to the wedding. Their grandfather and Glenn's grandfather were brothers.

Laurie, Glenn and John (Laurie's husband)


Ellen and Luke


Linda and Virginia


Molly holding Alicia's baby


Janet, Laverne and Millie


Alicia (Wilson) Abts with son along with Chris Hilgeman (pronounced Higleman...Hee Hee)

Glenn was helping the waitress clear the tables. True to self. Mary Jo, Neva and Gary.


FOB a tired Father of the Bride


Laurie, Laverne, Millie and Linda

Judy

During Karen and Thomas’ reception, we gathered together for a Bolivian reunion snapshot. It was great to see so many dear friends from our time living in Bolivia in 1986 - 2000. After the wedding, the Bolivian gang gathered together at Red, Hot and Blue - those pictures in my next blog.



John and Kathy Gunther, drove over from Tyler. The Gunthers were like “grandparents” to our girls in Bolivia. Cathy would have Ellen and Karen over to hang out, stay up baking cookies, take them to the plaza and treat them to salchipapas at their favorite Bolivian restaurant, Dumbos.



The Gunthers had a Spanish deaf church where Karen got involved in 9th and 10th grade. This was the beginning of Karen's love of working and ministering with deaf people.



Alicia (Wilson) Abts was Karen’s teacher at SCCLC, she has since gotten married, has a child and is heading to Africa for missionary work. Chris Hilgeman currently lives in Dallas and is a school teacher. He was Karen’s Bible teacher at SCCLC in 1998-2000. Virginia Swartzendruber has been a long time family friend from Bolivia days. The girls affectionately call her “Aunt Virginia”. Virginia is on home assignment this year, and was able to drive down to Texas from Kansas with her sister, Evie. Virginia has spent several Christmas' with us, weekends in Peter’s cabin in Samaipata and late evenings of playing Bolivian Train and Chicken foot dominos. Millie and Laverne, retired SCCLC school teachers, drove over from the mid cities. Millie was the girls HS English teachers. Laverne was Gary’s 3rd grade teacher.



Laurie (Blue) Kauer was also an art teacher at SCCLC. She and her husband, John, are now heading to Salt Lake City to minister there. Molly (Hoezle) Goodson was an elementary school teacher in Santa Cruz and is now a Pastor’s wife near Waco. Janet Lozuck came to the wedding too. Mary Jo Handley has been Karen’s friend since kindergarten. We have a picture of the two girls at Karen’s 3rd Birthday party in the Santa Cruz plaza with their tricycles. Although the Handleys left Bolivia before we did in 2000, the girls have remained in close contact. I remember hearing giggles from Karen’s bedroom as they stayed up late at night playing games.


Neva Handley, Mary Jo’s mom, drove over from Winston-Salem, NC with her son, Andrew. Neva played the piano in Karen’s wedding. The story doesn’t stop there. Karen took piano lessons from Neva back in the 90’s and remembers skipping through the “swamp” from SCCLC to the WGM mission compound. Linda Self flew over from Birmingham, Alabama. The Selfs served with SAM in Bolivia with us, however, they’re now serving with CAM in the Hispanic community there. Linda and I would “stamp” together.

Judy

I realized that I might have posted the Groom's wedding cake upside down. I don't read Hebrew, nor can I read it backwards and upside down at the same time. So, in my previous "post", I might have incorrectly described the inscription wrong.

Now, you Hebrew scholars, tell me what it says, please!

I love this shot of Karen and Thomas. Look at the beautiful wedding dress and how it fits Karen perfectly.

Judy