7/4/11-7/10/11

Monday, July 4, 2011

We have two more lessons, a review day and tests left for school.  I had too much to do today so I didn't even look at the kids schoolwork.  Instead, we all went to the market for probably our last time.  I am definitely going to miss the produce prices!  We also went to the grocery store before returning home to prepare our 4th of July dinner.  We invited all the sister missionaries over for a bbq.  We tried our best to have a typical American bbq, but it was a little tough with the available items here and since we are trying to finish up the food that we already have.  I think it turned out good though.

We picked up the sisters and took them to the club to exercise for their preparation day.  Laina was very excited to show them the fitness trail.  I think Cole was even more excited that they wanted to play a game of ultimate frisbee with him!  He is really missing having the Bottema boys around to play with!  A couple of boys were watching us and I asked if they wanted to play also.  I was surprised that they did!  Cole, the two boys, 4 missionaries, and myself enjoyed playing while Morgan played mini golf, and Alysa, Laina, and the other two sisters took pictures.

After working up an appetite, we headed home to enjoy our hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, soda, potato salads, fruit salad, jello, cookies, etc!  Paul Bottema was able to join us as well.  Morgan was in charge of making decorations.  (Using up some more of our craft supplies!)

The whole day was busy, busy, busy but very enjoyable.  I felt bad when we took the sisters back home and they had no power.  Their power had gone out that morning and still hadn't come back on.  Chris took a look at the fuse boxes and found water in one of them.  We ended up having to leave them with our flashlights and an offer to let them use our showers in the morning if they still didn't have power!  You've got to love Guatemala!!

Hrna Nelson trying to get the frisbee out of the tree on the side of a hill!

Hrna Silva and Hrna Romero

The Ultimate Frisbee Game

Laina hanging on the goal post

Cole in action.

Hrnas Nelson, Bunting, Relek, and Acedo

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

We actually got some schoolwork done today.  The kids are so anxious to throw away all of their finished work and throw down their books.  They started a tradition that when they finish a book they get to throw it down on the ground.  When Laina finished her first book she thought that she got to throw it across the room!

I was sent a note that I needed to bring the whole family to choir practice.  It was supposed to be our last practice before the conference, so I wasn't sure why they would want the family to come.  We showed up and found half the ward there to give us a farewell party.  They had a big dinner of traditional foods, gave us gifts, and gave little speeches about our family.  They made us sit in the front row and then had Chris and I both talk after everybody else had finished.  Of course, I was an emotional wreck and cried through the entire thing!  I still can't get over how wonderful our ward is!  Every time I turned around another person was coming up to tell us thank you and that they are going to miss us.  I didn't even get to finish eating my food.  By the time I got done talking, they had already cleaned up all the plates and were sweeping!  I have never in my entire life been around people that have made me feel so special!  (except my family of course!!)  I am not looking forward to Sunday and saying final goodbyes!

Sully even wore her traditional dress!!

Sam Sac 

Hrna Perez, Krisitna, Sully

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

We are officially done with our school lessons and reviews.  Tomorrow is test day!

The kids helped me a ton in the kitchen today.  They really enjoying working in the kitchen.....unless it's cleaning.  We made pretzels, burritoes, bread, meatloaf, sugar cookies, and Oh, Henry Bars.   We ground up the rest of our wheat and can now pack the wheat grinder!  I can't believe we leave Xela in 10 days.  I've got a lot of packing to do!

Thursday, July 7, 2011

We are officially done with school.  I even got all of the tests corrected today.  What a relief!!  The kids helped tear out old papers, pack their manuals and textbooks and get ready to have a bon fire with their finished stuff! 

We also worked on getting ready for our garage sale and also packed three suitcases!

Friday, July 8, 2011

We had a garage sale preparation day.  We organized everything and worked on pricing.  I have no idea what to price stuff here.  The house is really starting to look different.

In the afternoon, the Orellanas, and Sacs came over to go through stuff before everybody else.  We had everything in the living room and after they got finished, we had much less to take out for the real sale!!  

Morgan has been going to YM/YW (mutual) and is really enjoying it.  I think she likes being "grown up".  

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Today was the garage sale day.  And boy, was it a day!!  Sully came over about 8:30 and got a bunch of stuff before we went to put up signs.  As soon as we started putting stuff out in the carport area, the construction workers on the other houses started coming over.  Morgan and I finally snuck away to put up a few signs around 9:30.  It was a complete madhouse after that!  I was shocked at how much stuff we sold so quickly.  I'm kind of thinking that I shouldn't have priced everything quite so low!  Oh, well.  It's less stuff for me to take care of later.
Chris said that we are probably the first people to have our own security guard with a shotgun at our garage sale.  The development security guard must have come over at least 4 times.  The last time he brought his whole family!

At 12:00, I was completely done, both physically and mentally.  There is no way that I could have survived this garage sale without Chris and the kids!  Chris actually got stuck doing most of the work!!  

Cole went with me to take the signs down, and we put everything back in the house.  People didn't seem to care that we have closed up for the day.  We had people knocking on the door clear until 6:00 that night!  I couldn't believe it.  

Sunday, July 10, 2011
I keep trying to get a good picture that shows how these guys carrying stuff.  We saw these guys on our way to church.  If you look closely you can see the rope around their foreheads to haul the wood.  Every time I see it, I think that that is why everybody is so short.

 Morgan and Cole usually take turns putting up the hymn numbers each Sunday.  Cole arranged it so that he could do the numbers on our last Sunday.

Prelude

Today was our very last Sunday here in La Esperanza.  It was also our ward conference, which meant a lot of piano playing for me!  We had two special musical numbers with the choirs.  I was shaking uncontrollably after the first one.  I have been dreading it for months now!!  I am SOOOO glad that it is over.  It actually turned out pretty nice.

During the last hour of church, the rain began.  By the time church ended, it was pouring.  Everybody was smashed into the foyer area waiting for the rain to let up.  It was crazy.

Paul Bottema, Hector (from the stake presidency) and Carlos. 

 Chris and the kids had already gotten to the car before I got out of class.  Morgan had brought an umbrella in for me.  We laughed all the way to the car as we ran in our church clothes, through the puddles, carrying our bags, trying to huddle together under the tiny umbrella.

Hrna Sofi ran out to our car also to get her blanket.  The first time I saw her I thought she was a gringa also but she doesn't speak any English!

We had planned to get some family pictures taken at the temple.....until the rain started.  Instead, we had our photographer (Paul!) over for lunch.  The rain let up for a little while so we ran over to the temple to get some pictures.  

I made Chris take a cheesy picture of our feet around the tile work.  The things he will do to make me happy!

I am obsessed with the crazy sky.  I want to get a really good picture of the temple with the sun shining and black storm clouds at the same time!!

It seems like forever ago that Morgan and I helped paint the entrance sign.  It is now sitting in place and you can see the temple in the background!  A lot has changed.  

 After our "photo session" we stopped by one last family's home to drop off a blanket.  This is the Dias family.  Their daughter is a really good friend to Morgan.  They also have an older son and a younger daughter, but they weren't home.  They are a great family and have always been welcoming to us!