Let me count the ways

Reason No. 9trillion and twenty million (ok prob could have come up with larger number than that but I have not had my coffee yet) why I love my wonderful husbad.....

I simply adore how he goes all out to show love to the children we host in our home and ensure they have a great super fun time, regardless of how he is feeling

I just fell in love with Sam all over again in one moment last week. We had Hannah and Samantha over and were all just having fun goofing off. The girls had given Sam & Sammy stick-on rhinestone earrings to wear. Sammy was interested until he learned his was not candy (in his defense they resemble candy) and Sam proudly adorned his bright red sparkly earring. He wore it proudly all night and when the girls and I were baking a desert and realized we were 2 eggs short, he ran right out to the store to get eggs. The moment occurred when shortly after his arrival home we were all talking and suddenly Samantha just burst out laughing... "Sam still has his earring on and he went to the store!!" Sam's face in that moment was priceless. He sucked it and and pretended he meant to do it even though you could tell he was embarrassed. Plus, he had also made a trip to our neighbor's house with it on. In that moment being surround by the girls' giggles as they hugged him I realized just how blessed I am to have a husband who fully embraces God's call to minister to kids and thinks of them first when they are in our home. In addition to this event he also dawned a paper bag as his face and danced around for them while they ate, then later shot off a little firework left over from 4th of July for them. Such a fun night.

I love you mi amor! Thanks for all the little things you do that I fail to take the time to mention and recognize.

* I included a video of Samantha at the bottom, she wouldn't eat her carrots and somehow it came down to putting sprinkles on them. I double dog dared her to eat them like that and she did!

Sam & his now infamous red earring.. Gloria acutally asked me the next day "when did Sam get his ear peirced?" HA HA! I love it!

Our dinner entertainment.. shake it honey!
Racing Sammy's car.. the dump truck is the fastest and won every time Richard! Thanks again!
Made me promise to post up their lovely artwork on our porch
Everyone needed a turn with the bag... WHO COULD THIS BE????
It is Samantha Lynn Flores that's who!
Here is our Banana putting on her own show, she made me take a video and when she watched it the girl was laughing so hard, she cracked her self up then said.. "You guys have to send this to funniest videos and get some money, I am just soo funny!" That's Hannah!
Snuggles on the couch!
Blast off!
Samantha's Double Dog Dare

Just had to show how riled up Sammy gets when they are over, he just adores them

3 More Weeks..

.....until we leave for Guatemala! The all too familar feelings have set in of excitement, anticipation, and now that we have Sammy dread of leaving him. So many ask how we can go and leave Sammy behind but it really just comes down to God. Sam and I are 100% confident that God has called us to serve there and we trust God to work out the rest. It is all so much bigger than us and our family. We pray each night for God not only to prepare our hearts and those we will be with in Guatemala but also Sammy's. We pray that in some way his little mind and heart can have a peace about us being gone. We pray that God will bless his time with his grandparents and strengthen that sweet relationship. Yes he will miss us and we will certainly miss Him, but God will take the sting out of it and make it bearable. That is if the boy even has a chance to miss us. He will be staying with my Mom and Richard and will probably be taken care of better than we could anyway. Oh how I look forward to the day when we can do missions together as a family and don't have to leave him behind. Serving with my little boy, what a dream come true that would be!

My thoughts & dreams have been just consumed with Guatemala. I just can't describe how much I want to be there. I always have that strange pull, knowing that when there we are never completely happy b/c we miss family and friends here. It is so hard to describe, especially those last few days when you just dread leaving to the point of feeling sick but at the same time can't wait to get on the plane to be back loved ones here. As much as I tried this last year, I just couldn't keep up the momentum of being there. I remember leaving last year and sitting on the plane thinking "I want to be the me I am in Guatemala all year, here in the US". When we are there it is so easy though. There are no distractions. I don't have a giant to do list. Bills don't matter. I can just fully devote myself and focus completely on God. It is almost like I am on a trip with God. I just feel closer to Him there in Guatemala than I do here. In Guatemala I am confronted everyday with the harsh realities of life, especially when we are off campus. It makes me realize just how self absorbed our lives are when we are in the states, the major life crises that folks deal with here just pale in comparison to what they face there. Seeing it face to face, looking into suffering, hurting eyes. Talking with ladies in the market that just seem hopless, like they are just exiting with nothing to live for drives my passion to make a difference in this world. To encourage and help those who are suffering. To meet their physical needs & just show them love. In Guatemala I also see daily abundantly clear evidence of how God has worked in the lives of so many, turned horrible things into beautiful scars. Filled the hopeless with pure joy.Unspeakable joy. I really hope and pray that I will do better this year at keeping the me in Guatemala alive here in the US, if that makes sense at all. I hope that Sam and I will returned changed and learn & grow while there.

We have a really great trip planned this year and I just can't wait to see all that God has in store. The ladies on our team will be spending our nights and evenings with our "adopted" dorm, Eseperanza Arriba with 8-14 year old girls while the men will be with the Beun Pastor dorm of teen boys each night. We have some really great devotions and activities planned and unlike previous years will be breaking the kids up into small groups after devotions so we can really get one on one. Casa Para Ninos Aleluya is unique in that it is a christian home where the children are taught Chrsitain truths and values. Although they have church on Sunday mornings and Wed nights there are many who don't know Christ. Most have been terribly hurt, abused, and abandoned and find it difficult to overcome their trials and very difficult to trust in a God they can not see. It is very easy to get "lost in the crowd" when you live in a home with 500 kids and on top of that kids are continuously being brought to Casa or leaving Casa. Some stay for a week while others live their whole lives there. Last year we had a sister and brother that a few on our team developed a relationship with and they were only at Casa for that week. They left shortly after our team did. Hopefully that week that their lives intertwined with those particular team members was meaningful. Our goal is to reach as many while we are there as we can. We hope to do a lot of discipleship work with our Esperanza girls. I can not tell you how my heart aches for them, just to see them again and hold them in my arms. They are just the best bunch of girls, so amazingly selfless especially considering all they have been through. Our little Cristina is just the best of one of all (albeit I am a teensy bit partial). How on earth will we leave her there again? I have been trying to convince Sam we need to think of a way to smuggle her in to the US... hmm.. ideas welcome!

In addition to our work at Casa our team will be spending a day or two in a nearby village. We are praying that there will be many children and adults around while we are there. We have some fun things for the kids and we will be showing the Jesus film in their native language, Cakchiquel (most in Mayan villages speak a variations of this rather than Spanish) and hope that many will make decisions for Christ. We have asked for a local pastor/ folks from local church to come so we can introduce them to the village folks and hopefully get it set up for some follow-up & discipleship after we leave. Please be praying with us on this aspect of the trip especially, that all will go smoothly & no technical/electricty probs, God will reveal Himself to them, and work through us, and that we will all be safe & healthy.

Ok this has gotten long enough sorry. If you are still reading at this point, congrats to you! Now go get cup of cofee, you deserve it. I will end with this,one of my most favorite verses of all.

Isiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all who mourn and provide for those who grieve in Zion- to bestow on them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a grarment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of rightesousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

our 4th of July

Given that 4th of July is now my second favorite holliday as some of you who took my quiz know, lol (this may change come Thanksgiving time) it was so great to spend it with friends. We went down to Lakeland to visit the Shirey fam and just fully enjoyed ourselves. It was so great to see their new life there. We spent Friday night, the 3rd, watching fireworks at Lake Mirror. It was just beautiful! We met up with several of their friends from church and they were all so nice. They had saved a great spot for us that was literally right under the fireworks. Sammy was rather scared of them. He fully enjoying dancing to the band (can you believe we caught Benji on stage as the lead singer/guitarist? How Leslie didn't know he was there is beyond me, after all they were in Fl that week....) and playing on our blanket and then BOOM! No warning they just fired away and he was not too happy about it.

They got some EXCELENT news on Sat, they had another offer on their house! We were just so happy, please be in prayer that all goes as planned with this. We spent the actual 4th in the pool having fun and relaxing. I got to see a quick glimps of the Fl Baptist Children's Home campus where Andrea works, so great. How great would it be to walk into work each day and see Jermiah 29:11-12 framed on the wall???? We watched fireworks that night from more of a distance and Sammy loved them. He even jumped and yelled at them near the end. Sam put on a mini firework show for us, I think that was the highlight of his night. Sunday was spent at their humongous church, good to know if God ever moves us to Lakeland we already have a church! =) I mean a church inside an old mall, could it be more perfect for me? I guess only if my Sunday School class met in the room the used to be the shoe store, ha ha. It was just such a fun weekend. I could have used more girly time with Andrea as we had husbands and kids with us the whole time but we all had a blast and it was great to get away. I sure miss having them here in Gainesville. I really wish Sammy & Connor could play more often together, they were too cute. Sammy just looked up to Connor and they had so much fun together. He would follow after Connor and do exactly what Connor did not fully understanding why at times.

Sammy now includes "Cott, Nonnor, and Adedda" in his regular role call of names each day. Too cute. Connor's name is ALWAYS followed by a "Choo Choo!" I guess indicating that was his favorite thing they played together. Thanks for our super fun fam vacation! Hope we can come back down again sometime soon.... hint hint. We love you all!

Just want to quickly refer everyone to Sam's blog, here. So importnat that although Independence Day is past we are careful to not take our freedom, both physical and spiritual, for granted. Our freedoms were purchased at a very high price, they cost others their lives. Sam included a list of those who gave their lives in the last few weeks alone. I can not imagine what thier families are going through. I am so guilty of going about my daily activities and not thinking about all those who are fighting for us each day. It is just so overwhelming and dauting that I think it is easier to push it out of my mind but I have been trying to remember to pray for our troops, their families, and our country's leadership more.

Here are some of our pics, sorry there are so many but we just has so much fun!

Lake Mirror where the fireworks were over the lake, so beautiful!

Love you Andrea!
Sammy dancing to the music
Happy 4th of July!
Sammy loved Connor's chair and Connor loved to fix his chair while Sammy was in it, very cute
My other little man, isn't he just adorable??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just love him to pieces!
Yee haw..... this one is for you Abby, =) We've made some adjustments to our sounds when we play.
Ahhh their pool was just absolutely perfect. Need many many more hours in it.
holding hands... everyone say awwww here.
Snakes & dinosaurs..
Waving Connor's little flag, Happy 4th of July!

Sam's display
watching the fireworks!
He LOVED them the second time around, pshew!
All spiffied up and ready for church!
Silly silly boys
Time to go home, both boys were having meltdowns, had to get a pic ha ha.

Blueberry Pickin!

We had the best time picking blueberries together, I just LOVE summer! Can you belive it was Sam's first time? We found the best place, and I HIGHLY reccomend it if you are in the Gville area (about 20 min out from town). Their blueberries are chemical-free, they do not use chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or insectisides. They go to great lengths to not harm the environment and everyone was so nice! There is a great covered area with very clean restrooms & picnic tables to eat lunch and they have hiking trails and a creek since is near Sante Fe River. Sammy just loved Mrs. Nancy! She offered us some organic bugspray (she said she got it at Walmart, it was great!) and gave Sammy a popsicle and made us some gatorade! I actually learned a lot as she explained the various varieties of blueberries they grow and Sammy enjoyed learning how to put them on the table and hit it to shift the twigs and leaves out of each bucket full. They had SO MANY to pick, just an abundance compared to other places I have picked from in past. We loved that some of the bushes were in the shade and there were plenty of low bushes for Sammy to pick off of.

The actual picking was so fun with him. He picked them right off the bush and popped them into his mouth. Only his first 2 made it into the bucket. At one point he just sat right down by the bucket and ate several handfuls out of it and said "mummy" (yummy) with each hanful. In fact, the boy literally ate blueberries all day long and to answer your question Mom, yes his poop was blue! =) Too funny. The experience was very calming, if that makes sense. As I stood with my shirtful of blueberries I was reminded of the many times growing up that I helped my Gram pick tomoates or peppers & several other things in her gardens and it really made me miss her. So often I wish she was still around and we could have just one more good chat, especially now that I am all grown up (well kind of). I miss you so much Grama!

Blueberry season is almost over so if your family hasn't picked yet you may want to plan a trip before time runs out. This particular farm is only open through July 19th, but they are seven days a week 8am to 7pm, no reservation needed. Check out their website at http://www.blueberrywoman.com/ She has included several tips about storing and freezing blueberries that I found very helpful.

Picking out his bucket, we anticipated red but he surprised us and picked green!
Very eager to find some booooeyiedadas (that is seriously what he called them??)
His first one!We were so proud and glad he liked it otherwise it would have been a lo-ong day!

Taste it daddy!

Yummy!
Now that's the way to do it!



When he was done pickin he just ran up and down the rows singing =)

Ours weighed it just over 2.5 lbs! not too shabby considering Sammy ate about half of what we picked!

His new b/f Mrs. Nancy
For me?? Why thanks!
Learning how to sort & shift
That a boy! He did it!
Lunch time, perfect end to perfect day!