Johnson Journeys

El Faro and Quetzalapa

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Thu, 10 May 2012 02:46:00 +0000

The last weekend in April was a busy, but very good one! On Saturday we went to a town called El Faro, about an hour and a half away. Fausto, a man who goes to another church in town here, has been going to El Faro every week for 2 years trying to start a church there. So, Ben gathered his team of Christian soccer players and took them to El Faro to play a match against a team there. It was such a great day, and such an encouragement to Fausto and his ministry there. At halftime Chico and Ben shared their testimonies and Fausto shared the Gospel, and after the game the men just spent time talking with the players. The kids had a blast playing with the other kids and also watching the pigs run through the field and then swim in the mud! We all left encouraged and blessed by the people of El Faro.

On Sunday we went about 30 minutes away to Quetzalapa where we partnered with a church there and did a clinic for kids. We had about 40 kids there and it was a great time! It was really encouraging to see the church really get behind it, too. Several women came with juice and sandwiches for the kids after the clinic was over, and the pastor shared the Gospel. Our kids had a blast being a part of it and getting to play some soccer with other kids.

Chilpancingo & Taxco

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Thu, 10 May 2012 02:13:00 +0000

About three weeks ago we had the privilege of travelling with our friends to Chilpancingo. Pily and Gerardo, Fatima and Saul had to go to the capital city for some paperwork, so we jumped on board for the journey. We had a great time seeing the capital of Guerrero, and getting to do some different things, like visit a zoo...

We drove about 2 hours north to the town of Taxco. Taxco is such a unique and beautiful city. It is home to many silver mines, so the town is full of silver shops. This is inside an old silver mine.

There is a very old and beautiful Catholic church in Taxco. All of the inside artwork and carvings are made out of pure gold. It was pretty amazing!

Back in Chilpancingo, we went to a museum, La Vispa. The kids had fun playing with some hands on things and painting.

Although it was a lot of driving, we had a great time exploring more of Mexico! It is a beautiful country!

Remembering the Simple Joys of Being Mom!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:48:00 +0000

God blesses us all in so many ways, and often we take His blessings for granted. All too I often take for granted the incredible blessing of being a Mom to 4 beautiful, healthy children. So often I end the day exhausted and ready for "peace-and-quiet." Or I start the day frustrated by the way-too-early wake up call from the kids because I'm not ready to be "on duty" yet. When they bicker and fight, whine and complain, disobey or disrespect me, it infringes on MY PLANS. Rather than see these as teachable moments, I all too often see them as interruptions in my day! How grateful I am for the grace of God!

And how grateful I am for what He is teaching me through my kids and through our time here in Ometepec. What a joy and blessing it has been to watch my kids learn so much: to listen to them speak fluently in Spanish with each other and with their friends; to listen to Hailey read; to hear Brady rattle of Bible verses each week and count to 100; to help Lydia sound out new words each day and watch her start to love math; to listen to Chayce sing small parts of songs, both in Spanish and English. What a blessing to make quesadillas with Hailey yesterday and tacos the week before with Brady; to see the girls joyfully cleaning the school room book-by-book to get ready for English classes; to be greeted with a full-out run and bear hug from Chayce every time I return home or he wakes from a nap; to help Brady learn to swim on his own and see his huge smile when he swam halfway across the pool; to read "I Spy" books with Chayce every day;

to do exercise videos with Lydia and watch her effort and perseverance; to read "I Spy" over and over again with Chayce; to be "pampered" at the "Johnson Girl Salon" by Hailey and Lydia with manicure, pedicure, massage and hair-up-do; to referee the "lucha libre" or wrestling matches between Chayce and Brady on the bed!

Why is it so easy to focus on the difficult times, to forget these incredible joys and live in the moment? Each night the kids race to be the first to say "I love you most, too late" and every morning they come searching for a good-morning hug. Brady asks throughout the day, "Mommy, do you want to play with me?" and Chayce wants to "kick the ball" or "play Legos WITH YOU Mommy!" I know these days and years will pass quickly, so why is it so hard to fully embrace these moments, to say "YES!" to every invitation to play, to just BE present with my kids?

I thank the Lord for the privilege of homeschooling my kids in this stage of life. Although it has brought battles with each one at different points, God is using it to teach me, to humble me, to grow me. And He's blessed me with incredible times with my kids--painting Zebras, watching videos of penguins and marveling at God's creation, hearing Brady remind us all once a day that we should be like elephants who never forget, capturing grasshoppers and ants, walking to the nearby basketball court for PE and playing soccer, memorizing the books of the Bible and reading incredible stories from God's Word. Thank you, Lord for these times. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of children. And most of all, thank you for your GRACE! May I learn to embrace the joy of each moment with my children and count them as gifts from Your hand!

Does your "Religion" allow THAT?"

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 03:20:00 +0000

If I had a dollar for every time I've been asked this question here in Ometepec, I would be a rich woman! Does your religion allow you to wear high heels? Can you dance? Can you listen to non-Christian music? The list goes on. But the latest...Does your religion allow you to hunt deer? This was posed to Ben just yesterday by a boy on his youth team! The great thing about it is that Ben had the chance to share the Gospel with a whole group of boys from La Boluda.
Every time I'm asked this question, I first want to shout out: "It's not my RELIGION: It's a RELATIONSHIP with a Person." But I'm a little more graceful in my approach (at least I hope so, but who knows what I'm saying in Spanish!!)
The two verses that always come to mind are: 1) Galatians 5:1, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free"; and 2) John 10:10, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Christ came to set us free, free from the regulations of the law and from a salvation by works. He came to give us abundant life, a joy-filled life, new life! He came to bring us into a personal relationship with Himself! I used to get somewhat offended by these questions, thinking to myself "what? Do you think that Christians are just boring people?" And truthfully I've had to ask myself: "Are we?" Do people see the church as a stuffy, boring group of people who are living by a list of rules and regulations, who are quick to judge the choices of others? And more importantly, is that how people see ME? Am I living "in the world, but not of the world?" And what exactly does that mean and how do we do that? And at the same time, what does Paul mean that "everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial"? (1 Cor. 10:23) We are free, yet we are not to see our own good. "Not everything is constructive." Being here in Ometepec (a strong Catholic culture with deep beliefs in the "spirits"), living amongst mostly non-believers or young believers, and away from what some call the "Christian bubble" of Charlotte has really challenged me to think about what these verses mean. Are there things I do, and feel I have the "right" to do them because Christ has set me free, but they are a stumbling block to others here in this culture? Thankful for God's grace, because I have much to learn! These questions, though--"does your religion allow you to..." are welcomed now, because they always allow for an opportunity to talk about the Lord and the joy and freedom that comes through a relationship with Him!

The foods we love!!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 04:22:00 +0000

Today we made some of our family favorites here in Mexico. We made picaditas (or little mexican pizzas) as a family--everyone helped out!

Then we made some fruit smoothies...with fresh pineapple, pomegranate, kiwi and...

fresh squeezed orange juice! Yum!!!

Other family favorites...

warm, hot off the fire corn tortillas made my hand (we just found a place really close to our house that makes fresh tortillas all day long, and they are amazing!)
freshly caught fish!
"tacos al pastor"--full of flavor and overall just amazing!!!
popcorn with Bufalo sauce (a type of salsa)--this took some getting used to, but it is actually pretty good!
avocados and lots of guacamole--it's a staple food around the Johnson home!
fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast!!

Vacation 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:10:00 +0000

Last year we enjoyed a wonderful family vacation in Acapulco as our "Christmas gift" and so we decided to repeat that again this year! Thanks to family who generously gave towards this time, we spent 5 days in Acapulco at the beginning of January. The week was so relaxing and refreshing. After having come off a few busy weeks and a lot of sickness, the Lord blessed us with sweet time together! We played and on the beach, swam in the pool, enjoyed a fun water park, played family games at Starbucks, ate McDonalds, Domino's Pizza and Sushi (my favorite, YUM!!!), watched some movies, rode four-wheelers, and took in an amazing sunset! It was a good time to just give thanks to the Lord for what He has and is doing in us and through us. So, here are some memories from our time!

Team Johnson Sand Castle!

Day at the Water Park!

We spent the whole day there and had a blast! Lydia won "The Most Fearless" award! Hailey and Brady loved swimming around the lazy river, and Chayce was content riding slides with Daddy and just throwing the inner tubes in the water!

Four-Wheelin' It!

Boys vs. Girls, and I believe the Girls Won!!! (although my husband may argue that one!)

Games and Starbucks--what a life!

Paddle Boat ride with Dad--one lap was ENOUGH!

The Girls!!

(Camera ran out of battery before I could take one of the boys!)

Thank you, Lord for our wonderful family! You have blessed us greatly, and we are so thankful for the memories we made during these days in Acapulco!

Campamento 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:47:00 +0000

Just after Christmas we joined about 80 high school/ college age students for 5 days at the camp. Ben and Chico were in charge of the games and group activities for the week. The kids always have a blast at the camp, and it was fun to see how much more confidant they were this year compared to a year ago. The girls were right in the middle of everything, wanting to be a part of the worship times, the small group meetings, the games. They LOVED hanging out with the older girls! Brady would have stayed in the lagoon the whole time if we had let him, and Chayce was content to just follow his daddy around!

Enjoy a few pics from the week!

Christmas 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 01:01:00 +0000

We spent the morning of Christmas Eve decorating a gingerbread house together. It was so fun to see each personality come out in their own side of the house! Then we set it out to see how long it would take for it to be covered by ants--not long at all!!!

Later that night we made some pizzas, lit some sparklers and watched the Polar Express. What a great Christmas Eve it was!!

Christmas morning!!!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:40:00 +0000

Birthday parties and fiestas are a huge part of the culture here in Mexico, so we decided to have our own "Birthday party for Jesus!" On Wednesday, December 22st we had about 35 kids at our house to celebrate Christmas! Most of the kids were from our church, but some were neighbors and others live in the Polvorin neighborhood, where Ben trains his youth teams each week. The kids made sugar cone Christmas trees, star ornaments, and colored nativity scenes. We played "Hide-the-gifts" and had a huge star pinata! Ben shared the Gospel message, we ate some fluffer-nutter sandwiches and cake, and then gave out some Christmas boxes sent from Operation Christmas Child. It was such a fun afternoon, and we pray that each kid who came left feeling loved and hearing the Good News of Christmas! Here are some pics of the day!

Birthdays!!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 02:53:00 +0000

I know I'm a week late in posting this, but Happy Birthday to Lydia and Brady!! On the 15th we celebrated Lydia's 5th birthday and on the 19th we celebrated Brady's 4th birthday! What a blessing these two kids are!
Lydia... a sweet and caring sister, Lydia is a good friend and playmate! She is a nurturer at heart (her little brother Chayce adores her!) and a real servant (so quick to offer to help with dishes or other cleaning around the house). Some of our favorite memories from this year with Lydia are: watching her grow in her Spanish, seeing her grow to adore Juliana and enjoy helping her around the house, seeing her perseverance in learning to ride a bike and how to swim, hair-styling and nail-painting times together, getting bread from the panaderia together, early morning "good morning" hugs, doing exercise videos together, watching her diligently work to learn her letters and numbers (she has such learned so much this year!). Lydia, we love you so much! You are beautiful, inside and out! You are fearfully and wonderfully made, and we thank the Lord for you! Happy 5th Birthday, sweet girl!

Brady...our goofy, fun, sweet BOY, who is all-BOY!! Brady makes us laugh so much! He is a patient and sweet brother to Chayce and a willing participant in the "dramatic play" of his sisters! Some of our favorite memories from this year are: reading books in the hammock, seeing his ability in and love for memorizing scripture, watching him help his brother learn many new skills (from playing baseball to going potty!), watching him grow in confidence in the water (jumping in the waves and starting to swim on his own a bit), hearing him speak more and more Spanish, and playing baseball, soccer, basketball, football on the patio...name a sport and Brady is there and ready to play! Brady, we love you so much, buddy! You are such a blessing to us and we thank our Lord for you! We love just how He has made you! Happy 4th Birthday, Son!

Maranatha Teams

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:12:00 +0000

Above: Ben’s Primera team, coached by Carlos (far left). Carlos is a faithful, loyal person, with a great spirit and enthusiasm for soccer. We continue to pray that God would bring him into a personal relationship with Himself!

Below: Juvenile Teams (ages 14 to 15) Matt (far right) is here for a few months helping serve in sports ministry. Matt played with the LA Seahorse PDL team (with MAI’s LA office) and has an incredible heart for serving!

Every Saturday Ben, Chico and Matt drive around and pick guys up for the games! It can be a bit tricky working out the schedule of everything, with 5 games going on each weekend, but God continues to provide!

This past Saturday night at our house! Over 50 players and coaches! We enjoyed tamales and then shared an Athletes In Action video, “The Prize”. 50 young people heard the Gospel on Saturday night!

After the video, Chico (below) shared his testimony a bit and prayed. Chico’s heart for ministry is growing, and it is so fun to watch him really step up and love these youth players and develop a passion for sharing the Gospel! We are so thankful for what God is doing in his life as well!

La Boluda

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 02:46:00 +0000

Through playing in a tournament a month or so ago, Ben met a man named Mystico. Mystico teaches PE at a school in a small pueblo about 20 minutes outside of Ometepec, called La Boluda. Three days a week Mystico goes out to the school and coaches these 12 to 15 year old kids in soccer. He showed up one day at our house and asked Ben about putting these kids in the youth league here in Ometepec. So, Ben and the Maranatha club have taken on this group of boys as another youth team. Once a week Ben and Chico and Matt go out to La Boluda to coach these boys, and then they play games on Saturdays. Not only are these kids eager to be coached in soccer, but they are eager to listen to testimonies of the Gospel. Each week someone has shared their personal testimony of the Gospel with these kids. Mystico is not a believer, so pray that God would continue to use these times to draw him and these young people to Himself.

Below: Mystico (left) and Chico (right)

This past Thursday we went as a family to the school and had a great time. In good international fashion, our plans were changed, though! When we got there, Mystico informed us that we would be teaching the kids volleyball instead of soccer!! It was great!! And a good experience for all of us in being flexible!! There are a number of girls there who love playing soccer as well, but who were really excited to “ooh and ahh” over our kids! Here are some photos from the day!

And it’s gone!!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 22:56:00 +0000

About an hour ago, Hailey came and asked me, “Mom, can I have a thread to pull my tooth out?”

After much perseverance and help from Fatima, Hailey has lost her first tooth! She is SOOOO excited to put it in the same little tooth pillow I used as a kid! Wow, can’t believe my girl is old enough to be losing teeth!!

Going to the Moon!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 17:59:00 +0000

This past week we studied about the moon, so today the kids wanted to make space helmets. With the creative help of Dad (he's much better at these types of things than I am!), they each made a space helmet. While we were sitting there,
Brady, in all serious, said: "Mom, we have to go over to Juliana's house today."
Me: "Why, Buddy?"
Brady: "Because we need to pick Juliana up. She said she wants to go to the moon with us. So we have to go get her and we can then go quickly to the moon with her."
Me: "Does Juliana have a spaceship at her house?"
Brady: "I don't know, but she wants to go to the moon with us."

Well for the rest of the morning they played "going to the moon"--the tire swing was the spaceship, then they played soccer on the moon and much more. So Fun!!

Blanket

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 17:52:00 +0000

A few weeks ago I was putting away the pack-n-play, since Chayce is now sleeping in a big bed. I took the sheet off and put it in a pile of other sheets to wash. Well, apparently Chayce was pretty attached to that brown sheet! He came into my room carrying the sheet and sucking his thumb. Then he looked at me and smiled and said, "Chayce, mommy, chayce." Well, he found his "lost blanket" and now refuses to sleep without it!!

Going to School

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:54:00 +0000

So, about a week ago we found out that Lydia and Brady could go to the "kinder" just two days a week, and not need to go the full week. They are basically "auditing" the class. So, we decided this would be a great opportunity for them to meet some kids their age, to learn the language a bit more, and to have some fun at school. They were SO excited!! Yesterday marked their first day! They will go every Tuesday and Wednesday, from 9-12. Here they are in their uniforms, full of excitement and ready to go!

I am still homeschooling Hailey and will continue to do some stuff with Lydia when she is home. It has been a blessing to watch Hailey respond with such excitement for her brother and sister, as well as excited about time alone learning with me! It's amazing how fast our kids are growing up! We praise the Lord for them!

Fun Quotes to Remember

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 01:16:00 +0000

Chayce:
“Nana” Juliana, “Bady” Brady, “A E” Hailey, “Ydia” Lydia, “Oul” Saul, “Ma” Fatima (These are the special people in his life right now, and he LOVES saying their names!!)
“Cheeekko” Chico, “Ardo” Gerrardo (he is always looking for these two guys!)
“Taint u” Thank you, “Gacias” Gracias
“Bamo” Let’s Go! (Vamanos!)   “Agua” Water
“Bayo” Horse (Caballo) or cow or donkey or any such animal!

Me: “Cuantos anos tienes, Chayce?”
Chayce: “Two”
Me: “Dos?”
Chayce: “No, Two!”

Brady:
“Let’s play soccer running!” aka a soccer game!
“Dad, can you make me a pitcher’s mound too?” (after Ben put tape on the patio for the bases. The boy LOVES baseball!)

Lydia:
“Yo necesito make my bed.” A little Spanglish!
“(Big sigh)…I just want to go to Charlotte TODAY!” while picking out games to play on a family night!
“Do I look pretty?” (Nearly everyday after she gets dressed, does her own hair and puts on lotion and lip gloss! She’s my girly girl and I love her!!)

Hailey:
“That Veggie Tales movie was very good, Mom, because it taught a lot about Jesus. Bob was saying things about Jesus from the Bible. That means it’s a very good movie, right?”

Family Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:58:00 +0000

The kids have been LOVING playing basketball lately! So yesterday we had a family basketball day!

Chayce, however, is much more into his scooter! And after a week of sheer determination to ride it, he has gotten pretty good! It’s quite impressive, I must say!

Rainy Day Fun! The kids decided today to run and play in the rain for a while! It was great, minus a few slips and bumps on the head (the ground gets SO slippery when it’s wet!)

Home School Here We Go!!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 21:18:00 +0000

Well, we are off and running with homeschool! We had our room painted, and the kids each picked out their own stool. We hung some things on the wall, and so…let the good times roll! So far the kids have really enjoyed it, and the schedule has been good for me. We are still figuring out lots of things, but it has been fun! As a mom, it is fun to watch my kids learn! I’m amazed at how much their little minds can soak up and how much they can remember. My prayer is that this year will be one of learning together and also of growing closer as a family! Stay tuned for fun homeschool stories!
SNACK TIME!!

We took a couple days break while Mark Schrock from our California office was here visiting. It was great to have him here and to give him a taste of our life here and what God is doing! Thanks, Mark for visiting us and for your encouragement!!!

Our Baby Turns 2!!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 21:13:00 +0000

On August 10th, Chayce celebrated his second birthday! It’s hard to believe my baby is already two years old! Where has the time gone? Chayce, we love you so much! You are so full of life, so full of personality! Things you LOVE: climbing on everything, riding your tricylce all over the place, playing with any and every type of ball (but calling them all “baseballs”), wrestling with your brother and Daddy, your sister Lydia (you have a special relationship with her!), drinking water from a big boy cup, sleeping on the bunk bed in the kids’ room, singing, and reading books on the hammock! Chayce, you are speaking so much more each day, and it is so fun to hear! You love saying everyone’s names that you know, and you love to greet everyone that you see! You want to shake everyone’s hand at church! You are full of energy, but also love to cuddle and you give the biggest hugs! We love you so much and thank the Lord for you! We are so proud to be your parents! Happy 2nd Birthday!

Chayce protested the whole Mexican fiesta thing: he wanted nothing to do with the pinanta and nothing to do with the cake! He only wanted his lollypop and peanut butter sandwich!

A Journey of Forgiveness!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 02:37:00 +0000

"Have mercy on my, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin...
Create in my a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit...
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
You will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
Psalm 51:1-2, 10-12, 16-17

The Lord has been leading me on a journey of understanding His grace and His mercy, but also of recognizing the depth of my own sin. I've had many chances lately to listen to a friend share her struggles in her marriage, with her family, her hurt, her disappointments. I often just listen, not knowing how to respond in Spanish (or at all for that matter!) But the word that has come to mind each time is "forgiveness." And yet, how can we truly forgive someone if we don't ourselves understand the Gospel? Can we? How can we extend grace and live with joy and peace in the midst of hurt if we don't understand the grace that has freely been given to us? I don't think we can.
And so this question has penetrated my own heart these last two weeks, and started my own personal journey. Why am I so quick to get offended or hurt by people when they fail me? Why do I have such high expectations for people, and yet expect people to just accept me and love me for who I am? Why am I slow to forgive and overlook an offense? Is it because I don't fully understand what Christ has saved me from? Do I truly grasp the depth and the depravity of my own sin? David writes in this psalm, "I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me." Is this true of me? Do I understand the Gospel for ME? That I am a sinner, saved by grace. I am learning that it is only when we truly understand the depth of Christ's forgiveness, that we are able to forgive others. "As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." (Col. 3:13) As He has forgiven me... How has He forgiven me? Unconditionally and fully--and before I could do anything to earn it!! It seems that I often "expect" something before I will truly forgive. I often have the attitude of, "you owe me something to make up for what you did." Yet this is not how Christ has forgiven me. I don't have to "make it up to him." It is FREE!! He lavishes His grace on us, freely!! I have been sharing this message to our friends here, and yet the question is the same for me: Do I truly believe the Gospel is for me?? And am I extending that same Gospel towards the people closest to me?
Lord, teach me how to forgive this way, how to extend the grace of the Gospel unconditionally, how to overlook an offense. Show me the depths of my own sin, the depravity of my own flesh. And overwhelm me Your grace, that I may overflow with grace towards others. I want to love much, because I have been forgiven much!

Clausuras!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 02:09:00 +0000

Hailey graduated from the "kinder" here on July 2nd! It was quite the celebration! Here in Ometepec, kids go to three years of "kindergarten," starting at 3 years of age. The culmination is a formal clausura, or graduation, which includes formal dress, dancing, speaking, and the presentation of certificates. Another custom here is to have padrinos for your clausura. People have padrinos for many different events, including birth, baptism, wedding, 15th birthday for a girl (for which she may have several padrinos), confirmation in the church. So, Hailey asked our friends Pily & Gerrardo to be her padrinos. They accompanied us to the ceremony and presented Hailey with flowers and a gift, and then shared a meal with us afterwards. Hailey was so excited--mostly about getting to wear such a beautiful dress and dance with her class! Here are just a few pictures from the day!

A Flight Worth Missing!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 01:44:00 +0000

(It's been a while since I've blogged, and when I got on tonight, I realized I had written this story of our travels back to the States, and never actually published it! So, it's more for our own journal that I am posting it now, as many of you probably already heard it!)
Well, we left our hotel at 8:00, grabbed some rolls and drinks at Starbucks and headed towards the airport. We were pulled over by the police for "speeding", although several cars were passing us, and for not having Chayce in a carseat (never knew this was a law in Mexico until TODAY!) So, the police tell us it will be 16,000 pesos, but he will graciously reduce it my half--8,000 pesos, or $750!!!! Are you kidding me? Ben and I were so mad! Well, needless to say, the only money we had on us was $100 and about $14 worth of pesos. So, after much arguing and talking, they accepted what we had. However, when Ben asked for a receipt, they weren't so happy about that! That's when the truth was really revealed! Not a great way to start off the day!
Anyways, we stopped at Costco to return a few things, then went on to the airport. We had decided to check in early with our bags, and then go eat at a nearby restaurant. Good thing we went early! Even though we have visas and all, we had to go through so much paperwork just to leave the country! So, after about 1 1/2 hours of checking in and filling out more paperwork, we finally had boarding tickets and went to grab a good meal. The meal was fantastic, and that family who owns the restaurant graciously gave it to us for free and is letting us leave our car there while we are gone! Thank you, Lord, for this sweet reminder of your goodness and provision!
So, we arrived at the airport about 1 1/2 hours before the flight and made it through security, only to find out that our flight was delayed and we probably would not catch our connecting flight! The kids ran and played while we waited, and then at 3:45 we finally boarded our flight!
We arrived in Houston at 6:05, with 45 minutes to get through customs and to our gate! Yikes!!! We RAN!!! It was quite a sight, but I was so proud of our kids! They ran the whole way, and it was a LONG way to customs! We got there, and it was packed with people! Hurry up and wait, the theme of every international tour, so I guess this was no different! A man from our flight told a security guard that we were late and trying to catch a flight, and he let us pass through faster. But when we got to the counter, they scanned Ben's passport and asked him if he is trouble with the law!? WHAT??? So, they sent me and the kids ahead to get our bags and called for an escort to take Ben and question him. At this point I was about to lose it! So, with four kids, all of our carry-on bags and a really bad attitude, I headed down to the baggage claim. We waited about 15 minutes for Ben, who said they only asked him 2 questions.
We got through customs and turned the corner to find we had to go through security again. But again, a guard allowed us to pass to the front and another lady assured us that the crew of our connecting flight knew we were coming. That energized us just enough to RUN some more. Well, after all that, we arrived at our gate to find it empty! Our plane had left!
Around 8:45 we were checked into our hotel and the kids were crashed out! After calling the Swineharts to inform them we would not be arriving in Charlotte, we learned of bad weather in Charlotte. We checked online and found that the flight we were supposed to be on did not make it to Charlotte--it was re-routed to Raleigh, NC and landed at 10:45! THANK YOU LORD THAT WE WERE NOT ON THAT FLIGHT! We were so thankful for God's grace to us, even in the midst of what seemed like such an inconvenience, that we did not make our flight! So, the journey of being back in the states begins!

Fun Brady Quotes

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 18:14:00 +0000

"Mommy, look what it is doing outside!!" (it was raining, and we haven't seen rain in 6 months!)

"Daddy, come here! There is a huge mouse outside!" (a squirrel, which we don't have in Mexico, but we have plenty of mice and rats!)

In the airport in Houston, "Mommy, there are LOTS of people who speak English here."

Happy Birthday, Hailey!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie J) — Sat, 21 May 2011 18:09:00 +0000

Our girl, Hailey Marie, turned 6 years on May 11th!! I’m a little late in posting this, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET GIRL!! We celebrated by taking a group of 10 kids to a nearby swimming pool. Hailey, loves the water, and loves being with her friends! It was a great afternoon, swimming and then eating some pizza and cake together!

Hailey Marie, six years ago we welcomed you into our family and we began the journey of being parents. You are a girl of incredible energy, ambition and love! We are so thankful for you, and for the privilege of being your mom and dad! This past year you have been so courageous and brave—I am so proud of how you have learned Spanish (you speak much better than I do!!), met new friends, excelled in school, and adjusted to a new culture. You have helped bring your sister and brothers along as well. Hailey, you have a sweet heart for people. I love how you LOVE to celebrate people’s birthdays, you LOVE to make cards and give things to people to encourage them, and you genuinely want to care for people. My favorite memory from this year is when you came in and told us that you shared the Gospel with Lydia and prayed with her to ask Jesus into her heart! I am so proud to be your mommy, Hailey Girl! And I love the work that Jesus has started in your heart, and that He promises to one day bring to fulfillment! Happy 6th Birthday!