December 30, 2014

Christmas in CT


We spent the Christmas Holiday in Connecticut with all of my immediate family except for Jared and Shara's families who didn't make the trip from Idaho. I couldn't believe at how big the group of us is, and we were missing 15 people!

We had such a fun time, visiting Santa at Wickham Park, re-enacting the nativity on Christmas Eve with the Clements family, opening gifts on Christmas day, taking a trip to the children's museum, roller skating, and staying up late every night playing games.

It was sweet to spend time with family, especially during the Holidays. 

















December 02, 2014

Ecuador & Peru: Cuenca

Cuenca, Ecuador

Hiking up to the Waterfalls of Jiron.


This grouping of waterfalls is about 45min outside of Cuenca.
I remember visiting on a Preparation Day as a Missionary.

Walking back down to the main road to catch a bus back to Cuenca.


As it is in most city locations, where there is people there is food…
and where there is food there are pigeons.  Finley loves chasing pigeons.

The Miraflores Fruit & Vegetable Market


This is the Pena-Romero Family.  They were baptized when I served in Cuenca.  They always had my companion and I over for dinner and they also did our laundry occasionally. Every time I have returned to Cuenca I have made it a point to get in contact with this dear family.


Puca Cruz, Ecuador

Nestled HIGH in the mountains surrounding Cuenca, lies a small village named Puca Cruz.  Ten years ago, along with 30-35 other dear friends, I came to their village to help construct a school in memory of a young boy named Garret Bardsley, who had gone missing the year before during a BSA campout.  Alongside Garrett's family, myself and many others were able to preform nothing short of a miracle as we constructed multiple school rooms, complete with electricity, tile floors, chalk boards, desks and chairs, school supplies and fresh paint; all in a weeks time.  Various other projects were completed around the village as well, and it was a tender experience to be able to visit the site many years later. 



Many of the older children we saw during our visit, remembered me and our group! They also remember helping us along the way.  The facility is in great shape and its nice to see them take such pride and care of this structure/facility that holds such sacred memories for so many others.  





Loaded up and we're off to the next stop on our adventure: Machala, Ecuador.




Ecuador & Peru: Mitad del Mundo

Mitad Del Mundo
-Middle of the Earth-


This post is pretty self-explanatory.  For those who don't know, Quito lies
directly on the equator of the Earth.  This obviously played a major part in not only the name of the 
country but also the location of its capitol city.  The yellow LINE you will see throughout this post
is 0' 0" longitude = Northern and Southern Hemispheres on either side.
Many have been on County Lines, State Lines and even Borders of Countries…. very few
race their son down the Hemisphere Line. Finn wore yellow to mark the occasion. 










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