A few weeks ago we traveled to a near by village to see about 120 patients.

We will return there this friday, and once a month thru December.

Our facilities are primitive by American medical standards, but here in Guatemala, the home is elaborate and well built.

Our family traveled to the City of Guatemala for a few days to renew our visas and give our boys a chance to swim and play. 

The boys are doing well, and make every day a joy for Ryan and me.

September is quickly approaching, as we hope to enjoy time with all of our friends and family when we retunrn to St.Louis for a few days.

As always, the boys are keeping us in line, and on our toes.

TREE!

This is what we found Tuesday morning on the way to Clinic in Chiminisijuan. Craig was able to maneuver the four wheeler loaded with supplies over the tree.  We have had heavier than normal rains for several days in a row, and this tree appeared to have lost part of its root system when to road was widened.

Clinic was good, with almost 75 numbers being sold for medical consults. Thankfully, Katie Shaw was back to help us.

We said goodbye to our dear friend Craig on Wednesday, as he returned to St.Louis after a three week stay with us.  He was a huge help, as always, and we look forward to seeing him and the to-be Mrs.Craig, soon. 

We are planning a city trip next week to stock up on supplies, renew our tourist visas, and take a break.  Ryan is in Quiche today trying to find a part for our 4Runner, so we can use it to make the trip.  Our visa expire next Thursday, so are really putting it off to the last minute. Typical.

Pictures for the tide

The last month has been a whirlwind of visitors and Ryan away from home. The boys and I have held down the fort, and actually survived. The boys are thriving in  the mud, as the rains are coming daily now. They are either muddy, wet, or in the tub. Here are a few pictures of the boys. Thank you for checking in on us. 

Joshua learning to feed himself

Thank you
grandpa for the new pool!

Jacob flying his kite in the yard.

Jacob with his goggles.

Our new tricycle gang

Joshua getting into Easter candy.

Rain, Rain...?

The rains started, then stopped, then started, then stopped again. The weather has been convincing enough for many of the farmers in the area to plant their crops,  Ryan included. The days have been hot, just like Illinois used to be, with lows of 75 at night and hot days, around 100.

The boys are enjoying playing in the mud and swimming in the 'pool'.

As you can see, Ryan's corn is beginning to dry down, and we are anxious to get this crop out of the field, in order to plant the next crop. If we wait too long, the ground will be too saturated to allow for equipment. With a slight leak in the hydraulics on the planter, Ryan is at a stand still regardless of the corn or rain.  Ryan planted one field last week in corn, and we are still awaiting the rains, to help it along the way.

 

The days have been hot, but we are settling in to life here again. Ryan has begun managing some larger construction projects, and keeping up with the tasks at hand.

We are looking forward to getting our 4Runner down to Guatemala next week, and finally having some freedom and independence.   Hopefully our plans of a man from town using it to drive to Guatemala, and transport some car parts, will work out for us.  We are busy as always, but we are thinking of all of our friends and family back home often, maybe too often.

(Nahhh)

Easter Fun

Today we dyed Easter eggs. We will celebrate Easter as a family tomorrow, with the traditional egg hunt, scavenger hunt, and candy! Jacob enjoyed his first egg dyeing, and really dug in, with both hands.

Ryan returned home on Wednesday after a week away from home, back in St.Louis. The ended their trip in Houston, Texas, after a turnaround trip to McAllen. We are all glad to have him home, and he is back to it already, and hoping to start the next round of crops tomorrow.

Thank you for all the prayers while he was away, and for his return.

Let it Rain

As I am sure you know if you keep up with anyone in Guatemala, it has begun raining.  The irrigation canal has be turned off for the valley, and we have had a constant stream of requests for tractor field cultivation in town. These are both good signs that the rains have begun, and the dry season is behind us.

We were ready for bed at 6 tonight, from the dark sky's and cooler temps sending us indoors early. I am sure our weather has been much less dramatic compared to what our family and friends back home have had, but just as drastic none the less.

The coming of the rains means an increase in sick children that come into clinic from dirty drinking water, and families returning from the cost to start their crops, and bringing the alcohol and drugs with them. 

What a strange change of season.

There's no place like home... if you know where that is.

We arrived home here, in Canilla, after two weeks at home in St.Louis.

Our trip was good. We had time to restock on American essentials and visit family and friends. It seems like these trips never hold enough time for the latter. 

The trip started with car trouble, and ended the same way. Only in different countries. Ryan '04 Ford truck has some issues with a blown head gasket, and sits in the garage, as we decide what to do with it. In Marine, we were able to round up some items to be loaded onto the truck, in the next month or so, to make life here more comfortable and manageable for us.  We are planing on at least another year here in Guatemala, as we try to expand our reach into more long term goals.

Back here in Canilla, we were welcomed by warm weather, the usual smell of pine needles and smoke, and family.
Jacob has been going non stop on his bicycle since we returned, and has not lost a second on trying to go faster and farther. Joshua is enjoying crawling on the ground again, with new terror to be had on our home, and my kitchen (with no cabinet doors, he keeps us busy).

Thank you to everyone who helped make our trip back to St.Louis enjoyable, and all the hospitality that was shown towards us. As I think through the faces we have seen over the last few weeks, I am reminded of the many more that we did not get to see, that we will hope to see when we return home again, or when they come down to ours.