Introducing the Holiday Rambler

My youngest brother named our newest toy the Holiday Rambler - love it! I will be the first to admit when my dad sent a text (well had my brothers send a text) saying I needed to hurry up and get to an auction as he had a camper for me to look at I thought without a doubt this was a joke. No way do I want this questionable drive-able camper. Especially as I highly doubted it even ran. The camper of my dreams is a pull behind vintage airstream.

However after further inspection the inside held a whole lot of charm and potential and was in such good shape (albeit quite dated) I started to come around to the idea. I mean I have always wanted a camper and here is one just begging for a new home and someone to bring it back to life. We also found out it does indeed not only drive but runs like a champ! 

Before the day was over I was all on board with the crazy 1980's camper and it's charm and potential. Add in the fact we were able to snag it for a total steal and I felt like it was a win win situation! So here she is in all her glory just waiting for a little glamification.....

Road trips and glamping are in my future, my dad has even agreed to go on a road trip or two in this beauty! If you know my dad you know this is a total shocker. He might like the camper even more than my mom and I! I have of course been pouring over camper renovations for ideas. Stay tuned for more pictures.

It goes to a local mechanic for an inspection this week - hoping it passes the test and we can drive it on a maiden voyage to a Billy Currington concert in Crete, NE next month! 

You are Enough

It is so easy to let the actions or words of others test one’s self esteem or self worth. We live in a world of 24/7 comparisons thanks to Facebook, Blogs, Instagram and of course texting. Very quickly one can feel inadequate or let negative comments chip away our value. The last day in Guatemala Norman, one of the missionaries, shared this song with us as a remind to each of us how important we are in God’s eyes and how valued we truly are.

 I have listened to this song daily since then, sometimes several times a day. Such a great reminder and helps build up a shield against the negative. Thankful for this amazing song and thank you God for creating all of your perfect children. Now to try to focus daily on positive and uplifting feedback instead of rejection or negativity. Even more important I am going to try to spread love to everyone I cherish and encounter with reassurance of their worth and great qualities, spread praise for their good deeds. Build people up instead of knocking them down.

The Farmhouse of my Dreams

Taking a break from posting Guatemala pictures today to share with you a mini farm (currently a large farm but being split into a smaller farm) and farmhouse I have fallen head over heels in love with. It's the fanciest farmhouse I have ever seen and beyond gorgeous. The huge thick woodwork that I perfer, big open spacious rooms, wood floors (under the ugly carpet), old house charm, the list could go on. Dreamy I tell you! Although this house does beg to be filled to the brim with a family, not a single chick....

I even love some of this crazy vintage wallpaper!

As if the house itself wasn't enough to charm me then you throw in all these bonus buildings. I have always dreamed of owning a barn (preferrably red but this needs a coat of paint anyway) and lookie here a barn! And a crazy big horse barn with neat old stalls, a random bonus shed, some corn cribs - possible future chicken house, a silo, the list goes on. Granted some need torn down or sold but some are perfect. I can picture in my mind the farm I would have, the animals I could raise, the amazing garden I could grow. Ahhhhhhh country life why do you tempt me so????

Of course this home isn't in the city limits so it presents a big challenge as a requirement of city council is obiovulsy to live in the city limits. If it weren't for this major hiccup I would have put an offer in yesterday! I just can't stop thinking about this place and how perfect it is for me. Any other city dwellers dying to live in the country? Am I the only crazy one?? Am I crazy enough to buy it and have two homes (both this home and my current home have rental options)?!?!

Guatemala - Alicia My Little Princess

This is definitely one of those hard to write posts. I am sure a few tears will be shed as I type. This little girl stole my heart from the start. I remember going in to help dress the littles the first morning we were at the Orphanage and there she was all crazy hair and dirty diaper mess first thing in the morning but she was precious. She has Cerebral Palsy and I would love nothing more than to bring her home to me in the US and love on her every single day. Give her the best possible speech and physical therapy there is while surrounding her with love and care.

She is two and a half and has been in the orphanage since birth as the mom can't or doesn't want to take care of her and the dad has traveled to the US. Sad sad deal. She is loved on like crazy at the orphanage by the other kids, the missionaries, and the caretakers of the orphanage. So she is happy and healthy - I just want more for her. Want her to be tucked in every night and cuddled if she's having a bad night or day. Want her to get the best possible care so she can excel and be her best self.

That smile is a killer. It filled my heart with joy every time I would see her and she would come running to me with a smile and messy outfit or face. Poor thing is just a messy messy little girl but so lovable and precious. Oh Guatemala why do you have to close all adoptions to the US when I fall in love with a little girl? So not fair. I can still help though - I can sponsor her though Children of Promise International. A monthly donation of either $30 or $50 helps sponsor Alicia and the others in the orphanage. It provides them with food, clothing, shelter, school, all the basics. Amazing to me that an amount I spend on a nice lunch or dinner can sponsor a child for a month! We are oh so blessed and lucky here in the US. I also plan to send her cloths and toys when I can with the other mission teams that head to Guatemala and Hogar de Vida. If anyone else is interested in sponsoring you can go to www.homesoflife.org for more information. The children are sponsored through Children of Promise International. You can also email Vickie Sutton, one of the missionaries at the orphanage, at homeoflifeguat@gmail.com and she will answer any questions you have or help you set up a sponsorship. Just think how great you will feel knowing you are impacting the lives of children like Alicia.



Guatemala - SAS Mountain

I've decided to start with the easy to post pictures. The ones that don't tug at your heart, bring tears, or a flood of emotions. It was one of those trips for sure.Those posts and pictures will come as I would be doing a disservice to all if I don't share the touching moments and the precious children of Hogar De Vida - I'm just not quite ready yet. Today you get to experience the climbing of the San Andres Sajcabaja  (SAS) Mountain. Holy smokes what a climb and what amazing gorgeous views.

This was maybe  third of the way up the mountain, already gorgeous but it gets better with each foot we gained.

Last photo op until the top of the mountain as i knew if I stopped again and let myself look down I would never have keep going as I was already getting quite petrified of the climb back down and falling.

A better idea of how steep and tall this mountain was is to look down at those still climbing.

And I made it! Thank the good Lord for giving me the confidence and strength. I felt his presence during this climb as crazy as that may sound. Once I stopped listening to my fears and doubts and just said he's got me and I've got this I had the courage to continue up the mountain to the top and was blessed with these views and a sense of triumph.

Several of us girls decided to just sit, reflect, and enjoy. It was such a great experience.

Not sure the pictures even do the true views justice but it's the best I can offer you. Before I knew it the time had come to climb down. I was still quite petrified honestly but knew I could do it. Christina and I paired up and started the trek only to somehow end up totally off the path and (we were later told) headed down the steepest part of the mountain. Out of nowhere appeared these two cowboys and in Spanish conveyed to us that we should follow them instead of our path. I will forever be grateful for them saving us! I truly think God sent them to protect us -again I'm sure this sounds crazy but it just felt right. These guys were unreal trekking up and down this mountain like it was a small hill with the packs of wood and flip flops! (sorry the one picture is blurry sure my hands were shaky!)

Half way down the mountain and watching the others start the descent.

Worth every sore muscle in my body!

"For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strenght of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hand formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand." Psalms 95:3-7

Guatemala - Hogar De Vida

I am back from an unbelievably amazing mission trip to Guatemala. Words can't even begin to express this experience and how much I loved every minute of it. I'll try to give more details in future posts for now I figured I would start with sharing some snapshots of the Orphanage where we stayed and worked with the children in San Andres. It is called Hogar De Vida (Home of Life) and it truly is a home of life, a home of second chances, God,  and love for these children.

The orphanage sits on the edge of town overlooking the breathtaking mountains and countryside and is full of color. Love the colorful paint choices, the flowers, the views, and  all the outdoor living spaces, the playground for the kids (which of course I barely photographed it seems), and most of all the love those serving this orphanage pour into the children on a daily basis. Can't wait to share more about this mission over the next week or two.