Lazy days of summer.....

I cannot believe our five weeks in the US is almost over. It’s been a crazy pace. We have driven nearly 3,500 miles, which makes for approximately 50+ hours in the car. We drove from FL to GA to NC to VA to PA to SC to GA to FL. We decided to spend our last few days relaxing at the beach.

Anna Maria Island at Sunset

The other night, we took the kids to see a turtle release at sunset. The turtle patrol recovered eggs from a nest that was disturbed during a recent storm. After they hatched, they release the baby turtled on the beach where they were laid. We watched twelve tiny loggerheads crawl down to the water and swim out to sea. Very cool.

So adorable!!

Saturday, we rented a paddle board. The water was a bit rough due to some approaching storms, but Parker and Lee and Big Daddy (my father) had a blast riding the waves. The girls spent most of their time playing in the sand a looking for shells. On Sunday, the weather was  perfect and everyone enjoyed paddling around the calm waters. I overheard Parker saying, "Hop on ladies, I'll paddle us out to sea." The "ladies" he was referring to were his 9 year old sister and his 7 year old cousin. What a little gentleman. He says he might be ready for Venice, but unfortunately he only knows Spanish, not Italian.

Anna Kate, Olivia & Lauren

Parker & Big Daddy - riding the waves

Lee & Parker

Crashing in the waves

There’s nothing better than toes in the sand, book in the hand and surf crashing on the shore. Love our days at the beach.

Travelin', travelin', travelin'....

We left Atlanta last week for a quick tour of North Carolina. Our first stop was Franklin, NC - where we visited Grandad and Judy. Anna Kate was thrilled by a visit to Aunt Marilyn and uncle Bob's house - because she got to play with Koko, the crazy cocker spaniel. It was a quick trip, but always fun to spend time with family.

Then we headed over to Greensboro, NC. We spent some time with folks over at Westover church. We also got to visit with Lee's Aunt Tam and cousin Lisa. It was a short but sweet side trip as we headed north to Washington, DC.

On Saturday, we drove to DC to visit the Brown family in their new home. If I were a better writer, I could describe the ocean of thoughts, feelings and emotions that washed over me as I stepped into their home. I think I finally took a deep breath and felt truly at home here. More on that another day....

Sights and Excursions in DC.....

Iwo Jima, Arlington Cemetery and Arlington House (former home of Robert E. Lee) - this year we studied a lot of wars in modern history. I love being able to study history and then visit the places where history happens.

Iwo Jima Memorial from WW2

Ford's Theatre - we saw the theatre booth where Lincoln was shot, as well as a great museum about the Civil War and the assassination of Lincoln.

The theatre box where Lincoln was assassinated.

Newseum - this museum tells about the history of news and media. We were especially impacted by the exhibit on 9/11. So moving so revisit the sights and sounds of a watershed moment in our modern history.

Rebecca, Anna Kate, Andrew & Parker at the Newseum.

Hershey Park - we added two more states to our itinerary. We drove through Maryland to get to Hershey Park in Pennsylvania. A day of roller coasters, water slides and rides....so fun!!

(pictures pirated from the Brown Family Blog because the lame Radfords forgot our camera)

Riding coasters!!

Insane roller coaster - straight up and straight down.

We loved it! 

Earthquakes & Hurricanes..... brought Guatemala with us? On Tuesday, Gay and I were having a little girls day out. We were sitting in the massage chair at the nail salon having a pedicure when the earthquake hit. It took us a minute to realize what was happening. People from the salon next door came running out, but we didn't move. It's certainly unusual to have an earthquake in that region, but not so concerning that we felt compelled to interrupt our beauty treatments. teeheeeheee We also visited Tom, the world's best hair dresser, where I got a new cute haircut. Very fun and adventurous day.

We loved every minute of our time with the Brown's and can't wait for the next visit. It was a sad parting, as we headed south on Friday - running from the hurricane. We will spend the day in SC and then head on to Atlanta.

Lazy lake days...

Oh my soul .... how we love the lake!

Love Lake Allatoona!

Learning to ride a paddle board!

Years ago Lee's mom wanted to buy a mountain house. We talked, we looked, we talked some more. While a mountain house would be wonderful, it was a huge commitment of time and resources. We wanted something fun and recreational for our whole family, but we also wanted flexibility and freedom. We decided to buy a pontoon boat. I loved this idea; having grown up in Florida, we always had a boat when I was young. We spent weekends on the water - skiing, snorkeling and swimming. Some of my greatest memories from childhood are centered around boating and the water. What a treat to do the same thing with our kids.

AK helping daddy drive!

Parker was about 5 and Anna Kate 3, when we started boating on Lake Allatoona. Every summer, we spent the weekends on the lake - swimming, sunning, tubing. We love finding quiet coves for a picnic lunch and afternoon swimming. My favorite time of day on the lake is just before sunset - the watercolor sky, the warm late-day sun, the calm and quiet of evening's approach. It is PEACE.

relaxing!!!

We planned a few days of relaxing vacation at the beginning and end of this five week road trip. We began with a few days at Lake Allatoona with Mimi. We rented a great cabin at our favorite state park - Red Top Mountain. Our wonderful and generous friends, loaned us a pontoon boat (along with all the trimmings- tube, knee board, noodle floats etc.)  The weather was August perfection - sunny, warm and glorious. What a dream to be on our favorite lake doing all our favorite things - picnicking, swimming, tubing, stopping at the lake gas station for ice cream! Heaven!!

The kids especially enjoyed learning how to ride the knee board. Parker even learned how to spin around in a 360 circle. The also LOVED the paddle board. They are trying to figure out how to get one on the airplane.

Crazy for tubing!

Get a grip.

Paddlin'

Did I mention food yet? We had some amazing food. Our dear friends who live at the lake, had us over for dinner. She served Low Country Boil. Did you hear me? Low Country Boil people! What's not to love about Shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes. Thank you Mrs. Fortney! You are the BEST!! Another night we had crab cakes and shrimp pasta - and lots of SWEET TEA! Oh my soul .... I've died and gone to heaven with all the wonderful food! I'm going to have to start the parasite diet as soon as I land in Guatemala.

The Lord is so kind to us. We could not have asked for a more relaxing start to our trip home.

Peaches are home....

We spent our first couple of days in Florida with my family. We pretty much did nothing but eat at Chickfila and drink coffee at Starbucks!! We did get to meet the newest member of the family - Popcorn - my mom's miniature schnauzer. What a cutie!

We also had the great adventure of visiting the Florida DMV and the Social Security office. It was a cultural experience - of the red-neck variety. I told Lee that it must be a universal experience - anyone who has to deal with a government agency, be it in the USA or Guatemala or Timbuktu, you must make more than one trip to more than one government agency with about forty kinds of documentation! Talk about exasperating! Alas, I am happy to to say - we are now residents of the great state of Florida. You may wonder why it matters - but come April 15th next year - we will be very happy to not file the GA State Income tax return.

Yesterday, we made the drive to our beloved Georgia and what a feeling. It was so great to see all the familiar sights. The peaches have returned to their home tree. We are headed to the home fountains at North Metro Church this morning and then we head to the lake for some much needed R&R. Can't wait to see all our favorite swimming holes at Lake Allatoona. We will be offline for a couple days, but I promise to post pics by the weekend.

Sorry there are no pics for this post - so far we have only taken pics at Chickfila. I know - we are so lame!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles......

Well, our first big road trip back to the US begins in 48 hours. We begin this 5-week adventure with a plane ride to Ft. Lauderdale, FL. We will then drive to Chickfila before driving on to my parents house in Tampa, FL. While on this journey, we plan to drive to or through - Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina and back to Florida. That's a LOT of driving!! Along the way, we will spend some time at the lake, in the mountains, in the US Capitol and at the beach! Of course, the best part is we get to do all these fun things with our family and friends. CAN'T WAIT!!

PACKING - What a nightmare! How do you pack for a 5 week trip? I don't know - I have never been on a five week trip! I was a bit overwhelmed by the prospect. It turns out - it wasn't too bad!! Everyone gets a suitcase with 7+ days of clothes. Plus, we have one bag with toiletries, gifts, coffee and miscellaneous items. I am worried about the return trip though - my shopping list keeps growing and growing. YIKES!

Do we have all the cords and chargers for our gadgets??

How is all this going in that one small bag??

We are looking forward to this trip and will try to post pictures and snippets of fun adventures. Please pray for safety, health, endurance, rest and energy. Hope to see many of you very soon!!

One Year ago....

Family photo shoot at ruins in Antigua

 Photo by Katey Erickson

One year ago today, 4 very sleepy, anxious, excited Radfords awoke to get on an airplane. That airplane took them to a far-away land. (Not really that far-away) The land of eternal spring. (although right now it feels like eternal rain) Guatemala, oh how we love thee, let me count the ways.

Things we love (or have learned to love)

Market - At first, I was very intimidated by the market. I was used to a clean, well-lit, indoor grocery store. I took for granted the clearly printed signs that tell me exactly what to pay for my fruits and vegetables. I know that everyone in the store is paying the same price, I don't get a special price based on the color of my skin. Well, here the market is outdoors (or semi-indoors but very leaky). It is anything but clean, well-lit and sanitary. I get the "gringo" pricing, which means I look wealthy enough to pay twice what everyone else pays. It turns out that I actually like shopping in the market. I like the beautiful colors and the sounds of people chattering. I like practicing Spanish and interacting with the vendadoras. I still don't like the smell, but I can bear it for a short while. Guess what? Even though I get upcharged because I am a "wealthy, white American," it's still a fraction of what I used to pay at my beloved Publix.

Veggies!! Yummy!!

Rain - You cannot live in this kind of climate without coming to terms with the fact that it rains for six months of the year. I cannot say that I am a fan of the rain every single day, but I have come to appreciate some things about it. The rain keeps things fresh, green and tropical - "the land of Eternal Spring." I like having some quiet time in the afternoon to rest, read and listen to the rain. It slows the pace of my day. Another added benefit is that I don't have to watch the weather forecast anymore. May through Oct - it will rain everyday, usually starting around 2:00 in the afternoon. Nov through April - warm, temperate and blue skies. The temperature doesn't change much, ranges between 65 and 80 degrees year round. There's something to be said for predictability.

Some might say we are living the dream in a tropical paradise. Except for when the rain floods the streets and you have to walk through shin deep, muddy brown water. Or it washes away homes and businesses. Or you lay down in bed for the evening and the bed feels wet and squishy. It reminds me of one of my favorite passages of scripture:

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

"The LORD is my portion," says my soul,

"therefore I will hope in him."

Lamentations 3:22-24

    Where are my rainboots?

      Eternal Spring

The rain can be a blessing and a curse all at the same time, but one thing remains steadfast - the love of the Lord. His mercies are new every morning.

People - It's the thing that drew us here in the first place. And at the end of a long, frustrating day, it's what keep us from running home to Georgia. I love the beautiful colors of their tipico dress. I love their petite stature. I love their warm smiles. I love to hear them chattering in their Mayan dialect. My heart breaks when I see the hard callouses of bare feet, the bent spine of the elderly who have spent a lifetime carrying firewood, or the hopeless look in the eyes of young people. The mama in me rages when I see a child with reddish-orange tint to their hair, (a sign of malnutrition).

“Yet their Redeemer is strong;

 the Lord Almighty is his name. 

He will vigorously defend their cause,
 so that he may bring rest to their land.”

Jeremiah 50:34

As we assimilate to our new life in Guatemala, it is our desire to defend the defenseless. We long to see his people RESTORED in body and mind, REDEEMED by the blood of the Lamb, and RELEASED as a light unto the nations for His glory alone.

at ruin of Santa Clara in Antigua

photo by Katey Erickson

Climbling Mt. Everest....

or maybe just Vulcan Pacaya. This was the final week for our Hall of Fame Intern of the century - Lexie Ware. Lexie has been with us for the past month - serving, loving, learning, and giving of herself. Words cannot describe the blessing she has been to our family over the last few weeks. We miss her terribly already. We decided to do some fun touristy things during her last couple of days.

Lexie & kids in Antigua.

Saturday, we took a boat over to San Juan and did some shopping. She was looking for a painting of the lake to take home. I was supposed to be helping her shop, but somehow I came home with three new paintings and she came home with nothing. Not sure how that happened...but here is the result.

Limes, Oranges & Watermelon - The paintings almost look like photographs.

Sorry - the pic is not great. Had to take it at a weird angle.

On Monday, we hit the zipline in Pana. We had the most amazing weather and the view was incredible. I have done the zipline once and was not too interested in going again, but Lexie wanted it to be a family event, so we all had to go. It was such a beautiful day - I'm glad I didn't miss it.

Then we drove to Antigua - stayed at our favorite hotel - Posada don Erickson. (Thanks Todd & Mo for a great time!) On Wednesday, we hiked an active volcano. Anna Kate and I chose to ride horses up the volcano, while Parker, Lee & Lexie walked up with a group.

Smoking crater!

You start below the tree line, where the path is shaded by tall trees and lush greenery. As we got higher, the trees were farther apart. You could see where the trees had burned in last year's eruption and new growth was beginning. Trees and shrubs that looked dead, with charred and burned trunks were springing fresh new life and growth. As we got near the top, it became a barren wasteland. It made us think of the moon - rocks, dust, darkness.

Where the tree line meets the lava line.

Lunar landing - walking through the lava fields.

Such troopers! Great view of the crater!

We came to a place where a great crevasse releases so much heat from the earth, you can roast marshmallows and hotdogs. We toasted marshmallows and ate smores. What a treat after a long ride/hike up the mountain. We also walked into a lava tube, which releases a ton of heat. It was like being inside a sauna. We were still a pretty good distance from the crater, but we were surrounded by heat being released through vents in the earth's crust.

Eating smores, roasted over the molten earth!

At the entrance of the sauna. Toasty!!

We were all tired and sore by the end of the trip, but loved every minute of it. We miss Lexie already. The house is not the same without her. Come back soon, Lexie Lou!

La ultima dia.... or the last day.

Yesterday was our final day of serving at Eagle's Nest. I wanted to write about it, but I cannot put into words all the feelings, thoughts and emotions we experienced. If the cliche is correct, that a picture speaks a thousand words - I'll let these photos speak for me.

Estefany, slurping jello from a bag.

Consuela and Lexie

Consuela's family - faithful attenders of Manna.

A rare treat - playing with Lizzie on a blanket in the grass, in the SUNSHINE!!

Sweet baby girl, growing so fast!

Playing on the floor with the boys.

Baby Victoria - getting some love from Parker.

Love this kid! Ever helping make limonada.

AK and Claudia - stole our hearts 3 1/2 years ago.

Lots of hugs and pics.

Lexie and the girls...sweet smiles and funny faces!

The Lord was kind to us - we had many sweet moments with the kids yesterday. I leave them in his hands, knowing that He loves and cares for them far greater than I.

Designer Duct Tape??? Really??

Last week a friend from home brought us some surprises which were sent by Mimi (P & Ak's grandmother). Mimi surprises are always a treat, but I was very confused by 4 rolls of colored duct tape. When the kids talked to Mimi via skype, she explained that there are many crafts and fun projects you can make with this ultra-cool designer duct tape. Really??

So, we did a google search for duct tape crafts and projects. I was shocked by the number of websites with instructions for just about everything made out of duct tape. My kids are thrilled by this because their number 1 favorite show of all time is the Duct Tape episode of MythBusters. Now they are armed with their own duct tape - designer duct tape too - not just plain old gray duct tape.

So the project party begins. So far, they have made birthday present for daddy - iPhone carrier for his belt - tie-dyed color duct tape. They made a cell phone carrier for my purse - lovely black and white swirly design. Then we went for a big project - Purses.

We made a really cute purse for AK's friend who has a birthday this weekend. We used purple duct tape and we weaved it with the tie-dyed duct tape. We used gray duct tape for the edges and strap. It's quite the handy thing for rainy season, since the duct tape is water-proof. We can't wait to see Emily's face when she opens her stylish new purse.

Of course, we also made a new little purse for AK. Her's is black and white swirl duct tape, woven with neon green and a touch of gray.

All this time, I am wondering, "What will they think of next?" Who knows! But we have had a fun, crafty week coming up with clever uses for our designer duct tape. If you have any ideas for us, let me know...