Oh, Christmas Tree!

Our Christmas tree is big!  Like 12 feet, 200 pounds big!  I enjoy setting it up each year, but it takes me about 3 days to finish.  Well, on Thursday when placing an ornament I felt the tree fall away from me and hit the wall.  What had I done?!  I barely touched it!  I grabbed the tree by the trunk and looked down noticing the base was bent to a 35 degree angle.  I felt like a deflating balloon, you know, the kind with the slow, high-pitched screeching sound?

I just sat there, all Christmas spirit gone.  How could we have Christmas without a tree?  Where would the gifts go?, no Christmas pickle? (that's a story for another time).  Just then, Joel returned home from work and said, "we can fix this!"

 He rigged some ropes from the bridge above the living room and attached them to the tree, thus allowing us to suspend the tree horizontally and cut off the bent part of the trunk

 After cutting off about a foot of the trunk we were able to use new pipe to support the tree in a more vertical position.

 Most of my previous work was lost, the garland had to be removed, and all the ornaments taken off to protect them from destruction.  Since Thursday I have had plenty of time to reflect and ponder on this episode, and what it means.  This is what I have discovered, Christmas is not about trees, lights, decorations, the perfect gift, snow, or holiday treats.  Christmas is about Christ!  All of those other things are nice, in fact they're great!  But they come because Christ came,  He is our Savior, He came to save us all from a fallen and broken world.  I know this with all of my being but I am grateful to be reminded by a fallen and broken tree!

 Merry Christmas!

San Salvador temple and Roatan, Honduras

At the end of our humanitarian trip to El Salvador, we were able to attend the San Salvador El Salvador temple.  Found out what we did the week before at http://www.dentaltrip2013.blogspot.com/

 In front of the temple

 Joel found a small piece of trash in the handicapped spot and had to clean it up!

After the temple we got into our buses and went to the airport to catch our chartered plane to Roatan, Honduras

 disembarking from our airplane

 we got the corner room at the Infinity Bay Resort!

 This is the view we had every morning at breakfast!

 getting ready to go snorkeling

 some of the gang!

 we found this little guy crawling under our table

 not sure who is more nervous with this situation, the crab or Fariyah

 Alison handled the situation much better, but than again it wasn't on her head!

 getting ready to go zip lining!

 Our family (the ones we adopted for the week)!

Fariyah liked hanging upside down

 SUPERMAN!

 sisters

 the zip lining gang

 Joel found a friend to play peek-a-boo with

 beautiful sunset

 our last night on the beach

 Joel does not like to lose

what a handsome pilot!

Last Day in Peru - Lima

The last day of our trip we spent in Lima, Peru

 we took a flight out of the airport in Juliaca

 we got to our hotel, The Hilton Mira Flores(thanks Trisha).  Can you tell I was excited about the rooftop pool?

 They also had the best lounge chairs ever!  We got a room upgrade due to Joel's status with the hotel, so were able to use their executive lounge - heaven!

 watching the sunset on the cliffs above the beach

 We got to go to the temple in Lima

 This building beside the temple houses the cafeteria, distribution center, and rooms for people to stay in who have come from a distance away.

 This is our taxi driver, Nestor.  He is just amazing, if you need to go to Lima get him to drive you around.  He is funny, speaks english very well, and is willing to teach you spanish phrases.

 they had so many beautiful parks in Mira Flores (it means look at the flowers)

This was the view at our boarding gate at the airport - we counted 15 wheelchairs, it actually turned out to be 20!  I have never seen so many people in wheelchairs waiting to board.  

If you ever have the opportunity to go to Peru take it.  It is a beautiful country with wonderful people!

The Island of Taquile

On the same day we went to the reed islands we also went to the beautiful island of Taquile. 

 The people that live on the island were born there and live their entire lives on that island.  The men and boys knit- hats, scarves etc.; and the women and girls weave- all manner of cloth.

 Joel at one of the entrance arches, before we climbed the hill of death!

 The island is as peaceful as this picture suggests.  The people are shy and quiet and there are no dogs like in most other places in Peru

 enjoying the scenery

 we thought this was a creative use of old shoes!

 our lunch started with a pot of quinoa soup

 we finished with local fresh trout, rice, potatoes, and vegetables

 cute little girl in the town square

 this girl was selling the bracelets she had woven,  we bought 5 for about 35 cents

 getting ready for the town meeting

 just so lovely!

what happened to our boat?