I'm an "aunt"!

Please join me in welcoming
Kate Valentine Watkins
7lbs 8 oz
into this world where God has a purpose & plan for her life!

Momma Dawn is tired, but doing well and Daddy Aubrey says he's doing well too!

TN... sounds good to me!

Was in Gatlinburg, TN this past weekend for what I described to Jeff Wilson as "the people who know & love Terry Reeves" retreat... AKA the Torch board meeting. {go figure, after years of not seeing eachother Doak & I end up on the same trail the same day... love you guys!} We spent 100.8 hours in our board meeting, got a lot accomplished, AND got to hang out in the mountains... what could be better? It was an awesome weekend, well worth the griping voiced on the hike I drug everyone on with me. Got to spent time with people who are part of my "cloud of witnesses" and have some alone time with God.

Loved getting to see you guys {Lester-Margaret-Terry-Nater-Steve-Mark-Brian}. Let's go to the beach next year! Oh wait, I'll just meet you in Roatan ;)

Leslie & I at the "waterfall"

Judy, Margaret, Leslie

El Presidente

Margaret getting busted for tight rolling her jeans... oh no wait, they're just rolled?

my little 'bro Nate ;)

Happy 41st Mom & Dad!

Deeper Still - The Event

If you ever get the chance to attend such an event - DO IT! I can not adequately put into words what this weekend meant to me. Not only did I get to meet up with some **not all... sorry :( ** of my dearest of friends and their sweet little ones - I experienced worship like never before as God carved out a special moment for just the two of us during the conference... just me & my God in amongst 26 000 other women...

My spirit is still soaring!

You learn something new every day...

Today I learned that Brett does not like Chick-fil-A lemonade... but will still drink mine anyway.

AND fat pants do not always fit... :(

**If you do not own or understand the purpose of fat pants you are not welcome to comment on this post. Thank you.**

Some days I really LOVE my job...

...today was NOT one of those days!

Brett and I sat on the couch tonight with a container of sherbert & two spoons trying to determine who had the worst day at work.

He won. Tomorrow's a new day.

Things you find when you're packing...

My yellow Sony Walkman with auto-reverse!!
{complete with original yellow ear buds}

Sorry Brett, but I have to stop packing for a minute and just savour the memories attached to this seriously outdated, but previously ultra-cool piece of my childhood...


That thing went with me to:
Cancun with my cousins
countless road trips when my sister's side of the car looked SO much more comfortable than mine
Algonquin camping trips
camp Omagh
youth rallys
Florida with "Thunderbuns" ;)
and ultimately Lipscomb...

How can I get rid of THAT?

Church in Agua Agria

Choluteca

The Blind School

Are you kidding?

Has anyone else seen the giant display in Walmart for the Equate version of cold medicine titled "Mucus Relief"?? Makes me just wanna run right out and buy it!!

Casa de Esperanza

Mololoa

Construction

The woman who now lives in this house leaves before 6:00 to walk the eight miles it takes to get her to church on Sunday mornings... What keeps you away from meeting with God's people?

Santa Lucia

I thought I would post some better pictures of our trip... now that I have a few more to choose from... {if you are reading this and haven't sent me yours, you are not excused! :)}
Here is the church we sing in at Santa Lucia...

Honduras 2007 trip

Brace yourselves... this may be a long one....
I am finally sitting down to blog about our Honduras trip this year. I was waiting for the right words and best way to convey my trip. I don't yet have them and probably never will. You would think that after twelve trips I would be better at this. You thought wrong. I was hoping to have some pictures that would tell the story better than I would be able to, but it doesn't look as if that's going to happen either. {because apparently no one can go on to Snapfish and send me their pictures... sheesh} ;)
Anyway, here are the moments that stand out in my mind from this years trip. {Pictures may be added as they arrive from my sources}
We went to sing in the church at Santa Lucia the second night I was there. LOVE that church. Not just because of the year I spent time up in the bell tower, but the fact that MILLIONS of other Christians have gathered in the same building for CENTURIES to worship God. Reminds me of what a small part I play in the grand scheme of things.

Helped build TWO houses this year. Impressive considering I'm usually in the bodega organizing and never make it onto any of the construction crews. I love the soreness you get after pounding away at those nails and carrying the wood down/up dangerous inclines as a reminder of what you can accomplish together when no one wants the credit. And I am quickly becoming a master at putting in the floors!

Going back to Mololoa... can not even describe the feeling when Eric and Carmen came and found me before I got on the bus after builiding our first day in the village... how did they know that I was there, and have they thought about me at all since I left last year? Hugs and kisses have never been so sweet.

Judy with Eric, ?, Marcos, & Carmen

Working with the Manna project feeding 139 kids a hot lunch that may never have had to eat on their own. I got to help them wash up before eating and prayed over those little hands as I poured water over the suds... Last year I washed many of their feet in that same church building during the May trip.

Diane Adams & Judy with the ladies who work in the kitchen

Led my first Spanish prayer! Impressive, but it was EXTREMELY simple considering it was offered by this Gringa. If you haven't seen it before down there the kids repeat what you say line by line outloud as their own prayer. WOW. Loved it.

We went out with Jenny and ALL the Casa de Esperanza kids for dinner on the fourth of July. Brett had a look of wonder on his face most of the time. I loved getting to see all those sweet faces in person, and think about the life they came from, and the life they are currently living now. I loved hearing them call one of my dearest friends "Mom" and loved watching her with them. Now putting them to bed later that night... a slightly different story! Fernando did not find my rendition of the ABBA song for his name as amusing as I... :)

The boys saying grace

Fernando & Judy

I got to return to Aqua Agria this year. Haven't been for three years. Love it there. Love getting to see Timeteo's family, and experience first hand how they respect and care for the elderly of that village. Struggled enormously with feelings of inadequacy that day since I was "treating" patients... like I was an MD doctor, and not a PT doctor. Very humbling. And frustrating. And makes me question where my talents in the therapy field blend into my efforts there.

And as always, loved getting to see friends again and serve alongside them. And also for the rookies, to see through their eyes for the first time again.

Anna & Judy

Torch '08 promises to be an amazing trip as well, so stay tuned for dates {which I will hopefully have in October after our Board meeting...} If you are reading this blog than consider yourself offically invited to join us! ;)
Dios los bendiga!

The Bourne Ultimatum

I HIGHLY recommend seeing this movie... it totally rocks! {sorry we went without you Brett, but you got to ride Tomb Raider and the Minebuster today! :)}
I also recommend NOT sitting in the fourth row, so as to avoid getting motion sickness from the action scenes.... and arrive early to get a seat that will help you avoid said sickness.
{PS- 30 minutes before the show starts is NOT early enough!!}
Two big thumbs up!

A Real Fine Place to Start

Today was the day two of my favourite people brought another sweet one into their lives....

Congratulations to Jen & Steve Burgie
and big brother Davis
on the arrival of
Cameron Chase
6lbs, 14 oz

-and-

Congratulations to Brian & Sara Walker
and big brother Camden
on the arrival of
Scott Norton
7 lbs, 12 oz

I pray blessings on both of your families as you transition into a new family of four!

First & Last

Okay, okay... I'm doing the post already!

First memory: Not sure.... I remember going over to Sam & Susan's after Laurie was born and I'm 21/2 years older than her, so.......

First real kiss: Jamie Tallman. Camp Omagh. Lifeguard. Also first guy to break my heart. And the first to apologize for it. In writing. Years later. You better believe I held onto THAT! ;)

First Concert: Tiffany and NKOTB You got the right stuff.... baby!

First love: Brett James Mitchell. Seriously! The first and only guy I have ever loved.

First crush: Brent Atwell. We were in school together forEVER!

First thing you think of in the morning: I can't believe I'm up before my alarm goes off AGAIN!

First book you remember loving: Lamont the Lonely Monster. Cars & Trucks and Things That Go. The Cat In the Hat. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Oops, was that more than one?

First question you'll ask in heaven: Where's the chocolate?

First best friend: Gillian Nesbitt.

Last time you dressed up: Depends what your definition of "dressed up" is...

Last book you read: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. Awesome read too!

Last CD you bought: it has honestly been so long ago that I have no idea. Brett's the spender around here!

Last time you cried: (by myself) on Sunday around page 696 of last book read, (with someone else) last Tuesday with one of my cancer patients

Last movie you saw: Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix with Brett, Ashley & Jamin in the theatre with popcorn and everything!

Last time you told someone you love them: To Brett last night after I phoned to tell him I arrived back in Monty safely

Last funny thing you did: Quoted the "parfait" scene from Shrek with my coworkers this afternoon when I was supposed to be writing notes... oops! :)

Last thing I watched on tv: The Today Show this morning while getting ready for work

So now I tag whoever wants to do this... :)

And I haven't forgotten to blog about Honduras... still processing and waiting for pictures, promise!

Off again!

Heading up to Canada with 18 of Brett's soccer boys for their preseason training abroad! :)
Brett drove up yesterday and will meet us at the airport in Buffalo.
Back in touch next week!