A one way ticket to Africa.

I have been a bit distracted for the last month or so.









Our youngest daughter (here she is at 10 years old, her birthday outfit. Taken from our home in Auke Bay, Alaska.) is on a flight right now to Africa. With a one way ticket.









She will be working and living at an orphanage for at least 3 weeks, but may stay longer.









This child is a work of art. God was in a very whimsical mood when He created her. Probably the same day He created Rainbows and Koala Bears.









At 25 years old, she has travelled most of the world and has owned her own business and home. She was born in Alaska, so she has that "why wouldn't I do that" sort of attitude.









However, this trip she is going solo. And that is both a moment for us to be proud and terrified.









She has spent the last 7 weeks with us here in Scottsdale preparing for this trip. Well, I have been preparing, she has been buying stuff and eating as much Taco Bell as she could.







Although the trip begins in Africa, she will go on to Prague for a month or more to take a course on teaching English as a foreign language and then to South Korea to teach. Or wherever her travelling feet (or wings) take her.









People love her. We love her.









So here's to you sweet child. May you see all there is to see in this great world. We miss and adore you.









Cheers!


(here she is this July in Elgin, Arizona. Wine Country, she has Keith ran a 5K race as a team for Keif-Joshue Vineyards)

Dog Bite

Sorry. Its been way too long.

So, on July 16th I was bitten on the leg by a dog.

Bad. Like an attack. Ouch. Bled like a stuck pig.

Lots of shots and antibiotics over the next 30 days to follow.

Much better now.

Except for the new fear of dogs.

And bruises and scars.

Sucks.

I like cats much more now.

El Camino Real y La Lucuna

I love to read. Most of my pleasure reading is centered around Mexico. This weekend I checked out 2 books from the library. This top one, The Royal Road is a beautiful picture and text book about the road between Mexico City as far North to Santa Fe. Very interesting and I learned a great deal. The photos are wonderful and the history is more exciting than fiction.

WARNING! Shameless photo of Gordy in the background being cute. He spends most of his leisure time on his back watching me read, cook and Blog.

The other book I read was The Lucuna, a Novel by Barbara Kingsolver. Interesting writing style and one of those books that contain fiction and fact. I call them Faction. " takes us on an epic journey from Mexico City of Artist Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo to the America of Pearl Harbor, FDR and J. Edgar Hoover, The Lacuna is a poignant story of a man pulled between 2 nations as they invent their modern identities." I loved this book and devoured it in 3 days.

This guy was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Gordy pouted the rest of the day when he had to go inside while his catch made his escape.

The above books are excellent reads. Now I await notification from the Library that my other choices are ready to be picked up. Until then I surf the web gleaning what ever I can about the country of Mexico.