hey everyone, i just wanted to let you all know that i've moved my blog over to wordpress. the new address is: http://isaiah68.wordpress.com. please be sure to change it in your RSS feed or reader or whatever. i will only be updating over there from now on. thanks!!

in just about an hour and a half i'll be leaving for the airport to fly back to the states (i'll already be well on my way by the time most of you read this). i can't believe it. reality hasn't quite hit me yet except for a few moments every now then. i dropped izzy off at the airport this afternoon (she had to be there early to get through all of the customs stuff), then spent the day with the Haynes, had dinner with them, Laura, and the Ostertags and have spent the rest of the night packing. rather than only sleeping for an hour or so, i decided to just stay up all night (getting up at 3 am just didn't seem worth it!) and here i am. i've got just a few things left to do and i'll be ready. it just doesn't seem real. i told becky the other day, i don't even really remember life before i knew and loved this city. it's only been 3 1/2 years since i first came, but it feels like forever. this is home. and leaving home is hard. and yet i know the Lord has so much in store for me and i really am excited. i will miss this...this city, this house, these people, but i am looking forward to all that is in store. it's been quite a journey to get to this moment and i expect nothing less in the coming days. and oh has it been good!

After almost 2 years of wanting to come visit me in Guadalajara, my friend, Adrian, finally got to come down last week. She is a photographer (her blog is over on the right -->) and she was able to come down to document some of the ministries here. We had such a great time running all over and letting her take pictures. Of course, we found time to goof off a bit as well!
Adrian found a lil time for a nap one afternoon:
Saturday night, we went to the Ostertags to celebrate McKenzie's birthday. My camera batteries were dying by the time it was time for cake, but I was able to get a couple of shots. I love the look on her face. She was definitely up to something...
The birthday girl with some of her balloons:
Kaitlyn had fun dressing the dog up in a matching lei:
Adrian, Laura and I stepped outside to try to take a picture together. Apparently Laura wasn't too happy about that:
I guess Adrian and I got bored waiting for Laura to smile. Haha!
The birthday girl and I:
Sunday morning Adrian and I rode out to Santa Fe for church. I was so glad we got to go. They were celebrating their 3rd anniversary that morning. I'll post more about that tomorrow. One of our favorite things to do when we go out there is to stop for ice cream bars on the way home. One thing we noticed while Adrian was here is that she's not so good at taking pictures sometimes....it seems she likes to try to take over and block everyone else out. For example:
We drove up to a look out next to a catholic church in Santa Fe before the service.
Even Landri wanted a picture! Isn't she beautiful? I love her red hair!
Sunday night, after our English class in Los Cantaros, Laura, Adrian and I walked down to Dairy Queen with Izzy. Izzy's not so great on the leash and it looks like Adrian might've had just a lil more than she could handle:
Laura and I decided to imitate Adrian in a picture. Haha!
I can't even tell you what a joy and a blessing it was to have Adrian here. It was hard to believe that we hadn't seen each other in over 2 years!

Puppies, puppies everywhere!! Last week the Haynes went to Missouri for a missions conference and I house-sat for them. The best part of them being gone though, was getting to spend a week with 3 dogs! I took Izzy with me and she had a blast playing with the Haynes' dogs, Bella and Spencer (her mom and brother, respectively). They did wear themselves out though and spent a large portion of the week asleep on the couch. You can see below just how much they love to cuddle though!

September 16 marked Mexico's Independence Day. Laura and I celebrated by attending a party at the C.E.B. (Baptist Student Center) once again. We had a great time hanging out with friends, but the highlight for me was the group of folkloric dancers who performed. They were great and so much fun to watch! Just check out their costumes. How could you not enjoy that?

Several weeks ago, all of us were over at the Haynes for dinner. Mackenzie just loves Izzy and so was glad that I brought her. She had quite a great time giving her kisses and Izzy was more than happy to oblige!

One year ago today (September 6) my grandmother passed away after a quick but intense battle with pancreatic cancer. These pictures are from the last time I saw her before she got sick and I just love them. She was a beautiful woman and full of life until the very end. She was an incredible person and taught me so, so much. Everyone loved her and she loved everyone! One of my favorite memories of her is all the Friday nights I spent at her house growing up. We would always sleep with our heads together on her L-shaped couch and often, she would wake me up in the middle of the night (or so it felt like to me when I was 7 or 8, it was probably only midnight!) and tell me to "Get up baby, we need to eat us some ice cream!" I will miss Nanny every day for the the rest of my life, but I know she is with our Lord and that one day I will see her again. Maybe we'll even eat some ice cream....


When I Get Where I'm Going (Brad Paisley)

When I get where I'm going
on the far side of the sky.
The first thing that I'm gonna do
Is spread my wings and fly.

I'm gonna land beside a lion,
and run my fingers through his mane.
Or I might find out what it's like
To ride a drop of rain

(Chorus:)
Yeah when I get where I'm going,
there'll be only happy tears.
I will shed the sins and struggles,
I have carried all these years.
And I'll leave my heart wide open,
I will love and have no fear.
Yeah when I get where I'm going,
Don't cry for me down here.

I'm gonna walk with my grandaddy,
and he'll match me step for step,
and I'll tell him how I missed him,
every minute since he left.
Then I'll hug his neck.

(Chorus)

So much pain and so much darkness,
in this world we stumble through.
All these questions, I can't answer,
so much work to do.

But when I get where I'm going,
and I see my Maker's face.
I'll stand forever in the light,
of His amazing grace.
Yeah when I get where I'm going,
Yeah when I get where I'm going,
there'll be only happy tears.
Hallelujah!
I will love and have no fear.
When I get where I'm going.
Yeah when I get where I'm going.