A view of North Quito

The Basilica in Quito

Our desserts at Crepes and Waffles restaurant.  YUM!  The big one on the left is mine  :-)



A few more pictures from Ecuador

Honestly I am too tired to post and write much.  We have been going non-stop since we've been here.  We are up early each day and go to bed late.  The altitude really wears you out!  The week has been good and it's really hard to believe that tomorrow is Friday.  It has gone by fast.  I am posting a few more pictures but I'll write more about the trip later or when we get back home.  Good night from Ecuador!

 The volcano Cotopaxi.  It is still an active volcano.  This was the first day there weren't clouds all around it and we could see the top.  It's a beautiful sight.

 We are staying at a Catholic retreat.  This is the building we are staying in.  The first window right there is our room.

 The meat she is cooking is pork.  If you eat that off the street you'd probably get really really sick.  The whole cooked pigs were there leaning against the window.

 There is graffiti everywhere and on top of most walls around the houses there is broken glass like this to keep people out.

 One of the many beautiful views from the Henry Davis orphanage we visited yesterday and today.

Quito and surrounding areas are very hilly/mountainous and houses are built all into the sides and down into the valley.

A few Ecuador pictures.....

We haven't had much time to get on the Internet since we've arrived in Ecuador.  It has been a whirlwind since we landed on Saturday evening.   I had a few extra minutes tonight to upload a few pictures but it doesn't even scratch the surface of what I want to show you and tell you about Ecuador.  I hope to be able to blog in more detail in the next few days if we have time.  Visiting the orphanages was a very emotional experience today.  I wish I could post some pictures of the children that we met today but they have asked that we not post any of their pictures to blogs or facebook.  I will just have to wait until we get home to show you their adorable faces and tell you their sad stories.  I will write more soon!

Love to see them carrying the babies like this

This mother and child was in the market and I asked if I could take their picture.  This child's cheeks are the yummiest things.  I could eat her up.

The mountains are beautiful

The courtyard outside our room

Our group in front of a beautiful lake that's at the base of a volcano

John, Stephanie and Monique on the way to Otavalo

10!!

Ansley is turning 10!  I can't believe it! Double digits! We celebrated a week early with a swim party at the YMCA outdoor water park.  A few of Ansley's friends came and they all had a good time riding the water slides over and over.   I can't believe the last 10 years have gone by so quickly.  Ansley is turning into a wonderful young lady.  We can't wait to see what God has in store for her future.  We are so proud to be her parents!  Happy Birthday Ansley!

 Elisabeth and Caroline riding the water slides

 YMCA water park

 Ansley's cupcake cake

Happy Birthday!

Happy 4th of July!

We spent the 4th of July celebrating with family.  We camped at Magnolia Springs State Park in Millen, GA for a few days and had a great time.  It was hotter than hot though!  And the gnats!  Oh the gnats!  They will drive you nuts. We just don't have gnats like that here.  And the ants had it out for me too.  In the end me and can of ant spray won though.  :-)  It was good to see family that I don't get to see very often and it was a nice relaxing time.   Hope you had a good 4th also!

 Getting ready to go to the 4th of July family reunion and eat lots of yummy yummy food and eat WAY too much.

 Our home away from home

Elisabeth playing with all her stuffed animals in the camper

 Dad and Nancy's rolling home.  This isn't really camping.....it's a rolling hotel room.  :-)

 Inside the camper

Dad and Ansley

Prayer for Linxiang China

Please click on the link below to see the pictures and video of Linxiang China.  Linxiang is where Elisabeth is from.  It is where she was born and lived for the first 9 months of her life.  They have had terrible floods that have killed 52 people and destroyed villages.  When I look at the pictures and see the people I can't help but wonder if I'm looking at where some of her biological family lives.  It was a very weird feeling as we haven't seen many pictures of this area before because we weren't able to travel there when we were in China and  it's just not an area that you see on the news or in books.  Please pray for the people of Linxiang.

http://photos.world.yes.my/gallery/Landslide_in_Linxiang,_China?image_id=0gfm8a9c6gdDQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNeWW6qBlIQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Memorial Day

OK I'm a little late in putting these pictures on the blog but wow has it been busy since the last week of school!  There's always a million little things going on around here.  Anyway......we went to Conyers for Memorial Day and visited with family and hung out at the lake.  It was a great relaxing weekend.

 Enjoying the afternoon by playing outside and blowing bubbles

 The dynamic duo

 Doing a little fishing before heading out on the lake in the pontoon boat

 Swimming with the ducks

Kindergarten Graduation

It's hard to believe that Elisabeth graduated from Kindergarten last week.  How can that be?  She just started yesterday didn't she?  This year has really flown by.  She was so excited to be moving on to 1st grade.  We keep squeezing her to try and keep her small but it isn't working.  She's growing up too fast! 

 Getting ready to walk across the stage

 Getting her diploma from the principal, Mrs. Locklier

 Everyone in the class received an award from Mrs. Harris.  Elisabeth got the award for using her best manners in class.  I guess all that lecturing on saying Yes Ma'am, No Ma'am, please and thank you paid off.  She was listening after all!

 Elisabeth and Mrs. Harris.  She was a great Kindergarten teacher.  Elisabeth had a wonderful first year of school!

 Friends

And the BFF:  Caroline