0 down. 3744 to go.

It's official, they're off! This morning the guys woke up, had some eggs and toast and left at 8:15. Windy City, here they come! They had been gone half an hour and I was sitting on the computer when the kitchen door opens and Steve walks in.

"Miss me already?" I ask.
"We forgot the ipod adaptor."

10 down. 3744 miles to go.

To follow their trail, check out the map.....


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Yesterday we spent a great day with Steve's aunt, uncle, cousins and a couple of close friends so that they could say goodbye. Jon came home with us so they could get an early start this morning. On the way home, Jon and Steve were talking excitedly about the drive and all the places they are going to see.

Jon: "Mazatlan is on the Gulf, right? Everyone told me to stay away from the oil."
Steve: "Nope, on the Pacific."
Jon: "Oh cool."

Jon: "Why are we going to California?"
Steve: "To talk to pastors and try and get some more people to come down for the program."

Jon: "So, where are we staying in Mexico?"
Steve: "Well, it's a mud hut with a bark exterior. When we get there, we are going to have to put tile down because right now it's just a mud floor."
Jon: "Okay, cool."
Steve: "And the bathroom isn't attached to the house. But it's only about 20 feet away."
Jon: "Uh...okay. cool."
Steve: "Just kidding Jon. It's a nice place."


I love Jon because he didn't care. He didn't ask a million questions about the trip before he left. He just said "YES! I'm going to Mexico to volunteer and to have an amazing experience." He made the decision to go in like 2 weeks. It took me MONTHS to come around and I needed every single detail beforehand so that I could feel comfortable about going. I am so thankful for Jon and his love of life and willingness to go anywhere and do anything without worrying. I need me a dose of that.

Stay tuned for more updates in what will likely be a road trip to remember.

And away they go

We're almost there! Well, sort of...

We first starting planning and praying about going to Mexico in January. That was 8 months ago and it is hard to believe Steve is just a couple of days away from leaving. A lot has happened to get us to this point.

But most recently.....

We moved from the apartment (Yeah! No more mice!) and into my parent's house (Yeah! Central air!). They are thrilled to have Breckyn here and have been spoiling her rotten. It has been amazing to have built-in baby sitters around and Steve and I have definitely been taking advantage of it. We went to dinner last night and caught a movie afterward. I think my parents were happier than we were about us leaving Breckyn for the evening!

So back to our trip....

There is a new and very exciting addition to our adventure. Jon, Steve's youngest brother has decided to join us in Mexico until Christmas. He had planned to take a semester off from college to work, but after some prayer and consideration he thought that this may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and shouldn't pass it up. It's going to be a awesome having him there!

The second round of packing is underway. And our long list of to-dos is getting much shorter. The boys are leaving Monday for the drive cross-country. They have decided to camp their way across this beautiful country of ours, taking 10 days to stop with friends and at national parks along the way to make the drive to California fun and hopefully not feel as long. Once there, Elisabeth, Breckyn and I will join them and we will spend about a week and a half meeting with churches to do some recruiting of students for the marketplace ministry program and visiting friends and family. They will cross the border into Mexico on September 12th and we will meet them there that night. Please keep them in prayer during the12th as they drive through Mexico.

So, while the trip is gearing up for the boys, us girls can relax and enjoy the comforts of home for a little longer. Hopefully I will be updating you all on their trip with pictures of Yosemite, Mount Rushmore and the Grand Canyon. Please pray for safety for the guys and peace of mind for those of us waiting behind. Love you all! Thanks for reading!