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.....


View Larger Map

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!

we're a-packin

We are slowly packing up the apartment in preparation for our move into my parents house at the end of the month. We thought we could save a couple bucks and some frustration by not waiting until August to move out of our apartment. Storing stuff is a funny thing. Our lives are being packed away not to be seen again for at least 10 months, but probably more since we have no idea what we are doing when we get back. Looking at something right before it goes into a box makes me sad. It is also sort of eye opening. None of it we actually NEED. The 10% we don't put in storage is going to be loaded into our Camry and driven across the border along with Justin and Elisabeth's belongings.

We have been told that we don't need as much as we think. Realistically, I only wear about 1/8 of my wardrobe anyway and I spent my childhood vacations camping so I know I don't need much but this is still going to be hard. Bring only what you NEED. What do I need? Do I need a hairdryer? It would be nice. An iron? Okay, so I haven't used an iron in 7 years but I might start. What if we go to a wedding? I'll need a dress for that. And what about some books? I can't think of anything more lovely than an occasional page-turner on the Mazatlan beaches.

But it all adds up.

And really, my main concern is the baby equipment. She DOES need stuff; a pack-n-play, stroller, highchair, car seat, swim floaty, books, toys, several stages of clothes because despite my parent's wishes, she will continue to grow while we are gone. I know we can buy stuff when we get there, but if I have what I need here, I find it hard to justify buying something again. I can only imagine what this car is going to look like. I know what I pack when I go to my parents for the weekend and we can't bring much more than that.

I really am looking forward to living a simpler life. Living in a one-room apartment will force us to look at what we really need to live with and what we can do without.

Steve says not to worry, it will get in. I just feel sorry for the border agents trying to check it all.

the business of ministry

So, to explain a little more about what we are doing….the ministry in Mazatlan is based on “marketplace ministry”. The idea is that instead of raising funds, there is a business that supports the mission. This amazing idea allows a family or group of people to minister in a community without having to rely on outside money to sustain them. The couple we will be staying with, Tom and Heidi Lonsdale, have 2 coffee shops called Looney Bean each located near the beach catering both to locals and tourists.

In addition to the shops, the Lonsdale’s have a heart for young people and wanted to find a way to minister to them. A program has been developed starting this fall to bring 8 students each semester down from the States to work, learn, live and grow in a different culture. They will live at the house, work at the coffee shop, take some classes and volunteer in the community for about 3 ½ months. Then a new group comes in the second half of the year. With all that going on, it is necessary to have more than one couple working. Steve & I and Justin & Elisabeth have committed to at least the next year to helping the Lonsdale’s carry out their vision.

This is such an exciting time for us! We thought that there is no better time than now to do something different and go on an adventure. We ask for your prayers for us and we will continue to use this blog to send updates.

-Beth

Hello and Welcome!

We have decided to start this blog as a way of communicating what is going in our lives during the next year or so.

There is so much happening and we are really excited about what the Lord is doing. Mainly, we decided to go to Mazatlan, SI, Mexico to help with the ministry of Tom & Heidi Lonsdale and Justin & Elisabeth Reese.

Check out their sites:

www.reesecoast.wordpress.com
www.looneybeanmaz.jimdo.com

The Lord has laid it on our hearts to join them in running their coffee shop. We are super excited about the opportunity to serve and get out of our normal routine for some time. We will be leaving in September and staying til May.

Look back for news, updates and pictures!