Finally...on our way!!!

What an awesome event to prepare for! To ready yourself to GO WHERE GOD has CALLED you...there aren't words to express the emotions and strength that take over your body at a time like this! I am so thankful to my Lord for showing me where He wanted me to serve Him, and I am so very thankful that I slowed down enough to listen to what He was telling me!!!

Throughout this post and many to follow, one thing will always remain constant...all GLORY is given to GOD and GOD alone!

We had so much to do in preparation of leaving the country to head to a 3rd world country! Of course the week before our trip was even crazier than our usual weekly routine. At work, between grades being due, OPEN HOUSE to prepare for, and planning, awards, organizing after TAKS, etc...this consumed most of my time throughout the week!! Friday night was full of saying goodbye to family and friends! Brian and I were up until 2:30a.m. Friday night packing, organizing, cleaning, and checking our lists multiple times!!! It was worth it, all the preparation and overpacking...right???!!!

Saturday morning, March 23 was ROUGH!!! We were exhausted! I was up at 6:00 a.m. and rushing around to finish last minute chores!!! Our goal was to get out of there at 9:00 so that we could get everyone dropped off and get to the airport by 12:30.

Our entry way, ready to be loaded to the car!!!


At 8:30ish, one of my best friends, Mindi V. called to make sure that we were still home and said that she was on her way over because she wanted to see us before we left. As Brian and I were loading the Expedition with what seemed to be half of our house, she pulled up!

She sat and talked to us for a bit, and after the car was loaded and the kids were all out in the driveway, I asked her to take a family picture of us.

After the family picture was taken, Mindi told us that she wanted to pray with us. We formed a circle in our driveway, held hands (kids included), bowed our heads and she prayed over us for our safety, for the children and the people in Puerto Lempira, and for our children while we were away. I was extremely touched and moved by this, Mindi has been 100% supportive and was a true prayer warrior for us throughout the planning, preparation, and duration of this mission trip. After we prayed, Mindi and I gave each other a huge hug and we were both in tears! This level of support is something that I love about our friendship, and knowing that we had this prayer warrior behind the mission trip was a comfort from God!

We loaded the kids and pulled out of the drive way, our first stop was to take Canon to Aaron and Whitney's. He was thrilled to be able to play at WHITNEY's HOUSE!!! He wasn't interested in saying good-bye because there was just so much that he "needed" to do!!! All of which included "PLAYING!!!!!" Of course, saying good-bye was hard, I knew that all the kids would be fine, but I was still torn up about leaving them!!!

Next stop was my parents' house! They would be keeping Mason and Brady on Saturday night. Mason got to ride me Papa and us to take us to the airport!!! We had to make a quick run to REI to get a few last minute things!! (One of the best items that we took is the BUG BAND!!! I didn't get a single bite!!!)

My dad dropped us off at the gate and of course we were the last ones there! My nerves were going crazy! I think there were a lot of fears about the unknown and the unexpected! After FINALLY getting checked in and through security, we had about 45 minutes to wait at the gate before they started boarding the plane!

Alex and Laura explained that somehow we had gotten 5 seats in the "Business Class" and they were giving those to us (Brian, myself, Holly, KT, and Wendy)!!! We had a very comfortable ride from DFW to San Salvador, El Salvador...our first stop!