A big trip - Part One in Kansas City!

Back in July, for our 25th anniversary, we thought about what we'd like to do to celebrate.  In some ways, it has been a rough year.  My mother's death, my sister's cancer, some health issues, etc...  we wanted to celebrate.  We decide on a Mediterranean cruise!  Finally, we have started the trip!

We planned a week in Kansas City to visit the family and friends in Kansas City, and to go up to Iowa to see my sister.  Then we fly to Rome, spend a few days there, then the cruise (Celebrity Silhouette, Eastern Mediterranean starting October 19).  We end in Venice and spend a few days in Venice, then a couple days in Florence, then home to Guatemala.

Monday, we got up at 4:30AM to get a 6AM shuttle to the airport for an 11:30 flight.  There was a LOT of traffic in Guatemala City, but we made it with time to spare!  The flight to Miami was uneventful.  Then, we had to wait almost 2 hours for our luggage in Miami to go through customs.  (Apparently there were a lot of planes that arrived and our luggage cart got pushed to the back of the line).  So, we missed our connection.  We had to spend the night at a hotel.  We got up super-early, again 4AM, for a 5AM shuttle for a 6:30 flight.  But we finally arrived in KC (via Dallas) at 11:00.

I first got a really good haircut, which thrilled me (Nancy) since beauticians in Panajachel aren't very accomplished.  Then we ran errands for a few hours, ate with Mark and Catherine Richardson, and got 'home' to the Gonzales home and visited with them.

Next day, we slept in a little bit, went again on errands, cleaning up our list.  At lunch time, we stopped in a favorite place for a quick bite, Chipotles, when across the room, we spotted...  Ron and Jackie Armbruster!!  They moved away from Kansas City area even before we did, last year.  They are only here for a few days!  We were amazed and thrilled, and our 'to do' list went out the window while we lingered over our conversations.

Ron and Jackie Armbruster

Everyone is buzzing about the release of an updated English version of our Bible.  It was released at the Annual Meeting, which was tied in throughout the US to those who speak English.  (In time, it will be updated in Spanish and the many other languages in which we publish Bibles).  The meeting was the weekend before we flew in, so we missed it!  And the Bible!  But some dear friends shared theirs with us, since their primary language is Spanish, so we are delighted beyond words.  The wording is simplified - not to the point of losing meaning, but more realistic and clear in today's usage, plus it has a LOT of reference materials.  Amazing resource.  And it has a soft, thick grey cover and silver page 'gilding' (?).  Anyway, we are so happy to have them! 

Sofia Madrigal, who gave me her Bible, and her husband Samuel

After the meeting last night, we went to Applebees (where Sofia gave me the Bible, pictured above) with some others - the Navas and our hosts, Marivel and Rudy Gonzales.  

Rudy and Marivel Gonzales, our hosts

Patricia and Rafael Nava

Today we have a few more errands, and a lunch with some friends.  Tomorrow I go up and see my sister and her husband (and her adult son, I'm sure) in Des Moines. We can only stay til just before lunchtime, since we then have to be back in Olathe in the afternoon for a family photo with Kelly and family, and then dinner with them.  

We're so happy to be here visiting.  But I am starting a list of "what I am enjoying here" and "what we are NOT enjoying here".  Next blog post!