Byrnes visit from Colorado

Our dear friends, Steve and Deborah Byrne, came to visit us in January!  I wish I was better about keeping up with the blog, but it seems when I'm busy with fun things is when I have the least time to blog.  Sorry!

Debbie and I go wayyy back.  We were in junior high school in Overland Park, Kansas, together, in about 1963. But when we were about 40, she had just moved back to Kansas (Olathe) with her two teenaged (preteen?) daughters, about Sharon's age. We were talking ... where did you grow up ... oh, when did you graduate? ... OH, what schools did you go to?  And then, "oh, you're Debbie IBARRA?  I'm Nancy PAULETTE!"  We ran home and I found a tiny little school picture with a signature on the back! We were amazed, and fast friends. She married Steve a few years later, and the four of us have enjoyed many dinners and visits. 

While we were here, we did some touristy things, visited Hotel Atitlan to explore and eat, a Nature Reserve, and even visited Antigua before they left.  Here are some photos: 

At Hotel Atitlan

Lunch at Hotel Atitlan

Hotel Atitlan, peacocks.

We went to a nature preserve with a butterfly preserve (mariposario) and monkeys and other animals I can't recall, related to a raccoon. 

Butterfly caterpillars. He is gathering them to move to a
different location to develop a cocoon and grow. 

To the monkeys! 

Here's a meeting for service at our house, before going to San Pedro (across the lake).  

Jason Breneman and Mark Cooney

Colin Thompson, Mark and Alison Cooney, and Chris Warden.
Visiting from Scotland... and we hope they come back! 

We also went to Santa Catarina to support the Kakquichel congregation.  We learned a brief presentation and had such fun!

Steve Byrne with Juan Diego at a door. Note the corncobs drying.
This person's home is on the roof of another's, perhaps a family
member. 

Alison Cooney and Chris Warden

Lake Atitlan... with some laundry drying in the foreground! 

Deborah and her companion

Deborah Byrne with Alison Cooney

We found a boulder - so of course, some had to climb it!
That's Steve in front, I think.

The town of Santa Catarina

What a view! 

Santa Catarina is built onto the side of a
mountain, so there are hundreds of steps!

Alison Cooney after our morning

Alison and Mark Cooney - tired but happy!

Debbie with our sisters who live in Santa Catarina

Shannon with our sisters

We pile in the back of a pickup to make the 20-minute
trip... crammed in! 

Steve even had a suit custom made, out of a cashmere fabric (wool?).  Just over $100!

On our way back to the airport, we spent a night at a hotel in Antigua, the other city in Guatemala that has a significant foreign population and a lot of history.  It is the old ('antigua') capital of Guatemala and so has some very historic buildings.

A market in front of an old church

Arches just by the square

Many walls were ancient with repairs like this. 

Our last dinner together!

Steve and Debbie

We had such a great time, and hope they come back soon!