gross

working out in the yard today we came across this guy....

that's right, a copperhead snake. gross.

zach cut off it's head with the shovel. gross again.

cache

meet our new addition to the family
his name is Cache

just look at that face!
he's got a little white "soul patch" on his chin.



big blue eyes


cache is one of fives puppies - three black ones and two brown ones. the daddy is a pure bread weimeraner, and the mom is a mut - something crossed with an australian shepherd. but, the puppies look a lot more like daddy!

the next day...

...the other two eggs had hatched. when we whistled, the little birds would open their mouths, hoping mommy had brought back some food. how is it that these little things are so ugly, and so cute at the same time?

farm life

zach and i are spending the summer on the patterson 'farm' in arkansas.
we found these birds just barely hatched out by the garage. incredible.
and these little guys bring the dog total to 10! they out number the humans around here. then add 4 horses to that. you get the idea.

(I want to take this little one home to utah with us!)

home away from home

zach and i were able to go back to visit Ecuador - our mission stomping ground. two weeks was not enough time to see and do all we wanted, but 5 hours of video and 300 pictures later, i think we had a good trip! here's a small taste of our adventures:

LA CONCORDIAfamilia moya

PUYO

we went to Puyo and stayed in a cute little cabin. we learned about all the plants there that provide natural medicines, and learned about how the Shuar Indians lived

when it rains, it pours!


BAÑOS
saw lots of gorgeous waterfalls and wished we had more days to spend here

OTAVALO
shopping, more waterfalls, enjoying the beauty of the campo

cascadas de peguche

little leslie. zach blessed her when she was a baby and now she is four years old


QUITO
In Quito we spent lots of time with the Cevallos, visited other families, went to a museum, and ate yummy food.

familia Guatemal

familia Cevallos

Capilla del Hombre - a museum of the artwork of Oswaldo Guayasamin, an artist from Ecuador


we could have spend two more weeks there to do everything we wanted to do. guess that just means we'll have to go back!

5.2.09

and it came to pass that i GRADUATED!

thanks to all my fans!

after a very, very rainy day, i was so grateful for the sunshine! it was worth it, being the last college to have graduation, because when we came out the skies were clear! (even though our hair-do's were already down the drain!)




...i thought i would feel relieved...but now as i look ahead to starting my job, the pressure is really on!

i don't wanna grow up!

have i got some news for you. not just any news. it's...
that's right! i will be a real deal preschool teacher!

i will be teaching special ed preschool starting fall '09 in mendon, ut. where is that, you ask? it is in cache valley - out southwest of logan. there is a new school out there called mountainside elementary. i have heard it is beautiful!

i am absolutely THRILLED about this job. i love these little ones and feel so lucky to work with them! i don't have to grow up yet...i'll be in preschool for a while!