HOME AGAIN.....THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!

We have been back for about two weeks now. It feels as if we have been gone for a good 10 years....and at the same time we have never left. What a mixture of emotions as we took off from Guatemala City on June 7th. We knew we were going home to friends and family....but really felt as if we were leaving family and friends in Central America. Our time there has been some of the most rewarding of our entire lives. We are so thankful for the opportunity to take a step out of life and have this experience.

Landing in the good ole USA

As we landed in Dallas it was so interesting to feel our reactions to being once again on US soil. The emotions are hard to explain...but anyone who has lived outside of the US for any length of time can appreciate how we felt. As we went through Customs, the agent looked at our passports and asked us if we were US citizens. Wayne looked right at him and said "si"....it was different to be speaking English.

The connection between Dallas and Phoenix was about an hour wait. Wayne saw and visited with an Elder who was returning to Thatcher and would be on our same flight. That was a blessed experience for both of them. When we reached Phoenix...we knew that our family was waiting. They had a sign and were all there! (Except Todd who was still in SLC for a couple of days). I had worried that our little ones who only knew us on Skype would not know who we were...but no trouble.....it took them about 30 seconds and they were running to us. What a joy to see them all again.

With the best support team in the world!!

We had a wonderful evening with all of them at our home. Our Stake President and dear friend Grant Walton came over and read our release letter to them all, and then talked about us wearing the name of Jesus Christ and being his missionaries for two years. He then had us take off our plaques....which I have to tell you was really hard for me. What a blessing wearing that badge had been for two years.

Getting to know Staci Elizabeth Gietz

The rest of the week was wedding...wedding...wedding. We had a great time and a beautiful day on Friday. Conner and Alissa were so ready to be married...and Alissa was so excited to be able to go through the temple. She was thrilled to be able to take out those covenants. Everyone had prepared so well that the reception went absolutely flawlessly....and we had a big party.

All of our girls at the temple

Dad and Alissa

Alissa and Conner with all our grandkids

We are excited to begin the next phase of our life. Who knows what will happen? We are looking into different opportunities to continue to be of help where we are needed. As I looked at the blog this morning I realized that this is about blog Number 300. I started this blog because I knew that I wasn't a very good journal writer. My next goal is to print and publish it for my family. Thanks for all of you who have read it, commented on it, and been such a support to Wayne and me during this mission.....the field is truly white and ready to harvest!!

CUTE KIDS

Well....not actually kids....but they are OUR kids. We are having a wedding the week that we get back to the States. Alissa and Conner Gietz are going to be married on June 11th.....our release date is June 7th. We are so excited for them and needed to post this very adorable couple for all to see!!!


.....Now if we can just get baby Staci here!!!

COME AND GONE....Part 2

Wednesday....Tikal

Tourists at the ruins

(Can I say how different it was to see Wayne in levis?)

Wednesday morning started bright and early with us getting to the local airport by 5:30am for a commuter flight to Flores. The approximately 45 minute flight was great....much better than the 12 hour drive it would take for us to get there by car. Everyone survived the trip. We took umbrellas because it was overcast and had rained the day before. The umbrella that I had was a big golf umbrella...which ended up being a great walking stick....but they made me "check" it as baggage when we boarded the plane.

After our 45 minute flight to Flores...none the worse for wear

When we got to the airport we watched them take the checked luggage out of the plane. One of the men on the runway literally pulled the luggage across the tarmac and up a ramp for the baggage claim. We laughed as Wayne walked across the floor and retrieved our "checked luggage".

Watching our umbrella move to the luggage claim area

We were pleased with the service that we had for this trip. Jeff Burrows arranged everything for us...air...tour...guides. Jeff is the person that we are going to use for visiting dentists when they come to the clinic for any side trips that they want to do. He will be great!!! Our guide Antonio met us at the airport and he and the driver shuttled us to the National Park.

Getting ready to start our tour

Tikal is one of the big excavated ruins. The temples are recognized world wide and people visit here from all over. We were able to spend about 4 hours in the park walking to many of the temple areas. We watched Rusty run up and down the pyramids and find things to play with. It was a great day.

Rusty exploring

One of the most amazing nests that we have ever seen
These birds were all in the same tree

Our guide Antonio showing us something about the rain forest

One of the ruins Rusty ran up!!

Climbing to the top of the temple

The view from the top.....

Thursday...Chichicastenango....Market Day

Where in the world are the Tomkinsons?

We had such a great time going to Market Day at Chichicastenango a few weeks ago that we decided this would be a fun day trip with Rusty and Trisha. We even had the Tilleys and the Graffs drive up with us and the Blackburns meet us there. We wandered all over the market, got our shoes shined, ate the wonderful buffet at the hotel and just enjoyed the day.

Senior Missionaries

The mask shop

Getting shoes shined


Finding the marcos (see Alma 11)

Our group at the hotel buffet
Tomkinsons, Graffs, Tilleys and Blackburns
with Trisha and Rusty

What a fun visit we had with Trisha and Rusty....they left early the next morning...the next time we see them will be in Phoenix!!!

COME AND GONE....Part 1

At our apartment
Our great neighbors put the welcome signs up for them!!!

One of the benchmarks that we have set for our time here is when Rusty and Trisha were going to visit us. It would be the standard to see just how long we had left here on the mission....and would serve as the reference point for when we would be going home.

Rusty and Trisha have come and gone....and our time is going very fast.

We were able to visit with them for about a week in April. It was fast and furious and Trisha was even able to do some hygiene work in the clinic. We put Rusty's skills to work helping to install a water tank for the clinic. Here are some highlights of the week for us:

Saturday....Airplane arrives and Antigua

Rusty and Trisha took a red-eye all nighter flight from Los Angeles of Salvador and then on to Guatemala City. They arrived here at 9 in the morning...but we picked them up at the airport and then after a quick stop at the apartment went to spend the day in Antigua.

Watching them come out of the door and to US!!!!

Antigua is a great one-day trip. We saw the textile museum, the wooden fruit stores, the market, the San Francisco cathedral, Santo Domingo (where they were setting up for a beautiful outdoor wedding) and the Jade factory. They were great sports and by the end of the day were very tired.

Trisha getting dressed up in the native costume

Lunch at McDonald's

What other McDonald's in the world can you eat in the
shadow of an active volcano???

Outside San Francisco church
(Where the patron Saint of Guatemala is buried)

On the grounds of Santa Domingo monastery
which is now a wonderful hotel

Setting up for the outdoor wedding
It is a fantastic setting

Sunday...Church in a foreign language and Open House

Outside our ward building - Montufar

Open House so that Rusty and Trisha could
meet all our wonderful neighbors and
fellow missionaries

Cousins....with my mom's first cousin Adele

It is fun taking people to Church when it is in Spanish. Rusty really enjoyed the meetings because of his Portuguese. That evening we held an Open House and served Wayne's famous cobbler/ice cream so that everyone could meet our kids and they could meet all the people we serve with here.


Monday - Clinic and Family Home Evening

Getting set up and ready to work

Monday morning we were scheduled at the Clinic. Trisha had some hygiene patients lined up. It was fun seeing her and Wayne side by side working on the patients. Rusty couldn't sit still. He cleaned bathrooms, washed windows, weeded gardens...and watched a movie with the orphanage girls. We had a great day.

Daddy-Daughter party!!!


RUSTY'S DAY:

Catching a movie

That evening we had them attend FHE with us....it was a medical update for SENIORS by the Area Medical Specialist Dr. MacArthur. It was very informative for us....and they got to see what it is like growing older.



Tuesday - Installation of Water Tank...Central Market...Temple

Willian and Rusty and the Montero with the water tank

Tuesday morning Rusty and Wayne left early to go and meet up with Willian Lopez. He is the local general contractor that built the dental clinic. He is a great man whom we have learned to respect very much. He and Rusty were going to put a water tank on top of the clinic so that we would have a days supply of water. When the orphanage is without water....the clinic is not able to have suction. That makes it a little difficult to work for any length of time. We really wanted this to be taken care of before visiting dentists start coming....and figured that Rusty was a perfect excuse to get it taken care of.

On the roof with the supervisor directing

Our little car looked so funny with the tank on top of it. They spent most of the day installing the water tank. But it is working great.....and much to our surprise....When we got to the clinic that morning the orphanage was out of water and we had NO SUCTION!!! We cancelled out the rest of the day and took Rusty and Trisha to the Central Market and them sightseeing around the temple and the CCM. It was a good use of "free time".

Central Market....looking where the locals shop

Look Alissa....we found the perfect thing for your wedding!!!

For Grandma Nan...the most beautiful Gerber Daisys in the world!!

On the Temple Grounds

Cute couple

Family Joke...Trisha and the hydrangas....
she just HAD to have these for her wedding....here
they grow everywhere...not easy to find in Arizona in July!!!

SO MUCH FUN!!!

Alissa and Sara under the bougainvillea TREE
City Center of Copan Ruinas, Honduras

We had so much fun with Sara and Alissa here. I forgot how many photos you take...I had to go through 800 plus pictures to come up with just a few for the blog. We combined all of the photos from all four cameras to get the finished list. We visited Copan, Honduras, went to Central Market in Guatemala City, Antigua and the best movie theater in the world!! Here are just a few of our pictures with commentary. If you want their side of the story...visit their personal blogs or facebook!!

ROAD TRIP!!!!!!

First animals we saw going down the side of the road

One of the other animals going down the road

Ice Cream Stop at Saritas...great ice cream

COPAN We left Monday for a two night visit to Copan, Honduras. We love Copan and the little hotel that we stay at when we visit there...Don Udos...The girls loved it too. Great experiences there. We were walking down the street and a woman stopped Wayne (missionary tags do that for you). She was a member and had just participated in the Reflections of Christ photo shoot for Christ in America. She invited us to her restaurant and to see the photos of her family at the shoot in Copan. We had a great time eating lunch the next day at her restaurant....great baleadas...hadn't had them since we left Honduras.

View from our room at Don Udos

Missionaries, Elder Tomkinson and the Flores family
Hermana Flores, her two boys, husband and many family members
participated in the Christ in America photo shoot

We walked and walked and walked around the ruins. We were our own tour guide this time because we really knew all there was to tell. The girls loved the ruins, and kept posing for the pictures. The macaws were a great attraction. We left for home Wednesday morning and enjoyed a new route through southern Guatemala back to the capital city.

Holding up the ruins in the museum

On the top of the stairs


And below looking up!.........

When we got home that afternoon we took Sara and Alissa to Central Market. This is a required stop for all visiting family. They died when they saw the meat market...slabs of meat hanging all day long. Alissa especially grossed out when she saw the pig heads...they enjoyed shopping and seeing the culture....and watching us try to use our Spanish. We visited with our little nut man and he showed them how he measures the nuts using the old "Book of Mormon" weights.

In the market with the nut man
showing weights and measures from Alma 11

We also showed them the Clinica Dental...and got a shot of the outside of our clinic walls. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs guard the clinic door.

Welcome to Mi Casa Tio Juan

Goofing off in the clinica

New Years Eve we went to Antigua. Toured the clothing museum, the Jade factory (where they bought their required Utchis), and shopped in their market. Sara bought two beautiful aprons and got to be quite good friends with Gladys, the owner of the stall. Alissa searched and searched until she found just the right purse.

Sara and Gladys at the textile booth

Alissa posing with the loom at the textile museum

Jade in the teeth at the Jade museum

Outside one of the main Cathedrals in Antigua
This little lady sold us necklaces
The patron Saint of Guatemala is buried here

Hotel Santo Domingo just before dark
It is an unbelievable site with all the candles lit

Hotel Santo Domingo with their Guatemala bags

That evening we went over to Dic and Jennifer's at midnight to see the fireworks from their balcony. It wasn't nearly as big a display as on Christmas Eve...but it was fun...and dad got his New Year's Eve kiss.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

New Years Day was calm. We went to the Oakland Mall to see AVATAR in the VIP theatre there. This theatre is unbelievable. It has full lazy-boy style chairs and a service where they bring you goodies right at your seat. You can order sushi or rice bowls, or the normal popcorn and soda.

This is absolutely the best theater in the world!!

January 2nd....the day they go home. (And our 36th Wedding Anniversary).....they got on the plane..landed in Houston...went through Customs....and before we knew it they were texting us from Phoenix to say that they were on their way to the apartment.

All checked in and ready to leave

GOING.....GOING....

GONE!!!!

Thanks girls for a great visit!!