pondering

Why is our memory so unreliable? And I'm not just talking about the 318 test I probably just failed... Our memory of people. It's like I take the good, forget the bad and mold them in my mind to this person who they aren't, then continue to be disappointed in them. I have an overactive imagination, it is a huge downfall of mine. My expectations become overblown based on any good interactions I may have had. I just expect too much from people I guess.

calling all Panama peeps!

Party at the Gatlins at 6 pm. That's an hour and 20 minutes from now, don't forget!!!!!!!!!!! So if you're reading this, quit, and come on over. Gonna be fun, can't wait to see you all again.

change of plans

Josh is sick, so no dinner with friends. Any of you girls going out?? I'm not sick :-)
Otherwise I'll be home studying for our 318 test... on a friday night..so sad...

yeah

So yesterday i was up at the church from 12:30 - 10pm, so nothing wildly exciting to report there. Tonight we have a dinner with some new friends then we have to be in New Braunfels at an ungodly hour for a volleyball tounament Saturday morning.
oh joy...

Pastor Joe is right.

Let it go. If it is brought back to you, it was meant to be, if not, it wasn't yours to begin with. I'm preaching to myself here... I let go of a couple of things tonight. We'll see what happens. If nothing shows up, then I'll move on. Don't want to waste my time on something that wasn't supposed to be on my path anyway.

It's a sad day when you realize you've lost your super powers...

Yo

Hey husband! I know you read this. Quit watching basketball and come hang out with the wife you claim to like so much. I will quote the words you wrote to me just hours ago... "...you're interesting. what can i say. i am interested."
hmmm, maybe I have something intriguing to say or do...... and you're missing it.
:-)

weather

It was such a beautiful day today, I had to steal my husbands convertible and put the top down, plug in the ipod and just drive. I took the longest route I could find to all my errands. I never knew it could take an hour to get to my bank :-). It just doesn't get any nicer outside. My hair is a tangled wreck, but it's kinda awesome looking like this. Kinda like I just went surfing and let it dry on a windy beach. Man that sounds good right now... Then, after about 4 hours in the convertible, I came home and went running. Not as much fun, but necessary.
I wish I could go to church tonight in Panama, and take a boat home...

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain."

more pics

our hotel



the main church

more pics

this is Gregg and I pulling Zach out of the ocean. Why? Because he fell out of our little boat in the middle of the ocean.

huge starfish

the 3 amigas bringing it

village people

our plane

traditional Kuna dress

trip report pt1

So Panama was an absolute blast. Don't get the wrong idea, we preached, taught, ministered, prayed, etc.. but it was just FUN. The team totally gelled, there were no personality conflicts, and we had just enough downtime so that things never got too heavy or stressful. It was like the dream team, the team you hope for when planning these kinds of trips.
On Sunday we split up into 3 teams of 3 to go to 3 separate islands to preach in church. Our (Johanna, Thad and I) island was the smallest of the 3 and furthest away. I remember thinking when the boat and the missionaries left us, "please come back for us", I don't know that I could have retained my sanity on such a small island for more than a while. If I was a moderately strong guy, I could have thrown a rock from any beach and hit the opposite beach. But during our stay on this little island on Sunday morning, I was blessed with some beautiful shells, a handbeaded bracelet that was sown on, and a visit to the chief of the island who was so grateful we were there that he began to cry when he spoke to us.

friend pics in Panama

ok

just a couple of favorites before I go get some sleep. I am sooo tired.

home from Panama

Awesome, wonderful trip! Will post more details later. I'm currently uploading photos. There are so many good ones, I need to find a better way to post them this time...
You gotta hear the song Josh wrote... (below)

Josh here...

Haven't heard from Shileen since Saturday, but all was well then. I don't guess they have cell phone towers on the island.

I miss her kind of a lot, so I wrote a song for her and recorded it. shhh... don't tell her, it's a surprise.

excited

I can't believe we're already leaving. I feel so not prepared. Too much to do tomorrow. Haven't even started packing. For tomorrow - I have a lunch appt. downtown, a Cabi show in the afternoon,I have to go in to work for a coupla hours, have to go buy some stuff for the trip, and pay the bills, and it may help if I at least glance at the topic I'm teaching on in Panama, also maybe pack, maybe do the grocery shopping so I can have one last non fish meal before I go...anyway the list goes on, yet I sit here typing instead of doing any of it. Yeah, I like to procrastinate sometimes. :-)
Please pray for me while I'm in Panama. That I would make wise choices, have a good attitude, that there would be open doors, open hearts, safe travel, and that God would use us in a big way, and change me even more. Thank you.

quote

"Looking back I have this to regret that too often when I loved I did not say so."

I love you. Yes, you.

pics

chillin in Cozumel

cheesey but cute


awww



dancing for Josh at dinner....

still more coming...

at a cool Mexican restaurant we found in Cozumel - we were very hot and tired..
game night!
view from the back of the boat
a cool monster size globe I wanted to take home with me..
about to take the plunge

he's had enough and is going back to the boat

pics pt 2

pics part 1

who knew I rock at putt putt - got 4 hole in ones!