Mmm Mmm Good!

Jessica and her homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese.

I am feeling a little silly for writing about food again. Honestly, I really don't have an obsession or anything. Yeah, right...I will just ignore those comments that were just made and continue with this amazing coincidence.

Many times in our travels over the last 4 months we have been asked what we would like to eat. My response is always the same: tomato soup and grilled cheese. This only results in blank stares and then comments about how that won't be acceptable. Then they proceed to wine and dine us on many other delicacies that are also wonderful and supply all our needs of nutrition and palate.

As we walked into the Manna household in Shenandoah, IA, we were met with a small look of chagrine and apology that we were "only" going to eat canned tomato soup for lunch. Woo-hoo! At last! Wonderful was the soup and fellowship.

The next day we traveled to my sister's and brother-in-law's in NW Iowa and arrived just in time for supper. To my delight my sister asked if it would be a problem to "only" eat her homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese for supper. Would that be enough? Woo-hoo! Two days in a row!

And I didn't even have to ask. :)

CELEBRATING SUE ELDERT

FLOWERS FROM THE BGFM FIELD
A TRIBUTE TO SUE ELDERT

On Sunday morning, September 21st, Sue Eldert was taken home to be with her Lord Jesus. Sue battled cancer for 7 years. Her first 4 years of treatments were done in Brazil and the last 3 years in North Carolina, close to her three daughters who cared for her together with Sue's husband Dave. She suffered much, especially during the last 5 weeks. All who were close to her prayed for her speedy departure. These few and delicate flowers are a humble expression of tender love from Sue's Collegues in Brazil. She will be deeply missed by all who were privileged to have known her and especially by those who served beside her.

MK GATHERING AFTER LUNCH ON SUE'S DAY

Nearly 20 MK's and about the same number of Retired & Active missionaries were present at Sue Eldert's Celebration Service on September 25th. After the grave side prayer, many returned to Grace Baptist for a "southern" lunch served by the dear ladies gifted for just such a moment. Thirteen BGFMer MK's, plus an honorary Jeff Reiner, gathered for a once in a life time photo. Everbody's only regret was that Sue couldn't be there. Our prayers are lifted for Dave Eldert and his four grown children, Kathleen, Paulette, Andrew and Regina (and their families).

Ken Stucky - guest contributor to Lori's spot

Serious about Mexican

Jalapenos that will make your nose run and your eyes water. Fantastic!

Whenever eating out, our all time favorite is Mexican. In the past, we have been chided for our poor culinary choice by dining at Taco Bell, but no more! This particular evening out in a suburb of Chicago we feasted on the REAL thing. This place is so authentic, they serve jalapenos along with the chips and salsa. MMMMM.....

If you don't believe that I would actually put one of these babies to my lips, guess again. After eating 4 or 5 I decided that my internal organs might rebel, so I decided to stop while I was ahead.

And here is the rest of the crew with Eric who found the place for us. They were much more content to leave off the jalapenos and stick with the chips. :)

Extinct?!?!

Alicia with a fossilized dinosaur footprint at the visitor's center.

The age old question...did the dinos really exist? Were they on Noah's ark? What happened to them? In Dinosaur, Colorado, there is proof that they roamed the earth. In case you were doubting, check it out...

Now that's a REALLY OLD church!

In Brazil they name streets after people who have died. In this town...well, you figure it out.

And one last time...in case you were wondering...

For Real!

Today, September 12th, we encountered on our travels...SNOW!!!! Yes, it was the REAL stuff...falling before our eyes.

Driving through Colorado we found it was actually SNOWING at 10,000 feet elevation. No one could be more excited than Anabel. (Take note of her South American attire.) She thanked Jesus profusely for several minutes after we got in the car. :)

Another attraction on the I-70...THE TUNNEL.

According to Wikipedia, the tunnel was built under the Continental Divide, and at a maximum elevation of 11,158 feet (3401 m) it is the highest vehicular tunnel in the world. It is also the longest tunnel built under the Interstate highway program...

The tunnel is a two-bore tunnel with each bore approximately 1.7 miles (2.7 km) long. In 2002, over ten million vehicles passed through the tunnel, many of them driving between the Denver area and popular skiing locations west of the Continental Divide.

Needless to say, the kids were more than mildly impressed. :)

Lake Serene

Once in 5 years we manage to take one of those "hikes to remember". Dale and Luke Flickinger led us on this particularly memorable trip in the Cascades.

These guys are the ones with all the gear, "know how", guide books, experience, muscles, etc. The rest of us managed to carry our little fanny packs and a few bottles of water while they hauled in their big backpacks full of food, dry clothing (it was raining a wee bit), tarp, binoculars, camera, hammocks, toilet paper, first-aid kit, towels and the travel pillow that Alicia managed to sneak into Dale's pack. Go figure.

Here are just a few of the incredible highlights that only our awesome CREATOR could dream up making us all the richer (and stiffer) for having experienced.

I think this must be Narnia.


Yep, definitely Narnia.

Water falls being fed by melting ice and snow...FABULOUS!!!

No, we are not posing. This is a "well-deserved" rest. We figured that trees this size would manage to hold us up just fine.


Did I mention the waterfalls???


THIS is Lake Serene. Can you imagine being the first one to ever find this place?




I know, I know...we are looking terribly romantic in this picture...truth is I am actually freezing to death and Ken is so pooped that he can't stand up straight anymore. And this was BEFORE we made our way back down! :)

An information board at the trail head gave this description of the hike up to Lake Serene.
distance: 3.6 miles ONE way
switchbacks: 23
level of difficulty: STRENUOUS

I can't say how grateful I was that I only read the info board AFTER we made it down...it is true...ignorance is bliss!


Anabel made it the WHOLE way! I was terribly impressed. The Grand Prize for climbing all the way up was...SNOW!!

A Little Bump in the Road

Anabel sporting her new brace.

This past week Alicia and Anabel were having a grand time staying with friends and family north of Seattle, WA, while Ken was in Brazil an I was in Iowa with Jessica.

Their time was only made more memorable when Anabel took a spill on a scooter and skinned her knees...well, we thought that was all she had done. Anabel cries "wolf" quite often, so when she complained of her wrist hurting, too, it was decided to just watch and see. When I got back a few days later, we decided to take her in to a clinic and have it checked out. Low and behold, she did indeed have a problem. There was a "greenstick" fracture in both bones of her left wrist.

These are not Anabel's x-rays, but it shows what happens to the bone when it is stressed causing this kind of injury.

FYI: A greenstick fracture is not really a fracture in the technical sense. Wikipedia defines it as: the bending of a bone with incomplete fracture involving the convex side of the curve only, green stick fractures are characterized by a break in the bone which partially extends across and then along the length of the bone forming the characteristic fracture pattern for which it is named.

Instead of a cast, Anabel can wear a brace on her arm that she can take off when showering or washing her hands. I guess if you are going to "break" your arm, this must be the way to do it!

So, the little "bump" in the road (or sidewalk in this case) caused an even smaller "bump" in the road for Anabel...and, believe me, that is all it amounts to. She is just as onery as ever...nothing this insignificant is going to keep her down!


A special THANKS to all who helped make their time here in Washington special while "mommy AND daddy" were away. We are extremely grateful for your care and friendship!