The Month of June

Wow!  What an eventful month!  I have been so neglectful of blogging lately, but will try to catch you up to speed with the Belmont household.  This month has been crazy, eventful, busy, and full of traveling for us, but we are finally BOTH back home just in time for Ryan and Ellen's wedding (tomorrow!) and the month of July.

The busy season has picked up again for Belmont at work.  Tons of parties, deliveries, set-ups, overtime jobs, etc. in the HOT heat of summer.  I, on the other hand, was supposed to be relaxing on summer vacation.  Not quite!  Although I slept in most every morning the first two weeks of June (because my hubby is so sweet and quiet in the mornings when he wakes up for work so he doesn't wake me up!), most of my days and evenings were filled with preparations to go to Mexico.  We also had some time together, hanging out with friends and experiencing St. Louis in the summer.

First we made a grill...

This was hard work and we kept getting frustrated.

 

I am grumpy and I don't like making grills.

Belmont, however, was diligent and we finished.

Here he is, looking very proud!

 The finished product, grilling some steaks

 Later in June, we took some kids to the Arch to play yard games

and stopped at the local frozen custard place for treats.

One night, we had Kevin and Chrissy over for

homemade pizza making.  Deliciousness!! 

Here is Kevin with his finished pizza.

And Belmont crashing the picture.  :) 

 Italian Night at the Belmont house

(Like my candles?  Pinterest project.)

We went with our friends Jonathan and Leah 

to see Shakespeare in the Park.  

This year it was Othello.  Amazing!! 

Here we are getting ready for the show.

We used our incredible picnic basket

for the first time!!  Loved it!! 

 Waiting for the show to start!

June 16-23 I was in Mexico teaching Spanish to three interns who started an 8-week internship in Progreso with GYFM (Global Youth and Family Ministries)-- a branch of MTW (Mission to the World), the PCA's mission arm.  I planned the curriculum and made a workbook of 40-50 pages for them to use throughout our orientation week and during the summer.  I was pretty proud of that little book!  My first printed venture with practicing writing curriculum.  The Kirk was awesome and let me use their incredible printer so that it looked professional.  I put the sheets into little folders and packed them into my carry-on, just in case my luggage got lost.  (It didn't, however, and I wished later that I could have put them in my checked bag.  Lots of extra weight!)  The trip was so fun and it was wonderful to see what God is doing in Progreso, Mexico.  The Presbyterian pastor there, David, has such a heart for God's people and is constantly doing something for the kingdom.  He and his family are such a joy to be around!  It was great to be a small part of the work there as I taught the interns (Savannah, Erin, and Matt) Spanish for the week that they will hopefully be able to use to spread the gospel while they are in Mexico!

Here are a few pictures from my trip:

This is the church where we worked-- 

Iglesia Presbiteriana "Jesús"

(Jesus Prebysterian Church)

Here are the interns-- Matt, Savannah, and Erin

On our way to a "cenote," which is a fresh spring.

We spent an afternoon swimming (or wading for me)

in the fresh water pools in the jungle nearby. 

 One afternoon, we went to the nearby city of Mérida.

Here is a cathedral that is the oldest in the Americas.

Here are our Canadian friends, Dianne and Kim,

who are retired teachers living in Progreso. 

Here is a group shot from Orientation Week
(minus John, our Youth Ministry expert).

Erin, Savannah, Matt, me, Jonathan Taylor
(GYFM Team Leader) and David (pastor)

June 23-27 was The EDGE-- a Jr. High conference in Chattanooga, TN.  Belmont and I both went and it was such a good time!  I flew into Atlanta and he picked me up from my Mexico trip on Saturday night.  It was nice to have some time together to talk about our weeks before we dove into a 5-day trip with Jr. High kids.  He was able to visit his grandparents while I was out of town, spend Father's Day with his family making homemade pizzas together, hang out with a few friends, and have some guy time while I was out of town.  It was so good to see him again after a week of being apart!!  We enjoyed our time in Chattanooga with the kids, and we both got thoroughly sunburned.  (The Mexican border patrol confiscated my sunscreen as I was about to enter the U. S.... sad day!)

Here are a few pictures from The EDGE:

Here are a few girls from my small group.
Leah (on the far right) is my awesome co-leader!

A group shot on the Overlook

(Belmont is on the far right in the green,

and I am toward the right on the bottom row.) 

A silly group pic before we got in the vans to go home

I am so glad to be home, but these trips have been great.  I got home and a mom from the youth group had completely de-weeded our garden!!  What a surprise!  I watered it early this a.m. and trimmed the bushes in our flower beds before it got too hot.  We have learned a few things of what NOT to do in our garden for next year.  Oh-- and the bunnies completely demolished our beans while we were gone.  So sad!  Those were the most hopeful of all of the veggies.  Guess it's time to replant?

Well, my house is beckoning me to clean it.  And do TONS of laundry.  And make a fruit smoothie.  (Oh wait, that's my mouth!)  I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the summer!