family pictures (by Elizabeth)

While traveling, Elizabeth often amuses herself by drawing...

Here are portraits of our family (drawn in early June):

Do note the variance in the shades and textures of our hair.

And she later added a beard to her Daddy's picture.

By then, she had decided that the Baby in my tummy was a BOY.

"That's why he has BLUE hair!"

About a week later, she came up with this one:

My arms, I was informed, are by my sides.

"That's why you can't see them."

There really are advantages to NOT having a DVD player in the car!

NEWS!

HE’s a BOY!

Elizabeth is especially happy about the news. For the last several weeks, she’s been talking about – and even trying to draw – a baby brother. (We would, of course, have been happy either way...)

Elizabeth was with us during the ultrasound. What an awesome experience! Our baby boy weighs about a pound – and is perfectly detailed!

I’ve been meditating on Psalm 139:

You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.

We saw the perfectly formed little heart, the perfectly formed little brain, the perfectly formed little stomach and little kidneys...

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;

We saw the perfectly formed little spine, the perfectly formed little ribs, the perfectly formed little arms and little legs...

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance...

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand...

Utah: Part 5

The scenery on the way to Marysvale in southern Utah was quite different from that of the northern portion of the state. (No, we did not make it to Arches National Park; we were in southern Utah on business...)

We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Pastor and Mrs. Edwards and the folks at their church. When we arrived, they immediately took us to a barbecue at a "Mountain Man Rendezvous." There were some intriguing displays there.

Elizabeth especially enjoyed exploring the teepee.

John Mark enjoyed taking a tour of the area on a four-wheeler – a significant element of the culture in that area. (No, I did not get pictures; I was enjoying a much-needed nap...)

More SNOW! (Utah: Part 4)

Between meetings we enjoyed time as a family. We drove up Big Cottonwood Canyon and enjoyed the snow still on the ground at two of the ski resorts (now closed, except for weekends).

We ventured out onto the snow, and I sank through the crusty layer on top, through the powder underneath – all the way up to my knee!

Elizabeth was ecstatic about all the snow!

And the trees were so beautiful, too!

We were told we could cross the mountains a different way than we had come up; when we went to investigate the possibility, this is what we saw:

If you look very closely, you can see that the snow comes up to the word closed on the "Road Closed" sign! So, we went back the way we'd come...

Utah: Part 3

It’s hard to decide which of the many beautiful pictures to post! And, of course, the pictures don’t even do justice to the reality of what we experienced... I constantly marvel at both the beauty and intricacies of God’s creation.

Elizabeth has decided that someday she’s going to learn to ski so she can go skiing with her Daddy! (I must admit that being in these amazing mountains is inspiring me to at least be willing to try to learn, too...)

Everywhere we went, we were surrounded by beauty...

Deer Creek Reservoir in Provo Canyon

A view from the Alpine Loop on Timpanogos, past Sundance

We saw a mule deer on Timpanogos!

She wasn’t even afraid of us!

SNOW! (Utah: Part 2)

It snowed in the Wasatch Mountains in Utah – in late May!

Cascade Mountain and Timpanogos were covered in snow clouds

when we first pulled into Heber City, UT.

The very next day was clear. Look at all that beautiful snow!

(This picture is currently my desktop background!)

It snowed even more two days later. These were the views from our temporary mountain home:

Before the snow...

After the snow...

While the snow was falling...

SO beautiful!

Utah: Part 1

The scenery on the way to Utah was absolutely amazing!

Some was reminiscent of the sierras and pampas in Uruguay.

Some was vastly different from Uruguay:

Look at all that snow – in late May!

Different from what we used to see as kids when we traveled:

No windmills back then! (Elizabeth loves them.)

We saw red squirrels, antelope, and elk!

I kept marveling at the changing topography in the high plains...