Pululahua

This is pretty cool.  This is a crater of a volcano where people live.  Here is some information that I got online about the history of this volcano.   I know it's a lot of reading but it's interesting.  

Location:Pichincha Creation:January 28, 1969 Area: 3383 hectares Altitude Range: 1800 - 3356 meters The Pululahua Geo-botanical Reserve is located 30 minutes North from Quito near the Mitad del Mundo Monument. Pululahua means "smoke of water" in the indigenous language Quichua. The Pululahua is an inactive volcano which its last eruption was believed it happened around the year 500 b.C. Around the Pululahua crater there are visible three other elevations which are Pando ña, El Chivo and El Pan de Azucar. The Pululahua crater is completely inactive and in its surroundings it's inhabited mostly by farmers, with is a town called Nublin. The first settlers in the Pululahua Crater were the Incas. Later in the year 1825 the Dominicos monks settled in the crater to search for treasures, extract lime and tosow the land. In the year 1905 with the Liberal Revolution the lands were confiscated by the government and later in 1979 given back to the huasipungueros,(farmers). The Pululahua was declared a National Park in 1969, being the first in Ecuador and the continent. The hillsides of the Pululahua are a Geobotanical Reserve that protects more than 53 botanic species and 21 animal species; all of this is under the administration of the "Instituto Ecuatoriano de Areas Naturales y Vida Silvestre (INEFAN). Among the fauna species found in the Pululahua are: rabbits, chucuris,sparrow hawks, wolves, bats, raposas, lizards and frogs. The flora species are unique and numerous some of those species are granibeas, briofitas, bledo, chilca, llanten, peralillo, suro and uña de gato. Hiking and mountain biking are some of the preferred activities by the tourists and many tour operators organize this kind of trips to the Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve. Shannon is going to kill me for putting this on here, but he will get over it.  He is wearing my bag.

Church

This is one of the largest churches that I have ever seen.  It's so big that I couldn't get it all in a picture.  

Speaking of church.  I didn't get to go today because Megan woke up sick.  Poor thing stayed in bed most of the day.  She finally fell back to sleep around noon and didn't get up until 4:30.  But I think that she is finally feeling better.

Meg's Game

Megan had another game tonight.  I thought that I would share a few pics from the game.  (again, pictures were taken in a dark gym)

Busy. Busy. Busy.

We have been really busy and I haven't had a lot of time for blogging.  I haven't really had any interesting pictures either. Maybe I will make that my goal today, if I have time.

Let's see.  We had the grandparents here for two weeks.  We have been very busy with church things.  We've been going to basketball games.  We've been taking Spanish lessons.  (not sure if I should capitalize spanish or not because they don't capitalize it in spanish.  My brain is so confused)  And to be completely honest I have been worn out from all of this.

Megan started playing basketball and I have been helping her to learn some basic skills.  Thank you Coach Gray.  She had a game Tuesday and she played almost the whole game and made four points.  She was pretty proud of herself.  Ok, I was pretty proud of her myself.

We are in the process of having Ethan a suit made.  I have no idea why we didn't think to buy him one when we were in the states.  He's in the 9th grade where all the girls turn 15 this year.  And a girl's 15th birthday is a big deal in Latin America. They all have formal parties, hence the suit.  So today we are going to get him measured and have the suit made for the party next weekend.

I had a great birthday on Tuesday.  We didn't do anything big.  We just went out to eat at TGI Fridays after Meg's ballgame. My mom also had surgery on this day and I am happy to say that she is doing good.  She had a total knee replacement and will be going home tomorrow.   I am very thankful that she is doing good.

Let's see, what else?

Oh yeah.  I am in the process of making plans for our trip to the states this summer.  Which I am so so excited about.  Why am I so excited?  Because I am tired of wearing the same clothes.  Just imagine.  All the clothes you have came in one suitcase.  Every morning I go and look in my closet and say, "Which old shirt do I want to wear today?"  I have wore the same clothes for over seven months now.  Not one new item.  By the time I get to the states it will be almost a year.  I know this wouldn't bother some people but it bothers me.  Petty I know.  And I must mention that everyone in the family is in the same boat as I am.  Well, except Megan, she had her grandparents bring her some new things.  She is a pretty smart girl.

I went and got my hair cut and highlighted yesterday for $30 bucks.  How great is that?  I am finding that there are pros and cons of living in another country.  Like this, for example.  You can get your haircut and highlight for $30 bucks, but you have to pay $20 bucks for a small thing of Tide.  (washing detergent)  Which is why I don't buy it.  But I love the other deals.  But I hate not being able to buy the things I know are cheaper in the states.  With all that said, it all evens out.

Ok I think I have rambled enough.  Hope you all have a great Thursday.

This week in pictures.

What's been going on this week in Ecuador.

Our niece Macen had her sixth birthday on Monday and we were able to wish her a happy birthday on skpye.  We are thankful for skype.

We said goodbye to a dear friend that we had known for about 5 years.  Yep.  Our coffee pot.

How could our coffee pot just stop working when we have this?  I think it was a mean trick.

Then we welcomed, with loving arms, to the family Mr. Electrolux.  Is Mr. Electrolux the coffee pot that we were looking for?  No.  But due to the prices of coffee pots here he will work fine until we go to the states and get another one.

And last but not least, Megan played her first basketball game here in Ecuador.  She has not played since she was in the fourth grade.  She did really good too.  The picture isn't all that great because it's a dark gym.

And one other thing.  Shannon's grandparents left bright and early Tuesday morning and are now back at home in Hector.  Shannon's grandpa said that about 40 minutes into the flight he was able to take his first deep breath in two weeks and was able to breath really good.  Did that make sense?  I hope so.  We were glad to have them here with us and we are so very thankful for all of the great stuff that they brought us.  There is nothing like having food items from home.  And one last picture.

La Presencia

Here area  few pictures from our church.  The first two pictures were taken last Sunday.  We really love this church and are praying that the Lord does great things here.  We feel very honored to have this church as our family.

Pastor Luis leading praise and worship.  The whole worship team is amazing.  (This was a very cold Sunday.)

Shannon, Megan and  grandma at church.  Shannon's grandpa wasn't able to go last Sunday.

Pastor Luis praying for Shannon's grandparents.  This was taken today.

And this has nothing to do with our church, but we had the opportunity to do a skype service last Sunday with Monticello First's childrens church.  It was pretty cool I might add.

Loja

Last week Shannon went to Loja Ecuador for General Council of the Assemblies of God.  This is a meeting for all the pastors in the country of Ecuador.  Shannon said that Loja was beautiful.  Here are some pictures from his trip.

Lots of pastors and a few missionaries. This was taken during a meeting.

This was an Indian choir. 

When you get ordained here you receive a Bible and a pulpit.  The short lady that you see in this picture is the first Indian woman pastor to be ordained in Ecuador.

Look at those beautiful flowers.

This is a beautiful catholic church.  

And this is a castle.  Very cool.

I haven't had much time for blogging since the grandparents arrived.  We have been busy.  Shannon's grandpa has had some breathing problems since being here due to the high altitude.  So they have decided to cut their trip short and they will be flying out on Tuesday.  We have enjoyed having them here but are thankful that they are going home for grandpa's health.  So remember them in prayer on Tuesday as they travel.  They only have an hour layover in Houston and they have to go through customs, which doesn't give them very much time.  Pray they are able to catch their connecting flight to Little Rock.

Middle of the World with the grandparents.

These are real.  One is human (on the right) and one is an animal.  

On the equator the water flows straight out of the sink.  

In the Southern Hemisphere the water turns clockwise when leaving the sink.

In the Northern Hemisphere the water turns counter clockwise when leaving the sink.

Ethan trying his luck at balancing an egg on the equator.

Megan trying to balance an egg.  (just to let you know I was the only one that was able to do it)

Trying to walk a straight line on the equator.

And here is Megan.

Ethan and Megan with their great grandparents.

The Bulls are in Ecuador!

Shannon's grandma and grandpa are in Ecuador.  They arrived Tuesday night around 10:00.  We were really afraid that because of the weather they weren't going to get to land.  But, praise the Lord, they did. This is the first time that they have ever been out of the US and they are in their 70's.  We are very happy to have them here with us and to be able to experience some "firsts" in their lives.  For example, yesterday was the first day that Shannon's grandma rode in a taxi.  I think she was a little scared because taxis drive crazy here.

These pictures aren't the greatest because of the lighting in the airport but, oh well.

I love this one.

Time to open the suitcases and see all the stuff they brought us.  It was almost like Christmas.  Ok it was better than opening gifts at Christmas.  

Here are a few things that they brought us.  (A few things?  More like three suitcases full.) Now it's time to say a few thank you's.

Carla- Thank you so much for loving our family.  You have no idea how much your friendship means to us.  That includes your whole family.  We love you all!

Doug- I know you sent all that candy so I will gain weight.  You're not fooling me.  I love you anyway.  That chocolate will come in handy on a bad day.

Amber- Thank you for the coffee and the thin mints.  I have almost eaten a whole sleeve of the cookies and I'm trying to ration the coffee.  Thank you for loving our family.  We love you very much.

Sheila- Thanks for sending us all the stuff that you did.  From the candy, mac and cheese and  the clothes, we are very thankful for all of it.  Thank you so much and we love you.

Shonda- Shannon is so very thankful for the Runners World magazine.  We love and miss you and the girls.

Seriously- thank you all.  You have no idea how happy a little baking products make me.  And Shannon's favorite thing that we received was the cornmeal.  And just so you know, we had soup and cornbread for dinner last night along with Lipton tea.  I am learning more and more everyday that it's about the small things in life, not the big.   

Shannon and his grandparents on our roof.  Doesn't Shannon look happy that they are here?  

Happy Tuesday!

No matter how long it's been, I don't think that I will ever get tired of seeing this view from our living room window.