Fun in the Sun

For the past three weeks we have been staying at a beach house with Manuel and Chelsea. It was sooo nice. There was air-conditioning, which is always a treat, hot water – heaven, and the house was just overall very nice. There was a private pool in the backyard, then the beach started at the end of the yard. It was so nice of them to let us stay with them!

Last night we finally returned home and I thought, this place isn´t very pretty, and it´s got a lot of problems, but it´s home and it feels nice to be home. I felt that way for about two hours, until the mosquitos started biting and I took my cold shower. I want to go back to the beach house…

When Chelsea came to see our house and we spent an hour here checking email, she saw ants coming in the front door. She said, “Katie, how do you keep the ants out”, I just laughed and said, you don´t. “So you just kill them?”, I just laughed again, that would be a never ending task. “We just co-habitate". They don´t bug me as long as they stay off of me and my daughter.”

So that night I accidentally invaded their space in my front yard when I stepped, and lingered, in a single file line of “Army Ants”; the giant red ones that move bushes from one side of the yard to the other. It was dark, so I didn´t realize it right away until I felt them going over the top of my foot. I jumped out of their line and forgot about it – until a half hour later when I felt some definate biting/pinching at the back of my knee. I actually thought it was a spider and I kind of freaked. I started slapping the back of my pants, which made the pinching worse, then I just dropped my pants completely in front of Isaac and his mom and saw this huge red ant hanging on my skin, I kept trying to slap it off but it wouldn´t let go. Isaac finally grabbed it off. His mom, laughing at me, came over to inspect the offender, “Ohh, that one is a queen!” It was much larger than the others in the regular line up. Just my luck to loiter in the royal procession...

Some family members took some fun pool pictures of Ari. I´ll put them up as soon as I get them.

Temple Dedication and Mission Reunions

Isaac´s Mission Pres. and wife. Ariana had a nice big blowout pre-picture.

This month has been such a wonderful experience. The Panama temple was dedicated on August 10, 2008 by President Monson. So many members where able to witness this unique experience. The Panamanians are so excited to finally have their own temple!
Manuel and Isaac were both interviewed by Carol Mikita following the session they went to.

The night before there was a cultural event where each stake in the country, I think there are 11 stakes, had a presentation preformed by their young men and women. It was fun to watch all of the dances, I know they have spent months working on them. We saw SO many members and return missionaries there from all over the country. Isaac and I were both able to say hello to people we haven´t seen since our missions.

The evening of the dedication we had a mission reunion with 5 mission presidents and their wives (Bowler, Seegmiller, Williams, Boren, and Duffin). I saw both of my presidents, and Isaac´s president was there also. Isaac has wanted to see him again for such a long time. It was so fun to see them and the return missionaries that were able to come down. I was impressed at the turnout.

On Monday night, the 11th, Manuel and Isaac, with the help of another friend, were able to organize a get together for their old ward. We met in the church building they went to back then (Marcasa). There were tons of people that came, it was great! Most of them grew up together and many haven´t seen each other in almost 20 years. There have been two general authorities out of Panama and they both came from that ward, I am so glad that Isaac grew up with those influences around him. Some of the members there aren´t active anymore, but I hope this get together will ignite some interest again.

Some of the Marcasa Gang