Our Blakecation to San Antonio

We told Blake that we were going on a "minication" and he said, "no, it is not a minication."  We revised our wording and said, "OK, it is a daycation since we are only staying for one day."  Blake corrected us again, "No, it is a Blakecation."  We could live with that terminology even though our definition of a Blakecation would be something totally different :)  Whatever you call it, we had a nice trip.  We drove down to San Antonio Friday morning and spent the day at Sea World.  We mainly did the water park since we had been to the regular park earlier this year.  Blake loved the water park.  Drew did not.  After Sea World we ate dinner and got ice cream and then Drew and I went to bed and Kyle and Blake watched a movie that our hotel had playing out on the back patio.  Saturday morning we swam at the hotel while Kyle participated in his Fantasy Football Draft and then we headed back to Austin. 

Drew spent some time watching the flamingos. 

Outside good 'ol Micky D's.  It was even the old fashion kind of McDonald's that didn't have a play scape. 

The boys loved walking on the rocks that lined our hotel patio.

Drew's favorite thing was playing peek-a-boo in the closet.

Here are my little alligators that were swimming around my feet, trying to grab a hold of them and sometimes even biting. 

Drew loves his doggy and was very excited to see him again.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream

Last weekend we attended the 4th Annual Ice Cream Festival.  Blake loved his chocolate ice cream.

Drew got vanilla coconut milk ice cream.  I tried their coffee kind and wasn't completely impressed.  There are some things that probably should just be left alone...like ice cream coming from cows and not plants.

That is probably why Drew is eyeing Blake's ice cream.

The boys enjoyed the airplane ride but it was so hot that I think Drew was in a trance.

The boys and Kyle at the Hula Hut restaurant on Lake Austin. 

Acuna Mission Trip

Outside the government offices in Acuna

Eli participating in the press conference

Teresa and I working really hard:)

This is outside Pastor Daniel's church.  They fed us all our meals while we were there.

Teresa, DJ, Danna and I before breakfast

This is what the scene looked like when we arrived at the clinic on Saturday morning.  There were already at least 50 people waiting to be seen.

Dale giving a pep talk prior to clinic.

This is the first step in the process.  Everyone had to register and get a number.

Then they waited to see a nurse.

Then they saw a nurse and the nurse triaged them to either doctor, dentist, pharmacy or all the above.  This was my first patient and he was absolutely precious.  He was screaming in pain until I touched his stomach and then he stopped crying immediately.  Definitely brought back memories to my own little crankster with gas and colic.  The mom was a first time mom and so badly needed education and some reassurance.  The miracle with this family is that they did not have any formula to give their baby and we had run out of formula to give out but somehow they left clinic that day with formula.  God always provides even if we aren't sure how.

After the patients see a nurse they check back in.

Then they wait outside again.  See how hot that sun looks?  It really was that hot!

Thankfully the coke truck pulled up and dropped off a truckload of coke for everyone!

After waiting in the hot sun at least twice, but probably 3 or 4 times, they got to come to pharmacy and at least get vitamins.

sibling love

Their were all kinds of activities for the kids while they waited.

I love this old man!

This baby was screaming and screaming until Paul picked her up.  You can tell he volunteers in our nursery at church.  He was a natural.

Churches donated rice, flour, diapers, and other hygiene products for people to pick up.

This is nurse Betsy who sat next to me.  She was a huge help since this was my first medical mission.

Here we are on the front page of the local newspaper.

More shots from the day.

Shots from the day.

Another patient, Jane and I.  Jane was one of the translators and I truly would have been worthless without her.

Paloma was another translator that helped me out.  Over the course of the day I think I had at least 4.

More pictures from the day.

Here is our long line of vans.

A nearby house.

This is where the clinic was held.

Despite the very very long day we still had time to have some fun.  Actually we were hauling chairs up the stairs and created an assembly line to get them up the narrow staircase.  It looks like we were having fun though, right?

Clinic is over and we are tearing down the room.

One final group photo.

Most of these pictures were taken by Chris Powell, our photographer on the trip.