A week together!

What a blessing it was last week to have Jared come to Honduras! It was so great to have him meet the wonderful people here, see the school, and meet some of the students... places and people that have made such an impact on my life the past 9 months! It means so much to me that Jared was able to share in my experience here, even if it was so brief.
Jared came in at midnight on Friday night... and then had a 45 minute delay! But, after so much anticipation, he was here! And an exciting week began!


My friend Laura and her boyfriend David came with to pick Jared up at the airport and then spend the weekend with us. Jared's first day here we went to the beach in Tela. The weather was beautiful and the hammocks were perfect. We spent a lot of the day in the water and the waves, and then went to town to get baleadas and ice cream for dinner.
I love him!

We went to Pulapansak, a beautiful waterfall, on our way back to Tegucigalpa on Sunday. We loved going under and behind the powerful force of the water coming down! We were able to do a little clif jumping into the river too! On our way back, we stopped at a Tilapia restaurant on the shores of Lago Yajoa. Fresh fish dropped into the deep frier and plopped on the plate. It was really tasty!



After spending Sunday and Monday at the school and meeting the students, Jared and I headed out to Copan for the rest of the week. We were able to relax and do some excursions. The best part was sharing the experience. Instead of telling each other what happened that day, we were able to spend the days together.

The first morning there we went on a 3 hour horseback ride, up the mountains to see a Chorti village and a small ruin. Then we headed back down along the Copan River, soaking our feet and legs because of our long legs and the short horses!


We stopped at a coffee plantation... Jared ended up buying some unroasted coffee and roasted it when he got home. It turned out great!



In the afternoon we went to the hot springs! Super hot water poured out of the rock and was channeled into a series of pools. One of them had a "Mineral Mud Bath" that we tried out.



Our second day there we went to the Copan Ruins. It was incredible to see the structures that had been built so long ago! It rained a bit on us in the morning, but we enjoyed walking around the ruins.

Overall, it was such a fantastic trip. Copan is so beautiful! We hit up several coffee shops, restaurants, and found a beautiful place to watch the sunset the final night. We are more excited than ever to get married, and praying for patience, knowing that this time of waiting is preparing us for when the time finally comes! The last day Jared was here marked 99 days until the wedding!

Of course it was sad to say good-bye, but unlike before, the Lord has blessed me with an internal peace. He is filling me from within, and I am resting in the arms of my heavenly father. It's crazy to think that I've already been here 9 months and there's only one more to go! Whereas the beginning portion of the year marked numerous 'firsts,' this last period will mark the 'lasts.' Honduras and Academia Los Pinares holds a special place in my heart and I hope to make the most of the little time that is left.

With Joy in Christ.