Guess Where Beth Is?!!!

Nicole: "Tuesday morning I was making my breakfast when my mom came in and told me that my grandpa's brother, my "Uncle Mike", was flying in and we were going to pick him up. I knew it was Bethany and was going to play along, but did consider trying to mess with her plans by refusing to go. I was really anxious to see her though so I played along." 

Austin: "There was something suspicious about the "Uncle Mike" thingy. I was trying to wink at Nicole, but I could get only one eye closed. While we waited for Beth's plane to land, we ate at the mall. My mom thought I was having a shunt failure so I laid my head down on the table and acted like I was tired. I poked my ear out like a cup, and spied on my mom and dad's conversation. I didn't want to make it too obvious, but I heard my mom say, "I want it to be a surprise for Nicole!" Then Dad whispered, "No, just tell it to her, we already know!"

I thought it was partly a joke and partly serious. When we got in the car I told Nicole, "I have some valuable information from the enemy!" I felt guilty so I was going to tell everyone what I'd heard, but I would blow the secret from Mom and Dad, but also pull the wool over the eyes of the victim."

Bethany: I was sitting in the airport Tuesday morning waiting to board my first flight, headed to Dallas when all of a sudden, what I thought was a dizzy spell, started swirling my brain around in my head. Then I realized it was an earthquake. What a nice send-off!! It left me feeling off-kilter for the rest of the day. 

Nicole's back was to me as I came down the elevator and she didn't see me until I had stepped off. 

I was envisioning hugs and lots of tears, but the first thing I heard was, "Why do you have blood on your face?!?!" I really have no hard evidence, but I did sit beside a strange lady on the airplane. She was reading a book called The Healing Code and was snapping and whispering to herself for the whole flight. She might have stabbed me when I wasn't looking. (Which was not much, as I could not help but gawk at her and her antics). 

Finally we hugged. 

 No one had a tissue to sop up my bloody face so I was forced to use a pair of (clean) socks I was carrying in my purse. I knew they'd be good for something. 

 Back together again after almost four months

(Can't stop laughing.......this should be submitted to the file of Awkward Family Photos). 

The next day, Nicole lovingly re-introduced me to the U.S. with a series of ritualistic patented "Awkward" punches. 

 Owwwwwwwwch

 Nicole got her due reward. 

I felt like I was being followed by the paparazzi on my first day back.  

We went and satisfied my first craving. Thai tea with boba in downtown Sacramento. Mmm!

  I am so happy to be back together with my family! I didn't realize how much I really missed them until I actually saw them. At dinner Austin came up and just started hugging on me...it was so sweet! I missed my little buddy. 

~Bethany~

Playing Tourist

Sooooooo!! This is part THREE of three of the whole Toluca/Loa visit! Dacia came and stayed here in Puebla and I'm telling you all.......We had such a goooood time!! Just two missionary girls, wandering all over the city of Puebla.

Our first day together, we went to a lake to do some "paddle-boating" and "row-boating". It was a beautiful, sunny day and the ducks were out in full force!

Dacia and I

It felt so relaxing to just sit in the boat and feed the ducks....Aaaaah.... :)

^^Dacia^^ Isn't she she beautiful?!

We rowed out to the island in the middle of the lake and got out.
Dacia tied out boat to a root so we wouldn't get stuck out there and have to swim back :P

As soon as we got out, a lake employee hollers at us that we aren't allowed to get on the island because the ducks are laying eggs. It was true...as soon as we got near the island, all the ducks started honking and hissing at us!
Momma and Daddy duck, protecting their ducklings (in eggs, under the Momma duck)

See the little baby ducks? SO cute! They were chasing us to get more food, but the big ducks were trying to run us off. 

This is what they'd do as they hissed...haha! 

We were rowing along when suddenly we see an egg floating in the water!! We rowed over to it and picked it up. It was cracked on the top and I could see some tiny feather poking out. However, it was leaking and STUNK to high heaven!!! We had the brilliant idea of keeping it so we set it in our boat to take home. (What was I thinking....??) 

We wrapped the egg in 2 paper bags and I tucked it in my purse. It was a big egg though...and my purse was small. We wanted to stop at the market on our way home to pick up some fruit. Halfway thru the market, I stick my hand in my purse to get some money and all I feel is SLIME!! The egg had gotten smashed!!!! 

It is letting off this AWFUL stench and I'm having to dole out money that is covered in egg goo. It was embarrassing! So we get home open the bag to see the egg. Dacia was the photographer, I was the disect-er. If you want to see pictures, maybe Dacia will put some up of it...it is NASTY though, so beware! 

I was had a good ole time opening up the egg and opening the little sac the duck was in........but I'm telling you, I could NOT get the smell out of my hands!! I was all over Google, "How to get smell off hands". Lime, metal spoon, hot and cold water, toothpaste....nothing worked. 

Only time and constant hand-washing. 

A stork ;)

We had so much funnnn!

The next day we went to downtown Puebla. Between all the markets, churches, and people, there is plenty to see and do! 

People waiting in line to confess to a preist

We saw this man carrying the little beggar man. He's just a chest...I've blogged about him before, but if you've never seen him...click here! 

School kids

We got to sit in on mass...it was very weird with the preist and congregation repeating phrases and prayers and crossing themselves. So sad, it is just empty traditions! 

Police on the corner, trying to look important

We ate at "Los Angeles"...on the menu is cow head, eye, snout, cheek, tongue, and brain. Mmmmm! ;)

We just got plain ole deeeelicious tacos with cheese

We then went to a fancy hotel and took pictures of ourselves in a huge mirror!

Then we had a reaaaaaally odd experience....a middle-aged guy came up to us, a bit frantic saying he had gotten his jacket stolen with his passport, plane ticket and money in it. He needed someone to speak Spanish for him so he could cancel his credit cards and see about his flight, which was leaving that night.

We stopped at this payphone as he supposedly talked to American Airlines

It was weeeeird!! I believed him until he asked us if WE had ID's with us.....Nooooo waaaay, Jose! Come to find out, Dacia was suspicious of him the whole time. She claims that he wouldn't even look at her once he found out she was from Texas. Hahaha!! Who knows!! I heard him say on the phone that his name was Erick Wexler. He told us he was a lawyer in Chicago. However...Dacia and I did some detectivating and could not find an Eric/Erick Wexler (that fit our criteria..heh heh) on Google. I guess we'll never know if he was a scammer or not!! :(

He left us, yelling and trying to wave a taxi down. We decided to follow him to see where he'd go or what he'd do. He did NOT get into a taxi, but went into this store for about 5 seconds, then left down the street. 

I don't do very good undercover here because of my hair color...I had to hide in stores and behind walls, but Dacia was darting behind cars and peeking out from behind shelves of merchandise, acting like a professional sleuth! Unfortunately, in all the excitement...we lost him. *Sigh* 

I was telling someone the story later on and they said, "Why didn't you just send him to the police for help?" Me and Dacia both said the SAME thing......."The police?!?! That's the LAST place I'd go!" 

They are the ones stealing the wallats!!....hahahahahhahaha!! Sad, but true. 

A toilet paper machine in the bathroom...one peso for about 2 ft of paper. Funny!! 

In the gardens...

That night, we went to a concert in the town center

When we arrived home, we found out that Elder Wakefield and Bro. Loa had returned from Veracruz. They brought home this crate of mangoes, pineapples, and bananas. 

We spent our last day together at the lake again and Dacia tried Horchata for the first time.
I'm sooo happy she got to come...I enjoy any opportunity I have to hear and speak Englsih. I also reaaaally enjoy playing tourist!
We were walking home from the market when a man selling ice cream looks at Dacia and says, "Ayyy, what beautiful freckles!!" We busted up laughing! 

I'm sure she'll blog about all this too...so go check out her blog here!!! 

~Bethany~

Stranded Without a Toilet Seat

On Monday, we all came back to Puebla with Bro. Loa. They were dropping us girls off then him and Elder Wakefield were going to Veracruz to visit a work the Loas have started there. That was our plan...but we broke down right smack in the middle of Mexico City. We were stuck there for about 4 hours while the van was fixed. 

Mexico City, crammed with buildings and houses

Thankfully we broke down a couple blocks from a gas station......we all needed a bathroom...

...When we got there, this is what we found: 

Ewwwwww!!! Classic bathroom in Mexico...no T.P. or toilet seats!!!!! We all just broke out into hysterical laughter. Thank goodness Sis. Wakefield is a experienced missionary and brought her own TP. :P

Unfortunately none of us thought to bring a seat...LOL. 

Me and Dacia standing in front of the Metro

No one wanted to come with us and ride it while we waited for the van to be fixed. We were so bummed! 

A armed truck carrying mucho dinero!

Finally after many hours waiting, our van was fixed and we drove the rest of the way to Puebla. Home,Sten sweet home! 

~Bethany~