Ketchup...

...but not the kind that goes with mustard!  After over a month with no updates, I'm not quite sure where to start.  These past 2 months have been full of visits from North Americans and then my trip home to North America.  So here is a feeble attempt to catch up on the last two months in a short summary, with details to follow.

At the start of June I had the blessing of hanging out with my Nizhoni house mentors, their 2 adorable kids, and Noah's parents and siblings.  It was fun to show off my current "home" city, including a trip to the Equator, the Virgin of Quito statue, dinner on the 5th floor of the Vista Hermosa restaurant in the historic Old Town, climbing to a tower of the concrete Basilica, and a Sunday afternoon in the Botanical Gardens and Vivarium of Parque Carolina.  Since I let them take most of the pictures, you'll just have to believe me on all this, but I'd recommend their schedule to anyone else who wants to hit the highlights of Quito.

Riding in pickup truck back-one common activity in Mercedes

At the end of June, our North American team from Partners Worldwide came for a week-long visit to meet with the local board of directors, visit businesses, and take trips to Cuenca and Las Mercedes.  I went with the Las Mercedes group and had the pleasure of meeting graduates from the business training course that my coworker Edwin led over the past 6 months.  More on that later.

Crossing a swaying bridge in Las Mercedes--that's the norm...

The day after the North American team departed, I made my 3rd ascent of the Rucu Pichincha volcano with my PW coworker who was in town for the North Americans' visit.  It was the first time that I climbed on a clear day, and the view was absolutely spectacular!

On top of Pichincha, with Quito far below

Although my return to the US missed the 4th of July by one day, I was in time to see my sister just before my very first niece, Mikayla Grace, was born.  Being an aunt is amazing.  I can't wait to hold that little girl again.

Mikayla in her first Ecuadorian dress

The next few weeks in Michigan included the arrival of my brother and sister-in-law from Honduras, their "Michigan wedding reception," time with my cousins who are scattered all over the US, and my first trip to a ribs festival.  All in all, it was amazing to see so many friends and family and be back to speaking my first language all the time.

The lovely couple

Quality time with awesome cousins

Chowin' down on ribfest ribs with a friend!

Now that I'm back in Ecuador, I'm re-learning Spanish (just kidding, I remember it, though I was pretty rusty when I first got back), helping out with the latest business training course in Quito, and jumping right back into the thick of things at work and church.

So there's the ketchup...ahem, catch up.  And I'll be sharing more details in...less than 2 months. :)