Shh!....Don't tell Dave Ramsey.

Here's what spending half of our emergency fund looks like:

My daughter building a friend and her family a house.

A mother loving another through service.

A fan club for my son's blonde hair.

Blistered hands and sore backs for my brothers.

Watching the Ortiz's oldest son (hooded sweatshirt) move the earth.

A new kitchen and the opportunity to watch a father pursue his dream.

Hugs for my sisters.

An endless sea of precious smiles and laughter.

A barefoot grandfather working tirelessly so that his family can have a new life.

"Today we lived like no one else, so that tomorrow we might live like no one else."

It is a life well lived.

-Darrell

Ortiz House, Day 1

It's early on Tuesday morning and we are getting ready to leave for another day of building. But, I wanted to post some quick pics for those following along.

First, let me just say....

I am SO proud of my family.

Before we began...

Working hard.

The sweet neighborhood kiddos that wanted to play all day.

Then, we headed back to Guatemala City in the afternoon so that everyone could see and "experience" the dump. I didn't take any pictures this time. But, I'm hoping to post some in the future from someone else that did.

We ended the night eating dinner with our dear friends, the Greene family.

We're off again...

It's great to be back!

We are all here... and exhausted from a long day of travel, grocery shopping and dinner.

We also have a 5:30 am wake up call in the morning to begin the project.

Sooooo, on that note... I'm jumping off of here and into my bed.

It's so great to be back... words fail me.

I adore this place.

Can't wait to see friends tomorrow...

Noches amigos,

K

With an Open Hand

“She can feel the wind right now wash away her tracks and plans saying: If you really want to live this life, Gotta hold it with an OPEN HAND.” -David Wilcox

At the end of the Christmas Eve service of the church we are attending, we lit candles. It started with one candle up-front and the flame made it’s way all the way to the balcony where we were sitting. It spread quickly….only took two verses of Silent Night to reach us. The end of the song signaled the end of the service. At this point, the worship leader so gently told of a tradition from his church back home. The tradition of keeping the candle lit as long as possible. He said they would see who could make it home with a lit candle. And when he told this little story, everyone in the chapel laughed out loud like he had just delivered a great punch line. I mean, imagine passing a line of mini-vans with small flames burning brightly inside. But he was persistent in saying that they really tried to do that when he was younger. For me, the idea that made worship leader’s story funny (and a little bit unrealistic) also invited me into the metaphor of my spiritual candle, the one that is not to be hidden under a bush, Oh no! The one referred to in the old Christian radio gem, “Go Light Your World”. And I was struck with the profound idea that it will really take courage, passion, desire, want, hope, wish, dreaming to make this flame stay alive until I get it home. To make sense out of the non-sense, I would have to fight so that the flame would not be put out and I would need to take great care not to burn everything to ashes between there and home (kids included).

Dear friends & family, tonight we are packing….tomorrow we depart for Guatemala. We will be there for 7 days. Kristin’s Dad, Mom, brother & wife, sister & husband have decided to join us on our Quest. We are going to be with a beautiful family that we got to know this past summer during our stay. They are the Ortiz Family, a family of 5….Dad, Mom, two boys and one girl. Our “reason” for going is so that our family can build them a house. In reality, our hope is to continue building relationships with each one of them. You see, we have unofficially adopted them. They are our family. They need a new start in their life and this build is our hope at inviting them to it. Just like the candle story, I am struck with the profound idea that this Quest will require the same actions and attributes of keeping the candle flame alive. There will be moments of fight, movements of passion, and the giving of great care so that the flame might be taken so gently and quickly from our hearts to theirs.

We will be updating this blog during our time in Guatemala, so please check back as often as you wish.

Feliz Navidad y Feliz Ano Nuevo!

Darrell and family

P.S. You can read more about the Ortiz family here and watch some video here (sometimes referred to as "the baker") and their big dreams.

Happy and Full

Hello internet land...

Yes, it has been a long, long time. Too long actually.

However, the lack of blogging is definitely not an indicator that we have nothing going on here in the Vanzant house. Quite the opposite.

Over the past month we have started school, started a business, my sweet sister got hitched, and we all 4 got some pukey virus. Throw in 4 wedding showers, bachelor and bachelorette parties, 9 meetings about Guatemala, doctor visits, photo shoots, Young Life, 4 birthday parties, school functions and traveling and... whew!!!

It makes my head spin just thinking about it all.

We are still here, I promise. Though most of August and September felt more like "survival"... this past week has been AMAZING! The routine of school, healthy kiddos and cooler, beautiful Fall weather has definitely lifted my spirit.

My heart is happy and and my life is full.

And, I love it this way.

And... because every post is better with a picture... here are some of our last two months.

First day of school. I love how the word "booty" in the morning makes my kids laugh hysterically!

The Mommy Tackle

Short but sweet visit from the Goodfellow's. Riley and Emma, BFF.

And... Riley has started a REALLY cool project that you should check out here. Amazing.

Lingerie Shower pics for my sis.

Benefit of being Maid of Honor = Embarrassing the Bride.

Due to the nature of the party, I can only show you a very few...

haha...

but, I adore the next series of photos.

Priceless!

And... poor Mac. This picture just makes me laugh.

It embodies the last couple of months for us.

Okay... I have MANY more pics to come.

But, this is enough for now.

Happy and Full,

K

The Bus.

Excitement filled the air, as hyped up kids clinging to pillows began saying their goodbyes to parents. We were finally boarding the buses for the annual 5th Grade Safety Patrol Trip to Washington D.C.

It was a right of passage. An honor to be chosen. And a nightmare for me.

I was a nervous wreck. Full-on-hot-mess, in the bathroom, crying, and begging my mom not to make me go. It was my first trip away from her, away from home, and I was scared to death. Lucky for me, she decided to push me on that bus... for my fate was waiting for me there.

A couple of hours into the trip, I noticed this little blonde boy in the back of the bus making all the girls laugh. It was someone who I'd never really met before, probably because we were never in the same class. And I'm not quite sure if it was his easy going personality or the way he knew every word to The Jets or Janet Jackson... but, I was instantly smitten.

As the Story would unfold, a friendship began on that bus way back in the 5th grade... and, by the 6th grade we were best friends. We never "went together" or even held hands but in 6th grade I knew I would marry this boy one day. Sounds corny, I know. But, it's the truth...

I just knew.

Many twists and turns on the road of life... and years later we reconnected at the end of tenth grade. Still just best friends, we shared laughs, love, and scars from previous relationships. Wounds still fresh from other people's attacks... we confided, wept, and hurt for one another. Two kids trying to figure out life together. It was then that we began to dream and hope for the other one... and it was that same hope that eventually led us to our own faith and trust in God.

Our anger and passion for each other would lead us to much healing in the years ahead... and slowly (but surely), in God's perfect timing, we would begin a dating relationship that would blossom into a Union of two souls.

August 7, 1999.

A best friend like no other... a relationship... a deep soul connection love that would last for eternity... that started on a bus.

We've been best friends now for 24 years and married today for 10.

It's real.

Deep.

Forever.

Happy Anniversary Baby... It just keeps getting better...

I love you,

K

Athentikos: Watch & Pray

My friends arrived in Guatemala to finish filming for Athentikos.

Here are some behind the scenes.

Watch the short videos and then pray for Scott.

Thanks,

K