AIM time!

I present to you, for a limited time engagement....

...AIM Team Guadalajara!



Angel




Jordan




Luke




Landon


For just a few more days this band of brothers will be in my town, making an impact on people everywhere they go! Catch them if you can!

It is interesting what happens when you say to a group of boys...I mean...young men, to stop right there and don't move!
They look around, take a wide stance and settle into cool mode!!

I mean, come on...girls group together and turn their best side to the camera, usually getting as close to the next girl as possible.
Am I right, or am I right?

AIM stands for Adventures In Missions. Young people from all over the world travel to Lubbock, Texas to do biblical studies before heading out to the mission field for a time in an apprentice type position. It is a beautiful work, which allows people the opportunity to study the Bible, and then go on to get experience on the mission field in a way that is full of commitment and yet full of support.
Our Church sponsors a team building week each year for a group of eager young people.
This year, we got team Guadalajara!!
These fellows are from as far away as New Zealand and as close as Lubbock itself.

This post, really...is for them, and anyone they may send this way.
It is a little glimpse into what this looks like from where I stand.

I had the pleasure of spending much of the day with the team!
My Thursday Bible class had a field trip day, so they came along on the search for Wildflowers on the way up to Bluebell territory.
Anyone who has any amount of Texas running through their veins knows that Bluebell is a local, much loved ice cream brand!

We took a tour of the factory and enjoyed a reasonable bowl of ice cream at the end.
I was mildly opposed, as we were headed straight to lunch, but was persuaded by the call of the cream!!!
I will report that 3 of the 4 boys had an additional bowl of ice cream!!!
That was a hoot!
So many of the things they did reminded me of my own growing boy/man!

I have a friend who lives close to the ice cream factory so I called her up and requested a drive by!!
We arrived to her hearty, warm welcome and immediately set to making the goats try to faint.

Yes, you read that right.
These are the famous fainting goats!!!
I must tell you it is one of the most hilarious animal things you will ever see.
When they get frightened their legs stiffen, and if you can get 'em really good...then they do a face plant right into the grass.
It is momentary and they spring right back up and take off running.

We were very respectful, and saved the scaring for the big daddy goats.
The babies....well, they were held, and petted!



Our hostess then rushed us to the "back 40" and proceeded to show us just how to swing on her new rope swing.
I mean she personally showed us how it was done!!!
She is the coolest grandma around!
I wanted to maintain my cool factor too, seeing as how I am probably old enough to be the mama of any one of these boys!!
Soooooo, I said I would take the first turn on the swing.
I knew if I didn't go for it right then I may lose my courage.
I climbed the 8 or so step ladder up a tree and just about turned back when I got to the top!
I steeled myself and with quite a bit of encouragement and trust in the advice given, took a flying leap!

It was roller coaster, drop your stomach, then catch it on the way back fun!!

I think I pulled both of my shoulder muscles!!

They all got to take a nap while I drove the hour and a half back to my neck of the woods.
Snoring??? Uhhhh, Yes!
Our family was in charge of feeding this troop for the evening meal, so dinner preparations came right on the heels of our return.

It was such a joy to see my nice new, big kitchen holding all of us working side by side to get dinner prep done.

Boys are funny how they chop....did you ever notice?

I tried to teach them a thing or two, knowing that they will soon be all but on their own in a foreign country.
It was all a little overwhelming...the amount they would need to know, so I just let 'em go at it!

I couldn't believe how fast it all got done!

Can I just tell you...
...I found myself sitting at the head of our long table with all the leaves pulled out of storage and put in... just a grinnin'.
My heart was so happy to have made this enormous meal and to see it devoured by such a large group of loved and loving people right there all in one room.
12 of us, all right there eating and laughing and talking all at one table. It was a bit of an overwhelming blessing type moment.

And, they helped with clean up too!!!

Somebody raised those boys right!!

Next on the agenda...via my children...an Epic Nerf Battle.

I once again took on the role of the roving reporter!
It is hard not to point your weapon at a moving target!!


I only got shot a few times...some of which I do believe were on purpose!!!

Boys! Guns!! Running about wild shouting...dog cowering...ha ha ha.

Mucho fun was had by all.
Well, probably not Shelby, but we weren't really expecting her to have a good time.

Dude, can you even imagine what we did next? No, you couldn't possibly!!
It was awesome. I have this other cable that came with my camera, which hooks up to the xbox, so you can watch the pictures like a slide show!!!
Who knew this was possible??
Oh...that would be my husband. He is super tech-y like that.

The running commentary was better than any theme music could have ever been.
Oh, how we laughed!
Unfortunately my children did have to go to bed, it was a school night after all, so we said our goodbyes with promises to see them at church on Sunday.

These fellows are doing a bang up job of melding into a team, working together to get things accomplished, and having fun along the way.

I am very proud to know them and be able to wish them well, with prayers for their safety and success.
Thanks AIM Team Guadalajara for a super fun day, and some great memories.


P.S. My husband says that is no watermelon, it is a sunflower! He planted it in the watermelon box anyway and just shook his head at me!! Isn't it good to be loved so unconditionally?
Yes, yes it is.