Writing the anniversary post I started reminiscing about our wedding and what a wonderful day it was. I wanted to take a moment to highlight all of the little details that made our wedding day extra special. For our vendors we used a lot of friends and friends of friends; it ended up working out wonderfully. We had confidence in them because of our personal connection and it made everything seem less business-like. Also, we felt good about supporting local people many of whom were just starting out in the wedding business. If you or anyone you know is wedding planning I highly recommend all of the people we worked with for our big day! :)
Our flowers were done by a friend, Christine Herrman from El Girasol. She did such a fabulous job! I didn't think I cared much about flowers, but she got me really excited about them. The flowers ended up being one of my favorite parts of the wedding decor!
My good friend, Meredith, helped me SO MUCH with all of the decorations. She has a great eye for decorating and event planning so she helped me with a lot of the little touches. Meredith made all of the things you see above AND she worked her butt off the day of helping to set everything up. Thank you Mere! ;) You can see more of her DIY skills on her blog, That's the Plan.
Cold soup shots- Cantaloupe Mint
You probably know how much Dan and I love to eat! Haha :) Luckily we stumbled upon a FABULOUS local caterer- Birchtree Catering. They worked with us to create a unique vegetarian- friendly menu. Also, they helped us be as "green" as possible by suggesting we use compostable, bamboo-pressed dishes and recyclable silverware and cups. In addition to all this, Allegra, our wedding coordinator from Birchtree, helped keep me sane. Not an easy task! ;)
It may come as a surprise to you that Daniel had a hand in a lot of the wedding planning- including the little details! From picking out the music, to suggesting we hang Ball jars from the trees, to staying up until 4 am making the place card holders, he was very committed to making our wedding beautiful! He also chose all of the wine and beer.
got this hanger made on Etsy. i was pretty psyched about it.
I had my influence too. From creating a photo guestbook- full of photos of Dan and me, to designing our program, I was very involved and spent countless hours working on it all. Tracking down sparklers in August is no easy feat! Instead of spending money on favors we decided to donate to an organization we love, Plant With Purpose. I even had the opportunity to meet the founder and director just a month or so before our wedding! (He came to speak to my co-hort at Eastern.) Many thanks to the talented Rachel Applegate for making my dream of a tree guestbook come true! :) As you can see, all of the "leaves" are our guests' fingerprints.
Rachel & Dave singing during the ceremony
Kyle spinning the tunes
We were blessed to have our talented friends, Rachel & Dave Applegate provide live music! And for our friend, Kyle, to serve as a fantastic DJ! Check him out here- KM Music Productions.
I can't forget the amazing dessert! Cupcakes by Kristen at Eat Dessert First. They were to die for! I actually saw some people fighting over how many cupcakes they could take. Lol! Oh how I wish I had one right now... Maybe next year! Ours were Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.
we originally wanted to get married in a vineyard. it didn't work out, but there were beautiful grapes at our venue!
Where did I get the gorgeous flower? Target!
Some other details that I loved. Last, but not least I can't forget our amazing photographer, Brae Howard, who gets full credit for all of these awesome shots. Plus, our insanely talented videographers from Exhale Productions.
Thank you to everyone who made our wedding day perfect! If you want to see more check out our wedding video clip by Exhale Productions below! Here's to one year and hopes for many, many more!
I can hardly believe it, but today marks ONE YEAR since Daniel and I tied the knot! :) I think we both expected our first year of marriage to be an adventure, but I don't think either of us expected it to be this much of an adventure. Two international moves, new jobs, adopting a puppy, dealing with sickness, multiple transitions and so much more, this year has truly been a whirlwind. Even though at times it has been tough, I am grateful that Dan and I have had each other through it all. I can truly say that marriage and all the transitions have only brought us closer. It has helped strengthen our relationship and our faith. I am grateful to be with the one I love through the highs, the lows, and all the in-betweens. As we grow closer I see new things in Dan and thank God for giving me someone that balances me out so well! He is optimistic, understanding, and adaptable just to name a few of the traits I love. Also, he is an A-mazing cook! I am so spoiled... heehee. It has been awesome watching Dan fall in love with international living and in my moments of doubt, he has helped remind me why we are here. Cheers to our first year of marriage! I love you Daniel. This is just the beginning... ;-)
Here are some of my favorite shots from our wedding day! Photos courtesy of the very talented Brae Howard Photography.
the ladies
the gentlemen
First look tears
Model Rachel ;)
I really wanted a "feet shot" lol
Already busting some moves!
the entire wedding party
done in ONE SHOT! well done boys ;)
Pre-wedding. Looking pretty calm if I do say so.
Getting married under a beautiful, humongous tree in a vegetable garden
It's official!
Taking a moment to let it sink in
all the single ladies!
Mr. & Mrs. Katyl leave with a bang! I mean spark! Woohoo!
Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us lately. After my last post I received a lot of encouragement from family and friends and for that I am grateful. Although I still have my moments of doubt and worry like anyone, it is comforting to know that the people we love are holding us up in prayer. Thank you!
Lake Atitlan- majestic as always!
After looking at a handful of places we are happy to announce we found a new place! It's a casita (little house) on the other side of town- about 15 minutes from the center of Pana. In true Guatemalan fashion we only found out about it because of a friend of a friend. (Here a lot of people don't advertise their places for rent. You just have to know someone that knows about it. Interesting, right?) The casita has two bedrooms, a bathroom, a common area, and a small kitchen. It is just a tad bigger than our former place. The best part is that it has its own little yard and back porch! Perfect for Lucia. :) We will be able to leave her outside while we go to work. We are going to sign an agreement this week and hopefully move in next Saturday. Photos to come once we are settled! Hopefully this will be our home for the rest of our time here. *fingers crossed*
I also wanted to give an update on my health as I know it has been a while since I posted anything about that. Those close to me know about what's been going on, but perhaps there are some people out of the loop... After having a lot of stomach problems (see Don't Eat the Potato Salad) our first five months here I decided to see a natural homeopathic type doctor here in Pana. He diagnosed me with having an overgrowth of yeast in my stomach. I was really nervous about our trip to the States in June because I thought I'd be sick the whole time. Thankfully, I felt great most of our time home. Per the doctor's orders I bought a boatload of natural supplements and medicine while in the U.S. When I came back to Guat I did a 15 day cleanse. It was awful! I have never done any type of cleanse (diet or otherwise) so it was really hard for me. I could not eat any fruit (with the exception of Granny Smith apples) or bread (anything with gluten really) or dairy. I broke some rules like having coffee (hey, yeast or no yeast I need my cafe!). The goal was to regain balance in my stomach. Even though it was tough, it really helped! After that I began taking some natural supplements to help support the flora and fauna in my stomach. I try to limit my sugar intake as yeast apparently feeds off of sugar. Praise Jesus that since doing the cleanse and beginning this medicine I have felt 100 times better! I still have moments when my stomach doesn't feel right, but mostly, I feel really good. I am SO thankful as I was starting to get really worried back in May! Thank you for your prayers about this too!
Enjoying some frozen yogurt during Semana Santa/Holy Week
Well friends there has been a lot of changes in our life lately. And no, I am not pregnant! :-P
Let me fill you in.... Recently, Dan and I have been going through some difficult times financially. Earlier this year Dan was teaching at a local school, but since they follow the U.S. school schedule he finished in June. He continued working at a local restaurant, but it was only a couple days a week. As many of you know I get paid a monthly stipend. It is not a salary, but a small monthly payment- enough for someone to live simply here in Pana. For someone like me who is married and supporting not only myself it is difficult to make it stretch for two people. (Almost all of my foreign co-workers are single and support only themselves.) Due to the difficulty of living off my stipend and some challenges with my current position Dan and I started looking for new opportunities. We began seriously praying about and pursuing other options. It's not that we are unhappy here. We simply thought that maybe God was calling us to someplace new. (For those of you concerned that we are going to be vagabonds all our lives I want to mention that we would love for our next step to be something a bit more permanent- a move that is for 2 or 3 years or more.)
Our first surprise lately was that Dan was asked to fill in at our weekly worship gathering at Solomon's Porch. The couple that runs it, Lloyd and Melanie, are in the U.S. for almost two months. They asked Dan to fill in preaching every Sunday and running the service. (He did this in May for a few Sundays.) He was honored that they asked and excited to have the opportunity. They generously offered him a small compensation for his time and efforts. For us it was really unexpected and a very big blessing.
Meanwhile at Mayan Families as the end of the calendar year draws near I have been talking with my co-worker, Laura, about all we need to get done before December in the Education/School Sponsorship Program. Mention of a need came up for an English speaker to help us check missing payments. When I first learned about the opportunity I thought that maybe Dan would be offered something part-time. Imagine our surprise when Mayan Families offered Dan a full-time position! He is really excited and started on Monday. Interestingly enough we are working side by side (we literally sit less than a foot apart) . Now that is some marital bonding! Haha :) He is also helping with some technical things like teaching some of the Guatemalan staff how to use a Mac computer and making thank you videos for visitors.
The last surprise wasn't really a good one, but I want to share it as it's especially important for those who want to support us in prayer. With Dan being offered a full-time position at MF we were faced with the challenge of finding a place for Lucia to stay while we are at work (previously Dan was home a lot during the day and took care of her). After our original plan of asking a couple of friends fell through we decided that the best option was to keep her in the small patio behind our apartment. (She is still a puppy so keeping her inside all day was not an option. Unless we wanted our house destroyed.) We spoke to our landlord about it and he seemed ok with the idea so imagine our surprise when Saturday afternoon we found a note taped to our door stating that it was time for us to move on a.k.a.- find a new place to live!!! Yes, this is a true story. This is one downside to not signing a lease like in the States... Our weekend was a whirlwind as we packed up all our belongings and wrapped our minds around finding a new place to live. We cannot say thank you enough to Lloyd and Melanie who agreed to let us stay in their home while they are in the U.S. It is only for a week or two as we search for a new place, but we are grateful to have a comfortable place to stay while we transition. Also, we are able to keep Lucia outside while we are at work.
Our "daughter", Lucia, during a hike
So, in a just a couple of weeks God threw our world upside down! One minute we thought we may be leaving Pana and the next God clearly directed us to stay. Then, we unexpectedly had to pack up everything and move!
Celebrating Dan's birthday in July
I am grateful for God's guidance and provision during this tricky time. Please pray for us as we search for a new place to live. We are looking for a place that is affordable, safe, and with a space/yard for Lucia. Also, please pray for us as we transition to working full-time and working together. Pray that God would continue to make His plans clear to us and that we would be willing to obey. Thank you!
-Rachel & Daniel
"Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." -Matthew 6:31-33
Hello blog readers! It's been quite a while. My apologies! As you know, Dan and I traveled back to the U.S. for two weeks in June. It was a whirlwind of weddings, ethnic food (SUSHI! yum!), long drives, and tearful goodbyes. Yes, one thing Dan and I didn't anticipate was the bittersweet-ness of seeing our family and friends only to say goodbye shortly after. Don't get me wrong, seeing everyone was wonderful. It was awesome finally having that cup of coffee with my BFF, having an Italian themed family dinner, and meeting our friends' newest addition (adorable baby Gabe!), BUT it was really hard saying goodbye after spending only an afternoon or evening with someone or at most, a couple days. We were blessed by the generosity of those we love in material ways (dinners, awesome presents, trips to Target- thanks Mom & Dad!;)), but also by their interest in our lives. Saying goodbye was really difficult especially since we were unsure when we'd be back (and still don't really know). Here are some highlights from our trip:
Enjoying some Ethiopian food w/ Baby Gabe
Greeted by our wonderful friends, Saman & Joel, in Brooklyn NY
Wedding #1- Jesse & Lindsey- what a BEAUTIFUL bride!
The groom, Jesse, w/ Dan. ¡Que guapo!
Another aspect of our trip was the unavoidable reverse culture shock. Keep in mind that we went straight from Bolivia to Guatemala so it had been 8+ months since we were in the States. My culture shock moment came when I went into Target for the first time during our trip. Dan and I were in a rush so I was trying to be quick, but I ended up frozen in the hair product aisle nearly in tears. Luckily, Dan came in to rescue me. (Side note: Dan and I were sharing one cell phone while we were home which was an interesting experience. Very counter-cultural...). I don't know if I can fully explain what was going through my mind in Target. I was overwhelmed by all the options, the advertisements, the bright lights. I was horrified, but also enchanted. As Dan joked to me later, "You can take the girl out of Target but you can't take Target out of the girl". I enjoyed quite a few trips to Target and some other stores while home, but I also had a hard time seeing the excessive consumerism that is very much a part of our culture. Everyone seemed to have so much stuff and I found myself falling so easily back into that dark hole of "I need, I need, I need." Sometimes I miss the convenience of Target, dollar stores, and good Asian food to name a few things, but in many ways I enjoy the simplicity of our life here. As someone who is easily sucked into shopping and consumerism I find it refreshing and challenging to live a simpler life here in Guatemala.
Kennywood Day w/ the familia. I insisted on this cheesy pic w/ Kenny the Kangeroo! haha
With MK at Liz & Josh's rehearsal dinner. Purple power! :-)
Wedding #2- Liz & Josh Katyl!!!
Coming back to Guatemala was not super easy for me. I was missing my friends and family. It didn't help that I jumped right back into work and that summer has proven to be our busiest season with multiple visitors and groups each week. Last Friday our friends, Jenny and David, left Pana. They were here for about a year working with Mayan Families. Dan and I were really sad to see them go as they were two of our closet friends here. We got to know them well because they also young, married Christians and we all went to church together. I am pretty sad having to face my office without Jenny each day, but I'm trusting that God will give me the strength to make it through. We have a new employee coming this weekend and another in September so I am praying they are both cool! :) Pana is such a transient place... I met a few people recently, but most are only here for the summer. It's hard to develop friendships when people are constantly coming and going.
Savoring time w/ my bff, Jilly, in Philly (hey that rhymed!)
Beka came to see me from D.C.! We indulged in frozen yogurt- delish!
What an amazing surprise! College bff reunion. Kara & Tiff
Gail & I enjoying our reunion dinner at Christopher's
We had to say goodbye to another friend this week- Christine. She and her family are moving back to the US after living here for a few years. She played an instrumental role in our adoption of Lucia and has done us so many favors by babysitting Lucia when we've traveled. We will miss her a lot!
Please say a prayer for Dan as he is going to be preaching every Sunday until the end of September! The couple who run Solomon's Porch (the ministry which has a worship gathering each Sunday that we attend) are in the States networking and raising support until then so they asked him to fill in. Looks like I am a pastor's wife (kind of) for a couple months. Haha! :)
Thank you so much for your support and prayers! Please lift us up as we strive to be content and faithful in our current situation while we also start to explore the future.
