Closing the Guatemala Door, Part 1
Doors open and Doors close.

Saying "Good-bye" is never easy.

Saying "Good-bye and I don't know when I'll see you again." is a different kind of good-bye, for sure.

And, while we are so very excited about the new door we're opening,

the former one must close first.

The first was rather unexpected.

The school in San Fransisco invited us to join them for a special dinner.

Brother Benjamin, the former director of the school, presented us with a beautifully carved clock.

Then, there was the yard sale.

Before actually opening for the yard sale, we invited our employees, coworkers, and missionary friends to check out our things first.

It was fun to be a blessing to various friends and their ministries.

This little guy was so delighted with his box full of 'new' toys!

Then came "Good-bye to Stuff" day, aka Yard Sale day.

We didn't know how it would go.

That's not something that Guatemalans are accustomed to.

Furniture, especially misc. tables, went like hotcakes.

We had no idea how much people valued that stuff!

 Tupperware and other plastic storage containers were definitely hot items as well.

 There was lots of time for laughs and socializing.

We didn't 'publish' our sell-out - just spoke to a couple friends and whoever got the word came out.

We were never swarmed, as we feared we might have been.

Can't say it was a stress-free day, but it was a lot of fun.

Arlen sold a lot of tools as well.

We had two types of items:

1. Stuff priced to sell

2. Stuff priced to replace.

The difference was rather obvious, but there were things that, if we didn't sell them, we would find a way to bring them with us.

Most of it sold, no matter what the price tag!

Our kids' shoe closet after that day.

Yep, we have four kids.

And, yes, after that yard sale, they had a combined total of 6 pairs of shoes!

It's kinda liberating, really!

It didn't matter what we put out there, somebody wanted it.

Amazing.

Anita and Edgar had us over for lunch the last Saturday we were there.

They grilled yummy chicken and pork adobado.

I forgot my camera that day, but Anita allowed me to borrow hers to take a pic of the kids and Arlen as they headed home from there.

Who says you can't put Arlen and our three oldest kids on a motorcycle?!!!