San Diego

Some VERY generous friends let Daniel and I (and two of our close friends) stay at their condo for a long weekend. So. Much. Fun. (There aren't many people in these pictures because the couple we went with, one of them is a professional photographer and the other is known for taking pictures on vacations so we left that to them!)

We got in early on Saturday and went to the Midway, where we toured and old aircraft carrier. The weather was chilly and foggy the first two days, but that had zero effect on us!

 The next day, we met up with a good friend who moved to LA a few years ago and headed to La Joya to check out the sea lion caves... and visit the Ghiradelli store while we walked around downtown San Diego.

 And of course, the zoo. My favorite by far. Seriously the most intense and awesome zoo EVER.

Couldn't get enough of that ocean... 

There aren't many people in these pictures because the couple we went with, one of them is a professional photographer and the other is known for taking pictures on vacations so we left that to them! :)

Honeymooners

So we went to Jamaica for our honeymoon! It was just lovely :) Let me tell you though, that I probably would say that about almost anywhere after all the work that the last 6 months held. Having a week to hang out with my favorite person and do a whole lot of sleeping in and hanging out, you just can't really go wrong there! With plenty of beach walking, eating, and swimming, pictures aren't very exciting (and in all honesty, my camera was often forgotten) but here they are anyway :)

Our lovely room

 the view from our room

 creepy crab

 Fancy breakfast

The last week of May

During the last full week of May I went on a Cruise with my family and a few others to the Caribbean! It was the first cruise ever for my family and I while those who came with us were old pros.

We stopped at Coco Cay, St. Thomas, and St. Marteen. Crazy beautiful places. I kind of have a thing for the ocean.

our ship

It was a nice get away, but I was very ready to be back in Albuquerque by the end of the week. Cruises are lovely and I really did have a great time, but I've officially decided that I absolutely do not enjoy hot humidity. It's different if you're right next to the ocean gettin' that lovely sea breeze, but venture inland much more and I become a very sweaty girl after walking about 50 feet. I knew you wanted to know that.

It really was a great trip. Really fun family time and quality time with that guy I'm going to marry in 91 days... WHOA! (that's right, so prepare yourself for a few wedding posts in the coming weeks)

Speaking of marriage, my brother proposed to his girlfriend while we were in St. Thomas as Magen's Bay! He had us write out "Brooke, will you marry me?" in the sand, and then he walked her down the beach to where it was written and kneeled down to pop the question :) it was so sweet and she was seriously surprised. So it's looking like there will be more than one wedding for the Mahon family this year; they are planning on December! Here's a few picture of the proposal:

Chicago

Happy New Year!

The last 4ish days were spent traveling and walking and talking and laughing and then walking some more. 6 of us Namibia travelers from the summer (and one who is living in Chicago) were able to get together for few days in Chicago to catch up and hang out. It was fantastic!

We spent a ton of time walking in downtown Chicago, and since one of the group lives in Chicago we had a perfect tour guide! I've got to say, even though it was FREEZING while we were there it was a blast! I'd never been to Chicago and being able to see some of it was so fun. The never-really-been-to-a-big-city girl in me came out. I've spent a little time in Denver, LA, Portland, and few other places but not a lot of time in downtown areas with so many skyscrapers. I couldn't have looked more like a tourist, BUT I did get a few goodish pictures!

We walked through Millennium park, where I must say I would love to see a concert, and that lead us to the much talked about "Bean" (I confess, I'd never heard of it before).

 Here it is, the much anticipated "Bean"

So great to see them again and be able to, in a sense, pick up where we'd left off almost immediately. Aside from filling each other in on all that is happening in our lives, it was like we'd spent a week apart rather than 5 months. We talked about our lives, relationships, the things the Lord is teaching/doing, plans for the next summer and coming years, and a good portion of time reminiscing about Namibia. I know I've mentioned it before in my earlier Namibia posts just how much community the Lord blessed our team with while we were there, and it was still as strong while we were in Chicago. Our only complaint was that the whole team couldn't have been there.

And so the countdown begins...

I can't believe how quickly the 25th is coming up. Two weeks from right now, I'll be on a plane headed to Washington D.C. to meet up with the rest of my team and get ready to go to Namibia! It really does feel like just yesterday I had 6 months before I need to "really" be ready to go, but it's upon me. Now is the time where my crazy list-making tendencies show up in full force! Shopping lists, to do lists, packing lists, question lists and on and on. I got to talk with one of my team leaders this last week, which was hugely encouraging as I was getting more and more anxious about leaving. I still know very little about the specific things we'll be doing but will find that out when I get to D.C. and will let everyone know! Thanks again for everyone's prayers and support. It definitely makes me way less nervous to have the kind of support that you all have given me, so thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Shots are not fun

BUT luckily for me instead of the anticipated 10 I only had to get 2! Woo!! I have one pill vaccination I'm taking for the next few days for Typhoid and I have two prescriptions to fill for anti-malaria meds and some infection antibiotics, but other than that I'm set! Thank the Lord that I was up to date on my shots, that saved me from 5 others. The lady who gave me the shots and the information I was looking for on some of what to expect when I get to Namibia was so helpful, and gave me some bugs repelent for my skin and clothes. There should only be about 2 weeks that I'm in the malaria "hotzone" at the beginning of the trip, so hopefully that won't be an issue the whole time we're there. I also found out that I'll be there during their flu season... Eek! That's definitely a prayer request, hopefully no one on our team will get sick with anything while we're there. That's I think the last big milestone before I leave in 7 weeks (can you believe it?!), but I'll keep you all updated on the latest happenings up until I head out. Thanks for your support and prayers, the Lord is definitely providing in ways that I couldn't have imagined!

I'm headed to Namibia!!

Hello! Thanks so much for reading up on my trip for this summer. I'm hoping that through this blog I'll be able to update you from Namibia once I get there, but until then I'm asking for your prayers and support. For now, I'll be able to keep you posted on my fundraising and all the preparations that are being made for my team and my arrival!

If you received a letter from me, you've already read this but just in case... :)

Over the last 6 years, the Lord has given me a heart for Africa and its people. In doing small projects here in Albuquerque with organizations like Invisible Children and Compassion International who work to help the African people, I’ve felt a huge calling on my life to travel there and spend time with the people sharing God’s Word with them and ministering to them. After a lot of prayer and encouragement from Proverbs 3:5-6 (“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths”), I was accepted by the Navigators, along with 10 others, to travels to Namibia for 6 weeks on a mission trip this summer! We will serve in orphanages, teach Biblical abstinence at youth camps, and lead Bible studies on university campuses.

The Lord has been so gracious in opening and closing doors in order to ready me for this trip. I ask that you would pray for as I prepare to leave on June 25^th. Will you also consider financially partnering with me? The total amount I need to raise is $6,400. Donations of $75, $100, and higher would be extremely helpful and an answer to prayer. I need all funds by May 5^th, and ask that you would seriously consider supporting me in this way. Any size donation would be a huge help!

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “’For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” I’m can’t wait to see the Lord work in the plan He’s laying out for me in this trip and for the people my team and I will be working with and serving.

I’m so excited to continue to keep you up to date on how the Lord moves through this trip! I look forward to hearing from you!

** If you’d like to financially support me, you can write a check payable to The Navigators and mail it in the enclosed envelope with a commitment card, or you can go online to www.navigators.org and click donate. There you can enter in my account number (23789605), and donate directly to my missions account. Thank you for your prayers and support as I seek the Lord in this incredible opportunity!