We have arrived!: New Family & Friends

And this lovely couple is Mark and Rebecca McCleskey. I would call them my Ecuadorian parents but they´re to young to be my parents! They are originally from Lubbock, TX. They´ve been here for about 13 years serving in a Spanish congregation. Mark is an elder and had the privilege of overseeing the drama last year. We´ve fallen in love with them already! They took us to lunch to the best restaurant in Cuenca...TIESTOS!

Cook the shrimp...and the cajuns will come!

Passion fruit ice cream sundae. She´s trying to remember if she´s tasted anything better.

I don´t remember what it´s called but it tasted like coffee cake (but way better) with cream cheese frosting with ground almonds and big chunks caramelized sugar (like creme brulee). INCREDIBLE!

And this is the amazing Chef Juan Carlos (master of sauces and meats). Mark and Becky are really good friends of his and were able to get us a table during an extremely busy lunch rush. Chef Juan Carlos even served us personally. Muy Delicioso!

The next set of pictures is scenery on our way to Mark and Becky´s house up in the mountains.

Eucalyptus trees imported from Australia are all over Cuenca which gives the city a very soothing smell.

This is the actual key to their house. Kinda medieval!

their neigbors have ostriches! It wouldn´t lift its head for a photo op.

This is their backyard!

their neighborhood is called San Jose named after the owner of the 50 surrounding acres of land.

Sister Rosetta Williams from Virginia. She took the Ecuador tour with bethelcoachtours back in 2009 and fell in love with Cuenca. She decided to come back for a longer visit. She´ll be here for three months.

California Kitchen Restaurant after Saturday service with the group.

From left to right first row: Mark Alvarado, Brother Lake, Jonathan and Samantha Rittscher from Florida, Brother Fleming, second row: Kayla, Sister Sanchez, India and Sister Fleming.

Sister Toni Coleman de Sanchez came to Ecuador over 20 years ago as a special pioneer. She never left. And doesn't intend to.

New additions to our family...the Serranos from Florida. They´ve been here for 3 months. Going around the table...Alex (15), India, Aria (8), Constance (mother), Hector (father), Ashton (13) and Kayla. We absolutely love these people. And just when I thought it couldn´t get any better ... Constance has a sister that has been living in South Korea for the past three years! I knew that there would be some kind of Korean connection made on this trip!

Brother and Sister Fleming visiting from San Francisco.

India and her new bud Aria! Don't their names just flow together? India and Aria!

The first half of our tour group out for pizza at a pizzeria owned by a brother and sister in Quito. Going around the table starting on the left: Liz, Kayla, India, Joe, Robert, David, Danny and Cheryl.