Guatemala, Day 1

Last week, Tony and I were in Antigua, Guatemala for the wedding of my best friend from college. It was an amazing (and very full) few days, and I was so happy to be there to share that milestone in her life with her. 

Since I was a part of the bridal party, most of the days we were there I spent doing various (fun!) bridesmaid-y things. The first day of our trip, however, Tony and I explored Antigua and a nearby coffee plantation (Finca Filadelfia). Below are some of the pictures from the first day of our trip--enjoy!

Iglesia y Convento de Nuestra Señora de la Merced

Tones :)

Floats of the stages of the cross

Santa Catalina Arch, Antigua

Cathedral in the main square in Antigua

Fountain in Parque Central, Antigua

CAN I PLEASE JUST TAKE ONE NORMAL PICTURE OF US, TONY???

Breakfast at Cafe Condesa

Tony really wanted me to stop taking pictures of the food. I guess he was hungry...

Fountain in Cafe Condesa

Other buildings surrounding Parque Central

Now, for a few photos of the coffee plantation Finca Filadelfia. It was an amazing tour that ended with incredible coffee (in my opinion, this is how all tours should end).

Sweet Tones.

Baby, grafted coffee plants.

Sweet children that hang out on the plantation while their parents work to pick ripe coffee. They were so happy to be around us, and they really liked to ham it up for photos :).

This guy--what a sweetie!

What is this kid in the middle doing?

Special trees (can't remember their names for the life of me--some are avocado trees though!) provide the appropriate amount of shade for maturing coffee plants.

Ladies picking ripe coffee berries

Drying the coffee beans on the roof of the processing plant

One of the three volcanoes that surround Antigua. I think it might be Volcán de Agua, but it very well could be  Volcán de Fuego  (which we saw chugging out smoke many times throughout our trip!).

Drying coffee berries.

Coffee beans with their "berry" part removed

The current owner of the coffee plantation, and the name on all of the coffee shipped out from the plantation. It's exceptional coffee, for those of you who are interested.

Our last stop (before our tasting) was the roasting and packaging facility. I could have just lived in that room--the smell of freshly roasted coffee was absolutely divine!

That evening we attended the welcome party, where many of the guests began the weekend of celebration with a traditional dinner (roasted meat, vegetables, handmade tortillas--all so delicious!), a hot hibiscus tea drink and homemade cake.

Stay tuned for Day 2 of the trip, where Tony visited ancient Mayan ruins in Iximche, Guatemala!

Sweet animals.

Eddie is the adventurous, chubby, sock-eating, and Frisbee-wuvin' cuddle bug.

Ralphie is the contemplative, nervous, eager-to-please, and slightly less chubby comforter.

Kee is the indifferent, attention-seeking (only when SHE wants it), snugglepuss.

They are family, and I am thankful for them every moment. 

Pupapalooza

Someone I love dearly mentioned that there was a dearth of photos of my dogs.

We're here to correct this injustice.

I'm an ISTJ (Myers-Briggs--look it up, y'all). We NEED JUSTICE.

So, without further delay: my puppers.

"GET THE FRISBEEEE!!!"

Ralph: "I love you, Momma."

*Bonk* Slight miscalculation, Eddie.

Suspicious Ed.

Sweet Ralph.

I imagine Ed making one of those old, ninja-movie noises "Wooaaa"

They see each other from afar...

Ed: "CHAARRRGGEE!"

Chomp.

Ooooh. Someone's in trouble...

"QUIT IT ED. I'm tryin' to smile for Momma!"

"What? I didn't do anything..."

Defended.

Well, it's official: I've got some letters behind my name saying that I willingly dragged myself through hell and made it out alive (barely).

To me, the whole thing is becoming a blur. I'm guessing I should be grateful for this memory lapse--that I shouldn't take for granted how my body is doing me a favor by wiping the slate clean. I will say that I'm sure glad  writing my thesis and defending it is over. I will never have to do that again, and I am resting in that hard fact.

My mother and father traveled from Ohio to see my public seminar, and support me during this final step.   Tony's family was also planning on attending, but due to some emergency medical issues, remained in Missouri and sent their love from afar. I felt like a marathon runner whose buddies carried him the last few hundred feet. My feet were skittering on the pavement, while they gripped my waist and ran for me. I would have not made it without the direct support of my husband, family and close friends. I had my faith in God restored during these last, grueling moments as a graduate student. I believe He worked in the hearts of people I would have not expected to encourage me (people from my past, who I have not had contact with for months, and in one case, years).

There were so many tears and mini-breakdowns in the last couple of months. In retrospect, I'm actually impressed that I made it through. My favorite analogy, which is adapted from a coworker, is that I was like a balloon in a cactus patch. Any sudden or slight change in the wind would make me "pop" and question my ability to finish.

All this to say, I'm done! I have a doctorate in chemical biology. I've proven to my peers and my mentors that I'm pretty smart, and I'm capable. I'm looking forward to the next chapter of my life, and being in a different community of brilliant people. I'll certainly miss the majority of the people I worked with in my lab and my friends in the graduate program, but it's time for me to move on to something new. I feel electrified with excitement for what is to come.

I've put together a few photos from my defense, and the mini-shindig I had the day afterwards. Thank you so much to those who carried me those last few feet. You are forever my heroes.

A few photos were taken with my title slide. I wasn't profusely sweating yet...

Mom, Dad and Me!

Sweet Tones. I just love him so much.

In the thick of my presentation! This was the last photo Tony took, as he noticed the flash was bothering me :)...

My lab had a sweet celebration after my committee was done with me. I was gifted an awesome bowling shirt with "Doc" embroidered on it from one of my mentors!

Our little pavilion in Kit Carson Park was a nice (but chilly!) place to celebrate with a BBQ!

Amber made me a picaken. I made one for her defense, too! For those of you not familiar with a picaken, it's a pie baked inside of a cake. And yes, it is incredible.

Sweet friends and family--so thankful for all of them!