Despite the "economic crisis" our country is in according to the evening news, I have espoused a philosphy of live now and worry about the bills later. If my husband and i had forsaken travel and other "splurges" over the years for the sake of our 401K, we'd have no 401k and no Kodak moments to show for the last 10 years.

That is also the philospghy that prompted me to book tickets back in June to take my daughter, Sydney, to New York City for her ninth birthday. Now, before you start crying, "Indulgent Johnson County Mom," and branding me with a scarlet "J" - let me explain. 

So Jon and Kate are calling it quits? Even in the small town of Antigua, Guatemala where I am currently volunteering with Medical Missions Foundation, word has made it to us that the "hard life" in front of the cameras on reality tv have apparently crumbled their marriage beyond repair. Now don't get me wrong, I have followed the TLC show as much as the next mom. I have weighed in on Jon's side, seeing Kate as a controlling and demeaning wife. I have also thought that Jon needs to be more assertive. Then I decided I need a bit more empathy because, after all, it really must be a really hard life living in front of the cameras. But after yesterday...yesterday changed all that.

I spent the day with a group of doctors, nurses, med students (from KUMC) and translators in the tiny village of Santa Maria de Jesus. This is a primariiy closed community of native Mayan people who aren't all that thrilled about tourists - but because we bring elusive medical care and medicines, we were welcomed with great warmth and appreciation. They locals came out in their Sunday best - mothers  in colorful native dress, their daughters similarly dressed - like little women - and boys wearing their best shoes. Between 9 am and 4 pm over 100 children and their families were seen. Those are pretty darn impressive numbers considering the process is a bit slow do to the language barrier and lack of medical records.