On Our Way Back To Mexico!

The weather matched our mood as we pulled out of Colorado on Friday morning. We had such a great time seeing our friends and our family. We love you all so much!
We've made it to San Antonio. The trip has been great so far. We hope to make our border crossing in the morning. Please pray for a successful crossing and safety as we hit the Mexican highways once again. Love, the NAGELS

Smith's Birthday!

9 years ago, after a long day of labor, our first little red headed boy came into the world via C-section. I was so diappointed that the natural birth didn't work out that I sank to the floor of the delivery room in dispair and cried out to the Lord to at least give me a red headed baby. As you know, He's now answered my prayer many times over. Little Smith was so small I could hold him in one arm and put his little wrinkly foot in my mouth. What an amazing miracle!
We had a full day celebrating his birthday yesterday. Smith got to help paint a house, play hard with his cousins all day, and then eat dinner at a Mexican restaraunt--per his request so he could practice his Spanish. We finally got around to the cake and presents around 10 o'clock last night. Smith was so tired by the end of it all...yet still wanted to end the day watching a movie with me. He made it about 20 minutes into Star Wars IV before he passed out. As I picked my little boy up to carry him to bed I realized he is not so little any more. He's quickly turning into one of the sweetest young men I've ever met. I love you Smith. Here's to all the years and memories to come.

My Favorite Person in the World

My husband, the superstar.

When I was single, I was advised to comprise a list of attributes of what I was looking for in a husband, so as to know exactly what I was looking for. I found all those things and more in Jon Nagel. #14-Musical. HA!!! I got the one-man band. #7-Funny. He would swim in a fountain naked just to get me to stop being mad at him. #1-Loves God. I remember distinctly having a clear conversation with the Lord about him. You know, one of those times when you know that the God of all the earth is taking time to pay attention to your life and speak to you. He let me know that He liked Jon a lot.

Ten years have passed. A lot of it was fun. Some of it was sad. Sometimes I wanted to move off the planet earth just to get away. I had to learn a lot about life and God and maturity and real love. I still have a lot to learn. But if I were to do my list over again, I think it might be a little different. #3-Good father. He’s not perfect, but perfect isn’t what the kids need. They need someone to point them to their Father God. You’re doing a good job, Jon. #2-Able to Listen to the Lord. That is a hard thing to gauge, because it is about his personal relationship with the Lord, but I think when he comes to me and apologizes for being wrong, I know he’s listening to the Lord. No other voice would tell him to do that.

Now, I know that my old list is still fulfilled, but so much more than I had originally imagined. Jon is not just “musical”, when he sings me that one song, he has a voice that makes me melt in my skin. #7-Funny. Sometimes, in the middle of all the stress that living in a foreign country and low bank balances and four kids and camping for five months puts on our relationship, he can do something to make me laugh until my abs ache. But #1 is still “Loves God”. This is why I love my husband. After ten years with Jon Nagel, I’ve seen him look good and, let’s be honest, I’ve seen things that make me want to throw up. But through everything, he’s the only man I know who would give up the security of friends, family, money, identity in a career, “good sense”, and reputation to have the chance to truly follow God to the ends of the earth. So, if I truly do major on the majors, He is still number one on my list.

I love you Jonny!!! OOXXoXx

10 Year Anniversary!!!

Holy crap! Have we really been married for 10 years? Where does time go? Any of you that were at our wedding will remember that it was a hot, sweaty event. We got married outside on a Dallas evening in the middle of the summer. Maybe not the best idea…but then again, when have we ever been known for always having the best ideas?
Getting married so young, I was 19 she was 21, has allowed us to do a lot of growing up together. Sometimes hard, but always covered in a hard-shell sugar coating of fun and laughter! One key to always remember: “Naked is funny!” Admittedly, Rachel has always been better at marriage than me, but that is mainly because Rachel is simply a better person than me. We read a book once that said something to the effect of, “What if marriage was not meant for your personal happiness, rather to make you holy?” With the divorce rate in the world as high as it is today, it would seem that many have bought the lie that if you’re not happy in marriage then you should get out as quickly as possible. What a bunch of junk!
With four kids and a move to Mexico to become full-time missionaries under our belt, we’ve had many opportunities to be unhappy with one another. However, as we each submit our own wills to the will of our Lord Jesus every day, we draw closer and closer. You see, it’s never really been about us. It’s always been about Him.
Men and women go into marriage with different perspectives. Women think they can change all their husband’s bad habits. Men think that the woman they marry will never change. Well, I have more bad habits than ever, and every change that Rachel has gone through has made her radiate with a contagious joy and beauty. Thank you for marriage Jesus. Please give us many more years together.

Our New Phone Number!!!!

Hey! Give us a call sometime. 303-309-5027. You can use this number for us no matter where we are in the world. If we're not online it will prompt you to leave us a voicemail and then as soon as we sign on...we'll get your message.

Yeay for technology!

Pictures of Our Trip Up Through Mexico

My cockpit!

Some of the beautiful scenery we drove through.

We love driving right beside the ocean. Amazing!

This guy was selling the biggest oranges we'd ever seen!

Beautiful bridge over Tampico

"I can't remember where I parked my shrimp boat!"

Our faithful travelers

Ready for take off!

It's like playing a video game.

On our way to cooler lands

We Made It!!

A Welcomed Sign!

Enjoying our first meal in the States at Jack In The Box!

Driving from the state of Oaxaca up the East coast of Mexico into the USA we experienced some of the most beautiful country one could ever dream of. We were a bit shocked to shell out over $50 US in toll fees...especially considering the condition of most of the roads. I got pulled over by the Federales for speeding outside of Matamoros, but somehow talked myself out of a ticket by promising the kind officer that I would not speed anymore...and I didn't. It was a good reminder to obey the law of the land.

Matamoros was your typical overcrowded, run-down border town and I didn't enjoy it too much. One of the big problems with traveling in Mexico is that often you're following signs to where you are going...and then the signs just end. Lost in a huge border town on a hot day without air conditioning is not my favorite. But eventually if you just keep making random turns things seem to work out, which they did. We sat on the bridge in sweltering heat for about 45 minutes and then had to turn over our giant bag of oranges to the border patrol. Doing our part to keep them healthy you know. But before we knew it, we were through and traveling down the amazingly smooth roads of America. Wow! Never, ever take these smooth amazing roads for granted. I can't get over them.

After three long days of travel we have made it to Colorado Springs and are currently resting and hanging out with our good friends Jim and Shiloh. We love you all and can't wait to see you!