Ladies' Conference

I know I've held my thoughts on this way too long. Sorry... life just has a way to leave me behind lately. oh well, for what it's worth, here it goes:

For starters, I must say this is the first of many conferences that I felt really tried to cover the spectrum of all different seasons of a woman's life. The speakers really made it a point to encourage women to remember that our destiny is now and that means we have a purpose whatever station in life we may be in.

"Destiny is what is happening right now. Our destiny is the journey in and of itself."

We were reminded and challenged to be the "display of what God is to a darkened world" in everything we do and to live womanhood with intentionality. The main topic was to love ourselves, love our neighbors and above all, love the Lord.

More often than not and more women than not tend to forget that womens' lives are seasonal. Every season presents opportunities to serve and reach out but we tend to miss out on them because we take the one season we are in for granted.

We also need to be aware of where our challenges come from. Are we being challenged by people around us; by the world or by the Lord? Not that being challenged by people or the world is necessarily bad, but we do need to learn to recognize how and when to respond in each situation. Responding to a challenge and giving into trends are not the same thing!

What this conference did for me personally: I was reminded that it is not about how I feel. So many times I come out of church services where I had to "pray with my eyes open". I come out wondering if I even worshiped since I was so busy chasing little people around. It was refreshing to remember that I do connect with God because intimacy with Him doesn't have to follow a set structure. He loves me, and He will meet my need as long as my heart seeks Him earnestly. It doesn't matter if it has to be in the midst of caring for those He's given me to love for Him.

This isn't even a nutshell! There was such a sweet and beautiful presence of the Lord to soak in, good worship, great Word, wonderful ladies' to inspire us, little details to pamper and spoil us and so much more that I couldn't even begin to clearly and fairly share. The bottom line is, if you are hungry, you will eat and enjoy your meal regardless of how simple or complex it may be. The same applies to our spiritual life. If you show up with an open heart and a willing attitude there is no way you will come out dissatisfied! God knows how to serve a fine meal to a hungry spirit!

More little girl talk...

So, today, Elena says:

"Mami, you going to the daidies' coference today?"

"No sweetie, I'm done"

"Ohhh, so Papi goes today and you stay?"

We've been talking to Elena when we need to correct her, trying to explain obedience and what it means. There has been mention of Jesus in our explanations and we have included the phrase "Obedience is immediate, joyful and thorough" in our little talks. Elena has been talking about it randomly every once in a while and we've felt like it is actually sticking in her mind even when it still takes her a while to put it into practice. Today, I was trying to correct Adriana when Elena interjected and said:

"Mami, Jesus and 'bedience and jo'fu and.... what's the other guy, Mama?"

Isn't she the sweetest?

Away

I´ve been away for most of the day, attending a ladies´conference. It has been a great time of just soaking in the presence of the Lord. I´ll share some thoughts about it later. Just thought of committing to memory a few of the interactions with my oldest little girl this week.

* While putting on my shoes and tying the long ribbon laces (I was wearing espadrilles) she came over and moved my hands off to the side while saying: "Don´t worry, Mama, Princess will help you"

* As I went on with the preparations she asked: "Where you going, mama?"
"To a ladies´conference", I replied
with a slightly annoyed tone she exclaimed: "Again?!"

Massive picture update

Two little girls, playing with umbrellas
Making a birthday cake for Papi

little bakers

focused little girl

A father with his little girls

moving a lilac tree

clearing rocks and sticks.

Adriana playing with tio Jonathan's picture

talking about him

and giving him kisses.

Elena giving her baby "chita" in church

she nursed her baby through the Veggietales movie
And last, but not least... my minuscule 8 week bump!

A closer look, just so you believe me there is a bump there.

A question (If anyone still reads this...he,he)

I'd like to know the opinion of moms of more than 2 children close in age about strollers.

We are in need of getting a new one this year and are still scratching our heads as to what are our best options. Single? Double? Sit'n'stand type? Sit'n'stand with double?

When going from one to two little girls we kept our first stroller and just added an umbrella one to the mix. Given that Adriana despises anything that straps her in, she doesn't ride in it for too long, but at the same time there have been occasions in which both of them want to sit for a little ride. Now, we won't be using the stroller for three children this summer, given that our newest baby is not arriving until the fall, but we certainly don't want to have to buy something else the following year...

any thoughts? What have you done?

Ramblings

These past couple weeks my life is pretty much summarized by "lump in the couch". There...

At times I've felt like the house is about to come apart.

I can't believe how much we need to eat! Meal times find me quicker than I am willing to cook or eat. Can't we just eat like bananas for every meal?

Oh, yeah. And when I do eat, please don't move me or shake me, just let me sit still until digestion has happened.

I feel so lazy, so sick. Feeling bad for little girls who end up watching way too much TV, but, as Ben says, at least we are together.

I'm beginning to forget what real plates and meals look like. Our best china at the time is made of paper.

Of course, I am complaining just because I can. I shouldn't, really. I have a wonderful husband who doesn't mind the mess and happily eats whatever I managed to make or makes do when I don't get around to cooking. And he takes the girls outside on adventures when he's home in the afternoons.

I've done some mindless reading just to keep distracted, that I have enjoyed.

I have great friends and family who have made themselves available to do anything for me. Eager ears and hearts to listen to me, play time for my girls, encouragement through the season... I haven't really lacked anything.

I am grateful, though... feeling the way I feel reminds me that the little life inside is growing healthily. I can take a few more days like these just for that knowledge.

Ninety-six hours

In an amazing chain of events my sweet, sweet little girl hasn't nursed in the last 96 hours!

You have to understand this is incredible, especially because of how much I had been fighting to no avail to start weaning my precious daughter. With a new baby coming I knew the process had to start soon for it seemed a very long term goal to reach and I didn't want her to feel replaced by a new baby. Nights were being ridiculously long with extremely early mornings and very tiresome days. I kept trying everything: I'll take away only one nursing per day and we'll go from there; I'll stop nursing her in the bedroom before nap and bedtime; I'll take away one nursing at night time; and the list goes on and on.

Nothing seemed to work. Whichever nursing we chose to take away would ensue a good hour plus of crying rendering me frustrated and exhausted. I prayed for wisdom and retreated from trying while regrouping and rethinking what to do.

Then my man put his foot down. We were out by ourselves on Friday on our way to a wedding reception and after exchanging some thoughts a new strategy was devised. I was to be out of sight that night and he'd be the sole soother. We'd take it from there, one day/night at a time.

First night: I settled downstairs in the guest room with the monitor on in case Ben needed my assistance and we began the process. Ben took completely over, from putting their pjs on to the whole night routine, I wasn't even upstairs at all. It was a very long night. She woke up so many times and cried for so long it wasn't even funny. At some point I had to come get Elena from the top of the stairs so she could come sleep with me. But by that morning, Adriana had spent a whole night without nursing.

Second night: I still stayed away from the night time routine. Ben was it. During the night, she woke up as many times as the night before but the crying was a lot less. Less intense too. She wasn't as much upset as she was resigned in her cry. Elena didn't even wake up through it. I had to nurse her a bit during church on Sunday but Ben took over again at nap and bedtime.

Third night: She woke up once, came to bed with Ben and slept the rest of the night. I still wasn't around for bedtime routine.

Fourth night: I came upstairs before bedtime but Ben still took care of everything and I was gone before they were in bed. For her it was the same as the third night. No crying. As the day went by she asked only once and she didn't really expect it. She is eating a lot, though.

Fifth night: I came upstairs with them and changed her into her pjs but still left before bedtime. I came back to bed for the night. She slept until 4.45 a.m. when she came to bed with us. When she realized I was there Ben immediately warned us we could only snuggle. She climbed on top of me, nestled her head on my shoulder and snuggled.

Sixth night: I put them down for the night, did the whole routine by myself. She went to sleep without a problem. The only thing we have left to do to go back to normal life is switch back to our sides of the bed. He's been sleeping on my side so as to be the first one to meet her when she comes to our room.

Day time she has turned into a little eating machine. Ice-pops and bananas are among the favorites so far. I have mixed emotions as I am so proud of how quickly and well she came around but I also realize my baby is growing up. It breaks my heart when she asks and I have to say no, and it also breaks my heart to see her accept it so well! I am so very proud of her and I will certainly miss nursing her so terribly! How can that be?

Bill Fagan

Today we lost an amazing man. He had been bravely fighting cancer for the past few years. Today his fight is finally over. We fasted and prayed incessantly for his healing. We constantly confessed and spoke in faith about his getting up and being totally recovered. Why we won't get to see it on this side of heaven, I don't know.

However, I would never think of his passing as his defeat. On the contrary, he fought his battle and won. His victory may not look the way we all envisioned it, but it is a victory nonetheless. Those who visited and prayed for him in the past few months that he was shut in, all came out with reports of amazing faith, amazing strength, amazing determination and a contagious love for God. However many times they visited him, they'd always come out inspired. He shared his faith with each and everyone he could up until the very last moment he could.

No, he didn't lose, and most importantly, we didn't lose him to cancer, or to death. Cancer ultimately won him to us so we could be blessed, enriched and inspired by what would turn out to be his last years of life. Today we mourn the loss of his presence among us. Today we suffer the pain of not seeing him again for an indefinite period of time. In the midst of it, though, we have certain hope... hope of life eternal in the presence of a perfect God, hope of redemption and restoration, and hope of a joyous reunion. We also rest. We rest in knowing that God above all things, even those things we don't understand. God of those things we are not meant to understand just yet.

Littlest One

Please say hi to the newest member of our little family! Tiny, tiny, tiny but with a minute heart beating away!

Art project

This is what our little art project turned into yesterday:
(stay tuned for a video later)

This is what our little art project turned into yesterday: