Never really thought I'd say it...

...but the time has come for me to stay away ("officially") from the blogging world.  The original purpose for this blog was to keep those far and away updated with the goings on of this little family.  However, Facebook seems to be more quick and efficient in doing so.  There is such an overwhelming amount of good blogs to read out there that I feel, at least at this point in time, I don't really have much to offer.

So I will retrieve to this little home of mine, figure out life as it comes this next season and leave blogging behind for a season, at least.  

Thank you all for your time, it was a good 5 (or 6?) years!

...another late post of thanks

#71  The ability to still write these thanks posts even when writing has been so scarce this season.

#72  The refreshing that comes from seeing people you love and who also love you.

#73  A husband who seeks to be the best leader for this family.  How rested my heart can be!  He is such a good man, a wonderful husband, and great dad.

#74  A loving Father who will not fail to lead said wonderful man in His plan for us.  If I could only keep that on the forefront of the mind all the time!

#75  Freedom.  Freedom to be who I am, even when it is sometimes hard to figure that out.

#76  New clothes... even when it is only two maternity t-shirts, I love having new clothes.

#77  The noise of a dish washing machine that reminds me that I no longer have to stand in front of the sink so many times a day.

#78  Less than two weeks to see my mom.

#79  Being able to fly my mom in so she can stay with the children while we attend a conference.

#80  Friendships:  Newer and older alike.

Days of learning

I kind of missed my thanks post, but my thoughts have still been there:

::  Every baby we´ve had seems to be surrounded by a season of learning in our lives.  Usually it is all around one thing, and this time around we are plunging into new depths by a rediscovery of grace.  Very grateful for it and willing/hoping to learn all we need to learn this season.

::  Another patriotic anniversary spent so far away from my country and from anything that can remind me of it.  I am more and more aware of my responsibility to instill in my children a love and appreciation for the country that birthed their mom, thus having a hand in their very own shaping.  Grateful for the opportunity and sobered by the responsibility.

::  These next few weeks will take us traveling and will bring loved ones to us.  So grateful for that, especially in light of the coming Winter and "confinement" season of yours truly at the arrival of our very little dear one.

::  Very, very slowly some routines and some structure is getting established and that brings me some peace.  There is still much more to be done, but as I have a tendency to get overwhelmed by what I haven´t accomplished instead of appreciating what we have been able to tackle down, I am seriously focusing in trying to enjoy and appreciate the little victories.

::  And now, I get to run and get ready for a couple hours at the office!  See you all soon!

A Day of Richness

There was a funeral yesterday, of the father of a dear friend.  Little people are hard to manage around these kinds of events, but I wanted to be there if only to let her see/know of my love and support.  My favorite guy officiated the service at the funeral home and then at the committal.  We (littles and me) sort-of-attended as one of them chose to fall asleep in each drive, so I sat in the car, ready to follow with my orange sticker that read "Funeral" on the windshield.  Ben joined us for the drive and we talked about this man's example of life.  He had been a Marine.  What a touching and powerful statement to see three young uniformed Marines honor the life and memory of a WW II hero!  Although I never met him personally, I feel honored to have been there.

While we waited in the car, I had books, puzzles and all that paraphernalia for little hands to keep busy.  Among Elena's little stash I included her first little book for her to try to read.  I though she might enjoy trying to read it while we waited.  It is only three pages (5 three-syllable words) long.  I never expected to be so soon reminded and reinforced in our decision to home school her...  She sat next to me, little book in hand, and began to sound the first word:  "P - a - m".  She repeated the sounds a couple times, while looking intently at the letters, closer together, just a tad faster and suddenly, it clicked!  "P - a - m,  Pa-m... Pam, Pam!"  Her face lit up, her eyes teared up as she laughed and exclaimed:  "I'm reading!!" 

Of course, my eyes were also blurred up with tears and I was so grateful for having been witness to my daughter's accomplishment.  How priceless to see her face full of pride and satisfaction at having accomplished this task she has been dying to do!

I know not every day will be like this.  Not every day has been like this and we've only done it what?  4 days?  But I can already see how worthwhile it will be.  The house is not tidy... I haven't really figured out how to occupy-distract-entertain Benny while we try to read a poem, not to mention a whole book chapter, I am only beginning to experiment at this juggling game of running home and doing school.  But we will try to make the best of it all as I try to keep in mind that these days and these little milestones will be quickly gone.

We heard a song the other day and we really, really liked the message in the chorus:

"It's not the breaths you take that make up your life, it is the moments that take your breath away"

I can say with all certainty that yesterday was a day full of such moments, and I hope I never forget it.

Many thanks, on a Tuesday, nonetheless...

#61  Family life.

#62  My favorite people.

#63  Crisp freshly picked apples.

#64  Friends, very good, close to our heart friends!

#65  A boy big enough to pick his own apples.

#66  A boy big enough to pick his own apples but who still loves snuggling with his mama!

#67  The beginning of a new season:  Not only are we embracing the Fall but we are also embracing home school.

#68  A first day of home school with the fresh and clear reminder that it is only the first day and that we have lots of time to get the hang of this (or not! Ha!).

#69  Plans and mental blueprints that will someday look like life.  Today:  a desk, tomorrow: a family room?

#70  The constant reminder that when I can´t seem to reach, there are strong hands around-underneath me to lift me up and help me do it!

For the few faithful

This is for the few faithful who still visit this blog.  I seem to have hit a rut in trying to come up with something good to say here.  So here a few of the things that occupy my mind.  I wish you would find them inspiring and empowering, but at the very least I hope you find them entertaining.

*Beyond the physical challenges of pregnancy, I am reminded afresh of the emotional and even spiritual ones as I find myself fighting myself more often than not.  The swing of the pendulum between the nasty, very emotional "me" and the quiet and delightful fruit of the Spirit in me can be soooo long, that I sometimes wonder if there even is a better side.  But when I finally grasp a little tiny corner of that peaceful place, where I can abide in His love and His faithfulness, life gets more enjoyable... ahem... for everyone around here.  

More and more I am convinced that we are always given a choice.  We give into our failed humanity and the emotions that arise at every different circumstance we face, or we live by faith looking to rise above that which we feel and chose to be led by His loving Spirit.  More and more I am convinced that pregnancy is not the exception and that as deep as the valleys go in feeling emotional, out of control and affected by everything and everyone around us, much higher are the peaks we can reach if we only tap into that well of wisdom, peace and steadfastness the Holy Spirit has to offer.  Along with the heightened emotional meltdowns is a heightened spiritual sensitivity that I wish I could tap into more often than I actually am.

So there lies my challenge.  I can´t live with one foot in each realm, so I am really fighting through the thick of the nasty to get to the tip of the peaceful!

*  My little people are so amazing!  I love seeing them grow and cringe at their (and my) shortcomings, but am so blessed by the leaps and bounds they take and show so much maturity at times.  I had what we will call a "lack of patience" (to make myself look a little nicer) with them (the girls) the other day.  I realized that I needed to walk away before letting my temper get the best of me... probably a little too late, but still.  Ben was just walking into the house as I came downstairs and he was able to go up and talk with the girls.  Before bedtime, I climbed into Elena´s bed, recognized my mistake and apologized, she was very graciously quick to forgive, as did Adriana when her turn came around (I apologized to each separately and privately).  But after my apology I did ask them to pray for me, so that I would be quicker to recognize my need and cry out for God´s help in the same way we are trying to teach them to do... Have you ever asked your child to pray for you?  I have been prayed for before, beautiful, powerful, moving prayers, but let me tell you, there is nothing more moving and powerful than the honesty, genuineness, and love of the spontaneous prayer of your own child over you.  Simple words, spoken with love, care and so much grace for the mistakes I make.  I cannot tell you how much I learn from these little ones every day (when I don´t take it for granted... another one I´m working on).

*  And then there´s the nitty-gritty every-day stuff.  Get them to make their beds, brush their teeth, brush their hair, eat their food.  On the latter, our meal times have turned into such a battle to get them to eat "the green stuff" on their plates that I tried a new approach yesterday.  I brought out of the freezer a chunk of frozen spinach and called them over.  I proceeded to explain how we were supposed to eat this spinach because it is so good and important for us and how I was going to give them the choice as to how I was to prepare it:  Option a)  cook it "as is" and just put the chunk of green on our plates, Option b) chop it in tiny small pieces and put it in the spaghetti sauce.  Elena jumped to say "Small pieces in the sauce!", prompting my explanation on how we needed to eat our dinner, sauce-with-the-green-stuff and all without complaining because it had been their choice.  Won´t you know we had the most peaceful dinner time we´d had in weeks!

I shall leave you now, hoping to come sooner than later... thanks for your time.

The last days of Summer

The "last days of Summer" are upon us and instead of all the Summery hustle and bustle slowing down, it seems as though everyone went into a frenzy of let´s-cram-everything-we-can-still-do-these-last-few-days.  And so I find myself double-and-triple-booking our already scarce time (and monies!), while at the same time trying to figure out how to stretch the budget in preparation for the beginning of the school year and all that it entails.  But it is still good to look for the reasons of thanks giving and here go a couple things for this week:

#56 A husband who is proposing changes on our diet.

#57  The creativity to incorporate those changes into our budget.

#58  Also, a husband who graciously is welcoming my proposed adventure at cloth diapering...  although the transition is being a little rocky.

#59  Little children who are growing in sweetness and age-appropriate wisdom.

#60  A first paycheck!

I shall leave you there today but I will follow up with a picture post soon. 

Giving thanks

#46  Grateful for vision and a school year that is beginning to shape up in a calendar.

#47  Family, they make the best company and friends!

#48  Friends so close that become family.

#49  Hungry appetites for learning in little girls.

#50  Lessons in leadership and having the age (maturity) to appreciate and assimilate them better than ever.

#51  Being in love.

#52  Written words... inspiration from multiple sources that I can draw from and bring into my own world.

#53  The fact that every day is new in mercies and grace.

#54  A loving Heavenly Father who loves me perfectly and is gently loving me into perfection.

#55  Family traveling far distances and the days we get to spend with them.

A new month

We have opened the door to a new month, turned a new page for new stories, new memories:  life.

Thankful for:

#38 new opportunities to learn and serve

#39 the chance to work together with someone who not only is a great friend but whom I respect and admire greatly

#40  technology that allows for constant connection and communication with loved ones away

#41  technology that allows for a peek on the new life forming within me

#42  a husband who encourages me, supports my passions and is willing to rearrange whatever needs rearranging in this little life of ours so I can pursue them

#43  three little children that wake me up at night but that fill my days with joy, craziness, and laughter.

#44  senses that let us enjoy what this world has to offer

#45  food:  this pregnant woman has a very deep appreciation for food lately!

And so a new month begins.  Like the last, not everything on the list will be checked off, not all the plans fulfilled, not all the goals accomplished but we will strive to enjoy what we can do and do it with all our heart!

Four years ago

Four years ago we brought this tiny baby home.  Four years ago this little peanut changed my life.  My Adriana.  She has been such an adventure to parent, teaching us so much about ourselves and about determination.

She loves her big sister and little brother and though she is getting bigger every day, she loves to be babied!  She is our earliest riser, ready to take on each day regardless of what day it is or what it will bring.  In fact, she has to ask every day what day it is and what is planned for the day.  The day of her party she asked repeatedly:  "Mom, are you sure today is my party?"

She is always thinking of her sister, never does she get anything without thinking and asking for "one for Elena".  She is the sweetest most hug & contact loving person I know.  She not only craves attention but she craves snuggles, and hugs to the point of waking me up at 4 a.m. to tell me her bed is wet and that she needs to snuggle with me (the bed wasn´t wet but I discovered that after the fact).

She is today a little woman in the making.  She has a strength of character that I know will take her very far in life.  Her sensitivity and her sweetness soften the determination of her black and white world.  She knows what she wants, when she wants and how she wants it... for the most part.  She is still a little girl that needs molding, guiding, and shaping and I pray every single day for the insight to do a good job in helping her become who God wants her to be.

We are so very grateful for this little spark of joy in our family!  Happy birthday sweetest girl!

Tuesdays can be days of thanks too

I think I might just change this to Tuesdays because our Monday routine is making it too hard to sit and post, so I think my list of thanks will have to be published on Tuesdays...


And this week I am giving thanks for:

#26  The unconscious laughter of a sleeping toddler.

#27  Swimming pools!

#28  The simplest games that make a day amazing for little people and the inspiration to come up with them.

#29  Cheap Target "crocs" that put a smile on little girls´ faces.

#30  The excitement and anticipation of an upcoming birthday party for a soon to be 4 year-old and the provision to make it happen even in tight times.

#31  Friends who understand, and encourage just by "being".

#32  The biggest brown eyes on the little tiny face of a 3 y-o-l.

#33  The ever increasing questions of a 5 y-o-l so eager to understand the world that surrounds her.

#34  A constantly growing little person inside of me whose movement I feel more and more every day!

#36  Sleeping in... not that it has happened but I will be extremely grateful when it does!

#37  Pictures and video, although I am not as diligent as I wish, it is such a blessing to have records of our life.

June and a Thankful Heart

Let´s see how we can fit a month´s worth of posts in one day...

#21.  We took an airplane ride!  This queasy pregnant tummy was a bit nervous about it, so I packed a couple paper bags in my purse and off we went.  We had a wonderful time, made it safely to our destination and were left with a wonderful experience and a thankful heart for the opportunity to see things from a different perspective.

#22:  One of our tenants gave us his 30 day notice.  He had left by the end of the month, leaving us with an empty apartment.  We are not sure what we want to do with it yet.  My first thought (or should I say thoughts)?  "Oh, the possibilities of hosting again!  Maybe I can invite my uncles that are in the country.  We could host my whole family and my best friend in December.  We could connect both apartments and give us more wiggle-ahem-bed-room upstairs..."  But that thought was quickly intercepted by the reality that with the empty space comes a new limitation to an already tight budget.  We are prayerfully considering our possibilities...  and yes, I am thankful for the opportunities ahead of us.

#23:  We have inherited pieces of history of Grandma´s life.  With her moving to the Assisted Living Home and needing to empty her apartment, we found ourselves looking through years and years of accumulated evidence of life.  Some furnishings are now sitting in the empty apartment I mentioned earlier, just in case we do need to furnish it for our future guests.  Some others are sitting awkwardly in our downstairs living space, waiting for a final welcoming spot in our home.  So many years of life gone through in about a month... so very thankful for the opportunity to inherit some of these treasures and for a glimpse of lives past that have allowed us to be where we are today.

#24:  Parenthood brings its challenges, don´t we all know it.  Some of those challenges require a bit more energy to overcome.  Some challenges are resolved with a simple change of pace, a change of habits or a renewed vision of an old solution.  Some other challenges bring with them the opportunity to closely examine our motives, our beliefs, our priority systems and may actually require a complete makeover in our everyday life.  Above all things I am grateful for the sensitivity to recognize those challenges, and the patience to endure until we find a solution.

#25:  And speaking about parenthood I must admit I am thankful for a new stage in the life of a 5 year-old who is asking all kinds of questions about God, life, death, and heaven that have kept these two parents on their toes but at the same time have given us the opportunity to appreciate and ponder on those things afresh!

#26:  Knowing that although things are tight financially, we can still go to the grocery store and buy most of the items in our list and some extra ones to boot!

So I guess if I had to summarize the month of June I´d have to say it has been a month of opportunity.  I pray we made the best of each opportunity that came our way!

Late

I know this is rather late.  Our week was crazily busy and even when VBS was officially over by 2.00 p.m. yesterday, I still came home to cook and clean for company.  That doesn´t mean that my heart hasn´t found reasons to be thankful and here are some:

11.  Three super excited children who could not wait to leave for VBS every morning.  Here they sit by the door ready for this mama to take them.

12.  A little ray of sunshine that still thinks I am the most wonderful person on the face of the earth.

13.  The man who gets inspiration every year to pull off the craziest themes, skits, props, etc. for VBS.  He has been doing this for what?  13 years?

14.  The swishing sound of a tiny heartbeat.  There IS a little person hidden close to my heart, growing in secret, mysteriously developing inside of MY womb!  Is there anything more amazing and miraculous than that?

15.  A heavenly Father who continually shows Himself to me through the simplest of things.

16.  Nuggets of insight and revelation of wisdom to lead these little people into their godly destiny at the most unexpected times and places.

17.  The World Cup!  The one sport that I can actually sit and enjoy with my husband because I understand it the most.  Every four years he literally is the happiest man on earth because there is a sporting event I am as much into as he is!

18.  Cinnamint Mentha Lip Shine from Bath & Body Works that hubby put in my stocking for Christmas.

19.  Cans of Ducal refried black beans.  Guatemalan black beans are the best!

20.  A day with nothing planned so we can just be and rest.  Waffles for breakfast, one (or two) soccer games watched with my love, little people being as cute as all get out playing the wii and taking it slow to enjoy the rest of the day!

Beginning afresh

...because it is good for me, because it just is good...  I am thankful for:

1.  A loving heavenly Father who leads me, cares for me and on top of it all, romances me.

2.  A man of integrity that holds my hand, walks the present and looks into the future with me and as we take this journey, we look back and treasure the memories we have made together.

3.  Three little people + 1, miracles of life and love.

4.  A thousand questions asked by inquiring little minds.

5.  Lacking nothing of importance.

6.  Nail polish

7.  Three children who LOVE to snuggle.

8.  Toddler toes.

9.  Extended family.

10.  Reunions.

Life

Here I sit again, fighting the congestion left behind by a cold as best I can to avoid a sinus infection.  How has that become such a regular thing in my life, I don´t know.  All I know is that doing Nasal Rinses with the Netipot is definitely NOT the most pleasant thing to do while pregnant!

Our house is in upheaval, yet again... come to think of it...  I don´t think we have ever had an altogether house.  There is always a disarray of some sort as we move an old dresser out (or in), or change rooms around, or try a new way to "organize" all our STUFF, or try to fit in a new find that we really didn´t need but I really, really, REALLY liked, or... you get the picture.  There are still lists of projects that need tackling but since a box of books just arrived in preparation for school, today our closet-office-desk area will take priority over everything else.

Hubby has been busy measuring away and design has been discussed over and over as I tell him what I want and he tries to make it happen.  In the mean time, we have welcomed into our possession a beautiful drum table, an old 30s style lamp and a whole lot of other knick-knacks that we have inherited from Ben´s grandma´s apartment while trying to re-arrange the stuff that needs to be moved around so Ben can work on said project.  Walking through our living area is technically impossible right now and it only promises to get worse before it gets better.

But that brings me to another thought.  What we accumulate through life.  For a little over a week I have "helped" Mom L. go through Gradma´s things.  She has moved to an assisted living facility and suddenly the years of history accumulated in that little one-bedroom apartment need to be taken apart.  We have found notes written years and years and years ago... notes from Ben when he was still at school telling her he wouldn´t be in that day, reminding her to leave her door unlocked on a certain day at a certain time, notes from little ones attempting to write (who are now adults and have their own little ones attempting to write!), tourist brochures from lands visited, all sorts of things that have no real practical use except that of telling her story.  Little crumbs of life that she saved to remind herself, or maybe someone else, of where she´s been, of whom she´s been...  and as we distribute things around and make the "toss pile", the "give away" pile, the "ask-so-and-so pile", I look around my own house and wonder who will be sorting through my life when it is time to move on?  What legacy will I be leaving behind?  What message will be read in the footprints I leave... suddenly I have an urge to pick up and clean up all my clutter!

Pardon the ramble, it´s about the best I can do right now with little sleep and not feeling my best!

Here we are

A bit slow but living life and enjoying it.  In fact, I have been enjoying it so much (well, that is the moments that I have energy and don't feel sick) that it has been quite difficult to find time and sit in front of this screen to update you all!

::  In just a matter of weeks, Little Ben has grown so much!  He stopped being the baby and is a little boy.  He was successfully weaned and much more smoothly than Adriana ever was.  He still wasn't as easy as Elena, but he has done much, much better.  He sleeps on his little toddler bed now as well and he continues to be the cutest and sweetest little man I have ever known!  He is trying to talk more and more, and though most of the time we can't really make out what he is saying, some other times he just blows us away with the phrases he's coming up with.  It's not uncommon to have him run after a lost ball or toy saying what is intended to be "I'll get it!", or get me his sippy cup saying something like "Here you go!".  He sings all the time and dances too and when you ask him to close his eyes to go to sleep he squints, scrunches his nose and shows all his teeth!  It is so adorable!

::  Adriana is, very reluctantly, showing more signs of being a little girl.  She has finally agreed to trying to make her bed, albeit all crooked, but it is finally her own effort.  As well as buckling herself in the car.  These are things she has not wanted to do on her own even though we know she is capable of doing them.  She loves to sing off the top of her lungs and most definitely continues being the most intense jewel in our bunch!  She challenges us everyday to continue learning how to parent her patiently and gently.  And since her intensity and passion extend to every little aspect of her personality, she is also the most aggressive hugger and snuggler known to humanity!  She doesn't love, she adores with all her heart, and I can always count on her climbing up on my bed every morning and squeeze the sleep out of me with one of her snuggles.

::  Elena is such a sweet big girl.  She loves being a big sister, especially to Little Ben.  Adriana is more her friend while she really looks after Benny a lot.  Of course, she is beyond herself in excitement about this new baby whom she has decided to call "special baby" because we don't know if it's a boy or a girl.  She spontaneously talks to my belly and is constantly delivering her "special gifts" to them (a hug or a kiss, or sometimes both).  She is getting excited about beginning school this fall and she also has been asking that we plant some carrots and stuff out in the garden.  Well, she also asked last night that I take her to get an x-ray... "you know, Mom, when they take a picture of inside your belly?  I really, really want to, please??"  You never know what she'll come up with next!  And she also engages in some serious conversations about life, death, and heaven that tend to catch us off guard at times!

::  The tiniest and quietest member of this clan is still no bigger than my fist, but is already loved and anxiously expected.  We all seem to be counting the days till we can get to see their face and snuggle them, but I also know that it goes by way too quickly to want to rush it.  I love having this little person so close to my heart, the closest they'll ever be, rocked by my comings and goings, soothed by my heartbeat, growing in the mysterious stillness inside my womb.  Right now, they are a secret... a secret that is only shared by God with me right now, and though it drains my energy, makes me take more naps than I really want to, and keeps big plans in my life from really happening because days feel like blah and go by like a blurr (you know, little things like the garden Elena wants) I am trying to cherish every moment of it because it never ceases to amaze me.

And so, life continues in this little home, pondering the changes to come, some with excitement, some with a bit of reticence but all in the knowledge that we are loved by an Ever Loving Eternal Father, and that knowledge alone brings enough peace to carry on even in the scariest of times!

Back

Before we knew it, the time came to repack our bags and leave.  Sitting on a plane with a sleeping boy in my arms I processed... well until I succumbed to the sleeping-with-your-mouth-open-and-head-hanging curse of traveling on a plane.  Have you noticed that?  The next time you part-take on the miracle of flying, take a stroll down the aisle half-way through your flight and you'll see people from all walks of life sleeping in the same embarrassing position.  Although I've sworn not to ever be one of those people, the combination of a lack of sleep the night before, getting up before the sun on that morning, and my current status... you do the math.

At any rate, my long awaited trip is over.  It became a chapter in my book of memories way too quickly.  It was meant to be a trip to reconnect with family and friends mostly, but it also brought closure and unexpected revelation to my heart.  There is so much to process, so much to write, but not all of it can be published so I'll give you a few random glimpses of the trip while the pictures upload:

** Housed in my childhood home my children were spoiled, loved, and blessed beyond words could even begin to describe.  It was delightful to watch.

**  It is very hard to "parachute" in on the lives of people you love and land on the exact same spot you used to have in their life.  This is probably the most difficult thing of these trips, second  only to the saying good bye part.

**  Having said that, it is even harder to bring my precious little family to fill my parent's home with life, noise, cuteness and laughter only to take them away cold turkey knowing the emptiness that will follow upon our departure.  That.is.the.hardest.thing.

**  I love my family and my friends and I already miss them.

**  You don't really face a loss at a distance... there can only be closure when directly faced with the absence of your loved one and the sequels of their parting.

**  I do have the most amazing children.  I totally do.  Let me tell you:  they did awesome on the trip there; they were wonderful meeting new-people-who-are-related-to-them-but-they've-never-seen-before almost every single day;  there was hardly any need for correction and discipline while we were away; they were great about saying good-bye while admitting how much they'd miss everybody; they did awesome on the trip back even though we were all exhausted and there were a few upset tummies.  I could have never asked for more!

**  I am married to an amazing man.  He embraces my culture with all its flaws and loves it nonetheless.  He makes me laugh, he laughs with me, but he also cries, grieves, mourns, and misses with me every step of the way.

**  God loves my loved ones much more than I ever can.  I can't really do much for them and that can be very frustrating.  It is very difficult to just walk away from certain situations unable to say or do anything, but I know God is still God over them.  I trust my beloved and their individual journeys to the loving Hand of my Father and remind myself that His hands are much safer and better for them than anything I could physically do were I able to stay and "help".

**  Argentinian steak is the best.

**  Watching grown up sisters do life and be moms together is such a wonderful thing... I wish I had a sister!  (You can´t really borrow clothes from your brothers, you know)  I´m so happy my girls have each other.

**  The most wonderful gifts usually come from the most unexpected people.

**  No matter how long we stay, it will never be enough for some people and it will never feel like enough to me.

**  Loving a person and loving the relationship you have had with them are two completely different things.

**  I forgot to buy and bring with me salsa chicharronera, nachos ya está and tortrix!!!

That being said, check out the pictures on Facebook, there are two albums.  Talk to you all soon!

Guatemala

I walk in to this familiar house yet I don't know where I'm supposed to go.  It smells like home, it feels like home.  It is my home yet not quite...  Each and every room smells their particular and familiar smells.  We're here embraced by the walls that store the chapters of my life that my little people don't know about, the chapters of life that my husband has heard of but never witnessed himself.

This trip stores so many things for me... hopefully I'll share some with you.

Update

We are leaving for Guatemala tomorrow night.  We will leave at around 11 p.m., drive to JFK in New York City, take a 5.30 a.m. flight into Miami and arrive in Guatemala on Thursday at 10.30 a.m.  We are almost packed and super excited!  And while we get ready for this trip, this is the update on this little family:

Our little boy:

:: is climbing up a storm

:: is more comfortable using sign language than words, he has actually been the only one of our little ones to learn more than "please" and "more"

:: has a very sweet and dramatic personality

::  loves snuggles and kisses

::  absolutely loves being outside

::  loves to play with his sisters and totally pushes Adriana´s buttons!

::  loves, loves, loves music... he will settle down when he´s restless if we sing to him... anything... seriously, anything, as long as it has a melody to it, it soothes his soul.

Our little "fire cracker"

::  is finally enjoying to color and sits still long enough to finish a picture

::  she is also finally patient enough to attempt staying inside the lines and her pictures look less like abstract blotches of color

::  is beginning to show interest in learning letters and writing her name

::  her ability to focus on what she wants doesn´t cease to amaze me... this has been the child that is impossible to distract from what she wants thus ensuing more displays of willful attitude than one would like to face, but at the same time, that hardheaded-ness makes her accomplish so much!  We are learning to manage it together.

::  she loves to dance

::  her favorite game is still pretending she is a baby and her name is Sparkle and she´s going to stay a baby forever!

Our biggest girl

::  This little-big girl is growing by leaps and bounds!

::  She is so ready for school and that is most of what she talks about... well, besides princesses

::  her letters are coming along really well and she is constantly asking how to spell words she wants to write

::  she adores wearing dresses and twirling

::  she also loves to dance

::  she is becoming more and more independent, she wants to choose her own clothes, make her own lunch, stay upstairs by herself and come down when she is ready, etc.

::  balancing her emotions proves to be a challenge but she is learning

::  she is terrified of wasps and bees, blood curdling screams will come if she comes across one of those little fellows!

The Mama and Daddy of this clan are very grateful for the little ones.  We are challenged by them, taught by them and loved by them.  We love them so much!  We have been going through a season of searching, learning, growing and evaluating our vision and purpose as a family and how that translates into the lives of each and everyone of us.  A lot of reading has been taking place here lately and we are excited to see what God leads us to do next.

A sweet, sweet girl

Elena:  "Mama, I don´t know what is the name of my husband!"
Me:  "What do you mean, sweetie?"
Elena:  "I don´t know what is his name!  I don´t know who is my husband!"
Me:  "We won´t know for several years, honey..."  she interrupts  "Mama, Mama!  I know!  I got an idea!  You tell me what name you like and I will call him that!"

 

E:  "Mom, you have to guess the person I tell you, ok?"

Me:  "Ok"

E:  "You have to guess my favorite woman of all the world"

Me:  "Hmmm, let me think... your favorite woman..."

E:  "You want me to give you a "tlue"?"

Me:  "Sure, give me a clue"

E:  "She is beautiful... she has black hair and long... she is good at, she is good at... she is good... and I very love her"

Me:  "Is it me?"

E:  "Yes!!! you wonned, Mama!"

 

 

We love this little girl so!  She is such a blessing, such a joy!