Family of 5

Quite the challenge for a decent family pic when you have a family of 5 (or more I'm sure).
Thanks to my wonderful brother Joe.

Mommy-itis Take 2

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This is the good part of him just wanting Mommy. His first word!

He's a pro at it already. When I'm at work I just keep playing it over and over. It never seems to get old.

update: He still says Ma-ma, but he no longer says it so pitiful. Thankfully he's over Mommy-itis

Can you do this?

Pictures of Hope for Haiti

Haiti.

Destruction. Pain. Sadness. Death. So many questions.

A little over a week ago, we woke up to the devastating news of Haiti's Earthquake. The pictures. The stories. The lost lives.

I got out my old photo album of a mission trip I took when I was 15 to Haiti. I can only imagine what this is like for Haitian people.

This already poor country hit even harder. The little they had, taken away from them.

We gathered around the table. I shared with the kids the memories I had when we landed. The gates of the airport were lined with herds of people waiting trying to sell you something on your way out. Memories of little children walking up to your vehicle on the street begging for money.

Angel shared memories of when he was 8 and an earthquake hit Mexico. The lasting effects of surrviving a mass destruction. His house still has damage from it to this day. They never had money to fix it.

We talked about as Christians, what should our responce be? What can we do from so far away?

Philippians 2:1-3
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

We prayed for Haiti.

Alisia shared a friend's mother in her class has been planning on going down since November and is still planning on going in three weeks. She is a nurse and the team will be doing relief work. They will be going down to an oprhanage located about 10 miles from Port-Au-Prince.

We called right away to see what we could do to help.

The need is great.

The airlines have lifted the tight restrictions on extra baggage. Mission of Hope is requesting the following supplies:

Child or Adult Advil/ Tylenol

Child or Adult Multivitamins

Cold Medicine

Antibiotic Ointment

Antifungal Cream
Bandages and gauze all sizes

Iron Tablets
Tums
tape

We decided along with helping to collect supplies, we want to send pictures. Pictures of hope. A little something so the kids will know they're not alone. The kids started drawing right away.

And they haven't stopped. Each night, as we watch the new pictures and hear the new stories, they are drawing. Pictures of hope.

So many questions. It doesn't seem right. I was listening to Steven Curtis Chapman's new CD Beauty will Rise and the words seemed so real to me.

Slowy panic turns to pain

As we awake to what remains

And sift through the ashes

That are left behind

But buried deep beneath

All our broken dreams we have this hope

Out of these ashes

Beauty will rise

And we will dance among the ruins

We will see it with our own eyes

Out of this darkness

New light will shine

And we'll know the joy that's coming in the morning

In the morning

Beauty will rise

Unity. Faith. Joy. Opportunities. Life. New Hope.

Here are some good sites with dirrect updates in Haiti:

Mission of Hope
Compassion International

Samaritans Purse

http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com/

If you would like to send a picture of hope or other supplies dirrectly to Haiti, please leave your contact info in the comments and I will e-mail you more info ASAP.

"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,' says the LORD, who has compassion on you."
Isaiah 54:10

Mommitis

Aaron now has two beautiful white shiney teeth on the bottom and shows them off when he smiles.



See:


He drools probably a gallon an hour!


We had a few hard days, but made it through! Lots of drool, biting, chewing, crying, late nights, and cuddling.

But now we have a bigger problem.

I can deal with all that drool, wet clothes, using more bibs, the chewing, the biting isn't so bad, nursing is going much better too. That's not it.

Angel calls it Mommitis.

I call it Mommy-itis.

He's perfectly fine in his car seat, eating in his high chair, playing with the kids, or sitting with Papi, until he sees Mommy!
Look at those poor tears!

Rich Heritage

Here are some pictures of the kids representing their Mexican Heritage. They are really taking off in their Spanish-speaking skills, too! Angel is very proud of them!

Here's Alisia:
Easter 08


April 08


Caleb:
Easter 08


October 09


Aaron:
6 weeks old, this was a gift from our pastor's family. Funny, because Aaron was really sleeping in this picture and happened to smile when we went to take the picture.


Aaron trying on the sombrero a few months later. This time he has some boots to go with the outfit. He's still growing into them. Maybe before long, he'll have the whole attire.

"But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,

the purposes of his heart through all generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,

the people he chose for his inheritance. "

Psalm 33:11-12

Apology

Estimado Senor (Dear Sir),

I wanted to write you a note and apologize for what happened so many years ago.

Lo siento! I know it’s all my fault! I'm sorry!

I was just coming home from work and still had my security uniform on, and I’m sure you just thought I was some sort of police or something and that’s why you did what I said.

You see, my Spanish was horrible then. Lo siento!

When I saw a taxi come speeding down the road and you were turning from the wrong lane and hit the taxi, I thought I could help.

So I stopped.

No one was hurt, but the taxi driver sure was mad and you looked so worried. You were trying to apologize to the taxi driver in Spanish, and I wanted to let you know that I saw what happened and offer some sort of relief to you. I saw the taxi driver speeding and it might not have been entirely your fault even though you were turning from the wrong lane.

But my Spanish was horrible then.

I didn’t know how to say “He was speeding” or even “He was driving fast.” So I settled for trying “he was going fast.” But I didn’t know how to conjugate verbs. I'm sorry!

I only knew how to talk in the present.

I said “Va rapido.”

Which is the present form of (he: understood) “Go Fast” And you asked me, “va rapido?” I replied “Si, va rapido.” You looked so relieved when I offered my Spanish to help and I was so pleased that you understood me.

But I was confused when you got in your car and left quickly. The taxi driver asked me what was going on, but I wasn’t too sure. Then a police stopped and the taxi told him you just hit him, and the police went to chase you down.

I don’t know what happened after that because I felt horrible and left.

I’m sorry!

I hope everything worked out. That one single incident inspired me to learn more Spanish. Oh and just so you know, I’m fluent now.

Sincerely,
The gringa in the security uniform

2010

With All Our Love

May the wonder be new

and the joy be yours this Christmas!

Still Small Voice

What does the voice of the Lord sound like?

"...And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice."
1 Kings 19: 11-12

Have you ever heard the voice of the Lord so very clear, you know without a doubt what God is telling you? I always pray and ask God for wisdom and guidance, but this was different.

Very different.

Last night, I woke up for a feeding as I do many nights. After Aaron went back to sleep I tried settling back in bed. For some reason, an image of boy I saw that day at Costco came to my mind. I remembered I noticed how he was being pushed by someone, whom I thought was his dad. I then noticed his dad was with another man. I was hoping so badly that they were not this child's parents. Maybe they were just friends or uncles. But as I walked behind them through the freezer section, from the looks of it, this indeed was a "family."

For some reason, they were heavily on my heart last night when I was trying to get back to sleep. Why was this bothering me so much? Was it merely my own stereo-types? What's wrong with two men providing a needy-child with a loving environment? But God is the creator of family. I started wondering how this "family" came to be. Did they adopt this boy when he was a baby? What kind of adoption was it? Was it an open adoption? Did someone knowingly place a child in their care? Or did one of them try to adopt, not revealing their sexual identity. Is that even a concern when placing a child for adoption? As a social worker, these questions were very concerning to me. I wondered if a young mother who can't provide for her child, would rather place her child in this type care? I remembered when I was a young mother, not really knowing how to face the future. Not knowing what would be the best for my child. I had to cling to the promises found in God's word. I knew God's plan was bigger than mine. I immediately started thinking what I could do to help. Then I heard a still small voice. So clear.

"Volunteer at the local pregnancy center."

Oh, no. I couldn't do that. I don't have the time. I'm a very busy Mom. And I work full time.

I heard it again.

"Volunteer at the local pregnancy center."

Really? Even if it's just for 30 min on my lunch break?

"Really. Even if it's just for 30 min on your lunch break."

Really? Even if it means getting off an hour or two early every week?

"Really. Even if it means getting off early every week.

I wrote your story. I made you who you are. I gave you what you have. Now, I want you to give it all back to me. Call. "

So I did. First thing this morning. Unworthy. I am unworthy. But not useless. I heard the voice of the Lord. So clear.

Here I am, Lord. Use me.

"The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands."

Psalm 138: 8