Where you go, I will go; where you live, I will live. Your people will be my people for your God is my God.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Lima Beans

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From field to freezer in two days.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

One day last week I spent part of the afternoon with one of my newest friends, a 91-year-old widow who lives on her own, is still all there mentally, and has the sweetest disposition.  Charming and enchanting are the two best words I can think of to describe her home that is only nine years older than her.  We delighted in wonderful conversation, story telling, and new friendships.  As darkness began to fall, I asked her for permission to slip out and take a few pictures of her yard.  She gladly obliged. Thus the following:

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Throw Pillows.

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The material is the leftovers from cutting and trimming the kitchen and living room windows.  There are 8 in total. The original idea was for them to go on the couch, but since that is now in the other room, they fill our bed, pulling the two rooms together quite nicely.  When we finished the house, our color scheme was all natural, but orange has been seeping his way in too, through curtains, blankets, a painting, and now pillows.  You won’t find me complaining!

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Too Cute….

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…to not share on the world wide web!

The Bottle Rattle {or Rattle Bottle?}

A washed water empty water bottle filled with black beans, coffee beans, rice, garbanzo beans and I can’t remember what else at the moment. 

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Job loves it! He could spend hours watching the bottle tip from one side to the other. Listening to it catches his attention but watching everything fall mesmerizes him. And the crunch of the bottle is a nice affect too. 

But I can’t help wondering if I am one of *those* moms. 

You know, the cool kind…the one that makes neat artsy toys for her kids.

Or the other kind.

You know, the cheap kind…he one that doesn't buy toys for her kids.  

New Arrangements.

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Our house is made up of a great room with an attached kitchen, bathroom and bedroom.  The time had come for baby to be in one room and us parents in another.  This is the arrangement we have come up.  It works for us now, but it could be different tomorrow.  It’s not traditional by any means {for either one of our cultures} but we love it.  I like our casita just the way it is.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Jell-O

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No matter the years that pass, I still get excited about Jell-O and wait very impatiently for it to set.  Its one of my favorite treats!

Friday, August 17, 2012

Did ya know?

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Full body pajamas are THE thing these days?  All the cool kids wear them.  I mean, Just look at us!  We love our jammies! 

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Saturday morning…

…the streets were quite; people glued to their t.v. screens.

Mexico vs. Brazil.  Going for Olympic gold in football.

In case you didn’t know, Mexico won with a final score of 2-1. 

Rafa was home for the excitement of the 1st half and then went to work {where they watched the 2nd half!} I let Job join in the fun the last few minutes.  You know, so that one day he can say he watched Mexico win gold.  Even if he was only 3-months-old. ‘Cause it is that big of a deal here. 

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{Adorable bed-head!}

Saturday happened to be Rafa’s birthday.  His fellow countrymen were nice enough to win gold to help him celebrate! 

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Disappointed.

I think that is the best word to describe how I am feeling.  My heart breaks a little.  And the tears roll quietly down my cheeks. 

Two weeks ago I was at the U.S. Embassy reporting the birth of my son.  Would it be possible to make plans to travel, I had asked.  I was told yes.  We would have his paperwork within a week. 10 days at most but probably sooner. 

We excitedly make plans and I dream of 10 days stateside and watching the best older brother in the world promise to love and cherish a woman.  I would be there with my wee one.  We would spend the days laughing, baby cuddling, eating, and visiting dear dear loved ones.  Our tickets were bought and our plans made.  We only had to wait. 

And wait we did.  7 days, then 10.  And phone call after phone call, each came with the same answer.  Nothing.  We do not have the little one’s paperwork in hand.  Today was the last day.  Our plane pulls out of Mexico City tomorrow afternoon and we will not be on it. 

Just writing it makes my heart break a little more.  If God wants me here I don’t want to be there, but it hurts.

My mouth praises the All-Knowing One but my soul lags behind. I remember that “where your treasure is there will your heart be also” and that my heart must be led, not followed. So my lips thank Him for His goodness, because He truly is good. I thank Him for His showered blessings. I don’t go far for just today He has given abundantly:

~ a 3-month-old wonder. He has discovered his voice, yelling dramatically and then giggling with glee.

~ double yoked eggs….a full carton of them. A pleasant breakfast find.

~A surprise visit from the dearest of women and a shared pot of coffee.

~peace that passes all understanding.

~ a sink of dirty dishes washed and drying.

~discovering radish in the garden that we thought had been consumed in the chicken invasion.

~ a husband who tells me its okay to cry and brings the smile back to my face.

~remembering that here is not home and we have eternity to spend together

~ fried potatoes and scrambled eggs.

~a closed door. Love shown through His “no”.

~phone calls.

~ Job sleeping in latter than normal

~Bananas for frying and drenching in sweet condensed milk and cream. A treat for after the youngest member of the family is bathed and tucked in for the night

~a growing relationship with a neighbor.

~ 10 more days here, falling asleep with my love’s fingers intertwined around mine.

~ the stress relief of not having to pack and travel 18+ hours alone with my son.

~rocking my babe.

~planting tomatoes.

~a house to clean. it means our days are full and we have a home.

 

19 God-given gifts from today, listed one-handed as my darling eagerly suckles. So I can only say, “This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!”

Friday, August 10, 2012

Do you hear it?  The silence is almost deafening.  After two nights and one day of straight ran there is silence.   It is early morning and I cuddle on the couch with my babe.  He places his hand on my check and coos gently.  Hearing his soft babble delights my heart.  He is well and happy.  After over two months of sleeping through the night, he was up every few hours the night before.  Why? I wonder.  I prayed it was just getting confused between daytime and nighttime thanks to the overcast gloomy-sleepy days we have had.  His happiness confirms my thoughts and eases my worry about some icky-ness plaguing the littlest member of the family. 

The rooster begins to crow, the hens waddle about, ruffling their feathers.  I hear the dog and the cat bickering back and forth; no longer cuddled together as they were for days. Things are back to normal after the non-stop down-pour. Everything except for the pain that moves through my heart.  I ignore it. 

I lay Job back down for a bit more sleep.  I cut up old tortillas for the chickens {their very favorite treat} and gather kitchen scraps for the dog who eats everything.  Pajamas still on, I slip into my coat and shoes.  The outdoors is calling to me.  I open the door, watching the cat dash to his food dish inside.  I give the dog, Rojo, his breakfast and proceed to the chicken coop.  No egg yet this morning.  I watch the chickens battle for tortilla pieces and make sure the “black sheep” of the flock receives her share.

I move on to the garden to see how she fared the storm.  Some of the plants thrived others need some TLC this afternoon if the clouds don’t open again.  I check out the make shift shelters my work-worn husband had built for the animals, fighting against the rain.  I am impressed my his ability to make anything from nothing and his tender care for every created thing.  My heart pangs again. Again I ignore it. 

I make my way back inside. As water boils for tea, I attack the mountain in our kitchen that normal people call “sink.”  I consider leaving it all for latter and slipping back into bed, but I know I don’t want to wake up to this kitchen two times in one day.  Plus my stomach demands attention. I finish wiping down the counters, begin breakfast and move to straighten the living room.  Orderliness and cleanliness brings peace and warmth to our home.  But my heart still does not rest.   It is ignored.  Again. 

The baby begins to whimper.  I thought he would sleep a bit longer, but 45 minutes was all he wanted.  I lay him on the bed for a diaper change.  My husband who worked late the night before and thus has permission to arrive late today, wakes up to greet his son with a smile and kisses.  I change the wee one and watch my two men interact…normally the delight of my morning.  But not today.  My heart aches as I watch them.  And I know why and its becoming impossible to ignore. But I slip back out to the kitchen to do just that. 

As I finish preparing breakfast my mind wanders back a few hours to 3 a.m. All of us where awake thanks to the three-month-old.  Rafa had Job in his lap. They were “talking” and thoroughly enjoying themselves. I, however, was not.   Before I knew it nasty nasty words from my mouth where splattered all over Rafa’s ears and heart.  I looked him in the eye, looking for anger and a fight, but I only saw hurt, sadness and confusion in them. He said nothing. I knew instantly that my words where not fair and no way a woman should talk to the person she loves most in the world.   I ignored it.  Soon the baby was back to sleep and so were we.

And now I find myself alone in the kitchen looking out the window at the rain washed world.  I know I need to say “I’m sorry.  I was wrong.  Please forgive me. I love you.” It can no longer be ignored, but I still fight it.  A few minutes later Rafa comes out to the kitchen with Job.  He asks if I’m alright.  I respond with a simple no.  He asks why.  Still not wanting to say what I knew I should, I responded with “I don’t feel good.”  Again, he probes as to why.  I decide the words had to be said.  So I say them.  He just looks at me and I see the hurt wash from his eyes. I know I have been forgiven but I still feel awkward. We eat breakfast and he goes to leave for work.  He looks at me again, gives me a gentle kiss and says, “I love you.” And like the rain that poured for days to wash the world, his love pours over my heart, removes the pain, and cleans me.

And to think, my husband’s love for me is human and flawed.  So if his love is good, how great, then, is the divine, unflawed love of God?

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Home and Garden

Over the past several months our casita has become more and more our home.  First of all because of the sounds, smells, and warmth from a dear little man and second of all because of said little man, Rafa and I have been spending more time at home, thus giving us the time and motivation to invest into making it “ours”.   I took a few snaps this morning to show our projects and progress.

Inside:

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I love having a house small enough that it can go from disorderly and dirty to organized and clean with dinner going during my babe’s morning nap.  We live in about 650 sp. feet that consists of the living/dinning room, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Relatives here have commented that it is a lot of house for such a small family.  

Outside:

 

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For pets and practicality we have a cat, a Doberman, 4 hens {who have just begun to lay!} one crowing rooster, and the gold fish still lives. Our garden contains sunflowers, green beans, lima beans, jalapeƱos, lentils, corn and some random flowers.  We are hoping to get radishes, potatoes, herbs, and green and red tomatoes planted soon.  We really could have plant twice a year because the growing season is so long, but we are only going to get one in this year. We planted late {from seed} and then the chickens escaped and ate all the plants, so we got started again really late.  But everything has been growing quick and strong and we are looking forward to a bountiful harvest. 

Obviously, there is a lot more to share, but there you have a quick peek for now.

Days of Late

Lately my little corner here of the cyber world has been a ghost town..

If you are one of the few who still comes by to see what is happening {if anything}, thank you.  If you are one who took the time to contact me because my absence here caused worry, thank you even more. 

We have been filled with baby bliss of late.  Our little boy {soon-to-be-man} Job, turned 3 months old this past Sunday.   I have always been told to enjoy having a baby because it goes so fast, but for some reason I thought that if I was enjoying it, everything would not go by as fast.  We have thoroughly been enjoying every moment, be it at 4 a.m. or a fussy bout on a bus full of people, and I have no idea where the past three months have gone.  

Job is full of life {or very “awake” as people here say}. He has been a cooing drool pool of late and a pure delight.  He loves new people and turns on the charm almost instantly. He doesn’t know anyone that isn’t a friend. 

He’s a great eater and an even better sleeper.  He weighed 12.5 lbs. at  his two month appointment and usually pulls 8-10 hour nights.  He has made our house a home and a wonderful place to be. 

Being his mom is pure delight and I still find watching him as he sleeps and wondering what I ever did to be so so blessed.  The answer?  Nothing.  I have done absolutely nothing to deserve the title of “mom” to Job.  But here we are.  Job leaves no doubt in my mind that the God of the universe loves me. 

While things have been have been quite here on my blog our hearts have been full and overflowing.  Overflowing so much, that I do believe I will begin to share peeks into our life again. 

So stay tuned….

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