so I hear that our town is 45% American and 55% Mexicans. I think that’s really interesting.
Nochebuena (Christmas Eve/night- It means Good Night)…so we stayed up all night…because apparently, that’s what you do in Mexico. Baby Jesus is born sometime in the night, and so many households have feasts late at night. We ate at 11:30pm or so, and then opened presents until 4 in the morning (when you have upwards of 25 people opening gifts ONE AT A TIME, thats how long it takes). I was exhausted the next day, but it was worth it!
Somebody fixed our floor! Yay! The wood had swollen by the front door from all the rain, and so we had to push real hard to get in the house. I didn’t know someone had come by to fix it, so like normal I shoved my way in linebacker style and almost fell on the floor b/c it opened real easily!
Settlers of Catan has a knockoff, it’s settlers of Canaan. Same game, sorta. We got it for Christmas ☺
I was ironing J’s jacket for our special night, and I noticed the tag said, “Made in U.S.A.” interesting….
I’ve now seen kids running around w/o shoes on, when I’m cold enough to be wearing 4 or 5 layers and a scarf (that was at night). Or even running barefoot where there is broken glass and barbed wire. It really gets to you.
Al otro lado- literally “the other side” As I’ve heard a lot of conversations, whenever people say “otro lado” they mean the United States.
I finished Gilead last week and then typed up the quotes, and I finished Girl Meets God today, but there are some things I wanna look up from the book before I loan it to anyone.
I realized I don’t have any of the gospel choir songs on my computer that we sang in college ☹
This week has been harder with the girls, maybe the honeymoon is over, maybe it’s just been harder b/c we weren’t operating by a schedule and we have been around each other 24/7. You know how it is when you’re human.
I’ve discovered that I’m more Type A than I ever admit. But a flexible type A. maybe.
We had a group down here serving, and they brought FROSTED MINI WHEATS to eat. I was thrilled. While I ate them though, my girls just looked confused, like “who’d wanna eat that?” They stuck to their frosted cornflakes or “zucaritas” as they call them. Azucar being the word for sugar, so there is no confusion about the main ingredient. ;)
I had my first “chocoflan” yesterday at our princess dinner. (Which went REALLY well by the way. We showed them how precious and loved they are, and how glad we are that they are in our “family” for now.) It’s chocolate cake on bottom with flan as the top layer. SOOOO GOOD. The girls acted like ladies through the whole dinner, which is a new idea for them I think, but I have since realized that I may not be the best example for how to act. Especially when I caught myself talking with food in my mouth! Opps!
Several of the husbands served us, which we all got a kick out of, but the best was M’s reaction to having “waiters”. She would raise her hand and wiggle her fingers real lady like, to get the drink pourer’s attention, and then she would smile real big and point into her half empty glass. She would even point towards the ladies glasses next to her if it was necessary.
I bought some Kleenex at the closet grocery store the other day. I needed them, but after I started using them I noticed a strange thing. They smell like oil/gas or something! gross!
The last few places I've chosen to live (besides home) have all had great views of the mountains and fairly quick access to the ocean. (1 hr, 4 hrs, 15 min) I'm beginning to notice a pattern.
well, I don't have any New Years resolutions. Maybe be a better mom? ;) but I don't usually make resolutions.
I have realized how very unrealistic my life is right now. Mom 5 days a week, off 2. Moms in REAL life don't have a schedule like that. But at least I'm trying things out, right?
Happy New Year, may it be a year of new beginnings and forgiveness....
.
.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
I went to the beach for Christmas Eve :)
So when C--- forgets to pull the toilet handle back up it runs and runs and runs.
But she can't hear it.
In my room, underneath her bathroom, I can hear it, and it sounds like a waterfall or rapids.
I'm not quite sure how the plumbing was done, but I'm sometimes afraid of what might happen if it goes bad.
She also can't hear how loud she sings and dances when she's upstairs. wow. She stomps like an elephant! But I always know when she's coming. :)
Today we took a leisurely walk to the beach, 3 of my girls and I. It was 75 degrees out. :) (But I'll have you know it was 40 degrees this morning before the sun rose.)
It was nice, but it was a REALLY long leisurely walk, 40 minutes, over a bunch of "abandoned" land. There are tire tracks, cow tracks, lotsa mud, and cow bones. There is a lagoon/bay to the south, so the whole time you're walking it's feels like you should have reached the sea, but you haven't!
I had 3 of my girls with me, and they all chose to jump in the water.
I just watched from very far away...
I was amazed with all the big rocks on the beach!
This is the view of our little town from the beach. The houses are where you see the tree line.
Notice all the "wasteland" between the two.
So the other day Tani was going to exercise to a dvd, she set it up in the living room and the kids noticed. So there was probably 15 of us, in our tiny living room doing walk aerobics. There wasn't really room to even do the movements, luckily after a couple minutes most had quit. I should have taken a picture, I think we looked really funny.
I wanted to listen to Pandora.com while I was wrapping gifts, but this apology appeared..."We are deeply sorry, but due to licensing constraints...We believe that you are in Mexico (your IP address appears to be xxx.xxx.x.xx). " Silly laws. But I found another internet radio station that let me listen...
Well, J--- was supposed to go visit her family Christmas Eve, but instead, someone who wasn't supposed to know where she was living came and visited our house. I know she's upset to not go, but hopefully she will still have a nice holiday. (She still enjoyed the holiday :) )
I really should wrap my presents, but...I'd rather go to bed. That walk wore me out!
Every time I finish a post I think of more to say...
(Our Christmas went well, our internet stopped working before I could post this, and then I was too busy :)
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Feliz Navidad!
Wow.
What a week.
So this week we…
Made ten yogurt/whip cream pies for other missionaries that serve here.
I now know how to make my own whip cream, because I don’t think they sell it in the store.
I panicked partway through as I realized the list of people we should be giving pies to was more than ten. But luckily Johanne was preparing things as well, so I think we got everyone covered.
My girls were all like, “I don’t know how to make a pie.” But in the end did really good and were even faster than me. The only thing is….One of my girls didn’t measure the graham carefully when making the crusts. I took it for granted someone had told her when you use measuring cups to do it exactly. I said “Put in 5 scoops of this with the butter.” And she did 5 heaping scoopfuls :0)
Went to a carnival for children with games and food. It was really well done. The youth group planned it, and at the end they passed out Christmas shoe boxes. It was so fun being on the receiving end of it. I have a different perspective of it now. When I’d have gone shopping to fill one I wouldn’t have put shampoo and toothpaste or anything practical, just fun things, b/c what kid wants socks or toiletries for Christmas BUT BUT BUT our kids were thrilled with whatever was in the box. It was a present and that was exciting enough. More than that though, we can’t buy a lot of American brand toiletries here, so it’s honestly really exciting to get shampoo. Plus, toiletries are something the kids use and need everyday, so it meets a very real need. I don’t wanna live with a bunch of smelly kids that don’t have toothpaste to clean their mouths with!
I’m fighting with my allergies this week, and a couple people have had the flu I think, so it’s 5:30 and I just want to go to bed, but I know I shouldn’t.
We may get two new girls tomorrow, in my house, and two in the other house. They are sisters. We’ll see. I’m at a point where I think I could take the extra responsibility, and the girls REALLY cleaned in preparation for them. I am a little nervous how the friendship dynamics might change.
Not all fly swatters do a quality job. Some are indeed better than others. If you find the need to invest in a new fly swatter and want some expert advise, do ask, and I’ll be glad to help you out.
We were supposed to learn how to make tamales the other day. Instead the lady just made us a bunch and we ate them. They were cheesy and had bell peppers in them, but my girls were all like, hey these have peppers in them, you can’t eat it! And apparently they are telling people that I’m scared of peppers.
Oh we had a nice Christmas Carol time Thursday. That was nice. Which my girls and I were late for, true Mexican style!
We went shopping as a family this week, for new clothes for a special dinner that one of the women is planning as part of her Christmas present to them. I didn't realize how hard it would be. Someone prayed that it we would find what we need on our shopping trip, and I thought to myself, wow, she really asks God for every little silly thing. Then we went shopping, and I realized we don't have any malls, nor shopping centers, and most of the boutiques we went in were just that, SMALL with little to chose from. Many items were "unique", meaning, if you liked a specific skirt, good luck, that's the only one they have so hopefully it's in your size, and if it's not, too bad, they don't have extra in the back. In the end, after 5 hours shopping, we successfully got outfits for all four girls, which was honestly a miracle, we just need to buy some shoes!
All the best taco places here don't have names. People just give them nicknames and everyone calls them that.
I saw some major tumbleweeds the other day. They seemed 4 or 5 feet wide. wow. I wish I would have gotten a good picture.
I was just called to dinner. "Hamburguesas" yummy. apparently, that's a special treat here. Last Monday, one of Johanne's visiting sons made this great cheesy tortellini with artichoke hearts, capers and garlic...I ate that stuff for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
I feel so comfortable here, and I've been so busy, that it's hard to admit to home sickness. But it definitely has manifested itself in my dreams. Did I blog about the one where all the people I loved moved to different cities and that no one lived in the same town as anyone, and I only got to see people once a year? I dream about different friends every night, and I'm always living in the states. I'm trying not to focus on them though.
One of my girls may get to see her family on Christmas if the paperwork goes through. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Only God knows if it'll be good or not. Pray that it only works out if it's supposed to happen.
It's so hard to be loving to them when I don't feel well. How do mom's do it?
Two of my girls went on an errand with Johanne yesterday, and another went with another person, and the other played outside so it was almost like I didn't have them all day long. I definitely needed the break even though it wasn't my day off. I even got some extra sleep since I don't sleep good when my allergies are bad.
It's funny, every morning in Chile I drank fresh squeezed oj, every morning in Costa Rica I ate pineapple, and every day here I eat dried peaches(orejones)! It's so nice to live with people that don't think it's strange you don't like ice in your drinks.
and I STILL teach Spanish, this time to Spanish speakers when they are doing their reading/writing homework. One of my girls just learned how to read and write this year, so we are still working on remembering when to use capital letters and periods.
I'll try to post a couple times a week, and make them shorter :/
But you know me, always talking...
(actually, I've become a bit of an introvert here because there are always a billion people around, and everyone is always talking all at once. I just sit back and enjoy watching and try not to become overwhelmed. whew!)
Feliz Navidad!!
What a week.
So this week we…
Made ten yogurt/whip cream pies for other missionaries that serve here.
I now know how to make my own whip cream, because I don’t think they sell it in the store.
I panicked partway through as I realized the list of people we should be giving pies to was more than ten. But luckily Johanne was preparing things as well, so I think we got everyone covered.
My girls were all like, “I don’t know how to make a pie.” But in the end did really good and were even faster than me. The only thing is….One of my girls didn’t measure the graham carefully when making the crusts. I took it for granted someone had told her when you use measuring cups to do it exactly. I said “Put in 5 scoops of this with the butter.” And she did 5 heaping scoopfuls :0)
Went to a carnival for children with games and food. It was really well done. The youth group planned it, and at the end they passed out Christmas shoe boxes. It was so fun being on the receiving end of it. I have a different perspective of it now. When I’d have gone shopping to fill one I wouldn’t have put shampoo and toothpaste or anything practical, just fun things, b/c what kid wants socks or toiletries for Christmas BUT BUT BUT our kids were thrilled with whatever was in the box. It was a present and that was exciting enough. More than that though, we can’t buy a lot of American brand toiletries here, so it’s honestly really exciting to get shampoo. Plus, toiletries are something the kids use and need everyday, so it meets a very real need. I don’t wanna live with a bunch of smelly kids that don’t have toothpaste to clean their mouths with!
I’m fighting with my allergies this week, and a couple people have had the flu I think, so it’s 5:30 and I just want to go to bed, but I know I shouldn’t.
We may get two new girls tomorrow, in my house, and two in the other house. They are sisters. We’ll see. I’m at a point where I think I could take the extra responsibility, and the girls REALLY cleaned in preparation for them. I am a little nervous how the friendship dynamics might change.
Not all fly swatters do a quality job. Some are indeed better than others. If you find the need to invest in a new fly swatter and want some expert advise, do ask, and I’ll be glad to help you out.
We were supposed to learn how to make tamales the other day. Instead the lady just made us a bunch and we ate them. They were cheesy and had bell peppers in them, but my girls were all like, hey these have peppers in them, you can’t eat it! And apparently they are telling people that I’m scared of peppers.
Oh we had a nice Christmas Carol time Thursday. That was nice. Which my girls and I were late for, true Mexican style!
We went shopping as a family this week, for new clothes for a special dinner that one of the women is planning as part of her Christmas present to them. I didn't realize how hard it would be. Someone prayed that it we would find what we need on our shopping trip, and I thought to myself, wow, she really asks God for every little silly thing. Then we went shopping, and I realized we don't have any malls, nor shopping centers, and most of the boutiques we went in were just that, SMALL with little to chose from. Many items were "unique", meaning, if you liked a specific skirt, good luck, that's the only one they have so hopefully it's in your size, and if it's not, too bad, they don't have extra in the back. In the end, after 5 hours shopping, we successfully got outfits for all four girls, which was honestly a miracle, we just need to buy some shoes!
All the best taco places here don't have names. People just give them nicknames and everyone calls them that.
I saw some major tumbleweeds the other day. They seemed 4 or 5 feet wide. wow. I wish I would have gotten a good picture.
I was just called to dinner. "Hamburguesas" yummy. apparently, that's a special treat here. Last Monday, one of Johanne's visiting sons made this great cheesy tortellini with artichoke hearts, capers and garlic...I ate that stuff for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
I feel so comfortable here, and I've been so busy, that it's hard to admit to home sickness. But it definitely has manifested itself in my dreams. Did I blog about the one where all the people I loved moved to different cities and that no one lived in the same town as anyone, and I only got to see people once a year? I dream about different friends every night, and I'm always living in the states. I'm trying not to focus on them though.
One of my girls may get to see her family on Christmas if the paperwork goes through. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Only God knows if it'll be good or not. Pray that it only works out if it's supposed to happen.
It's so hard to be loving to them when I don't feel well. How do mom's do it?
Two of my girls went on an errand with Johanne yesterday, and another went with another person, and the other played outside so it was almost like I didn't have them all day long. I definitely needed the break even though it wasn't my day off. I even got some extra sleep since I don't sleep good when my allergies are bad.
It's funny, every morning in Chile I drank fresh squeezed oj, every morning in Costa Rica I ate pineapple, and every day here I eat dried peaches(orejones)! It's so nice to live with people that don't think it's strange you don't like ice in your drinks.
and I STILL teach Spanish, this time to Spanish speakers when they are doing their reading/writing homework. One of my girls just learned how to read and write this year, so we are still working on remembering when to use capital letters and periods.
I'll try to post a couple times a week, and make them shorter :/
But you know me, always talking...
(actually, I've become a bit of an introvert here because there are always a billion people around, and everyone is always talking all at once. I just sit back and enjoy watching and try not to become overwhelmed. whew!)
Feliz Navidad!!
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Don't let the duck killer in the house!
Latitude wise I'm living about as high as northern Florida (Tallahassee) 30 degrees ish. Or maybe Biloxi, Mississippi. It's 40 degrees when the sun is set (5pm-6am) and 60 degrees when the sun is up(6am-5pm).
For some reason I had this preconception that at an orphanage all the kids have grown up there all their life. Not so much. Our kids are placed here after being in bad living situations, so there is a lot of emotional mending to do.
I've been having very vivid dreams recently. One of them included being in a plane that was crashing, and as we fell to the earth I could see through the cockpit, and the earth was so far away and beautiful, we were almost far enough away that we may have been in space. We landed without dying, but I decided never to fly again.
I also dreamt that I had auditioned for a rock band, and stopped working at the orphanage to go on tour with them. They wanted a girl with an american accent that could play the piano, they were british. They gave me a packet like 2 feet thick of music that I needed to learn in 2 days. At my first show with them all the kids came.
All my girls used one spray each of my perfume before the Christmas play on Wednesday. oh boy did our row stink with us all sitting together.
Apparently I live with duck killers. They were planning on waiting until Christmas, but we have lots of company for the holidays and they wanted to kill it before company came, because they thought if the guests saw them kill the duck they wouldn't want to eat it. After the boys killed it, one of the little girls wouldn't let them back in the house. She was so mad at them!
not only may I learn how to be domesticated, I might also learn how to take care of animals as they are raising other ducks and hens to eat.
I don't know how to drive a standard vehicle. The jeep/blazer thing that has been offered to me to borrow is definitely stick :( I guess I'll have to learn. (most people here have trucks.)
I finally ate my first "real" mexican food, besides what my girls have made me. We went to a live nativity program and afterwards went for tacos at Rollys? They were so good. They were made with thin steak meat. I love limes. I figured out how to say what I wanted to order after like 10 tries, but even J--- couldn't say it, and she's Mexican! Everyone here has been so gracious.
San Diego Airport
This is Ensenada's huge flag
My luxurious bedroom :)
Sorry if this looks jumbled. I've never used the picture thing on this.
Anyways, these are some of the pictures you all have been waiting for.
Hopefully, sometime this week I'll be able to send out a mass email with a link to more pictures. It took really long for these to upload to
The view if you are standing right outside one of my bedroom windows.
Our little house called "Las Manzanitas"
Sunset at the house...
I'll leave you with a photo of me and my girls (they were playing dressup)
For some reason I had this preconception that at an orphanage all the kids have grown up there all their life. Not so much. Our kids are placed here after being in bad living situations, so there is a lot of emotional mending to do.
I've been having very vivid dreams recently. One of them included being in a plane that was crashing, and as we fell to the earth I could see through the cockpit, and the earth was so far away and beautiful, we were almost far enough away that we may have been in space. We landed without dying, but I decided never to fly again.
I also dreamt that I had auditioned for a rock band, and stopped working at the orphanage to go on tour with them. They wanted a girl with an american accent that could play the piano, they were british. They gave me a packet like 2 feet thick of music that I needed to learn in 2 days. At my first show with them all the kids came.
All my girls used one spray each of my perfume before the Christmas play on Wednesday. oh boy did our row stink with us all sitting together.
Apparently I live with duck killers. They were planning on waiting until Christmas, but we have lots of company for the holidays and they wanted to kill it before company came, because they thought if the guests saw them kill the duck they wouldn't want to eat it. After the boys killed it, one of the little girls wouldn't let them back in the house. She was so mad at them!
not only may I learn how to be domesticated, I might also learn how to take care of animals as they are raising other ducks and hens to eat.
I don't know how to drive a standard vehicle. The jeep/blazer thing that has been offered to me to borrow is definitely stick :( I guess I'll have to learn. (most people here have trucks.)
I finally ate my first "real" mexican food, besides what my girls have made me. We went to a live nativity program and afterwards went for tacos at Rollys? They were so good. They were made with thin steak meat. I love limes. I figured out how to say what I wanted to order after like 10 tries, but even J--- couldn't say it, and she's Mexican! Everyone here has been so gracious.
San Diego AirportThis is Ensenada's huge flag
My luxurious bedroom :)
Sorry if this looks jumbled. I've never used the picture thing on this.
Anyways, these are some of the pictures you all have been waiting for.
Hopefully, sometime this week I'll be able to send out a mass email with a link to more pictures. It took really long for these to upload to
The view if you are standing right outside one of my bedroom windows.
Our little house called "Las Manzanitas"
Sunset at the house...
I'll leave you with a photo of me and my girls (they were playing dressup)
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Pictures to come soon, Lo Prometo!
Life here-
My room is soooooo cute. It’s better decorated than if I’d live on my own in the states.
I even have my own bathroom! It’s my first time ever with my own bathroom!!!!
Our house is not heated, so sometimes it’s a little tough to get out of bed in the morning, but we have hot water!
Our house already has a Christmas tree, which is really (in my opinion) all you need to decorate a house for Christmas. (and maybe some lights)
We also have a septic system set up for using toilet paper!!! Yay!!! I didn’t expect this. I expected to have a really smelly trash can full of used toilet paper.
Our water system is filtered so it’s ok to use to brush your teeth, but we don’t drink it.
The girls are fabulous. It’s a joy to talk with them and work on their school work with them. So far, nothing exciting has happened, but I’ll take life that way.
One of my girls C---, is mostly deaf. I don’t know many signs, and she only speaks Spanish, but somehow we communicate. She does read lips though!
We laugh a lot. I make word jokes in Spanish like mixing up choke and car accident, or light bulb(foco) and seal(foca), and the girls laugh at me.
Our orphanage works with Mexican protective children’s services, so that’s how we’ve gotten the children we have.
It’s only rained 3 times this year! So it’s much drier than Costa Rica, BUT there was a gigantic storm the night before I came, and it's rained a ton since, so my house doesn’t have internet or international telephone right now. (it didn't when I wrote this, but now it does!)
We have clay dirt everywhere, so the water doesn't soak in very well.
I guess the kids went mud boarding in the street after the storm. The video I saw looks like it was a lot of fun!
Verizon told me I’d have phone service with expensive roaming charges, but my phone can’t find a tower at all.
I am working on an adult reading program with two of my girls, the sky is the limit once they have finished it.
I didn’t realize how distracting it is to sit with your children in church. I couldn’t listen the whole time, instead I was just constantly alert that they were behaving.
M--- just told me to tell you she’s funny, and a joker.
Mom did a nice thing, and bought me a new toothbrush before I left, but when she came back the new toothbrush was less technologically advanced than the one I’d owned before (a Colgate 360) She claimed that no fancy toothbrushes existed at the store…but I was looking through our extra toothbrushes at my house here in Mexico, and we have 6 of them!
Everyone here is really nice. I like them a lot.
I thought I might have more time living here, but I might start giving piano lessons to three kids, teach my girls how to knit (my “boss’s” mother gave her a bunch of extra yarn she didn’t want a few months ago) and the list goes on and on…
Oh! I had mentioned to Johanne (the head house mom/boss) that I wanted to play piano here, well, she asked around, and there is an extra piano no one is using, so soon, some people are going to move it into my house for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(They gave me a piano for my house, that I'm borrowing, two days ago!!!)
I have four girls in my house, I only cook breakfast for them, although I’ll occasionally cook other stuff too. We are praying that Children’s services gives us two more. (They cook for me, really, I just supervise.)
I hear the flies get worse in the summer, I guess it's because we have a field of cows on the west side of our property.
We live a bit outside of town, but it’s nice. The sky is AMAZING. You can see the stars very clearly. (especially when the electricity goes out, which happened yesterday morning.)
I think I was a little bit drama queeny about not having everything I might need. I brought more toiletries than really is necessary, plus it seems like we have enough connections in the organization that may be leaving for Christmas for a couple days, or people coming down to visit for the holidays, that if I really needed anything, I could certainly ask a favor and then pay them back. But you are welcome to still send me things.
Plus the house mom that lived there before left some of her old toiletries. I’m a sucker for buying different soap and lotion, and there were a couple kinds I’ve never tried(albeit half used) in my bathroom. I can’t wait to try some of them out.
Johanne has offered to me to come home for Christmas for a couple days, I’m not sure how practical it is, and I would love to experience it “Mexican” style. But I’m thinking about it. Part of me feels bad for not spending Christmas with my new family and the other half of me feels bad for not trying to get home…
One of the books I brought to re read (practicing the presence of God by brother Lawrence) was quoted in church on Sunday.
There is a painting of cosmos above my bed. Cosmos are one of my favorite flowers. And there are some cosmos growing outside our house. :)
________________
Thursday was our first disaster. We had a toilet on the second floor overflow. And it came through the ceiling. GROSS! So we spent all day cleaning. It was crazy. It was my mistake not to oversee the plunging of the aforementioned toilet.
Saturday morning was our second one. The girls were listening to inappropriate music on their radio (and I think they had been listening to a soap opera the other day, but wasn’t sure), and so I took away the chords to plug them in. So they’ve been upstairs singing songs we already know LOUDLY all morning. It is kind of a nice change, because they discovered that I had Jesus Adrian Romero’s cd, and we’ve listened to it ALL week, and I’m sick of it.
They all speak loudly all the time, but I think it’s become a custom because of our one deaf girl. Pray that my ears don’t fall off.
I haven’t had much alone time this week, besides early in the morning, and after they’ve gone to the bed. Johanne has offered me more “rest” time, and I’m not sure how to take advantage of it without being anti-social. I do want to get to know people here intimately, but that takes a lot out of me, and needs to happen gradually.
I've been eating spicey food almost every day. My girls know that I don't prefer spicey food, so they make jokes about that too. I asked for the chiles, and hot sauce to put them in the fridge yesterday while I was cleaning up after lunch and they said, "It's a miracle, she wants the chiles and hot sauce!"
I had forgotten how moody teenagers are. One second they are enemies, the next second they love each other.
We run our driers with gas for the heat and electricity for the tumbling, but last night the gas ran out. :(
This morning, early, one of my girls went, and restarted the clothes I had in the drier without asking, so then when I went to check on my clothes, they were already dry!!!!
THEN one of my other girls surprised me by folding one of my loads.
This is the latest I've been up in a while.
So I need to get to bed.
Although this post is disjointed, I'd much rather put it up than not...
My room is soooooo cute. It’s better decorated than if I’d live on my own in the states.
I even have my own bathroom! It’s my first time ever with my own bathroom!!!!
Our house is not heated, so sometimes it’s a little tough to get out of bed in the morning, but we have hot water!
Our house already has a Christmas tree, which is really (in my opinion) all you need to decorate a house for Christmas. (and maybe some lights)
We also have a septic system set up for using toilet paper!!! Yay!!! I didn’t expect this. I expected to have a really smelly trash can full of used toilet paper.
Our water system is filtered so it’s ok to use to brush your teeth, but we don’t drink it.
The girls are fabulous. It’s a joy to talk with them and work on their school work with them. So far, nothing exciting has happened, but I’ll take life that way.
One of my girls C---, is mostly deaf. I don’t know many signs, and she only speaks Spanish, but somehow we communicate. She does read lips though!
We laugh a lot. I make word jokes in Spanish like mixing up choke and car accident, or light bulb(foco) and seal(foca), and the girls laugh at me.
Our orphanage works with Mexican protective children’s services, so that’s how we’ve gotten the children we have.
It’s only rained 3 times this year! So it’s much drier than Costa Rica, BUT there was a gigantic storm the night before I came, and it's rained a ton since, so my house doesn’t have internet or international telephone right now. (it didn't when I wrote this, but now it does!)
We have clay dirt everywhere, so the water doesn't soak in very well.
I guess the kids went mud boarding in the street after the storm. The video I saw looks like it was a lot of fun!
Verizon told me I’d have phone service with expensive roaming charges, but my phone can’t find a tower at all.
I am working on an adult reading program with two of my girls, the sky is the limit once they have finished it.
I didn’t realize how distracting it is to sit with your children in church. I couldn’t listen the whole time, instead I was just constantly alert that they were behaving.
M--- just told me to tell you she’s funny, and a joker.
Mom did a nice thing, and bought me a new toothbrush before I left, but when she came back the new toothbrush was less technologically advanced than the one I’d owned before (a Colgate 360) She claimed that no fancy toothbrushes existed at the store…but I was looking through our extra toothbrushes at my house here in Mexico, and we have 6 of them!
Everyone here is really nice. I like them a lot.
I thought I might have more time living here, but I might start giving piano lessons to three kids, teach my girls how to knit (my “boss’s” mother gave her a bunch of extra yarn she didn’t want a few months ago) and the list goes on and on…
Oh! I had mentioned to Johanne (the head house mom/boss) that I wanted to play piano here, well, she asked around, and there is an extra piano no one is using, so soon, some people are going to move it into my house for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(They gave me a piano for my house, that I'm borrowing, two days ago!!!)
I have four girls in my house, I only cook breakfast for them, although I’ll occasionally cook other stuff too. We are praying that Children’s services gives us two more. (They cook for me, really, I just supervise.)
I hear the flies get worse in the summer, I guess it's because we have a field of cows on the west side of our property.
We live a bit outside of town, but it’s nice. The sky is AMAZING. You can see the stars very clearly. (especially when the electricity goes out, which happened yesterday morning.)
I think I was a little bit drama queeny about not having everything I might need. I brought more toiletries than really is necessary, plus it seems like we have enough connections in the organization that may be leaving for Christmas for a couple days, or people coming down to visit for the holidays, that if I really needed anything, I could certainly ask a favor and then pay them back. But you are welcome to still send me things.
Plus the house mom that lived there before left some of her old toiletries. I’m a sucker for buying different soap and lotion, and there were a couple kinds I’ve never tried(albeit half used) in my bathroom. I can’t wait to try some of them out.
Johanne has offered to me to come home for Christmas for a couple days, I’m not sure how practical it is, and I would love to experience it “Mexican” style. But I’m thinking about it. Part of me feels bad for not spending Christmas with my new family and the other half of me feels bad for not trying to get home…
One of the books I brought to re read (practicing the presence of God by brother Lawrence) was quoted in church on Sunday.
There is a painting of cosmos above my bed. Cosmos are one of my favorite flowers. And there are some cosmos growing outside our house. :)
________________
Thursday was our first disaster. We had a toilet on the second floor overflow. And it came through the ceiling. GROSS! So we spent all day cleaning. It was crazy. It was my mistake not to oversee the plunging of the aforementioned toilet.
Saturday morning was our second one. The girls were listening to inappropriate music on their radio (and I think they had been listening to a soap opera the other day, but wasn’t sure), and so I took away the chords to plug them in. So they’ve been upstairs singing songs we already know LOUDLY all morning. It is kind of a nice change, because they discovered that I had Jesus Adrian Romero’s cd, and we’ve listened to it ALL week, and I’m sick of it.
They all speak loudly all the time, but I think it’s become a custom because of our one deaf girl. Pray that my ears don’t fall off.
I haven’t had much alone time this week, besides early in the morning, and after they’ve gone to the bed. Johanne has offered me more “rest” time, and I’m not sure how to take advantage of it without being anti-social. I do want to get to know people here intimately, but that takes a lot out of me, and needs to happen gradually.
I've been eating spicey food almost every day. My girls know that I don't prefer spicey food, so they make jokes about that too. I asked for the chiles, and hot sauce to put them in the fridge yesterday while I was cleaning up after lunch and they said, "It's a miracle, she wants the chiles and hot sauce!"
I had forgotten how moody teenagers are. One second they are enemies, the next second they love each other.
We run our driers with gas for the heat and electricity for the tumbling, but last night the gas ran out. :(
This morning, early, one of my girls went, and restarted the clothes I had in the drier without asking, so then when I went to check on my clothes, they were already dry!!!!
THEN one of my other girls surprised me by folding one of my loads.
This is the latest I've been up in a while.
So I need to get to bed.
Although this post is disjointed, I'd much rather put it up than not...
Saturday, December 8, 2007
I've become a really great fly killer.
so I typed up this really long entry. But I put it on my flash drive, and I'm not sure how to access it on this computer. Hopefully my internet will be up and running in the next couple days, I just need to know what our server is and get a password.
Mexico is really great so far. My room is super cute. My girls are great, C---, M---, J---, Y---. I like the people I'm working with.
I have pictures, but once again...I'm not using my own computer yet.
I had 76 unread NON SPAM messages when I first got the chance to check my email yesterday, so I'll need a little patience in getting back with people :)
Today and Tomorrow are my days off, but it seems strange ignoring my girls all day just to read and check email and things. But I definitely need to figure out the balance between spending time with people and spending time by myself.
It's colder than I thought it'd be. Once again. I wish I had packed more long sleeve stuff, and keep finding myself wearing layers and layers of clothes. Our house isn't heated. (It's maybe in the low 60's? I'm guessing)
Any questions?
ok. I'll hopefully update in the next couple days. with the long post :)
(oh, the girls have been listening to my "cerca de ti" cd NON stop. I brought it with me, and they were pumped when they found out I had it. )
Mexico is really great so far. My room is super cute. My girls are great, C---, M---, J---, Y---. I like the people I'm working with.
I have pictures, but once again...I'm not using my own computer yet.
I had 76 unread NON SPAM messages when I first got the chance to check my email yesterday, so I'll need a little patience in getting back with people :)
Today and Tomorrow are my days off, but it seems strange ignoring my girls all day just to read and check email and things. But I definitely need to figure out the balance between spending time with people and spending time by myself.
It's colder than I thought it'd be. Once again. I wish I had packed more long sleeve stuff, and keep finding myself wearing layers and layers of clothes. Our house isn't heated. (It's maybe in the low 60's? I'm guessing)
Any questions?
ok. I'll hopefully update in the next couple days. with the long post :)
(oh, the girls have been listening to my "cerca de ti" cd NON stop. I brought it with me, and they were pumped when they found out I had it. )
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Success!
well, the last of the guests have left.
Over 50 people came, which is amazing with people's schedules and such.
I had several reasons for the open house.
1. to see friends and family that I won't get to see for a long time, and won't get to see at Christmas.
2. to provide people a chance to emotionally support my Mom and Dad, as I know my being far away for an extended period of time will be hard for them.
3. to provide people with a way of staying in contact with me.
4. to answer specific questions about my ministry
all I know is I'm exhausted now, and have even more to do than I'd remembered...
pack
finish giving things (back) to people
write thank yous
get rid of stuff that I won't need for the next year
see more people
Next Saturday at this time (approximately) I'll be sleeping in my bed in "Las Manzanitas" (the little apples- that's the name of the house I'll be living in with my girls)
Should I post some sort of FAQ's here? I'm thinking about it.
Over 50 people came, which is amazing with people's schedules and such.
I had several reasons for the open house.
1. to see friends and family that I won't get to see for a long time, and won't get to see at Christmas.
2. to provide people a chance to emotionally support my Mom and Dad, as I know my being far away for an extended period of time will be hard for them.
3. to provide people with a way of staying in contact with me.
4. to answer specific questions about my ministry
all I know is I'm exhausted now, and have even more to do than I'd remembered...
pack
finish giving things (back) to people
write thank yous
get rid of stuff that I won't need for the next year
see more people
Next Saturday at this time (approximately) I'll be sleeping in my bed in "Las Manzanitas" (the little apples- that's the name of the house I'll be living in with my girls)
Should I post some sort of FAQ's here? I'm thinking about it.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
My First Post
If you're reading this, you probably know that I'm moving to Mexico December 1st.
I'm going to be loving on and serving children in Baja California.
It's exciting :)
We are having a little open house,
Saturday November 24th from 3-6
Please let me know if you're coming by!
(or if you need directions.)
I'm going to be loving on and serving children in Baja California.
It's exciting :)
We are having a little open house,
Saturday November 24th from 3-6
Please let me know if you're coming by!
(or if you need directions.)
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