como me duele... (elizalde)

that song is currently playing from the loudspeakers on the hill. Someone must be having a party.

but really, I do hurt.

We had a birthday party last night for one of the missionaries daughters, she turned 15 so it was a BIG party.
I chose to wear cute heels, since most people were in their nicest clothes (think formal) and I only brought skirts with me. But dancing in heels and walking around in them wasn't the best idea. Especially the walk TO the party, think dirt road, not flat, lots of pot holes. My girls were advising me to change shoes so that "you won't be sitting on the couch whining about your ankle" haha. I told them "La belleza cuesta" "Beauty Costs" (just to clarify, I didn't hurt myself, it was just the first time wearing heels since I sprained my ankle)

I realize now why moms sometimes don't look their cutest all the time. I had only thought about myself before the party, how much time IIIII would need to curl my hair, how much time IIIIII would need to put on makeup, etc. But maybe an hour before we were supposed to leave, 2 of my daughters are asking me to help them get ready-make up, finishing details on mask, picking out dress, curling hair.... I suppose I need to think of them next time, eh? We were 40 minutes late, but this IS Mexico.

One dance we did was the Virginia Reel... M came up to me and said, "hey, you have to come to the ball room, we're going to learn a Canadian style dance!" (the people throwing the party are Canadian) I quickly corrected her "it's not canadian", showed her where I live with my hand, and then indicated where the Virginia Reel comes from (presumably Virginia?) It was very important that I set the record straight ;)

So I finished “Life of the World” by Schmemann like a month ago, but I’m still struggling through the ideas. I’ve ended up rereading it, and kind of stalling whatever forward motion I had with my “read as many books in my free time” goal. I guess the thing is, I wanna make my lifestyle coincide with the things in the book I agree with, but I’m not sure how to do that without it being a long process. If my life doesn't espouse what I SAY I believe, then I don't really believe it.

Someone donated several big boxes of cakemix to us. They probably have 30 individual boxes in each one, and I thought, wow, this will last a long time. Haha. No.
We use 3 boxes of cake mix every time that we make enough cake for everyone in our family. If we are having a party or have invited people over then it can end up being 6 boxes of cake.
Annnnnnnnd…..this being Mexico, it seems like there are parties all the time.
We’ve been having about one birthday party a week, some of these within our own “family of 18 people that live here”, some of these among the friends of our children, some parties were for Mother's day. It's been NUTS!


Frustration level goes up when I’m tired. and I was tired today. However, my girl who is leaving us, mysteriously forgot how to do perimeter and area today, even though I know she can do advanced problems that involve the use of that knowledge. I think it was her way of getting to sit next to me during school without admitting that she is scared/sad/some emotion, who knows! to leave in July. I whispered in her ear, I know you know how to do these. But then walked her through each problem. As long as I kept in my mind, she just wants to see I love her, it was easier to keep from being frustrated.

well, I have a whole list of things I'd like to tell you about, so I'm gonna try REALLY hard to write again tomorrow...