When we went and saw the whales last weekend, we did other things as well, like take a walk through the town. From far away at night, it seemed like a gigantic place!! But turns out, it’s one long strip, with street, and ONE row of houses/ businesses on the south side with literally NOTHING behind them. Flatness for miles. Apparently Guerrero Negro has the same amount of land dedicated to salt production as the amount of land in Mexico City. GN produces 5% of the world’s sea salt. The thing that most impressed me about GN was their handicap friendly sidewalks. They had ramps that went down to street level at intersections, instead of curbs! Granted, we should have just been impressed that they had sidewalks, b/c we don’t have them really in our town. Occasionally you’ll see them by a school, or a group of businesses, but they are often cut off by dirt on either side of their pitiful existence.
Before we went down to GN, I researched places we could stay. As I read some online reviews of the hotels, one of them said “if this establishment is going to operate in the winter, Dec-Mar, which is main tourist season, then they should have heated rooms.” I laughed, thinking, I LIVE 7 hours north of GN and I don’t have a heated house, nobody does.
Our motel was clean and comfortable. There was no Gideon's Bible, no telephone, no shampoo, no coffee maker, no alarm clock, no fire escape plan, no iron, no microwave, no city guides, no tv guides. There was wireless though! But we didn't use it. They chose toilet bowl fresheners as room air fresheners, attaching them under the sink and on the towel rack. It was funny being in a room that smelled pungently like fresh toilet. Maybe that's how live fish feel when we flush them down. We asked to pay both nights when we first arrived, but the guy said, at noon tomorrow, if you want to stay another day, pay then. We thought, "that's ominous." We were warm enough, just like I thought we'd be!
Our whale watching tour was at 8am, and we had to sign in at 7:30, so there was no sleeping in on my bday. (sadness)
We showed up in sandals, with several layers on top b/c it was supposed to be 80 degrees. With one look the employee said, “don’t you have warmer clothes to wear? Well, maybe I’ll ask the captain if you could borrow windbreakers while you’re out there.” That was before he saw we were wearing sandals, the “they aren’t prepared disdain” ever growing in his head. It was a half hour drive out to the dock, most of it past nothing, flat nothingness, on a light to medium bumpy road. One of the American ladies rightly commented, “this must be the nice road they save for the tourists.” Once we got on the 23 foot fishing type motor boats, we zoomed out to the middle of the lagoon. That part was windy and cold! Once we stopped though, we had to cut motor within certain feet of the whales, it was warm and sunny and beautiful, and the captain had either forgotten to give us the windbreakers or decided we didn’t need them. The water even seemed warm enough to swim in (we didn’t.) We saw tons of whales, the beginning of the trip being much more exciting than the end, b/c you saw them far away and thought “wow, we are sooo close!” and then they APPROACHED our boat, and used it to scratch their backs, and swam around us and around us, and we TOUCHED THEM. They feel squishy. Joanne even almost poked ones eye out, because her hand was in the water and then it jumped out at us! Unfortunately, that didn’t last forever, and during the last bit of the tour the whales were farther away, but jumping out of the water and doing funny things with their spouts and back tails. NO matter how many whales we could see at once (6? 8?) nor how many cute things they were doing could be as spectacular as being 1 foot away from them. The whales we saw were Grey Whales, and about double the size of our boat. I asked the tour guide if the boat would tip over and he said it wouldn’t. When they asked everyone in the boat where they were from, there were 8 of us, all of them Mexican except for my friend and I, I said, “San Quintin” and they were all like, “OH! San Quintin, California.” I corrected them “No, San Quintin, BAJA California, two hours south of Ensenada, five hours south of Tijuana.” And there was a collective groan that in MY culture means, we understand now.
On this trip I learned that salt is used for much more things than just the table. Some food comes already seasoned, it’s used to make chlorine bleach, plastics, chemicals, and who knows what else.
We went to a restaurant to have my birthday dinner, and they put pomegranate seeds in my steamed rice to decorate it. Very classy.
On the way home, when we had almost approached our city, the non-working bus driver (they have 2 that take turns) walked a few rows back to where we were sitting to tell us, “This is where you get off.” I don’t think he saw us readying our things, or knew we lived there and were very familiar with our town. We were so eager to get off that bus and be home!
Today, one of my daughters turns 16, and another child in our org turns 14! Yay for birthdays!
(I read The Mysterious Benedict Society, on that trip.)
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Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
flat roads...
Maybe this post will continue my inability to understand others…
So C—tried to go to school with TWO hoodies on. At the same time. I know that layering is cool right now, but it’s warm here, too warm especially for someone that walks uphill to the bus stop. As I looked at her confused, she told me that tomorrow she is going to wear pink shorts to school. I decided to tell her she could only wear one, and she fought a little, but it was just to retain pride, not because she really thought she was right. What a teenager. She turns 16 on Saturday the 28th!
Our neighbor decided that our road was too pot-holey and so he decided to pay someone to tear up the road with a tiller (or something kind of fancy farm equipment) and then smooth it back out. Sometimes when I’m walking or biking I notice pipes laid fairly close to the road, different sections exposed, or even above the topsoil without shame. Some of these are no longer functional, broken into pieces and the permanently stuck plastic could rip holes in your tire (well, I’m exaggerating- hurt you if you step on them funny?? cause a bike accident?) and others just have little leaks in the middle of the road. I had always wondered how these pipes got broken and brought to the top. People dug up the road carelessly, and by carelessly I mean TOO DEEEP! So for three days now, we’ve have various men outside our house, and various construction/farm equipment being utilized to fix the two pipes broken in our neighbors eagerness to have civilized roads. (BTW, our road is now wonderfully flat and marvelous, but it was a pain to walk through- you sunk every step you took- before they tamped it down AND there is a definite level difference between the road and where we park our cars. It used to be perfectly smooth transition, now I feel like I’m 4 wheel adventure driving every time I pull in and out. But with time little dirt ramps will form.) I think my favorite part of this whole situation was when I found out our water pipe TO OUR HOUSE was broken and I asked who we were going to call to get it fixed. "We don't call anyone, we fix it." I don’t know why he broke up the pipes, but I also don’t know why he leveled the road so early on, I think it might rain again before “winter” is over. It certainly smelled like rain yesterday. Although it feels like summer already hit, which is when we get NO RAIN. This past weekend it was hot and gorgeous here, even though I wasn’t home to experience it, but more on that when I have time to write.
So C—tried to go to school with TWO hoodies on. At the same time. I know that layering is cool right now, but it’s warm here, too warm especially for someone that walks uphill to the bus stop. As I looked at her confused, she told me that tomorrow she is going to wear pink shorts to school. I decided to tell her she could only wear one, and she fought a little, but it was just to retain pride, not because she really thought she was right. What a teenager. She turns 16 on Saturday the 28th!
Our neighbor decided that our road was too pot-holey and so he decided to pay someone to tear up the road with a tiller (or something kind of fancy farm equipment) and then smooth it back out. Sometimes when I’m walking or biking I notice pipes laid fairly close to the road, different sections exposed, or even above the topsoil without shame. Some of these are no longer functional, broken into pieces and the permanently stuck plastic could rip holes in your tire (well, I’m exaggerating- hurt you if you step on them funny?? cause a bike accident?) and others just have little leaks in the middle of the road. I had always wondered how these pipes got broken and brought to the top. People dug up the road carelessly, and by carelessly I mean TOO DEEEP! So for three days now, we’ve have various men outside our house, and various construction/farm equipment being utilized to fix the two pipes broken in our neighbors eagerness to have civilized roads. (BTW, our road is now wonderfully flat and marvelous, but it was a pain to walk through- you sunk every step you took- before they tamped it down AND there is a definite level difference between the road and where we park our cars. It used to be perfectly smooth transition, now I feel like I’m 4 wheel adventure driving every time I pull in and out. But with time little dirt ramps will form.) I think my favorite part of this whole situation was when I found out our water pipe TO OUR HOUSE was broken and I asked who we were going to call to get it fixed. "We don't call anyone, we fix it." I don’t know why he broke up the pipes, but I also don’t know why he leveled the road so early on, I think it might rain again before “winter” is over. It certainly smelled like rain yesterday. Although it feels like summer already hit, which is when we get NO RAIN. This past weekend it was hot and gorgeous here, even though I wasn’t home to experience it, but more on that when I have time to write.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
my name is EVERYWHERE!
I keep forgetting that with unschooled people, you have to teach them things that often seem like common sense. The latest of this is J---. She was filling an answer in her workbook and didn’t have enough room on the line, so she chose to write the rest of the answer above the original portion and to the left. There was plenty of space below the line to continue writing her answer. At first, I was confused, but then realized what she’d done. I explained to her a better way to do it, telling her it’s easier, because we read from l-r, top-bottom, and so she should but the rest of the answer below and to the right.
The other thing we worked on learning today was number families or using multiplication to divide. She is ok with her multiplication tables, not super fast, but just looks at division like she’s going to die. When I explained she could use her multiplication skills to come up with the answers she looked at me like I was crazy. Hopefully she’s getting it.
Another thing I’ve noticed is that children, if not trained to respect property, will write on anything around them!!! I was in the kitchen eating lunch with a book I’d borrowed a few feet away. My daughter M—19, picked it up and with the intention to write in the front cover of it!!!! She didn’t even know to who it belonged. I asked her, “Is that yours?” No. “Do you know who it belongs to?” No. (and it didn’t seem to bother her at this point.) Then I chimed, “I’M reading it, but it’s NOT EVEN MINE. I’m borrowing it. Why would you write in something that ISN’T yours?” That was when she apologized profusely and put it back down. I have a sneaky feeling that if I would have told her it belonged to any number of other people she would have begun her graffiti. Everything she owns has her name on it, and sometimes her friends names on it, which I always attributed to the desire to claim property in a big household, but now I’m not so sure. With how much she loves her own name, she doesn’t know the name of the boy that likes her, even though he’s been to our house several times now. I’ve decided to talk to him next time he’s here, make-up or no!
(Hey, Hannah, it's all about your b-day today. Not mine.)
The other thing we worked on learning today was number families or using multiplication to divide. She is ok with her multiplication tables, not super fast, but just looks at division like she’s going to die. When I explained she could use her multiplication skills to come up with the answers she looked at me like I was crazy. Hopefully she’s getting it.
Another thing I’ve noticed is that children, if not trained to respect property, will write on anything around them!!! I was in the kitchen eating lunch with a book I’d borrowed a few feet away. My daughter M—19, picked it up and with the intention to write in the front cover of it!!!! She didn’t even know to who it belonged. I asked her, “Is that yours?” No. “Do you know who it belongs to?” No. (and it didn’t seem to bother her at this point.) Then I chimed, “I’M reading it, but it’s NOT EVEN MINE. I’m borrowing it. Why would you write in something that ISN’T yours?” That was when she apologized profusely and put it back down. I have a sneaky feeling that if I would have told her it belonged to any number of other people she would have begun her graffiti. Everything she owns has her name on it, and sometimes her friends names on it, which I always attributed to the desire to claim property in a big household, but now I’m not so sure. With how much she loves her own name, she doesn’t know the name of the boy that likes her, even though he’s been to our house several times now. I’ve decided to talk to him next time he’s here, make-up or no!
(Hey, Hannah, it's all about your b-day today. Not mine.)
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
"I told her to do it..."
The Mexican gov’t has started a new-ish thing. It’s sorta like a Social Security Card, but it’s called a curp. Most of our kids don’t have one, and the other day when filling out some paperwork at school, one of the parents who works with me was told that his child needed to present her curp. He told the lady he didn’t have one, but she seemed pretty insistent about it, and he knew our other child who was in that school didn’t have one, so he was confused. He phoned me to see if he was right. I told him M—didn’t have a curp, and that neither did R—in that school. The teacher decided they would rather talk to me than him, so he passed me the phone. In asking her why she would require it for M, but not for R, I (and she) realized that they AREN’T registered at the same school (easy mistake?- I thought there was only one school in that neighborhood.) and in all of the confusion, she took pity on us and said that she would turn in the appropriate paperwork and get the curp for us! I can’t even imagine waiting in line with all the papers to get that done for all the kids.
One of the married children of the head house mom is moving back down here. For now, until they get their house fixed up, their family is staying in the trailer on our property. They have a little girl who is 4 or 5? And when she talks about where they are living right now she says “white van.” I need to get my shoes out of the white van. Would you open the door on the white van? It’s sooo adorable.
Today is the start of Lent. While I was thinking of giving something up (although I haven’t quite decided exactly what) I thought maybe I could be consciously less selfish. I’m the first one to get in a car, to get in a house, to be in line for food, to go to bed (they have to turn down their stereos). I make decisions in my house that work best for me, without taking consideration of others A LOT. So tonite, I thought about how I should check over my daughter’s math book. I really didn’t want to. I had other intriguing fun things to do. Instead of making her go get it and bring it to me (a typical SELFISH thing that I would do) I told her I was going to her room to revise it. As I walked in, I quickly realized I wouldn’t find it right away, but what I did find was my book of common prayer-- that has been missing since NOVEMBER 1st. Normally I wouldn’t have such a sentimental thing for books, but as mail is a little harder to come by here, and since there are some things inside it that are special to me, I was pumped! It’s funny that I found it the day before Lent started, when I thought I might try to pray more often (out side of our morning intercessions for the family and community here). And I think it’s great that I was rewarded for doing something I wasn’t thrilled to do, even though I knew it was a more considerate thing to do. The part that kills me, is I’ve been in their room, I’ve asked them to look for it, they know I was missing it, and here it was in a totally obvious place. We even cleaned the bookshelf twice looking for it. What a blessing/perfect timing.
....last story.
Today we came home from the store without any toliet paper. It was on the list, and crossed off, but never purchased.
Why???
M-- 19, "well, I told her to do it, so then I crossed it off."
Me- "you don't cross something off the list until you've finished doing it."
M-- 19, "I didn't know that. Next time."
One of the married children of the head house mom is moving back down here. For now, until they get their house fixed up, their family is staying in the trailer on our property. They have a little girl who is 4 or 5? And when she talks about where they are living right now she says “white van.” I need to get my shoes out of the white van. Would you open the door on the white van? It’s sooo adorable.
Today is the start of Lent. While I was thinking of giving something up (although I haven’t quite decided exactly what) I thought maybe I could be consciously less selfish. I’m the first one to get in a car, to get in a house, to be in line for food, to go to bed (they have to turn down their stereos). I make decisions in my house that work best for me, without taking consideration of others A LOT. So tonite, I thought about how I should check over my daughter’s math book. I really didn’t want to. I had other intriguing fun things to do. Instead of making her go get it and bring it to me (a typical SELFISH thing that I would do) I told her I was going to her room to revise it. As I walked in, I quickly realized I wouldn’t find it right away, but what I did find was my book of common prayer-- that has been missing since NOVEMBER 1st. Normally I wouldn’t have such a sentimental thing for books, but as mail is a little harder to come by here, and since there are some things inside it that are special to me, I was pumped! It’s funny that I found it the day before Lent started, when I thought I might try to pray more often (out side of our morning intercessions for the family and community here). And I think it’s great that I was rewarded for doing something I wasn’t thrilled to do, even though I knew it was a more considerate thing to do. The part that kills me, is I’ve been in their room, I’ve asked them to look for it, they know I was missing it, and here it was in a totally obvious place. We even cleaned the bookshelf twice looking for it. What a blessing/perfect timing.
....last story.
Today we came home from the store without any toliet paper. It was on the list, and crossed off, but never purchased.
Why???
M-- 19, "well, I told her to do it, so then I crossed it off."
Me- "you don't cross something off the list until you've finished doing it."
M-- 19, "I didn't know that. Next time."
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
She had begun to think that very few things indeed were really impossible...
Recently we’ve run out of syrup for pancakes. The other morning, as I was in a hurry to get one of the children out the door, I handed them a gigantic gallon of syrup. They were about to pour it on their pancakes as someone yelled, NO NO NO!
…I was too tired to notice I’d given them a gallon of SOY sauce.
I did a similar with pancake mix…I grabbed a big bag of white powdery stuff ready to make pancakes, only to realize that it was powdered milk. Oi-vey.
We have a new girl. Her name is S---. We got her on Tuesday of last week. She’s shy, timid, and hasn’t very readily made friends, but last time I checked you can’t force teenagers to be friends with one another…maybe I can work on some bribes? We’ll see. She’s really nice it seems (although, it’s the honeymoon stage). I read her psychological report, and it made me grouchy, because her description (which the psych found troubling, and something that pointed out many flaws in her) is exactly how I would describe the common teenager, specific species being a GIRL. The psych also says it's a "fantasy" to want to be reunited with your family. whatev.
It’s late, and I have a headache. I’ll try to write about the weekend tomorrow.
P.S. We watched Hi-tops tonite!!!!!!! That was definitely a highlight of the birthday celebrations that went on ALL stinking weekend.
…I was too tired to notice I’d given them a gallon of SOY sauce.
I did a similar with pancake mix…I grabbed a big bag of white powdery stuff ready to make pancakes, only to realize that it was powdered milk. Oi-vey.
We have a new girl. Her name is S---. We got her on Tuesday of last week. She’s shy, timid, and hasn’t very readily made friends, but last time I checked you can’t force teenagers to be friends with one another…maybe I can work on some bribes? We’ll see. She’s really nice it seems (although, it’s the honeymoon stage). I read her psychological report, and it made me grouchy, because her description (which the psych found troubling, and something that pointed out many flaws in her) is exactly how I would describe the common teenager, specific species being a GIRL. The psych also says it's a "fantasy" to want to be reunited with your family. whatev.
It’s late, and I have a headache. I’ll try to write about the weekend tomorrow.
P.S. We watched Hi-tops tonite!!!!!!! That was definitely a highlight of the birthday celebrations that went on ALL stinking weekend.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Lady Things- Earrings, and Razors. (Hope)
My mom and Dad got me earrings for my birthday. Really cute black ones. And I’ve already LOST ONE. I wore them not even 12 hours. b/c I am the queen of losing things, but especially earrings. I’ve always been bad with jewelry and once suggested to some friends that I should never own real diamonds, but they said, “one day, you will and you won’t lost them.” Although in my defense, kids are always jumping up for piggy back rides, or hugs, and I usually lose those dangly ones without backs.
While I was home I was lamenting a certain pair of rectangle turquoise earrings, but after going through my mom’s jewelry, like every good daughter does, I found the exact pair. It was then I remembered that she had complimented mine and I’d bought her a pair. She has since generously given me that pair. Not a bad insurance policy if I could afford buying two pairs every time I get earrings.
My friend Amanda gave me a pair of earrings from Chile, made of blown glass and copper, I lost them, along with another pair, big red ones that I had bought in Costa Rica. I knew I hadn’t lost them, just misplaced them. They were gone a good 6 months before I found them again. They were hiding in my suitcase where they’d been since I had last used it, even though I had searched through it better and with more passion than a dog trained to find drugs.
So I suppose, it’s with all confidence that I say my black earring will be restored to me, as soon as I shake out my sheets, go through my dirty laundry, show every child in the house the remaining earring, use a metal detector, retrace my steps, get a hair cut, have a few sleeps, paint my nails, help kids with homework, get in and back out of the car 7 times, hunt some lady bugs, reformat my hard drive, change the oil in the car, and then give up. When all hope is gone, and I’ve forgotten I’m looking for it, it will turn up, and make my day all the better. It's totally worth it to worry more about people than objects, and I LOSE THAT thought all the time. Help me repent. I just wrote three paragraphs about things and not people.
P.S. I saw ten razors for a dollar at the store and thought! Wow, what a deal. So I bought them for the girls (and I) but after using one realized the blades aren’t straight and neither is the plastic part, and that they generally don’t work. Sigh.
(this is my 100th post about Mexico)
While I was home I was lamenting a certain pair of rectangle turquoise earrings, but after going through my mom’s jewelry, like every good daughter does, I found the exact pair. It was then I remembered that she had complimented mine and I’d bought her a pair. She has since generously given me that pair. Not a bad insurance policy if I could afford buying two pairs every time I get earrings.
My friend Amanda gave me a pair of earrings from Chile, made of blown glass and copper, I lost them, along with another pair, big red ones that I had bought in Costa Rica. I knew I hadn’t lost them, just misplaced them. They were gone a good 6 months before I found them again. They were hiding in my suitcase where they’d been since I had last used it, even though I had searched through it better and with more passion than a dog trained to find drugs.
So I suppose, it’s with all confidence that I say my black earring will be restored to me, as soon as I shake out my sheets, go through my dirty laundry, show every child in the house the remaining earring, use a metal detector, retrace my steps, get a hair cut, have a few sleeps, paint my nails, help kids with homework, get in and back out of the car 7 times, hunt some lady bugs, reformat my hard drive, change the oil in the car, and then give up. When all hope is gone, and I’ve forgotten I’m looking for it, it will turn up, and make my day all the better. It's totally worth it to worry more about people than objects, and I LOSE THAT thought all the time. Help me repent. I just wrote three paragraphs about things and not people.
P.S. I saw ten razors for a dollar at the store and thought! Wow, what a deal. So I bought them for the girls (and I) but after using one realized the blades aren’t straight and neither is the plastic part, and that they generally don’t work. Sigh.
(this is my 100th post about Mexico)
Sunday, February 22, 2009
what type of mouse trap do YOU like?
Dead animals…and the consequences.
I’ve seen more dead things living here than ever in the U.S. I don’t mind it that much. When there is a dead mouse in the yard, I usually step over it. When there is a dead mouse in my house, I throw it away (but not without enough between the nerves in my fingertips and the dead mouse so that I don’t have to know I’m picking it up! )
Last night I screamed b/c I almost walked into a set of bones, maybe the bones of the lamb that died in the field next to us had gotten dragged out into the road. The vultures don’t bother me, it’s the local dogs eating at the bones that twists my stomach.
Last summer there was an odd smell in my room. I would smell it half the times I got clothes out of my closet. It wasn’t a very consistent smell, so I didn’t think I could do much about it. At one point I did take almost everything out of my closet to see if there was a dead mouse in there, but I found NOTHING.
A few days ago, I was cleaning my room when I decided to move my bookshelf (which consequently is near my closet) b/c I thought I’d dropped something behind it. You know what happened next.
Not just a dead mouse, but a full set of bones, nicely preserved and without flesh. It dawned on me! That’s why the ants kept going under my bookshelf, to eat the mouse. Yummy.
I had every intention of donating the skeleton to science (class) but I paid one of my daughters to clean my room for me (They always want money, and I don’t want to just give it to them) I came back in, ready to transport my one and only contribution to science (class) but it wasn’t there anymore! She had cleaned it up.
My most recent mouse story…A few weeks ago there was a funny noise in our house, almost like a zap? And the quick smell of an electrical fire, maybe. Then we noticed that 1/3 of the house didn’t have power. I told Steve, but left out the interesting parts, i.e. the noise and the smell. He told me to reset the fuse box, so I did, and nothing happened. In the end, he messed a lot with the wires, pulling them out of the wall and so forth…his conclusion was that something chewed a ground wire? Electrical wiring…more effective than a mouse trap!
(btw. I've never caught a mouse in a trap here. we have tried, oh have we tried.)
I’ve seen more dead things living here than ever in the U.S. I don’t mind it that much. When there is a dead mouse in the yard, I usually step over it. When there is a dead mouse in my house, I throw it away (but not without enough between the nerves in my fingertips and the dead mouse so that I don’t have to know I’m picking it up! )
Last night I screamed b/c I almost walked into a set of bones, maybe the bones of the lamb that died in the field next to us had gotten dragged out into the road. The vultures don’t bother me, it’s the local dogs eating at the bones that twists my stomach.
Last summer there was an odd smell in my room. I would smell it half the times I got clothes out of my closet. It wasn’t a very consistent smell, so I didn’t think I could do much about it. At one point I did take almost everything out of my closet to see if there was a dead mouse in there, but I found NOTHING.
A few days ago, I was cleaning my room when I decided to move my bookshelf (which consequently is near my closet) b/c I thought I’d dropped something behind it. You know what happened next.
Not just a dead mouse, but a full set of bones, nicely preserved and without flesh. It dawned on me! That’s why the ants kept going under my bookshelf, to eat the mouse. Yummy.
I had every intention of donating the skeleton to science (class) but I paid one of my daughters to clean my room for me (They always want money, and I don’t want to just give it to them) I came back in, ready to transport my one and only contribution to science (class) but it wasn’t there anymore! She had cleaned it up.
My most recent mouse story…A few weeks ago there was a funny noise in our house, almost like a zap? And the quick smell of an electrical fire, maybe. Then we noticed that 1/3 of the house didn’t have power. I told Steve, but left out the interesting parts, i.e. the noise and the smell. He told me to reset the fuse box, so I did, and nothing happened. In the end, he messed a lot with the wires, pulling them out of the wall and so forth…his conclusion was that something chewed a ground wire? Electrical wiring…more effective than a mouse trap!
(btw. I've never caught a mouse in a trap here. we have tried, oh have we tried.)
Saturday, February 21, 2009
I'll cry if I want to...
...but I probably won't!
It's my birthday!!! I got some lovely cards, and a package (or two?) from Mom and Dad. I'm really excited about the hair dye, and the tea, but also a Spanish bible in NON ARCHAIC language!!!!! yippee!!! (and it's much lighter and thinner than my NASB/BdeLA side by side translation.
I’m trying to teach integrity, and letting the kids make their own choices. L— (11) had decided to take 2 protein bars to school, instead of 1 like everyone else. I told him I only wanted him to take 1, but that he needs to do the right them, I wasn’t going to force him. He walked out of the house with both, to test me and see if I would get mad. Then he came back in and put one back and left for school, asking “I’m not in trouble?” It’s his way of looking for attention. It’s so hard giving him positive attention, but I’m trying.
I had another integrity story, G— (9) was playing with some kids at grandma’s, but came right back b/c they were watching a movie, and he “can only see one movie a day” and had already seen a movie at school. ☺ I explained to him that no one forced him to make that choice, and that he had integrity and was so excited for him. When I told his mom, she burst my bubble, “They were watching a movie he didn’t want to see, some princess movie. That’s why he didn’t stay.”
Integrity, my bum. He let me talk all about his good choice, when he had OTHER motives.
J— (16) and M— (19) both passed their tests they took in December. I’m so excited for them!!! And was very worried as they both had already failed 2 of them. J-- had failed math, but this time got a 7, and M-- had failed “Vamos a Conocernos” and got either a 9 or 10. M—only has one more book till her 6th grade certificate (which she might not get if we can’t get some papers from 5th grade, which I think is ridiculous, b/c the books she has been through are for people who have never had ANY school, and have given her all those background skills.) J—despises math, so we’re going to really have to encourage her.
It's my birthday!!! I got some lovely cards, and a package (or two?) from Mom and Dad. I'm really excited about the hair dye, and the tea, but also a Spanish bible in NON ARCHAIC language!!!!! yippee!!! (and it's much lighter and thinner than my NASB/BdeLA side by side translation.
I’m trying to teach integrity, and letting the kids make their own choices. L— (11) had decided to take 2 protein bars to school, instead of 1 like everyone else. I told him I only wanted him to take 1, but that he needs to do the right them, I wasn’t going to force him. He walked out of the house with both, to test me and see if I would get mad. Then he came back in and put one back and left for school, asking “I’m not in trouble?” It’s his way of looking for attention. It’s so hard giving him positive attention, but I’m trying.
I had another integrity story, G— (9) was playing with some kids at grandma’s, but came right back b/c they were watching a movie, and he “can only see one movie a day” and had already seen a movie at school. ☺ I explained to him that no one forced him to make that choice, and that he had integrity and was so excited for him. When I told his mom, she burst my bubble, “They were watching a movie he didn’t want to see, some princess movie. That’s why he didn’t stay.”
Integrity, my bum. He let me talk all about his good choice, when he had OTHER motives.
J— (16) and M— (19) both passed their tests they took in December. I’m so excited for them!!! And was very worried as they both had already failed 2 of them. J-- had failed math, but this time got a 7, and M-- had failed “Vamos a Conocernos” and got either a 9 or 10. M—only has one more book till her 6th grade certificate (which she might not get if we can’t get some papers from 5th grade, which I think is ridiculous, b/c the books she has been through are for people who have never had ANY school, and have given her all those background skills.) J—despises math, so we’re going to really have to encourage her.
Friday, February 20, 2009
nice things that make me happy...
WHALE WATCHING!
Today, I’m heading 7 hours south of here for the weekend to go whale watching (with a friend, or two?). Apparently there are like 400 whales in Guerrero Negro right now. There is a big bay, and it is a popular calving area for the whales. I’m sooooooo excited! It will be the first time I’ve really traveled in Mexico WITHOUT my girls. I need to remember to borrow some binoculars, but apparently they come right up to the boat (it’s a small fisherman’s boat, not a big cruiser!)
It will be 80 degrees (but I don’t think there is a beach to lay on, they take salt out of the sea, and have lots of fishing, it’s an industrial area, not very touristy.) and if you recall, I use my computer while it’s charging just to warm up a bit! I wanted to “camp” but we don’t really have a small tent, and we’re taking a bus down, not our own vehicle, so I can’t imagine taking the gear with us, and I also can’t imagine just leaving our sleeping bags at our campsite without a tent. I hope we’ve found a cheap hotel, that is clean. I LOVE nature.
OLD HYMNAL
Last week I found an old hymnal, not a really old hymnal, actually, I found the hymnal my church switched to maybe in 1990? I'm a sucker for reminiscing... It has hymns in it, but also those Twila Paris, Michael W. Smith songs that bridged the gap between hymns and choruses as (some) churches transitioned. I haven’t heard many of the songs since the early 90’s, so it was great to find. Plus it has parts of The Messiah in it, so I’ve had fun with that. I like the nice surprises in our donations. I also found an old Lutheran Hymnal, in new binding. The earliest date in it’s table of Easter Sundays is 1941. That’s a stinking early date! And the only clue to it’s age that I could find. It was bound in Minnesota.
IMITATION CANDY
In shopping for V-day surprises (I made the kids cupcakes) I found some imitation American candy. Things that have similar logo, but are definitely not the real thing. I bought the fake Milky Way bars, called Winky (and HALF the price!!) but they must still be working on perfecting the secret recipe (I tasted coconut, there is NO coconut in a real Milky Way)…It was still a fabulous surprise!
MEXICAN CANDY
On the kids cupcakes I sprinkled already dyed sugar that I had bought at the store for one dollar. I hadn’t ever bought it before, or tasted it, turns out it’s a sweet/sour/salty/chile candy. I wouldn’t want it on my cupcake, but I know the kids loved it! It comes in these little plastic cups you might give a patient in the hospital with their pills in it, the size of those cough syrup cups, plastic on top, held on with rubber bands, with little pieces of paper inside the containers...crookedly cut, but graced with drawings of disney characters. Daisy's bow was half cut off on one, and on another the piece is 98% white, with the slightest hint on the edge that a drawing was intended for the piece of paper. Almost like a kindergartner, or someone less skilled, was in charge of the cutting out process. (and it was only a dollar for 30 little packages?)
MARRY ME FOR MY BAKING
We always have guests at our house, and I only made 24 cupcakes, so several people didn’t get any, and I felt bad, next time I’ll make extra just in case. (and I burned them on the bottom, while they were undercooked in the middle, but Eli’s boyfriend approved and told me he wanted to marry me! Haha.)
NEW RED TOWELS
For V-day, Johanne and Steve got me a towel set! 2 body towels, 2 face towels, 2 wash clothes. So thoughtful. She hadn’t been here in 3 weeks b/c she was helping out her daughter-in-law have her 3rd baby. When she was gone, you could tell the kids missed her and needed her. It seemed like they got sick easier, whined more, seemed more insecure…She gives them so much more love than I do, I've realized I just try to provide for their education, and nutrition. She said, I hope it all fits in your suitcase on your way back!
Happy BIRTHDAY Mom.
Today, I’m heading 7 hours south of here for the weekend to go whale watching (with a friend, or two?). Apparently there are like 400 whales in Guerrero Negro right now. There is a big bay, and it is a popular calving area for the whales. I’m sooooooo excited! It will be the first time I’ve really traveled in Mexico WITHOUT my girls. I need to remember to borrow some binoculars, but apparently they come right up to the boat (it’s a small fisherman’s boat, not a big cruiser!)
It will be 80 degrees (but I don’t think there is a beach to lay on, they take salt out of the sea, and have lots of fishing, it’s an industrial area, not very touristy.) and if you recall, I use my computer while it’s charging just to warm up a bit! I wanted to “camp” but we don’t really have a small tent, and we’re taking a bus down, not our own vehicle, so I can’t imagine taking the gear with us, and I also can’t imagine just leaving our sleeping bags at our campsite without a tent. I hope we’ve found a cheap hotel, that is clean. I LOVE nature.
OLD HYMNAL
Last week I found an old hymnal, not a really old hymnal, actually, I found the hymnal my church switched to maybe in 1990? I'm a sucker for reminiscing... It has hymns in it, but also those Twila Paris, Michael W. Smith songs that bridged the gap between hymns and choruses as (some) churches transitioned. I haven’t heard many of the songs since the early 90’s, so it was great to find. Plus it has parts of The Messiah in it, so I’ve had fun with that. I like the nice surprises in our donations. I also found an old Lutheran Hymnal, in new binding. The earliest date in it’s table of Easter Sundays is 1941. That’s a stinking early date! And the only clue to it’s age that I could find. It was bound in Minnesota.
IMITATION CANDY
In shopping for V-day surprises (I made the kids cupcakes) I found some imitation American candy. Things that have similar logo, but are definitely not the real thing. I bought the fake Milky Way bars, called Winky (and HALF the price!!) but they must still be working on perfecting the secret recipe (I tasted coconut, there is NO coconut in a real Milky Way)…It was still a fabulous surprise!
MEXICAN CANDY
On the kids cupcakes I sprinkled already dyed sugar that I had bought at the store for one dollar. I hadn’t ever bought it before, or tasted it, turns out it’s a sweet/sour/salty/chile candy. I wouldn’t want it on my cupcake, but I know the kids loved it! It comes in these little plastic cups you might give a patient in the hospital with their pills in it, the size of those cough syrup cups, plastic on top, held on with rubber bands, with little pieces of paper inside the containers...crookedly cut, but graced with drawings of disney characters. Daisy's bow was half cut off on one, and on another the piece is 98% white, with the slightest hint on the edge that a drawing was intended for the piece of paper. Almost like a kindergartner, or someone less skilled, was in charge of the cutting out process. (and it was only a dollar for 30 little packages?)
MARRY ME FOR MY BAKING
We always have guests at our house, and I only made 24 cupcakes, so several people didn’t get any, and I felt bad, next time I’ll make extra just in case. (and I burned them on the bottom, while they were undercooked in the middle, but Eli’s boyfriend approved and told me he wanted to marry me! Haha.)
NEW RED TOWELS
For V-day, Johanne and Steve got me a towel set! 2 body towels, 2 face towels, 2 wash clothes. So thoughtful. She hadn’t been here in 3 weeks b/c she was helping out her daughter-in-law have her 3rd baby. When she was gone, you could tell the kids missed her and needed her. It seemed like they got sick easier, whined more, seemed more insecure…She gives them so much more love than I do, I've realized I just try to provide for their education, and nutrition. She said, I hope it all fits in your suitcase on your way back!
Happy BIRTHDAY Mom.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
the meanest mom of the whole stinking town...
Someone said it’s 14c or 57f inside the house. I wish I knew for sure what it was in my bedroom!
On Thursday, last week, I felt like I fought with culture/time the WHOLE day. The first thing that happened was M—‘s English teacher Louise phoned me asking her where she was. M— (19) is usually pretty good about getting to class, so I don’t generally check up on her. She was 47 minutes late to English. I went upstairs, and there she was “getting ready” as teenage girls affectionately call it. I alerted her to the grave situation, and she said, “y que?” the equivalent of “so what?”
She has grown up around Americans all her life, and would presumably know what our standards and values are, so this shocked me. I asked her what an adult does if they aren’t going to be on time to something and she said, “you don’t go?” (what a severe answer!)
“You phone the person to advise them you are running late.” I recommended. She immediately said, “would you call my teacher and tell her I’m late?” And I said, well, the reason I know you aren’t there is because she called ME, worried.
Later that day, my friend Danielle, said to me “You know what they say, ‘You’re not a good Mexican if you aren’t an hour late’ ”
At 4 o’clock (American time) we were supposed to have a town party at the local school. A workgroup had come down and built an extra room. My littlest kids didn’t have school that day, and at 9 am were asking me to go. “We’re going to miss the party.” “There won’t be any food left” etc. I had ABSOLUTELY no idea, why they were asking to leave so early... I said, "we don’t need to be there till 4", and then they produced a note from their teacher that said parents should show up at 12. Sleuthing, I found out that those parents were ones helping out with the event/cooking food. They asked them to be there at 12, so that they would really show up at 1, and then the food would be ready by 4. I explained to the girls that we didn’t need to leave, but they wouldn’t listen. The told me it’d be all my fault, and that I was no fun. So I started sending them to their room for a few minutes every time they asked/complained to me about the party. Eventually, I got a text at 3:40 asking us to bring a few things. I decided to get ready to leave the house, when I got another text “YA” (already). By the time we got there, 4 on the dot, the festivities had already started, but nobody had left. It seemed like EVERYONE came. It was nuts. There was a steady stream of people till 5 when we left, and even then there was chicken left over.
A couple days before that one of my girls WAS responsible and called her guitar teacher telling him she’d be late. That was all she did. She thought she could still show up like an hour late and he’d be waiting around for her. I told her that when you call someone, they think you’re on your way, or that you’ll be like 15 minutes late.
(side note on the party. While we were waiting in line for food, some little boys (3rd graders?) were jabbing their forks into the bag of RAW chicken. I told them they had better stop in my best Spanish mom voice, and that they’d get sick when my little girl, E— 9 whispered in my ear in Spanish, “they speak English too”. I gave them the same speech in English, ending with “I don’t want you to get a tummy ache.” ***ALERT FUNNY THING.*** And the little boy said, “I don’t get tummy aches. ever.” Later on we bumped into him again, and I guess I had made a friend as he inexplicably introduced me to his older brother. I guess mean people can make friends?)
FUNNIEST THING:
The little girls teacher told them "have whichever sister is living with you bring you and the whole family to the party"
-WHICHEVER SISTER??? wow, we have really confused their school, with all the different chaperones they see with the kids, picking them up from school, or I sound like a nun.
On Thursday, last week, I felt like I fought with culture/time the WHOLE day. The first thing that happened was M—‘s English teacher Louise phoned me asking her where she was. M— (19) is usually pretty good about getting to class, so I don’t generally check up on her. She was 47 minutes late to English. I went upstairs, and there she was “getting ready” as teenage girls affectionately call it. I alerted her to the grave situation, and she said, “y que?” the equivalent of “so what?”
She has grown up around Americans all her life, and would presumably know what our standards and values are, so this shocked me. I asked her what an adult does if they aren’t going to be on time to something and she said, “you don’t go?” (what a severe answer!)
“You phone the person to advise them you are running late.” I recommended. She immediately said, “would you call my teacher and tell her I’m late?” And I said, well, the reason I know you aren’t there is because she called ME, worried.
Later that day, my friend Danielle, said to me “You know what they say, ‘You’re not a good Mexican if you aren’t an hour late’ ”
At 4 o’clock (American time) we were supposed to have a town party at the local school. A workgroup had come down and built an extra room. My littlest kids didn’t have school that day, and at 9 am were asking me to go. “We’re going to miss the party.” “There won’t be any food left” etc. I had ABSOLUTELY no idea, why they were asking to leave so early... I said, "we don’t need to be there till 4", and then they produced a note from their teacher that said parents should show up at 12. Sleuthing, I found out that those parents were ones helping out with the event/cooking food. They asked them to be there at 12, so that they would really show up at 1, and then the food would be ready by 4. I explained to the girls that we didn’t need to leave, but they wouldn’t listen. The told me it’d be all my fault, and that I was no fun. So I started sending them to their room for a few minutes every time they asked/complained to me about the party. Eventually, I got a text at 3:40 asking us to bring a few things. I decided to get ready to leave the house, when I got another text “YA” (already). By the time we got there, 4 on the dot, the festivities had already started, but nobody had left. It seemed like EVERYONE came. It was nuts. There was a steady stream of people till 5 when we left, and even then there was chicken left over.
A couple days before that one of my girls WAS responsible and called her guitar teacher telling him she’d be late. That was all she did. She thought she could still show up like an hour late and he’d be waiting around for her. I told her that when you call someone, they think you’re on your way, or that you’ll be like 15 minutes late.
(side note on the party. While we were waiting in line for food, some little boys (3rd graders?) were jabbing their forks into the bag of RAW chicken. I told them they had better stop in my best Spanish mom voice, and that they’d get sick when my little girl, E— 9 whispered in my ear in Spanish, “they speak English too”. I gave them the same speech in English, ending with “I don’t want you to get a tummy ache.” ***ALERT FUNNY THING.*** And the little boy said, “I don’t get tummy aches. ever.” Later on we bumped into him again, and I guess I had made a friend as he inexplicably introduced me to his older brother. I guess mean people can make friends?)
FUNNIEST THING:
The little girls teacher told them "have whichever sister is living with you bring you and the whole family to the party"
-WHICHEVER SISTER??? wow, we have really confused their school, with all the different chaperones they see with the kids, picking them up from school, or I sound like a nun.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
How we view ourselves at any given moment may have very little to do with who we really are.
IT SHALL BE RESOLVED THAT...
I’ve decided to avoid talking about dieting/healthy eating and other sub topics with women. I noticed that we use it (or I use it) as a tool(crutch) for connecting with others. There are so many other things we can connect with about! God, Children, Books, Hopes, Fears, Failings, Accomplishments…things close to our heart, not things we use to distance people. This is me boycotting my own attempts at superficiality. Plus the little girls imitate our talk and thus acquire our guilt. “I shouldn’t be eating this, but calories don’t count with friends.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t like hearing 11 year olds talking like us (quite unnecessarily) I’m not saying you shouldn’t privately support a friend who is eating healthy, or exercising, but that it shouldn’t be an all-encompassing thing, maybe like sports is to some groups of men?
FUNNY? FUNNY? FUNNY?
On Sunday, while I was trying to get some reading (day off) snuggled up in my warm bed, C—knocks at my door. I begrudgingly got out of bed to see what she wanted, imagining that it was not urgent, and that i should ignore it. She said “Church is in half an hour, are you going?” and I said, “yes”, surprised that it was a timely matter and then she said, “I’m not”, teased me with a childish finger gesture and ran up the stairs. As she ran off laughing, I realized that I probably should trust my instinct more often. She might have thought I wasn't even home had I ignored her.
QUOTEY QUOTEY QUOTEY
Quote from The Jesus I Never Knew
“The miracles he did perform…give me a glimpse of what the world was meant to be and instill hope that one day God will right its wrongs.”
Quotes from Posers, Fakers and Wannabes
Scarcity and broken relationships aren’t about God finding out what I’m made of—God knows what I’m made of- it’s the other way around. In or out of friendship, in scarcity or abundance or just enough, my life is about finding out what God is made of.
….a child to earn the affection of her parents does everything right, she be never whines or cries, never expresses a need, and learns to conceal her negative feelings.
This is the way of Pharisees. They follow the Law flawlessly in order to provoke god’s love. When necessary, they rewrite the Law to emphasize things they weren’t planning to do anyway: No Dancing Allowed; No Smoking; No Drinking. Or things they prefer: Commitment to Church Programs Equals Commitment to God; Voting (Write Your Political Affiliation Here) Is What Jesus Would Do. Their image of God locks them into a theology of working in exchange for approval from on high.
THE MOST IMPORTANT QUOTE
How we view ourselves at any given moment may have very little to do with who we really are.- Gerald May
(my funny favorite is... "rewrite the Law to emphasize things they weren't planning to do anyway" hehehe )
I’ve decided to avoid talking about dieting/healthy eating and other sub topics with women. I noticed that we use it (or I use it) as a tool(crutch) for connecting with others. There are so many other things we can connect with about! God, Children, Books, Hopes, Fears, Failings, Accomplishments…things close to our heart, not things we use to distance people. This is me boycotting my own attempts at superficiality. Plus the little girls imitate our talk and thus acquire our guilt. “I shouldn’t be eating this, but calories don’t count with friends.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t like hearing 11 year olds talking like us (quite unnecessarily) I’m not saying you shouldn’t privately support a friend who is eating healthy, or exercising, but that it shouldn’t be an all-encompassing thing, maybe like sports is to some groups of men?
FUNNY? FUNNY? FUNNY?
On Sunday, while I was trying to get some reading (day off) snuggled up in my warm bed, C—knocks at my door. I begrudgingly got out of bed to see what she wanted, imagining that it was not urgent, and that i should ignore it. She said “Church is in half an hour, are you going?” and I said, “yes”, surprised that it was a timely matter and then she said, “I’m not”, teased me with a childish finger gesture and ran up the stairs. As she ran off laughing, I realized that I probably should trust my instinct more often. She might have thought I wasn't even home had I ignored her.
QUOTEY QUOTEY QUOTEY
Quote from The Jesus I Never Knew
“The miracles he did perform…give me a glimpse of what the world was meant to be and instill hope that one day God will right its wrongs.”
Quotes from Posers, Fakers and Wannabes
Scarcity and broken relationships aren’t about God finding out what I’m made of—God knows what I’m made of- it’s the other way around. In or out of friendship, in scarcity or abundance or just enough, my life is about finding out what God is made of.
….a child to earn the affection of her parents does everything right, she be never whines or cries, never expresses a need, and learns to conceal her negative feelings.
This is the way of Pharisees. They follow the Law flawlessly in order to provoke god’s love. When necessary, they rewrite the Law to emphasize things they weren’t planning to do anyway: No Dancing Allowed; No Smoking; No Drinking. Or things they prefer: Commitment to Church Programs Equals Commitment to God; Voting (Write Your Political Affiliation Here) Is What Jesus Would Do. Their image of God locks them into a theology of working in exchange for approval from on high.
THE MOST IMPORTANT QUOTE
How we view ourselves at any given moment may have very little to do with who we really are.- Gerald May
(my funny favorite is... "rewrite the Law to emphasize things they weren't planning to do anyway" hehehe )
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Special Gifts, V-Day
M, my 19 year old, trash picked for me!! (oh, but let me clarify) I’ve never had a problem taking furniture that people leave at the edge of the curb, but the other day a child (A--, 12?) was throwing out stuff from her room. She had plastic bags of photographs, notes, papers, books, who knows what. Apparently M, looked through what she threw out and rescued the book Knowing God by J.I. Packer, proudly giving it to me, saying “I bet you’d like to read this one.”
It was such a genuine thoughtful gift. She said “I got it just for you” I asked, wow, where’d you get the money to buy this? And where? And she said sheepishly, “A— was throwing stuff out, and I knew you’d want this.” Then she showed off the cool stuff she got for herself!
I think/know there is a boy out there that likes M. But I’m not sure what’s going to happen. I think she likes him, but isn’t very trust worthy (of him) or confident (or herself). It could be nothing. But it was my first time encouraging one of my girls to try something a little scary. I told her she can just be his friend. He came by the house on Friday the 13th, but she wouldn’t let him come in, and she wouldn’t go out there, but just sent messengers to him. Maybe this is how Mexican courtship goes?
Valentine’s day was perfect. I had pancakes with friends (éclair! Chocolate! Strawberries!) and we watched movies and talked ALL day long. I was there for almost 12 hours. While I was there, one of the teenage boys I live with was making his “rose” deliveries. I was touched to be one of the recipients. Not quite sure how I earned it, since I’m always telling him to take out the trash, or fill up the water, or clean up the rancid watermelon or to clean up a poo diaper that a dog had drug out of the trash and onto the floor. But I was honored none the less.
*He had stabbed a hole in the top of a watermelon, and it was bubbling and fizzing out of that hole ready to rupture like a flat, oblong volcano. And it smelled bad. He said the best thing would be to throw it out, but we said we wanted to see what the inside looked like, so he carried it to the sink, started to cut it in half when it EXPLODED all over him, his pants and the floor, but not US, fortunately. Can’t decide if the mess was his fault for doing the deed, or us, for suggesting to him to do it….
It was such a genuine thoughtful gift. She said “I got it just for you” I asked, wow, where’d you get the money to buy this? And where? And she said sheepishly, “A— was throwing stuff out, and I knew you’d want this.” Then she showed off the cool stuff she got for herself!
I think/know there is a boy out there that likes M. But I’m not sure what’s going to happen. I think she likes him, but isn’t very trust worthy (of him) or confident (or herself). It could be nothing. But it was my first time encouraging one of my girls to try something a little scary. I told her she can just be his friend. He came by the house on Friday the 13th, but she wouldn’t let him come in, and she wouldn’t go out there, but just sent messengers to him. Maybe this is how Mexican courtship goes?
Valentine’s day was perfect. I had pancakes with friends (éclair! Chocolate! Strawberries!) and we watched movies and talked ALL day long. I was there for almost 12 hours. While I was there, one of the teenage boys I live with was making his “rose” deliveries. I was touched to be one of the recipients. Not quite sure how I earned it, since I’m always telling him to take out the trash, or fill up the water, or clean up the rancid watermelon or to clean up a poo diaper that a dog had drug out of the trash and onto the floor. But I was honored none the less.
*He had stabbed a hole in the top of a watermelon, and it was bubbling and fizzing out of that hole ready to rupture like a flat, oblong volcano. And it smelled bad. He said the best thing would be to throw it out, but we said we wanted to see what the inside looked like, so he carried it to the sink, started to cut it in half when it EXPLODED all over him, his pants and the floor, but not US, fortunately. Can’t decide if the mess was his fault for doing the deed, or us, for suggesting to him to do it….
Monday, February 16, 2009
Restaurant? American Dancing?
New Experiences!
Last weekend we had a birthday party for one of our girls. She turned 15, which is a big deal here, but we didn’t throw her a quinceanera. She’ll get a big birthday party when she turns 16. We did however take the WHOLE family out to eat. We do that like once a year, and maybe order pizza twice a year, because if we don’t make our own food, it’s expensive! Two of our little girls (M and E, 10 and 9) have only been with us about 9 months, so to my knowledge, they hadn’t been to a sit down restaurant before. We went to a buffet, and the one little girl had taken too much food, and as the waiter was clearing plates, she said “I’m saving that to take home.” I told her she couldn’t do that, and she was like “but it’s mine.” I also had to tell her, that if she was still eating something, she shouldn’t let the waiter take it off the table. She was eating some dessert, and set down her fork to drink, when the waiter absentmindedly picked up her plate to throw it in the trash. I was like, “are you still eating” and she said, “yeah” and I told her, “you have to tell him not to take your plate, that you still want it” and she gave me this look like, but he’s an adult, and I shouldn’t tell him to NOT DO SOMETHING!
I never imagined I would have to teach a child how to go out to eat, but I suppose that is part of education. I showed off my advanced mothering skills by finishing the food on her plate. ;)
Then we danced like crazy people, the chicken dance. (not my favorite, but nice to do with little kids, and really, I’ll take any dancing!) Except the two little ones, M & E, were just looking at us trying to figure out what we were doing. I think they might not have heard/seen that before. As soon as they got comfortable with the “swing your partner” part of it, we switched to the hokey-pokey. Granted, they don’t know a lot of English yet (even though Gabe was teaching E, “eyes, ears, mouth and nose” with the WRONG body parts. And E seems to have that down!) So they tried to do the hokey-pokey, all the while I was grabbing E’s elbows, and legs, hands, and waists to facilitate movement. They were so confused. Haha. And our dance moves were always one step behind everyone else, except for the spinning around in place! We were good at that.
E-- especially is in that stage when she hugs you before asking for something....oh wait. I don't think some kids grow out of that ;)
Last weekend we had a birthday party for one of our girls. She turned 15, which is a big deal here, but we didn’t throw her a quinceanera. She’ll get a big birthday party when she turns 16. We did however take the WHOLE family out to eat. We do that like once a year, and maybe order pizza twice a year, because if we don’t make our own food, it’s expensive! Two of our little girls (M and E, 10 and 9) have only been with us about 9 months, so to my knowledge, they hadn’t been to a sit down restaurant before. We went to a buffet, and the one little girl had taken too much food, and as the waiter was clearing plates, she said “I’m saving that to take home.” I told her she couldn’t do that, and she was like “but it’s mine.” I also had to tell her, that if she was still eating something, she shouldn’t let the waiter take it off the table. She was eating some dessert, and set down her fork to drink, when the waiter absentmindedly picked up her plate to throw it in the trash. I was like, “are you still eating” and she said, “yeah” and I told her, “you have to tell him not to take your plate, that you still want it” and she gave me this look like, but he’s an adult, and I shouldn’t tell him to NOT DO SOMETHING!
I never imagined I would have to teach a child how to go out to eat, but I suppose that is part of education. I showed off my advanced mothering skills by finishing the food on her plate. ;)
Then we danced like crazy people, the chicken dance. (not my favorite, but nice to do with little kids, and really, I’ll take any dancing!) Except the two little ones, M & E, were just looking at us trying to figure out what we were doing. I think they might not have heard/seen that before. As soon as they got comfortable with the “swing your partner” part of it, we switched to the hokey-pokey. Granted, they don’t know a lot of English yet (even though Gabe was teaching E, “eyes, ears, mouth and nose” with the WRONG body parts. And E seems to have that down!) So they tried to do the hokey-pokey, all the while I was grabbing E’s elbows, and legs, hands, and waists to facilitate movement. They were so confused. Haha. And our dance moves were always one step behind everyone else, except for the spinning around in place! We were good at that.
E-- especially is in that stage when she hugs you before asking for something....oh wait. I don't think some kids grow out of that ;)
Sunday, February 15, 2009
in chaos there lies opportunity...
Mud/Weather:
I’m writing! I know it’s been two weeks, I just haven’t had the “ganas” (desire). (and i've been trying to spend more time with people, and playing piano) Read it a little bit at a time if you want. It’s a lot.
1. Steve’s surgery went fine, he’s recuperating and I hope to give more good news in the future.
2. My friend’s husband has 3 tumors interconnected with brain tissue. Please pray for them, It sounds like they are going to do 5 weeks of radiation. Their names are David and Elizabeth. They are both under 30.
3. Perfect quote about my Mexican house “in chaos there lies opportunity”. It was on one of those dove chocolate things. My house is all chaos almost all the time, while I was home in the states I felt so lonely without having noise and chaos and interruption all the time. Then I came back here, and it was hard to adjust to the loudness and crazyness again.
4. It’s gotten cold here, REALLY STINKING COLD. So cold, I took a “bath” this morning, and decided there wasn’t enough warm water to make it worth my while, as my house isn’t heated. It’s probably in the low 60s at the hottest part of the day, and only in the sun. (low 40s in the middle of the night) But on the upside, there is less BO ☺
One of my kids got a cold, and her sister said that it’s b/c she doesn’t cover her head with her blanket when she sleeps at night. I love little kid logic. We’ve had strange weather, when it was extremely windy here, it was also crazy windy at my mom and dad’s house. And we live HOW MANY THOUSAND miles apart?
The last couple weeks it’s actually been raining!
5. When it rains that means I stop wearing my shoes. Most of our yard is clay/sand. The sand is less slippery to walk on. It's not about getting your shoes dirty, it's about falling on your butt, the mud slurping up your shoes like quicksand, you have to bend over and use your fingers to rescue your shoes. So I don rain boots (or easily rinsed off flip flops) until it dries up again. I even wore them out grocery shopping, and my girls didn’t tell me that I looked bad! When it rains, I get scared of driving. I got one car stuck TWICE. Once was when I’d decided going up a particular road was a bad idea, and I got stuck (quite poetically) while turning around to avoid a similar fate. I enjoy biking in this town, but on Friday I took the wrong road, and had to backtrack a quarter mile to get home without getting mud all up my backside….
6. Marina DID get mud all up her backside. It was pretty funny. She had biked to English and came back splatter painted with dried chunks up to her shoulders. I told her (being helpful) but it was asking for trouble as she tried to back into me and get ME ALL MUDDY!
7. I do try to thank God for seasonal weather. The rain makes everything inconvenient. It takes longer to get places, there is more laundry, sometimes the rain messes up our water/septic, but it turns our valley such a beautiful GREEN. (in the places there IS vegetation)
8. Mud at night. We have two houses, and there is mud between the two. When it’s dark you have to use your brain power to remember which parts of the yard haven’t dried up yet, and walk carefully. I was overconfident the other night and almost ended up on my butt!
9. One of my girls, J—absolutely avoids the sun, to stay at “güera” (whitey) but I noticed her spending a few minutes every morning sitting in the sun. I thought it was strange, and then I realized, she’s cold and she’s trying to get warm! So I’ve sat with her a few times and realize how much I enjoy it too.
Watched: Fireproof, while a cheesy movie, it had good points. Like sometimes when you don't feel like loving someone, you still have to show them love in your actions, and those actions can change your attitude/heart. Your actions really betray your real priorities.
Read: Posers, Fakers, and Wannabees by Brennen Manning, quotes to come.
Currently Avoiding: Theology of the body and Divine Conspiracy, apparently I'm on a short-er book kick.
I’m writing! I know it’s been two weeks, I just haven’t had the “ganas” (desire). (and i've been trying to spend more time with people, and playing piano) Read it a little bit at a time if you want. It’s a lot.
1. Steve’s surgery went fine, he’s recuperating and I hope to give more good news in the future.
2. My friend’s husband has 3 tumors interconnected with brain tissue. Please pray for them, It sounds like they are going to do 5 weeks of radiation. Their names are David and Elizabeth. They are both under 30.
3. Perfect quote about my Mexican house “in chaos there lies opportunity”. It was on one of those dove chocolate things. My house is all chaos almost all the time, while I was home in the states I felt so lonely without having noise and chaos and interruption all the time. Then I came back here, and it was hard to adjust to the loudness and crazyness again.
4. It’s gotten cold here, REALLY STINKING COLD. So cold, I took a “bath” this morning, and decided there wasn’t enough warm water to make it worth my while, as my house isn’t heated. It’s probably in the low 60s at the hottest part of the day, and only in the sun. (low 40s in the middle of the night) But on the upside, there is less BO ☺
One of my kids got a cold, and her sister said that it’s b/c she doesn’t cover her head with her blanket when she sleeps at night. I love little kid logic. We’ve had strange weather, when it was extremely windy here, it was also crazy windy at my mom and dad’s house. And we live HOW MANY THOUSAND miles apart?
The last couple weeks it’s actually been raining!
5. When it rains that means I stop wearing my shoes. Most of our yard is clay/sand. The sand is less slippery to walk on. It's not about getting your shoes dirty, it's about falling on your butt, the mud slurping up your shoes like quicksand, you have to bend over and use your fingers to rescue your shoes. So I don rain boots (or easily rinsed off flip flops) until it dries up again. I even wore them out grocery shopping, and my girls didn’t tell me that I looked bad! When it rains, I get scared of driving. I got one car stuck TWICE. Once was when I’d decided going up a particular road was a bad idea, and I got stuck (quite poetically) while turning around to avoid a similar fate. I enjoy biking in this town, but on Friday I took the wrong road, and had to backtrack a quarter mile to get home without getting mud all up my backside….
6. Marina DID get mud all up her backside. It was pretty funny. She had biked to English and came back splatter painted with dried chunks up to her shoulders. I told her (being helpful) but it was asking for trouble as she tried to back into me and get ME ALL MUDDY!
7. I do try to thank God for seasonal weather. The rain makes everything inconvenient. It takes longer to get places, there is more laundry, sometimes the rain messes up our water/septic, but it turns our valley such a beautiful GREEN. (in the places there IS vegetation)
8. Mud at night. We have two houses, and there is mud between the two. When it’s dark you have to use your brain power to remember which parts of the yard haven’t dried up yet, and walk carefully. I was overconfident the other night and almost ended up on my butt!
9. One of my girls, J—absolutely avoids the sun, to stay at “güera” (whitey) but I noticed her spending a few minutes every morning sitting in the sun. I thought it was strange, and then I realized, she’s cold and she’s trying to get warm! So I’ve sat with her a few times and realize how much I enjoy it too.
Watched: Fireproof, while a cheesy movie, it had good points. Like sometimes when you don't feel like loving someone, you still have to show them love in your actions, and those actions can change your attitude/heart. Your actions really betray your real priorities.
Read: Posers, Fakers, and Wannabees by Brennen Manning, quotes to come.
Currently Avoiding: Theology of the body and Divine Conspiracy, apparently I'm on a short-er book kick.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
carmel-y wafer cookies!
Tomorrow (Wednesday) Pastor Steve (not the dad at my house, but another in our organization) will be having a PSA. Whatever it stands for, it will determine whether he has prostate cancer surgery on Friday. Please be in prayer for him and his wife Kathy while they go through his second major health problem this year (this is the same Steve that had heart surgery).
I’ve had several little blessings recently. I was telling my friend Danielle about how I wanted stroopwaffles so bad, and how I almost buy the fake Mexican thing “Obleas”* that seem to be the same, and she said, “Do you want some, I have some in my room?” and there was a whole package of real European (Holandish? Sweedish?) stroopwaffles. (I thought of you Brigitta!)
Also, right when I was leaving to go grocery shopping last week, two people that visit us about once a month came over. They come from California, not sure where, and usually they come in the afternoon, but they came at 8:15 in the MORNING!! With 30 dozen eggs (that we’ve almost ate all of), 3 coolers of meat/frozen foods (I can cook hot dogs!), and all kinds of other things… I spent about half of what I normally do at the grocery! I had told my girls we were leaving at 8:15 sharp, and they enjoyed asking me repeatedly why we hadn’t left yet, wasn’t I ready? ;) while we were putting the food into the freezer.
Last week the night air smelled like rain, or ions, however you want to think of it. It didn’t rain, it just smelled like rain. I adore the smell of rain. Rain is a pleasure we don’t have here, except maybe a dozen times a year, usually all in Dec/Jan. All the benefit without the mess. It has gotten chilly here. It was hot when I first came 3 weeks ago…but I do have to say that I still wear long shorts and long sleeves. I am always reminded that I live in a desert when I covet after a neighbors grass. “wow, they have grass, that is sooo cool! They must not let their kids/animals play on it!”
My friend Hannah has been graciously bringing me chocolate, watching my kids in the afternoons, AND letting me beat her in Canasta. ☺
Playing scrabble in Spanish is hard, but being bilingual gives me more reasons to whine… “these letters would be AMAZING if we were playing in Spanish/English, but I can’t think of any good English/Spanish words to make.” I’ve decided to only play Spanish scrabble when I’m in a very academic mood.
*”Oblea” just means wafer in Spanish, but I can only think of the word Oblation and therefore religious ceremony/Communion. Their name incapacitates me from thinking of them as just a fun food item. I like how words can have so many nuances of meaning.
ok, back to thinking about putting my clean clothes away, when I might make time to finish reading a book this week, and whether keeping an early bed time makes me nicer the next day or not. (I did finish 21 Ballons,a delightful childrens book, the short story of The Curious Case of Benjamen Button, and Yancy's The Jesus I never knew..I'm working on The Divine Conspiracy)
oh! and today I found Herbal Essences 2x1, and at a cheaper price than in the states....usually it's more expensive, and I've never seen any "deals". We don't have coupons. They don't exist, and even when I tried to redeem some on the outside of tortilla packages, (buy 4 get one free) the store said, "No, we don't do that."
I’ve had several little blessings recently. I was telling my friend Danielle about how I wanted stroopwaffles so bad, and how I almost buy the fake Mexican thing “Obleas”* that seem to be the same, and she said, “Do you want some, I have some in my room?” and there was a whole package of real European (Holandish? Sweedish?) stroopwaffles. (I thought of you Brigitta!)
Also, right when I was leaving to go grocery shopping last week, two people that visit us about once a month came over. They come from California, not sure where, and usually they come in the afternoon, but they came at 8:15 in the MORNING!! With 30 dozen eggs (that we’ve almost ate all of), 3 coolers of meat/frozen foods (I can cook hot dogs!), and all kinds of other things… I spent about half of what I normally do at the grocery! I had told my girls we were leaving at 8:15 sharp, and they enjoyed asking me repeatedly why we hadn’t left yet, wasn’t I ready? ;) while we were putting the food into the freezer.
Last week the night air smelled like rain, or ions, however you want to think of it. It didn’t rain, it just smelled like rain. I adore the smell of rain. Rain is a pleasure we don’t have here, except maybe a dozen times a year, usually all in Dec/Jan. All the benefit without the mess. It has gotten chilly here. It was hot when I first came 3 weeks ago…but I do have to say that I still wear long shorts and long sleeves. I am always reminded that I live in a desert when I covet after a neighbors grass. “wow, they have grass, that is sooo cool! They must not let their kids/animals play on it!”
My friend Hannah has been graciously bringing me chocolate, watching my kids in the afternoons, AND letting me beat her in Canasta. ☺
Playing scrabble in Spanish is hard, but being bilingual gives me more reasons to whine… “these letters would be AMAZING if we were playing in Spanish/English, but I can’t think of any good English/Spanish words to make.” I’ve decided to only play Spanish scrabble when I’m in a very academic mood.
*”Oblea” just means wafer in Spanish, but I can only think of the word Oblation and therefore religious ceremony/Communion. Their name incapacitates me from thinking of them as just a fun food item. I like how words can have so many nuances of meaning.
ok, back to thinking about putting my clean clothes away, when I might make time to finish reading a book this week, and whether keeping an early bed time makes me nicer the next day or not. (I did finish 21 Ballons,a delightful childrens book, the short story of The Curious Case of Benjamen Button, and Yancy's The Jesus I never knew..I'm working on The Divine Conspiracy)
oh! and today I found Herbal Essences 2x1, and at a cheaper price than in the states....usually it's more expensive, and I've never seen any "deals". We don't have coupons. They don't exist, and even when I tried to redeem some on the outside of tortilla packages, (buy 4 get one free) the store said, "No, we don't do that."
Monday, February 2, 2009
um.
Kids can really make you think sometimes...
Funny things:
Have you ever had a tumbleweed inside your house?
L--, grade 5- Look Jen, look at this cactus he's trying to poke me with!
(holds up tumbleweed that is almost as tall as him, 4 feet? and is as wide as him)
Me- um. why is THAT inside the house?
Grocery Shopping
(after unloading the car)
M--, 19 yrs old- Did you accidentally buy a box of fish?
Me- um. no. Why do you ask?
M--,- that box has a picture of a fish on it, it has fish inside it, right?
actually it had apples inside it, but it was labeled "Trout", the next week I brought home a box labeled "Lemons", that had apples inside it.
reuse, but maybe not recycle?
Going out with friends
M--, 19 yrs old-So when you go out with friends in the states, do you go out to tacos?
Me- um. no. not exactly. well, we don't have taco stands where I live.
M--, 19 yrs old-But you have tacos right?
Me- yeah, but they aren't the same, it's like...
(interrupts)M--, like diet tacos?
Me- sure, like diet tacos.
more with M...
M-- has not had a meal unless she has said two key phrases... "no pica nada" meaning "it's not spicey" and "ya me llene" meaning "I'm already full" except that she continues eating after she says that, or even asks for seconds. I tried to ask her if it is just something everyone says, and that if she doesn't really mean it when she says it, maybe it really means "this food is great!". Unfortunately, she just looked at me confused.
after C--, 16, had a nightmare and slept on the couch
M-- You slept on the couch last night.
C-- while sitting on couch, with blankets and pillow No I didn't!
M-- You cried during the night, Jennifer woke you up, You came and slept on the couch.
C-- I did?!?
M-- You can't watch movies anymore. No more movies, because you have nightmares.
C-- no, no, the movie didn't make me cry, I was scared.
M-- The movie had monsters in it. The movie made you cry.
C-- oh. yeah. I won't watch that movie anymore, but I will watch the other movies.
(Is the Chronicles of Narnia THAT scary? and maybe I'm out of a "mom" job)
I've decided to always have my door locked. always. I had this weekend off, and I was in my room part of it, with my door locked. Everytime C-- came in or out of the house, she jiggled my handle. I don't think she realized that I was in my room. She only knocked a few times, and those were times she didn't jiggle my door handle. I think I counted that she tried to open my door 12-15 times. I wonder why she wants in?
Cultural differences
We have two sisters M and E, 10 and 9 respectively, who come from a poorer background, also Spanish is their second language...
Me-what's for dinner?
M- "flesh of hen" (notice she didn't just say "chicken"- Thanks Tani for pointing this out to me when it happened)
Me- Why haven't you gotten in the tub to take a bath yet?
E- well, M said you didn't ask her.
Me- She doesn't need to take a bath, you need to take a bath.
look of fear and surprise
E- I have to take one WITHOUT her??
V, 11- Jennifer, they don't take baths alone. They have never taken baths alone.
Me- If she doesn't want to take a bath, she can sit on the toilet and keep you company while you take your bath.
Funny things:
Have you ever had a tumbleweed inside your house?
L--, grade 5- Look Jen, look at this cactus he's trying to poke me with!
(holds up tumbleweed that is almost as tall as him, 4 feet? and is as wide as him)
Me- um. why is THAT inside the house?
Grocery Shopping
(after unloading the car)
M--, 19 yrs old- Did you accidentally buy a box of fish?
Me- um. no. Why do you ask?
M--,- that box has a picture of a fish on it, it has fish inside it, right?
actually it had apples inside it, but it was labeled "Trout", the next week I brought home a box labeled "Lemons", that had apples inside it.
reuse, but maybe not recycle?
Going out with friends
M--, 19 yrs old-So when you go out with friends in the states, do you go out to tacos?
Me- um. no. not exactly. well, we don't have taco stands where I live.
M--, 19 yrs old-But you have tacos right?
Me- yeah, but they aren't the same, it's like...
(interrupts)M--, like diet tacos?
Me- sure, like diet tacos.
more with M...
M-- has not had a meal unless she has said two key phrases... "no pica nada" meaning "it's not spicey" and "ya me llene" meaning "I'm already full" except that she continues eating after she says that, or even asks for seconds. I tried to ask her if it is just something everyone says, and that if she doesn't really mean it when she says it, maybe it really means "this food is great!". Unfortunately, she just looked at me confused.
after C--, 16, had a nightmare and slept on the couch
M-- You slept on the couch last night.
C-- while sitting on couch, with blankets and pillow No I didn't!
M-- You cried during the night, Jennifer woke you up, You came and slept on the couch.
C-- I did?!?
M-- You can't watch movies anymore. No more movies, because you have nightmares.
C-- no, no, the movie didn't make me cry, I was scared.
M-- The movie had monsters in it. The movie made you cry.
C-- oh. yeah. I won't watch that movie anymore, but I will watch the other movies.
(Is the Chronicles of Narnia THAT scary? and maybe I'm out of a "mom" job)
I've decided to always have my door locked. always. I had this weekend off, and I was in my room part of it, with my door locked. Everytime C-- came in or out of the house, she jiggled my handle. I don't think she realized that I was in my room. She only knocked a few times, and those were times she didn't jiggle my door handle. I think I counted that she tried to open my door 12-15 times. I wonder why she wants in?
Cultural differences
We have two sisters M and E, 10 and 9 respectively, who come from a poorer background, also Spanish is their second language...
Me-what's for dinner?
M- "flesh of hen" (notice she didn't just say "chicken"- Thanks Tani for pointing this out to me when it happened)
Me- Why haven't you gotten in the tub to take a bath yet?
E- well, M said you didn't ask her.
Me- She doesn't need to take a bath, you need to take a bath.
look of fear and surprise
E- I have to take one WITHOUT her??
V, 11- Jennifer, they don't take baths alone. They have never taken baths alone.
Me- If she doesn't want to take a bath, she can sit on the toilet and keep you company while you take your bath.
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