Happy Happy Birthday Birthday!!

I have 14 year old twins. That just sounds really weird to me. I am now one of those moms who stops moms with itty-bitty twins and says, “I have twins. But mine are big now.” Never thought I’d do that, but I did…just last week.

Anyway, we let the twins turn 14 and were able to celebrate with some friends in Tucson as well as with Grandma and Grandpa Jack and Aunt Cindy. That was an extra-special treat!

Grandpa took everyone bowling and we had a great time. As usual, I took tons of photos, but here are some of the better ones. I’m still struggling with F-stops and aperture settings, trying to get good shots indoors without a flash. I’ll get there eventually.

Sarah took a picture of me and when I saw it I said something like, “Those pants make my hips look big.” Or some such comment. Bless her heart. She said, “You just look like yourself, Mom.” Thanks, honey. I think.

Here are Grandma, Andrew and Aunt Cindy. It was good to be able to spend time together again. We don’t do it often enough!

At the end of the day, we gathered for cake and ice cream (and a yummy candlelit dinner) at our friends’ house. We sang “Happy Birthday” and “Felíz Cumpleaños”, and then we attacked the cake.

Happy Birthday, Twinlets!!!!

Once

It only happens once...per child. We've now celebrated six 11th birthdays and with this cumpleaños numero once, we're done. No more 11th birthdays. Sigh. It's the end of an era.

Evie celebrated her 11th birthday with style at Grandma Linda’s house this year! No, I didn’t bake the cake; I did pick it out though!!!

Can’t believe we’ve had her around for 11 years. Wow!!! Time flies!

Ah, my beautiful daughter -- lover of everything pink, purple, frilly, lacy or sparkly. So very unique and such a blessing to our family.

Evie

Elegant
Vibrant
Innovative
Easy to Love!

Happy Birthday, Peanut!!!

Firefox Glitches

Yeah, I know. No one will notice but me. It bugs me, though. My margins are off...again. They look fine in Explorer. Problem is that I'm not using Explorer.

And then there's the little box thingy on the right margin. It's supposed to be white with gray writing. Instead, it's transparent with gray writing. That's a problem when the page background is brick. Sigh. Have I mentioned that I really don't like computers? I used to like Appleworks. I felt high-tech then. Now I just feel old and a bit obsolete. Deeper sigh.

I could just go back to Explorer and try to forget that my margins are tweakered and the right column is not readable. But I probably won't.

Have I mentioned that I'm CDO? That's like OCD, except that the letters are in the correct alphabetical order, as they should be.

She's Back!!!

Yes, I've been AWOL for several months. No excuses; just keeping my priorities in order!

I've got several "catch-you-up" posts ready, so I'll get those up in the next couple of days. For now, know that I'm back home, construction on the house has stopped for the time being and the weather is warming up -- promising to be yet another sweltering summer in Sinaloa!!!

God is good and we are blessed!!!

Here is the view from the roof of our new second story. I stand on our upstairs porch and just shake my head at the mercy, grace and abundance that God has showered on me.
No lo merezco.
I'm just not worthy.

Exits

The missionary life is full of exits. Leaving. Saying goodbye.

We leave our friends, homes, families to enter the mission field. We leave the mission field for our furlough in the States. We leave the States to go back to the field. Mission teams come down for a while, and then they leave. Missionaries have to deal with a lot of leaving.

Let me say that it doesn’t get any easier with practice. I suppose that’s a good thing. If it became easy to say goodbye, if it didn’t hurt, then that would mean that my heart was calloused. I don’t want that to happen, so I pray that God keeps my heart soft – and that He heals the hurts quickly.

There is some comfort in knowing that when we say, “Goodbye,” here on earth as believers, it’s not permanent. It is not an eternal separation. My friend Julia used to say about her daughter, “I told God that He can put her wherever He wants her here on earth, but in heaven I want her mansion right next to mine.” It’s comforting to know that, as believers, our goodbyes aren’t forever.

Sometimes that’s not much comfort. On Wednesday, Evie’s best friend, Damaris, is leaving. Additional bummer: Damaris’s mom is my best friend. Ricardo and Cristina and their family are returning to Southern Mexico to live and work. I told her I was going to punch holes in her tires so they would have to stay another month.

That would only prolong the inevitable, though. God is calling them to ministry there, so how can I argue with that? So, instead of whining, I thought I’d post this little note. Now that I’ve found the useful page translator, Cris will actually be able to read this post. I know I won’t be able to say what I want to say in person, simply because I can’t quit crying long enough. I probably won’t be able to say everything I want to say here, either, but at least she’ll know how much I love her and how much their family has meant to us over the past 3 years.
Ricardo and Cristina have been our friends since day one.

Evie and Damaris connected immediately and have been inseparable ever since.

Jaziel has been our favorite toddler since he learned to toddle.

Ricardo and Doug share a passion for the Lord and a love of pizza -- they've worked, played and prayed together a lot during the past 3 years.

Cristina and I are sisters. She accepted me as a friend before I could even communicate that I wanted to be one. I don’t have to finish my sentences around her. She translates my dumb jokes so that the other ladies can understand what I’m trying to say. She helps me find the life application in our Bible study. I’m going to miss her. A lot.

Cristina, go with God. When we get to heaven, I want your mansion right next to mine!
Te quiero mucho, hermana mia!!!