Metal Mouths

The twins are very excited about their new braces.

Actually, they are a little less excited now than they were when they left the house on the way to the orthodontist. Braces seemed really cool until they experienced the metal-on-lip feeling that all of us old-timers remember so well. Ugh. My teeth ache with the memory.

The idea of not having vampire fangs is still very appealing to them, but reality has set in and they are now understanding what I meant when I told them that it will be a long process and not much fun.

I must say that I'm very glad we're able to get the braces taken care of. A couple of years ago, when I realized that these poor kids had inherited my dental issues, I began to pray that somehow God would provide a way to fix their teeth. God answered my prayer!!! One of our supporters gifted us the full amount necessary to do braces for both boys. WaHOO!!! Granted, the cost here is significantly less than it would be in the US, but the amount, about $900 each, was still much higher than we could ever have afforded. Just one more instance where I get to see God take care of our needs (and our wants, too, from time to time!!!).

Dios siempre es fiel!!!
God is always faithful!!!

Andrew's Bike Repair Shop

If you ride a bike, popped tires are just a part of life. Here in Las Glorias, it’s even more common due to the wonderful cactus and thorned bushes growing everywhere. The kids have all become proficient at patching bike tubes. Andrew, though, has a special knack for things mechanical.

When we first arrived, Andrew was only 8 but he quickly became known around our village as “the kid who patches bike tires”. He enjoyed the fame and soon his ministry grew to include adjusting brakes, tightening seats and even installing new gear cables.

While we were in the States last winter, Andrew was adamant about needing to find a specific part for a bike. I wondered at this, since at the time he didn’t even have a bike. It turns out that for quite some time Chuy, a man who works around our village doing odd jobs, had been coming to Andrew to adjust his brakes. Now the brakes were completely worn out. Andrew knew that Chuy wouldn’t be able to purchase the replacement parts and that they would be better quality in the States, so he bought them.

The day after we returned home, Chuy stopped by to say hello and while he and Doug chatted, Andrew replaced his brakes. I told Andrew later that I thought it was really cool that he was willing to bless Chuy in that way and then asked if he had given any thought to a small business. Maybe he could earn a few pesos to purchase more bike parts. He smiled and said that he wouldn’t feel right charging the people to fix things. “Mom,” he said, “these guys don’t have money to buy gas. That’s why they ride their bikes. I really don’t need anything…just more patches, I guess.”

Philippians 4:19-20 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Have the kids around you reminded you of any spiritual truths today? They often do that, you know!

La Sandia!

In English -- watermelon!!!

We used to enjoy watermelon in mid-July in Oregon. Here in Sinaloa, watermelon season is mid-November. Gotta love the year-round garden! Our watermelon patch behind the house has been thriving, and we have been waiting (more-or-less patiently) for the first melon to ripen and for the perfect opportunity to enjoy it.

Here's Seth with our prize melon.

Last week we finally had the perfect occasion to cut 'er open. We took a trip to a local park with some friends and made a day of it. The kids were all so adorable, I kind of went crazy with the camera...untill the batteries went dead. Oh well, 250 shots was probably sufficient!

So, we don't have autumn leaves. Oh, well! We get to eat watermelon in November! It's a good trade-off!

Andrew's Cot

Not a very original title, I know. Sorry. My goal in this post is to share with Grandma and Grandpa what Andrew has been working on. He's pretty excited to have finally finished it!

About two months ago, Andrew purchased an old wooden cot frame from one of the brothers in the church and then began saving to purchase camoflauge (did I spell that correctly?) fabric to cover it with. The old canvas that was on it had most definitely seen better days!

So, he finally gathered the $10 he needed for the fabric and then we set to work...

As usually happens, Esteban showed up in the middle of the project, and also as usually happens he took over and did a way better job than we would have. He has his share of experience building cots and I'm glad that he stopped by to share his expertise!

I think that Doug was helping Esteban here, but one can never really be sure with those two! Andrew made the mistake of teasing Esteban while he was stuck inside the cot, so...

Andrew is pretty excited about his new cot. He claims that it's much more comfortable and much cooler than his old mattress. Who knows? He's content, and that's what's important. We even had some scraps of canvas left over to make a camo vest...as soon as I get around to it!!!

My Son's Career Choice

Just had to share this gem today...

Yesterday, Caleb and I were sitting on the front patio talking about deep subjects and watching Elvis the Duck waddle around the yard. Caleb said that he had decided on the perfect job for his future.

Caleb: I want to have a motorbike with a toolbox on the back. I'll ride around in different countries taking Bibles to villages where they don't have them, and I'll preach the gospel. I'll trust God to provide for my needs, and if I need to work for gas or to buy more Bibles, I'll stop somewhere and pull out my toolbox and just do what people need done. I can fix their tools, or do metal-work or build stuff...just whatever needs to be done, y'know?

Me: Wow, Caleb. I can totally see you doing that. It sounds like a great plan.

Caleb was silent for a moment and then said: Mom, I just told you that I want to be a vagabond when I grow up and you said, "That's great." I love my parents.

Yes, I laughed, too.

BFS #118 -- All You Add is Love

Memory Verse:

Psalms 127:3 (New Living Translation)
Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.

Intro: All You Add is Love (Purina Puppy Chow). This week we continue with shaking things up a bit. Children are often so pure in what they say. There is no sugar coating it, they just say it as they see it. Their thoughts can make us laugh, touch our hearts and open our eyes.

Assignment: This week are going to do an “Interview With Mom” and post it to your blog. There are a list of questions below to interview your children with. Feel free to add your own questions or remove any question you don’t want to use. You will then ask your children the questions and post the answers that they give you.

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Well internet access has been sketchy at best this week. I've gotten a lot of other stuff done though!!! I did have fun with this assignment (even though I'm late posting it). I had to laugh at many of the kids' answers...kids say the darndest things!!! Hope you all get a chuckle, too!

What does Mom always say?

Evie (age 10): "I love you." Not every mom says that, you know, but you do.
Andrew (age 11): "I love you!"
Seth (age 12): "Just one second."
Jessee (age 12): "Hi!"
Caleb (age 14): "If you don't like it, don't eat it. But don't gripe about it."
Sarah (age 16): "I'm the mom. I don't need your input." or "He only needs one mom, Sarah."

What makes Mom happy?

Evie: hugs and obedient kids
Andrew: obedient children
Seth: good attitudes from kids
Jessee: sleep
Caleb: silence
Sarah: When I do what I'm supposed to do plus a little bit more without talking about it.

What makes Mom sad?

Evie: kids moving out (she's thinking ahead!)
Andrew: disobedient children
Seth: sinus headaches
Jessee: when animals die (we're down to one duck and two kittens, by the way)
Caleb: strife
Sarah: Me nagging my brothers. (and she apologized, too!)

How does Mom make you laugh?

Evie: She tickles me
Andrew: jokes
Seth: Usually we laugh when we work together.
Jessee: When she tells jokes.
Caleb: Torture (He didn't specify torture of whom.)
Sarah: When she forgets where she puts things right after setting them down. It's genetic, cuz I got it too. (I see no humor in that. ;^) )

How old is Mom?

Evie and Andrew pegged my age at 38.
Seth was going for brownie points and said, "Young."
Jessee, always the precise one, said, "Approximately one thousand, nine hundred, eighty-four weeks."
Caleb gave the algebraic equation of 30 + n = Mom's age.
Sarah made me smile with, "Twenty going on 19."

How tall is Mom?

Evie: Six feet...no, five feet...no, five and a half!
Andrew and Jessee agreed on 5 feet six inches.
Seth: Average
Caleb: Taller than Evie and shorter than me. (I'll argue that statement!!!)
Sarah: Shorter than me. (I won't argue that. Sigh.)

What does Mom like to do?

Evie: Take naps.
Andrew: read
Seth: teach school, read her Bible, talk with other moms
Jessee: play scrabble
Caleb: sew, read, create, etc.
Sarah: Cook -- when it's not a "have-to" -- and Blog.

What is Mom's job?

Evie: To cook
Andrew: do school and clean the house
Seth: To train her children in the ways of the Lord
Jessee: Teacher
Caleb: Prison guard
Sarah: Ha, Ha! You're kidding, right? I don't want to write that much!

What is Mom's favorite food?

Evie: white rice
Andrew: rice and breakfast stuff
Seth: rice and pasta
Jessee: mushrooms (Which happens to NOT be Jessee's fave!)
Caleb: Cheesecake
Sarah: Cheesecake -- Hey, it's a foodgroup, right?
(Editor's note: The kids didn't hear each other's answers, so the fact that 4 out of 6 kids put white rice as my favorite food is significant. It's not that it's my favorite, but I sure do eat a lot of it!!!)

How do you know Mom loves you?

Evie: She disciplines me.
Andrew: She doesn't let me get away with stuff.
Seth: That's a silly question.
Jessee: Because she says it every night.
Caleb: She feeds me.
Sarah: Cuz she's Mom. She wouldn't be Mom if you didn't just "know".

My verse for the week:

Proverbs 31 (I like the whole chapter!) verse 28...

Her children rise up and call her blessed, and her husband praises her!!

Why We Keep the Computer in the Living Room

'Nuff said.