Catching up!

There have been several significant things to write about in the last few weeks that I have such insightful things to talk about, but now they don't seem quite as amazing or interesting several weeks later. Amazing how that happens! So, in order to not forget anything, although I probably will, here is the list of our latest in sorta chronological order:

1. At the beginning of November we participated in the yearly missionary retreat. Again, there is a lot I could write and picutres I could post, but I will direct you to this fine accounts of the retreat -- click here for Sara's report. Also, if you would like to see our pictures you can click here. We would have more pictures, but we left our camera at the restaurant and had to wait a whole day before we could get it back. Also, Belinda Moore took some great pictures that you can enjoy here. She is the Marilyn McBroom of Mexico as far as pictures are concerned.
So, for some impressions of the retreat. The first evening as we sat around the circle, I was overwhelmed with emotion. I was taken back to missionary retreat in Argentina, and what a special time it was for me as a kid. It was a peace of heaven -- okay, my parents might not agree with the "she's not playing with me," the sunburns to the point of blisters, catepillar bites, and refusing to smile for the pictures since I was forced to doing it in my red polka-dotted bikini (I needed to be ready for swimming at a moment's notice). But it was a time to be with friends, to play, to enjoy. Today, it is still a piece of heaven for me. As an adult, it is a time to be surrounded by people who are in the same walk in life -- the same place in family, in life, in ministry. It is a time to be with people that are walking the same path as us. People we can laugh with, cry with, rejoice, compare kid stories, and play a mean hand of nurts! (Nobody has caught on to the idea of talent show night here, and I haven't thought it necessary to introduce the idea) I especially enjoyed watching my girls be friends and make friends.
I would say, there is something about missionaries that have a deep need to take pictures of all their kids!


I guess they are just soo cute. I did not even suggest any kind of age or size line up! It was hard enough to just get them to stay and smile and look at the camera and get their fingers out of their mouths, and not cry, and not pinch their sisters and not pick at the grass...


1979 Argentina missionaries retreat. Do you see any resemblence here?


1984 or 85 Argentina missionaries retreat with a lot more kids!

2. On November 18th, we had a friend's day for our Sunday assembly. It was great to have over 100 people! We enjoyed a morning of worship, word and a fellowship meal to follow. Everyone did a great job at inviting people and it was exciting to see how it looks with a fuller house. We praise God for what He is doing here, because it truly is above our expectations.

3. A couple of weeks ago, we had a big scare with Olivia. We were all outside playing (yes, we let our kids play in the street!) and enjoying the fellowship with our neighbors. Olivia decided to step out just as Victoria was riding by very fast on her bicyle. She didn't see her sister until it was too late and knocked her over. She skined her nose pretty bad and we thought it was the worst of it, until we saw the huge bump on her head. Everyone cried for a while, but we are all okay. We are reminded of how much God takes care of us!



These pictures really don't do justice to what it looked like and felt I'm sure, but her nose is finally healing up, just in time for passport pictures.

4. For Thanksgiving, we decided to take a road trip to Mexico City. We tried the turdunken delicacy. It was fascinating to have turkey, duck and chicken all wrapped in one lovely package. We really enjoyed spending time with Benjy and Carolyn Brednich and the rest of the Tlalplan group. They were vary gracious in welcoming us to their festivities. Victoria wasn't sure about missing school again, but warmed up to the idea once there.
The famous turdunken


A little after dinner fun or our excuse for staying one more day!



5. Okay, here is the last!!! For my #?## birthday, Sam surprised me with an evening of food and fellowship with 40 of my closest friends (I stopped counting after that). We had pozole (chicken and hominy soup), cake, played games and I got about 4 versions of happy birthday tunes. As I mentioned to those present that evening, it feels good to spend these times with "family," and it feels good that we have friends here we now consider family.

Victoria and Sofia gave me a hair dryer for my birthday, since mine died about a month ago, so now I have no excuse for not fixing my hair.


Part of the crowd at our house

The birthday singers

Okay, I think that is more than enough for one post! Thank you to all 3 of my faithful readers for being patient!