Showing posts with label sick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sick. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
The Adventure of the Flu
Click on over to my wordpress site to find out how our trip to the mountains for Christmas went and how we had a somewhat different adventure than the one we expected!
Friday, August 20, 2010
On The Other Side
In northern Mexico, one of the ways they refer to the United States is as 'el otro lado', literally 'the other side'. Say, for example, you show a friend something you brought with you from back home and they ask where you bought it, so you tell them "el otro lado", in the U.S. Or you say someone is coming from el otro lado, meaning they are coming in to Mexico from the U.S.
We are now in el otro lado, literally and figuratively. After a very interesting trip from Chihuahua to Arkansas, we're getting settled into our little house in the Village, the missionary housing provided for us by our home church here. I cannot tell you how refreshing and relaxing it is for us to be here in this haven of rest...to be able to walk in the door with only a few personal things and have a fully furnished and beautifully decorated home waiting for you! And not only that, but the grounds are beautiful, too...the Village is not only a peaceful place of rest for Miguel and I, but a very safe place for our kids to play as well.
We're on the other side of our goodbyes and the journey, too, and I can tell that we're still recovering and processing everything from the last few weeks...the kids, too, are struggling to adjust. While they are excited to be here and have other missionary kids and friends to play with, they are cranky and crabby (join the club, lol). Jkaile, especially, has been affected by this move since our apartment in Mexico was the only home he can remember.
As far as our actual trip to el otro lado, I would probably rank it as the worst travel experience we've ever had. Yeah. One of the reasons I'm just so glad to be here! It took us way longer to pack up the van and trailer than we expected, so we got a late start out of Chihuahua at 3 p.m. We decided to go ahead and leave, however, since we figured we'd either drive through the night or just find a hotel along the way. Since the plan was to spend the weekend with my friend Sol (her husband Ciro and son Toñito were in Mexico visiting family) in College Station, Texas, we knew we had a long way to go.
After saying goodbye to our dear friends John and Maria (tears flowed there...well, at least for Maria and I...I think John and Miguel probably kept a stiff upper lip...) who had so graciously opened their home to us for our last two weeks in Mexico, we took off for the border. Miguel was able to cancel our visas and car permit without all of us getting out of the van, so that was nice. On the U.S. side, however, security was tight and they pulled us over for an inspection. They let us go rather quickly, though, so I guess we convinced them of our innocence. :)
Other than Miguel missing a turn-off and making a long detour due to the fact that his navigator was sleeping, the trip proceeded rather smoothly until about 1 a.m. when we got pulled over by a city policeman in a little Texas town. He pulled us over to let us know that the lights on our trailer weren't working, but he also wanted to see license and proof of insurance as well as my driver's license. This is when we found out we didn't have proof of insurance (we knew we had insurance, just couldn't find the proof). Fortunately, he was a kind policeman, didn't give us a ticket or make a fuss about the insurance and after telling us we needed to fix the lights, went off into the night.
Miguel fiddled with the lights for a while and they finally came back on, so it must have just been some loose wiring. Since he noticed that one of the trailer tires was a bit low on air, we decided to go back into town to inflate it a bit more. On the way back out of town, we got pulled over a second time by a state trooper in the exact same spot as the first time we got pulled over! This time, he said he stopped us because he couldn't see our trailer's license plate because the tarp was covering it a bit. Again, license and proof of insurance please...and we were like, um....and once again, we were treated with mercy and he let us go with just a citation and an admonishment to get the proof of insurance as soon as we could. While the state trooper had us pulled over, we overheard a few things on the radio that made us think that security was a bit tight in the area due to the situation with illegal immigrants, so we think that's probably what was going on there...they were probably stopping any suspicious-looking vehicles or ones with out-of-state license plates, which would explain why they weren't so concerned about the insurance papers.
Because of the border crossing and the time lost in the detour and with the lights/getting pulled over, we really lost a lot of time. Once we got up to the interstate where we would turn east, both Miguel and I were so tired that we just pulled over into a rest area behind a bunch of trucks, locked the doors and slept for a couple of hours! When we woke up, we went not-so-merrily on our way because we were just so zonked. I drove for as long as I could to let Miguel sleep more and then Miguel took over again. As the day went on, we felt a bit better and were able to enjoy the beautiful sights of central Texas...there are some really cute little towns there that would be so much fun to explore...such as the German-Texan town of Fredericksburg.
Anyway, about 30 minutes out from College Station, we stopped at a gas station to call Sol and get directions to her house. She was excited to hear from us, but then I had to call her right back to let her know we'd be delayed even more because Miguel had noticed a major problem with one of the trailer tires...it was terribly deformed and literally about to fall off because all the ball bearings had melted! yikes. We were so very thankful to be at a gas station, have a place for the kids and I to sit inside out of the 105 degree heat (even though the lady attending the station was unfortunately less than gracious), and that there was a Tractor Supply Co. literally across the street where Miguel could buy all the parts he needed to replace the tire and tire mount. He also talked with a Mexican guy who happened to be there who called a friend of his to come help Miguel fix the tire more quickly than Miguel could have done it on his own...the compadre system at work there. :)
So by the time we made it to Sol's house, we'd been on the road for 26 hours and were completely and utterly wiped out! While we had an excellent time at Sol's house and it was great to catch up with their lives, I started realizing that I was getting a stomach something. I am pretty sure it was not a flu, but more like amoebic dysentery or some such thing I'd picked up somewhere along the way. My stomach was cramping and I kept having to run to the bathroom every hour or so...not good while traveling. Sol had the right medicine, though, so Sunday night I began that treatment and felt better within about six hours...which was good because I was beginning to wonder if we'd be able to leave that next day after all!
Monday morning, after a good Mexican breakfast, we said our goodbyes to Sol and headed out. There really are no good ways to get to Northwest Arkansas from College Station, so we mapped out what we felt would be the best route on secondary roads even though it would probably take us a bit longer. Everything went well until after lunch when Jojo began throwing up. I felt bad because about all we could do was provide a container for him and just keep going. He didn't complain a lot and we just kept stopping to empty the container...poor guy. Nothing like feeling so sick on the road...
Then about 3 p.m. in a town in northeast Texas, we lost the other tire...we were literally riding on the rim and left some nice grooves in the highway for a while. Miguel had a spare and he and Micah worked to get that tire on so we could go look for a place to buy a new one.
Again, God was good and there was a Tractor Supply Co. just a quarter of a mile back down the highway! It didn't take long for Miguel to get the new tire on while the rest of us hung out in the air conditioning of Home Depot (which would also probably sold the right tires, too) and then we were back on the road. We really enjoyed the scenery on the back roads of eastern Oklahoma, but Miguel was pretty stressed at the thought of losing another tire...once it was dark, he kept looking in the mirrors for signs of sparks! But we made it to Rogers with no more tire troubles...I think we pulled in here around 11:30 p.m. that night. We were greeted by some welcome signs from our friends, the Rasicos, another missionary family we know who are living here at the Village.
So we've been working at getting settled in and getting better...Jojo was sick for the first couple of days we were back and now Gracia and Jkaile might be getting it, too (although I hope not!). I felt pretty badly, too, with my stomach thing, but am gradually getting better now that the medicine is really taking effect. We've been able to see a few friends so far and that's been good. Once we're better, I'm sure we'll be able to get out more. I will also start homeschooling in a couple of weeks, so need to get organized for that...in the meantime, I'm working on helping the kids learn how to live in this house and set up the daily routines before we tackle school.
I think my final thoughts on this trip, though, are that in spite of it being our 'worst' travel experience ever in terms of sickness, length, problems, etc. it was actually one of the best because I did not freak out. I was calm, rational, did not say "I told you so" (not even ONCE), in control of my emotions (okay, well, there were a couple of times...), and had peace that God would take care of us no matter what happened. I have such a thankful heart for the way God is working in me because it made it such a better experience than it would have been if I'd just totally flipped every time something else happened. So neat to see how God continues to work and how much these changes in me have such a positive effect on my family.
We are now in el otro lado, literally and figuratively. After a very interesting trip from Chihuahua to Arkansas, we're getting settled into our little house in the Village, the missionary housing provided for us by our home church here. I cannot tell you how refreshing and relaxing it is for us to be here in this haven of rest...to be able to walk in the door with only a few personal things and have a fully furnished and beautifully decorated home waiting for you! And not only that, but the grounds are beautiful, too...the Village is not only a peaceful place of rest for Miguel and I, but a very safe place for our kids to play as well.
Our house in the Village.
We're on the other side of our goodbyes and the journey, too, and I can tell that we're still recovering and processing everything from the last few weeks...the kids, too, are struggling to adjust. While they are excited to be here and have other missionary kids and friends to play with, they are cranky and crabby (join the club, lol). Jkaile, especially, has been affected by this move since our apartment in Mexico was the only home he can remember.
As far as our actual trip to el otro lado, I would probably rank it as the worst travel experience we've ever had. Yeah. One of the reasons I'm just so glad to be here! It took us way longer to pack up the van and trailer than we expected, so we got a late start out of Chihuahua at 3 p.m. We decided to go ahead and leave, however, since we figured we'd either drive through the night or just find a hotel along the way. Since the plan was to spend the weekend with my friend Sol (her husband Ciro and son Toñito were in Mexico visiting family) in College Station, Texas, we knew we had a long way to go.
After saying goodbye to our dear friends John and Maria (tears flowed there...well, at least for Maria and I...I think John and Miguel probably kept a stiff upper lip...) who had so graciously opened their home to us for our last two weeks in Mexico, we took off for the border. Miguel was able to cancel our visas and car permit without all of us getting out of the van, so that was nice. On the U.S. side, however, security was tight and they pulled us over for an inspection. They let us go rather quickly, though, so I guess we convinced them of our innocence. :)
Other than Miguel missing a turn-off and making a long detour due to the fact that his navigator was sleeping, the trip proceeded rather smoothly until about 1 a.m. when we got pulled over by a city policeman in a little Texas town. He pulled us over to let us know that the lights on our trailer weren't working, but he also wanted to see license and proof of insurance as well as my driver's license. This is when we found out we didn't have proof of insurance (we knew we had insurance, just couldn't find the proof). Fortunately, he was a kind policeman, didn't give us a ticket or make a fuss about the insurance and after telling us we needed to fix the lights, went off into the night.
Miguel fiddled with the lights for a while and they finally came back on, so it must have just been some loose wiring. Since he noticed that one of the trailer tires was a bit low on air, we decided to go back into town to inflate it a bit more. On the way back out of town, we got pulled over a second time by a state trooper in the exact same spot as the first time we got pulled over! This time, he said he stopped us because he couldn't see our trailer's license plate because the tarp was covering it a bit. Again, license and proof of insurance please...and we were like, um....and once again, we were treated with mercy and he let us go with just a citation and an admonishment to get the proof of insurance as soon as we could. While the state trooper had us pulled over, we overheard a few things on the radio that made us think that security was a bit tight in the area due to the situation with illegal immigrants, so we think that's probably what was going on there...they were probably stopping any suspicious-looking vehicles or ones with out-of-state license plates, which would explain why they weren't so concerned about the insurance papers.
Because of the border crossing and the time lost in the detour and with the lights/getting pulled over, we really lost a lot of time. Once we got up to the interstate where we would turn east, both Miguel and I were so tired that we just pulled over into a rest area behind a bunch of trucks, locked the doors and slept for a couple of hours! When we woke up, we went not-so-merrily on our way because we were just so zonked. I drove for as long as I could to let Miguel sleep more and then Miguel took over again. As the day went on, we felt a bit better and were able to enjoy the beautiful sights of central Texas...there are some really cute little towns there that would be so much fun to explore...such as the German-Texan town of Fredericksburg.
Anyway, about 30 minutes out from College Station, we stopped at a gas station to call Sol and get directions to her house. She was excited to hear from us, but then I had to call her right back to let her know we'd be delayed even more because Miguel had noticed a major problem with one of the trailer tires...it was terribly deformed and literally about to fall off because all the ball bearings had melted! yikes. We were so very thankful to be at a gas station, have a place for the kids and I to sit inside out of the 105 degree heat (even though the lady attending the station was unfortunately less than gracious), and that there was a Tractor Supply Co. literally across the street where Miguel could buy all the parts he needed to replace the tire and tire mount. He also talked with a Mexican guy who happened to be there who called a friend of his to come help Miguel fix the tire more quickly than Miguel could have done it on his own...the compadre system at work there. :)
So by the time we made it to Sol's house, we'd been on the road for 26 hours and were completely and utterly wiped out! While we had an excellent time at Sol's house and it was great to catch up with their lives, I started realizing that I was getting a stomach something. I am pretty sure it was not a flu, but more like amoebic dysentery or some such thing I'd picked up somewhere along the way. My stomach was cramping and I kept having to run to the bathroom every hour or so...not good while traveling. Sol had the right medicine, though, so Sunday night I began that treatment and felt better within about six hours...which was good because I was beginning to wonder if we'd be able to leave that next day after all!
Monday morning, after a good Mexican breakfast, we said our goodbyes to Sol and headed out. There really are no good ways to get to Northwest Arkansas from College Station, so we mapped out what we felt would be the best route on secondary roads even though it would probably take us a bit longer. Everything went well until after lunch when Jojo began throwing up. I felt bad because about all we could do was provide a container for him and just keep going. He didn't complain a lot and we just kept stopping to empty the container...poor guy. Nothing like feeling so sick on the road...
Then about 3 p.m. in a town in northeast Texas, we lost the other tire...we were literally riding on the rim and left some nice grooves in the highway for a while. Miguel had a spare and he and Micah worked to get that tire on so we could go look for a place to buy a new one.
Again, God was good and there was a Tractor Supply Co. just a quarter of a mile back down the highway! It didn't take long for Miguel to get the new tire on while the rest of us hung out in the air conditioning of Home Depot (which would also probably sold the right tires, too) and then we were back on the road. We really enjoyed the scenery on the back roads of eastern Oklahoma, but Miguel was pretty stressed at the thought of losing another tire...once it was dark, he kept looking in the mirrors for signs of sparks! But we made it to Rogers with no more tire troubles...I think we pulled in here around 11:30 p.m. that night. We were greeted by some welcome signs from our friends, the Rasicos, another missionary family we know who are living here at the Village.
Nothing like a warm welcome to make
us feel at home!
So we've been working at getting settled in and getting better...Jojo was sick for the first couple of days we were back and now Gracia and Jkaile might be getting it, too (although I hope not!). I felt pretty badly, too, with my stomach thing, but am gradually getting better now that the medicine is really taking effect. We've been able to see a few friends so far and that's been good. Once we're better, I'm sure we'll be able to get out more. I will also start homeschooling in a couple of weeks, so need to get organized for that...in the meantime, I'm working on helping the kids learn how to live in this house and set up the daily routines before we tackle school.
I think my final thoughts on this trip, though, are that in spite of it being our 'worst' travel experience ever in terms of sickness, length, problems, etc. it was actually one of the best because I did not freak out. I was calm, rational, did not say "I told you so" (not even ONCE), in control of my emotions (okay, well, there were a couple of times...), and had peace that God would take care of us no matter what happened. I have such a thankful heart for the way God is working in me because it made it such a better experience than it would have been if I'd just totally flipped every time something else happened. So neat to see how God continues to work and how much these changes in me have such a positive effect on my family.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Sometimes It's Better Not to Know
As much as I'd like to catch glimpses of the future sometimes, I think that for the most part, maybe it's better not to know what life will bring you next...when Micah started throwing up one Saturday night about 2 1/2 weeks ago, I'm really glad I didn't know that we were looking at a solid week of vomiting and sickness! Micah got sick on Saturday night, then I started getting it on Monday night, Tuesday was Jojo's turn, Tuesday night Gracia started throwing up, and Wednesday night Jkaile started throwing up. By that time, Jojo was well enough to help Jkaile...which is when I snapped this sweet, sweet picture! Okay, well, yeah, it's a little gross, but isn't it just so sweet how Jojo is helping his little brother?! And okay, yes, what kind of a Mom takes pictures at a time like this, but hey, Jojo had it all under control...what you don't see is me throwing the camera down and joining them there on the floor...On Friday morning, Miguel and JD both woke up sick and I began throwing up Friday night. What a miserable, miserable week that was! :( But God gives grace...we just canceled all family appointments and events (including a birthday party, a bridal shower, and a baby shower) although Miguel did go to work the representation table at a missions conference even though he wasn't feeling the greatest.
The kids missed most of the week of school, which happened to be testing week, but they were able to make that up this last week. I think the most disappointing thing, though, was not to be able to hang out with some good friends who were in town so their kids could take the testing, too. We did get a good talk in on the phone, but that's not the same as hanging out over a meal and watching our kids enjoy each other. :( Oh well, maybe next time...
It took us another week to get over that flu as we dealt with the hangers-on of fatigue, upset tummies, and diarrhea. Ugh! This week, though, we are mostly back to normal, although tired from being a bit busier than usual...I've been trying to dig out from under the enormous pile of winter/too small clothes that has taken on epic proportions in the younger kids' room (quite embarrassing for guests to catch a glimpse of on their way to the bathroom and my kids can NOT seem to keep the door shut!). Not to mention the dust bunnies, or as a friend puts it "dust llamas" accumulating everywhere at incredible rates..Miguel swept out quite a pile from under and around the bed in our room this morning! With the dry and dusty condition of this desert region, things deteriorate about 10 times faster than back home!
So okay, back to work sorting out clothes...which to put away for next year, which to get rid of (we're considering putting on a garage sale!), which to keep...decisions, decisions, decisions. Not my favorite thing to do when I would prefer to veg...
Monday, November 16, 2009
Sickies in the House...
After a really fun time at our mission school's Fall Festival this last Friday night (of which we have NO pictures because I forgot the camera!), Gracia woke up Saturday morning vomiting, achy, and running a pretty high fever. This is her third day of sickness, and now Miguel and Micah have it as well. At first I thought that it might be tonsilitis since Gracia is susceptible to that, but now that others are having the same symptoms, it has become obvious that it's a virus. Besides, I found out this morning that Gracia's teacher has been sick over the weekend as well. Miguel and I are both tired from being 'on call' round the clock...we tried different sleeping arrangements, but between caring for Gracia, now Micah, and then a night-time dirty diaper from Jkaile in the wee hours this morning, we just aren't getting a whole lot of rest.
I'm glad that we had no pressing appointments this weekend except for substituting for a Children's Church class yesterday (which Miguel was able to do solo), rare for us! This is partly due to the fact that today is a huge Mexican holiday, el 20 de noviembre (celebrated on the closest Monday), and all schools and many businesses are closed. All is quiet in our normally noisy neighborhood (school behind our property, industrial plots in front and beside our house).
I checked out two books from the school library on Friday and I'm so glad I did! A couple of new Gilbert Morris books for me (nice, light reading compared to some of the reading I've been into lately), and The Hobbit to read out loud to Micah. We've enjoyed it so much that we're very nearly done with the entire book already! At this point, Bilbo and the dwarves are trapped inside the Lonely Mountain, wondering how to conquer the dragon and retrieve their treasure...I only just recently watched The Fellowship of the Ring with Micah, so he's enjoyed hearing Bilbo's story and how he came to find the ring. Now the rest of the movies will make a bit more sense to him. I think The Hobbit was always my favorite book of the whole series anyway...
I will leave you with this really cute video of Jkaile (please ignore messy face and shirt and Gracia sticking her glass in the way!)...he recently learned how to wiggle his eyebrows. And since I finally cut his hair, we can actually SEE his eyebrows! We also figured out that his "funny face" is really a wink! Such a cutie! (by the way, "Gugi" is Jkaile's sibling-given nickname!)
I'm glad that we had no pressing appointments this weekend except for substituting for a Children's Church class yesterday (which Miguel was able to do solo), rare for us! This is partly due to the fact that today is a huge Mexican holiday, el 20 de noviembre (celebrated on the closest Monday), and all schools and many businesses are closed. All is quiet in our normally noisy neighborhood (school behind our property, industrial plots in front and beside our house).
I checked out two books from the school library on Friday and I'm so glad I did! A couple of new Gilbert Morris books for me (nice, light reading compared to some of the reading I've been into lately), and The Hobbit to read out loud to Micah. We've enjoyed it so much that we're very nearly done with the entire book already! At this point, Bilbo and the dwarves are trapped inside the Lonely Mountain, wondering how to conquer the dragon and retrieve their treasure...I only just recently watched The Fellowship of the Ring with Micah, so he's enjoyed hearing Bilbo's story and how he came to find the ring. Now the rest of the movies will make a bit more sense to him. I think The Hobbit was always my favorite book of the whole series anyway...
I will leave you with this really cute video of Jkaile (please ignore messy face and shirt and Gracia sticking her glass in the way!)...he recently learned how to wiggle his eyebrows. And since I finally cut his hair, we can actually SEE his eyebrows! We also figured out that his "funny face" is really a wink! Such a cutie! (by the way, "Gugi" is Jkaile's sibling-given nickname!)
Friday, October 2, 2009
Odds and Ends
1) Well, first up today is that I've been battling with a kidney infection for about what, a month now? Maybe not that long, just seems like it! The week after the Family Retreat, I noticed that I seemed to be extra tired and sure enough, that Wednesday I realized I had a kidney infection. It hit me pretty hard because most likely, I'd been dealing with it for a few days and didn't realize it (the usual m.o. is that I don't exhibit many symptoms of bladder infections, so don't catch them very quickly). I first tried to take care of it by drinking lots of water, cranberry juice and pills, etc. but by the weekend began a treatment of antibiotics.
I didn't get better very quickly, though, and a week later had to switch to a stronger antibiotic. I have had some good days in there, but mostly it's just taking a LONG time to get over this thing. It's been discouraging as I've been barely keeping up with the house and the kids, much less things like writing on my blog! I had a good day yesterday, but am not feeling so good today, so I guess I am just going to have to take it easy and keep on top of it to avoid a relapse...
2) As well as the kidney infection, I am also experiencing horrible, horrible allergies!!!! And I don't usually even have allergies here in this drier climate! But it's rainy season, the flora and fauna are thriving and something is driving me nuts...and I'm so glad you can't see me with toilet paper stuck up both nostrils in an attempt to stem the flow...Miguel did and he laughed. Hmph, wish HE would get allergies once in a while...
3) I am so excited to be doing two different Bible studies this fall...on Wednesday mornings I go to the ladies' Bible study at our church (Spanish). This last month, the group invited a special speaker to give a workshop on the inductive Bible study method. He works with Kay Arthur's Precept Ministries International, so he provided us with a couple of books that we will be using in the weeks to come...first we're planning to go through the six lessons in Living a Life of True Worship and then begin Lord, I Want to Know You, which is a study of the names of God. I am looking forward to it!
**Side-note: During the workshop, we studied the book of Philemon and at the end, he challenged us to take Psalm 119 and study it using the inductive method...answering questions such as "What synonyms does the author use for the Word of God?" and "How does the author feel about the Word of God?" I've been doing that here at home in the last few days and it's a thought-provoking way to study the Word. For more information about Precepts Ministries, go here.**
Second Bible study will be with fellow missionary ladies (English). We will be doing another Beth Moore study, Believing God. I have the book in hand and can't wait to start! God has challenged and encouraged me tremendously through each Beth Moore study that I have done and I know this one will be no different!
4) Miguel and I continue to talk and pray through various aspects of our ministry... and it continues to be hard to do that! It's been interesting to note that while I generally tend to view conflict as strictly a negative thing, I'm learning that conflict can also bring growth and unity...if that makes any sense...it seems a bit backwards, but as we have made the effort to work through some of our differences of opinions and stuff, we've seen some progress in various areas even though at times it seems like we haven't really gotten anywhere. For which I PRAISE my God!
Future ministry options are still high on our list of things to discuss and while there may be a few changes in what Miguel's ministry looks like here in Mexico, we still do not have much leading as to beyond the next year or so. One of my favorite verses continues to come to mind whenever this weighs heavy on my mind...
I didn't get better very quickly, though, and a week later had to switch to a stronger antibiotic. I have had some good days in there, but mostly it's just taking a LONG time to get over this thing. It's been discouraging as I've been barely keeping up with the house and the kids, much less things like writing on my blog! I had a good day yesterday, but am not feeling so good today, so I guess I am just going to have to take it easy and keep on top of it to avoid a relapse...
2) As well as the kidney infection, I am also experiencing horrible, horrible allergies!!!! And I don't usually even have allergies here in this drier climate! But it's rainy season, the flora and fauna are thriving and something is driving me nuts...and I'm so glad you can't see me with toilet paper stuck up both nostrils in an attempt to stem the flow...Miguel did and he laughed. Hmph, wish HE would get allergies once in a while...
3) I am so excited to be doing two different Bible studies this fall...on Wednesday mornings I go to the ladies' Bible study at our church (Spanish). This last month, the group invited a special speaker to give a workshop on the inductive Bible study method. He works with Kay Arthur's Precept Ministries International, so he provided us with a couple of books that we will be using in the weeks to come...first we're planning to go through the six lessons in Living a Life of True Worship and then begin Lord, I Want to Know You, which is a study of the names of God. I am looking forward to it!
**Side-note: During the workshop, we studied the book of Philemon and at the end, he challenged us to take Psalm 119 and study it using the inductive method...answering questions such as "What synonyms does the author use for the Word of God?" and "How does the author feel about the Word of God?" I've been doing that here at home in the last few days and it's a thought-provoking way to study the Word. For more information about Precepts Ministries, go here.**
Second Bible study will be with fellow missionary ladies (English). We will be doing another Beth Moore study, Believing God. I have the book in hand and can't wait to start! God has challenged and encouraged me tremendously through each Beth Moore study that I have done and I know this one will be no different!
4) Miguel and I continue to talk and pray through various aspects of our ministry... and it continues to be hard to do that! It's been interesting to note that while I generally tend to view conflict as strictly a negative thing, I'm learning that conflict can also bring growth and unity...if that makes any sense...it seems a bit backwards, but as we have made the effort to work through some of our differences of opinions and stuff, we've seen some progress in various areas even though at times it seems like we haven't really gotten anywhere. For which I PRAISE my God!
Future ministry options are still high on our list of things to discuss and while there may be a few changes in what Miguel's ministry looks like here in Mexico, we still do not have much leading as to beyond the next year or so. One of my favorite verses continues to come to mind whenever this weighs heavy on my mind...
Trust in the LORD
with all your heart,
and lean not
on your own understanding;
In all your ways
acknowlege Him,
and He will direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV
So while I wouldn't say that we're discouraged, per se, we continue to wonder where God is leading and when we'll know what our next step is. In the meantime, we keep plugging away, doing what we can to serve where we are...
5) Jkaile is resisting all efforts at potty-training! Funny (well, not so funny, maybe) how one little kid's refusal to 'go' in the potty can cause so much tension! Definitely a power struggle there! Sigh...we'll just keep working on it! Potty-training is my least favorite stage of babyhood, I think...it does help to know that he will most likely be potty-trained by the time he goes to college...
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Meditating on Psalm 63
I really should be in church today...but Jojo woke up feeling sick (when he's not interested in breakfast, I know it's for real!) and Jkaile has turned into The Crank because he's got a molar that's about to break through the gum. I really do feel sorry for The Crank, even though he's quite getting on my nerves, because he's so obviously in pain! He's hungry, but can hardly stand to eat and he keeps crying and pointing to his "owie" mouth. :( I've kept him somewhat entertained with movies and hard candies (something he seems to be able to handle), ice cream and playing with the hose outside. We even gave Coco and Cora a bath! (Cuzco is over guarding a friend's house while they are gone for the summer, but he doesn't like baths anyway). Coco wasn't too sure about the whole bath thing at first, but then she calmed down...and Cora couldn't wait for her turn, she kept shoving Coco over to get under the hose!
So, in spite of caring for Jojo and The Crank, I wanted to get a spiritual feeding in there today since lately I've felt myself getting a little "off" (you know the signs...irritability, struggling with emotions, etc.) and needing a few Words of Encouragement. Immediately, Psalm 63 popped into my head. Probably because today is the Sunday that the Bible study ladies at our church were going to recite the entire psalm in front of the congregation; we've been working at memorizing it for weeks! And while I can't say that I'm too sorry about missing having to get up in front of everyone (memorization in my second language doesn't come quite as easy as in the first!), I was looking forward to the chance to be more involved with the ladies in this way. But oh well...so I present to you Psalm 63, definitely one of my favorites!
So, in spite of caring for Jojo and The Crank, I wanted to get a spiritual feeding in there today since lately I've felt myself getting a little "off" (you know the signs...irritability, struggling with emotions, etc.) and needing a few Words of Encouragement. Immediately, Psalm 63 popped into my head. Probably because today is the Sunday that the Bible study ladies at our church were going to recite the entire psalm in front of the congregation; we've been working at memorizing it for weeks! And while I can't say that I'm too sorry about missing having to get up in front of everyone (memorization in my second language doesn't come quite as easy as in the first!), I was looking forward to the chance to be more involved with the ladies in this way. But oh well...so I present to you Psalm 63, definitely one of my favorites!
Psalm 63 (NIV)
A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.
A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.
1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
6 On my bed I remember you;
6 On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
9 They who seek my life will be destroyed;
7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
9 They who seek my life will be destroyed;
they will go down to the depths of the earth.
10 They will be given over to the sword and become food for jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God;
10 They will be given over to the sword and become food for jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God;
all who swear by God's name will praise him,
while the mouths of liars will be silenced.
Salmos 63 (RV 1995)
Salmo de David,cuando estaba en el desierto de Judá.
Salmo de David,cuando estaba en el desierto de Judá.
1 ¡Dios, Dios mío eres tú! ¡De madrugada te buscaré!
Mi alma tiene sed de ti, mi carne te anhela
en tierra seca y árida donde no hay aguas,
2 para ver tu poder y tu gloria, así como te he mirado en el santuario.
3 Porque mejor es tu misericordia que la vida,
2 para ver tu poder y tu gloria, así como te he mirado en el santuario.
3 Porque mejor es tu misericordia que la vida,
mis labios te alabarán.
4 Así te bendeciré en mi vida; en tu nombre alzaré mis manos.
5 Como de médula y de grosura será saciada mi alma,
4 Así te bendeciré en mi vida; en tu nombre alzaré mis manos.
5 Como de médula y de grosura será saciada mi alma,
y con labios de júbilo te alabará mi boca,
6 cuando me acuerde de ti en mi lecho,
6 cuando me acuerde de ti en mi lecho,
cuando medite en ti en las vigilias de la noche,
7 porque has sido mi socorro y así en la sombra de tus alas me regocijaré.
8 Está mi alma apegada a ti; tu diestra me ha sostenido.
9 Pero los que para destrucción buscaron mi alma
7 porque has sido mi socorro y así en la sombra de tus alas me regocijaré.
8 Está mi alma apegada a ti; tu diestra me ha sostenido.
9 Pero los que para destrucción buscaron mi alma
caerán en los sitios bajos de la tierra.
10 Los destruirán a filo de espada; serán presa de los chacales.
11 Pero el rey se alegrará en Dios;
10 Los destruirán a filo de espada; serán presa de los chacales.
11 Pero el rey se alegrará en Dios;
será alabado cualquiera que jura por él,
porque la boca de los que hablan mentira será cerrada.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Getting motivated
It's 10:30 a.m. and I find myself avoiding everything that I SHOULD be doing and hanging out at the computer...guess I'm having trouble getting motivated! For one thing, I have a headache, which is my own fault for eating pizza and breadsticks on Saturday (I am allergic to yeast and cheese, but pizza is VERY hard to resist!). Both Miguel and I were very tired last night to begin with and then Micah threw up around midnight...my hero Miguel cleaned it all up and we were just getting settled back into bed when I heard the unmistakable sounds of diaper-filling from Jkaile's bed. sigh. I waited a little while until I thought he was finished, got up and changed his diaper and took him back to bed to nurse. I got him back to bed around 1 a.m. and was just nodding off again when I heard some more diaper sounds! double sigh. So I got him back up, changed his diaper and decided to put him back to bed without the nursing, since that might stimulate more diaper filling (it's a vicious cycle!)...and yep, there he went AGAIN!!! triple sigh. One more diaper change and then back to bed, much to his great displeasure...but he did eventually get back to sleep.
I had a hard time going to sleep at that point and I noticed Miguel doing his share of tossing and turning, too! Both of us were thinking about Miguel's appointment with INS (now USCIS) this morning to try to straighten out a complication on his application for naturalization...long story, but we've had a lot of snags and long waits, so we really don't want to mess anything up with that! I will post an update on that when Miguel gets home...I am really on pins and needles waiting for him to get home to find out what happened!!!! Anyway, I remember Miguel putting Jkaile in bed with me around 6 a.m. before he left and then the next thing I knew, it was 9 a.m.!!! Guess both of us were tired! :)
I am feeling very much overwhelmed with the giant list facing me and am much in need of a plan...I think I need to implement the 15 minute work plan that Flylady recommends. Set the timer for 15 minutes and work on just ONE thing until the timer goes off and then take a 5 minute break. If you do three 15 minute work sessions, you can focus better and get a lot done in just one hour. I can't handle everything I have to do this week right now, but I can handle 15 minutes of work at a time. :) Especially with a 5 minute coffee-break in there! Ha!
I had a hard time going to sleep at that point and I noticed Miguel doing his share of tossing and turning, too! Both of us were thinking about Miguel's appointment with INS (now USCIS) this morning to try to straighten out a complication on his application for naturalization...long story, but we've had a lot of snags and long waits, so we really don't want to mess anything up with that! I will post an update on that when Miguel gets home...I am really on pins and needles waiting for him to get home to find out what happened!!!! Anyway, I remember Miguel putting Jkaile in bed with me around 6 a.m. before he left and then the next thing I knew, it was 9 a.m.!!! Guess both of us were tired! :)
I am feeling very much overwhelmed with the giant list facing me and am much in need of a plan...I think I need to implement the 15 minute work plan that Flylady recommends. Set the timer for 15 minutes and work on just ONE thing until the timer goes off and then take a 5 minute break. If you do three 15 minute work sessions, you can focus better and get a lot done in just one hour. I can't handle everything I have to do this week right now, but I can handle 15 minutes of work at a time. :) Especially with a 5 minute coffee-break in there! Ha!
Saturday, February 23, 2008
uninspired
I'm not feeling particularly inspired today. There are so many things that I've thought about to write, but haven't had much time to sit and get them down! But I have a good excuse...I am recovering from pnuemonia! Like I wrote last time, different ones of us have been sick off and on and the week after my Grandad's funeral (subject of another post), all of us except Miguel got the "bronchitis flu". It was terrible. The first symptom I noticed was fatigue, on Monday I was really dragging myself around and wondering what was wrong with me. I seemed to have a tickle in my throat that wouldn't go away. Then I had fever and chills Monday night that Ibuprofen quickly took care of. The next morning was Bible study, so I took some more Ibuprofen and off we went. I didn't know how sick I was going to be or else I wouldn't have gone. Later that day, the fever and chills came back with a vengeance and I knew I was going to be very sick. That day Gracia and Jojo started running fevers, too, so the three of us were out for the count.
On Wednesday afternoon, my fever got up to 104.3 under my arm and all I wanted was my Mom...I guess we all revert to childhood when we're sick! But at the same time, I didn't want her to get sick either, so there I was. The fever finally went down and on Thursday I was actually feeling better and was up for a while in the afternoon. But Friday morning I felt worse and I decided that I needed to see a doctor since I felt like I had severe bronchitis if not pnuemonia and didn't want to end up in the ER over the weekend. By the time I got in to see the doctor (a very LONG wait!), my fever was up to 102.2 and I must have looked pretty bad. And sure enough, the dr. could hear the tell-tale sounds of pnuemonia starting in the bottom of my right lung. I generally hate to go to the doctor, but this is one time that I'm thankful that I went. I got my prescriptions (we're still recovering from the price!!!) and I am very grateful to be well on my way to full recovery. I am also thankful that the kids did not get nearly as sick as I did and Miguel was able to avoid it as well (although he had some sort of strange stomach thing).
While I am getting much better, I am still very tired and have found myself battling irritability and impatience with the kids. They are so full of energy and we've all been stuck inside since the weather has been so cold. And I have not really had the emotional or physical energy to keep them busy and entertained, which means that I've gotten myself in trouble a few times as things have gotten out of hand. As in when their energy lacks direction, fights and squabbles ensue and I am pushed to my limits of what I can handle. :(
In the middle of all this, Baby Jkaile is crawling! And getting into everything! I'm so proud of his accomplishments, he's pretty young to be crawling, but I don't think I'm ready for this stage of life! He's already demolished a few magazines and sucked on my new book's cover, sigh. Fortunately, Micah is a great help at dragging him away from things he shouldn't be touching, but it's an extra thing to think about. Thank goodness for playpens!
Okay, well, I think the baby is ready for a nap and I'm ready for him to have his nap. :) So chao for now.
On Wednesday afternoon, my fever got up to 104.3 under my arm and all I wanted was my Mom...I guess we all revert to childhood when we're sick! But at the same time, I didn't want her to get sick either, so there I was. The fever finally went down and on Thursday I was actually feeling better and was up for a while in the afternoon. But Friday morning I felt worse and I decided that I needed to see a doctor since I felt like I had severe bronchitis if not pnuemonia and didn't want to end up in the ER over the weekend. By the time I got in to see the doctor (a very LONG wait!), my fever was up to 102.2 and I must have looked pretty bad. And sure enough, the dr. could hear the tell-tale sounds of pnuemonia starting in the bottom of my right lung. I generally hate to go to the doctor, but this is one time that I'm thankful that I went. I got my prescriptions (we're still recovering from the price!!!) and I am very grateful to be well on my way to full recovery. I am also thankful that the kids did not get nearly as sick as I did and Miguel was able to avoid it as well (although he had some sort of strange stomach thing).
While I am getting much better, I am still very tired and have found myself battling irritability and impatience with the kids. They are so full of energy and we've all been stuck inside since the weather has been so cold. And I have not really had the emotional or physical energy to keep them busy and entertained, which means that I've gotten myself in trouble a few times as things have gotten out of hand. As in when their energy lacks direction, fights and squabbles ensue and I am pushed to my limits of what I can handle. :(
In the middle of all this, Baby Jkaile is crawling! And getting into everything! I'm so proud of his accomplishments, he's pretty young to be crawling, but I don't think I'm ready for this stage of life! He's already demolished a few magazines and sucked on my new book's cover, sigh. Fortunately, Micah is a great help at dragging him away from things he shouldn't be touching, but it's an extra thing to think about. Thank goodness for playpens!
Okay, well, I think the baby is ready for a nap and I'm ready for him to have his nap. :) So chao for now.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Gross!
Jojo is sick again. He's been sick six different times in the last two months, each time with fever and vomiting. We've all been sick more than usual this winter, so we're probably just reacting to and U.S. winter rather than being in the tropics. And maybe Jojo is affected more than the rest of us since he was only four months old when we went to Venezuela and it's all he's ever known. Anyway, we didn't really know he was getting sick until he threw up day before yesterday while he was sitting on Miguel's lap in the living room. As I'm rushing around looking for a "throw-up bowl" (they are now stashed in various places around the house since we've been using them so much), poor Miguel is having to catch the throw-up in his hands to prevent carpet distress. By the time I got over there with the bowl, things were rather a mess, to say the least. I'm constantly amazed by Miguel's ability to handle episodes of poopy and throw-up disasters without gagging. I used to have more of an "iron stomach", but ever since Jojo was born more than three years ago, I have not been able to tolerate things like that without nearly throwing up myself! Miguel is my hero every time he cleans up after the kids.
Jojo did not throw up again all that night and we had high hopes for his recovery, but alas, he had a relapse yesterday. For some reason, he'd gotten off the couch and away from his throw-up bowl. He was half-way up the stairs when he threw up and unfortunately, I was directly beneath him and some of it landed in my hair!!! To quote AFV, it was a true "Moment of Ewwwww!" when I realized what had happened!! Oh, it was so gross! Since nobody else was available to help (Micah disappears at the first sign of vomiting since he's even more squeamish than I am!), I had to stand there catching everything in the bowl until Miguel could arrive. Oh well, I needed to wash my hair anyway.
Now that we are adjusting to having four kids, it does seem as if one or the other of them are sick at any one point in time! And both Miguel and I are down with colds too, which really complicates things....if any of the kids need something, there we are arguing about who feels the worst or who's turn it is to change the poopy! LOL! Not really, Miguel has been a true servant and has done more than his fair share lately! He is so good with the kids and such a good Papi.
As Miguel and I consider our future ministry options, sometimes it seems overwhelming to think about being back on the mission field and this time with the four kids instead of three! I know it will be really hard and I'm kind of scared, but I feel God drawing me back to ministry. I sense God gently challenging me to trust. Can I trust Him to provide the strength, stamina, wisdom, patience, and everything else I need to make it? I've already found out that I can't do it in my own strength! Where else is there to go but God?! Psalm 73:25-26 NIV Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Jojo did not throw up again all that night and we had high hopes for his recovery, but alas, he had a relapse yesterday. For some reason, he'd gotten off the couch and away from his throw-up bowl. He was half-way up the stairs when he threw up and unfortunately, I was directly beneath him and some of it landed in my hair!!! To quote AFV, it was a true "Moment of Ewwwww!" when I realized what had happened!! Oh, it was so gross! Since nobody else was available to help (Micah disappears at the first sign of vomiting since he's even more squeamish than I am!), I had to stand there catching everything in the bowl until Miguel could arrive. Oh well, I needed to wash my hair anyway.
Now that we are adjusting to having four kids, it does seem as if one or the other of them are sick at any one point in time! And both Miguel and I are down with colds too, which really complicates things....if any of the kids need something, there we are arguing about who feels the worst or who's turn it is to change the poopy! LOL! Not really, Miguel has been a true servant and has done more than his fair share lately! He is so good with the kids and such a good Papi.
As Miguel and I consider our future ministry options, sometimes it seems overwhelming to think about being back on the mission field and this time with the four kids instead of three! I know it will be really hard and I'm kind of scared, but I feel God drawing me back to ministry. I sense God gently challenging me to trust. Can I trust Him to provide the strength, stamina, wisdom, patience, and everything else I need to make it? I've already found out that I can't do it in my own strength! Where else is there to go but God?! Psalm 73:25-26 NIV Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
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