What Happened to Spring?!

It turned cold again today, so I'm comforting myself with these pictures from a warmer day last week when we took a walk...I loved these pictures of the Jkaile, Jojo and Gracia...I don't know where Micah was, probably off playing somewhere else...



Snowy Day

It began snowing last night and while it's not much, it was still enough for the kids to have had a blast this morning making snowballs and eating maple syrup snow (which they probably shouldn't be doing, but I'm sure we've eaten worse things!).  Schools have declared a snow day in most areas, so the kids were happy about that (okay, okay, I know, we're homeschooling...sh! don't tell). 

The view out my window was just beautiful...



My Kids

October 30th was Micah's 10th birthday! 

It didn't work out to have a big party for him

this year, but he did have a couple of friends over

to play and one spent the night...here he

is with his new ripstik.

This last Saturday Gracia and about 30 other girls

 got together for a tea party! 

We shopped together for the Perfect Dress

and found one that we both loved. 

The tea party was in honor of Gracia's friend Allison,

 whose family are also missionaries from our church. 

They are here at the Village for a few more weeks

 and Allison's mom wanted her to have some

special memories to take back with her when they leave.

Jojo...always on the go! 

Here he is learning how to ride a ripstik as well.

Since all of the other kids around here

 were dressing up for Fall Festivals, we dug out our

 costumes...Jkaile was thrilled with the knight costume.   

Of course, then he went around whacking

everybody...



Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

We are up to our eyeballs in homeschooling here...we're still getting used to our schedule and routines, but we're getting there.  I ordered the Letter of the Week curriculum from Confessions of a Homeschooler to do with Jojo and Jkaile together.  While I'm not doing the entire curriculum with them, I'm using a lot of the print-outs and ideas.  One idea that I loved was to use the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and make your own palm tree to put the letters on each week.  I found the book at the library last week and I think that we'll just have to invest in one of our own because Jkaile absolutely loves this book.  I don't think he'll be wanting to take it back! 

So here is my 'designer' version of the Chicka Tree...it

turned out a lot better than I'd imagined!  Scrapbooking paper

just makes everything better...each of the pieces are individually

backed with magnets so they can be rearranged.

Isn't that a happy grin?!

It would probably be a good idea to line the rest of the letters

with cardstock or cardboard, though, since it

appears they will be handled a lot!



Happy Birthday to Jkaile!

I had a lot of mixed feelings when I found out that I was expecting Jkaile...it was a difficult time in our lives and I knew that a pregnancy with all of its discomforts would most likely only complicate things.  I was right...

Morning sickness hit me hard and in the middle of that, we moved from the city where we lived in Venezuela to a small town to start a new ministry.  The house we lived in was very comfortable, but without a good cooling system and I struggled a lot with the heat and humidity.  I got very sick that February with a bad flu and became very dehydrated without realizing it.  I probably should have been hospitalized, but I refused to budge and poor Miguel had to nurse me back to health with the help of some friends.

It was during that time that I began to think that perhaps I would lose this baby...I'm not sure why I was convinced of this, but somehow I believed that since I hadn't really wanted another baby, maybe I didn't deserve to receive the blessing of another baby.  Completely absurd, I know, but it was a low time in my life and I don't think that I was thinking straight.  But because of that feeling, I prayed more fervently for this child than I had for the others.

Once I recovered from that illness, we had to move once again and the second house we lived in was even hotter than the first.  I struggled with the heat and dehydration and exhaustion and varicose veins in an unmentionable part of my body that made life miserable.  I was one grouchy momma, let me tell you!  I don't like to think about that time of my life...we traveled some during the months of April and May and then in June traveled back to the states to attend a family reunion.  Here's a picture of my mom and sisters and me on the last day of our family reunion...I went into labor that very night.  If I look uncomfortable, I was!  lol  I found out that my belly was so huge because I had an incredible amount of amniotic fluid.

Jkaile was born at 3 a.m. on July 22 after a rather short labor.  When he was born, the doctor noticed right away that there was a full knot in the cord and they cut it out to study it.  I don't think I was quite 'with it' to realize the full implications of that knot, I was just relieved to find out that Jkaile appeared to be a normal, healthy baby. 

What a cutie!  

At two weeks of age, I took Jkaile in to the dr. for the normal two-week check-up.  The pediatrician looked him over and then just stood there holding him for a long time, looking him over.  Then she kind of came to herself and handed him back to me saying that she rarely sees such a "perfect" baby.  As a new mom I was flattered, of course, but also surprised by her comment because I'm sure she sees hundreds of newborns every month.  I asked her about Jkaile's cord that had not yet fallen off even after 2 weeks...she said that his cord appeared to be very thick and that sometimes a thick cord takes longer to dry up and fall off.  I also mentioned that he'd had a knot in his cord at birth and asked her about that.  She was surprised and told me that a knot in the umbilical cord is "potentially fatal" and that what probably saved Jkaile was the fact that his cord was so thick.  

And then I knew...God has a plan for every life...God protected Jkaile through all of my sickness and travels and even from the knot in his cord.  That is also probably the reason I had been prompted to pray for his life and his safety all during my pregnancy.  Jkaile's life is a precious gift from God that we will enjoy as long as God allows.  

Jkaile at two weeks.

Jkaile and I

As Jkaile grew, I worried about a bit about his development, wondering if there had been any adverse effects from a possible lack of oxygen due to the knot in his cord, but it has become quite obvious to us that the exact opposite is true.  Not only is Jkaile a normal, healthy child, he is also demonstrating a higher intelligence than any of our other kids at this age!  Some friends who are highly educated in the areas of education and psychology who teach him in Sunday School have actually encouraged me to think of him as a special needs child because of his high intelligence (in other words, I need to keep him busy and challenged or suffer the consequences!).  No, he probably won't be one of those twelve year olds who graduate from college, but it's obvious that he is pretty smart.  

So Happy Birthday Jkaile! I'm so glad that you are part of this family!  Love you lots, Mom

Jkaile, July 2010

Pancakes

Pancakes...one of our favorite meals!  Jkaile loves to help in the kitchen and as soon as he sees me standing at the counter with a mixing bowl, he comes running...literally!  I recently started letting him help me with the pancakes...I pour the batter and flip and then he gets to take them off the griddle and put them on the plate.  At first I was afraid he'd burn himself, but so far he's been careful.  Micah enjoys helping, too, although he's already learned how to pour and flip.  

Banana pancakes (which explains why they are lumpy, lol)

Some days I wish I had four arms!  

This morning we made pancakes with faces.

Jkaile liked the sad faces the best...

Future chefs at work....

Gracia Has Another Birthday - Part I

On Wednesday, May 19th, I took Jojo and Jkaile over to the school to celebrate her birthday together with her classmates.  Her teacher brought cupcakes for us all to enjoy and they had decorated her desk in a special way for Gracia that day.  :)  I'm surprised Jkaile hadn't blown out that candle by then...you can tell he wants to!

Then they played 'find-the-happy-faces' that

her teacher had hidden...I think there were a few

they never did find...

Jojo found a few, too.

Next was an outdoor game on the playground...

And then back inside for Silly Sentences.

They were silly, all right!

Jkaile tried...don't think he quite got them put 

together right, though...

All in all, a fun birthday day...but the real fun
was to come at her party that next Saturday! 

No Public Hiney Inspections, Please!

A really funny thing happened to me yesterday...gave us a good laugh! Our family lives in the middle apartment of the Bible School dormitory for the single students...we aren't actually on staff with the Bible School since we have another ministry, but they needed someone to live here in a supervisory role at the same time we were available so here we are. :) We live in the middle apartment with the girls above and the guys downstairs in the basement. The building is constructed in such a way that the basement has windows at ground level. The screens on the windows allow you to see out from the inside, but you can't really see into the windows from the outside (which caused another embarrassing incident of Jojo taking a leak right outside one of said basement windows, not realizing that his own mother and several other people were in the basement laughing their heads off at the whole situation, but that's another story).

So yesterday, Jojo and Jkaile were out jumping on the trampoline, which is currently placed on the south side of the house so as to take advantage of the afternoon shade. There are at least three basement windows on that side, which is why one of the students downstairs felt compelled to come tell me that I needed to go check on the boys. Since he wouldn't tell me outright what he had seen, I figured it was most likely something bad...and when there are two little boys involved, you just never know!

Sure enough, I peeked around the corner of the porch in time to see Jkaile pull up his underwear and Jojo with a somewhat guilty look on his face. I thanked the student and called the boys to come inside, wondering how to deal with the situation and also feeling a little embarrassed that my children would be doing, well, that. And not only doing that, but doing it out in the yard in plain view of the street (maybe there is a reason why most passers-by stare at our house a lot!) and the basement (although they tend to forget that people can actually see out those windows).

It took a couple of minutes for the boys to get their shoes on (Jkaile was wearing two mismatched girl crocs that took a bit of figuring out) and come inside, which gave me a minute to settle down and then I remembered...Jkaile had been complaining all day of an "owie" bottom. Suddenly, the situation became very clear to me! Jojo, with his strong sense of empathy and caring for his baby brother, was in all likelihood, just checking things out to see if he could help! Sure enough, that's what Jojo confessed to when he came inside...

When I told Miguel about it later, we both had a good laugh at what it must have looked like to the guys downstairs! Maybe we should actually let know the inside scoop, eh? lol So then Miguel says, "I guess we need to tell Jojo not to conduct any (hiney) inspections in public!"

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...

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

I just found out that today is The Very Hungry Caterpillar Day! I had no idea that there was such a day! But anyway, this is very cool because I already had these pictures on the line-up for a cute post. :) Jkaile discovered The Very Hungry Caterpillar a few weeks ago and loved it. This is his favorite page.

He always points out that the "patapita" has an "owie".

Little Children and Jesus

Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." ¹⁵When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

This morning, Jkaile woke up after everyone else had gone to school. I 'caught' him praying over his breakfast.

Jkaile loves to pray!

The True Challenge of Potty Training

I have become convinced that the true challenge of potty training isn't getting your kids to 'go' in the potty, but in maintaining one's sanity while you are at it. It's quite possible that God designed this stage of childhood as a sanctification tool or something...there are few things that can bring out the Mean Mama in me quicker than things that go on during this time of potty training.

The other day, for instance, all I wanted to do was take a nap! And yet, who kept popping up out of his bed, peeling off his diaper, needing to sit on the potty than the child who just a few days before had resisted all efforts at training?! No use telling me this is actually a good thing, it's still annoying. Yes, I really do want him to use the potty, just not every five. minutes. during. nap. time. Apparently, the gumdrop rewards are working better than I thought...

But a funny thing happened the other day (and here is where you choose to continue reading at your own risk due to somewhat graphic imagery ahead...). Jkaile pooped big time. Then he got up, turned, bent over to pull out the potty insert...except that either he wasn't quite finished or there was some poo stuck to his rear that fell on the floor.

Of course he stepped in it.

Several times.

I finally decided to just pick up the entire mess (literally) and take it all away. My plan was to place him in the shower, take away the potty chair insert, dump the poo, and then clean up the child. But the toilet is on the way to the shower and as his hand holding the potty insert passed over the toilet, he dumped.

From a height of about three feet.

Yeah, we both hit the shower after that one...

What struck me at that moment, though, is that I was laughing. After four kids and countless years of potty training, the sanctification must be kicking in after all.

Jkaile Knows His Colors!

Well, for the most part anyway...Jkaile
goes around the house naming just about
every color he sees these days! He just turned
2 1/2 last week. Smart little guy, isn't he? :)
(pardon the runny nose, seems to be a
constant companion this winter...)

How to...

...use the potty in the winter...

New Shoes!

To be completely honest with you, money's been tight this semester, which tends to create stress...and yet God is good to provide. Not always how or when we think He should or will, but we have yet to go hungry and we've been able to pay our bills. This last week, we were tremendously blessed by a local Mexican church here in the city who graciously bought all of the kids in our family brand new shoes! at the mall! And not only for our family, but they bought new shoes for the children of several missionary families! A true blessing and encouragement to all of us!

At the shoe store...

Jkaile...

Trying on the shoes...

After buying us the shoes, we were treated to
supper...

Our family chose gorditas...not from
Doña Tota, but still delicious!

And after supper, ice cream bars from Dairy Queen!
A real treat for the kids!

All the kids with their new shoes...

Christmas with the Friendly Beasts

In spite of not having a music teacher this year at our MK school, the elementary teachers were able to put together a short Christmas program featuring "The Friendly Beasts" (at least I think that's what it was called...). Everyone worked very hard and we all enjoyed their presentation. It just hardly seems like Christmas without a school Christmas program, so I am glad they made the effort!

Jkaile checking out Baby Jesus before the show...

I helped with the refreshments and ended up
wearing the exact same shade of green as Anita and
Deanna AND the napkins! Too funny!

The entire Kindergarten class were sheep...

Micah (in the orange) was one of the Kings...his belt
is made out of my curtain tie-backs! lol

Gracia was a brown horse...

Micah and a friend after the program...