Random Thoughts...

Tonight I am fighting the temptation to wait to post on here until I download my pictures. My mind is full of many random things. It is cold here. Yes - I know, I am from Canada and now live in Mexico - BUT...you won't believe it until you experience the truth that I feel colder here than I remember ever feeling in the snowy, Saskatchewan winters. Just imagine - cement, tile, no heating system. Yup. I am cold. My three boys are asleep. My husband is resting and fighting against the flu. I am tired. But I sense the goodness of God all around me. I am well taken care of in so many ways. I am thankful for our home. No, I am not completely settled as far as organizing and hanging pictures, etc.. - but it feels like home anyway. My kids love it here. I smile when I think of how many hours they have logged out there on the playground, on the bike, with the dogs, with so many new friends. Yesterday I was so happy to look out the front door to see a pile of my boys' toys dumped on the sidewalk and a bunch of kids playing together with them. Several women conversing on the bench in front of our door. It is good to be around people. We are making new friends and that always makes life special. At the same time, it is difficult to ignore the cultural differences that exist for us. Us missionaries have shared several significant conversations and prayers recently about truly understanding Mexican people - how to motivate, how to read social cues, how to understand, how to be aware if we are offending in some way, how to be friends irregardless of their interest in Jesus or not. People are people - but cross-culturally there are deeper things that exist that I am noticing and experiencing more now than ever. And yet, through all those language and cultural barriers - God is working. It is humbling. I see simple examples of His work. I feel Him stirring my personal faith. I need to be stirred and I pray for a receptive heart to the ways He desires to grow me. I think when you mix missionwork and motherhood you are asking for a pretty wide open door to always be stretched. My kids are precious and although there are days when it is pretty crazy with three so young, tears come to my eyes when I think of blessed I am to have them in my life. They are full of life, wonder, energy, and goodness (most of the time - ha!). The same little creatures that can make me want to pull my hair out can melt my heart just like that. We had a "parenting class" through Reece's school and it has brought to light lots of reflection on how we are doing with this all important job of raising children. God is gracious. It is good to reflect on our responsibility and to re-focus on how intentional we have to be. I am also learning so much from Benjy as of late. He is a good, good man. I am proud of who he is and can see God teaching, growing and using him. He is a good husband. I am lucky. He is a good Daddy - my boys are lucky. His birthday is Sunday so we will celebrate him! I should sign off and get some rest. Like I said - this is a random post but good for my heart to communicate how thankful I am.

Chase Meets Mud Puddle

Mud puddle. Older brother. Rock.
Chase loses.

Thankfulness & New Discoveries

Today is Canadian Thanksgiving and I have spent time this morning reflecting and meditating on the goodness in my life. I am thankful. Really. I try to be thankful every day but when you know that it is labelled as an official day, you can't help but emphasis it a little more. I missed being together with all of my family today - eating good food and sharing time together.

It was also an important day for another reason. Reece's school celebrated Christopher Columbus and his discoveries today with a little program put on my his classroom. Reece was asked to play the role of "the" man himself. We were more than a little unsure as to how it would all turn out as he is defining the idea of timid these days. As parents we spent the weekend trying to find the ever delicate balance of not putting too much focus yet motivating him about dressing up and performing his role. I personally think it all came together when I explained to him that I'd give him an exra "prop" in his uniform - his own telescope he could carry and if he'd like to could peer through it into the audience to find his little brothers watching him. Well, in the end he didn't do any "peering" but he was a brave little Columbus who made his own discovery today - he did well and played his role perfectly - stepping forward at the right time and everything. We are very proud of him! I think he looked pretty handsome too!

Sleep

This is not an image I see very often anymore during the day. At first, when Chase began to fight his afternoon naps, I wanted to fight back....and I did fight back. I just wasn't ready! Look at how sweet he looks and how nice it was for me to have that little break in the day. But experience is a great teacher and we soon learned that when Chaser naps in the afternoon - he does NOT fall asleep easily at bedtime. He is just a kid who doesn't seem to need much sleep. So adding an hour or two nap was not helping anyone in the long run - his little feet would make their way down the stairs numerous times (for more water, another kiss or hug, a chance to say "I love you" just once more)... and it became late into the evening before he would finally fall asleep. So, now we are in that "transtioning out of naps" stage. Where has the time gone that my little Chase isn't napping - he is growing up quickly! Most days he falls asleep a lot easier at bedtime. Yay! And I am learning that it is actually better for me too - normally all three boys are sound asleep by 8:30 or 8:45 and there is a little bit of evening left in the day.

Sitting Solo!

Little Pierce can sit! The boys think it is pretty neat that their little brother can sit - now the trick is getting them to leave him alone long enough to stay balanced! He is a little wobbly still but he is coming along. I think it might allow for easier picture taking for me!

Read, read, read!

Our kids love books and we love that they love books. We have A LOT of them (most recently realized in our move). Several weeks ago, Reece came home from school with an order form for nothing less than....Scholastic Books! Remember Scholastic Book Orders from when you were a kid? I was so excited because I used to LOVE those order forms when I was a little girl. I was actually more excited than Reece was and so without hesitation we allowed Reece to select a few books (it also serves as a good way to get some english childrens books). The books arrived and as you can see we are all enjoying them...