Tadeo to Sacramento

As some of you may know, we'd been waiting for about six months to hear when Tadeo was scheduled for surgery at Shriner's Children's Hospital in Sacramento, California. Finally, a few weeks ago we received the news. Kendra and Tadeo will be leaving CVE, Thursday of this week. They are scheduled to arrive in Sacramento on Friday, February 5th. Surgery is March 2nd, so the month of February they will just have a couple appointments and be waiting for the operation. The surgery will stabilize his hips to prevent them coming out of joint. They have not come out of joint in the past, but it is a common problem for patients with cerebral palsy and his left hip has begun to show signs of the possibility. They are expected to be in Sacramento for around four months, meaning they would arrive back in Magdalena in early June or maybe July.

Please be prayerful for Kendra and Tadeo. This will be a stretching adventure, maybe crazy at times, and certainly lonely at times. Please pray that it can be a time of growth for both of them spiritually, emotionally, mentally... and also that Tadeo's surgery would go well.

Please pray for Marce, Mani, and I who will be sharing the house here at CVE. Pray that we can grow as well and that God would bless our relationships. Please pray that each of us can be a light for Jesus every day.

Birthday and Farewell Parties

Tadeo will be turning eleven on February 10th, Mani turns six on February 27th, and Kendra's birthday is February 26th. Kendra and Tadeo will be gone for all those dates, so we decided to celebrate early. Friday night, we had a birthday party for the boys.

And Saturday night, we invited friends for a last evening together with Kendra. Then surprise, we turned it into a birthday party for her as well! :)

Thankful today for warm breezes, two converts announced for baptism at church (Praise God!), and the excitement of my siblings (Philip, Matthew, and Megan) arriving this coming Saturday with the Forrest work team. Please pray that we can have a blessed week together.

Musical Houses :)

I thought I'd already mentioned the big move, but looking back at my posts, the last one was right before it was announced to everyone. So a bit of explanation... In the Casa Betel, there were two family groups. Pau, and the two girls (Yaneli and Kenia) and Kendra and Marce and the two boys (Tadeo and Mani). During musical houses, Jodi Beer and kids moved to an empty guest house elsewhere on campus and Kendra, Marce, Tadeo, Mani and I moved into her old house. Then Pau and the girls swapped houses with Adam and Jenna Leman who care for five children and are expecting a baby this year. They needed a larger house. Before the swap, Adam and Jenna and Jodi Beer lived in a large house that had been divided into two smaller houses, so now Kendra, Marce, boys, and I live on Jodi's side of the house and Pau and the girls on the other side. Our houses are connected, but we each have our own space. Jodi moved the end of last week and this Wednesday (the 13th) was moving day for the rest of us.

Here is my bedroom at the new house. I share with Marce. My Christmas gift blanket from Kenia is on the bed. 

This is the kitchen. 

Perhaps the most interesting characteristic of our new abode is the community of mice living in the walls. With the help of Todd Kaeb, we are armed with six snicker-bated traps. Between Pau's side and ours we have caught seven mice. The Cissna Park team was here during the move, so the ladies cleaned our houses and the men helped move furniture. We are very grateful to them!

Please pray for each of us as we adjust to new family dynamics and new homes. Please pray for all of our relationships with the changes that are frequently taking place here at CVE. Please pray for the kindergarten here and for Jaqui and I as we get back into the school routine.

Thanks to God:

- for people to help us clean and move

- that we moved and it went okay

- for heaters (I have one above my bed :) ) 

- for a relaxing Saturday after such a busy week

- for His unending love and mercy

Celebrating Christmas

First and Last Christmas at Casa Betel

Pau and the girls, Geo, and I were all gone traveling over Christmas day, so we celebrated the weekend before on December 19th. 

I was surprised to discover that Kenia had my name in the gift exchange. She gave me a big, soft, blue blanket that she bought herself.

Lots of excitement...

It was a wonderful evening together.

Tadeo and Mani got bags of candy.

The boys had other gifts to open on Christmas Day.

Yane opening her gift from Pau.

Pau with her gift from Yane.

The boys got cars in their stockings.

On December 22nd I flew from Tucson to Dallas to Peoria and Mom, Timi, and Emily met me at the airport. It was a joyful reunion. I'd been looking forward to the visit for a long time, as it had been over six months since the last. Thanks to everyone who prayed for safe travels.

Em and I at Mom and Gary's.

After celebrating Christmas as a family on December 27th, we went to Famous Dave's for supper. Here Timothy is posing with all the trophies for their famous ribs.

I had Timothy's name in our gift exchange and gave him a Lego Ideas book, so that night we spent almost 3 hrs (?!) building legos. It was a lot of fun.

Timi and our creations.

Thanks to everyone who prayed for my visit home. There were some difficult, emotional, overwhelming times, but over all I feel very blessed. I saw many, many friends and enjoyed time with my family in Peoria and Forrest. 

Arriving at back to CVE on January 5th, our house was in action packing up for the big move...