Baby News!

 We've had a bit of a roller coaster ride the last few weeks. On Wednesday, the 24th of November, Miguel got a positive COVID test after having a fever the night before. I left work and prepared for a 10 day quarantine. I was already starting to get symptoms (headache) and by that afternoon was running a low fever. Thankfully, my case was pretty mild and I was feeling better by the weekend except for a bit of a cold. 

The COVID hit Miguel a lot harder, by Saturday he was experiencing difficulty breathing and his oxygen level was dropping as low as 90%. Saturday night he had a fever of 103 degrees and we decided to go to the local hospital. They prescribed some nebulizer treatments, a steroid shot, and an antibiotic. Sunday afternoon, his oxygen was around 88%, so we decided to go into the hospital again. They poked him and recommended a medication for the fever. His oxygen was still getting up to 90% so they sent us home, with instructions to return if it was dropping rapidly or reached 80%. Monday morning after a stressful night of little sleep and some attempts to rent oxygen tanks, we decided to cross into Nogales, AZ and go to the emergency room. 

Thankfully we were able to cross quickly and arrived at the hospital around one in the afternoon. They took him back and I waited. Around 6 or 7 in the evening he was admitted to the hospital. The nurse let me know that I wouldn't be able to visit his room since he was COVID positive. I was able to talk with the nurse over the phone to get the report that he was on oxygen and receiving steroids for his lungs. I got a hotel for the night. Tuesday morning, the nurse let me know over the phone that he would definitely not be discharged that day, so I decided to drive back to Magdalena to get more clothes and regroup. Thankfully, he had his cell phone and we were able to talk and message back and forth. On Tuesday he was still feeling pretty miserable with a bad headache.

I drove south, put more minutes on his cell phone, got more clothes, wrapped up a few things in Magdalena, and stayed over night at home. It was a huge relief to talk to him on the phone Wednesday and hear that he was feeling much better. I got an Airbnb in Nogales, AZ and stayed there from Wednesday until Saturday. Throughout his hospital stay, I was able to take him clothes, food, and other items but not see him. By Thursday evening, they were steadily lowering his oxygen and the nurse was hopeful they might be able to remove him from oxygen by Friday. Sure enough, around 11 AM on Friday, he was oxygen-free and he was discharged at 4 PM.

Here we are, happy to see each other again after 4 days. He was still pretty weak, but has been improving steadily. We stayed in Nogales Friday night, and drove back home on Saturday.

We are appreciating health and strength a lot more after this experience. There were a lot of tears and fears, but we felt God with us even while we were so alone, Miguel in the hospital and me in Nogales. Thanks to everyone who supported us in so many ways with messages, phone calls, medical advice and encouragement, and especially prayers!

We were disappointed to have to reschedule my OB appointment because of our quarantine, but just got to go yesterday on Dec 10th.  

Exciting news. Baby Aviña is a boy! He is 18 weeks along and looking healthy! 

As far as pregnancy goes, Baby is starting to show and I am HUNGRY a lot!

Please pray for our trip to Illinois for Christmas (Dec 21-Jan 6). 

Also, please pray for us as we prepare for our baby's arrival over the next five months and especially that my responsibilities at work can be smoothly transitioned to others.

Thanks for your love and support!

Back at It

Well, after our trip to Illinois and a short quarantine because we thought we might have COVID, we are getting back into a more normal routine. 

In August we traveled to Juarez for Miguel's residency appointment.

In September we found out about Baby Aviña :) and then traveled to California to see Miguel's dad. 

In October we surprised my mom for her 50th birthday in Illinois!

We were ready for some time at home although I wouldn't say it's been relaxing!

The end of October, Marce, Jackie, and I worked together to plan and host the annual Chili and Pay night. I decided to make a pie since I've made one every year for the last 8 years (now), but knew I couldn't get really competitive since I had so much else to plan and do. The crust was all crumbly, but it won 1st place! So after 7 years of hard competition, I won the year I didn't try very hard with a recipe I had never made before. (I didn't even read through the whole thing before I was making it!) That gave me a good laugh!

And I ended up with one of the aprons I had worked to get for the 1st prizes in pie and chili, and the people's choice chili.

Alicia won 1st in chili and Geo won People's choice award in chili.

Anyways...we had an excellent amount of participants (13 pies and 9 chilis) especially for our smaller numbers.

Speaking of smaller numbers, on Sunday we said goodbye to this dear family who we will miss so much! Seth and Jodi have been a wonderful, positive influence and great examples here for so many years. We wish them the absolute best in Indiana.

And we will miss these two at Hilos. Osi had been helping with the horse classes. Jorge had been attending and bringing along the jolliness he's known for.

Also, featuring the slight baby bump.

Baby update: I'm 14 weeks along and we hope to find out if baby is a boy or girl in a couple weeks.

Here is a photo from my 11 week ultrasound.

Baby put on a show for us jumping and waving which was really fun. Can't wait to see how much he/she has grown in a couple of weeks!

Weekend of Surprises!

We so enjoyed our quick trip to Illinois the weekend of October 3rd. 

We gave my mom the surprise of her life when we showed up to celebrate her 50th birthday.

This was Miguel's first time flying since he was a toddler.

(Excuse the photo bomber sitting behind us.)

We just couldn't get enough of this sweet boy!

Brunch with the ladies. So glad my mentor, Bonnie, could come along. 

We enjoyed attending Peoria church together for the first time.

Sunday night, we had a family dinner with all my siblings and celebrated Mom's birthday and Tim's 14th birthday.

That's when we shared our second surprise of the weekend!

Baby Aviña is on the way!

I haven't had much nausea (some here and there), but plenty of food aversions esp. meat. I have to eat small portions, but need to eat more often which I'm trying to do better at doing. A few foods that I have been enjoying consistently are cornflakes and soup esp. chicken noodle soup!

So far the only thing strange that I've craved has been tomatoes, just plain tomato, but only when I'm cutting them up or happen to see one.

I continue to enjoy being a part of Hilos, the new after-school program. 

Here are a couple of snapshots from the art room where I am the assistant.

Also here is a picture of the pictures we took with the kids to make a dictionary of emotions. They are making the face of the emotion they received on their slip of paper.

Please continue to pray for the Hilos program and we would also appreciate your prayers for a safe, healthy pregnancy and baby!

A little poem from January 2013 to brighten your day!

Hope

When I have hope my spirit soars

And all my heart in love outpours

And even when the sky is gray 

I feel the sunlight’s beaming rays.

And even if the wind is chill

My heart is warm in Thy blest will.

And shouldn’t I, oh God above,

Be always filled with hope and love

When I have turned and sought Thy face

And Thou has saved me by Thy grace?

O blessed hope, the sun outshine

To know that Jesus Christ is mine!

CVE Rodeo

On Saturday, September 25th, Casa Vida y Esperanza and the cowboys from Agua Viva Ranch co-hosted a fun roping and barrel racing day. There was even a sheep tying competition for the kids. 

So many cowboys and cowgirls came. It was hot and sunny, but there were popsicles, soda, horchata, lemonade, and snow cones for sale as well as burritos, cinnamon rolls, and fritos with salsa.

sheep tying

The event had been planned to be a part of Expo in August, but was postponed.

Miguel ran the music and sound system

In the evening we were blessed to attend the marriage celebration of Bertha's daughter, Carolina, and her husband, Giovanni. I especially enjoyed listening to the mariachis pictured above. This group had two violins and four young ladies participating which I hadn't seen before. You could tell they were having a lot of fun. Mariachi music is a traditional Mexican style of music.

Hope you enjoy this small taste of Mariachi.

Stay tuned for an update on our flash (and surprise!) trip to Illinois for my mom's 50th last weekend!

California

Miguel and I were so blessed to travel to California during the past week and he was reunited with his dad after nine years.

And his grandma!

On the way we stayed in Pasadena, California. Tom and Jodi Klotzle lent us a room at their house and we enjoyed a delicious breakfast and fun chat with Kali Sauder that Thursday morning. From there we stopped at West Coast Customs (a car shop that runs a show we have enjoyed watching in the past) and saw some fancy cars. (Thursday was our 3rd anniversary!)

We arrived Thursday night in Salinas, CA and after going to see Miguel's family, settled in at the house where Miguel's brother lives. 

Jose and Socorro (Brenda's grandparents) have treated us well, sharing their home and wash machine, and cooking us food. Socorro even taught me to make corn tortillas!

On Friday morning, Miguel helped Pedro wash his truck and we got to meet our little niece, Delilah.

 

In the afternoon, Jose and Socorro took us to the mall and after window shopping, bought us ice-cream.

Saturday morning, bright and early, Miguel's dad picked us up and took us out to see the fields around Salinas.

Because of the ocean breeze that blows up the Salinas valley, it is very cool there year round and an excellent place for growing vegetables. There is a large hispanic population and many work in the fields. We enjoyed hearing all about the process of harvesting the lettuce heads, broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries, other berries, cilantro, spinach, onions and more. Both these photos are of the iceberg lettuce.

From the fields, we stopped at Miguel's dad's house and jumped in his cousin's truck to take his aunt to the airport in San Jose. On the way we stopped for some tacos.

In the afternoon, his dad took us to Moss Landing to see the ocean. It was cold, but we enjoyed watching for the sea otters and watching them eat the roots of plants from the water.

There is a sea otter sunbathing in the grass.

In the evening we went shopping and the men grilled up steak, hotdogs, and chicken legs. Quite the feast!

Of course we needed some salsa.

On Sunday, Miguel's dad took us to where he works everyday in landscaping over near Seaside, CA. The company he works for is hired to care for the landscaping throughout the neighborhoods of the soldiers who live there. On the way, we saw this excellent view of the valley.

From Seaside we drove on to Monterey and Cannery Row, a long row of old sardine factories that have been converted into shops and an aquarium.

We stopped to look out over the ocean.

And then continued walking past the end of the buildings where we saw this view and a bunch of small deer near a research facility.

In the evening, we hung out on the porch of the Avina home taking in the sun.

Monday through Wednesday we spent mornings relaxing, going on walks (me), doing online schoolwork (Miguel), and spending time with his dad in the evenings. Above is a picture of the back patio at the Avina house where we picked pears and peaches and watched his uncle work on building a shaded grill area.

 

Thursday his dad took off work after 10 a.m. so we went grocery shopping and in the evening had another "carne asada." This time in José and Socorro's back yard and Pedro, Brenda, the baby, and Miguel's dad all came. 

Pedro, Miguel Sr. and Miguel

Friday morning we left Salinas at 5:30 a.m. Around 9 a.m. we stopped at a beach between Santa Barbara and Oxnard and got to see some surfers (above) and some dolphins.

It was still pretty chilly and cloudy. 

This dog also decided he wanted to hang out with us for a bit. His tag said "Smokey."

I wanted to see more of the ocean and fulfill my dream of cruising down the coast, so we took a detour on highway 1 through Malibu, CA. It may have ended up making our trip quite a bit longer though because as a result we drove right through the heart of Los Angeles on Interstate 10.

It was the middle of the day, but there was still a decent amount of traffic.

Once we got through Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and Indio, we left the traffic behind. We made it to Tucson at 9 p.m. and stayed overnight at Duane and Ann Wulf's.

Saturday was Victoria's birthday! So we got to help celebrate and enjoyed the pancakes that Duane fried up on the outside griddle. The Wulf's invited us to join them at the Santa Cruz County Fair in Sonoita, so we took the scenic route and spent the morning there.

We got to see Cassidy and Axel as well. At noon, we left Sonoita and headed for Nogales. 

It felt so good to cross the border and make it to our home sweet home! We are thankful to be back safe and sound and see our puppy dog again.

Thanks for the love and support! 

We'll see what the next couple weeks bring!