February Highlights

On Valentine's Day, Miguel and I spent the evening with our church GCC (Christian Fellowship Group i.e. single group). We decorated cookies and took them to some women from church. We enjoyed chatting with them, eating some snacks they made for us, and afterwards we all stopped to buy hot dogs. We all had a lot of fun! This photo is when we were waiting on our hot dogs. I am wearing the sweater Miguel gave me that day!

Tuesday evenings, Miguel has a men's Bible study at Café Sed. I usually go along and read, chat with others, and try to update this blog every other week. :) A couple weeks ago, I took my sketch book along.

This time of year, hat hair is an everyday affair for this guy.

On February 6th, Issa and I took Mr. Speedie to his clinic in Nogales. I got a lot of great pictures of him, but alas I can't post his face. However if you follow me on instagram, I did an instagram story of the day that is saved under my profile, so you can check it out if you like...

We had a cold snap the last two weeks. One Wednesday, Balto's water bucket had frozen! Also, as a result of the "intense cold," school was scheduled to start 2 hours later for two weeks. It threw our schedules off, but I got to go to work late about five different days since I do the school route. And may have taken a few early morning naps! :)

Miguel and I purchased a gym membership this month, so we have been getting up a little after five and going to the gym for 45 min. We arrive home around 6:40 am. and leave again for work at 7:20-25 am. 

On February 15th, Miguel and I were thankful to witness the wedding celebration of Jackie and Fernando. It was a beautiful day, but I don't have a photo of them for you. 

Sunday I had an adventure that I hope to never repeat.  If you look carefully, you may be able to see that the white van in the picture above is stuck in the river. I was substituting for one of the church routes. And well, I knew there was more water than usual from rains earlier in the week... I knew I could take an extra 10-15 min. and go to the bridge and backtrack, but it didn't look too deep, so... I went for it and ended up very, very stuck. I couldn't see real well where the cars had been going through. (While I sat there several made it through off to my left.) It was just that the rocks in that part were large and the wheels sunk right in. Miguel came with our SUV type vehicle, but couldn't get it out, so I waded to shore and we went home for our other car. Someone else was able to pick up some of the later people on the route and once I had the car I went to pick up the few that remained. We made it for the noon hour and second service. Miguel, Adam Kaeb, and his brother, Aaron, spent the noon hour driving the backhoe to the other side of town and pulling the van out. I am very thankful for capable, helpful men! And thankful that things worked out in the end.

Of course, after experiences like that it's so easy to think, "Why didn't I...?" or "If only I had...?" but sometimes things happen. And we probably learned a good lesson, or met someone we wouldn't have met otherwise, or got a dose of humility... God is a master at redeeming our mistakes!

My Treasure

What is my treasure and my worth?

What values do I place?

What object is my focus line?

Where is my eager race?

What treasures fill my treasure chest?

And where do I delight?

For where my treasure is, God says,

Shall also be my heart.

May God bless you each one!

Ranch Outing

The CVE family enjoyed a fun, adventurous trip out to the ranch PCLM is renting on Monday, February 3. Monday was a holiday to celebrate the signing of the Mexican constitution in the state of Queretaro on February 5th, 1917.

Hiking out to the picnic site.

We were greeted by a beautiful fire, prepared by the men who had gone ahead on the gators.

Thanks to Arika Nuest and helpers who got the meal together. It was delicious!

After lunch, most everyone split up in groups to explore the river bed, and peaks nearby.

Miguel and I took a stroll with some others down the creek. 

I spy some high climbers up on the ridge.

We were serenaded by beautiful music.

Everyone shared their talents...such as making coffee over the coals.

I will cherish the memories of this peaceful, love-filled, beautiful day!

My crayon colored drawing from Jeannie Kauffman's art class on Saturday. 

We were thankful to have Larry and Jeannie Kauffman visiting as a part of the grandparent program and were sad to say goodbye to them yesterday after our splendid trip to the ranch. Miguel played various games of chess with Larry. We enjoyed a couple evenings together, once at our house and once at theirs. We taught them to play Monopoly Deal and Larry showed us some card tricks. We are so thankful for the involvement of dear couples who dedicate their hearts to us here at CVE. (Also thankful the Carlos and Marty Bahler are still here for another month or so.)

Here is a little food for thought from my poem collection. How many of us are focused more on our pet pursuits than on the pursuit of God himself? A convicting reminder to myself...

Passionate Patriots

Patriot to great crusades

Waving banners full of truth

Broadcasting their pet pursuit

So determined to be browned

On the side they like to be 

That they find that they are burnt.

Always trying to escape 

Turning by the hand of God.

Thinking they are right (they are)

But not realizing they’ve been

Passionate for lots of things

But not passionate for Him!

May God bless each of you!

And thanks to all those who have contacted me to say they read this blog. That was very encouraging!

Mele Kalikimaka

The title for this post is Hawaiian for Merry Christmas! 

Reasons: I wanted a different title than I’ve used before and I liked how it sounded…

It’s the second week of January and I’m getting back into the normal school routine. The Cissna Park team is visiting and I’m enjoying time with all the “grandparents.” Two of the couples are part of the grandparent program and the other two are the real grandparents of little Owen Kaeb, born to Adam and Belinda the day after Christmas. 

Routine was delightfully broken over the Holidays as I helped out at Casa Palgave on Mondays and Fridays for a couple weeks and hosted my younger brother Justin for a little over a week. 

The CVE children were gifted rain boots for Christmas and they proved to be a perfect gift as we had a rainy December. 

Christmas day we had breakfast for lunch at the Beyer’s where we also spent Christmas day last year. I made Mexican fruit punch again and also spent a couple hours on a Saturday making tamales with Bertha. It’s so fun learning to make traditional Christmas foods. 

Justin arrived on December 30th and the next morning we headed up 'the big mountain' with a group from CVE. Here we are at the bottom.

And here we are at the top.

Balto was privileged to be included on the excursion and took a little nap at the top.

I also captured this photo of him.

On January 3rd, Casa Palgave and friends drove to Hermosillo for the day to experience a seasonal ice-skating rink. It was a blast! 

We also watched Frozen 2 at the theater which set the scene for our activities the next Monday as I spent the morning curling "Elsa" and "Anna's" hair, participating in Cristof and "Anna's" wedding, and was surprised to be invited along on the honeymoon. Here "Anna" pets "Sven." :)

Sunday, Jan 5th, Justin and I got up in the wee hours of the morning and drove up to the border. It was a little after four when we got in line to cross and I thought, "I've never waited beside this gas station before. The wait must be pretty long." I checked online and it said 480 minutes. "No way." The average said 106 minutes. "Ok. that's not bad. It's probably about an hour and a half." Nearly an hour later, I started getting rather worried (more like panicking). I got out of the car and looked down the line and realized that those 480 minutes were actually accurate. We were sitting in an 8 hour line. Without a way to get to the airport for Justin's 8 am flight, we turned around, went home, and enjoyed another day with him. As pictured above, he also got to participate in Cristof and Anna's wedding and travel along on the honeymoon. ;) Ha. Ha. 

Thankfully, our next attempt at crossing on Monday afternoon was a mere 30 minutes. And Justin was able to fly home on Tuesday morning!

School started on Wednesday, January 8th, and routine...

Here is a little poem from my reflections back in 2013. 

The Summons

Another year has ended.

Another moment past.

How soon will be the hour

That will be our last?

Precious seconds ticking,

Time is running short.

Soon will come the summons

To the highest court.

Thank you for your prayers and love!

His Joy

His Joy 

by Laura Aviña

Darkness meets my eyes as they open each morning. 

I’m warm. 

I’m safe.

I wait.

I wait for the voices, the happy ones, the grumpy ones, the voices that instruct, the voices that respond.

I know each of them, my family.

I wait for the footsteps outside my door, not the ones that pass by, but the ones that stop. 

I wait for the hands that turn on the light, the hands that lift me, the hands that wash me.

I wait for her face.

She is happy to see me.

I see it in her eyes.

Wheels move my body, wheels moved by my arm.

They move me outside to the front porch.

They move me down the sidewalk.

I see the little things, the little things that become big things and the little things that stay little.

But most of all I wait expectantly for him.

Then I see them, the school children, and I see him, their teacher.

I can’t hear his words, but I see him point toward me.

And then one comes running, running for me!

They are happy to see me!

He is happy to see me.

I see it in their eyes.

I go. 

I go with the children.

I watch them stretch. 

I watch them play and I play too.

I hear the laughter. 

I point.

I yell. 

I jabber. 

They don’t understand, but they answer anyways.

This is my favorite time. 

My favorite place.

I feel so alive.

As they play, I see her. 

She is looking for her dog.

I saw where he went when I was watching the little things.

She brings him back.

Soon she will come for me.

Then we go.

Sometimes I want to stay, but I don’t complain.

We go to the classroom.

She talks to me.

She teases me.

I talk to her.

She stretches my legs and my arm.

We listen to music.

I walk. 

I stand. 

I learn.

Sometimes it is hard.

I feel angry. 

I hit her. 

I hide my face.

Sometimes she feels angry and she tells me.

We use a screen.

The people I love are on the screen.

The screen says their names.

I say their names.

The screen asks for snacks.

I ask for snacks. 

The screen says how I feel.

It says it for me.

Sometimes she hides her eyes behind a blanket.

She says “boo” and I see her eyes again. 

It is my favorite game.

I wonder if she is still alive when I can’t see her eyes.

But they always come back.

The eyes that are happy to see me.

After lunch, I go to the porch again.

I watch the little things, the little things that turn into big things and the ones that stay little.

I know that I’m different.

I don’t know why.

It has always been this way.

But I don’t worry.

They are happy to see me.

They are happy to be with me.

And I am happy to be with them.

Reminisce

Making banana cake in preparation for Thanksgiving week.

Miguel putting together his Christmas present, a charcoal grill.

Hanging out with the neighbor girls on a Saturday afternoon.

They made my day when they brought me this box of treats and this awesome picture of Miguel and I.

Thanksgiving week began with me finding this giant rose.

I spent Monday reminiscing with a surprise visitor, Destini Rassi!

Here we are in 2007 when I lived at CVE as a girl. Yes, those little girls in pink and orange-striped shirts in the front row.

And here we are now, 12 years later!

It was so amazing to spend some time together and catch up on each other's lives. 

Wednesday morning, the pies were in full production and the potato-peelers were being entertained by Tadi boy in the dining room.

Apple pie in the making by Jody Klotzle who helps bring our Thanksgiving meal together every year!

Gravy...

Feasting on the giblets.

Pie night Wednesday evening was nearly drowned out by heavy rains, but we still had it.

And enjoyed singing praises together afterwards.

It was a beautiful evening!

Balto was allowed in the house for a bit because of the rain. 

He made puppy dog eyes to beg me not to send him out again.

"I'll sit right here!"

Puddles

Sunday afternoon I put up our Christmas decorations.

So excited for the season.

And on Monday I made a pot of "Caldo de Queso."

Mexican Cheese soup

Roast 4 green chiles. Place them in a plastic bag for steaming and easier pealing. Chop 4 potatoes and put on the stove to boil in one gallon of water. Peal and slice green chiles into strips. Chop one onion and two tomatoes and sauté in oil. Add the green chiles to the onion and tomato in the skillet. When the veggies are well sautéed, add to the boiled potatoes. Season to taste. Cut 2 pounds of Mexican fresh cheese into squares and drop into soup. Bring to boil. Y listo!

Tuesday this week, I had one of the girls from CVE over at my house. We walked over to a big soccer field with the neighbor girls and I taught them how to play "miniatures."

Here is a "house."

This is a close up of the cooking pot sitting on the table!

It makes me remember playing like this as a girl!