The Onion Park

It's not really an onion park. However, it is a park, and it is located in the town of "La Cebolla" (the Onion)... hence, the title. So for all who were misled into thinking this blog would actually involve onions in a park... I'm sorry? :)

Pictured above (l-r): Jose, Mario, Poncho, Candi, Julissa, Ramses, Nereida, and Diego on a bench at the park.

A few weeks ago, I wanted to take my six kids to the playground in La Cebolla, and invited Jenna's kids to come... it ended up being nine kidlets and I cruising down the highway, headed to the playground -- which, I feel is rather a misnomer in Mexico, because I am pretty sure that 85% of the playground equipment (at least around here) falls under the category of "death trap."

"Haha," you chuckle. "What an imagination she has!"

True... but seriously.

And the fact that they're shaky, spiky, broken, way too tall without safety guards, etc. probably makes them all-the-more enjoyable for the kids... ;)

One of the aforementioned death traps... :)

This slide is super-tall, and Aaron (middle) was actually really nervous to go down it. He finally did after making me promise that I would catch him. He went down at a rate of about 1 foot per 5 seconds -- more of a "scoot" actually -- so there was really no danger that he was going to sail off the end... lol.

In the background: Mario and Ramses wait their turn...

Ramses was definitely (as the oldest) the most adventurous, and kept doing "tricks" that enticed the little kids to try... and fail. :)

Poncho is sometimes... expressive. :)

This is one of his favorite faces to make, and I finally got it on camera. I will save it, print it off, show it to him one day, and try to reinforce the message that God loves us no matter what we look like... lol.

After the kids got tired of playing on the death traps, they decided to play soccer. The park area is actually pretty fun, because it has this neat cement pit area, and even benches and an overlook that are great for running around.

I... don't know exactly what this is.

Maybe it used to be a water fountain??? I don't know, but... regardless... it became Diego's favorite spot to jump up and spin around on... :)

We had taken fruit snacks with us, and we had one extra. There was a little girl from across the street that had been watching us the whole time, and so I told Ramses to go offer the girl a fruit snack. All the kids went over to call her over, ask her if she wanted it, and -- well, stare. She stared right back, and then very politely told them, "No, gracias" -- and haughtily walked away.

It was a huge rejection.

However, the kids got over it, and we had a great time anyway... :)

Land of 1000 Motos...

A few Sundays ago The Nogales Riders came down and gave Christmas gifts to the kids. This is always a fun time, and the kids love... love the motorcycles! It's also funny just to walk through and listen to all the Spanish/English that's being used so interchangeably... lol. This year they brought new clothes for the kids, shoes, a couple boxes of books, and... of course... soda and Zebra cakes... ;)

Above: Diego, Aaron, Nere, Candi, and Ponch with their (and my) favorite moto.

One of the guys let Candi sit atop his motorcycle... which she had been wanting to do all along... and then she just kind of sat there looking sorta-scared-but-not-really-and-why-are-all-these-people-looking-at-me?-ish.


Aaron, on the other hand, thought it was super-cool... and posed with the owner of the moto. This gentleman actually let several of the kids sit on his [cough] slightly expensive bike... :)


I was really, really hoping that none of the kids spazzed out and scratched it or something... lol.


One of the rider couples had a little boy, decked out in his motorcycle-rider bandana... a rocker from the crib, this one... :)

Above: Lupita and the little biker-dude...


And so... they left as quickly (and roaring-ly) as they had come... disappearing one at a time through the arched gate, and over the railroad tracks on the long, super-windy journey home.

It truly was a blessing, and I know the kids - as well as the adults - look forward to them coming back in the future! :)

I've decided I don't like gathering eggs.
I feel like a thief.
It doesn't matter that I'm grateful for them...
Or that we use them well...
Or that chickens have brains the size of a pinprick [slight exaggeration], and probably don't know the difference anyway when we steal away their unhatched young...
I still feel like a thief.

Home, Home on the... Desert

... where it's frying hot, and then freaking cold.

All in less than 24 hours.

Come to think of it, that's a lot like Kansas, so I guess I haven't become too removed from the natural environment I sweated and then froze in... :)

It's good to be back -- I definitely missed the kids (yes... admittedly there was a point about two days before leaving to go home when I didn't think that was possible).

It's weird that I go home now and talk about -- kids. Seriously. All my stories (not all, but lots) are connected with them... and so I end up talking about them constantly even when I'm not with them... lol.

The photo above was the night I got back... I slathered lotion all over their faces, and so we por supuesto needed a picture... :)

Candi and Gloria -- hangin' out on the couch and "reading."

Candi really does do a great job of pretending that she knows what she's reading... she'll sit and "read" to her dolls or stuffed animals with all kinds of gestures, voices, and - occasionally - reprimands that they're not poner-ing attention ("paying attention")... lol.

I was so relieved when I got back to see that the kids have yet to lose their ability to put on the strangest "uniforms" and then run around "shooting" one another -- admittedly, we (mainly... "I") try to hold more passive ideals for playtime, but there are just moments when little boys need to play rough -- and apparently shooting at people with finger guns and then jumping on them, doing "Chuck Norris" or "Jackie Chan" moves, and then running away and hiding behind the nearest adult fulfills that urge... ;)

All of that to say that Aaron - pictured above - is just too cute. I know he wants to look manly and tough, but he's just... cute. :)

When the other kids go to school, Candi has a great time pulling out their hats, costumes, masks, etc. that they've made in school and modeling them all for the camera...

I was trying to get a good picture of Ponch because I haven't been able to take one for awhile, and this is what happened -- he refused!

Not that surprising, really... I mean, it's not like these kids ever get pictures taken of them [cough, cough].

Ponch is really doing well -- he has his moments, but I love the responsibility he's taking with his other siblings, and how his attitude has improved. Today as the older kids got back from school, Candi ran out to meet them and Ponch was the first name she yelled, and the first one she gave a hug to -- and he just opened his arms, and wrapped her up in a big bear hug! :)

Every night before bed I usually turn on music for the kids, and light a votive candle in their room. Well... I ran out of votives, but they still want candles!

Admittedly, these are not a necessity, but it was like the opening of a Christmas gift when we put new candles on the mantle in the living room... ;)

Above... Candi and Aaron and the new candles they oohed and aahed over...

Admittedly, this was just kind of a random post to get some pictures of the kids up since I've been back for... ahem... how many weeks? Two? Three? Well, anyway... so I felt I should get some photos up of the kidlets!

But now... on to another beautiful thing that has recently come into my life: Crunchy peanut butter on whole wheat toast with a chocolate on top, and coffee on the side. Does one really need more explanation for why this is defined as "euphoric experience"???

Seriously. It's really good. Ask Jenna.

And finally -- on a more serious note -- thank you so much for all the prayers for the work here. It's amazing how much grace God gives every day to just take another step, and I know that our strength is multiplied through your prayers for us. We certainly need them... :)

Cruising Colorado - Part 2

I love my sisters so much -- they are just incredible women, and though I am biased (surprise, surprise!) I truly believe that they continually show me how God is working and transforming their lives. What a blessing to watch them grow... and learn from them! ;)

The end of my time at home I was able to spend in Aurora, Colorado with Tif & Chel. Saturday, we decided that it was more important to hang around with one another and chat than to do anything else... lol.

However, since we were going to make a super-special dinner for Single Awareness Day, we had to make a trip for food supplies... and we had some interesting photo ops along the way! ;)

Our Single Awareness Day dinner... ;)
Seated left to right: Stefany Edelman, Chel, and Tif
We made Rosemary Lemon Chicken, new potatoes with butter and dill/paprika, and a Spinach Fruit & Walnut salad with Raspberry vinaigrette dressing and Gorgonzola cheese... good times!

Sunday afternoon we decided to take photos outside the Denver church, since we had (inadvertently) worn matching outfits...
What you don't see is the cat that walked along the fence above us, and kept reaching out to snag our hair/head-coverings... lol.
That is such an AC sentence, isn't it?!? ;)

Sunday night Jake Leman and Jared Stoller invited us over for hamburgers at Mike & Deb's house -- while Mike & Deb weren't there... lol.
Thanks for loaning us your space, Mike & Deb!!!
This photo was taken right before heading to the dinner -- Tif was running down the stairs that lead to her apartment yelling, "Food!!!" while waving the bag of chips in the air... :)

The Dinner group -- (l-r) Tif, Kristi Schmidt, Stef, Chel, Jared, and Jake.

Tif said it well the night before I left -- she doesn't take our sister relationship for granted, and she is so right; it's an incredibly special friendship and... support system that cannot be described sufficiently in words. There is a communication with my sisters that I don't share with anyone else... and I'm sure there are many people who will read this and feel the same way about their sibling relationships! They are my best friends, and bring joy to my life... as well as complete and utter honesty (sometimes devastatingly so... lol).

Thank You, Lord, for my sisters!

I love you guys... :)