We're headed home...

... in less than 24 hours!

Lord-willing, we will be in Indiana tomorrow afternoon. I know we're both looking forward to seeing friends and family -- even though it means leaving four little Rinkenbergers in Mexico. Prayerfully we will one day be able to bring them with us! :)

So this is just a random post because I finally unloaded my camera from the last month...!

Above, on our honeymoon in Prescott.

Que guapos!

Our two boys got glasses [after receiving very, VERY strong cautions about what the upkeep of said glasses should include... ;)]... and they seem to enjoy being able to see! Even though the glasses (like everything else they own) need some sort of insurance policy. :)
Another cutie... Jorge!
Jodi sent him into our living room in this kitchen apron...

... and only his diaper!

In our new living room [more pictures to come after we get back from vacation]...

The boys were listening to my Grandpa Bahr's stories that we have on CD.

Did any of you listen to Farmer Bahr tapes??? :)

The boys really enjoyed listening (I translated some of it)... but nothing is as good as hearing those stories in person before bed with all three of us (my sisters and I) snuggled under the green and white comforter in Aunt Paula's old bedroom!

Grandpa, you are missed... but I'll look forward to hearing those stories someday in a better place...!

Just one of the sweet notes my husband left me... the best part (other than the sentiment)???

You get to eat it afterward... ;)

Thanks for the continued prayers... for our trip and our kids while we're gone. Carissa and Todd are going to be helping us out with watching them, so we are super-grateful! We are looking forward to seeing many of you soon!

Wedding Weekend... a Month Later!

Our wedding weekend was a huge blessing for Joel and I and our kids!

There were a few struggles with sickness, bridesmaid dresses, teeth falling out... but all in all it was a wonderful time and we're both grateful for the turnout from our families!

There are a lot of pictures in this post, but I figured it was best to do it all at once... enjoy!

SATURDAY MORNING PHOTOS:

Zulema did Jenna and I's hair while Tif did Candi's, Chel's and her own!

"Daddy" had to hold his squirmy little daughter so she would actually sit straight! :)
While waiting for the rest of his suit, Diego listened to Grandpa Joe read... this pic cracks me up, because they're giving one another such funny looks!

Marcos watches Grandma Mildred iron his dress shirt (one of the first times he's ever seen that, that's for sure!)... thanks, Grandma! I'm thankful you, Mom, and Jeanne were on top of the ironing that weekend!

At the old train station, waiting for pics... my handsome husband and our (pretending-to-be) shy daughter. :)

It was... a little difficult keeping the kids clean! Thankfully, though, Mom and Tif attacked the boys' suits and our dresses with Oxi-Clean when we got back from the shoot!

Chel and Dad in a nice photo moment!

Lots of stories were told this weekend... imagine that! ;)

I am so thankful that Andrew was able to come down and help Ryan out with the photo shoot... I think the best memory was when we were late for the breakfast brunch and Drew just kept giving off the time in an announcer's voice... more and more frequently the later and later it got! :)

We had some "non-smiley" kidlets -- specifically Candi -- so Amy, bless her heart, decided to provide a little bit of entertainment by zooming Angel (Zulema's boy) around like an airplane! It was amazing... thanks, Ames!

Tif and Chel with their three nephews and niece!

THE REHEARSAL DINNER AT CAFE SED:

When I was originally thinking of the rehearsal supper, I was thinking soft lights, candles, nice dinnerware, etc. And then I woke up and realized that we have four kids and I am NOT a formal dinner type of person... ;)

Jarrin had offered her services for decorating (praise the Lord!), and so when I suggested a picnic-style rehearsal dinner, she was all over it! And it turned out super-relaxed, fun, and beautiful! Excellent job, Jarrin!!!

Above, our picnic baskets that we picked up before we ate dinner...

People mingling before the games started...

With so many nieces and nephews (not to mention our own kidlets), we had to have some games! Bobbing for apples was quite appealing for a summer wedding... :)

Jaxson taking a big bite of his catch!!!

There were sack races... Dad, would this be considered cheating??? Maybe not, but the attempt to knock everyone over might have been... ;)

Cheering the sack-racers on!

Mama Bahr and Mama Rink... calmly observing the antics of their families!

Duane made the pulled pork for our rehearsul dinner and made Joel & I two special pieces to symbolize Genesis 2:18-25... ribs! Thanks, Duane... the meat was incredible!

Joel with his new sisters-in-law!

SUNDAY MORNING... SHOW-TIME:

Dad came out before church with his overalls and jacket on... I, personally, would have been okay with his attire for the wedding... ;)

The beautiful cake that Aunt Paula and Fede decorated... it was pretty tasty, too! Thanks to both of you for all the hard work to put it together... :)

The kids from my English class sang "Above All" during the church reception, accompanied by Pau on the guitar. It was neat, especially since they sang in both Spanish and English!

(l-r) Isaac, Jazany, Ramses, Marcos, Yaneli and Pau

Speaking of English and Spanish... the wedding service was in both languages and our "getaway vehicle" was beautifully decorated with a Spanglish sign: "Just Casado"

Perfect!!! :)

Making all the little girls giggle... ;)

Amy had a picture of me doing laundry in my wedding dress, so I feel led to add a pic of my husband cleaning in his wedding clothes, too! ;)

It was truly a blessed time, and once again... thank you to everyone who could come! There were several friends and family who didn't make it into these pictures (thanks Mom and AP for your photos!), but we are so appreciative of your presence... thank you all for making this weekend special!

Thanks for your prayers... we head back to the States next Thursday for our receptions in Indiana and Kansas, and a work team gets down here today. Please pray for continued guidance and wisdom to walk worthy of the calling of our Lord Jesus Christ and to do all we do because of HIM. Gracias!

A New Way of Life...

Finally... blogging again! ;)

Sorry it's been such a long time since this was updated... there have been a few changes in our lives in the past month!

1) We got married... yeah!

2) We got back from the honeymoon and moved into the old boys' dorm a week and a half later!

3) We are learning that married life, work teams, and four kids makes for an intricate balancing act... ;)

Through all of this, God (as usual) as been faithful and steady... even when we've been running around like chickens with our heads' cut off. Is that my Kansan hick coming out in an idiomatic expression?!?

However, the point of this blogpost is not to post about the wedding, our new home, or anything like that yet... it's a story that started over a year ago and involves our four kidlets!

ADOPTION! :)

Before we got married, Joel and I took the kids up to one of the small mountains near Santa Ana to let them know that we were/are in the process of adopting them! Read the story below...

Candi in the late-evening sun...

Aron with our "family picnic basket"... a fun Savers find!

My husband's ingenious way of preventing the kidlets from spilling their sodas...

The two of us and Diego after the sun sank below the horizon...
[Marcos was the photographer for a lot of our shots, so unfortunately I didn't get a photo of him.]

How it all started...

Over a year ago (March 2010), I had been feeling that God was really directing my attention to adoption. I specifically remember thinking, "Yes, Lord... when I have a husband." I didn't think it was fair for me to think of adopting these four kids as a single woman if they would eventually have the possibility of a two-parent home (with someone else or with me). Through the next six months, God just brought adoption to my heart again and again and again...

I think He was making a point! ;)

So I opened my heart to what He was saying, and started asking some questions as to whether it would be possible for me as a single American woman to adopt these four kids while living here in Mexico. Suffice it to say that God opened doors... and opened them wide.

I was overwhelmed, but tremendously excited and after talking with some of the staff here at CVE, I went home to chat with my family about whether they would be able to support me adopting these four kids. As many of you know, from following this blog, my family has always been super-supportive of these children and already love them like grandkids, nephews and niece, etc. The response from my family was positive and that began a new road toward the adoption...

In the meantime...

Mr. Joel D. Rinkenberger had undergone a slight transformation in his feelings for me and at Thanksgiving talked with our elder and put in a proposal for me.

Right after I had announced to the CVE staff that I was going to be starting the process of adoption for these four kids...!

There's a whole 'nother story with our engagement... but, basically it took another six months for me to see that Joel's proposal was not usurping God's direction to adopt. In fact, God had made a specal place Joel's heart for these four kids since the time they arrived! We both remember the first time they came to church, and so many details from their first months here. What a blessing!

So, where are we now?

Marcos' birth certificate was wrong and that is in the process of being changed. It was supposed to take only four months, but we are still waiting after six... but I know that if God wants us to adopt these children, He will make it possible. We are continuing to wait and pray and look forward to the day when they are our children legally... because they already are in every other way! :)

And actually, when we told the kids (above photos), their reaction was... "of course... what else would you do???" :) They, of course, didn't say that... but it was just pretty anti-climactic. They said "Yes!" [in English and Spanish], clapped their hands, asked a few questions, and then...

"Can we go play now???"

:)

Thanks for your love and support and prayers for these children and our new family; God is good! We are continuing to adjust to married life with kids and in the meantime seeing God work in this community around us... once again, He is good! Please pray for our adoption of these four precious children; that it would happen in a timely manner and that we would have patience and understanding of all the legal aspects.

And please continue to pray for new believers in Magdalena... several have started their walks with God and Satan is never happy to see contrite, repentant and joyful hearts communing with God! We praise Him and ask that you all would join us in lifting up this place to our Father, our Papi, our King!