Los Lemans

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T19:51:00.001-08:00

From our house to yours...

L to R: José (14), Angel (13), Kristi, Soraya, Joel, Beni (2), Eddy (9), Pablo and Isaac (10)

Oh, how our lives changed in 2011 and oh, how we look forward to the changes He will most certainly bring in 2012.

Have a blessed new year everyone!

Happy 6 Months, Baby Girl!

2011-12-21T08:08:00.000-08:00

I can hardly believe my little babe is turning SIX MONTHS old today! It is crazy (and a little sad for this momma) that life just never seems to notice that I enjoy my baby just the way she is!

Oh, my little SG; she is one precious little gift from God. She has such a fun personality! She's super laid-back, smiles lots and lots and is super loving; I like to think she takes after me. One of her favorite things to do is caress my (or Daddy's) face and while "talking" to us. It melts my heart every single time.

It's been about a month and a half since we began the solid food venture, and it has been quite a (difficult) journey. I think I may have a picky eater on my hands, but I prefer to tell myself it's just because I produce such good milk she prefers it even to solid foods. Of everything we have tried, the only two things she likes (yes, you read that right...she only likes TWO things) are: sweet potatoes and cherries. Go figure. She will tolerate rice and oatmeal, but everything else sends her to tears (apples, pears, mango, strawberries, butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, pumpkin, carrots...*sigh*). Oh well, at least she eats, right?

In other development news, she rolls like a fiend and can sit up by herself a total of about 10 seconds, hah! Usually she falls over because she's too curious about an object out of her reach and lunges to inspect whatever said object might be. I can hardly ever put her in the Bumbo anymore because as soon as she's in it she starts to crawl out of it and I'm worried one of these days she's going to hurt herself. [Speaking of hurting herself, yesterday her curious mind (and Momma's not-thinking-mind) got the better of her. When I went to stir dinner (which was cooking in the crock pot), Little Miss wanted to know what it was and reached for the pot...this burning her poor little hand. I felt SO bad!] Anyways...

Like I said before, she's such a delight; she brings much joy to my soul. She helps me realize so many more things about God as my father. I just pray we can show her Jesus and someday she'll want nothing more than to serve Him with her ALL!

Thanks so much for your continued prayers for us here, we appreciate each one of them!
Blessings!

Wow

2011-12-08T09:45:00.001-08:00

Has it really been almost two months?

Before I get started, I'd like to warn/apologize...this will be a picture-less post. I have way too much to update on let alone trying to upload pictures for everything.

So what's up with us? Well, let's see...

- José started taking classes again with Denise as his teacher
- Ángel got braces after having 4 teeth pulled
- Daniel is no longer with us
- Isaac got a new roommate
- EDDY!
- Beni is fulfilling all his responsibilities as a two-year-old complete with a fierce desire for independence (minus the ability to communicate) which leads to many a temper tantrum
- Soraya (who is now 5 1/2 months old) cut her first two teeth and has started eating solid (well, pureed) foods
- Mack has enjoyed spending time chasing squirrels, stray dogs, jackrabbits, etc.
- Hank has out-grown Mack despite only being 7 months old (he's going to be HUGE)
- WE MOVED!! Praise the Lord!
- Pablo (Zach) moved in with us in the new house
- Today is the first day in months (maybe approaching a year) that we've had internet in our house! :D

More news...
- Grandma and Grandpa Leman came to visit...TWICE
- Uncle Jared came to visit with the Denver work team
- CVE served it's traditional Thanksgiving meal to the people of Magdalena
- All the animals at CVE minus the horse have moved to the "new" homestead
- We killed/butchered 4 sheep, 1 steer and 1 cow...and are enjoying the fruits (meats) of our labors here on the "farm"
- It's COLD outside
- Christmas is almost here and I haven't purchased a single gift (or thought about it for that matter)
- We continue to ask for your prayers as we are ever-learning the depth of hurt our kids have endured.

Thanks for being patient with me. I will hopefully post sooner than two months from now. We love you all!

Blessings.

Three Months

2011-09-25T14:37:00.000-07:00

[and four days]

I'm getting worse at the whole "posting-on-time" thing. Sorry.

Accomplishments this month:
- mastering head support
- lots of rolling from back-to-front
- finally settling into a routine
- passing the 10 lb. mark
- more and more hair (woo hoo!!)
- starting to talk more and more
- meeting Uncle Mike, Uncle Jared, Uncle David and GRANDPA STOLLER for the first time
- "swimming" for the first time
- grabbing toys and putting them in the mouth
- lots more that Mom can't remember right now

I know, I know...two posts in one day! But I thought I'd take advantage of the amazing internet my parents have (that's right, we're visiting family in Colorado!) and post a few updates. :D

Until next time...

Blessings!

Escapades of Toddlerhood

2011-09-25T14:12:00.001-07:00

[FYI this is our 100th post!]

*Ahem* Now why would you encounter this interesting combination of items near the bathtub?

And why on earth does Beni look like a very small 80-year-old man?

Maybe because he decided to rub an entire tub of Vaseline in his hair! [I guess it was technically on about 3/4 the tub...but still]

This is why we were not in church on Wednesday night.

But in case you ever wondered, here is how you get Vaseline out of a toddler's hair:

Step 1: Get as much out with a clean towel (or paper towel) as possible...which is not much
Step 2: Cover the affected area (in Beni's case his entire head) with cornstarch (it makes the Vaseline clump together better)
Step 3: Wash cornstarch out with shampoo (hot water is best, but with a toddler you must use only warm water lest you should scald them)
Step 4: Wash the hair three times with dish soap
Step 5: Finish with one last wash of shampoo

And be prepared for a very unhappy toddler who for the life of himself cannot figure out why you keep rinsing "hurty" soap into his eyes. *sigh* The joys of motherhood. ;D

Blessings.

Ahhhhhh...

2011-09-16T11:45:00.001-07:00

That is the sound of me taking a break for the first time in days. :D ...Welcome to motherhood, I suppose...

I must say, I have immensely enjoyed my hiatus from blogging, though I'd imagine my mother (and a few others) didn't enjoy it as much as I did. :D

It's been quite a while since I updated everyone on our house, and let me tell you...A LOT has changed. Let me show you!

All the framing in D-O-N-E thanks to Dan and Joel and Zach and a few others. AND, the plumbing and electrical and gas are all done thanks to some amazing and special volunteers! Woo hoo!!

Here's the bathtub installed and ready in Beni and Soraya's bathroom.

The future laundry/sewing room all ready to go!

Both porches are now framed and ready for the roofing...and we already have porch lights!

This is the current view in the back yard: shelter for future grill, check...shade structure for future sandbox/play area/seedling area, check...thriving trees and flowers, check. :D

We have been so blessed by the outpouring of willing workers; thanks to all their hard work we will hopefully be IN the house by Thanksgiving!!!!

The next "break" from blogging shouldn't be such a long time. Be back soon (I hope)!

Blessings!

Two Months

2011-08-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

[and two days]

I can hardly believe she's already two months old!

SG's accomplishments this month:
- amazing head control skills
- rolling front-to-back AND back-to-front
- interacting LOTS more with Mommy and Daddy
- "talking" via coos and facial expressions
- starting to really like her toys
- following moving objects (even several feet away)
- sleeping 6-8 hours every night
- taking 2 - 2 to 3 hour naps a day
- growing, growing, growing
- learning and practicing new sounds
- stealing Mama's heart every second of every day

Happy Birthday, Beni!!

2011-08-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

[a day late]

And, oh, what a journey it's been!

Bookworm(s)

2011-08-01T18:53:00.000-07:00

Though being 9 months pregnant and having a newborn might not be ideal for lots of activities (like housework and laundry and aerobic exercise) it is apparently prime time for getting books knocked off one's reading list.

A few of the books I've tackled the past couple of months:

(all or part of)
What to Expect When You're Expecting
Hypnobirthing
The Official Lamaze Guide
Husband Coached Childbirth
The First Two Years
Having a Mary Spirit
Anna Karenina
Crime & Punishment
The Cross and the Switchblade
Reckless Faith
The Forgotten Garden
A Thousand Splendid Sons

...and I've been eyeing...
The Help
Forgotten God
Jane Eyre
My Antonia

BUT, I'm not the only one who's been doing a lot of reading. Beni has been quite the bookworm himself. In fact we've read his entire book collection MULTIPLE times. ;D

Blessings!

They Say...

2011-07-28T14:27:00.001-07:00

...if you want to understand someone you should "walk a mile in their shoes."

Well, Beni must be trying REALLY hard to understand Limón right now because he's been walkin' not just a mile, but several miles in his shoes...

One Month

2011-07-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe my sweet baby girl is already one month old! Time flies and she is already growing up waaaay too fast for this mama's liking. :(

Soraya's accomplishments this month:
- being awake up to 6 hours during the day
- sleeping a 6 hour and then a 4 hour stretch at night (giving her mama some much needed rest)
- rolling over once (from front to back...maybe just a coincidence?...maybe just luck?)
- smiling lots and lots when Mama and Daddy talk to her
- charming everyone who sees her with her pure sweetness
- slowly but surely growing out of all her NB size clothes (if her current growth is any indication...we are going to have one TALL, THIN little lady...with big feet ;)
- growing in personality every day
- contracting and surviving her first illness (low grade fever, nasal congestion and a slight cough)
- getting better and better at holding/supporting her own head

Mama Leman's accomplishments this month:
- learning to lean every day on the strength of my Savior King
- learning to do anything and everything one-handed (including but not limited to: cooking, cleaning, feeding Beni, changing Beni, putting Beni to bed, bathing Beni, etc, etc)
- learning to do with slightly less sleep
- losing all my "baby" weight
- fitting into "normal" clothes
- learning to be more flexible because you never can tell how the day will go

I have treasured every nanosecond of this past month; I truly am sad that she's growing up so fast. And I know everyone says, "Treasure them; they grow up so fast!" They really aren't kidding; time positively F-L-I-E-S!!!!

Thank you for your continued prayers; we feel them and appreciate them more than we could ever express.

Blessings!

Update: House Edition

2011-07-19T20:49:00.000-07:00

So, as you can see...MUCH progress has been made on our house since I last posted...heh heh...oops...sorry. I think the last update I posted was in the beginning of May?

We were blessed with the Phoenix and Elgin teams (end of May/beginning of June) who did all the outside dri-vit and such. Then the Remington and Bern teams (both AMAZING) installed and framed windows and doors, put on the roof, finished dri-vit, framed the pad for the front porch and started inside work...woo hoo!

We are EXCITED to say the least!

Please continue to pray for the progress and provision of workers for the completion of our house. We are ever-anxious to move in as the inconvenience of our current living situation grows. Pray that we can be content where we are until the house is ready. Pray that we can be patient (because time lines mean little in Mexico). Pray that we can be flexible when things aren't going according to plan. And pray that we can be gracious receivers of this blessing, because it truly is a blessing to be receiving this house.

Thanks again for your support!

Blessings!

Updating Little by Little...

2011-07-17T19:43:00.001-07:00

So I realize I've been slacking a little on the whole "blogging" thing; my apologies to you all. I will attempt to do better.

My little Miss is settling into a routine, hence the reason I've attempted to blog again. She is such a good baby! And although she is only 3 weeks old she already sleeps 6 hours during the night! Woo hoo! I will post an update about her soon (and another about the house and another about the boys and maybe another).

But first I will update you all on our pet situation (exciting, right?!?). As most of you know we've had Mack for a little over two years now. He's been an amazing dog; we love having him as part of our family. He's great with kids, but can also be intimidating to strangers when needed. Since we will (hopefully) soon be moving to a new house, we've been thinking about getting another dog to help protect the place since we're kind of "out and away" from the gated CVE campus. And we are hoping Mack can help "teach" a new pup how to be a good dog.

Growing up, my family was (and still is) a German Shepherd loving family. Since moving away from my family, I have always wanted to get another German Shepherd. While Joel liked the idea of a German Shepherd, you would not believe how hard a dog of that breed is to come by in the Southwest. After many months of searching on Craigslist, Joel found (as he proclaims) his "dream dog," a German-Shepherd/Rottweiler puppy at 7 weeks old. (Many of the other "potentials" we checked out were either older than we liked or not a great mix.) So, about a week ago when we were in Tucson we picked him up!

Meet Hank! He's a pretty playful little dude.

And at the risk of sounding over dramatic, we're so incredible thankful to have both dogs. We actually nearly lost Mack right after Soraya was born. The poor buddy was the unfortunate target of a Rattlesnake bite. (Why does everything bad always happen to poor Mack? First he gets run over as a pup and then he gets bit by a Rattler...oh, the injustices of life! ;)

It really was touch and go for a while. Since we weren't present when he actually got bit, we weren't positive what had happened. He came back to the house one day holding up his hind leg. We could see blood and he definitely wouldn't let us touch him, but we weren't sure what the problem was. Several hours later, he was extremely lethargic. He wouldn't get up, wouldn't eat and wouldn't drink. So Joel took him to the vet, diagnosed him, gave him the anti-venom, but didn't give him too much hope of surviving the night. He said if Mack "maintained" overnight, the vet said he would probably eventually recover, but if he got any worse it probably meant he was going to die.

Well, we were very happy and thankful when Mack was still alive the next morning. Although his recovery has been slow (he's still extremely thin and not quite his perky self), we are praising God that he is indeed okay. Following are a few photos.

Check out how swollen his leg is! (This is actually after most of the swelling had gone down; it was seriously twice as big as his other leg.)

Doesn't this make you wish you were bit by a rattlesnake?

His skin died and peeled off and his hair fell out around the bite area; it was super nasty for about a week.

Like I said, he's still super-thin, but he is slowly recovering to his old self.

Thank you all for your continued prayers! We love you!

Blessings

Sweet Little Soraya

2011-06-24T12:03:00.000-07:00

Oh what a sweet little thing she is! I cannot even find the words to describe how much I love this little bundle of joy; she is SUCH a good baby...we are so very very blessed!

How Miss Soraya Grace entered the world (for those who care to know)...

I was fortunate (or not-so-fortunate) to be one of those people who "labors" for weeks on end. Yes, I had Braxton-Hicks contractions for probably the last 2-3 months of my pregnancy. And in the last 2.5-3 weeks I had regular, but not too strong practice contractions...regular as in every 10-15 minutes with increasing to every 5 minutes with activity (but with no change in intensity).

At 37 weeks I was dilated to 1 and 60-70% effaced. Five days later I was dilated to 2 and 80-90% effaced. The doctor was convinced "the end was near." I prayed the end was near!

There was also a lot of talking about induction because according to the sonogram computer my sweet "little" baby was measuring around 9 lbs and my doctor was afraid she'd have to end up coming via C-section if we waited until my due date. I prayed and prayed and prayed for wisdom, for God's divine intervention, etc...I did NOT want to be induced and even more I did NOT want a C-section.

And God is so good! On June 21st at 4 o'clock in the morning, I was greeted by a "gush of fluid." And I knew God had answered my prayers and my baby was going to come His way! Contractions "started" 15 minutes after my water broke...stronger than before and regular at every 10 minutes but still not what I was expecting for labor. I showered around 5ish and we headed for the States around 6...just to be sure we'd be close. We helped some friends unload a few things at the CVE storage unit, went out for breakfast and gradually made our way to the doctor's office. We arrived a little after 10 and upon hearing my water had already broken they sent me straight to the hospital.

We were checked in and whisked away to labor and delivery around 10:11am. My contractions although "strong and regular" were not strong enough or regular enough for my doctor's liking. So I was started on Pitocin and let me tell you, my body got down to business! I was doing fine through the contractions...really I was...I was already to 7. And then my doctor came and checked me...in the PEAK of a contraction. Needless to say, I never got a hold on my pain or emotions after that moment and opted for an epidural (and I'm thankful I did). I'd say that was around 4:30 or 5. At 6:30 the nurse came in to check my progress yet again. And in her words, "Oh my goodness! Don't you dare cough or that baby is going to just pop right out!"

So the doctor was quickly called. I pushed through 3 consecutive contractions. Then baby girl's heart rate started to drop. 80s-90s are apparently normal during pushing...50s-60s apparently are NOT. ;D So the decision was made to "cut and suck" ...aka an episiotomy and vacuum suction...yay for me! And with a few final pushes our little princess made her appearance in our world!

Welcome to the planet, Sweet One!

I wanted her SO BAD. I cried and cried and cried...almost as much as she did lying there under the radiant warmer. :'(

But we were soon united...and oh what a blessed reunion it was!

So although labor was lengthy by some standards, I cannot complain. I would do it all again. I feel so blessed. It's another (much needed) reminder how much God loves us and cares for every detail of our lives. I stressed and stressed about having a 9 lb baby, about being induced, about the possibility of a C-section...and my baby was 7lbs 7oz and oh-so-perfect in every way! Praise the Lord for His merciful kindness!

And especially for you, Dad (since Mom is here and you're holding the fort down at home)...more recent pictures from this morning...

Such a beautiful baby girl!

This mama is sooooo in love!

Hello, World!

Thank you for your patience with me (and this lovely Mexico internet) as it took me so long to post pictures! Some things just take a while!

Blessings!

She's Here!!

2011-06-22T08:47:00.000-07:00

Soraya (sor-RYE-ah) Grace

Born June 21st, 6:52 pm
7 lbs 7 oz
19 1/2 in long

Our perfect little princess!
Pictures to follow...

Thanks for your prayers!

Welcome to Creatures' Corner

2011-06-09T16:01:00.000-07:00

Also known as...the Leman Household. At least that's the way it has seemed lately. The rainy season hasn't even hit yet (which is when the creatures usually come out), but I've been finding some unwelcome "guests" in my house the past couple weeks.

Probably about three weeks ago, Daniel found a small tarantula under the couch when he was cleaning. Even though it was a small one, it was still bigger than most (...okay ALL...) central Illinois spider species.

And even though they aren't tarantulas, we have another close member of the spider family that I've been seeing in various locations the past two weeks. Joel first saw one outside near the hose. The next day I found one in the laundry room (which I still technically consider "outside"). The day after that Daniel found one on the door post...still outside. And the day after that (last Thursday) I had the pleasure of finding one in my BATHTUB!!!! Thankfully I was just cleaning, not getting ready to bathe...or it may have put me into labor.

No, I'm not exaggerating...look at the size of this beauty (yes, it's zoomed in, but it's probably about 4-5 inches in diameter)!

After literally drowning the "poor" creature in bug spray (I refuse to kill anything that big with my hands), I made Joel come remove it from the bathtub. *shudder*

And then today I had another wonderful "creature encounter" (though this one proved to be much less shudder producing than the last). It began innocently enough...I was simply indulging my latest pregnancy craving (salmon or tuna with Wheat Thins).

But when I went to open my beloved package of salmon...

...I discovered an ant parade...

Upon further investigation of the pantry, I discovered it was not merely an ant parade but a complete convention for the entire anthill.

So after clearing everything out of the pantry...

...and after washing everything off...

...I went and grabbed my "next best friend"...

...to kill the nasty invaders...look at all those little guys!

You can't see real well in this photo, but here was the apparent "main attraction" for the ant convention...an open jar of peanut butter. *ahem* Thank you, my children, for leaving the lid off after making your lunch yesterday.

The positive side to it all? I now have a very clean, nicely organized pantry...that smells very strongly of vinegar (which is supposedly a natural ant repellent...here's hoping). :D

Now this is not my first time (nor will it be the last) I've discovered various undesirable creatures in my home...it kind of comes with the territory (...although my skin and hair were "crawling" for hours after each incident...). The desert seems to be prime breeding grounds for all kinds of nasty creatures. And though I generally am not bothered by neither the spiders nor the ants, I am NOT a fan of having them in my house. As long as they stay outside where they belong I have no problem co-habitating with them...even the tarantulas. ;D

Well, I'd better get back to the many other things that occupy my life rather than this blog...like the almost-two-year-old who is currently bawling for my attention (someone didn't get a good nap today and every little thing brings on a waterfall).

Blessings!

Adventures in Phoenix

2011-05-30T12:46:00.001-07:00

As I mentioned in the last post, Joel and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary last Tuesday (May 24th). We were truly blessed to spend 3 nights and 4 days ALONE in Phoenix at the condo of a friend of a friend. It was so great to get away just the two of us (that doesn't happen very often...hardly ever)!

We headed up Saturday morning. We were blessed to find the last of our baby items on Craigslist and stopped to pick them up when we arrived in Phoenix. It's such a relief to have a few more items checked off the "to-do" list before Baby Girl makes her arrival.

Saturday afternoon we made a trip to Safeway to pick up some groceries for our stay and we made a quick stop at Starbucks for some green tea...mmmmm.

What did we do the rest of the weekend? Well, Sunday we enjoyed some time poolside and an amazing dinner with friends, Monday we took a trip to the Salt River and enjoyed some time reading, singing and generally enjoying nature and the pleasure of each others' company. Tuesday we had a doctor's appointment (so exciting, I know) and ran a few more errands before enjoying our anniversary dinner and heading back to home sweet home.

Below are some photos from our trip to the Salt River:

Before heading out, there was an obligatory stop at Starbucks for some beverages (green tea for me, caramel frappe for Joel).

Our lovely, refreshing view down by the river.

Enjoying the peace and quiet (I read my book and listened). :D

It was a time of much needed refreshing. Sadly, I'm already ready for another getaway; this past week has been stressful!

Please continue praying for us!

Blessings.

The Ben Master & Co.

2011-05-27T07:45:00.000-07:00

So I realize it's been a while since I updated everyone on how our "crew" is doing. Life with Los Lemans just never slows down and blogging falls lower and lower on my list of things to do.

Joel and I just celebrated our second wedding anniversary this past Tuesday. It was such a blessing as we were able to spend 3 nights and 4 days in Phoenix at the condo of a friend of a friend. I will hopefully post about the trip in greater detail within the next few days.

Now on to our crew. José (who is still 13 in case you forgot) is getting to be quite the little worker. He has matured so much in the past year, something for which I am thankful beyond words. He is definitely the first (and most often the only) boy offering to help without being asked. The complaints of "having" to work are significantly less than they were in the past, and overall he just seems more content, relaxed and comfortable with who he is. That isn't to say he doesn't have his moments (because and a teenager he definitely has some moments), but overall he has matured and settled.

Ángel (still 12) is kind of bi-polar with his behavior. No, he never is horrible, but he goes through what I call "valleys of laziness." He doesn't do his homework, he complains constantly about how much work he has to do, he stalls, he wastes valuable time, he procrastinates, etc. Basically, he's a typical kid who would rather laze about than have to put for effort to accomplish anything. He'd much rather play his Game Boy or read a book or play his newest game, Stratego.

Daniel (11)...I just don't know what to say about him. He is by far the biggest burden on my heart. With him more than any of the other boys I realize how powerless we are to change hearts. We can instruct, teach, guide, direct, prod, encourage, discipline, etc.; but only God can penetrate within. My heart aches for him. I get angry with him. I plead for him. I get so frustrated. I get discouraged. It seems like nothing ever changes. I rejoice in the smallest baby steps of progress and then a landslide sets us back further than where we began. I need wisdom. I need patience. I need to lean on my Savior.

Isaac turned 10 about a month ago. I just love this little man. He is still such a little kid (in a good way). He finds pleasure in the simplest things. He has quite the imagination. And even though he sometimes gets discouraged trying to keep up with his older "brothers" he's quite content to play alone or with Beni, too. Like any typical kid, I think he's ready for school to be over and for summer to begin. He still loves tagging along behind Joel (and definitely prefers his male companions as opposed to the females...a sign he is still a boy). :D

And then there's Beni. My biggest daily trial and yet a source of great joy. I was talking to my mom the other day and told her he has hit a whole new level of "I know what I want and I want it now!" I thought his fight for independence and self-assertion was frustrating before...*sigh* I find myself praying praying praying to make it through the day. I praise God that his mind is developing, that he's learning new things, that he even has a sense of independence; but his inability to understand and communicate can really be frustrating. So many times I find myself thinking..."IF YOU COULD JUST TALK THIS WOULDN'T BE SO HARD!!"

Sometimes I give myself a time out.

Sometimes I go into the bathroom and cry.

Sometimes I leave him in his crib even after he wakes up just so I don't have to face Sir Cranky Pants for a few more minutes.

Sometimes I take him to Joel because I have just had enough of him for the day.

And all the time, I beg God for more patience, better understanding, wisdom in discipline, help with controlling my own anger, etc.

But there are many joys to watching a mind grow and develop. He has "learned" so many things in the past few months. He has so many new "tricks" and he's quite proud of every one. On the language front, he still doesn't talk, but he has started mimicking a lot more than he ever has in the past...so maybe words are in the near future (here's hoping).

He's really into sorting, lining up his toys, stacking, etc. He especially likes to sort his bath toys.

And a few blog posts ago I mentioned the amazing "tower" Beni built...this is it. I promise I did not help him...and there was no one else in the house at the time he did this. However, when he tried to do it again he couldn't...so maybe it was just luck. :D He is pretty good at stacking...just not usually this good.

This is his typical "snack stance"...costume and everything. It doesn't matter where I put his snack, he goes and gets his shape sorter and sits on it. And inevitably, by the end of his snack he is wearing his camo hat and belt (oh-so-stylishly placed around his neck).

He is also really into climbing lately. He scares me half to death sometimes. He climbs his toys, he climbs the furniture, he stacks his books then climbs on top, he climbs in buckets, he climbs on benches, he climbs on Mack (poor Mack), etc. The other day he climbed up on a picnic table, but apparently the bench wasn't high enough for his taste so he climbed to the table itself and the proceeded to walk right to the edge and lean over as if he were going to walk right off. I only had a mild heart attack.

So there you have it...an update on life right now. Thank you for your continued prayers; there's no way we'd survive without them and the daily grace of our Father.

We love you all!

Blessings!

Another House Update

2011-05-14T12:06:00.001-07:00

So, I'm hoping to make a few quick updates to let y'all know what's been going on in our part of the world. First of all, a lot has been changing with the house...praise God! The most recent time line looks like: June/July work teams to put on the roof and install windows, a "specialized" team in August to do framing and electrical, hired workers from town to install drywall and tile early fall, possibly hire a painter...and hopefully the house will be ready for us to move in by Thanksgiving or Christmas (at the latest). Please pray that this can remain as the time line; I can hardly bear waiting any longer! ;)

So this is old news: we've had water and electricity at the house for a while...behold the water!

And we now have nicely framed windows and doors. Here's the front of the house...

...and here's the back of the house...

This is the back yard. Joel has continued working on refining the landscaping and recently planted some rose bushes and bougainvillea under the olive trees. Just lovely!

The most recent progress has been made with the trusses. However, this picture is a little outdated as Julian has finished all the floor pieces and over half of the roof support beams (God bless him!).

So that was a quick update. Another shall be forthcoming shortly so keep checking back!

Blessings!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

2011-05-01T15:39:00.000-07:00

B-A-B-Y!

In case you've lost track...I am now 32 weeks pregnant!

At our last doctor's appointment, he asked if "nesting" had set in yet. I chuckled inside and looked over at Joel...we both know what a planner I am. And as far as I'm concerned I have been "nesting" since day 1. I go on cleaning sprees, I get stuck in organization ruts and I have had quite the crafting streak. My poor husband. ;D Ahhh, but he loves me anyway.

The first "symptom" to hit was the cleaning. I'm a neat freak anyway, and when I looked in our closet (also known as Baby Leman's bedroom) all those months ago, I cringed at what needed to be done to make room for her. I began cleaning and reorganizing the very week I found out I was pregnant and have thankfully made a LOT of progress.

The second "symptom" to hit was the creating. I suddenly wanted to sew, sew and sew some more. I ordered fabric within the first couple months and have been working on blankets, burp cloths and hair accessories ever since. Here are a few photos of what I've been creating.

Flannel blankets. This is just the fabric, but all I did was cut them to size, round and finish the corners and voila. :D

I used this painting (which I purchased from Etsy...LOVE that site by the way) as inspiration and...

I made this...it's a pom pom mobile which I intend to someday hang above her bed...someday.

These are two pieced blankets I made (with awesome fabric by Amy Butler). They took a lot of time, but I am so pleased with them. I backed them with minky so they're super soft as well. :D (And thanks for your help with them, Mother dear)

This is a ribbon blankie I made (that also fell apart in the washer when I washed it so I had to make a second). *sigh* But I love how it turned out!

These are the numerous hair accessories that I've been working on...my favorites are at the top.

I also sewed LOTS of burp cloths (22 to be exact), but I just realized that the picture didn't upload...so sorry...but not that you particularly care, either. ;D

Like I mentioned, the "cleaning" and "creating" modes have been around since nearly day 1, but the "set things up" mode has definitely started to manifest itself as of late...probably because we've been receiving more and more baby gifts. So the next few pictures show a few things set up and ready-to-go for when Baby Girl makes her arrival.

The bouncy seat

The baby swing (and a clothes basket serving as a catch-all for bottles, sheets, mattress pads, nursing covers, etc.).

The play mat

Even though I cleaned out the closet months ago, I have been arranging and rearranging and reorganizing things in order to make it all fit. For those who don't know, our closet is the ONLY storage space we have in the entire house, so I have a lot of things packed into a small space. I actually had to evict a few items to the laundry room...much to my dismay because they are now exposed to all the creatures that live out there (such as mice, spiders, scorpions, etc.) so I shall definitely be unpacking my Christmas decorations, scrapbooking supplies and other items with great care when the time comes.

Anyways, all that babbling is to say that I think the Little Miss's "area" is almost ready. I have her clothes washed and folded, I have a few baby items ready to go, all the "new baby" toys have been cleaned/washed/sanitized, and I even have a few books on her shelf. :D

The shelving unit I managed to clear and set up with her supplies...I'll gladly spare you the rest of the closet as it looks equally as pack-rat-ish. (That stack on the shelf second from the top next to the blankets would be the 22 burp cloths I sewed.)

The area where her Pack 'n' Play will be going (I believe it is currently in a box in the bodega in Nogales...we will be picking it up this coming Thursday which also happens to be the date of our next appointment.) :D

And the Little Princess's reserved shelf in the bathroom. I'm hoping to purchase a few baskets to help the organization situation as I have just stuffed everything imaginable onto this one shelf. (The top one is for Baby Girl and the second is all of Beni's bathroom supplies.)

So there you have it, the current (albeit chaotic) preparations for Baby Leman. I realize I still have some fine tuning to do, but some days I feel nearly frantic for all I have left to "get done" before she gets here. And then I get even more frantic when I think of a friend and his wife whose baby decided to come 5 weeks early! And then I remind myself that God is in control and everything will be fine because nothing happens outside of His will. *sigh*

I'll hopefully be posting soon about all the OTHER things we've been up to around here...including the A-M-A-Z-I-N-G tower Beni built the other day...it was borderline genius in the making. ;D

Until then, blessings to all!

Today was NOT a good day...

2011-04-15T19:59:00.000-07:00

...at least not for Beni it wasn't...

It all started this morning when he was outside "helping" me with the laundry. Outside the laundry room are these pipes, you see. One sticks above the ground about 6-8 inches and the other is level with the dirt. They have some purpose (like water valve access or something like that), but they're also a hazard...especially with an almost-tw0-year-old. Beni always loves to play around them and throw things down in them. One time he got his shoe stuck in one. I've never really been extremely vigilant with him around them because he's always done so well. Today was not one of those days...there is a first for everything.

So, yes, he fell in one of them. Not ALL of him, just his leg...all the way up to his butt. And he has a nasty bruise to prove it. I found him, leg completely below ground, Beni lying flat on the ground and screaming. Needless to say, he is VERY cautious around the pipes now.

Poor little fella (I'm not sure why this pic uploaded vertically...sorry). Notice the nice bruise on the back of the thigh and the smaller one up near his rump. He also has a few "behind the scenes" bruises on his bum cheek. :(

Whether it be from the earlier fall, or too much sun or just too much outside fun for one day...Ben-Ben was a huge crab today. ALL. DAY. LONG. So much so that I had just about had it with him; I seriously couldn't do anything right. After whining through dinner (normally a very joyous activity), I brought him back to the house for his bath and B-E-D!

I headed into the bathroom to start the bathwater (which made Beni very upset as he thought I was leaving him or something). So he ran after me screaming, totally missed the step down into our bedroom and majorly biffed in a full-out face plant into the tile...which then resulted in more screaming/crying, a little blood and a HUGE fat lip and possibly a black eye (we'll have to wait and see what develops). *Ahem* ...and I'm not so proud to say my reaction was definitely, "What ELSE can go wrong today?" rather than "Oh, you poor buddy!" ...frustration, not sympathy... And so my poor abused-looking child was given a very quick bath and whisked oh-so-swiftly off to a very much needed bed.

*sigh* Sometimes you just can't win...

Here's hoping tomorrow is a better day (and PLEASE don't be visitor's day?!?). :D

Good night and God bless!

House Update!

2011-03-25T16:45:00.000-07:00

Yes, indeed, it has been a while since I posted an update with the house! And much has changed since you saw those "beautiful footings." :D

First, the Gridley team set up all the drainage (aka sewer stuff that goes below the concrete pad). Second, the ISU team poured the foundation (or concrete pad). And most recently, the Bluffton team built our outside walls! Yes, indeed, much has changed!

Current view inside the house.

Outside, looking at the back of the house. All the windows and other doorways still need to be cut out, but we have WALLS ladies and gents!

Looking at the front of the house...doors and windows still to come!

The next team, from Tremont, is due to arrive tomorrow. They will hopefully finish the last 2 layers of block and then start putting up the roof! How exciting!

In addition to all the progress on the house itself, water and electrical have been...how do you say it..."brought"..."burrowed"..."channeled"...to the home site as well. AND, Joel has been mighty busy planting various trees, bushes, etc. which will hopefully grow into a beautiful landscape.

Chiltepín bushes which we hope will one day provide a nice barrier between us and the future school (and neighbors).

The newly planted orchard located beside the future fields. Trees include: red apple, yellow apple, nectarine, peach, red plum, white plum, apricot and pear.

The grapes which we hope will eventually grow onto the fence and provide a natural wall between us and the church.

Joel bought 3 of these vines. They smell heavenly. Eventually we hope they will be part of the barrier between our house and the church.

And I suppose that's all I have for now! I'll try to do better posting updates as they happen rather than waiting several months in between...maybe. :D

Thank you all for your continued prayers. Please keep them coming!

Blessings to all!

My Dearest Little Princess,

2011-03-20T19:27:00.000-07:00

You are not even born yet, but believe me you are loved beyond measure already. Your mama and daddy love you so so much. I wish there were words to describe how much we already love you. We think about you. We dream about you. We pray for you. We sing to you. We love talking to you. We long for you! You are our most precious little gift from God and we cannot wait to meet you face to face!

Even though we can’t physically see you, we know you’re there because we can feel you moving. You should have seen your daddy’s face the first time he felt you move; he nearly fell off the bed from excitement! But Daddy’s not as lucky as your mama. I’ve been able to feel you moving on and off for a long time (and lately I feel you moving 24/7); you just had to grow big enough and kick hard enough before Daddy could feel it. And you are getting so big and so strong; I can tell! We praise God that you are growing and developing according to His design!

I hope someday you can realize what a special gift daddies are. And you know what? You are so special you get TWO daddies! You have your daddy here on earth who loves you and cannot wait for you to come. And you have your Daddy in Heaven who loved you and knew everything about you before you were even formed in Mama’s belly. Your Daddy in Heaven loves you even more than Mama and Daddy and grandmas and grandpas and aunts and uncles and everybody on this earth loves you...combined! His love for you, sweet one, is out of this world! My biggest hope for you is that someday you will know Him in your heart. My biggest hope is that you will love Him more than anything else. My biggest hope is that you will accept His gift of salvation and want nothing more than to love Him and serve Him all the days of your life! That’s my biggest hope for you, my precious little one!

Your daddy here on earth is a pretty special man, too. Let me tell you about him! The #1 thing you should know about your daddy is that he loves Jesus! Just wait, little one, we can hardly wait to teach you about Him and what He has done for you and how you are His favorite little princess in the whole wide world! The #2 thing you should know about your daddy is he loves your Mama and he loves Y-O-U! There are no two girls more special in your Daddy’s eyes than you and I, sweet one. And I know he can’t wait to show you how much he loves you! There are so many special things about your daddy, my sweet. Your daddy is a passionate man. Your daddy is a genuine man. Your daddy is caring and compassionate and a hard worker and he has a great big heart for people. Yes, he loves people. He loves talking to people. He loves learning from people. He loves helping people. He loves teaching people. He just loves people. And I praise God for the heart He has given your daddy. I wouldn’t have him any other way; I love your daddy so so much! Someday when you’re older, we’ll have to tell you all about how God brought us together; it is a beautiful love story, my little darling!

We both can hardly wait. We want to hold you. We want to embrace and kiss you. We want to teach you. And we want to watch you grow into a woman Jesus will call His daughter. There is no greater position in life, my sweet. You are a daughter of the King! I can’t wait for the day you understand what that means!

I know there will be days when you won’t necessarily be thrilled to call us your parents, but we will always find joy in calling you our daughter. Someday you will understand. Someday God will open your eyes and your heart. Until that day, we will love you and love you and love you. We will pray for you. We will teach you. And we will lift you up to Him who is able to do more than all we can even ask or imagine!

Oh, yes, the day is drawing ever nearer. What a promise! Until then, my sweet, know that we are loving and praying and rejoicing…all because of you!

Much love,

Mama

Almost 25 Weeks and Counting...

2011-03-10T14:01:00.001-08:00

So last Tuesday (March 8th), Joel and I had our 24-week OB appointment. Our baby girl is growing like a weed! She weighs 1 lb. 14 oz. and she is expected to double that in the next month; I can hardly believe how fast she is growing! In case you're curious how they determine weight...it's some algorithm based off the head circumference, abdominal circumference and long bone measurement. :D

Oh, and if you don't catch the drift...we're having a GIRL! We've actually "known" since January, but I just haven't gotten around to announcing it. The doctor is 99.9% sure it's a girl, but every time he goes to look our little princess has her legs crossed so he can't get a clear view...three months in a row! :D I guess she's already starting to take after her mother...painfully modest even on the sonogram.

We have been promised a 3-D sonogram at our next appointment, but "just for fun" the doc wanted to see if he could capture the little darling's face. And after we told him the grandparents were in town, he gladly took 5 pictures so we could show them what she looks like! Dr. S said the little one seems to have more of Joel's facial features. And I agree with him! Especially her little cheeks and mouth; I think they look exactly like Joel! She's such a cutie already!

3-D face shot (don't worry; I'm only posting one...there's more on Facebook if you want to see them).

Adorable profile; check out the little button nose!

I could go on and on, but I shall spare you all...

I can't promise, but I will try to post an update regarding other "things" soon..."things" like the house, a visit from Grandma and Grandpa Leman, the kiddos, etc. etc. I don't know when, but soon (and that's not necessarily a promise; we'll just have to see what time allows).

On another note, please continue to pray for CVE. The powers of darkness are weakening, and we have been so encouraged by all our fellow prayer warriors! Thank you so much for your prayers, they mean so much more than words can express!

Many blessings to you all!

Victory is Coming!

2011-03-02T07:19:00.000-08:00

Please continue to pray!

"Thus says the LORD,
'Though they are at full strength and many, they will be cut down and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more. And now I will break his yoke from off you and will burst your bonds apart.'"
Nahum 1:11-12

Please Continue Praying...

2011-03-01T10:18:00.000-08:00

Please keep praying for victory in the battle today...

"Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of JESUS every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11

"For it is written, 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.'" Romans 14:11

"And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other...to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance." Isaiah 45: 21b-23

And praise Him for the victory that has already been won!

"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love..." 2 Timothy 1:7

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 2 Corinthians 3:18

"And day and night they never cease to say,
'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almightly, who was and is and is to come!'

[They] fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying
'Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will they existed and were created.'

Revelation 4:8-11

Prayer Request for the Body of Christ

2011-02-27T12:12:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, CVE passed it's 6th anniversary date of receiving kids for the first time. We thank God for the progress that has been made in these last six years and we praise Him for his continued faithfulness. He has been so good to us. He has provided. He has blessed us beyond anything we could ever ask or imagine. He has freely given and still gives. He is ever-gracious, all-knowing, all-powerful. He is the great I AM.

Over the years, many a spiritual battle has been fought and won. We are constantly reminded that Satan hates what we do here. Satan has tried to invade. Satan has tried to tear down. Satan has tried to destroy. But he has not succeeded. He will not succeed. He will never succeed. Thanks only to our omnipotent, omnipresent Lord of Lords...His name is JESUS!

Anytime you can breathe a prayer for the staff and kids down here, please do so. The battle is extremely intense right now. Satan is fighting, but we are fighting harder. And WE WILL WIN because we know, "Greater is He who is in [us] than he that is in the world..." And we are nothing without Him.

Thank you in advance for your prayers.

House Update

2011-02-04T09:49:00.000-08:00

So the other day I realized I have not updated everyone on the progress of our house! With the arrival (and departure) of January teams, much has changed; not to mention the continuing hard work of my husband.

I am happy to report that the footing have been poured/laid and the outline of the house is complete! We are now awaiting the February and March teams which will be installing the plumbing, pouring the foundation, and hopefully beginning to build the walls. We feel so blessed that everything has gone smoothly thus far.

Ta da! The footings...aren't they beautiful?

More footings. This is looking from the back corner of the house toward the fields.

And I just have to add a picture of my oh-so-cute companion. :D

Like I said, we feel so blessed that everything has gone smoothly thus far. I am tempted to fret and worry at times about how long it will take to get the house done. As we announced in December, we are expecting our first baby due in June. Our current living situation is perfect for where we are now. However, until this new house is completed Baby Leman will be sleeping in our closet. I'm totally comfortable with this situation...for a few months. What I do NOT want is a 6+ month old (or a 1+ year old) still sleeping in the closet.

Why am I blabbing about this? Well, the last house took 1 year to complete. I'm praying ours will be done in 8 months or less. Is that a big request? Yes. Is that an unrealistic expectation? Perhaps. But is anything too big for my God? NO WAY!! So if you feel so moved to join in (with help or with prayer) I definitely would not be opposed. :D ...hint, hint...

Okay, time to get off my soap box. Moving on, I'd like to share the progress made on the "agricultural" land. I'm not sure if I explained (or if I even can explain well enough that you'll understand), but right next to our future home is a patch of land that cannot be built on because it is a 75-year flood plain. Therefore, we plan to use it for agriculture (plants and animals). It, too, has been a huge project for Joel and the boys for the past several months. They've been keeping quite busy clearing trees (the mesquite that grow like weeds), bushes, branches, rocks, sand, etc. And they have made an ENORMOUS amount of progress. I'm so proud of them! Joel was even able to start plowing a couple weeks ago, which is so amazing if you know what the land looked like before.

Future site for the field, garden, pasture, stable, etc.

Some of the land he plowed!

The fence you see is the current perimeter fence of CVE near the very back of the property (as seen from the new field).

So as I said in the beginning, exciting things are happening! Please continue to pray for us and our new home. Pray that work can continue smoothly and that all who help would be blessed for their efforts!

Until next time...Blessings!

January in a Nut Shell

2011-01-26T11:02:00.000-08:00

Well, will miracles never cease?!? I have been trying (unsuccessfully) to upload pictures to this blog since the week we got back from Colorado. We got back the 11th of January...it is now the 27th of January. But, apparently patience pays off and I have FINALLY succeeded! Not that I couldn't have posted without pictures, but pictures just add so much to a post and I didn't want to bore everyone with my ramblings.

As the title states, I'm going to attempt to summarize everything that has happened during the month of January...which is a lot...so brace yourselves. :D

First things first, our Colorado Trip to celebrate Christmas with both the Stoller and Leman families. Let's see if I can even remember what we did...

We flew into Denver on Tuesday the 4th of January. Mom Leman picked us up, we made a quick stop at their house to pick up some gifts, some wintery clothes and headed straight to Silverthorne to join to Stoller clan. The next few days were spent enjoying each others' company, celebrating Christmas, celebrating my 25th birthday (yikes!), catching up and chatting about the future. Dad and Jared went cross-country skiing, but this lady and her husband stayed behind to keep Mom and Mike and David company...and relax while we had the chance. It snowed a few days we were there, and we definitely enjoyed seeing a change of not only weather (yes, sometimes sunshine every day can get boring) but scenery as well. What an amazing God we serve!

A view in Silverthorne.

After a few days spent with the Stollers, we headed to the Carbondale/Glenwood Springs area to spend a few days with the Leman clan. You can see more pictures and read more info on Dan and Tess's blog. One day while the boys played a few rounds of Frisbee golf on a beautiful mountain course, us girls enjoyed a day browsing the shops in Glenwood Springs. I even found some super-cute fabric that inspired me to begin making "baby things." And since then, I have found inspiration in nearly everything I see. :D Grandpa and Grandma Leman even made it up for a night and we were able to celebrate Christmas together. It's always so good to see everyone!

The view off the front porch: Mt. Sopris...so beautiful.

Saturday morning (the 8th) we headed back into Denver. We enjoyed a lovely dinner out with friends (thanks BK and Ema!), a good old Denver church family singing, Sunday church, exploration of the city with Mom and Dad Stoller, and we were even able to attend the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo on Monday. We went last year, too, and it's always a good time. This year we invited Mom and Dad, Mike and David to the rodeo...and the LOVED it! Even though it was a late night, I'm so glad they were able to go...and we didn't mind having the extra company, either. ;D

Old fashioned buggies mid-way through the bull riding.

We then returned to Magdalena, our beloved CVE and our lovely children the next day (Tuesday the 11th). I think they were glad to see us, but you never can tell.

Speaking of the kiddos, I suppose it's time for an UPDATE!

José continues to do amazing with his working and school schedule. Of course he's a teenager so he has his days, but I am so thankful for the changes we've seen in him over the past year. I mentioned this in December, but he finally worked enough to pay for his iPod and is he ever proud of that iPod! It seems like it was attached to his person for a month solid after he got it. Thankfully, some of the newness has worn off and although he still enjoys using it, he can set it down occasionally. :D

Ángel has also been doing better as of late. He's been slightly less lazy, slightly more motivated and much more helpful in recent weeks. I thank God for the improvements we've seen in his self-discipline as I have many times thought he was a lost cause. (How's that for dramatic?) He has been liberated from his "homework in isolation" and can now do it at the kitchen table instead of shut in the laundry room. He's as inquisitive as ever and still has a thirst for knowledge (which I pray is shadowed only by his thirst for wisdom).

Daniel is Daniel. I rejoice in every improvement and feel discouraged with every failure. Parenting can be so difficult at times. He was doing so good for a while, but lately has fallen into a less-desirable behavior pattern of disrespect toward authorities, physical outbursts against peers and various other "issues." Please keep praying for his heart. He can be very loving. He can be obedient. He can be respectful. He can be all kinds of good things, and yet he makes poor choices. At the moment, most of his outbursts and disrespectfulness are happening at school, so please pray for patience for his teachers as well. And as far as Osa goes, she's still alive! She's rather ugly at the moment because she has mange, but Daniel is taking care to wash her every day and administer her medications so hopefully it will be gone soon!

Isaac is doing well. He's growing like a weed and everything else that is typical of a 9-year-old. He absolutely loves helping Joel in the field or over at the new house or driving the tractor or whatever Joel happens to be doing. He loves playing, riding his bike and giving ornery smirks. He has now been relieved of his job as bird-keeper because all the birds have died. Yes, it's sad, isn't it? *sigh*

And last but not least we have Beni. Beni is good. He still doesn't talk with words much, but we are getting there! He will gladly mimic anything you say. He can say "por favor" in sign language (after months and months and months of trying to get him to do it...one day he just decided he would). I have no doubt that he can talk; he probably has 100 words stored up in his head, but he won't use a single one until the day he decides he wants to. Physically he's advancing, too. He can throw, kick and run with the best of them. The only problem with running is that falls tend to be a lot harder as he has more momentum when he hits the ground...ouch!

Speaking of falls, the day after we got back, I was doing laundry (and Beni always likes to "help") and Ben-Ben was outside with me. I walked into the laundry room, heard and hard thump and came out to find Beni screaming and his mouth dripping blood. Turns out Mack knocked him over and he happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and landed exactly on the corner of the sidewalk. At first I was worried he'd knocked out a tooth, but on further investigation I discovered nothing more than a huge gash in his upper lip...poor little fella.

Damage done.

But as you can see, no fall can keep this boy down!

Yes, he recovered quite rapidly, although eating and tooth brushing was quite painful for a few days. And the funny thing is that as soon as it healed he wiped out on the skateboard and had road rash lip all over again...such is life with a little boy. :D

Hmm...let's see...what next? How about some fun CVE stories?

Like the one time (last weekend) we thought we had lost our beloved Mack forever...the story goes like this. Last Friday (so...almost a week ag0) we remember seeing Mack in the afternoon, but come evening we couldn't find him anywhere! Saturday he was gone all day. Joel and I resorted to thinking the worst: he got hit on the highway...no, we can't find his body anywhere; someone took him...no, he would never willingly go with anyone; he got lost somewhere outside the fence...no, he knows his way around. But as Saturday came to a close, my poor husband was rather distraught about his missing friend.

The came Sunday morning and still no Mack. We ate breakfast, got ready and headed to church as usual. We were having our usual chats with people at church and who should come bounding up...ever so happy to see us...but MACK!!!! I have never been so overjoyed to find a pet in my life, but it was so good to see him...and he was ALIVE! So what happened?

Well, apparently sometime Friday either my loving husband (when he went to look for a certain child's lost uniform shirt) or Todd (when he went to check his classroom) was unknowingly followed by the ever-curious Mack. And somehow poor Mack got locked in one of the school rooms. Hence, his Sunday discovery...when Joel Rink was checking the Sunday school rooms, what should he find but an oh-so-happy-to-be-released Mack! And the best part? Mack didn't touch a thing! He only peed once...no poop. He didn't shred any books or papers or anything else lying around (which makes me very curious to know what he did for nearly 48 hours in a closed room). Isn't that amazing?

And I am happy to report that after a little food and A LOT of water, Mack is back to his normal self (minus some temporary constipation from 2 days of not pooping). Hee heee!

Another CVE story...let's start with a riddle, shall we?

What do you get when one of these (but only a double)...

Doesn't obey one of these (with a big drop-off on one side)...

And rolls over onto one of these?

Well, I'll tell you...you get a multi-hour campus-wide evacuation while the civil service people flip it back over, take it off the tracks and restore balance to the universe...that's what you get. Yes, all this very exciting activity happened just his past Monday when a double-trailer fuel truck joined 100s of other semis before him as he plummeted off the "curva peligrosa" near the CVE campus. Have no fear, no one was injured before, during or after the accident and following clean-up (except maybe the driver...that cab looked kinda questionable). :D

And last but not least (if you're still reading...kudos to you!) how about an update on the pregnancy?

Well, Little Leman is growing quite well. The baby (though I am a little over 18 weeks) is actually measuring 2 weeks bigger in size (so, 20 weeks). And let me tell you, I am feeling it. I knew back pain and leg pain and all sorts of pain was common during pregnancy, but what I did not know what how painful the whole "stretching" process is. There are days I feel like my stomach is on FIRE! I literally feel like my muscles and skin are ripping (at least that's the best way I can describe it). So many times I look at my belly and say, "Oh little one...you are hurting your momma BAD today." But it's worth it! I'm so looking forward to meeting this little one, giving it a name, giving it a home, teaching it about God and what marvelous Savior He is!

I'll have to post pictures sometime of the growing belly. By accident I deleted the 16 week photos I had...and I just haven't bothered to take any more since then. :D

Anyways, enough is enough! Thank you for being patient while waiting for the post. Thank you for actually reading the post. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your love. Until next time...

Blessings!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-16T12:57:00.000-08:00

...and much, much more!

Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been trying to, but the internet is NOT cooperating. Please be patient...news is coming soon!

Blessings!

Christmas Goodies

2010-12-28T13:20:00.001-08:00

So even though there has been a lack of blogging, there definitely has NOT been a lack of activity in the Leman household. Though Christmas here at CVE is slightly different than Christmas back in the States, we have our fair share of parties, cookie decorating, caroling, etc. We enjoyed a most blessed Christmas and are looking forward to the promises of a new year!

I really felt like my mother this year (it's not a bad thing, Mom) in that I really wanted to make Christmas cookies...and not just one type or a few dozen, but LOTS! I pored over various cookbooks and websites searching for just the "perfect" recipes. And overall, everything turned out delicious! We (mostly me) made: springerles, sugar cookie cut-outs, anisette cookies, choco-cranberry cookies, choco-mint cookies, chocolate chip-peanut butter cookie sandwiches, buckeyes, and peppermint bark. 'Twas all very very delicious (at least in a pregnant woman's opinion) and totally worth the long days of being in the kitchen.

Sugar cookies ready for decorating!

Thankfully I had some good helpers...and let me tell you there was not one microscopic piece of cookie NOT covered in sprinkles. :D

The buckeyes...pre-chocolate of course.

Mmmm...the anisette cookies, a possible new favorite (right behind the springerles).

Beni Bugs wasn't too fond of my being busy in the kitchen all the time, so this picture is a tribute to all the time he spent clinging to my leg begging for attention. I realize the actual photo has nothing to do with Christmas or Christmas cookies, but he sure does love his bananas (and he just looks so cute)!

Down here in Mexico Christmas Eve (or Noche Buena) is largely more celebrated than actual Christmas Day (Navidad). Here at CVE, it is tradition to stay up into the wee hours of the morning celebrating with presents, snacks, etc. Neither Beni (nor I) made it all the way to midnight, but the rest of the family did. :D Thankfully, presents were opened at 9:30 so I was still able to keep my eyes open to see their happy faces (and shortly thereafter happily greeted my pillow).

Daniel pre-gift opening. He got a skateboard and let me tell you...he nearly squealed like a school girl. ;D

José got some accessories for his new iPod. He's been working for one for several months and finally earned enough to purchase it! He was pretty thrilled with new ear buds and a new sport arm band!

Ángel received a 4-in-1 game set including: chess, checkers, backgammon and Chinese checkers. He's been begging for a chess set for quite some time and was thrilled! (And never mind the strange attire...he was a shepherd in the Nativity play.)

And Isaac received some zip shooter things. He loves trying to knock over the horses from our farm set with them.

And like I said, Beni did not make it even until 9:30. But our family celebrated with additional gifts and a special breakfast Christmas morning. I'm pretty sure Beni doesn't remember a thing from his Christmas last year, so this year was kind of like his first Christmas. He was pretty excited with his gifts!

Opening his gift...a popcorn popper push toy!

Like I mentioned before, we had a wonderful Christmas here in the Leman household; we have much to be thankful for!

Now we (Joel and I) look forward to our upcoming trip to Colorado to celebrate with once again with family. We leave January 4th and cannot wait to see everyone again!

Thanks for your continued prayers!
Blessings.

A Poem for My Family at Christmastime

2010-12-18T10:44:00.000-08:00

I do not have a face to see,
Or put inside a frame.
I do not have soft cheeks to kiss.
I don't yet have a name.

You can't yet hold my tiny hands,
Nor whisper in my ear.
It's still too soon to sing a song,
Or cuddle me so near.

But all will change come June;
That's when Mom says I'm due.
I’ll be a big little blessing
And I can't wait to meet you!

All I ask between now and then
Is your patience while I grow.
I promise I'll be worth the wait;
Because of all the love we'll know!

So what I have to give you now,
Is a wish to you from me.
I cannot wait to be a part
Of this wonderful family!

Introducing Baby Leman

Due June 29, 2011!

Christmas Blessings, Everyone!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

2010-12-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S!!

Woo hooooo! I love Christmas! And now with children, it's just all that much more fun! I think one of my favorite parts about Christmas (besides it being the glorious celebration of the birth of my Savior King) is decorating. Last year, at our small house in town, I really didn't do a whole lot. We had no tree, no gifts, nothing big...just the nativity set (which is my favorite), a wreath and a few other randoms. This year, however, the boys specifically requested a tree. And since it's the first time (for some of them) to be in a "normal" house with a "normal" family, I (...okay...we...) were more than happy to oblige. It's so fun seeing how excited they get for every little thing. I put up the decorations in shifts mostly because we didn't have very many in the beginning but have since purchased more. Every time there's something new they rant and rave about it all day long (*ahem* particularly the gifts that have begun appearing under the tree).

For the sake of my away family and to give everyone an opportunity to join in the boys' celebration and excitement of Christmas, I decided to share a small view of the Leman house decorated appropriately for Christmas. (And if nothing else, you can appreciate their excitement over such simplicity. :)

The TREE! (Complete with the first few gifts!)

End table #1 (when I put out the pine cones the boys asked if these were their "Christmas trees"...how sweet is that?)

End table #2 (my personal favorite...always)

Living room window (sorry it's not a better photo). These ornaments are super-fun when the light catches them because they're covered in glitter so the whole room sparkles red and green.

The book case...

Kitchen island...

Kitchen window (don't worry; I refilled the cinnamon sticks just this morning).

Boys' room (and let me tell you; they're super-dee-duper excited about these lights...they sleep with them on).

Our dresser...

And that's it! Like I said, nothing fancy, but these boys are LOVING it! I definitely heard comments to the other kids about our tree (and the gifts underneath). I'm in love with their childhood enthusiasm; they're absolutely precious!

Well, I must get on to more important things (like fixing my boys some lunch...oops :) and so I shall bid thee all farewell.

Until next time!
Blessings!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-02T13:51:00.000-08:00

From our family to yours!

Much love from Los Lemans:

Joel & Kristi
José-13 Ángel-12 Daniel-11 Isaac-9 Beni-15 Months
and, of course, Mack

May we never forget the true Reason for the Season! And may we never forget that Christmas is only the beginning of the story!

Blessings to all!

November Happenings

2010-11-24T06:40:00.000-08:00

So once again time has escaped me and we have passed nearly a month with no updating. My sincerest apologies; life just doesn't slow down around here! I'll do my best to summarize what has been going on the past month or so, but I'm giving you fair warning now...this may be a very lengthy post.

I suppose I shall begin with first things first, the family. José is still doing well. If you haven't seen him recently, you may not even recognize him. He has changed so much in the past year. At the end of last school year his pants were size 12 Husky. At the beginning of this school year his pants were (and still are) size 16 Slim. He's grown like a weed and thinned out to a near toothpick! And he's quite proud of the muscles he's developed while working alongside Limón. He spends most of his days in Limón's shadow; I've even heard it said he's starting to pick up some of Limón's mannerisms...oh dear. And in the afternoons, he still attends private classes with Carissa for an hour and a half. About a week ago he accomplished a goal of reading five Junie B. Jones books and was rewarded with a special trip to Café Sed; he was pretty excited. On a down note, he did have some behavior issues a little over a week ago, but praise God they have been resolved for the time being. Please continue to pray for him (and all the kids here) as they sort out their confusing pasts; the "sorting" can lead to a wide range of emotions including hurt, anger, rage, confusion, etc. Only by the grace of God will each child be able to come to terms with what has happened and forgive all those who have used or hurt them.

Ángel is pretty much the same as always. His love of school just keeps growing, but his attention span and ability to focus on the task at hand could use some improvement. He gets distracted easily which makes working on school projects or homework a trying task (more so on parents and teachers than him, though). He's currently reading through the Left Behind series and frequently shares (in great detail) what he has read. He still takes care of Mack, though sometimes he needs reminders for appropriate feeding schedules. ;D While not working on school stuff or playing with Mack or reading a book, you will most likely find him building various "war machines" out of K'nex, Legos or both. He then sets up two opposing sides and proceeds to destroy each and every machine he just built...and he does it day after day after day. Such a boy...such an imagination! Please keep praying for him, too, that his heart would remain soft and open to God's direction. Pray that he can be ready and waiting when God calls him.

And then there's Daniel. Daniel is also growing like a weed. His pants which fit him perfectly just a month and a half ago are now more like highwaters...poor kid. He dislikes school about as much as Ángel likes school and most of his behavior problems arise from something that happened at school. Like most boys his age, he has trouble foreseeing the consequences of his current actions. He's all about the here and now and not so fond of the future...instant gratification not delayed gratification. His attitude is definitely "it's all about me" and how he is/can be better than the next person. I know it stems from deep-rooted insecurity so I try to be as understanding as possible. Limón and I affirm, gently correct and punish as necessary, but we realize we are powerless to change his heart. Please keep him in your prayers. On a happier note, he's been doing a decent job caring for Osa. She's growing just fine and is all puppy right now. She loves to play and chew and happily takes attention from anyone who offers.

Isaac, too, is pretty much same old same old. Occasionally he forgets to do his homework. Occasionally he does things without permission. Occasionally he gets into fights with his "brothers." He's a pretty typical 9-year-old boy. His latest excitement has been his garden. His cilantro has grown really well and he has sold several bunches to various people and businesses in town; he's quite proud of himself. He loves using the extra spending money for Saturday afternoon snacks. I'm convinced he has a hollow leg by the amount of food he can consume and yet miraculously remains the exact same size. He has grown considerably since arriving at CVE, but he hasn't pulled a José and jumped 4 pant sizes in one summer...thankfully. Aside from his garden, he's in charge of the birds. Sadly, we just lost the two parakeets so now all he has is the canary. He does a good job feeding them and cleaning their cages, but I think the parakeets succumbed to the cold weather we've been having as of late. One prayer request for Isaac would be that God could continue to work in his heart. He's still so young and so moldable, but he's seen so much in his short life. The unjustices he's had to endure could make anyone go crazy. Pray that God can help him sort it all out and realize the significance of His grace.

And last but certainly not least...BENI!! Beni is now 15 months old. And before I get going too much on him, I simply must share these pictures. We frequently get hand-me-downs from a wide variety of sources. In one of the many bags I've gone through the past year, this shirt was inside...and Joel just thinks it's hilarious. Hopefully you get the humor.

My sweet sweet Beni-Boo

And a close-up. In case you can't read it, the shirt says "I love big dumps."

Oh the things that humor us these days! Back to Beni...as far as growing goes, he seems to have finally broken the plateau. Around the age of 10 months I felt like he just hit a wall size-wize; he just didn't seem to be growing at all. He has stayed basically the same height and weight for the past 5 months...that is, until a couple weeks ago. Suddenly his little legs are getting longer and he's rapidly out-growing his 12 month clothes. His jeans, like those of Daniel, look like highwaters. He's finally growing out of his size 4 shoes. And he's looking less and less like a baby and more and more like a little boy. In some ways it's super exciting to have such a healthy growing boy and at the same time it's sad that he's growing up so fast! Overall, he's a very happy boy and listens pretty well. He's getting better at expressing his desires and dislikes...a blessing and a curse all at the same time. He still doesn't say much except for gracias and don't touch. He likes to mimic, but only when he's in the mood and his giggle is absolutely precious. He loves reading books and stacking blocks and his newest trick is kicking balls. He's quite proud of himself. He consumes most of the hours of my day, and I find myself missing him when we're apart for whatever reason. Such a guy! Please pray for his future. Just like all the kids here at CVE, the future holds many unknowns. Pray that no matter what happens he will always remember the Jesus is Lord.

I suppose I should mention how Joel and I are doing every once in a while. In case anyone wonders, we are doing quite well. Very happy and still very in love. We anxiously yet expectantly look to the future to see what God has planned for us. We desire to be where He wants us to be and nowhere else. We love being here and working with our family of seven. I love being their "mom" and Joel loves being their "dad." It's so trying and yet so rewarding. Each one of these boys is inexplicably precious to me. And I pray it stays that way as long as God would have it.

Since the space is here just waiting to be filled, I'd like to take the opportunity to brag on my husband just a little bit. In our relationship, Joel is most definitely the more romantic and demonstrative person. He always leaves me notes, tells me how much he loves me, gives me hugs and foot rubs. And I love him for it. It's so sweet and unprovoked and I know it comes straight from his heart. Well, earlier this month I'd been having a few "downer days." And since he always knows exactly how to cheer me up, he did yet another simple, but oh so sweet love gesture.

I couldn't help but smile when I walked in the bathroom to find this...

For those of you who can't read it, "If you think this rose is beautiful, try looking up...now that's BEAUTY!" It absolutely made my day. :D

Before closing, I can't help but mention the latest news. The Denver work team is here this week and the most exciting part is that along with them came my brother Jared, cousins Sarah and Seth and Mom and Dad Leman. Though teams always inadvertently add a little more stress around here, it's been great seeing some familiar faces...and we are ever-so-grateful for their help in preparing for Thanksgiving dinner. Though Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Mexico, it's become a tradition here at CVE. Last year we served over 250 people and this year they're planning on at least 300. Please pray for the dinner and for those who will attend. Pray that their lives would be touched and that they could feel the love of God as never before.

Another exciting announcement that I don't believe I have mentioned before is that we're getting a house! Yes, it's official, next up on the project list for CVE is a house for Los Lemans! We're super excited and feel so blessed to be getting such a gift. While the remodeled dorm has served us well, we are excited to expand thus creating the opportunity to accept more kids! Please pray a blessing on the site and construction of our new home, that it would be a place for the weary to find rest and the hurting to find God's love. And a HUGE thanks to Carly who's getting it all started by grading the home site this week!

The site of the future home for Los Lemans!

Joel has already spent many hours clearing the land; good job, Babe!

The future location of our back yard/porch. :D

I suppose that's enough information for now. More than anything, we ask that you just keep on praying praying praying. We are reminded every day how much Satan hates the work we're doing here. He wants to destroy us; he wants to discourage us; he wants to wear us out; he want to kill us! We have a very real enemy, but thanks to the all-powerful God in Heaven..."Greater is He who is in you than he that is in the world"...and we praise Him for it!

Thank you, dear ones, for your continued love and support. We truly couldn't do this without you!

Blessings to all!

Reflecting

2010-10-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

So I'm about to make my second post ever published with absolutely no photos. My reasoning? I want the WORDS in this post to speak to your hearts, not pictures.

During the past few weeks, and particularly today, I have been struck time and time again by how much I love and appreciate everyone down here. Not just the staff and kids here at CVE, but the people from church and the community that I've had the privilege of meeting and knowing. I can't even think of a better word to describe how I feel about them; I LOVE these people! We are all so different, but we work together so well. God just amazes me sometimes (okay...ALL the time) with how perfectly He weaves everything together. He has chosen the perfect people to fill each position. He has worked in all our hearts to bring us together. And He continues to work in our hearts so we can be more effective laborers in His vineyard.

I have confidence that many if not all of you who read this blog are solid prayer warriors for us down here. So I'm going to list the names of these people I love so much and ask that you would remember us in prayer. We are oh so vulnerable to Satan's attacks. He hates our work and seeks to destroy it on a regular basis. We wouldn't survive without prayer. And I thank you all in advance for your prayers; they mean more than you could ever possibly realize.

Bill is the director of CVE. Please pray for him and his wife Joan as they guide us. Please pray for their children, too: Katie, Uriel, Ben and Lilly. Please remember their children who are in the States: Billy and Jenny, Willow and Tate; Ryan and Katy; John and Suzi; Ty and Sarah. And please remember the two girls for whom they are pursuing adoption: Jazany and Julissa.

Keith and Emily take care of the older girls. Please pray for them and their two daughters: Kaleigh and Brielle. Please pray for Kali who helps them. And please pray for their girls: Michelle, Jaqui, Karla, Lupita, Tania and Yaneli.

Dan and Tami care for a sibling group of five. Please pray for them and their son Kaeb and the new baby due in February. And please pray for their kids: Alexia, Ramses, Nereida, José and Gloria.

Joel and I care for 5 boys. Please pray for us. And please pray for our boys: José, Ángel, Daniel, Isaac and Beni.

Steph cares for a sibling group of four. Please pray for her. And please pray for her kids: Marcos, Aaron, Diego and Candi.

Jenna and Jodi care for a set of sisters and another boy. Please pray for them. And please pray for their kids: Jazany, Julissa and Eddie. (Jazany and Julissa are the same two sisters Bill and Joan are adopting.)

Daniela lives in the big house with Jenna and Jodi and Steph. Please pray for her and her daughter Darilis.

Seth cares for the three oldest boys. Please pray for him. And please pray for his boys: Fede, Frankie and Michel.

Please pray for our teachers who enable us to provide the best education for our kids: Todd, Rohde, Pau, Patricia, Eunice, Ely and Carissa. They are amazing!

Please pray for our amazing office staff: Jarrin and Nicole. We couldn't make it without them!

Please pray for our maintenance team and work team coordinators: Joel, Juantan (wife Bere) and Julian. When teams are here, I do not envy their jobs!

Please pray for our cooks: Coyo and Nora. We are blessed to have them.

Please pray for the visionaries of bringing hope and career opportunities to Magdalena: Duane and Ann. Please remember their children: Cassidy, Axel, Zach, Garrett and Marshall. We appreciate so much the work they are doing and cannot wait to see how God blesses their efforts! Check out their website here.

I could go on and on about people at church. Our congregation here in Magdalena is so blessed. God is working in the hearts of the people here! Praise Him for His mighty works! Praise Him for His excellent power! Just a few names for now: Zulema and her children: Kayla, Ángel, Kevin and Caleb; Doña Rosa; Doña Angelica; Doña Marta, José Luís, Enrique, Janette, Blanca, Guille and son Lucas...the list could go on forever. If anyone has names to add, please feel free to do so in a comment; I know I have neglected too many.

I wish typed words on a page could convey the depth of emotion I feel in thinking and praying for each one of these dear people, but they sadly cannot. So I trust that God will stir your hearts just as He stirs mine. Reflect on these people even though you may not know them. They are all amazing; each has a story that deserves to be heard. I love them all so much. Please remember us then next time you fall on your knees and raise petitions to the throne of Heaven. And thank you in advance for your support. As I mentioned above, your prayers mean more than you could ever possibly realize.

Blessings!

October? Already?

2010-10-10T14:45:00.001-07:00

My how time flies! I promise I'm not purposely neglecting the blog; I just find other things (such as laundry, cleaning, cooking and entertaining an almost 14 month old) more urgent and therefore purge "blogging" from my mind. :D

I'm trying to remember what all has happened since the last post. For one, Mom and Dad Leman visited near the end of September. We had a most wonderful time. Mom even washed my windows! (And let me tell you...they needed it...DESPERATELY!) The boys loved having Nana and Tata Limón around for the weekend. Can't wait to see you again in November!

Other than their visit, nothing too exciting has happened. Our days are filled with the normalcy of chores, homework, soccer and a few other necessary things. José is still working away. In his "free" time he actually chooses to work because he wants to buy an iPod. The problem is he works five times as hard when he's being paid as opposed to when he's not being paid...but we're working on it. Keep praying that his heart would remain gentle and pliable and that Joel and I would have the wisdom to guide him.

Ángel is still loving school, but we're discovering he has a super-dee-duper hard time concentrating on the task at hand. It used to take him all afternoon to "do his homework" (plus socializing, getting distracted, taking 10 or so bathroom breaks and trips to the library, etc)...only to find out the next day he was still missing several assignments and hours upon hours to do a simple task (like sweeping the living room and kitchen). So now he does his job right after lunch...and after trying out a few different homework stations, he is now in complete isolation (in the laundry room) with only the washers and dryers to talk to. Desperate times call for desperate measures! :D Please pray for God's continued work in his heart. He can be so proud at times in his intelligence and general good nature, but good works alone aren't enough to get him into Heaven someday.

Daniel minus a few fights here and there continues to do well. I've noticed he's quite the perfectionist when it comes to his school work, particularly anything artistic...something which could cause problems in the future. He still struggles with a bully nature and "playing the victim" all at the same time (which presents some interesting teaching/discipline scenarios at times). He's also been taking pretty good care of Osa (his dog...in case you forgot). He's been really working with her to sit, stay and shake. In his free time, he loves playing soccer or tossing around a baseball or anything that involves being crazy and putting on a show. Please keep praying that God would penetrate his proud yet insecure exterior and work a really great work in his heart. I know and believe it's possible!

Isaac, my typical nine-year-old, has been on a behavioral plateau for the past few months (I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad things yet). He can be absolutely nutty, but he is also the most patient of all the boys. He does so good playing with Beni and he doesn't get upset when the little munchkin steals one of the toys he's playing with. He's also a very reliable errand boy. But he's not perfect by any means. His temper (which has been rather dormant as of late) is a sight to see. And like all kids he can be selfish and make up stories and all that not-so-good stuff. Continue to pray for him as he adjusts to an even more permanent residence here at CVE. As he grows older, I expect more anger and questioning and feelings of being unloved to come to the surface. Please pray that Joel and I could show him unconditional love and that we would have the wisdom and patience to help him sort out the confusing things that have happened in his short life.

Last but not least, Beni. Oh what can I say? He's just too cute for his own good! Beni is currently perfecting his walking skills (and, Mom, I tried and tried and tried to upload some videos but it isn't working...I'm sorry). He can now stand up all by himself in the middle of the room! Woo hoo! Go Beni! During the day, he does laps from the living room to the kitchen to the dining area and back again, usually with a toy in each hand. And he's also learning the difficult lesson that he is not the king of the universe. He's such a good boy usually, but sometimes I feel as if he has entered the "terrible twos" at a horrifically young age...the other day he threw himself on the ground and wailed for a good minute and a half because I told him he couldn't eat the bird's calcium bone. Oh dear Beni Boo!

And speaking of the little booger, he was just too adorable this morning I simply must share! Last night we were invited to Juantan and Bere's house for dinner (which was absolutely delicious...thanks you two!). Since we were having so much fun, we didn't leave until later (for Beni at least). And after we got back he decided to be an even bigger booger and not go to sleep. He usually sleeps 10-12 hours a night...last night he only got 9 (horrible I know). He's never been a pacifier boy (he actually would cry harder after getting the paci), but he loves to suck on the corner of his blankets while putting himself to sleep (but only in his crib...never once he's awake). This morning when I went to get him up, he absolutely refused to hand over his blanket. He must have been too tired. :D

So this is how we walked around for two hours this morning...

Sooooooo tired. (Please excuse the bed head...it was 6am) :D

The plus side? He took a really really really good nap before church and he's taking an even better nap right now! :D

Blessings to all!

Caminando con Bubs

2010-09-21T11:23:00.001-07:00

Every morning between the hours of 9 and 10, you will most likely NOT find Beni and I in the house...or in the laundry room...or on the front porch...or any number of places. Where you WILL find us is doing figure eight after figure eight around the alfalfa and animal pens for our morning walk, hence the title (Walking with Bubs).

[In case you're wondering about the "Bubs," it it one of many endearments I use in reference to Beni: Bubs, Bubbers, Bubber Wubbers, Buddy, Buster, etc. (which I just noticed all begin with the letter "B").]

ANYWAYS, on with the point of the post...our walk. This is usually one of my favorite parts of the day. Beni enjoys it and is therefore happy and content (which makes me happy and content). He loves stopping to see Osa, the cows and the sheep. And he also loves just taking everything in (and not having to lift a finger to do it). I like it because I get out of the house, Beni's quiet and I get some exercise to boot. Since it's such a fun part of our day, I thought I'd share a few photos.

Bubs' new stroller is one sweet ride. He's totally just chillin' in this photo; I love it! :D

Who do you see, Bubbers?

It's MAaaaaCK!

Mack usually greets us near the beginning of the walk...

And then quite willingly escorts us for the rest of it, clearing the path of all unwelcome critters and creatures.

Our first stop is to see Osa (who I mentioned in the last post as being Daniel's dog).

She's pretty darn cute!

And she loves getting extra attention from Bubs.

Next up, the COWS! Beni LOVES the cows.

And we're starting to collect quite the herd; 2 heifers, 1 cow, 2 female calves and a steer. *whew*

After the cows, we visit the SHEEP! (Technically they're sheep-goats, but you get the idea.)

Usually they're just lounging around, soaking up the sun!

And then we get down to business and start the hard-core walking. The views are pretty much the same every day, but on occasion we see some new sights. Like Farmer Big teaching Farmer Little how to plant onions.

And I didn't think it fair to post without mentioning the countless "invisibles" we meet on our walk like: the ants, the gnats, the mosquitoes, the spiders, the butterflies, the over-sized grasshoppers, etc. etc. So this photo (one of many ant hills we see) is in honor of all our friends we were unable to capture on camera.

We also see many, many lizards (and today I saw a tarantula for the first time...about the size of a saucer...Mom, you would have died). We mostly see lizards with black and white underbellies or what I call rainbow lizards, and only once have I seen a lizard with a hunter orange neck and neon yellow body. But I was actually able to catch on on camera, and here (as pointed out with the arrow) is one of our many scurrying little friends.

After walking a good while, we finish up with a lap of jogging and head back to the house for a quick snack and a nap (well, Beni takes a nap...I take a shower). And that's how we spend a good chunk of our mornings, ladies and gents! I hope you've enjoyed the ride as much as Beni usually does!

Tuesday blessings!

Up-to-Date

2010-09-18T12:27:00.001-07:00

So, as I said yesterday...this is a post to hopefully update you all on what has been going on with Los Lemans.

First off, a picture (very belated) from our weekend stay at the Lobos...all my boys engrossed in a soccer game.

As I mentioned in a previous post (the one about school), José is taking a non-traditional route this year...and he is doing AWESOME! We are so excited for him! He works every day from 9am - 1pm with Limón, comes in, showers, eats lunch and has private classes with Carissa from 3pm - 4:30pm. His attitude has been great. He seems so much happier and content and relaxed! And his work ethic and quality have noticeably improved. I just can't get over what a different boy he is! Of course he isn't perfect and he still has his moments, but I just love him to death. So many times I find myself looking at him and smiling inside. He's a gem.

Ángel is pretty much the same. He's loving school and all the facts and figures he's learning. He spends most of his afternoons doing homework and loves every minute of it (despite his attempt to convince you otherwise). In his free time (outside of school work, chores and working in his patch in the garden), he enjoys challenging anyone available to a good game of Settlers. He also enjoys playing the computer or watching Joel play chess or Age of Empires. You can almost hear the wheels turning in his head. :D

Daniel is doing pretty well, too. He's still not a huge fan of school, but he makes the most of it. He got a new puppy from one of the neighbors about a month or so ago. Her name is Osa (Bear). I'll post pictures of her some day. She's super cute and he loves spending time with her and having something to call his own. He has spent quite a bit of time out by her fixing up her area, playing with her, petting her, etc.

Isaac has calmed down a bit in the past few months. He's been much more even-keel, less blow ups, etc. The other day I asked him how he liked school (because he also has quite the thirst for knowledge), if he liked it better this year than last year. And just in case you were wondering, it's way better this year than last year. From the perspective of a nine-year-old, these were his reasons school is waaay better this year: #1 There's more kids, #2 There's more and different teachers, #3 They start every day with games, #4 They get TWO recesses instead of one, and #5 They have PE every day, not just one day a week. I guess I can't argue with that!

And then there's Beni. He's probably changed the most. First of all, everyone should know he's started walking! He's been taking 3-4 steps for over a month, but I just didn't really consider it "walking." Well, last Wednesday (the 8th I believe) he walked from the bookcase to the piano, a distance of about 6 feet, and even switched directions slightly in the middle to correct his course. I was very impressed. Since then his walking skills have greatly improved and he can walk with toys in both hands, stop and start AND bend down and stand back up again. The only thing he can't do yet is stand up in the middle of the room all by himself. He's also managed to learn to climb up and go down the steps (although we don't have staircases, just a few steps at a time). It's amazing how quickly he's learning now. Each day he is noticeably more intelligent (and ornery). I praise God for such a healthy toddler!

Mat-a-ROO-ni!!!!

Mack has been so severely neglected on this blog since we got the boys, I just had to post a picture. He still lives a happy life chasing lizards and squirrels, swimming in the irrigation canal, playing with the kids, etc. He's been such a good dog. He's so good with kids, and Beni absolutely LOVES him. He can poke him and pinch him and Mack just deals with it. I'm so thankful he's such a good dog. He's gentle, but firm when he needs to be...a great guard dog, too!

And Joel and I are doing just fine. We take one day at a time, try not to worry too much about the future, and continually pray for grace and strength to raise these boys. We love them so much. Sometimes we want to wrap them up so tightly no one will ever be able to hurt them or (I'm having trouble thinking of the English word...hmmm) spoil? them. We want Jesus to be as real to them as He is to us. We want them to understand and embrace the Truth. But we are powerless, and we realize that. Therefore we pray and pray and pray that God would pierce their hearts with His love and conviction (when the time comes). I pray you all will join us in prayer for them.

And to end, the other morning Joel was on the porch doing his morning devotions when he looked over and saw THIS lovely creature...

In case you don't know what it is...it's a Gila Monster!

It was right there on our porch! Do you know how poisonous these things are? Thankfully they're slow-movers so they're not too dangerous...but still!

No thank you, ladies and gents! I think I've about had my fill of nasty creatures and critters for one year! I love the rainy season, but there are some things (more specifically all the little spiders and ants and beetles and flies and gnats and mosquitoes that keep invading my room) I could live without! Really they're not THAT bad, but I have just about had enough of them for one year. :D

Well, it's time for the littlest Limoncito to go take a nap...until next time! Blessings.

¡Viva México!

2010-09-17T12:25:00.002-07:00

FINALLY!! After what seems like days upon days of trying (if you add up all the hours it might equal ten or so) to upload pictures and post something, I have FINALLY succeeded. *whew*

I shall start with a time-appropriate post and maybe...just maybe...I'll try to post an update tomorrow...we'll see. That's definitely not a promise because who knows if the internet will be working. Sabrá.

Yesterday, September 16th, to all you gringos who may not know, was Independence Day here in Mexico. They celebrated their 200th anniversary as a nation. ¡Viva México! The day before (Wednesday the 15th) the primaria kids had a special presentation at school to commemorate the big day. And below are a few pictures.

Isaac participating in the escolta (the presentation of the flag).

Daniel also participated. All kids in Mexico learn the escolta from little on up; it's pretty impressive.

After the escolta they did three separate skits. This is the second one. Here are the towns' people (200 years ago). :D

And here are the revolutionaries.

Daniel is the old bald man and Isaac is the little vaquero (cowboy) in front.

The last "skit" they did was a dance; it was so hilarious to watch. All the kids dressed up as different animals and such. Isaac was Santa Claus because near the end of the song the turtle receives a pair of skates from Santa. I'm not entirely sure of the point of the dance, but it was fun for those of us watching. :D

Isaac as a cute little Santa Claus.

Daniel was a cat (the big orange one).

All the animalitos after their dancing debut.

I shot video the last few minutes, but I can't get it to upload. But there are several videos posted on the CVE blog. You should definitely check them out!

Thank you, Jesus, for the gifts of freedom and independence! Not only from oppression and persecution, but also freedom from our sins! What an amazing gift it is! Let us never take it for granted!

Like I mentioned above, I will try to post an update tomorrow. This post would be ridiculously long if I posted everything in one, so be sure to check back!

Blessings to all!

Before and After

2010-09-02T15:12:00.000-07:00

BEFORE...

AFTER...

Such a big boy!

Back to School Goodness

2010-08-28T11:17:00.000-07:00

As of Monday, the boys are officially in school! Woo hoo! I am excited for more free time (or as free as it gets with a one-year-old). I am excited for a quiet, clean house (during the day). And I am so excited that this year, for the very first time, ALL kids are being schooled on campus. Last year the secundaria (Jr. High) kids and a select few of the primaria (Grade School) kids were schooled on campus, but this year kinder, primaria and secundaria are all here. It is such a blessing knowing that they have good teachers and are getting a quality education.

If you can remember from a previous post, Ángel graduated from primaria last year, so this year he started secundaria, the first and only of our boys to attend secundaria. And he is LOVING it. Ángel loves to learn, so with a stepped-up lesson plan he can learn exponentially more on a daily basis. He talks non-stop the entire evening recounting various facts and stories he learned during his school day.

Here he is on the first day. So excited and so cute!

Daniel and Isaac both attend primaria. I think they enjoy it, but neither one is too fond of the structure classroom learning involves. We've had a few bumps in the road, but they're still learning and growing. Hopefully we'll see improvements as the year progresses.

"Do you really have to take our picture?"

"All right...fine...how's this smile?"

And this is as good as it gets, ladies and gents. Oh how I love them!

With José, we're trying a slightly different route. Since he will likely never excel in academics, we're focusing more on his strengths. He's a good worker and he's very caring. The plan for now is that he'll work with Joel several hours each day and attend private classes for a couple hours. In those classes he'll build and strengthen his reading skills and basic math skills. And maybe we'll throw a little MSL (Mexican Sign Language) in the mix, too. So far he's been doing awesome with this schedule. We pray it continues. (And I'm sorry I don't have any pictures of José on his first day.)

So that's what's new with us. And a prayer request to keep in mind is a daily lifting up of the boys: for their learning, for their obedience, for their curiosity and for their diligence. I know school can get boring and mundane for boys their age, but I want them to learn about their world so one day they might use that knowledge to help others.

Thanks so much for the love and prayers. Blessings to all!

Worth the Wait

2010-08-22T15:07:00.000-07:00

For the first time in the Leman household, we officially have counter tops on ALL our cabinets. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

Isn't it a beauty?

And on the other side we have the "art station" and the future location of two stools for the completion of the "homework area."

Aren't you all excited? I'm excited.

In other news, if you think of it, say a few prayers for the kids as they prepare to start classes TOMORROW!! Hooray for us parents! Prayers of patience and wisdom for you teachers. We're excited to see what this coming year will bring.

Joyous blessings to all!

It's a Great Day...

2010-08-19T17:10:00.000-07:00

...for a FIRST birthday!!!!

Mmmmmm...love that cake!

Except I got more in my lap than in my mouth...

Happy Birthday, Buddy! Blessings to all!

Vacation!

2010-08-13T11:12:00.001-07:00

Wow! I might have set a new record for the length of time passed without posting on here. And let me tell you, the longer you wait the more overwhelming the task appears.

Hmmm...so we went on vacation! I was a most wonderful, relaxing...long time away from the boys. Joel and I decided that in the future vacations will have an "eight days or less" limit. We just missed our boys too much! I'm sure other parents out there can understand. When your days are normally occupied meeting the needs of little ones, taking time for yourself and relaxing is just...so selfish! But we really did have a good time.

We flew out on a Thursday. With a layover in Denver, we were able to meet Mom and Dad Leman, Tess and Jake for lunch in the terminal. It was a most lovely (but oh so short) time. Mom and Dad Stoller picked us up in Chicago and drove us to Roanoke. Friday we visited some friends. Saturday we left for Kentucky and enjoyed a most wonderful week there with the Stoller clan including Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Becky. We spent lots of time in the sun, in the water and on the boat.

Enjoying a lovely sunset ride on the boat.

Before we left, Joel talked how he was going to try wakeboarding (despite the many horror stories he heard of face plants and the pain involved with learning to wakeboard). Sadly, his feet were too big for the bindings (*whew*) so he didn't even get to try. But he did a really good job skiing.

I realized that once you become a mother, your adventuresome spirit goes out the window. Before this year I have always enjoyed wakeboarding and slaloming. But now I think I'll stick to just slaloming...wakeboarding is just way too dangerous! I kept thinking to myself, "Why am I doing this? I could hurt myself so bad and then what would I do with the boys?" So I dropped the rope and decided I'd had enough. :D

Slaloming is much safer (and less painful) anyways.

My studly man enjoying his time skiing.

We also enjoyed a couple visitors during the week. Janice came with Becky until Thursday. Sarah came Sunday through Tuesday. And Seth came Thursday through Saturday. We enjoyed having them all with us. They definitely added to the fun and laughter.

The last morning Dad, Jared, Seth and Joel went golfing...here's the stud taking his turn. :D

Mom really wanted a good picture of all of us to use as a Christmas card sometime during the week. As you can tell, it went quite well. :D

Sorry, Mom.

We returned to Illinois Saturday afternoon and enjoyed a date night at Chili's. Sunday we attended Roanoke church for the first time since our wedding (over a year ago). Sunday afternoon was a family cookout...so good to see everyone. Monday Joel enjoyed fishing with Grandpa Bob and Caleb while I enjoyed catching up with another friend. Then it was a quick lunch at Caleri's, packing and heading up to Chicago where we enjoyed a nice dinner with Mom and Dad Stoller and Jared. 'Twas an early night as we set the alarm for 4am (2am our time)...just enough time to shower and make our 6am flight. :D

And now we're back. The day we got back I sent my mom an e-mail stating (basically)..."We're back. Everyone is doing fine. Welcome back to chaos." Vacation is officially over. Such is our life! But we wouldn't have it any other way.

*sigh* :D

Until next time....Many blessings to all!

Makin' Hay

2010-07-25T16:32:00.001-07:00

I have many fond and maybe some not-so-fond memories from my childhood of baling hay. I remember when Dad worked in Roanoke he'd come home and rake the hay over lunch so it'd be ready to bale after he got off work in the afternoon. Though I never personally helped in the whole baling process, I watched and rode the tractor (or the hay rack) a few times. At any rate I can tell you it was usually a hot and dirty job.

Here at CVE we have what my mom calls a "truck patch" of alfalfa. Because of the weather here, we can bale about once a month all through the spring, summer and fall. About a week or so ago, the alfalfa was getting long enough to bale again, but we were greeted by an interesting and unexpected problem; the baler was broken.

And if you live in Mexico, you know when machinery breaks there's no quick fix. There aren't hardware stores or farm supply stores a few towns over. There's actually only probably one or two other balers in the entire town of Magdalena...maybe. Almost all replacement parts (chains, hooks, etc) are bought in the US and brought down. It could take a few days or a few weeks before things get fixed. And with the summer (albeit sporadic) rains upon us, it's not like you can just let the alfalfa sit in the field until the replacement parts come in. So we did what any good Mexican would do, we improvised.

Here they come with the hay rack! Ranchers, have your pitchforks ready!

Manual labor at it's finest!

Isaac LOVES the tractors. Here he's getting some quality driving instructions from Juan-tan.

Half-way through the row. Notice the looming rain clouds.

Our neighbor and one of the kids helped get it all in before the rain.

My studly cowboy husband. :D

One of three racks they filled.

Afterwords they managed to squeeze all the alfalfa into the stable, and boy was it full!

Practically busting at the seams.

What a bountiful harvest!

Now there's about half as much alfalfa as pictured here. The cows sure seem to be enjoying it! Hopefully next time, though, the baler will be in "perfect" working condition. ;)

Only a few more days and we'll be in Illinois (Mom, don't get too excited)! We're looking forward to seeing family and friends again. Pray for safe travels!

Until then...Blessings!

Last, But Certainly Not Least...

2010-07-20T08:37:00.001-07:00

I present to you the kitchen and the sala!

First up: The Kitchen

The dining area (and cooler #2).

The main kitchen area.

And my beautiful kitchen window sill which serves as: a plant shelf, bottle drying rack holder, baby food/snack supply holder, and a home for the many insects who find their way into our home.

Panning out, the island (that still has no counter top) and part of the sala.

The other side which shows the entrance and the doorway to the boys' bathroom (and another part of the sala).

There are so many things I'm thankful for in our kitchen. First, I'm thankful we even have a kitchen! Second, I have plenty of storage space in the cabinets...everything fits just fine with room to spare! Third, I'm thankful for a pantry; I don't know where I'd put everything if we didn't have a pantry. Fourth, once the counter top actually arrives and is installed on the island, I will have much more counter top space for working (which I am greatly looking forward to). Fifth, I'm thankful the kitchen and the sala are connected; it provides easy viewing of the goings on with the boys...particularly Beni when he's on an exploring adventure.

So what is left to be done in the kitchen? Hmmmm...the island countertop, for one. We also need base boards all along our cabinets (they're rather ugly right now, so I'll spare you the view). We also had a hole in our wall where ants were coming in and making themselves at home, but my wonderful husband patched that up a few weeks ago...woo hoo!!
__________________________________________________

Next up: The Sala

View #1: from the kitchen...the sitting area.

View #2: the playing area.

And finally: the book/toy shelf.

Once again, I am so thankful for this room. Since the boys' bedroom is rather small, we told them from the beginning that their bedroom is ONLY for sleeping. All playing and reading and everything else should be done in the sala. And the boys love the sala (maybe because it has all their "fun" things). They spend most of their days in this room playing with Hot Wheels, K'nex, Legos...you name it! Once again, I'm so thankful the sala and the kitchen are connected. I get to see their imaginations running wild first hand. And I love the close proximity. Some people may call me brave for having breakables in the sala, but what better way to teach them that not everything is for their use or disposal? And they've done so well. Yes, we've had a few mishaps with picture frames being broken and other items being dropped or thrown on the floor, but overall I'm very impressed with their progress!

So, what's left? I would like to have just one more piece of furniture: an arm chair. I feel like it could help close off the sala to the entrance. Now when you look in the front door you see straight into the sala, but I feel like an arm chair would help close it off just enough to make the sala feel more like a room of it's own instead of a continuation of the entrance...break up the long straight line a little bit. Other than that, we are set in the sala. :D So there you have it...our whole house!

And before I end, I have just one simple question...Do you know what today is?!!?!?

MY HUSBAND TURNS 23 YEARS OLD TODAY!!!!

Happy Birthday, Babe! I love you so much!

Many blessings!

Calling All Prayer Warriors!

2010-07-18T13:33:00.001-07:00

Please go to this blog and answer the call for prayer and fasting.

Oh Great Physician, Yahweh Rophe, Thy will be done...

Blessings!

Boys' Bedroom and Bathroom

2010-07-15T13:06:00.001-07:00

My sincerest apologies for the delay in post-age. The internet down here is always a little spotty but as of late has been exceptionally bad. Without further delay, I shall introduce you all to the boys' bedroom and bathroom. Again, I apologize for the poor picture quality; the rooms are a little on the small side.

Looking in from the doorway. Off to the right is their closet.

Again the doorway to the right is the closet (sorry, no pictures). And these are Ángel's and Isaac's beds. The "reading chair" is where Joel perches himself every night to read the bedtime story. Barely visible to the left is a chest of drawers and their ever-precious CD player.

This would be Daniel's and José's beds and the computer desk. Someday I am hoping to paint the wall with the chest of drawers as a camo accent wall. When we shall see that day is yet to be determined.

So, yes, that is the boys' bedroom. Perfect size for two bunk beds and sleeping four boys, but absolutely zero flexibility with this arrangement. So just to qualm any questions their might be, we will most likely NOT be accepting any "new" children unless we lose one or move into different quarters. Just FYI.

Moving on to the boys' bathroom; I'm not a fan. It's very "dorm-ish" and not very homey-ish at all, but it works for now. It's nice that each boy can have his own shower and own toilet, but it's big and unnecessary in a home-like setting. But like I said, it works for now.

The view from the door: the sinks and the cleaning supply cabinet...woo hoo!

On each side of these two sinks are two showers. For you math whizzes, 2+2=4 showers...1 for each boy.

And on each side of this set of sinks is two toilets. Once again 2+2=4 toilets...1 for each boy. :D

And there you have it, folks. Sorry they aren't very interesting rooms, but they're still part of the house. :D If you'll remember from the previous posts, the only rooms left are the kitchen and the sala. And they shall be soon forthcoming. :D

For those of you who don't already know, Joel and I are planning to head to Illinois July 29th through August 10th. However, July 31st through August 7th we will be vacationing with the Stoller clan. We realize that doesn't leave much free time to catch up with friends and such, but we can hardly bear leaving our little men for 10 days let alone more! It will indeed be a most blessed, but difficult 10 days, I'm sure. But enough on that for now...until next time!

Blessings!

It Rained!

2010-07-12T15:16:00.000-07:00

And for those of you who may not know...that is a BIG DEAL when you live in the desert!

It all started as a light drizzle and gradually built into an amazing downpour! Blessed, blessed rain...what a precious sight!

The view off our porch...just lovely!

Woo hooooo!! Look at all that water! :D I think we got nearly an inch!

As you can see, children and adults alike welcomed and celebrated the arrival of rain!

They even played soccer in the rain.

Could this be the start of the oh-so-longed-and-looked-for summer rains? I hope so!

Rainy blessings to all!

El Cuarto de Limón y Kristi

2010-07-08T14:57:00.000-07:00

Time for another room! Since I like organization, I plan to introduce the house in a methodical way. Beni's room and the laundry room, as I mentioned, are at two opposite ends of the house. BUT, beginning with Beni's room the rooms of our house go as follows: Beni's bedroom, Joel and I's bedroom and bathroom, the boys' bedroom, the kitchen, the sala, the boys' bathroom and finally the laundry room. From this day forward, I shall try to keep the room introductions in that order. So today you are blessed with Joel and I's bedroom and bathroom. Enjoy!

If you'll remember, one entrance to our house is via the porch. This is said entrance strait into our bedroom where you can be greeted by Joel's shoes. A BIG thanks to Julian who welded us a screen door...woo hoo!

Continuing into the room (the entrance is off to the right in this photo) we have the bed!

Turning to the left from the previous photo we find the closet and the chest of drawers (the closet door is on the right in this photo). To the left is the beautiful screen that separates the "office" from the "bedroom."

The "office" area.

Consisting of the desk...

...and the chair! Almost everything you see in this photo is a "find" from second-hand stores. The screen is from Salvation Army, the chair is from Habitat for Humanity, the side table was found while emptying out Beni's room during the remodel and all the decorations I had before Joel and I got married. :D

Probably the most boring wall in our bedroom (minus the window...I LOVE windows), but I had to include it so you could see the cooler! Right there it is, just beyond the curtains. Praise the Lord for the invention of air conditioning!! :D

And one of my most favorite parts of our bedroom...minus the bed, of course...the library!

The second room being introduced today is our bathroom. Most of the time I consider the bedroom and bathroom one room since they're connected and the only way to get to the bathroom is through the bedroom. If you look in the picture above, to the right of the bookcase you see this lovely dark cavern. Well, contrary to what you might be thinking, it is NOT a dark cavern, but indeed is the master bathroom.

I cannot express how incredibly thankful I am to have our own bathroom. When you see the boys' bathroom I think you will agree...not to mention that it is on the opposite end of the house. It's so convenient for keeping clean, bathing Beni, having necessities nearby, a medicine cabinet that is out of sight/out of reach of any little hands, etc. And I love being able to keep everything neat and organized (something that DOES NOT HAPPEN in the boys' bathroom even though I go in and organize it nearly every day and they clean it twice a week). But boys will be boys and I really wouldn't have them any other way. :D

*Sigh* At the risk of boring you more, I shall forgo further monologue-ing and skip right to the pictures.

The Master Bathroom in all it's glory.

The beautiful vanity and mirror.

The oh-so-awesome built in shelving Joel designed (Joel Rink...not the husband Joel). The top two shelves are for Joel and I's towels and such, the third shelf is the boys' stuff (soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, air freshener, extra towels), the fourth shelf is the medicine cabinet, the fifth shelf is the supply shelf (with extra face wash, body wash, shampoo, mousse, razors, etc) and the ground shelf is for Beni's bath toys. I love pretty, organized goodness. :D

The great white throne and Beni's shelves of goodies (towels, baby bath, baby lotion, Desitin, baby body wash, Vaseline, baby powder...you get the idea).

And there you have it, folks...the living quarters of Joel and Kristi. I was just talking to Joel today and expressed to him how perfect our living quarters are for us right now (not very flexible, but perfect for our needs). Next up on the list of rooms is the boys' bedroom (and I might include their bathroom, too even though it doesn't really "go with the flow").

This coming weekend we plan to take a mini "staycation" to the Casa de Los Lobos where much fun and pool time shall be had by all. But if you're from CVE and reading this DO NOT TELL THE BOYS!!!! They don't know we're going yet. I'm looking forward to it (and I'm sure they would be, too if they knew...hee hee).

Hope this day finds you all blessed!

Ladies and Gentlemen...

2010-07-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

I have an important announcement to make!

At the ripe old age of 10 months, 1 week and 5 days I have officially cut my first tooth!! Ta daaaa!!

Beni's Room and the Laundry Room

2010-06-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are TWO more rooms from the house. Excluding Joel and I's bathroom, these are the two smallest rooms in the house: Beni's room and the laundry room. The laundry room is actually bigger than our bathroom, but you get the idea.

First we have Beni's room...

It's super-small and therefore difficult to capture the whole room in one shot.

Clock-wise around the room: the sitting/reading/feeding area.

The crib (which is now on it's lowest setting because SOMEONE likes to stand up all the time).

The changing table and noise machine (the fan).

Behind-the-door storage (because he has no closet).

Features: One of my favorite parts of Beni's room is the bookshelf (a Salvation Army find). I store his extra food on one shelf, his books on another and his clothes on the bottom two shelves. Even though his room is small, it's perfect for a baby room. Hopefully by the time he's two or three (if he's still here) we'll have better living facilities for him, but for now it works great!

Hidden Treasures: There aren't really any hidden treasures in Beni's room...there's no room to hide anything! :D

What's Left: I've been looking at different ideas for what to do with/on the walls. I love the color palette of his rug, but I can't quite decide where I want to go from there. I found some hangings on Etsy that I've debated whether or not to buy. But anyways...bottom line, the only thing left in his room is wall hangings/paintings...something.
__________________________________________________

The second room of the day is the laundry room. Though the laundry room is indeed attached to our house, one must travel outside to get to it. :D We actually share the laundry room with the other boys (Fede, Frankie and Michel) who live with Seth in the dorm...hence the outside entrance. When Mom and Dad Stoller were here, Dad did a wonderful job of fixing up the laundry room. I am ever so grateful for your work, Dad.

Looking in from the doorway.

The shelving unit Dad installed...SO handy.

The two washers...one works pretty well and the other works about 1/3 of the time. Oh, and the original shelving that Dad fixed up where Joel keeps the incubator, extra towels, detergent for the other boys, etc.

And the two dryers...that work when they want to. :D

Features: I'm so incredibly thankful for the shelves. Who knew someone could be so excited about shelves? But when you're as much of a neat freak as I am, shelves are a welcomed blessing.

Hidden Treasures: There's really nothing exciting about a laundry room; I'm sorry. I'm thankful for it's size and proximity to the laundry lines, though. And even though it is "separate" from our house, I can still hear the end-of-cycle buzzers because the walls are pretty thin. :D

What's Left: Nothing!!!! That might be the only room in the house I can say that for. Other than the weekly maintenance of cleaning off the washers and dryers and shelves (because they can get very VERY dirty), I have NOTHING left for this room. Woohoo!

I suppose that is enough excitement for one day. I must get back to laundry and other important housekeeping activities of the day. Blessings to all!

¡Felicidades Ángel!

2010-06-25T17:52:00.000-07:00

This past week has been a whirlwind of drama and activity with the boys. At the risk of going into too much detail, I'll just petition your prayers for the hearts of José, Daniel and Isaac. Each has dealt with some pretty hefty issues the past week pressing Joel and I to our knees pleading for wisdom.

On a lighter note, Wednesday night was Ángel's graduation from primaria (6th grade graduation). The whole family was able to attend, even Beni!

Walking in. He was so serious the whole time...too cute!

Again, walking in.

Getting his diploma.

At the end of the ceremony, they all sang a song for us...and danced. Thankfully Ángel's sister Michelle was willing to oblige as his dance partner.

After the graduation, we all enjoyed a lovely dinner of tacos de carne asada. It was delish. We didn't get home until after nine. Poor Beni was soooooo tired, but he survived and after a day of extra sleeping he's back to his normal self.

Well, I suppose that is all for now. I'll try to post again within the next few days to introduce another room in the house so stay tuned!

Blessings to all!

Too Cute For Words

2010-06-21T17:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Fathers' Day!

2010-06-20T13:43:00.001-07:00

To all the wonderful fathers out there!

Especially to the dads in my family: Papi Stoller, Grandpa Stoller, Uncle Tim, Cousin Matt, Grandpa Hodel, Uncle Brent, Cousin Nate, Uncle Brad, Cousin Robey and Cousin Dustin.

And the dads in Joel's family: Papi Leman, Grandpa Leman, Uncle Doug, Uncle Ed, Uncle Keith, Uncle Ben, Grandpa Bob and Uncle Neil.

And of course, we can't forget the most wonderful dad of all (at least in my mind)...my wonderful husband! I love you, Babe! Happy Fathers' Day!

Love you all! Hope your day is filled with blessings!

¡Bienvenidos a La Casa de Los Limones!

2010-06-19T15:58:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Leman Home!

Here are (the beginnings) of the long-awaited pictures of our "new" home. Today I'm just posting pictures of the outside. Some other day this week I'll start posting pictures of the inside. My plan is to introduce the house room by room highlighting the features, some hidden treasures and finishing with what's left undone...which in some cases is nothing...and in others there's still much to be done. But such is life. For now, though, enjoy the following photos...

Our house.

The boys' bathroom is the whitish-yellowish addition on the far left. The red part in the middle houses the kitchen/living room/boys' bedroom. And the far right whitish-yellowish area (with the porch) houses Joel and I's bedroom and bathroom and Beni's bedroom.

Rock garden featuring a palm (that the sheep keep eating), lavender (my favorite) and cannas.

The front "yard" (notice the nice grass, Mom) featuring: rose garden, bougainvilleas and a lime tree.

The front porch.

Featuring our plants!

And this lovely sitting area (with the walnut bench Joel made)!

The next few pictures are from the side of the house (beside the boys' bathroom).

The laundry lines and our bushes that we transplanted. As you can see, the nearest one is doing the best and it just goes down-hill from there. They are all three still living, though; I promise.

The "patio" area where the birds, bikes, mops and brooms commune together.

And last but certainly not least, Mack's new home located to the rear of the "human" living facilities.

More pictures to come!

Many blessings to all.

Guess Who Got a Haircut

2010-06-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

World Cup Fever

2010-06-15T09:12:00.000-07:00

Some of you may or not be aware, but the World Cup Finals have officially begun in South Africa. And as it is fairly common with the males here at CVE, our house has been infected with the World Cup Bug. Common symptoms include: an overwhelming desire to watch each and every soccer match (thereby knowing the outcome of each), an inability to talk about anything but soccer, an infestation of male-ness in the living room, random screams and screeches of delight, and a general obsession with all things soccer.

Last Friday (June 11th) was the kick-off of the World Cup and since then I have been kept well-up-to-date on all the goings on of the games. Living with 5 (6 counting Beni) males, I am never out of the loop when it comes to soccer. Here is what our house has looked like the past few days.

Ángel getting the best view possible.

All of my boys (including Beni at times) g-l-u-e-d to the game.

The common scene in our living room.

It's actually kind of nice having some "motivation-stimulation" with the boys. When we have time and if everyone (and only if everyone) has their chores done, we bring in the TV from the school room and tune in to the various goings-on in South Africa. To say the boys are absolutely thrilled would be an understatement. They've been remarkably well behaved since the games started. :D

Tune in later this week as I hope to start posting pictures of our house. I'll introduce the outside first and then work through each room. I had wanted to wait until our house was finished, but I realize that could be another several months before everything is officially "done." So for the sake of all my family who is dying to see it...I hope to deliver later this week (or maybe next week...we'll see).

Anyways, have a blessed week!

Date Night

2010-06-08T11:23:00.000-07:00

On Monday night, Bill and Joan graciously agreed to take our boys to town with the team and Sarah graciously agreed to take care of Beni so Joel and I could take a much welcomed "date night." We headed down to Santa Ana (a town just about 5 minutes to the south), had a lovely dinner at Elba or something like that and then headed to the plaza for ice cream and to watch the sun set. It was a most relaxing and enjoyable evening. I love spending time with my man.

The beautiful sunset.

Us. I personally think we both look exhausted in this photo.

Us again...we're not very good at taking pictures of ourselves...sorry.

After the beautiful sunset, like I said before, we got ice cream and headed back to CVE. We watched a movie (I don't even remember what it was called) and went to bed. I know, we're so exciting you all can barely handle it, right? It really was a nice evening; I love being able to talk to him and enjoy an uninterrupted meal...that's a rarity in our "new" lives.

Well, I just wanted to brag on my wonderful husband for a few minutes. Thanks for your love and prayers.

Blessings!

Just in Case...

2010-06-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

...you find yourself in need of a pick-me-up...

Blessings!

A Week in Review

2010-05-26T14:36:00.001-07:00

As many already know, Jared and Gabri and Mom and Dad Leman were all here within the last week to visit. Jared and Gabs arrived Tuesday afternoon while Mom and Dad Leman arrived Thursday afternoon...and both sets left yesterday morning.

It was quite the week; I'm pretty sure every one of our boys was smitten by the "love bug." You're quite the charmer, Gabs. ;D Juuuuust kidding, but in all reality I think they loved having you here. They loved that you were always ready and willing to play games with them or laugh at their jokes even though you probably didn't understand them. Thank you so much for coming!

Ángel and Gabs playing pick up sticks, a favorite game of all the boys.

One day at the lunch table, Daniel (and Jared and Gabs...see next pic) decided to make owl faces at each other.

Jared and Gabs in all their owl-ly goodness.

It was so good to have Jared visit again. I think I can safely say this visit was a lot different than the last one...a little more activity perhaps? The only complaint I heard from him all week was that the couch was too soft (I guess better too soft than too hard, huh?). He came, he ate, he played and he left. I think the boys loved having Uncle Chino here almost as much as they loved having Gabs here. He definitely provided an energy outlet for them! And they were pretty impressed with his Lego and K'nex creations...I think some of them are still floating around the living room.

Jared and Beni having fun...love the faces in this one!

Uncle Chino and Beni (playing with Grandpa Leman's glasses case).

As I mentioned above, Mom and Dad arrived on Thursday afternoon. I feel like we barely saw them, but such is life. Dad had meetings all day Friday and part of Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning before we left. He was able to grace us with his presence a few hours on Saturday; we're thankful for the time we DID get to see him! And Mom was able to be here a little bit more. They're just so popular!

Grandpa and Grandma trying to get Beni to crawl...he's so close!

And here are a few other pictures from the week. Sometimes having guests makes the boys really rambunctious...then again they're pretty much always rambunctious (but having guests seems to magnify their rambunctious-ness).

Poor Mack becomes the victim of their next scheme. Although Isaac's t-shirt was a tad bit too small for his muscular chest. He was a good sport, though!

The whole crew out for tacos at Los Diamantes...mmmmmmm!

And as I mentioned in my last post, Joel and I (after dropping Mom and Dad and Jared and Gabs off at their hotel) were able to get a little R&R on our anniversary. It ended up being quite the night! Apparently Mom and Dad Leman had called the hotel (the Sheraton on Grant) and left a happy anniversary message for us. Well, when the receptionist found out it was our anniversary (our 1st anniversary no less) she was VERY excited and upgraded our room. So we jumped on the elevator, pushed our button and looked for our room number...#367. And would you guess, outside the door was a big plaque announcing, "Presidential Suite!" Wow! Did I mention we got the room on Priceline for $50? :D Who else can say they got the presidential suite at the Sheraton for only $50? I was pretty excited.

Anyways, we enjoyed a lovely dinner at the Macaroni Grill, some fun browsing the books at Barnes and Noble and then headed back to enjoy our luxurious room. After sleeping in (all the ways until 7:45) we took our time getting ready, ate some breakfast and spent the rest of the day supply shopping. One of our buys was a "Johnny Jump Up" for Beni. He loves standing, but I don't have a walker or anything of the sort for him. For us, the "Johnny Jump Up" was the perfect solution because it's not like we have tons of room for an entertainment center anyways. Below is his first reaction to being placed in it...

Do you think he likes it?

Well, I think that's enough for now. Until next time!

Blessings!

One Year Ago Today...

2010-05-23T21:28:00.000-07:00

'Twas the night before our wedding; we had just finished a lovely rehearsal dinner courtesy of my beloved aunt Patty. We were so in love...and so oblivious to the changes that would come in the following year.

At the rehearsal dinner.

Then came wedding morning. We woke up early to take pictures; I believe bride and groom pictures started at 6am. Despite the rain that plagued Illinois the weeks before our wedding, we had a gorgeous day.

The lovebirds.

Definitely seeing life through rose-colored glasses...

After the wedding and being surrounded by all our family and friends, we headed off to a blissful honeymoon in Cozumel. We got a lot of flack for vacationing to the very country we'd be living in, but life in Cozumel is WORLDS different than life in Magdalena (which should go without saying).

After the honeymoon we returned to Roanoke for 1.5 days. We packed up all our earthly possessions, carefully/strategically packed all the boxes and suitcases into our trusty Jeep and started off on the 20 or 30 something hour drive to Mexico.

The beast holding it's burden.

And here we are already a year later. Sometimes it hardly seems like it's been a year. And at the same time, I feel like it should be ten years, not just one. I mean, how many other couples move out of the country and have five kids before their one year anniversary? It's not exactly the typical game-plan. :D

But I wouldn't have it any other way. I've loved our adventures in the past year: from the honeymoon in Cozumel, to language school in Morelia, to town life in Magdalena to full-time parenthood at CVE...I've loved it all. I have been stretched and molded in ways I never thought possible. I'm sure Joel feels the same way.

When my parents were here, my dad commented that Joel and I have "aged" in the past year (gee thanks for pointing that out, Dad :). There are some days I feel like an old woman. After hauling babies and laundry and breaking up fights and feeding 5 hollow stomachs, one feels mighty weary at the end of the day. Thank you, Jesus, that I don't have to ever worry about making it through the day on my own strength! (For one, I would never make it!) He truly is the ever-present, all-powerful God. No situation is too big or too small for Him! Hallelujah!

A year ago, life consisted of night-shift nursing (3 nights a week) and not a real care in the world. Now, every day is packed with activity and every night I practically pass out on my pillow...if I make it to bed before crashing. But like I said, I LOVE it! I love being a mom. I love having a family. I love being married to my best friend. I love having my own home to take care of. I love teaching my kids about God. I love hearing them laugh. I love it that they thank me for every meal. I love that they're still a little giddy about having a woman in the house. I love their potential. I love their spirit. I love everything (except for the fights and complaining and temper tantrums). Following are a few pictures of normal life nowadays...my how things have changed! :D

The oldies but goodies. I love you, Babe...more than anyone on this earth!

Our sweet family of seven!

And one last one from when my parents visited. One big happy family!

*Sigh* Sometimes I just feel like sighing, don't you? Anyways, to celebrate this momentous occasion, Joel and I are planning to head to Tuscon tomorrow for a day and a half all to ourselves. My wonderful, thoughtful husband booked us a suite at the Sheraton so I'm looking forward to relaxing and just sharing time with my best friend, looking back over the past year and reminiscing how good God has been to us.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, BABE!! I LOVE YOU!!

Hope this day finds you all blessed!

My Baby's Growing Up!

2010-05-13T15:59:00.000-07:00

Before I go on and on about how much my baby is changing and growing up and developing, I'd like to share a few candid shots Ryan Cox and Ben Schick captured of Joel and I on our recent trip to Guadalajara/Zamora/Ixtlan.

After the last-minute suit rental in Zamora. I love this shot because I do this to him all the time. Joel hates it because he thinks it makes him look fat. I say he just has bad posture.

Waiting for tacos in Ixtlan. What a studly husband I have!

Waiting for Bere to arrive to take pictures the morning of the wedding. We were Ryan's "test subjects"

In Zamora after the civil ceremony. Ben took this one.

And now on to the subject of this post, Beni. Yes, sadly he is growing up so fast! Sometimes it's fun to see his changing personality and to see him hitting all his major developmental milestones...and sometimes it's just so sad that he's getting so big already! I'm sure all you other mothers can relate! A few of the things he's accomplished in the last month: he holds his arms out for me, he can hold his own bottle, he chews of "big-boy food," he's a rolling fiend, he says "da-da," (though if it's in direct reference to Limón I have yet to figure out), he can sit up for long periods of time, he can scoot on his belly and he can eat food with CHUNKS in it! If you know anything about Beni, you know this is HUGE progress. Before I had to puree the death out of his food or he wouldn't eat it. Now, he can eat food that's thicker than pudding and has chunks in it all without gagging a single time. WOOO HOOOOOOO!!

Though we had a rough few months in the beginning, Beni has turned into such a happy baby. He loves to sit and play with his toys (slobbering all the way). Sometimes he can sit for half an hour and entertain himself. It's so nice. He's not a perfect angel; however, and he can still throw a good temper tantrum every once in a while. Just to illustrate, on Tuesday he threw a 20-minute tantrum complete with a beet-red face, high-pitched screams and flailing appendages. But that's the first tantrum he's thrown in weeks...and I'm still not entirely sure what he was so mad about. Such is life, I suppose. I'll stop talking now and show you all a few of the latest pictures of the booger.

Though he is rapidly approaching 9 months in age, he hasn't quite figured out the whole crawling thing...but we're getting there!

We've tried biter biscuits a few times, but Monday I gave him a panecito to enjoy; he thought he was pretty hot stuff.

No, those aren't teeth...just mushy, slobbery, bready goodness.

And just within the past two weeks he has started holding his own bottle. Again, he thinks he's pretty hot stuff. :D

Another favorite is bath time. He loves to play in the water, as you can judge by the big grin.

Life down here can sometimes get so busy. Finding time to stop and think is difficult. This blog has been good for me to just stop and appreciate the small things at times. I love this little man more than words can describe and yet he isn't mine. No child is ever ours to claim. They all belong to God. We're simply called upon to feed them and teach them about Jesus. What a blessing that we aren't alone! Although I realize this is the reality for all mothers, God reminds me every day that I need to let go. Who would have thought...a year ago I was a single woman working as an RN (and planning my wedding). This year I'm a mother of 5 energy-filled boys and I wouldn't have it any other way! Only with God do things like that happen so quickly...and yet so wonderfully. My life is crazy, but I love it! I love it because this is where God wants me to be. My heart just bursts when I think of all He's done for me. What a mighty God we serve! And what a blessing it is just to know Him! My cup runneth over!

I guess all good things must come to an end, and before I bore you all with my overflowing cup, I just have to post this delightful video for the grandmas. Beni absolutely LOVES it when Papa Limón gives him arm pit bubbles. And I must say, Mama Kristi loves it, too...his giggles are so cute! :D

Many bessings!

Happy Mothers' Day!

2010-05-08T10:12:00.000-07:00

To ALL you mothers out there.

And particularly to these mothers:

The wonderful moms in my family: Momma Stoller, Grandma Stoller, Aunt Peg, Cousin Sarah, Grandma Hodel, Aunt Marge, Cousin Jamie, Aunt Patty, Cousin Angie, Cousin Mandy and Aunt Barbie.

And the marvelous moms in Joel's family: Mom Leman, Grandma Leman, Aunt Carol, Aunt Gail, Aunt Melinda, Aunt Marge and Aunt Leila.

We love you all and may God grant you the wisdom, patience and stamina to make it through each day!

And to end...I will brag about my husband by showing off the fresh-cut bouquet of roses he gave me. Each one was hand picked from the rose bushes in front of our house.

Beautiful, aren't they?

Many blessings!

Do YOU See the Resemblance?

2010-05-02T15:41:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Limón and I watched Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. It was the first time I had seen that particular movie (and it's been a while since I've re-watched the first two). I think somewhere in there he remembers back to the first movie or it brings up the first movie or something. Anyways, it flashed a picture of "the kid" from the first movie...and I immediately thought of Beni. I don't know if it's the brown eyes or the wide face or what. When I mentioned it to Joel, he thought so too, but it might be a stretch.

Then just last week, Rhode and Pau walked up (two of the teachers here on campus) and Rhode commented that Beni looks like the baby from Ice Age. So it got me thinking, maybe there is a bit of a resemblance. I had to search long and hard to find a picture of the baby...for some reason his cute little face just isn't as popular as Manny or Sid or Scrat. But here you have it...what do you think?

"Kid"

Beni

Do YOU see the resemblance?

Wedding Weekend

2010-04-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

I can't remember who I told and who I didn't, but this past weekend we were in Michoacán for Jonathan and Bere's wedding. It was quite a whirlwind weekend, but we had a great time.

We left from CVE at 6:30 Friday morning. Two hours later, we arrived in Hermosillo in plenty of time for our flight. Due to our flight being delayed an hour, once we arrived in Guadalajara it was go go go. We ended up taking a taxi directly from the airport in GDL to our hotel in Zamora (2-2.5 hours). Immediately upon arrival we changed and headed out to La Pantera Rosa or The Pink Panther for J and B's civil ceremony (the legal stuff) and rehearsal dinner.

Enjoying an absolutely delicious dinner of carne en su jugo with Mom and Dad Leman.

The happy couple.

The next morning we got to sleep in! All the way until 7:30! Then we enjoyed an absolutely delicious breakfast at out hotel. We stayed at Hotel Jericó in Zamora. It was very beautiful and they serve amazing breakfasts. All the fresh fruit (and fresh-squeezed juices) you could want plus they make eggs to order any way you like. And, as you can see below, they have the most beautiful flowers!

I thought their bougainvillea archway was pretty impressive.

I think this is a bird of paradise. They were all over.

And my personal favorite:

There was another sign that asked you not to "trow" things in the pool area..."tank" you. I definitely got a few chuckles from the signs.

Saturday after sleeping in and eating breakfast, we headed into Zamora to rent Joel's suit and purchase some other forgotten necessities (like socks and boxers and chocolate). After the supply run in Zamora, we headed back to the hotel to pick up the rest of the crew and headed to Ixtlan for the rest of the day. We enjoyed tacos in the plaza, a tour of the open air market, a singing, wedding rehearsal and some sabroso pozole (a traditional Mexican soup). It ended up being a pretty late night, so once we got back we immediately hit the sack (after putting on our PJs and brushing out teeth, of course).

Sunday morning we got up a little earlier, showered, got ready for pictures (just Joel...not me), ate another delicious breakfast, packed up and headed to Ixtlan once again. They were able to take pictures at the weekend home of a dentist friend of Bere's. It had a beautiful courtyard area; I'm anxious to see how their photos turned out. We made it back to the church just in time for the wedding. Everyone looked beautiful and handsome.

After the wedding we headed to (I forget the name) for the reception. It wasn't exactly outside, but it was all open to the outside. It was beautifully decorated and the food was once again delicious.

The happy couple...now married legally and before their "host of witnesses."

Sunday afternoon/evening, we headed back to Guadalajara with Mom and Dad Leman. It was so nice to spend some uninterrupted time with them. We ate at Chili's (of all places) and stayed in the same motel together. Thanks for the great conversations, Mom and Dad!

Monday we were able to sleep in a little. We had time to eat breakfast and everything before our shuttle arrived; it was marvelous! At the airport we met up with the rest of our traveling clan: Carissa, Nicole, Nora and Ely. It was a smooth flight back to Hermosillo and drive back to Magdalena. Like I mentioned above, it was quick but nice. :)

AND, Mom Leman brought it to my attention that poor Mack has been severely neglected on this blog since remodeling and children have come into the picture. So I thought it might be nice to give you all a little update on his life since we've moved to CVE.

Mack in his new living space...all wet and dirty from a trip to the river.

Mack has adjusted fairly well to the move. He definitely still knows his home is with us even though there are a lot more people around. He likes Tommy (Keith and Emily's dog) a lot. They get along really well and almost never fight (except for the one time Mack tried to steal Tommy's hamburger). Sadly, though, him and Rito (Steph's dog) don't get along very well at all. They used to when they were puppies, but now that they're grown there's a little too much testosterone and territorial-ness going on. And because they can't seem to get along...EVER...Mack has just recently been confined to his chain until we can build him some sort of fenced in area (Jared, maybe you can help with that if it's not done by the time you get here) where he can run but still be separated from Rito. It hasn't seemed to upset him too much, but I feel bad for him just the same. And this past week we found out his dog food had molded so we had to throw it out. Ergo, the last few days his meals have been rather pathetic. Hopefully today, though, we're getting more dog food and everything will return to normal.

Here's a pic Dad Stoller took of him chewing on a cow horn. Mmmmmm.

So there you have it, and update on Los Lemans and an update on Mack (all in one post)!

Our God is faithful. Thanks for all the prayers.

Blessings!

Baby Daze

2010-04-16T17:28:00.000-07:00

I dedicate the following post to one oh-so-cute and oh-so-lovable little boy who, for the past couple weeks, has seriously interrupted my circadian rhythm. Who might that be?

BENI!!!! ...with a capital "B"...

To give him a little credit, I'm pretty sure he's been teething. His slobber is like a leaky faucet x 100. Occasionally his nose is runny. Sometimes he runs a temp. Almost all day (and sometimes during the night) he's cranky. He's more energy-sapping than normal, but he really hasn't been all that bad. I, on the other hand, feel like I have survived the past week on cruise control...definitely in a daze...hence the title of this post. Pobrecito Beni does not realize that while he may get to take three naps a day, I have other responsibilities which deny me the sacred privilege of napping.

Just sympathize with this schedule for a moment (just one nanosecond is all I ask)...one night he cried for two hours before falling asleep (even though he was sound asleep in my arms before I laid him in the crib). One night he woke up at 11 and cried for two hours before falling back to sleep. Another night he woke up at 4, cried until 6, fell asleep again for 10 minutes and woke up crying once more. And the past couple of nights he seems to cry in his sleep. For example, yesterday morning I thought he was crying so I went in to get him up, but he was sound asleep...and I mean sound asleep. So I left...he did it again...twice more. So who knows what's up with this new development. And low and behold, at this very moment he is screaming (even though he was sleeping when I laid him down 30 minutes ago). *sigh*

And then he'll randomly bless me with a full nights' sleep. Like last night, I put him down at 8pm and at 7:50 this morning he was STILL SLEEPING! Wonder of wonders! Praise the Lord for small miracles! And, being a natural worrisome mother that I am, I thought something was wrong. So I went to check on him. And this is what I found...

First I was greeted by a chunky little leg poking out between the crib bars...

And then this precious little face. :D He actually had the blanket stuffed into his mouth a bit (which was kind of gross because it was soaked in saliva). But after pulling it out, his face was just too precious; I just had to take a picture!

He woke up then from my camera flashes, but it was totally worth it. He was then pretty happy all day, except he really isn't a fan of the zucchini I tried to feed him...he kept spitting it out. Bummer. I was kind of excited about that one.

So anyways, that is the most recent news on Beni. The other boys are doing fine. Break finally ended and they are back to school as usual. It's not so bad having them all home all the time, but after a couple weeks of constantly being told or asked, "I'm bored! I'm hungry! When are we going to eat? What are we going to eat? He called me a bad name! Where's Limón? What should I do now?" and my personal favorite..."If I hit him it's not my fault!" I was more than ready for them to go back to school so that I could have a break. I'm sure all you other parents out there can relate...that is unless you have perfect angelic children who get along famously and obey everything you tell them the first time and can entertain themselves and never need to eat except at meal times and never ever ever complain. (And if you do have children like that...consider yourself extremely blessed.) So yes, I am enjoying a little more quiet time and I absolutely love my mornings with just Limón and I (only while Beni is napping, of course).

So there you have it...another update on life with Los Lemans! Thank you for all the prayers...and keep them coming!

Blessings!

The Boys

2010-04-08T20:50:00.000-07:00

For the sake of those family members and friends who may not know our boys, I decided it was high time I introduce everyone to them. So here they are from oldest to youngest.

First of all is José...

José is 12 years old. A lot of days, he reminds me a lot of Michael and David: he asks the same questions 100 times a day and he often follows me from room to room just to see what I'm doing. He's not the smartest guy you'll ever meet, but his heart more than makes up for his intelligence quotient. He's very loving and compassionate and probably the most empathetic of all the kids here. Please pray that Limón and I could have the wisdom to guide him. Pray that he can realize his strengths and not be brought down by his weaknesses. Pray that he would surrender his heart to God and be a bright light for the Kingdom.

Then there's Ángel...

Ángel is 11 And, contrary to José, he's one of the smartest guys you'll ever meet. Ángel loves books. He reads any book he can get his hands on and soaks up the information inside like a sponge. He can spout off facts like few others. He's full of questions and is quite familiar with every Bible story he's ever been told. He also likes to create things with the many Legos and K'nex we've been given recently. Please pray that Limón and I can help him see the joy of life with Christ. Pray that he will see the Truth and embrace it.

Next is Daniel...

Daniel is 10. He is oh so cute, but oh so trying. In the past, his heart had been cast aside and trampled on. He was made to feel low, worthless...no better than a piece of trash on the street. And because of all this, his reaction has been to lash out and make others feel even lower, so that he can feel just a tiny bit better. Thankfully, God's not finished with him yet; He won't give up. Like all children, he has so much potential. God can use him; he just needs to work through a few things first. Please pray that Limón and I could have the wisdom and patience to help him work through the anger and bitterness so that he could be a mighty warrior for Christ.

Then we have sweet Isaac...

Isaac is 8 (almost 9). He's been with us almost two months now. Isaac is also very smart. For now, he seems like a normal 8-year-old without a care in the world. He loves to ride his bike and play in the sand. He's got the greatest laugh. My favorite thing he says in response to being called is, "Hey-O!" He frequently brings a smile to my face. Please pray that Limón and I could be godly parents for him (as it looks like he will be with us until he's 18). Pray that he, too, will one day see the Truth and seek after it.

Last but certainly not least there's Beni...

Beni will be 8 months old on the 19th of April. Like any baby his age, he has his good days and he has his bad days. When Grandma Stoller (that's you, Momma) was here this last week, he had a string of good days. But now that she's gone, it's been a little rough...see the video below. He can sit up on his own now. He pulls his legs up under his belly, too, so I don't think crawling is too far away. I think his first teeth are just about ready to poke through the gums (as evidenced by his crying for 2 hours straight tonight...and the only thing that would soothe him was rubbing his bottom gum). The biggest prayer request with him is patience. I get so frustrated with him sometimes. He can be very strong willed...even at this young age. Most of the time I just let him be mad and ignore him, but sometimes his crying really grates on my nerves. *sigh* Also pray that as he grows we will teach him diligently of the significance of the Blood and one day he will embrace it.

So yeah, those are the boys. They're great...but they make me tired. It's exhausting to be a mother of five. God bless all of you out there who have been doing it for years! I don't know about you, but it is only by the grace of God that I make it through each day without losing it sometimes!

And to close...as I mentioned above, Beni LOVED all the extra attention he got from Grandma and Grandpa Stoller this past week. But today he had to put up with just me again...and as you can see on the video...it was a little rough. :)

Thursday blessings! (Except now it's Friday blessings because I couldn't get the video to upload last night!)

Definitely NOT a Good Day to...

2010-03-24T20:33:00.000-07:00

Get house cleaning done...

Keep the baby happy all day...

Forget about making lunch until 30 minutes before school starts...

Stand between fighting boys...

Find time for a nap...

Fly a kite...

Go snow skiing (no day is good for snow skiing when you live in the desert)...

Read a book...

Run out of baby food...

Or use the microwave to steam broccoli to make more baby food...

Why, you might ask?

Because...

The broccoli might randomly start on fire!

Thus heating up the glass measuring cup!

Thus leading to an explosion!

Followed even more flaming broccoli!

So here's the story in all it's randomness: It was probably my fault for trying to do too many things at once. As stated above I used up all the food I had pureed for Beni and decided to make more.

I had steamed the chayotes in the microwave with no incidents. Next I decided to try broccoli. And while I was steaming the broccoli I decided to peel the pears and puree them to save time...multitasking...a mother couldn't function without it. However, while I was peeling the pears (and the broccoli is steaming in the microwave for 5 minutes), Beni started screaming because he was hungry (he'd been a little irritated before, but like a good mother I was ignoring him). So I set the pears aside and started to make Beni's bottle.

Just as I was ready to shake the bottle and mix all the loveliness of the formula together I heard a boom/poof from the microwave followed by the sound of shattering glass. I rushed over to the microwave to see a fireball (of broccoli) with 1 minute and 6 seconds still left on the timer. I immediately pushed the cancel button. And believe it or not, ladies and gents, the broccoli was was about a softball sized ball of fire...and apparently it got so hot the poor measuring cup just couldn't take the pressure and decided to explode. Don't ask me how something like that happens with water and broccoli (of all things) in under 5 minutes but it did.

While trying not to cry, I picked up Beni (who was still screaming on the floor), took him to his room, and gave him the bottle. Shortly thereafter, I started giggling uncontrollably...thinking to myself, "Broccoli! Of all things! Who knew you could start vegetables on fire in the microwave?!?"

After finishing the bottle, Beni was pretty tuckered out (probably from all the screaming). So I laid him down for his nap and did the only logical thing I could think of...I went and found my husband to clean up the mess. :)

You just never know what's going to happen around here. I'm still a little baffled as to why/how it all happened. *sigh* Just another crazy day with Los Lemans I suppose.

All that being said, I'm going to bed. I hope you all find this story as humorous as I do.

Blessings.

Life with Boys...

2010-03-14T20:21:00.000-07:00

...is very different than life with girls.

I've been learning a lot about living with boys the past couple of weeks. For starters, they eat more than I ever imagined boys their sizes could eat. Case in point, Joel and I could buy a loaf of bread and a flat of eggs that would last us at least two weeks if not three. In the last week alone, I have used 4.5 loaves of bread, 3.5 packages of tortillas, 1 flat of eggs, 12 chicken breasts and 6 pounds of ground beef...not to mention all the cereal, vegetables, fruit and granola bars. I feel like I live in the kitchen sometimes.

And if not the kitchen, then the laundry room. Four preteen boys and a baby who spits up, poops and rubs his slobbery/vomit-y fingers all over make A LOT of laundry. But I enjoy it.

And Joel is loving having helpers for all his work. At the moment: Jose and Isaac are in charge of the chickens (cleaning out the coop and collecting the eggs), Daniel is in charge of the birds (parakeets and canaries) and Angel is in charge of Mack. I think they feel very important that Joel has entrusted them with his animals. They've also helped him work on the landscaping in front of our house and today, even though they're off of school, they're helping him in the garden.

So most of the time Beni and I just hang out together (in the midst of all my cooking and cleaning and laundry).

Speaking of Beni, he is officially a big boy now who eats real food. And he wants everyone to know his favorites are carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, apples and pears...but absolutely NOT green beans. Really, he has done so well with the introduction of new foods...not picky at all, which is a huge blessing. I didn't really think he'd be a picky eater judging by how much he enjoys eating in general. I get so excited every time I have something new for him to try. He makes the greatest faces!

And now I have a story to tell...

The other day I was feeding Beni...

When I looked out the window and saw this!

To which I responded, "Is that Isaac driving the CAT?!?!"

Yeah, turns own he was helping Limon (not actually driving, just operating the bucket to dump dirt and help pull out some bushes). This little-bitty 8-year-old was on top of the world, let me tell you!

That brings me to another thing I've learned living with boys...you just have to take deep breaths sometimes and let things go. Broken plates...doesn't matter. Oil paint all over brand new shower curtains and dishrags and nice coats...doesn't matter. Mud and grass stains on nice church pants...doesn't matter. Little kids driving big machines...doesn't matter. *sigh* I think I'm starting to notice a few gray hairs.

But really, I love these boys so much. I'm so thankful that God has brought us here for such a time as this. I love working with them; they have so much potential. I want them each to be a mighty warrior for the great God we serve. Please pray that Joel and I would have wisdom and compassion with these boys. They're in need of a lot of guidance that I feel so unequipped and inadequate to deliver.

And speaking of prayer requests, please continue to pray for Josiah and his main caregiver, Steph. We don't know what God's plan is, but we know He has one. He is a great and mighty God and through Him all things are possible. Pray for wisdom, pray for discernment, pray for guidance and pray for strength. Not just for Steph and Josiah but for everyone here at CVE. I can't help but feel we're being pummeled by Satan right now. He's been working diligently to destroy the work we do here since the day we began. But he will not win. Praise the Lord!

And to end this rather lengthy post...our first official family portrait!

In front from L to R: Isaac, Daniel, Angel and Jose

Blessings!

Prayer Request

2010-03-06T18:48:00.001-08:00

Please pray for Josiah, our newest addition to CVE. We accepted him yesterday. He's six days old, premature, malnourished, underdeveloped, very weak and surviving only by the grace of God.

"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." John 14:13

Blessings to you all.

Caution

2010-02-28T12:18:00.000-08:00

Construction Zone Ahead

At least that's what it has felt like the past few weeks. No matter where I go I cannot get away from construction dust and junk.

Plus I've been sick, Beni and Gloria and Juli have been sick, and my husband has been putting in some loooong hours in the sprint to finish our house.

Thankfully, though, some really really kind-hearted people agreed to take our kids Friday and Saturday while Joel and I went to the States for a night of rest and some much needed shopping for the house. It was a wonderful day and a half, but we have once again returned to chaos. But Juan-tan and Bere are back now and I must say, it is far easier to care for one toddler/baby than two. Now if Beni would just get over his cold, I'm sure he would be even happier...maybe even capable of entertaining himself every once in a while.

For those of you who may have forgotten what it's like to care for a sick baby that can't tell you what is wrong, what he wants...can't really tell you anything period...let me refresh your memory:

It looks a little like this...

And this...

But, he's doing much better now than before, and I hope he'll continue getting better. He's a little out-of-whack after spending a few days out of schedule, but we'll get back into a routine here shortly (I hope). As for Gloria, she is back with Bere now until she leaves for Michoacan in a few weeks to finish planning her wedding. You can definitely keep both Gloria and Bere in your prayers. Bere has been Gloria's sole caretaker since Gloria was a few months old and the only mother Gloria has ever known. I can only imagine how difficult the transition will be for both of them. So please remember them when you're talking to the Father. :)

Here's a lovely picture series of Gloria I just have to share with you all. One day after her nap I gave her some crackers to snack on. She was on top of the world! She would take a bite and then look at me with her bright eyes and proclaim, "Ummm!!" with all the delight a 1.5 year old can muster.

What are you lookin' at?

First she would split the sandwich in half, eat the peanut butter and finish with the cracker.

Going in for the kill. :)

Though it's sad to be done with Gloria, I am so thankful to only have one small child to take care of. It's a lot of work and I could feel my patience slipping the last few days.

As of now, I think we are planning to transfer all the boys on Tuesday. We already have Isaac and Beni (and have had them for several weeks), but we're still waiting on a few more things before moving Jose, Angel and Daniel. Please keep all 5 of these boys in your prayers. Though we're expecting a fairly smooth transition, everyone has been stretched pretty thin the past few weeks including the boys. So please just remember us in your prayers.

Last but not least, I can't help but feel poor Mack has been grossly neglected on the blog as of late. He's adjusting to a new home just like we are. I don't think he knows quite where he belongs anymore. He still knows Joel and I, but he's been a little out-of-sorts as well. Hopefully once we get settled, he'll be back to his normal self. But right now I think he's a little attention-deprived.
Here are some recent pictures of the booger.

Ma-ta-ROO-ni!!

The other day I looked out the window to find him soaking up the sun rays. He was just too cute to not take a picture.

Well, I suppose that's enough for now. Thank you for all your prayers and keep 'em coming, please!

Until next time...

Blessings!

Lo Siento

2010-02-18T11:43:00.000-08:00

Soooo sorry...

I know some of you must be dying for updates after the last post. But as you can imagine, things have been very, very busy in the Leman household these past couple of weeks.

For starters, we are currently caring for seven children plus Mack and our two birds (yes, we sadly only have 2 left). We have Alexia, Jazany, Ramses, Isaac, Julissa, Gloria and Beni. And once again, as you can imagine, the days are filled with diaper changes, making bottles, cooking, cleaning, laundry, disciplining, keeping children on task, helping with homework, chores, bathing and all that goes along with mothering and childcare. *sigh*

But we're doing well despite the busy schedule. The house is coming along nicely, too. All the "tear down/knock out" work is done and now we're moving on to the "installation/finishing" work. We're hoping to be in the house by the end of next week. Jenna returns to claim her children next Wednesday, so I'm hoping they at least have the bathroom and bedroom done by then so we can move in. I have almost everything packed from our house. The only room left is the kitchen and I still need to finish packing our clothes, cleaning supplies and bathroom products. Otherwise, everything is boxed up and ready to be brought to CVE.

I'm not one for "transition times." I definitely prefer routine and being able to make a schedule, so the past few weeks have been tiring to say the least. I'm excited to move in and settle with our own little family. I'm ready to sleep in my own bed again. I'm ready to get Beni in his own room and establish a better sleep-wake cycle. I'm ready to only have 5 kids instead of 7. I'm ready to have only one child who requires my constant attention instead of two. I'm ready to see my husband for more than an hour a day. I'm ready to have my own kitchen, my own bedroom, and my own bathroom with a toilet that doesn't leak all over the floor several times a day (although Joel has fixed it...twice). Most of all, I'm ready to establish my own "normal" again. The day is coming. What a happy day that will be!

Sorry there aren't any pictures with this post. I don't know how long Beni and Gloria will stay sleeping and I don't know when else I'd be able to finish the post. I will try to post pictures this weekend...of the house, the kids, Mack, etc.

Thank you all for your continued prayers. They are much needed (for me to remain patient and sane with the kids while trying to make decisions and pack and move all at the same time). God is good all the time. All the time God is good. Amen.

Blessings!

A Time of Change

2010-02-03T17:11:00.001-08:00

So as many of you know (from one of many possible sources), we've been having some changes down here at CVE and in the Leman household...

First of all, on the 24th of this month Juan-tan (aka Jonathan) and Bere were announced. We are super excited for their upcoming marriage on April 25th in Ixtlan. Below is a picture of the happy couple.

The love birds. :)

In case you don't remember...Juan-tan takes care of 4 boys: Fede, Michal, Jose and Angel; and Bere takes care of the 2 youngest: Gloria and Beni. As you can imagine, their engagement brings inevitable changes to CVE. Namely, a switch in caregivers. Joel and I have been praying about taking care of kids since before we were married though we weren't expecting to care for them so soon. We were approached nearly two weeks ago and after much thought and prayer, we have agreed to care for five young boys: Jose, Angel, Daniel, Isaac and Beni...ages 12, 11, 10, 9 and 5 months. And no, we're not crazy. We're actually very excited (and understandably a little scared) about the coming weeks.

If everything goes as expected, we will be taking over within the next month and a half. However, a lot needs to happen before then... First of all, we're planning to remodel one of the current boys' dorm into a home for us complete with a master suite, bedroom for the boys, bedroom for the baby, kitchen and living quarters. We also need to pack up all of our stuff and move it to CVE. Just to state the obvious here, but we could REALLY use your prayers.

We ask for patience in this transition process. While we are trying to make all these decisions and prepare ourselves for the change, we are also busy with varying responsibilites at CVE which cannot be put off until later. We ask for wisdom to make decisions that will be the best not only for us but also for our boys. We ask that you pray we could be godly parents for these boys and not be afraid to give them our whole hearts. We ask most of all that you pray for their hearts and souls which are far more valuable than anything else on this earth. Pray that God would reveal himself to them in miraculous ways and that they can feel how much He loves them and how much we love them. And please pray that ultimately, God's will be done.

Thank you so much. We love you all.

Many blessings.

Family Christmas in Colorado

2010-01-18T14:55:00.001-08:00

I know, I know...it's been a loooong time since I posted last. BUT, you can't say I didn't warn you. It was actually a marvellous experience living without a phone or computer for 10 days. Sometimes all I want to do is get away from the very technology I other times crave. *sigh* It's just a vicious cycle.

We left from Magdalena around noon-ish on Monday January 4th. 7 long hours later we arrived in Tuscon, AZ. Some of you may not blink at this time lapse. However, those of you who drive this route as frequently or more frequently than we do will know that this is normally only a 2 hour adventure. So why 7 hours you may ask? Because...

...THIS, my friends, is what the line to the border looked like...

Yes, ineedy we waited 5 very long hours to cross into the great country of the United States of America. But it was okay...I read my book, took a nap, pondered the many mysteries of life, watched little boys and their parents crawl under the fence next to the road so they could find a bush to pee behind, and many other stimulating activities. We arrived in Tuscon just in time to eat dinner with a friend and head to our hotel for the night.

Tuesday morning was quite eventful as well. Our alarm didn't go off, but thankfully I woke up at 6:20...we were out the door in less than 8 minutes! We even still had time for breakfast before our flight left the airport. Jared picked us up at the airport, we went shopping for our Christmas gifts and then headed to the mountains!

We spent the first 5 days of our 10-day vacation with the Stoller clan in a condo in Silverthorne, CO. The views were spectacular, the company even better. We skied and snowboarded to our hearts' content (except Dad who wrecked his knee the very first day, second run). A few personal favorites from the week were: quality time in the hot tub, Mom's good food, rotten french fries, and David's excuses for why he couldn't be called upon to pray...namely, "I'm just too hot."

What a wonderful Christmas!

Here's the pile of stockings and a few of the gifts. As you can see, Mom even made stockings for her two granddogs. Oh Mother, I just love you.

One day I was reading and looked up to find my husband sprawled out on the rug playing David's Nintendo DS. Doesn't he look like a little kid?

I think I heard, "Dooon't you're gonna mess me up!" just before taking this pic.

As I mentioned before, we had the wondrous opportunity to head out to the slopes. Dad, Jared and Joel went the first day (the same day Dad got to take a sled ride down the hill with the ski patrol). Mom, Jared, Joel and I went the second day...the day I learned just how difficult and energy-consuming snowboarding is. Thankfully, Jared is a patient teacher...although he did start getting annoyed with me the second day when I kept complaining that I was tired. All in all, though, it was such an amazing experience to be on the mountain side. I would do it again in a heart beat!

I wonder if perhaps all my creative-ness (photographically speaking) is starting to rub off on my husband...I think he took this shot. :)

MOMMA!! She did sooo good. She looked like a pro!

Jared ever-so-patiently waiting on his sister...(me)

Because I definitely spent most of the first day like this...

Unlike my pro-skier husband...

The second half of the trip we were with the Leman family in a cabin near Fairplay, CO. A more proper name for the building would be small mansion because it is definitely not what I think of when I hear the word 'cabin'. But it was perfect for the size of our family. We joined the Leman fam after a day of skiing at Copper (they came over to ski and pick us up). It was the first time we've all been together. It was so much fun. We also celebrated a late Christmas with Grandpa and Grandma Leman, but I forgot to get my camera out...so I have a lot of scenery photos, but none of the fam. Sorry...this is as good as it gets.

One morning Mom, Joel and I went driving to look for a moose (Mom had seen one the day before). We didn't find it, but we did enjoy some lovely mountain views.
A pic of the trees in the back yard.

The view off the back porch. Absolutely gorgeous.

A few nights the menfolk of the family (Dad, Jake and Dan) shared their musical talents while us less gifted ones sang along.

This is the only 'people' picture I got the whole time we were with the Leman family. *sigh* But you can at least see the front entry of the cabin. 'Twas quite large.

It was so nice to spend time with both families. I loved being in the mountains with snow and evergreens. It was so different than our dry, cactus-covered mountains down here. I didn't even realize how much I missed everyone in Magdalena until we were back. Everything changes so fast down here, I feel like we were gone for a month rather than just ten days. It's such a blessing to come back home!

And in just a few weeks, my good friend Britt and her husband Ryan are coming down. I'm very excited to see them!!

Until next time, we send you all our love and prayers. Blessings!

Los Lemans

Happy New Year!

Happy 6 Months, Baby Girl!

Wow

Three Months

Escapades of Toddlerhood

Ahhhhhh...

Two Months

Happy Birthday, Beni!!

Bookworm(s)

They Say...

One Month

Update: House Edition

Updating Little by Little...

Sweet Little Soraya

She's Here!!

Welcome to Creatures' Corner

Adventures in Phoenix

The Ben Master & Co.

Another House Update

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

Today was NOT a good day...

House Update!

My Dearest Little Princess,

Almost 25 Weeks and Counting...

Victory is Coming!

Please Continue Praying...

Prayer Request for the Body of Christ

House Update

January in a Nut Shell

Happy New Year!

Christmas Goodies

A Poem for My Family at Christmastime

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

Merry Christmas!

November Happenings

Reflecting

October? Already?

Caminando con Bubs

Up-to-Date

¡Viva México!

Before and After

Back to School Goodness

Worth the Wait

It's a Great Day...

Vacation!

Makin' Hay

Last, But Certainly Not Least...

Calling All Prayer Warriors!

Boys' Bedroom and Bathroom

It Rained!

El Cuarto de Limón y Kristi

Ladies and Gentlemen...

Beni's Room and the Laundry Room

¡Felicidades Ángel!

Too Cute For Words

Happy Fathers' Day!

¡Bienvenidos a La Casa de Los Limones!

Guess Who Got a Haircut

World Cup Fever

Date Night

Just in Case...

A Week in Review

One Year Ago Today...

My Baby's Growing Up!

Happy Mothers' Day!

Do YOU See the Resemblance?

Wedding Weekend

Baby Daze

The Boys

Definitely NOT a Good Day to...

Life with Boys...

Prayer Request

*Caution*

Lo Siento

A Time of Change

Family Christmas in Colorado

Caution