You just get me tonight and I have a lot of pictures.

This lil' guy came to visit for the week. I call him "Daddio" but the kids called him "Don Pedro." Hilarious because its the name of a Brandy here. He's gonna hate that I put this picture up cuz I look like such a goober. Sorry, Dad.



Its not like we don't try to get rid of lice. Look at these girls using their spare time for combing and searching.



Leslie, Samuel and Lucia.



kids, kittens and me. These furry little figures are the reason I've been wearing glasses all week. Allergies are dumb.



Me and Flor. I had to capture her in order to take this picture. Thats why I look like a lion.



Tonio and a Granny Smith apple. This kid is dang cute.



Ana with her crazy hair and a kitten.



Andrea puts lime on her carrots. I think she looks like a cartoon character here.



Is there a need for dental work here? Ana Karen says "yes".



I spent a good amount of time with two of the Jazmins (there are three). We put the camera on rapid shot and captured some good ones. I'll spare you the repetition and just give you a few.


The first Jazmin. She loves having her picture taken.



Found this girl on the ground outside and pinned her there til I got her laughing.



Dancing in the laundry room. Their company made this boring task a little more entertaining.



I've been letting the kids drive lately when we get to the long dirt road heading up to the house. In fact, a Tia (Spanish for Aunt.. she's in her 40s) asked to drive the other day. The only difference is that she didn't sit in my lap. Cristian, Rebeca and Jasmin went along with me to run an errand and were rewarded with an opportunity to steer.



Loty and I set this one up calling it an, "artisic shot." We don't take pictures together like we did in the days of old. The kids are cuter.



Graeters icecream is better, but this vegetable fat-based mix wasn't all bad.



Our group shot. We went downtown in hopes of finding some good souvenirs but were horribly unsuccessful. Nonetheless, it ended up being a good time.




Hi friends.
It has been a good little week, folks. Busy, but good. My dad came in last Sunday night which kept me from writing on the blog. Our dear Mexican family pretty much threw the man a party - there were more people in the house than could really fit comfortably and we had some of the best Mexican food I´ve had yet. I met our family´s favorite missionary family and learned a ton about missions in a matter of minutes.
To top it off, the man showed up in Mexico with an abundance of gifts. Lauren and I have some amazing moms.. our families, really, are pretty terrific. My mom overwhelmed me with goodies, warm clothes, and notes. You are an amazing woman, Momma. Thank you for being so considerate though I know you wanted to be here. We've got to get you down here within the year. Seriously.

After dropping my dad off at the airport today, Lauren and I ran into Linda and Ramon at the airport on their way to pick up his adoptive parents (they're coming in for a few days). Linda asked me if I was okay now that my dad was gone. I am. I'm not a big crier in such situations, and because I've slept very little this week (Kareli wakes me up every night now crying... she needs to use the restroom and refuses to go alone. I've learned that I lack compassion at 2 in the morning), my mind just hasn't been alert enough for emotions. It was so great to see my dad and share a bit of this with him. I'm under the impression he had a good time though he spent the majority of his time either in a car or in the back of the property helping (or watching those working) with the construction. At this point I feel like I'm just trying to hold on to all the moments I have left here. Its flying by. I miss my family and friends, but I know I'll be back in the States before I know it. I don't want to miss a moment here.

I have no great spiritual revelations this week. My times with the Lord were kinda dry... I am still really struggling through Isaiah. I think I might skip it and come back to it in a week or so. On the other hand, my dad brought me a good 5 books that are already blessing my mind. Just gotta get this heart of mine pumping like my mind. I hope you all are experiencing the Lord and being refreshed by who He is. I really do.

Okay, see you next week, my friends. Lauren and I are going to a slumber party with some other grils doing the same thing as us at a different orphanage. I'm pumped. We'll do our best to get on here with a little update, though. Thank you for reading, commenting and for caring about us and God's work here in Mexico.
Love ya,
Mary Ellen

A long P.S.-
Creedance Clearwater Revival is in Chihuahua tonight and we can't go due to our curfew. I am 24 and have a curfew.
A few things that have crossed my mind this week:
I keep getting these weekly email updates from my church at home and it makes me miss that place like crazy. Oh, community... and good, live music. The community group I would be meeting with weekly (if not for the distance, of course) sent Lauren and I a package full of treats. We loved it. And we are forever amazed and humbled as the Lord teaches us through them about what genuine, service-oriented, Gospel-centered fellowship looks like. Thanks, guys.
Also, I think its terrible that I have to miss the fall in Kentucky. Stop putting pictures up on facebook, jerks. Someone save me a fall leaf. My allergies may not flare up here like in the past, but I´d rather have fall. I want to pick pumpkins, sit around a campfire with some folks from Crusade, go to a football game and the State Fair, and at some point stop by Jackson´s Orchard and eat a caramel apple while sitting on a haystack. Anyone wanna fly me home for a weekend?
Enough of that. We seriously gotta go. It's curfew time.