I'll be seeing you...

It's amazing what becomes a toy around this place... this day it was an old soccer goal turned jungle gym. Vito has some great video from this, but that´s in Tulsa. Dang.





Irela swinging.. little Vito in the background.




I´m obsessed with this group of girls.







Cielo has got some talent... and Tonio is trying.





Brenda, Karla, Ana and Gaby. I told them to smile normal.




Jaqueline! We were trying to leave after Kinder and I couldn't find Jaqueline. She was swinging on the rusty old playground.




Vito... Yes, the girls won their basketball tournament. Thursday, Vito, Noema and I went to see the girls play before heading to Chihuahua and taking Vito to the airport. We had to leave before they played their final game, but they greeted me at the house with their trophy and the screams of champions.




Rafa was playing around with his buddy Gustavo in the tortilleria, ran out the door, Gustavo shut it, and his finger got smashed. I had to take him to the hospital. Jasmin went with us because she'd cut up her leg while playing at school. Hers ended up being nothing, but the doctor had to squeeze the settled blood out of his finger. Poor thing. He cried a bunch, but we called him "The Valient" (the Brave) the rest of the day, bought him chips and a coke, and everything was okay.




Going to the hospital




I took some video before we stepped out to the hospital. They talk about how they're scared. We ended up going the following day because they couldn't see us right away... the hospitals here are terrible. They walked out and said "We're saved."




My bed buddies this week: Starting with Gaby...




Silvia asked to sleep with me Friday night. Unexpected treat.




Mourning the loss of Vito. She had to sleep with me that night because she was so sad. Are you kidding me? You are such the grandpa, Vito! The flash did something crazy so we look like cartoons.




me, karla and irela... Irela slept with Loty this night... I couldn't do the three again.





She is my favorite bed-buddy.




Brisa stayed home "sick." We made her stay in bed all day except for the 30 minutes she and I were taking pictures.




I adore this girl.







Saturday:
Gaby is such a cry baby, but I love her sense of humor. I only have a few pictures from their little Christmas fiesta on Saturday because I was gone all morning and then sick in bed. Hopefully Loty makes up for that.




Truth be told, we mess with the kids from time to time. We play mom more than anything, but occasionally the mean older sibling is just hilarious. Saturday morning I was resting in bed, sick of course, when little Brenda walked in. She wanted to go #2 and needed toilet paper. If you´ve never been here, you may not understand how difficult it can be to find this treasure. We happened to be out of toilet paper, but I had stocked a few tissues in my purse. I told her if she sang for me I´d let her have some. She eventually submitted, but the girl was frustrated. Brendita is hilarious. She talks super fast, has this incredibly animated personality and is hilariously mischievous. I wish you all knew her.
She sings a bit: a mix of jibberish and worship in Spanish, Lauren enters in a frenzy- on her way to Aldama for the 5th time- Brenda asks HER for TP and she just responds with "There isn´t any." She looks at me frustrated then begins singing/chanting, translated literally from Spanish, "I going to make poo-poo-po, pee-pee-pee and so on. I then proceed to butcher some Spanish because I wanted her to say what she always calls me, and the video ends. Loty and I think this is hilarious.





Yoseline and Jasmin




This is Pablo. He looks really tough in this one, but the reality is that he'd cry if you flicked him. Spiderwebs don't change reality.




Joana looking sweet. She said she didn't want her picture taken... why are you smiling then?!




I love our recent Friday night prayer routine.. we all stay up later and have this little bit of relaxed hang out time. Featured here Joana, Brenda and Silvia.




Belem and Jaqueline




Caught Tia, Angel, Brenda, and Elvira singing Friday night before our time of praye rand fasting. They sound awful, but I love it. Brenda, the little one, joins in later.




Well, you know what I´m going to say... we´re looking at just over one week now. What in the world?! How did that happen so fast? I am freaked out and not exaggerating when I say that I don´t have a clue what I am doing next. Not a clue.

Last night, Lauren and I visited with the Middleton family- this incredible missionary family that has blessed us so much since we came and were the ones that first introduced me to Lirio de los Valles. We were talking about the culture shock we initially went through and the way the Lord has worked since then. I can´t believe that this time last year I was beginning to talk more hesitantly about moving to Asia (it had been my plan for so long!) when my good buddy Lang called me up with this idea for a road trip to Mexico. We´d go meet some missionaries and hang out with some orphans. I didn´t know it´d be so life-changing. And now I am in love with this place. I cannot imagine my life without these kids nor can I remember my life before them. No doubt there are "things I would do different," but I love it here. I´m scared to go home... scared of how I´ll react. I am afraid that I´ll be prideful, or judgemental, or cynical of my other world. I´m scared people won´t care. There´s even a part of me that´s afraid I´ll like my other life at home more than this. I feel some strange hint of guilt over it all. I´m seriously worried about being lonely or feeling useless.... and at the same time, I´m pumped. I can´t wait to see my family, the best friends in the world, my nephew, my church! Lauren and I talk quite obsessively about the subject. Every time I mention going home I feel this obligation to clarify that I love it here. Again I feel
selfish for wanting the comforts of home. Why do I have the option? I imagine that makes some sense to those that are aquainted with this place.

And so I´m here, and these last 9 days will be precious. ...and busy. "Navidad en la Calle" is Saturday. Please pray for this, as we are still lacking gifts and organization of logistics. We have things to buy, gifts to wrap, details to finalize... and then Loty and I need to pack. These last days I´ll probably take too many pictures. I´m going to do my best to work a little harder, be intentional with the staff, play and laugh more than ever, and take advantage of the times set aside for prayer. I don´t know what the weeks ahead will look like and how I will transition, so I´m going to spend my last mornings begging the Lord for mercy and wisdom. I've seen the soveriegn and wise hand of God too much these last months to worry, but I want to be ready and submitted for whatever He has.

Well, Lauren and I skipped church and are going to spend the afternoon working on our gifts for our girls. I think I´m done with the blog for now. We´ll wrap it up next week, I guess. How tragic. I really can´t say it enough, but thanks for loving these kids and the unique work of our Lord in this place. I am living among many miracles, and I pray your faith has been as increased as mine has through our time here. Thank you for serving us through emails, phone calls, prayers and visits. I am still so overwhelmed.

I'll be seeing you,
Mary Ellen