Socks n' Shoes

Free Giveaway

2009-05-13T15:46:00.000-07:00

Cutest Aprons ever Jillie Willie!
Enter for a free chance to win one!

Vote for Susan Parry

2009-04-27T17:01:00.000-07:00

Vote for her to go to Honolulu!

Free Giveaway

2009-01-29T14:58:00.000-08:00

My new favorite blog Simple Mom is having a giveaway.

Check it out.

Some laughs...

2008-11-08T13:38:00.000-08:00

Here are couple of funny conversations w/ Claire this week:

As I am filling in the ovals of my voting ballot Claire keeps asking me why I'm coloring the eggs. I keep telling her that I have to. Finally after turning in the ballot she asks,
"Are you going to vote now that you're finished coloring?"

(We were talking about how powerful God is. How He knows everything. How He created everything.)
Claire: When I was still destroyed God made me.
Me: When you were what?
Claire: When I was still destroyed - you know, before I was in your tummy.

Logical language in action - the opposite of created = destroyed.

Happy Birthday Elaine!!!!

2008-11-08T13:17:00.000-08:00

We had a fun celebrating Elaine & her 3 years of life on Wed. She's growing up so fast!

We'll have some Halloween pics as soon as I get them from our friend who took them for us (because we forgot our camera :)!

The Leaves Have Fallen

2008-11-08T13:12:00.000-08:00

Just a Swingin'

2008-11-08T13:00:00.000-08:00

Maggie's New 'Do

2008-10-22T16:39:00.001-07:00

This is Molly, and she is the coolest. She's our church's part-time children's director, and she cuts hair (wonderfully) - at your house!!!!! We LOVE LOVE her!

Dakota Fanning or what?

Fun, Fun, Fun

2008-10-22T12:32:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Claire, Elaine and I joined some sweet friends at the zoo (it's free during October & November!). Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate, and we were quickly very wet and cold and only saw a bit of Australia. Thankfully there's a nice and toasty Discovery Barn that had some animals and activities. We defrosted there. The weather cleared up just in time for us to see a Sea Lion show. By then we were all exhausted and decided we'd have to try again.

Here's Claire w/ our neighbor Raquel who lives with us part-time :) (she doesn't have any sisters and her brother is 11).

On Saturday we went to a fundraiser for an urban high school and enjoyed lots of fun activities. Highlights below. We had SO much fun!

The girls' carved their first pumpkins. You may not can see that the small one is a Jack-O-Pup (or a pupkin)

Blogs That Crack Me Up!

2008-10-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

Most of the blogs I read are friends' blogs. I have some really great spiritual blogs that feed into my Google reader too, but there are usually way too many posts for me to read, so I usually ignore them like the clutter on my closet floor. (Exceptions: Girl Talk, 22 Words)

Then there are the blogs that just make me laugh. I thought I would share them with you in hopes that you could share your fav's with me.

1. McSweeney's Interenet Tendency- not the easiest site to naviagate and I don't think there's a feed, but there is some hysterical stuff there. I'm a big fan of Lists, Open Letters, & Short Imagined Monologues. My all time favorite may be this.
2. Before they got their book deal, Stuff White People Like was a daily highlight of mine.
3. And just today (hence the post), I was pointed to another great one (HT: MP) Cake Wrecks! Oh my goodness, my side still aches from all the laughter. I probably most appreciate this site because Wes & I have chuckled for years at the misuse of apostrophes and quotation marks (just being a stereotype - SWPL).
4. And, I almost forgot : Engrish. I know I shouldn't, but I can't help it!

Top 10 Things I Miss From Mexico

2008-10-07T14:23:00.001-07:00

10. Not needing a prescription for most medicines

9. The relaxed view of time

8. Spanish- though I am in no way fluent, it was amazing to communicate, worship, and interact in another lanuage (though there were challenges too)

7. Cheap medical & dental care

6. How having lunch with someone could turn into an all day affair

5. How their culture loves and cherishes children (especially more than things) instead of being annoyed or irritated by them (even if they are being noisy, impolite, or acting like, well - children)

4. Seeing simplicity, resourcefulness & contentment-with-little lived out daily

3. Rosie!!!! She cleaned the house for us once a week. So affordable & very missed :)

2. The tostadas & beef broth soup & pico de gallo from down the street!!!!!!! We haven't found any AMAZING mex. food here in KC yet.

1. Of course the #1 thing I miss are the people! There are so many dear people there that I think about all the time! Besitos y abrazos a Uds.

Some Fall Fotos

2008-10-07T14:09:00.000-07:00

I have several "top 10" posts in mind, but until then, here are some recent pics:

claire, elaine, i enjoyed a nice fall picnic.

maggie's 7th birthday!

some friends joined in the festivities

up close w/ elaine

Do I still blog? Yesh, and this is an update

2008-09-21T15:03:00.000-07:00

Okay, so there's been a very long silence. That's a trend w/ most of the family blogs that I follow. They started off strong and have since tapered into the occasional posting. Well if you follow mine, it's never been strong. And now I can't remember the last time I posted... But I'll try to give a little update here with hopes that I'll be more consistent.

Here's some recent occurrences for us:

We finished our four year commitment w/ SERVE this summer, and as difficult as the decision was, we decided to return to the States b/c Wes was offered a Worship Pastor position for a new church plant : Redeemer Fellowship. He is enjoying working more with his natural gifts. So, we sold and gave away tons of our things, packed up what was left, and moved to Kansas City in mid-July.

We have mostly furnished the house we're living in now (thanks to estate/garage sales, generous friends and craigslist!). We are renting this house, and it is amazing!!! We went from zero yard to practically a farm! And the owner has it mowed :)

And the girls are in public school here. I was planning to homeschool, but after getting here we found out about a magnet school that is Spanish immersion (meaning that the majority of the class time is in pure Spanish). We decided to try it so the girls could continue their spanish. So far we are really pleased with the school, the teachers, the staff and the students. The method seems very effective. The girls really enjoy the school. I am still adjusting. I feel like I hardly see them and miss homeschooling. But it's been very nice to have more concentrated time w/ Claire and Elaine. It still feels weird.

Claire turned 4.

Anyway, we are adjusting in so many ways. But overall it's been a very good, and pretty fun transition. I hope that since I have a little more time these days to update more frequently. I also have about a million refinishing, painting & sewing projects that I'd love to do.

But for now I've been enjoying Jeffrey Overstreet's new book:

End of Homeschool Year 1

2008-06-20T14:21:00.000-07:00

So this afternoon we finished up our first year of homeschooling! WOW! What a great feeling! I've just been thinking over the year, and praising God for so much grace, growing, and goodness! I know I have posted numerous times how much we have enjoyed it, but we really did. Sure, there were tons of challenges, sin, and difficult moments, but overall, it was such a sweet time. Once again, I LOVED the curriculum we used. It is a perfect style for me & my girls. We spent so many hours snuggled up on the couch reading great books. Oftentimes the girls have chosen books from our curriculum (including history & science) for their bedtime stories! But it's going to be nice to have a little more time to play with the little ones & attend to the house!

boy sister

2008-06-20T14:16:00.000-07:00

On Sunday Claire came up to me and said, "Maria is looking for her boy sister." "Huh? What is this kid trying to say? Oh... a boy sister would be a brother!" That's what happens when you have 3 sisters and no brothers!

Pet List

2008-06-20T13:59:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago I told the big girls that when both Claire and Elaine were potty-trained we would start thinking about getting a pet. Well, to my amazement that day has arrived (for the most part... there's still lots of accidents around here)! In anticipation of this glorious day I asked the girls to create their "pet wish list."

Unanimously their top choice was a dog. But the alternate list is awesome:

Maggie:
-turtle
-fish
-snake
-iguana
-chameleon

Anna:
-rabbit
-mouse or rat
-hamster or guinea pig
-frog
-duck
-lizard
-chameleon
-horse

Claire:
-kitty
-penguin
-frog
-duck
-dolphin
-horse

Elaine:
-turtle

I LOVE how this list is so stinking funny, was also so telling of my precious & unique daughters!

Lots of Outings

2008-05-07T16:07:00.000-07:00

What have we been up to lately? Well, aside from the normal routine, we have:

attended Priscilla y Alberto's Boda Civil.
We went to Queretaro for the religious wedding, Wes preached & the some of IBUC's jovenes led the worship time at a church there, and we had some hang time with the Lamberts & Grosses. (sorry no pics)

We went on an expedition to Grutas de Garcia - a nearby cave. VERY impressive - We had a great "field trip!

Anna got a haircut. And wore it straight for a few days. She wished it would stay that way.

We went with Tio Jaime to Saltillo.

a day in the park

2008-04-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess Spring is officially here. But March was in the 90's half the month, and it got over 100 at least 2 days! Nonetheless, we love spring!

Wow, me too!!!!

2008-03-24T14:30:00.000-07:00

Today Shawnda posted that this post should have been her. Oh my goodness, it so could have been me too!!! Well, except I just took the Servants By Design test yesterday and my lowest personality part is dreamer (the part of your personality that focuses inward), so I wouldn't have expended that much energy thinking about it, but if I had, her conclusions would have been my own!!! Thanks for the insight!!

some things i'm learning (or trying to)...

2008-03-24T10:13:00.001-07:00

* it's not enough to say i struggle with pride; we all struggle with pride. therefore i need to specifically share how it's manifested in my heart and life. the key for me is to be specific and honest!

*one of key ways i can treat others how i want to be treated is by not judging motives and by thinking the best of them. that i what i want from others, and to do anything less is hypocritical, unloving, judgmental.
Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38

*i need interdependence and community! this is a hard achievement in a foreign country with four small children, but without true accountability and confession my heart hardens so quickly!

*God is the God of grace and unconditional love. He has accepted me only because of My Savior's life & death - but He has accepted me & wants me to walk in the abundant life & extend His love and grace to others, as imperfectly as He knows I will.

* i'm being reminded how radical Jesus is! he goes against all the norms. he goes for the heart with unrelenting power! his life was one of valuing people, giving, forgiving, healing and encouraging us to walk that path! i want to live Matthew 5 & Luke 6!!!

*i'm very saddened but also thankful that i can so readily see my sin reflected in my children. the tones, the looks, the impatience, the anger... saddened b/c my words and actions so often do not align, and they see it. saddened b/c their hearts are prone to hew the same broken cisterns as myself. thankful because it provides me with an opportunity to apologize and seek forgiveness. thankful because it provides me with an opportunity to be humbled and remember the goodness & grace of my Lord to work despite my pitiful offerings.

Mini-Update

2008-03-13T09:47:00.001-07:00

I wish I was more faithful at updating the blog, but life is always happening. But do know that there is a constant supply of blogs in my head. Somehow they just never materialize here.

Anyway, we are staying busy with homeschooling. I LOVE LOVE it. We have had such a wonderful experience. Anna & Maggie are learning tons, reading very well, interested in everything, growing in creativity (that has NOTHING to do with me :), and content with the schedule. We love the Sonlight Curriculum and have read so many great books this year. It's awesome.

I am in the midst of potty training both Claire & Elaine. Yup, that's tons of fun ;)! It's been about a month, and all I can say is there are okay days, bad days, and days that make me wonder what kind of insane person am I??!!!! But I try to be hopeful that today will be the day when everything clicks...

There's more, of course, but I gotta take care of those lil' ladies calling for me.

An Even Cuter Claire?

2008-02-08T20:31:00.000-08:00

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

A Few Recent Fotos

2008-02-08T20:14:00.000-08:00

It's a New Year

2008-01-19T14:37:00.001-08:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. I didn't mean to take such a long break from blogging, but that's how it turned out.

The girls and I went to Texas early December for Shanda Yarbrough's (now Anderson) wedding. We hung out doing school, visited w/ friends and family and did some last minute Christmas shopping until Wes arrived the 23rd.

Once Wes got there we began the holiday blitz. It was so fun to see friends and family, celebrate the birth of our precious Savior, enjoy the New Year, and even make some new friends.

On January 5th the festivities for DBC's Missions Conference began. We had an incredible week of spending time w/ fellow SERVE missionaries, being taught by some wonderful folks (I plan to share some of this later), having lots of time of group worship, eating wonderful food, praying, being prayed for, playing, laughing, sharing and learning. The conference culminated in the church-wide portion on Friday night and Saturday. The Body was invited to come learn about missions and missionaries. The program was stellar, and it was very well attended!

Following the conference, we began the trek back home. We made a pit-stop in Austin where we got to see the Stewart's and Ford's.

Anyway, we are home and still unpacking. Less than 12 hours after arriving I headed upstairs just in time to see water begin trickling down the stairs because a bathroom sink pipe broke, flooding that bathroom, the babies' room, and half of the upstairs playroom. There is nothing like standing in 3 inches of water wondering how on earth you are going to get rid of it all. I can honestly say that the entire ordeal was one praise after another:

* there weren't any electrical appliances ruined, nor was I shocked rushing to cut off the water source
* we were home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
* all the flooring was tile and concrete, so no leakage or musty carpet
* the big rug in the playroom stopped the water from reaching the computer
* we have a wet-dry vac and lots of mops and a mop bucket
* very little furniture got wet

I don't know why the Lord was gracious in allowing all of those things, but I do thank Him. I pray that my faith would be strengthened, and that I would sing His praise even if none of those things were true. More than that, I pray that my mind would be focused on Him and His goodness even when there not an "emergency" and life seems mundane or the children irritating or my hands frozen b/c I want to blog instead of unpack=).

Love to you all!

The Ideal Christian Woman

2007-11-28T19:31:00.000-08:00

Part 4

Thanksgiving Celebration

2007-11-18T09:50:00.000-08:00

A bunch of got together last night for some Thanksgiving festivities. It was very fun and soooo yummy! Here are a few photos from the evening:

Elaine patiently awaiting the food

Fox with Lil' Bit (Alejandra)

Finally it's time to eat!

Amazing, right?

Let the games begin...

The Ideal Christian Woman

2007-11-16T20:03:00.000-08:00

Read Part 3.

This n' That

2007-11-16T19:08:00.000-08:00

I am not a play therapist, but I think Claire is trying to tell us something every time she lines all of her toys up looking longingly at Anna & Maggie's bedroom door

Sweet Elaine turned 2 on Nov. 6th!!!!

Wes & I attended Suzanne & Memo's Boda Civil last weekend

The Ideal Christian Woman

2007-10-30T13:20:00.000-07:00

Read Part 2!

The Ideal Christian Woman

2007-10-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

Read Part 1 of this article!

Documentation of Why I'm Going Crazy...

2007-10-17T14:45:00.000-07:00

At least 15 times a day Elaine asks me (thankfully in the most adorable voice) "Whatcha doin', mama?" And at least 15 times a day I answer, "Cleaning up, Elaine."

3 is a very concrete age, and their little minds are working very hard to make sense of everything. And oftentimes Claire's mind is beyond her vocabulary and ability to communicate. So I spend a lot of time having conversations like these:

Claire: "What's that?"
Me: "It's a box of cookies."
Claire: "Where's it from?"
Me: "The store."
Claire: "Why is it from the store?"
Me: "Because that's where we bought it from."
Claire: "Why is that where we bought it from?"
Me: "Because they were selling them, and we wanted them."
Claire: "Why did we want them?"
Elaine: "Whatcha doin', mama?"
Me: "Cleaning up, Elaine"
Claire: "Why are you cleaning up?"
Me: "Because the house is a mess."
Claire: "Why is the house a mess?"
Me: "Because no one puts their things away when they're finished playing with them."
Claire: "Why don't no one put their things away when they're finished playing with them?"
Me: "That, my dear, is a stinking great question!"
Claire: "Why..."

Or sometimes the conversation ends early with:

Claire: "What's that?"
Me: "It's a box of cookies."
Claire: "Why is it a box of cookies?"
Me: "Because...it's...it's... a box of cookies... because... that's what it is........."

Cultural Slideshow

2007-10-06T16:18:00.001-07:00

The DBC Missions Women are featuring Mexico at their meeting this month, and this is my contribution to their efforts.

Enjoy!

Celebrate Good Times - Come On!

2007-10-03T19:03:00.001-07:00

The Mag's is 6!

2007-10-03T18:52:00.001-07:00

A Few Pic's From TX

2007-10-03T17:50:00.000-07:00

Elaine

Granddad Crawford at the Family Reunion

"Uncle" Stew and the girls in Austin

Yesterday Claire said:

2007-09-27T09:07:00.000-07:00

"What is that junk in my hair?" as I was brushing the junk out of her hair.

Labor Day Visitors

2007-09-22T07:29:00.000-07:00

Dragon, Maggie, John & Elaine

John, Wes & Justin

Happy Birthday Claire-Bear

I never posted about some of Wes's program buddies - John Carroll and Justin Williams - visiting us over Labor Day Weekend. Click here to read John's account of the weekend. I probably wouldn't have even thought to post except my daughters continue to talk about the guys all the time.

Recent quotes: "Who's your favorite person Anna?" Anna: "Dragon "(a.k.a. Justin)

Maggie:"Do you know who is the smartest person I know?"
Well since we had had a great day of homeschooling, I thought I knew the answer, but I said:
"No, who?" Maggie: "John Carroll - he knows more than anyone in the world."
Thanks!

Claire: "Is Dragon Justin or Jazzy" Trying to figure out what Dragon's real name is and somehow inventing another nickname for him.

Craziness, Now and Forever

2007-09-19T15:51:00.001-07:00

As always our life is insane! We took a super quick trip to the metroplex and were able to enjoy:
~ the Crawford family reunion
~ DBC's Mission Women's Meeting
~ some great time w/ our families
~ some great time w/ our friends/supporters
~ lots of yummy "American" food
~ lots of yummy Blue Bell (it's in a category all of its own)

Then we traveled to Austin and stayed w/ the Stewart's for several days! In Austin we were able to hang out with lots more people, attend the Austin Stone, go on 2 dates (thanks!!!!!! Stew & Kimberly), play Wii for the 1st time, hear the most awesome sermon (click on What is Pure and Undefiled Worship?)I've heard in a VERY LONG time, be challenged in pretty much area of life, have intense fellowship w/ the Stewarts, and Wes saw Midlake, Lucinda Williams, Wilco & Bob Dylan at ACL.

You can see a few pictures from the Austin leg on the Stewart's Blog.
I'll try to post a few more soon.

Now that I have my real curriculum we have begun our intense homeschooling! Wow, this is great material! It's also a lot of work for me and the girls! We'll see if we can keep up with it all! It's definitely going to take some flexibility and creativity to make it all work. But we are definitely having a good time!

Creative Ventures

2007-09-04T15:09:00.001-07:00

Anna with her sun, lion & girl

Maggie with her dinosaur, lion sun & blue birds

3 Years Old

2007-09-04T15:06:00.000-07:00

On Saturday Claire turned 3 years old!!! We cannot believe she is growing up so fast! She is such a sweet gift from God.

Always Thinking

2007-08-31T10:19:00.000-07:00

Mommy: "See Maggie, 6 is greater than 4. Do you understand?"
Maggie: "No, I don't understand... why is 6 better than 4?"

From Justin Taylor's Blog- Offspring of Pride

2007-08-29T14:47:00.000-07:00

Joe Thorn points to Puritan Richard Mayo's sermon on The Prevention and Cure of Spiritual Pride. Mayo says: “It is a big-bellied sin; most of the sins that are in the world are the offspring and issue of pride.” Joe summarizes some of the sins that pride gives birth to:

Covetousness - because you believe you deserve something more than others.
Ungodly ambition - because you believe that you are most qualified, and the idea of someone else being preferred over you is an insult to your perceived worth.
Boasting - because everyone should know who you are and what you have accomplished.
Contention - because in picking fights you feel a sense of superiority over those who may (or may not) be in error.
Unthankfulness - because you deserve everything you get!
Selfishness - because others do not!
Self-deceit - because it’s easier to believe you are something, when in fact you are nothing.
A judgmental attitude - because you believe the errors of others are much more serious than your own.
Gossip - because you look so much better when telling others how awful someone else is. Mayo said that the proud “endeavor to build their own praise upon the ruins of others’ reputation.”
Complaining - because God should have consulted you before orchestrating the events of your day/life.
Hypocrisy - because you must hide the truth, your own failures, in order to avoid shame and accumulate praise.

See Justin Taylor's Blog: Between Two Worlds; He has another great article on handling criticism.

Switching to Home

2007-08-27T18:33:00.000-07:00

Well after much prayer, counsel and consideration, our family has decided to homeschool this year. I am very excited about the opportunity to pour into my children's heads and hearts. I know at the very least the Lord will use this time to grow me and draw me closer to Him. But I also pray that the girls will grow in knowledge and wisdom - true wisdom- fear of the Lord! They are sponges with an incessant desire to learn new things! I think we're going to have lots of fun. They are very excited too! We haven't officially begun since the girls' last day of school was July 2nd, but I've had to give them "work" since they couldn't wait! We are going to be using the Sonlight Curriculum. Please pray for us as we make this transition. And if you have any tips, book recommendations, suggestions, etc. please post 'em!!!!

A little more Xalapa

2007-08-13T14:53:00.001-07:00

So this turned out to not be a zoo, but it was by far the LUSHEST park I've ever been to.

The girls and I with the lovely Lupita Bigurra!

Anna & Claire chilling at the Villa's home

Miguel (missionary to Spain from Monterrey) & Chuck (associate pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas) blessed IBUC with some evangelistic training, a men's retreat & some preaching! The Villa's blessed all of us with an incredible lunch.

Our final Sunday in Xalapa we invited the church over for lunch. It was so well attended we ran out of food :)! Here the jovenes are trying out Extreme Jenga! We miss you all!!!

We had a busy, but somehow wonderfully refreshing 6 weeks in Xalapa. These posts do not do our trip justice because so many people and places are missing (because we are horrible at remembering to take pictures!!!). We praise the Lord for loving us so tangibly throughout the entire trip! The sweet body of believers at IBUC, the Moody's, the Brooks', the College Life Dudes, Torie, Miguel & Chuck, the Bigurra Families, Sra. Francis - thank you all for loving us, encouraging us, praying for us and mostly for glorifying God through your humble lives of love and service. May His grace continue to shine through all of us!

La Hacienda de Santa Ana

2007-08-13T14:36:00.001-07:00

The ceiling of the church right next to Santa Ana's house

The church

Maggie with Bates Moody! We miss you (and the rest of the Moody family:)!

Though you might not see Jono peering out at you from Santa Ana's house, it's still worth the trip.

Elaine

More Xalapa

2007-08-13T14:16:00.001-07:00

Elaine with Daddy at the beach in Casitas.

The family that lent us the house in Xalapa also invited us to join them at their beach house!

Our friends the Moody's joined us for several weeks in Xalapa. Marcus led an outreach to a local village. He and a team of local doctors provided medical consulations for the community. Here he is sharing about everyone's need for the only true Savior - Jesus!

Faithful servants from IBUC Xalapa & DBC led a time with the children at the village.

Sunday at IBUC Xalapa - a sweet and faithful group of believers that we love dearly!!!

A little glimpse of our 6 weeks in Xalapa, Veracruz

2007-08-13T13:58:00.000-07:00

This is the house we were lent for our stay in Xalapa. It was perfect! Thanks Lupita!!!

Check out this yard! Our kids enjoyed many many hours playing here!

Just beautiful!

Here was our view from the living room balcony.

Our picnic with the Hernandez family at the Botanical Gardens. Very fun & beautiful!

Pride

2007-06-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed from my last post, the Lord is really making me deal with the root of all my sins: Pride. Embarassing to admit, and not new news to me, my pride is horrendous, offensive & very much alive. My personality (tend to be a listener, kinda quiet, fairly nice) makes it SO easy to hide. Well, I don't want to hide anymore. I want to be changed in the depths of my heart to be like Christ - the humble Servant. Not fearing men, but fearing God. Pray for me!

Along with the Bible, here are some things that I've been reading on the subject:
The Glorious Pursuit: Embracing the Virtues of Christ by Gary Thomas
Humility by Andrew Murray
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Humilty: True Greatness by C.J. Mahaney
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (chapter called The Great Sin)
When People are Big and God is Small by Edward T. Welch

as well as listening (or reading) to:
John Piper's sermons on Humility

If you have any other recommendations, PLEASE share!!!
Thanks,
Melissa

Quoting Gary Thomas from the Glorious Pursuit

2007-06-04T15:18:00.000-07:00

"Pride is that potent, that destructive, that abusive, and that offensive. Relationally, there are few things so obnoxious as self-righteousness. Spiritually, there are few things so injurious or even lethal as pride.

The irony is, the more we experience the character of Christ, the more natural reason we'll have to become prideful...If we're not careful, spiritual growth can sabotage itself."

Happy Birthday Anna

2007-05-24T16:50:00.000-07:00

Last Friday Anna turned 7 years old!!! Unbelievable.

Here are some photos from the festivities.

Tacos

2007-05-09T12:04:00.000-07:00

People are always asking me what do we eat. Mexican and Americans are curious as to how our family eats in Monterrey. I admit that our eating and my cooking have changed in the past couple of years. It's very practical to make a variety of guisados (usually meat & veggies in a sauce meant to be eaten on a tortilla) and serve them with beans and a salad. So naturally the girls have gotten used to usually having tortillas at meal times. But sometimes they cross the boundaries in what makes an acceptable taco. Recent examples:

Tortilla w/ Rice & Mashed Potatoes
Tortilla w/ Crumbled Tostada Shell
Tortilla w/ Spagetti
and pictured: Tortilla w/ Oatmeal

Maggie & Anna All Dressed Up & Nowhere to Go

2007-05-09T11:51:00.000-07:00

Elaine's Words

2007-05-03T14:53:00.000-07:00

Here's Elaine repeating a few things.

Elaine

2007-05-03T10:05:00.000-07:00

Sweet Elaine 6 months ago. She is now 1 1/2! She continues to be generally sweet natured & flexible. But she definitely holds her own with her big sisters. She will protest when she doesn't like something they (or I) are doing to her. She toddles about all day asking for whatever food item pops into her head. Her motto is "One Word to Rule Them All." She will repeat a word over and over and over and over and over until you finally give in. There's only so many times you can hear: "cookie, cookie, cookie, cookie, cookie" or "cereal, cereal, cereal, cereal, cereal" until you decide what's it going to hurt to give it to her. She is saying tons of words, and will repeat almost anything you say. I also think she has finally figured out that each of her sisters have a different name. For awhile she has called them all Anna.

Video of Claire dancing?

2007-04-24T09:12:00.000-07:00

Claire

2007-04-23T16:06:00.000-07:00

Here is a post on Claire about 6 months ago. She has calmed down some since that post, which is nice. But she is definitely a handful! She loves to explore and find new things to destroy. Recently I found her in the bathroom rubbing toothpaste on her legs (for it's exfoliating purposes, of course). She is always waiting for me to get occupied so she can get into trouble.

But she is also very sweet. She loves to take care of Elaine & "help" me. I am never lacking for conversation either, because she is a chatterbox! Her insights are endless (and usually hysterical). She has recently entered a scared stage. She has an incredible imagination and wakes up frightened several nights a week. The other night she wouldn't go to bed alone after I made shadows on her headboard. She is also very attached to me (or Wes) when we are around groups of people. So people tend to think of her as being shy!

Maggie

2007-04-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

All that I posted a year ago about Maggie still remains the same! She has really matured in this last year though. It's been so sweet to see her grow in many areas! She continues to be the best helper a mommy could ask for. She is a very quick learner. And I think she may have Wes's semi-photographic memory! She has an incredible attention span for her age. She sometimes spends hours looking at books, making a project or drawing.

One of my very favorite things about Maggie is her ability to empathize with others. She easily cries at hearing a sad story or thinking about bad things happening to others. And she really wants others to know about God. She frequently talks about how much she loves God and wants others to love Him too. She's so special!

Retreat Rocked!!

2007-04-18T13:45:00.000-07:00

Read my post on our Serve Site to hear about the Retreat. It was beyond amazing. And my workshop went well. It has already opened the doors for me to develop deeper relationships with several women!

Anna

2007-04-18T13:13:00.000-07:00

Here is last year's update on Anna. She has certainly changed and remained the same! She will be 7 years old next month (yikes, when did that happen?)! She is still generally sweet and gentle in nature. She is still pretty flexible & laid-back. She still LOVES LOVES puppies. Also, she still really loves to be comfortable & looks for any opportunity to wear her p.j.'s. But somewhere during this past year she has moved away from loving pink & frilly things to liking things that are cool, such as: rock stars, guitars and super heroes. She says she wants a puppy & an electric guitar for Christmas:)! She's so funny!

She tends to be our quirkiest child. She pretty much will only drink water, or occasionally fresh orange juice. She likes to eat the same snack at school almost everyday. She loves cucumbers and will eat a whole one in a single sitting (especially if it's covered in lime juice & chili powder). She also loves books! She can read, but prefers to be read to. She loves to draw more and more everyday. And has also began writing stories. She's quite creative!

Happy Anniversary!

2007-04-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

Happy 1 yr. 1 month anniversary Socks n' Shoes!!!! My-oh-my, how time flies!!!

To celebrate I'll be posting an update on each of the girls... hopefully next week... since our 2nd annual Women's Retreat is this weekend and I'm putting the finishing touches on my portion of a workshop. Pray that it would go well & that we would all learn from it! And pray for Wes as he takes care of the girls for the weekend (what a husband!!!!)!!! THANKS!

Recent Pics

2007-03-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

Claire being silly

Elaine being happy

Anna & Maggie being evil bunnies

Maggie displaying the whole where her 1st tooth fell out on Sunday

Maggie's Spring Parade

2007-03-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

They make a big deal about Spring here. Both Anna & Maggie's schools had Spring/Benito Juarez Day celebrations. Here are a few shots from Maggie's school's parade around the neighborhood. She was a cutie bunny!

Elaine's words

2007-02-06T13:28:00.000-08:00

Seriously, Elaine has the most random vocabulary! It cracks me up all the time! Here is a sampling:
Mommy
Daddy
Anna
Mimi
Nana
speak (mimicking the big girls' dog training game)
tortilla (perfectly clear!)
dog
ball
agua
ya (means "already" in spanish)
no
here
Dora
uh-oh
eat

Oh, and she also started walking around New Year's! She loved having soft, carpeted surfaces to fall on!

Fonix at its Finest

2007-02-06T13:22:00.000-08:00

The girls rock at straight-forward phonics! Therefore their English spelling is sometimes a bit interesting. In a computer game the other day they named their puppy: Witchoqlit. Translated: "White Chocolate." Very nice, very nice!

Top 10, pt. 2

2007-02-06T13:13:00.000-08:00

Top 10, pt. 1

2007-02-06T13:00:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the long silence (for you 3 who read this :), but things are usually crazy, and I am always neglecting something (or someone) to do this. But it's so worth it :)

Here are my top 10 pictures from the last couple of months - enjoy!

Christmas Programs

2006-12-19T16:33:00.000-08:00

Both Anna & Maggie had songs their classes performed this past week. Here a few pictures from their little programs.

Tomorrow they have their posadas (Christmas parties) and then Christmas break begins... YIPEE!!! We are so thankful for the chance to go home & enjoy the holidays with family!

Nuestros Amigos!

2006-12-11T17:58:00.000-08:00

At one time our Mexico team had 4 families that now have 14 children altogether. Sadly (in a selfish sense) the Lord changed directions for 2 of those families, so that there are now only 6 children on our team. Here are some pic's of the loving between our kids and the Foxes kids. Thank you guys for your faithfulness & friendship :)!!!

Thankful!

2006-11-22T18:41:00.000-08:00

Psalm 105: 1 says "Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!"

I love how giving thanks requires a giver and a receiver... and how, for those of us who call upon the name of the Lord, know that we have received such a great mercy from our tender and loving God. We have been eternally blessed to personally know the triumphant King. We have been made royal by the precious sacrifice of Christ! I am so thankful to the Lord for drawing me into His presence and giving me sooooo much to be thankful for. May my thankfulfulness overflow in true praise for who He is & an earnest desire for the world to know Him!

Happy Thanksgiving Dearest Friends. We are so thankful for you all & hope you have a blessed day remembering & savoring the abundance of life we have been given.

Viva Mexico

2006-11-17T13:05:00.000-08:00

On November 20, Mexico celebrates the anniversary of its Revolution. On this date, in the year 1910 the war to overthrow the dictator Porfirio Díaz, began.

Today Maggie's class particpated in an assembly to commemorate the day. Here's her get-up.

Legos & Good Grades

2006-11-10T13:13:00.000-08:00

What does Wes do to entertain the girls while I'm getting Anna's report card & news from her teacher that she is doing very well in her class?

New Label Functionality, cool

2006-11-07T18:23:00.000-08:00

Blogger has just changed over to beta, and I can start categorizing my posts... that'll be fun. I guess this will be my first label... general

No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

2006-11-07T14:33:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pic's of Claire posing in her adorable princessy nightgown.

Our lil' Elaine is now one!

2006-11-07T14:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, November 6th Elaine turned one! What an amazingly blessed year we have had. She is still such a sweet natured baby. She is now saying "mama," "dada," "nana" for Anna; she knows what her tongue, teeth & hands are (but in spanish); she can growl like a lion and tries to bark like a dog; she still isn't walking, but is slowly realizing that she can stand on her own, but just doesn't like to! She is in all ways the baby of the family. She has 3 little mommies that look after her, like to feed her, make her laugh and teach her all sorts of fun things. We surely love our little Naners!

Anna's Aspirations

2006-10-05T14:34:00.000-07:00

Anna informed me yesterday that when she grows up she wants to be:
"First, a painter,
Then, a teacher,
Then, a cool girl who sells paintings."

Happy Birthday Maggie

2006-10-05T14:27:00.000-07:00

On Oct. 3rd, Tuesday, Maggie turned 5 years old. She is maturing so much, and is just such a fun girl. We had a great day doing Maggie-chosen things.

One of Our Budding Singers

2006-09-21T18:34:00.000-07:00

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing

Turn up the volume and enjoy a little medley Claire created: "ABC, Twinkle Lil' Star, Jesus Loves Me, Happy Birthday To You Cake"

Culture Shock still happens

2006-09-20T17:06:00.000-07:00

We have lived here in Monterrey over 2 years now, but every now and then I still have "culture shock" moments. I have had 2 of those this week. On Monday, Anna's teacher informed me that an assignment was totally unacceptable. The instructions for the assignment were: Cut out and glue the following dates in order into your notebook: Sept. 1, 13, 16, 20, 27. So, we did that. What we were supposed to do was go to a paperleria and ask for historic picture sheets from those dates, cut out the pictures and glue them into the notebook. Somehow everyone just "knew" this.

Today was another of those days. I'll back up to yesterday. Anna came home with a note from school saying they were having a parent's meeting at 8:00 am this morning (I am used to always being informed about things the very last minute). I immediately told myself that I wasn't going because: a.)Maggie has to be at school across town at 9:00 b.)The babies usually wake up at 8:15 and Wes is in the shower and c.)The meetings are usually about needing fund raisers because the conditions of the school or something else that could be summed up in a note. Well, the meeting wasn't about anything that couldn't be summed up in a note (i.e. they need money for some books, explanation of grading policies, etc.). So I was very surprised by Anna's teacher's severe reproach about me being the only parent not at the meeting (aside from one who had chicken pox, but she told her she wasn't going to make it [although I don't know WHEN]). I tried to explain to her about Maggie (to which she replied, that's not until 9:00) and the babies (you should bring them). So not only am I frustrated about all the cultural differences and expectations, but I hate to think of her teacher thinking of me as the disinterested parent who doesn't care about her child's education. And then again I cannot believe that every other parent can attend and 8 am meeting with less than a day's notice! And that proves that I'm suffering from cultural shock!

Aaaahhhh, the other side!

2006-09-16T08:03:00.000-07:00

Well, most of you probably don't know of the ordeal we had this week. I'll give you a brief recap. About 2 weeks ago I started having a dull ache in the right side of my lower back. No big deal since I'm always carrying kiddos around..."just pulled something" I thought. When I woke up this Monday morning I told Wes that I thought we needed to get a new mattress, that my back was killing me! By 10pm I was in pretty severe pain & very nauseous. I took some medicine and felt somewhat better. Well, after finally getting to the doctor and having tests, they discovered that I had a pretty big kidney stone - 1.4 cm X .7 cm. X .9 cm lodged in my ureter. To make the long (and VERY VERY VERY painful) story shorter, it was decided this stone wasn't coming out on its own and had to be broken up by laser so it would exit the body. Due to the inflammation of my kidney and the serious pain I was in, I had the procedure ASAP - Friday at 8am. It was very anticlimatic. I was asleep for the entire procedure and woke up feeling like a new person! As soon as I could move my legs again (they were numbed from the epidural), I was released from the hospital. After having spent 3 days feeling like I was having back labor coupled with intense morning sickness, I cannot tell you how wonderful I feel. Thank goodness for modern technology & the prayers of the saints!

Super Fun Visitors

2006-09-07T13:50:00.000-07:00

On Friday Graham and Amanda Davidson came to visit us for the weekend. It was a very sweet time. As a mother to small children, I don't get very extended conversations with adults too often. So I was especially thankful to have captive audiences!

I want to give both of them some press because they are incredibly talented people. Amanda has such a beautiful voice & incredible song-writing abilities! She's SO amazing! If you don't own her album, get it NOW! And Graham has worked very hard in editing & helping make a mockumentary about teaching Chalk - I am dying to see it! They are hoping to release it in the Spring.

Unfortunately we didn't get to do a lot of sight-seeing or fun touristy kinds of things, but here are a few pictures that Anna took from el Mirador (a great view of the city).

Happy Birthday to You Claire-Bear!

2006-09-07T13:31:00.000-07:00

Last Friday Claire turned 2 years old! Wes took Claire, Maggie & Anna to Peter Piper Pizza (similar to Chucky Cheese) to celebrate the monumental occasion. (I couldn't make it because I had a previously made engagement) Claire has had a very eventful 1st 2 years of life. She is fearless and fast... a very dangerous combination in a 2 year old! We are so thankful for God's protection of her in numerous occasions!

Later we had cake & gifts to top off the sweet day! She really liked the "Best of the Muppet Show" DVD's we got her. She said, "I like that - the Muppet Show. I like that- Miss Piggy." when she opened it.

More Photos

2006-08-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

Rock Star Claire- she chose the outfit & poses!

Maggie in her hated uniform

Cute Pic Post

2006-08-28T15:08:00.000-07:00

Such a sweetie!

Maggie surprised me by making my bed & giving me her pillow.

Anna & Claire playing

Week One Down

2006-08-28T14:51:00.000-07:00

What a week! Whew! It's seriously exhausting to try to keep everyone on a schedule. But I hope with a little more practice it'll become easier. The girls had a good first week of school. Maggie has been a little more sensitive, especially in the mornings, but I think she is adjusting alright. She definitely does NOT like wearing a uniform, but she looks very cute in it. She is going to preschool for 3 hours a day. Her spanish comprehension already blows me away, so it will be very exciting to see her speak more spanish. She is also doing very well with her reading lessons too. Both girls can already read tons! And they simply LOVE it!

Anna only has one word to say when you ask her how school is, "GREAT!" She REALLY enjoys it, although all the big kids make her feel "nervous". She is already struggling with homework though. Today she had to make a whole page of letter A's and a whole page of number 1's, and it took her 3 hours and about 900 threats to finally get finished! Let's just say it's easy to get distracted in our house!

Bosque Magico y Mas

2006-08-16T17:23:00.000-07:00

Well, I forgot the camera, but insert our family in the picture & you can imagine us having a blast at a local amusement park - Bosque Magico. It was a fun family day, which we haven't had in a good while. We rode rides, had ice cream, played in the water & saw a fun dolphin & seal show.

We are mourning the end of an-all-too-short summer. School ended June 28th & is starting back on Monday, August 21st. We're all a little anxious about the upcoming year. Maggie will begin preschool, & Anna will go to 1st grade. We are praying for a smooth transition for all us. The girls will certainly have the challenge of mostly spanish speaking school environments, and I'll have the challenge of getting everyone up & going, as well as letting my big girls away from from me a few hours everyday.

Learning to Read

2006-08-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

A little over a week ago I began teaching Anna & Maggie to read using this book: Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. It has gone so awesome. The book has made it so easy for me & the girls. The lessons are so quick & simple to follow. Each of them has already learned to read about 8 words, and we are only on the 10th lesson. It is very crazy to think that in 3 months that I will have two readers!

Anna lost another tooth...

2006-07-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

And she said something pretty funny the other day... I was talking on the phone & making pudding for a snack. She kept asking for chips. I kept mouthing to her that I was making a snack. She continued to tell me that she really WANTED some chips. Once again I told her I was making her a snack. Then she said, "but mom, can't I have chips for an appetizer."

A Few Pic's From TX

2006-07-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

Anna, Maggie & cousins Tessa & Colby are enjoying a nice swim at Nana's

Claire's sporting a new headband at Mimi's

Elaine's gonna get Claire at David & Marita's incredible house in Wimberly!

Photos from Amanda's Wedding

2006-07-30T14:26:00.000-07:00

Here Amanda Leggett is being escorted down the aisle.

We all participated in a time of worship.

The very happy Mr. & Mrs. Graham Davidson!

Back in Monterrey

2006-07-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

We got back to Monterrey late last night (or early this morning) from a glorious trip to Texas. The girls and I played, played and played! Wes was there too, and he got to play some, but he also had lots of business things to attend to (sorry honey). We had such a great time visiting family & friends, swimming, eating Tex-Mex, shopping, attending a beautiful wedding, and mostly playing with those we dearly love (and miss). We were in DFW a week & a half, & in Austin over the weekend, and it all really zipped by. Honestly I don't have any pics to post...I was just too busy enjoying myself to think about a camera. In a few days I'll try to post a few pictures from the former Amanda Leggett's wedding (she is now Mrs. Graham Davidson). Thanks to everyone who made our visit so special; we really appreciate you all so much! And although I am very glad to be home with a less hectic schedule, I'm a little sad thinking about how long it'll be until our next visit!

Do you get it?

2006-07-06T14:47:00.000-07:00

I've been on the lookout for funny uses of english here (as promised), and a cosmetic company's slogan caught my attention. I am not sure if it's poor english or if I simply don't get it... you be the judge:

"Beauty is an experience, nothing more."

Stepping Heavenward: One Woman's Journey to Godliness

2006-07-06T14:14:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy reading! Most of the time I wish I had more time to read... and every now and then, I simply forsake almost all other duties and submerge myself in a book. Well that's what happened with this book (sorry Wes & girls). It's a "journal" of a Christian woman who is very much like the character of Joe from Little Women. I really loved seeing the heart of someone struggling with her sin nature and seeking to deepen her personal relationship with Christ. And though I am very different from the character, many times I felt like the thoughts were taken from my own journal (if I kept one). In case you don't get a chance to read the book for yourself, I'll leave you with the most poignant quote from the book:
"Do you always submit to God's will thus?"
"In great things I do," I said. "What grieves me is that I am constantly forgetting to recognize God's hand in the little, everyday trials of life, and instead of receiving them as from Him, find fault with the instruments by which He sends them."

Just a cute picture of Elaine

2006-07-01T07:38:00.000-07:00

Elaine is sooooo cute & smiley! In this past month she has learned to crawl (as is pretty quick) and pull-up. She is still wobbly, but cannot resist pulling up on everything!

Anna's Graduation

2006-07-01T07:18:00.000-07:00

Here are pictures from Anna's Kindergarten Graduation! It was a sweet time, & we cannot believe this year has flown by! Congratulations sweetie!

Here is Anna with Maestra Francis (her teacher).

Here Anna is getting a rose from Esteban. They introduced the classes with the boys giving the girls roses.

She just received her diploma.

The grand finale!

Here Anna & Maggie are with Anna's best friends from the year Ana Victoria (R) & Paulina (L).

Language Laughs

2006-06-22T13:28:00.000-07:00

This post by Amber's amiga made me think of our own witnesses of misused English here in Mexico (although even funnier was the chocolate milk in Korea "friend of milk"). Wes posted on some of these on our Serve page awhile back. I'll be keeping my eyes open for some new ones to share.

Anna lost another tooth

2006-06-14T21:49:00.000-07:00

And to end the feast portion of my "feast or famine" postings, here's a picture of Anna (w/Maggie) showing her latest missing tooth.

The Warning Crayola Forgot

2006-06-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

Crayola has a cool new product that is solid black paper that when drawn on with the "magic" markers all kinds of colors appear. But they forgot to put the warning: SUCKING ON MAGIC PAPER WILL TRANFORM THE SUCKER INTO A BLUEBERRY.

Good news is that the "magic" markers break the spell.

Claire is just soooo...

2006-06-14T20:59:00.000-07:00

fun...busy...funny...cute...almost 2... Well, whatever she is... she is definitely keeping me on my toes. Her language skills are exploding. She will repeat just about anything you say (spanish or english) and is forming all kinds of sentences (usually english or spanglish). Today she informed me, "I so stinky." And she loves to say "Ewwww, gwoss" anytime Elaine drools or is getting her diaper changed. She is learning shapes, rooms of the house, possesion words, names of colors, and she can count to 9 in english & 6 in spanish. Probably her favorite thing to do right now is unzip zippers (a newly acquired skill that we could have done without).

What a Mom!

2006-06-08T07:05:00.000-07:00

Here's is the kind of mom I want to always strive to be - Carolyn's Story from girltalk

10 Ways to "Sneak" Exercise in Your Day

2006-06-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

1.Live in a home with stairs
2.Never go up or down stated stairs without carrying at least one child &/or at least one laundry basket
3. Forget why you went up or down stated stairs until you get back to where you started from
4. Carry a child around at all times, especially useful when you need to pick things off the ground
5. Move to a foreign country where a dishwasher is always a person (you)
6. Don't make your children eat at the same time (if you have 3 children, you could fix at least 9 meals & 6 snacks in 1 day)
7. Have older children leave their cups & plates out so that younger ones can dump out those 9 meals & 6 snacks (really lean into those swipes at the floor)
8. Never cook or serve food that can simply be swept up; preferably things that have to be picked up piece by sticky piece
9.Encourage children to change clothes multiple times; preferably handwash-only clothing
10. Leave young toddler alone for 10 minutes daily- the messes made in these 10 minutes can take several hours (and tons of calories) to clean up