Change is a good thing

I can get caught in a rut after awhile of being in one place. It is easy for me to make excuses for not getting things done or for not being creative or trying new things. Even in Mexico after a couple of months it was the same-old, same-old. Through no fault of Mexico but of my own.

But now we are in a new town with new things to look at, new parks to run around in, new motivations.  Hey, I have even managed to write a blog post 2 days in a row! Things I want to do now that I am home....read more, excercise regularly, not watch tv as much (or surf the net), make things.

I discovered pinterest and have a boat load of crafts and diy projects to try like this

amygregson.blogspot.com

and this....

prudentbaby.com

or this

                                                                  ana-white.com

Stay tuned see what I accomplish!

The time of our lives

Sorry folks. I just realized it's been way too long since I posted and now we are HOME!! It is hard for me to summarize (or remember) the last few months in Mazatlan but I know that it was good! It was both a whirlwind and a slow moving train as I was looking forward to being home and with family and friends again.

Breckyn and I flew home last weekend and enjoyed the holiday with my parents and brother Mark who came into town to see us. Steve left on Monday and has been working his way across the country with his good friend Josh who flew down to help him drive. We were so grateful for his willingness to make the trip with him as it's not really fun to drive 3600 miles in 3 days. But they did it.

Steve is dropping Josh off in his hometown of St. Louis and then Steve is driving the last leg of the journey by himself. He should be here Friday night or Saturday at some point. Probably Friday as I know he misses his baby girl very much!

So from here we are living with my parents and Steve is job hunting. I have no idea what the plans are other than that. But you know what? If I learned one thing in the last year, it's that God has us in the palm of his hand and I am not worried at all about what his plans are for us.

I just know that we followed him to Mexico and had the time of our lives.

Baking at the Bean

I thought I'd show you a couple of pictures of my Fridays baking at the shop:


It starts off with a clean workspace-

I bake 4 batches of strawberry-pecan, mango-coconut and berry berry almond scones-

Bake for 20 minutes on 375 and they're done!

And then bake

1 batch of sin-o-man buns...they are REALLY yummy!
2 batches of either apple cinnamon, bran molasses, or boysenberry muffins
1-2 batches of brownies
home-made granola for the parfaits
and then many cookies: chocolate chip, peanut butter and oatmeal raisin

The happy (and really messy) baker-

6 hours later it ends up like this:





by then I am usually exhausted and ready for a nap!

Breckyn's first camping trip!

As promised, here are a couple of shots of our camping trip.


Breckyn, in the truck ready to go!




Breckyn helping with the tent.

Trying to get out.

Dead dolphin washed up on shore. :(

Playing in the sand.


Another view from camp. Do you see the cows roaming on the left?

Yeah, that's firewood. It's pretty serious.



Turkey dogs! so good! It's hard to get a good hotdog here but turkey dogs seem to be the best.

View from camp.

Sunset from the campsite. Stunning!



Happy family :)





Volleyball in the a.m.

We're going camping now!

I have believed 3 things about how I want to raise my family.

1. We will always have a dog. (Right now doesn't count. We miss you Roscoe and wish you could be with us!)

2. We will always have a real, live, pine-needles-falling-on-the-floor Christmas tree.

3. We will going camping. In a tent.

I was raised camping with my brothers on family vacations and those are some of my fondest memories of being a kid and being with my parents and brothers. There is magic in smelling like smoke and hearing the noises of the night surround you as you fall asleep laughing and talking with your siblings. My absolute favorite sound is the zipper of my parents 60-year old army tent. And the smell of that old musty air fills me with joy!

Pure magic.

So guess what we are doing Wednesday night? That's right. Camping!

We are going for one night only with the students up to a beach about 1 hour away. The students went a couple of months ago for a week on their mission trip but I didn't want to deal with Breckyn for that long in those conditions. But this is the perfect opportunity. One night. At the beach. Can not wait!


Stay tuned for pics!

a quiet, quiet afternoon

It is another beautiful day in Maz and I am tempted to go to the beach but the house is empty and I am loving hanging out with Breckyn here all by myself. And besides, with a 15-month-old I can handle the sand about every other day. Removing sand is a chore! I thought I'd post a couple of pictures from yesterday.

Carnival!

I have been hearing about Carnival for a long time now. It's been mostly warnings of the chaos in the streets and how the traffic is horrible in town. I had no idea what it was until I looked up on Wikipedia. It's Mardi Gras, a festive season right before Lent.



Starting today, it's a 5 day-long party of parades and drinking in the streets. Well, it's a little more than that....

According to mexicanguru.com, "The tourism board touts Mazatlan’s carnival as family-oriented, and it’s true that there are poetry contents, literary awards, and ballet in the baseball stadium. Kids compete for prizes at school, and a couple is elected as diminutive king and queen to reign over the annual awards presentations. Extended families attend rock and ska concerts at venues throughout the city; they dance the tambora, the traditional oompah band music of northern Mexico.

Clowns stomp down the street atop peg-egged stilts. Adorable kids wearing grease paint and animal costumes snake down the avenue in conga lines. Marching bands rattle and hum.

Along with their court, the carnival king and queen ride in an impressive float of flowers, colored paper, and anything that glistens or glitters. Dressed to kill in tulle, organdy, velveteen, and other sweat-producing fabrics despite the heat, they herald the parade as representatives of cultural and community pride."

Although not quite up my ally, I would like to experience a taste of of what this city has traditionally been a part of for over 100 years. The spectacular colors and decorations and people in costume will be a thrill to see.

The Joys of Baking

I started to bake for the shop one day a week. I was really excited to get out of the house and do something that makes me feel like I am accomplishing something and really helping out the shop. And how I do love baking!

Or so I thought.

It's one thing to bake a batch of cookies at home for my family and quite a different thing when it's for the coffee shop and customers are paying 35 pesos for a strawberry scone or a banana nut muffin.

It's been "fun" figuring out the timing on the industrial convection oven. Last week I left the granola in the oven 1 minute too long (maybe it was 2) and it was scorched! Then I pulled the scones out a little too early and they were really gooey so I stuck them back in for another second and poof in that second they burned! How is that possible?!

Then I accidentally added 1 too many eggs to the sugar cookie recipe making them really, really sticky and completely uneatable.

There are more stories but then you might start to question any ability I may have to don an apron and call myself a baker.

sigh.

I am thankful for Heidi, the patient owner of the Looney Bean, who smiles and tells me "It's really okay. There's a learning curve."

Well, tomorrow is another day at the baking station and I am determined to get it right this time.

Christmas in PA

We just returned from our 3 week Christmas break in Pennsylvania. Christmas is my favorite time of year and it was wonderful to get to be home with family & friends and really important to us for Breckyn to spend time with her grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Breckyn with her cousin Courtney on Christmas eve

We even got a couple of small snowstorms to remind us of why we are living in a tropical climate! We took her out in the snow a couple of times to show her what it was like and it was pretty comical to watch her try to walk through the snow with her over sized snow boots.

Enjoying the snow!

It was a little bittersweet to return to Maz. But back to the grind, right?

The first semester program is winding down and there are only a couple of weeks left with this group before a new group of students join us for the second half of the year. But before then, the group is headed 75 miles south to a little fishing village called Teacapan. There they will be helping with the fixing-up of a property that is being turned into a retreat center for local pastors and groups to meet. The property is owned by missionary friends of Tom & Heidi who also live here in Mazatlan. Mostly we will be painting, although there is some electrical and plumbing work to be done as well.

Coming back after a couple of weeks off has allowed us to feel rejuvenated and ready to tackle the next 5 months. Keep us in your prayers as we seek the Lord for wisdom and guidance concerning our future.

tis better to give....

I just got home from a Christmas party that we organized at a nearby community here in Mazatlan. If I am ever wondering why I am here serving in Mexico, all I have to do is remember tonight. What a blessing it is to give. Once a week we go to to this colonial called "Infernio"-something (it means "little hell") and do a Bible lesson, a craft, a snack and a game.

There are about 60 families in this particular neighborhood and all are in need. The first time I visited these homes I'll admit, I tried not to stare. How can these people live like this?! It's hard not to let it break your heart. Almost all the homes are one, maybe two rooms. The walls are scrap wood and either tarps or tin siding. Most of the floors are dirt, though a few are tiled. There isn't running water so there are huge black barrels in-between the homes to collect rain water. Both kids and dogs have fleas in their hair but it's so hard not to hug them when they come running up to you. They talk a mile-a-minute no matter how many times I tell them I can't speak Spanish. It doesn't matter, they just smile and keep on going!

Here we are decorating for the party!

The kids singing for their parents

The string ensemble played for half an hour

Money, clothes, toys, and food were collected to raffle off. We had enough to give away 5 bicycles, 20 boxes of food and 100 gift bags with candy and toiletries. Clothes were given to the families with the most need. We hung white Christmas lights and balloons from the houses and the wooden fence that surrounds the lot. A face paint station was set up for the kids. We ate tamales (incredible!), beans, cake & jello and had hot chocolate with cinnamon. A string ensemble from a local school came to give a concert. It was dynamic listening to violins play Christmas music against such a backdrop. Our group did a skit and the kid's sang songs they had been practicing for their parents.

As I think about home, especially around the holidays, there are some things I miss about being there. But after tonight, I don't miss the consumerism. I don't miss the madness and the long lines at the mall. I don't miss the rushing around to get last minute gifts.

Tonight was just a nice reminder of how very blessed we are and that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

lessons in negotiating and pretty places

It's been a few weeks since my last post. Mostly I have been waiting for something "unusual" to write about but the "usual" is good. First impressions of our town have worn off and routines are being established.

Steve is teaching the business class once a week and taking a Spanish class along with the rest of the students in the house. He takes several shifts a week at the coffee shop and has been working with Heidi (the owner) on setting up an inventory system and on overall better business practices. He's been busy!

I am comfortable getting out on my own even without knowing much of the language. Somehow a few points and smiles can get me what I need though it does take 3 times as long and in a few cases may cost me more money. Like the other day, I went to a flea market in Juarez and I saw a dress I liked and so I held it up and asked "cuantos?" (how much?). The teenager working looked at it and said "sesenta" ($60 pesos) but I thought she said "Cien" ($100). So I, being really excited to use my negotiating skills, said "ochenta?" (80). She looked at me like I was CRAZY! After about 2 minutes of her repeating "sesenta", I handed her $100. I got back $30. So in the end a $60 dress cost me $70, or about $5.60. I am thrilled with the dress but realize maybe I DO need to put forth a little effort in this language.



Earlier in the week we visited a really cool ranch-turned-restaurant with a little chapel on the hill. It turned out to be closed for a holiday but it was beautiful to wander.

The Kids Club

Yesterday was the first kid's club that the group was able to participate in. Every Wednesday we will be helping to run an afternoon program in a nearby neighborhood. We'll do a craft, story time, games, worship and a snack. These kids are so cute and we are really looking forward to being more involved in their lives!

Some of the students are finding other ministries to be involved in. Two of the girls left this morning to join a local church in their weekly trip to the dump where they bring lunch to the people who live there. We have plans as a house to go there at least monthly and bring hotdogs and a grill.










This week we opened the coffee shop near "playa Bruja" (Witch beach). It has been a truly hectic couple of days for the owner, Heidi as Tom (her husband) had to travel back home to California for about 6 weeks to finish up a large masonry project he has there. She has been doing a wonderful job of multitasking her girls who are in school here, working full time at the shop and being involved in the house as much as she can. Please pray the Lord brings customers! It is always a balance for Tom & Heidi figuring out when to open in the season and it takes a couple of weeks for people to know we are open. The snowbirds trickle down here around late October and November and so hopefully we will soon be super busy!

0-60

Things are well under way here. This past week has been a whirlwind of activity. The Lonsdales arrived last week with their young daughters, Brisa and Mia. Heidi flew in on Tuesday and Tom drove and got here on Thursday night with a truck load of supplies for the shop and some of our personal belongings that we had left in California when we were there in September. It turned out to be just in time because Justin and Lisa's baby was born Friday morning!

Lisa had been really sick on Thursday and they decided to take her to the hospital late Thursday night. It was a good decision because it turns out that she had toxemia and they needed to do an emergency c-section Friday morning. Mama and baby Elsie Wren are doing great and should be coming home today. Lisa's mom flew in on Saturday to meet her new granddaughter and help out the new parents. I know Lisa and Justin are thrilled to have her here!

This week starts the program for the students. They will be arriving Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday we have a full day of orientation planned. Thursday we are taking the students for a trip to a remote beach village to stay and really get to know each other. And next week, the shop is opening so training for the that is happening Monday.

It has been really wonderful to spend time with Heidi and Tom and get to know them better. Over the weekend they took us to Stone Island to hang out on the beach. We took a ferry over and really enjoyed the afternoon there.















I am really looking forward to meeting the students this week and spending time with them on the retreat this weekend. Pray for their safety in travels and that we will have a unified group who are really eager to learn and grow. We are looking forward to seeing what the Lord does in the months to follow in our lives and in theirs!

mexican driver's ed

After two weeks of living here I wonder how long it will take me to master the roads. The driving here is confusing to me for a bunch of reasons.

1. Rules seem to be more of a suggestion.
2. The roads are not named. Or if they are, it's not posted anywhere.
3. There are only stop signs on main roads. If you are in a neighborhood, it's each man for himself.
4. Right now, everything looks the same to me. I see signs, but as they're not in my native tongue, I can't associate them with anything.
5. Roads are mostly 2 lanes but if a third guy wants to join in, he can.
6. The only way I know the road we live on, is that I turn left after the speed bump with the car-width sized hole in it.
7. There is one intersections with like 5 roads joining together that could really use a stop sign, traffic light or a man standing in the middle guiding us all. But really, it's the most aggressive driver who gets where he wants to go.
8. I could be turning left to cross traffic and someone will jump ahead of me and dart through as if I weren't even there.
9. Oh and watch out for man holes, they may or may not be covered up.

However...I like not using my turning signal. And thinking of "stop" signs as "yields". I am going to get back to the states and be aggravated at all the law abiding citizens who don't realize how much quicker they could get to their destination if they would just take a Mexican driver's ed class.

surprise ending

Not watching TV has given me more time to read which is one of the things I have told myself I didn't have time for because of having a baby to care for. Turns out, there IS time, I just must have been using it for unproductive things.

A trilogy called Mark of the Lion was recommended to me by Lisa and I picked the first book up several days ago. I couldn't put it down, it was that good! I was determined to finish it last night as I laid in bed. It was around 11:00 and Steve was watching a movie in another room. Finally, 500 pages later and emotionally spent, I was finished! I put the book down for just a second and then wondering when it was published, I picked it back up to flip to the front page. Then there on the front page were two black eyes, four legs and a tail staring at me! A gecko was hanging on the inside flap of my book! I yelped and threw the book across the room!

How long had he been there?! The whole time I was reading? It was like an HOUR! Was he waiting til I put the book down to jump in? He was IN MY BED! I mean, since we've been here, I have seen a dozen of them crawling outside AND inside. But I thought they'd try to avoid me.

I looked at the book which was now sprawled on the floor, pages bent. I held my breath and eased open the cover. He was still there...but he looked flattened! I was horrified! I killed the gecko! I choked back tears and ran to get Steve. He was kind enough to hold me and calm me down. He left his movie to come deal with the situation.

Turns out, Gecko was just stunned. Steve let him go.

I'm just happy I am not the reason the third largest insurance company is without it's spokesperson.

a day at the beach and a little spill

We woke up this morning unsure if this would be the day we would be able contact family and friends without having to go to a nearby coffee shop for internet access. If there is one thing we have learned so far, it's patience. Our internet/phone lines have worked for 1 out of the 10 days we have been here. I have been itching to talk to the outside world but things move slower here and we rely almost entirely on Lisa to do the translating and figuring-out-of-things. So when we couldn't get the internet working, it was on her shoulders to take care of it. She did all she could through the phone but had to make several trips to the company to have them finally get out here to get us a new box. The box worked. YEAH! And now we are all happily skyping and typing away on our keyboards to friends, family members and significant others who have been wondering what has happened to us.

We are in the tail end of the rainy season and have been having rain showers off and on for the last few days. Today we woke up and it was sunny and so we took our first trip to the beach.







Breckyn loves the water and it is so much fun watching her play in the waves. The water is incredibly warm right now almost to the point where it isn't refreshing but it is nice to be able to walk right in without having to adjust. If only we could send some of that water northeast!

The spill came this afternoon when Justin jumped on his scooter to go to the bank. Lisa got a phone call about 5 minutes after he left. He had been in an accident. Thank the Lord he is ok! A car pulled out in front of him and he had to swerve
to avoid it, dumping the bike which then ended up under the car. Justin ended up with a lot of scrapes and his leg in a temporary cast. The Lord worked out all the details after the crash. Justin and Lisa did not have to pay for anything at the hospital and the scooter was not impounded (as is the norm) which would entail hefty fees to "bail" it out. The police officer just said "It is too far to the lot and I do not want to drive down there". Gotta love it! It could have been so much worse, so we are really grateful!

Thanks for all your prayers and now that we have a (hopefully) constant internet connection, you'll here from us more often.