Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays to all...Boy have things been very very crazy..My mom spent alittle over a week in the hospital with heart failure...she had her pacemaker upgraded and has been home since Saturday..I am her nurse with a phone instead of a button..the first few days were alittle hectic but we are balancing out...She has home health care starting and she actually cooked herself oatmeal this morning...She seems to be feeling stronger each day...Praise GOD...We are going to have christmas dinner here at our house and Sandra and I have been cleaning and we will start the cooking tomorrow...We are hopeing to go to North Florida to see Hap's family next week if I can figure out how to take care of mom...I am praying that one of the ladys that stayed with her when she first came home from her long hospital rehab stay will come and help out..She just lives around the corner here and mom just needs someone to come and check on her 3 or 4 times aday and cook one main meal...She does breakfast and can do her lunch herself...But I want to make sure there is someone passing thru at least 3 times aday...GOD willing this will work out...I feel so blessed to have my family...Carlos is home for the hospital...He still does not speak..He has a feeding tube in his nose??? They tried him on some baby food today and it was a success...He is getting alittle more movement in his arms and legs...He does still understand english and recognized a friend who called but raising a hand to let his sister know he knew this man...He will SOOOOO testifiy the name of the LORD in anyway he can...With or without words..But we are praying that he will recover completely...In GOD's time...anyway...BLESSINGS to all...I hope you feel the joy of this season...With your families...May GOD bless the next year for you and may we all continue to bring glory to his name....

Happy Holidays

Sorry again, That I havent written in awhile..My mom had to go back to the hospital..Heart failure..They upgraded her pacemaker and that is about all they can do..She is home as of yesterday and doing pretty good..Sandra is doing very well..I think I can see alittle homesickness for Juarez in her..But we talk about it and I figure this is normal..We did some christmas shopping together yesterday..She doesnt like to shop either..Her and I have ALOT in common..We did what we needed to do and got out of there...Now to get the house and the food and the wrapping and the etc......You know the line..We normally do a christmas eve gathering for the extended family but I just dont know if I can do it this year...I am very tired and I always do christmas dinner here at our house...I think that our special day will over ride the other this year..I spoke to a cousin and we are going to try and do the extended gathering after christmas on a sunday just as a family day...They have a new member,great grandson,to their family and we have Sandra. So soon we will have that gathering...I am trying to remember all that is happening and it is hard...Carlos continues to improve and amaze each day...He is not talking but with each day there is more movement in his arms and legs...He has a feeding tube but he has begun to swallow..Who knows..only GOD...He is able to let you know that he understands you by a hand raise...He remembers english and us..Another friend called and had his sister hold the phone up to his ear and he would raise his hand in understanding and said,by the hand,that he knew who this friend was...GOD IS GOOD..as carlos would say...and when his sister says praise GOD for what he has done she said carlos raises his hand in the air and holds it there...THANK YOU LORD...
Well I wanted to say Happy Holidays to all and I pray it is blessed and joyous for all...

Life

Well life has been quite.....????..It has been different this week...I have manage to purge my house and garage..I started when we arrived home from Mexico..I only have the upstairs bedroom and file cabinet to do..But have decided to wait until after Christmas for that...I feels so good to know we have what we need...and not much else..Stuff that I know we will use..I want to enjoy this Christmas and try not to get into the mad rush that seems to happen this time of year...Sandra is doing well..Except...We were involved in an accident this week that left a 14 year old boy dead...I had just pick Sandra up from school and was about a mile from the school when I saw a boy poke his head out from behind a verizon work truck..He had time to cross in front of me...I also let off the gas a little and at the same time there was a car behind me ,with more students from the school in it, that decided to pass me..Just as the boy made it across my lane and starting into the next lane the car passing me realized it but it was to late...The boy on foot was hit..The other boys in car then hit a telephone pole...We,by the grace of GOD were able to miss the boy on foot as he flew and the car, that after hitting the pole turned sideways in the road...The boy was airlifted to Tampa General but it was said he died in route...I feel so ???? for the family of the boy hit...and for the boys in the car that hit him...This was such a terrible terrrible ACCIDENT...It was just an accident..But Sandra had night mares that night and was unable to sleep..Greif counselors were at the school yesterday and called me in also..I am following up with a greif center here in Auburndale to make sure Sandra deals with this healthy...Please pray for both of these families and ours as well...My mom is doing good..We are getting ready to head to the doctor with her...Carlos was taken off life support last night and the family has placed him in GOD's hands...He still has not awaken since the first surgery a couple of weeks ago..I think...Time has blurred here lately..I am so thankful for a powerful GOD who can carry us through so much in our life time...As long as we cling to him.......

Start to a New Week

We had a good weekend..Sandra had school Saturday and we had planned on going to Tampa to Lowry Park but the weather changed that..We waited until yesterday morning and headed out early and had a good day there..Weather was much better..She has school today and we have our first parent meeting with her Latinos in Action class tonight...We are all decorated for christmas and my mom too..Now to start what little shopping for that..Sandra is so easy to buy for..She isnt to americanized yet to where it is hard or costly..and if possible we are going to try and keep it that way..We tried that with our son but the world didnt help and we are praying that GOD will help with this...Carlos is not doing good..He had to have another surgery yesterday..He has a blood clot. The doctors found and took care of it but he had to be put on life support...They will check this morning and see if anything has changed..GOD has work for Carlos,I have no doubt..I just dont know if it is here on Earth on with our LORD in heaven...I except which ever...I feel it an honor to know Carlos and to have spent the time with him that I have...I pray that there will be more time to spend together...
I started cleaning out everything when I arrived home..I am so close to being finished with the downstairs I could dance...It feels so good to get rid of THINGS you dont need...I feel a freedom to enjoy life more without thinking you have to dust and clean because you have so much STUFF...Now to see if I can get my mom to do the same...After New Years me and a couple of friends are going to start on her old house and try and clean it up and out so that we can rent it out...WHAT A JOB...She has never throw anything away and gets very upset with me if I mention it...For someone who says they have no memory left..she sure can remember stuff she hasnt seen for 5 years that are still over in the old house..Stuff with no purpose..just stuff...So we shall see how that goes in the new year....I am thankful for my family and for all that GOD does for us...I am happy to serve an amazing LORD...

PRAISE TO GOD

I am thankful that our lives are so good..Sandra is doing very well..School is going good..She is trying harder with english..My mom is doing good..We are working on her attitude about life..Hap and I are good..just tired as is Sandra adjusting into our family and life...We got our christmas tree last night and plan on having family time decorating tonight..We recieved a phone call last night at 1:30 that Carlos came thru the surgery good..What was thought and said to be a tumor turned out to be a large amount of blood..Described as chocolate syrup..He is doing good and the next few days will tell if he will have any lasting effects..But I think after what we have seen our LORD do in the last few days will continue and he will again be able to do the LORD's work like never before..He was alert just before surgery and I was told that he made a video thanking everyone for their emotional,spiritual,and financial support...When I recieve it I will try and post it...Sorry that these post have not been as deep and long as before but I do hope soon to have a routine going to where I can write more..Thank you for being patient with me...Oh yes,we are planning on taking Sandra up to North Florida to meet Hap's side of the family around Christmas..Not sure of the dates yet but that is something that we are looking forward too..Love to all...

Update

Our life is great..Sandra is doing well..Not wanting to speak english because of her perfection issue but told me yesterday that she would try harder..School is great..I have been purging our house of everything and it really feels good..Praying to have it done by christmas so our new year will be CLEAN...I have been very sideswiped the last few days...Any of you who have been following this through our Juarez and adoption journey have heard me speak of Carlos...His is not doing well..His health really started to go down last week...The Denver doctors were ready for him and everyone thought all was in order..They went to the immigration office yesterday and were told NO..That even if the doctors and hospital covered their costs that they were no sure there would not be other costs that were not covered and that would make him a burden to the United States..and to not come back..He was taken right away to a Juarez hospital and they are going to do open brain surgery today..The family was told that things do not look good..His family gathered up what money they could..They were told that starting costs would be about $20,000..US..In Mexico the way it works with health care is you pay half up front and the rest before they will let you leave the hospital..Doesnt make much sense to keep running up the bill but that is the way it is...GOD did some amazing work fast right after the family got the final news on the visa..$5,000 was produced right away thru some wonderful christain people in Denver..and delivered to the family last night..I have called everyone on his contact list from when he was in ministry and I am deeply touch by the caring people that have responded..Amigos Ministries has set up a fund that any who want can give too..If anyone wants this info just call me and I can give it to you..The main thing is PRAYER...Carlos is an angel of GOD's and I know even if GOD calls him home Carlos will still be working for the LORD and watching all of us from a much better place...I am trying to stay busy and know that GOD is in control..Living what I believe..Walking the walk of Faith...and Trust...and believing that GOD does know best....Even when our feeble human minds want to mess with us...We must take those thoughts captive and just hand them over to the only one who can make sense of them...PRAISE GOD....

Trying to readjust

I am trying to readjust to life here in the US. I am going to try and post at least every two days so that I will have the thoughts and things to use when the time comes to do with all this writing what I have thought about. All is very good with life. Still trying to find our schedule, and thin out things in the house. I started as soon as I arrived home with the purge..My husband loves to bring things in that he finds at the park or on the garbage truck..They are really good things but you can only do so much with it or your house begins to look like my did...I knew before I left for Mexcio that I had to clear things out and after returning home it made it alot easier...It was the most wonderful feeling last week to just haul this stuff off and give it to others who had a use for it..The lady at the consignment store was very thankful for the things..I did not want to even set up an account..I told her to just enjoy...I still have more and will continue to go thru things and rid myself of this mess...I am having trouble today focusing..Carlos is really weighing in my mind..and his family...Things will be as GOD wants them and we just have to except GOD's ways..I do want to please him..We are hopeing that Adriana,a girl from the old orphanage that was adopted 3 years ago, will be coming for a visit in 3 weeks..Her family has a cruise planned but doesnt know if Adrianas passport will arrive in time for her to go..If not she will stay with us for the week..Sandra is very excited about that..If Adriana does get things in order to go with her family on the cruise we will still go and visit will she is in the Orlando area..Her father mentioned the girls going to Disney..So Christmas will be great for Sandra either way..We are going to keep things simple this year..No choice after the cost of the last year..But humans have made a very complicatied season with all this anyway..Just a time to remember family and the birth of our LORD..Even tho I am not sure it is really when he was born..But he was born and I am very thankful..It,to me, is not a material time to see who gets the best or most expensive things..or to go in debt...Sandra is back to school today and I think I should stop writing for now and get somemore things done before time to fix lunch and go pick her up...I will write more later and post tonight...

Please Pray

Carlos, our good friend and translator in Mexico is not doing well..Just recieved call from his sister that his health has begun to go down this past Thursday.Bleeding from nose, paralyzed on left side..In human eyes not good...A letter from the Denver doctors was lost in the mail..The letter should get him over the border if it is GOD's will..The replacement letter should come tomorrow and if he is able to go the visa office to get the visa..If this idea does not work the option is to have brain surgery there in Juarez to try and remove what can be removed and then chemo..The doctors there say that they think some damamge has been done to the brain already that can not be reversed...With GOD all things are possible...May it be GOD's will and not ours...

Thanksgiving Day

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone..We are going to by brothers to celebrate..I had Sandra lookup the meaning of Thanksgiving and the tradition for it yesterday..When I told her how many people will be at my brothers she thought it was alot..11..So I am thankful that it is not the year for 30 or so..I want her to enjoy the day without being overwhelmed...Hap and I had chiropractic appointments yesterday so we took her and she had the exam and xrays..We go back for her on Monday and I really believe that it is going to help her in a lot of ways...I had noticed that she was having midback pain for a few weeks now...During the exam they realized the extent of a fall she had as a child...She said she fell off a large,cliff was the translated word) hill..With the translator it is sometimes hard to realize the exact word but it was a pretty big fall..She has 2 deep scars on the outside of one of her knees to prove it...anyway..the chiro did extensive xrays of her back to see if there might have been an old fracture...Monday will tell if there were any really bad injuries from before...It will be good to see the relief she gets once the treatments start...Then it will be a trip to the dentist to see what lies in her mouth...She has great looking teeth but you never know...
Well its is two days later and I am just getting ready to post this blog..Thanksgiving was great..Sandra ate so much she did the typical American thing..."I am so Full" was her response...Was a great day with 12 family members...She is getting completely submergered into english..No one spoke spanish..She is still hesitate to speak..So we are getting ready to really have to push her...Today Hap is fishing and Sandra and I are going over to some friends from church. They have a teenage daughter who is also 16 and a very good person..They have a pool table and Wii games so we are hopeing that the girls hit it off..She is in need of some girlfriends her age..That speak alittle spanish..She knows alot more english than she is willing to speak and I thought that she would do it on her own but it has become obvious that we will have to push and insist...She is so ready to do everything else without any prode but not the english speaking..SO push it will be..I am so excited to really be able to speak to her in depth..She loves to talk so I know we will have alot to talk about...Please keep this in prayer as the push begins...I will continue to try and post every couple of days...Thanks for your patience as I get into a routine...

NEWS

We are doing great..My life has not slowed down yet but I have been convicted two times in the last week to learn to say NO...I am trying and I am praying for GOD's strength to help me..Sandra is enjoying her week off from school..but is a burrito..HAHAHA.abolita..Not sure of the spelling but it means bored..but happy..We took her in this morning for her first chiropractic exam...We go back Monday for what the treatment will be...Seems as tho somewhere in her life she had a spinal injury and I had noticed she has a lot of pain in her midback since I have been around her all day...She remembers falling off a cliff when she was young and has the scars on her leg to back that up...The english is coming along..she understands ALOT but is still hesitate to speak it...That is what we are working on this week too.. This morning I had her read some of what the meaning of Thanksgiving is to help her understand tomorrow..Plus it will help when it comes time for American history in school..We are going this weekend to Fort Desoto with our boat and a friend's boat...Girls on one and boys on the other...THought that we would do the picnic thing and also have friends who have a 16 girl who we thought she would really enjoy going along with us..All adults but the two 16 yr olds..What better way to see if they click...All is great with the plans except I saw the weather forcast for Sat. and it looks cool..So we will just take blankets and enjoy the salt air..My mom is doing better..She has lifelink now so all she has to do is press a button and they will ask her if she wants us,the kids, called of 911.(but I had to really tell her that does not mean if she drops her pencil and just doesnt feel like picking it up.HAHA).If she does not respond they will automaticlly call 911..She is just having to learn that she has to do something to take care of her self..and of course I am the meany that pushes her..But it is for her good...CARLOS..I just recieved word that the doctors in Denver have written a letter to immigration and we are praying that he will either get a medical visa or humanitarian visa to go and get treatment..He has been unable to go to school since I left..almost 3 weeks and is staying at his aunts house full time for care...Please pray for him...He ofcourse says he is OK but anyone who knows him knows that he will ALWAYS be positive and trust GOD to take care of things...Oh if some of us could have that same unwaiver faith to know and except GOD's will for our lifes...Hap is loving the fact that his family is home...Michael,our son, enjoys the fact that mom is home..and of course Tyler is glad grammy is home...I so miss Mexico..I know that sounds crazy but the American pace is very very hard for me to adjust to...I think because I do not like it..We are a much to fast and now culture..It was so much easier to trust and depend of GOD without all the noise and rudeness of this country...Please dont get me wrong..America is a wonderful country..I am proud to be an american...Just confused as to what this country thinks living life is...To shot birds at someone who drives alittle slower than they think we should...To try and hit you if you pull out and they are still 100 yards away,and at the time you pull out they were only doing 35mph but speed up to 90mph...The lines in the stores, if you dont try and kill them to get in line you are pushed aside..People who only think in their box and what they want or what it is worth..MONEY,MONEY..ME,ME..WHERE IS GOD in this country that was founded on him..Trusting him...My mind does not want to adjust back to being on of THOSE americans and is having trouble finding the balance...But I will continue to trust GOD..I will continue to find love and work hard just to focus on what GOD wants from me...TO love all and over look offenses..To not judge,,to just LOVE,,,,

End of the First Week

It is the end of the first week and what a week...We are starting our schedule today..Sandra started school today...She was very nervous..So was I..We will have alot of homework and language work when she gets home...My mom is doing well..We have two doctors appointments coming up along with me starting back with the chiropractor...and on Friday...I AM GOING DIVING...I am excited..It has been 5 months since I have had a good salt water soak..My dive buddy and I are going to Jupiter for the day..We will leave about 5am and return around 6pm..Hap will pick Sandra up from school on that day...My mom has had a home health care person staying with her 24 hours aday..But I think next week we are going to drop that down to just a night person for a couple of weeks and then back to a regular routine for her too...She was just scared but she is about as normal as I could ask for...My house is in need of a purging...When I left I knew it was time but after returning from living with nothing for 5 months it is a must now...I have way to much stuff...I have already starting giving it away and what is left I will yard sale...This will not happen overnight because it is years of build up so it will take awhile...But oh how nice when it is through...Sandra is adjusting well...Sometimes it seems like to well...But when her language understanding improves we will work on that...She will have the counselor at school with the translator to help so that will be good for now...Hap is very happy to have his family back...I have seen my son more in the last week then in the past 3 years...So the family is coming together...I will try and post every few days...I dont want to lose track of this as later it will help when I decided what I am going to do with all this info...I will be trying to contact Carlos later today...I have not heard anything from Denver so I think I need to push that along if possible...Thank you again for all the support over the last few months...Oh yea...Yesterday at church they had 30 minutes before church started as a welcome home time for me and Sandra...We got alot of wonderful gift cards and cash...Even for Publix..So this was a great surprise...Sandra was talking to a friend who was adopted a couple of years ago last night telling her how happy she was..How much she likes her new grandmother..my mom..and everything...
Ok..Today is the 15th and I just realized that I had two drafts that I had not finished so I published the other one and I will try and round things out with this one and get back to blogging...It is now the end of the second week..She has done GREAT in school this week..She even went to Saturday school..I recieved a phone call and email this Wed. telling how proud they are of her and how she has just jumped right in and it trying very hard..I still have not had a breather except for Friday..My dive buddy and I went to Jupiter for the day and had two wonderful dives...Visability was maybe 30 foot but just to be under the water was great...Came home with two lobster..Sandra isnt much of a fan but maybe I should not have shown her the pic before showing her just the tails and cooking it...Last Saturday we went over to Tampa bay and did a little fishing with Dad and a friend...The seas were VERY choppy and the fish were not biting..We stayed out about 3 hours and headed back in...I just put a coat over Sandra's head and held onto her..We were running in very shallow water so you have to go fast to stay off the bottom..She really enjoyed it..I think she will probably be a fisher like her Dad...No news on Carlos..I have a friend there trying to find out some info..I have had no response to emails...I have not heard anything from Denver either..But they could have contacted Carlos and not me...Which is what I am praying...My mom is doing very well...She had her first day alone today...The day nurse didnt show up..I clearly told them thru Monday at 8am..They even recorded the call..So when I speak to them this week about what we owe them I will be charging $15 an hour for my unexpected care...I am not cheap..heheheh...We have a lady down the road that will come in only at night for the next couple of weeks and then I think that she will do well...She is just scared...Lifelink should arrive tomorrow or Tuesday and that will really help her feel secure...She sure did get spoiled with all the care of the last few months...But she will grow up again...Hap is doing great...Sandra is great...Our family is great...Life is great...I have not seen my son as much this week but I DO plan on starting the once amonth Sunday dinner in January...Figured we would get thru the holidays and then balance out again...BALANCE???? Not sure I know what that is yet...I have to find it soon tho...GOD will have to do this one..Because I feel as tho I am falling right back into the rut again and I DO NOT want that...Hap says that I have become much more out spoken which if I use that in a GODLY way will be very good...I have to remember who I am here to please...There are alot of changes coming in the near future..So if anyone is reading this please continue to keep us in prayer for smooth transitions...I cant go into it now but as it begins to play out I will be able to speak of it then..Sometime I think GOD wants us to just trust him and not speak..I read somewhere in Proverbs that it is only the fool who speaks with many words...The wise man uses few....Love to all and I will try and start to write some each day again...

Home and adusting

What a new adventure to be home...Sights,sounds,people...very odd for me so I can imagine for Sandra...We are hopeing that school will start for her on Monday..She had to get more shots to make the state of FLorida happy...and then we have post adoption things I need to start on soon...She seems to be adapting very well...Just alot of new things...She had her room set up by Monday night..We went clothes shopping Tuesday and yesterday along with the other shots the state of Florida says she had to get and the school would not except her US government physical so today we are off to do that...We both long for a down day...Today is the 15th and I just realized I had not published this..So here is this one and I have another draft I will do too...I am so sorry to leave you hanging...

At Home

We are back home in Florida and everyone is in bed and I cant sleep..I am having some culture shock and very overwhelming feelings of weird thoughts..I am sure that this in normal..and I can see it is going to take some getting use too..Sandra just keep saying how bonita everything is..How beautiful..and it was dark..I think she will do ok..But I do know to that she is one to hold alot in..We will be working..At finding some counselling...How cool that Hap and Michael picked us up at the airport and 3 friends from church that speak spanish also came to the airport..As soon as we got to the house she started unpacking and was setting that room up but with in an hour she was ready to go to bed...I think she likes her OWN bedroom..after being in orphanages for 5 years...anyway I just wanted to post something to let you know that I will try and do alittle each day and see if anyone is still following..Except now we can talk by phone..but I will be journaling after this because I am really thinking of a book...just a thought...THANK YOU LORD for the friends and family that I have.....

IT IS ALL FINISHED!!

It is all finished...All the papers on the Mexico side are done as of this morning..I turned in the tourist visas and only had to listen to a chewing out..and NEXT TIME HE BETTER BE HERE IN PERSON...All though we know...THERE WILL NOT BE A NEXT TIME..hehehehehe...Wait..I better watch what I say..I never thought that I would have a daughter either..THere is still paperwork to do Stateside but atleast we will be HOME..Social Security,,readoption in the States..etc..things I have to check into..I think Gladney might be meeting us at the Dallas airport when we have our layover there..They are suppose to let me know...We have one more goodbye..and it will be one of the hardest for me...Carlos..and his mom..We are still waiting to hear from the US doctors..But Carlos' doctor on this side is going to send them a letter and we shall see what happens from there...I will be in contact with him from the states...I am suppose to pick up Faith at the border at 7:30am and we are going to start the packing up and finish out the apartment...We will then head over with Sandra and then I will come back and get the furniture and do that with her over the border...I am praying...and thankful...I will finish this when we come in from seeing Carlos and his family...She did all of her goodbyes today..
We are back from Carlos' and it was as hard as I expected..I will follow thru on this medical contact that I have started...I will follow thru on all the prayers I can and ask others to pray also..I will stay in touch with him and his mom..They are both two real christian people and I am thankful for them both...Sandra is upstairs letting all the goodbyes sink in..I hear the music going...I am going to close this out...I am very THANKFUL to GOD for this time...
The LORD is my strength and my Shield; my heart trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on HIM, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices and with my song will I praise HIM.

SHE IS READY

Sandra is ready to cross the border..Now I am not..I still have to go to mexican immigration in the morning and turn in Hap's and my tourist visas...I got up and went to the Embassy this morning and called before I left and they said come on..Thank God that the lady checked the visa before giving it to me because one of the numbers was wrong...SO I sat for a couple of hours while that was fixed and then came back and got Sandra and headed to US immigration to turn in the package that came with her visa...I was told maybe an hour or two...Try 4 and half..There were right at 100 people doing the same thing (not adoption but visas) and only two homeland officers working and half way thru...one went home...We did it anyway and she is ready..But we ran out of time to do mine and Hap's so tomorrow...We did some goodbyes tonight..and just a few tomorrow and we will be ready to head over on Saturday..Noe,Qwens son who comes to eat on Thursday, hung out with us tonight..We did the goodbyes and then went for pizza...I really think Noe is gonna miss us..He asked if he could come and hang out again tomorrow..and I said Yes..I am gonna miss him...He and his mom are praying that he will be able to head over by Christmas..He is such a good kid..Oh yea..The heater I bought last night will not heat the downstairs..I left it on all night and was still very cold..So I moved it upstairs for the small bedroom..I thought it would heat downstairs and the hot air would rise up the stairs but by the time it did that it was cold again. The neighbor,David,came by this morning and said these places have NO insulation so only gas will work...I just stand over the two burner hotplate and rub my hands together..It was 50 for a high today with a good wind and suppose to be low 40's again tonight.I so appreciate my central air and heat..and alot of other things I use to not think alot of...Anyway...I am so thankful that home is in sight...I do not want to ever forget this adventure...and I will continue to write some after we get home...I would not want to leave some of you hanging wondering what is going...Like we said in the beginnning...This is an adventure that will probably last a life time...I do want to give GOD all the glory for this adventure...Because I am telling you ...I can think back to where HE was the only thing that carried me along...I could have never done this on my own...SO PRAISE GOD for all the wonderful things he has done to help us bring our daughter home...She is going to be fine...

Long Worthwhile Day

What a good long day..We got up at 5am and were out the door by 6..at the medical place by 6:30 and started our long worthwhile day...We have everything done..EXCEPT..the visa in our hand ..It has all been approved..Raised our right hands and everything..But when it went to Washington to be run through missing childrens records IT TOOK FOREVER and they did not have enough time to put the visa into the passport...So I am to call when I want in the morning and go get it and then there is a little more running to the border to turn in papers and tourist visas..Hopefully they will let me turn Hap's in..If not we will have to come back in 4 months to do that...Or be fined $200 a day..So we will pray for favor with that tomorrow..I figure some good old tears...and drama...I have been in Mexico tooooooooo longgggggg...Starting to work their way...Anyway,,we will pray....Plans are if all goes well to cross border on Saturday and spend the night with a friend and then off to the airport Sunday and home...I am praying...I am also getting ready to get some tickets and pray that they dont have to be changed at a cost...Gladney is letting us give part of what we paid in for the adoption fee to another orphangage here that has helped up so much...Ranchos Los Amigos..They staff..Which is all our neighbors..It is part of Ywam..has been a main support, emotionally, physically,etc..During my stay here...THey have been great....anyway..I am very very tired and still have to get tickets..I will try and post more details about our day tomorrow...I thank all of you for following us on our adventure...Love to all of you...
Yours,O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and the earth is YOURS; YOURS is the kingdom, O LORD, and YOURS it is to be exalted as HEAD over all...

WE HAVE IT!!!!!!!

WE HAVE THE PASSPORT!!!!! I took Sandra to school and headed back to the house with an uncertainity as to whether or now go..I left here at 10am..Went and found the chocolate...and headed over...When I walked in I went right on back to the lady's window..Like I knew what I was doing..As I stood there I thought for sure that I saw Sandra's pic and papers on another ladys desk..Ms. Garcia walked up and said something in spanish and I said"It's here?" and she said yes and it would be ready to pick up at 2..I took out those chocolates with tears running down my face and she was saying NONONO and I was saying MUCHO GRASIAS...I left and sat in the parking lot calling everyone and suddenly my Mexico cell rang and it was Ms. Garcia saying something about an original...I said I was in the parking lot and I would be right back in...She said that Mexico City had kept the original adoption decree and they needed one to do the passport...I said I would try and make it back in an hour to hour and a half..I went straight to the school wanting to rush in and just take Sandra out but I knew she would want to talk with her friends...So I waited..What a long 30 minutes...About the time they were to start out the door I got out of the van and walked up to the door...As Sandra and her friends exited the door she is looking at me asking me what I was doing...and I said...IT IS HERE!!!! She started smiling..I started crying again..and everyone started gathering around..People I didnt even know would know what was going on were coming up and congratulating us...Then we had to go in and see her teacher with the two friends following..He talked about how proud of Sandra he was and how he knew she would do well in Florida..and of course they exchanged e-mails so he could know her progress in school there...Then the two friends wanted to get together with Sandra this evening to eat at the mall..We are about to head out...Oh yea...I brought Sandra on to the house to start getting ready ...We still dont have water...and I headed back with the adoption decree to the passport office...I was about 15 minutes out and the mex.cell rang again..It was Ms.Garcia wondering how much longer before I arrived..I told her about 15 minutes and she said she would not leave then..I got there right at 15 minutes...rushed in and gave her the adoption decree and they started to work..They said it would be about an hour which would make it about 2:30 before it would be ready...I hung out in the parking lot and went back in after about 45 minutes...I could see Ms Garcia rushing around and sticking papers here and there...THey close at 3pm...Well at 5 minutes till 3 she called me up and gave me that glorious passport...and I thanked her ever so much...See what a bag of herseys kisses can do...She could have left and went on to whatever she was going to do and I would not have gotten that passport till tomorrow...Some sugar and caffiene and they will work extra hard for you...I can not tell you the feelings that are running around in my heart...Sandra's either..She smiled most of the way home...I know she is going to be having mixed emotions...I am here for her...I know this is going to be a BIG change...But she has one LARGE family to help her thru...We both said..."This has been one long journey"..It will be right at 5 months when we arrive back in Florida...I cant believe it...Well I will finish this when we come in...We have to go..Well nothing new to write except I know there is something dead in our wall...But the water is back on...So at least it will just be the smell of the dead whatever and not us too...We have to get up at 5am..so I am closing...Thank you for all the prayers...PRAISE AND GLORY TO OUR LORD FOR HELPING ME TO DO THIS...AND GETTING US BACK HOME...
You make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I seng for joy at the works of your hands. Howgreat are your works, O LORD, how profound your thoughts....

Waiting For the Vision to be Fulfiilled

I am waiting for the vision to be fulfilled...Trying to make it steadily,surely...Nothing today..I called the lady who has helped with a few other adoptions and she said if she remembers the call usually came on a Tuesday or Wednesday...SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....I am ready with it does...We have spent all day trying to stay warm..Low this morning was 43..High 62...If I remember right..Thursday will be a cooler one..I will use the worder cooler so as to believe that I am warmer than what I am...I keep juggling the thought of a NICE warm heater over in my head...But they want a lot for them..Just like fans..I have about $60 in 2 cheap fans here to leave...I just cant see the cost of a heater for a day...Is that positive thinking of what...anyway..Duck tape the cracks up again,windows and door..and keep the lights on and turn on the old trusty hotplate...and think...Warm..Sunny Florida...Its just the morning sea breeze...Guess I could boil some salt water for the full effect...OK...Sandra did excellent on her english exam Friday..she got the scores today..Perfect score...No mistakes..She was very happy..I thought something was up as she jogged toward the van when leaving school..I can see how good it was for her self esteem..Which gives me some pointers for later...We have had no water again today..But you can believe that Sandra and I both have kept our eyes on all faucets...The carpet is just now starting to dry..and the smell is not the best in the world..Oust Oust and more Oust..But then again I wonder if something might be dead in the attic..This happened once for..I know there is a birds nest up in a hole in the outer wall..Anyway..Oust...My mom sounded good when I spoke to her earlier..I have to still get use to the 3 hour time difference for this week..I laid down about 1:30 and stayed there till 3:30..The water coming back into the pipes got me up..I slept alittle and just chilled with my eyes closed....Sandra is watching TV..We have some bad habits to break when we get to Florida..But we are both motivated people so I dont see it being a problem... I still havent been able to find out what is going on around here..We have a Federali check point between us and town now..and when we headed out this morning the military had a SUV pulled about a block from the apartment with the whole corner "COVERED".. It is always men that they pull anymore..and since we dont have a man in the van we have been just driving thru..Maybe this is their new tactics they picked up when the US and South American officals came in last month for a meeting...Whatever it is I stillfeel safe..GOD is with us..Who shall we fear...Well I have managed to make it to 4pm..Just a few more hours and I can go to sleep and pass about 9 hours...I continue to pray for "tomorrow"..I will posted this later incase I write alittle more..Ok it is almost 7pm..Gwen dropped off some stamps to put on the envelopes I had put sending and return labels on..So this will help pass an hour or so..and then I am going to take a shower and go to bed under some warm covers..I am so thankful to the canadians that lived next door when we moved in here for giving us 2 fake down heavy comforters..I havent had to use anything except the one blanket so far..Except the night my bed got wet in the flood..I use those two comforters to sleep on that night..But I think it is night after next that it is suppose to be cold..so we will pull those out...Please pray with us for this to be the week we get to "moving" again..literally...
I am overcome with joy because of GOD's unfailing love, for he has seen my troubles,and HE cares about the anguish of my soul....
I keep my heart with all diligence,for out of it spring the issues of life..
As I wait on the LORD, with good courage, HE shall strengthen my Heart..

What a Peaceful Day

Well it has been a very peaceful day..If not for yesterday I might use the word boring..But it was peaceful. The time here fell back an hour last night..So we are now 3 hours behind Florida until next weekend when they change..The floor is beginning to dry..We hung out the towels last night and they were dry by this morning so I started using them again..We still have some dampness but not mush sound when you walk on the carpet...So thankful no mildew here..We havent done much of anything today..Just chilled..Cant quite get use to the time yet..It is 7 and it has been dark for an hour...Makes you want to go to bed..I AM SO PRAYING that tomorrow we will have that passport...I am ready to go home...My mom is doing good..THANK YOU Celia for getting grocerys...The home nurse will over see her doing soup,cereal..etc...Celia got ham and cheese,,microwave things...My daughter-i-law,Pam said that she would take food over...Hap took over fish and shrimp earlier today and he went to a fall festival and got her two plates of food and goodys there...She will be good..She just has to know she can do this..That she is able....I miss my family...My home...My life...I have been taught alot here...I will never forget...I dont want things to be as before...I want to keep the lessons that I have been taught here..To use at home..I really think this will be the week..I think if I go back over these blogs I might see where I have written this before..So I guess if I am going to keep the lessons I have been taught here..I should say...If it is GOD's will I pray to go home this week...Please remember me,again, in prayer...I feel,,that is the key word,like I am growing weary again...I will try to keep it at a minimal this time...I know where my strength comes from..In quietness and in trusting confidence I find strength..Trusting GOD..So before I get myself weak FEELING I think I should close this out...Thank you to all who are helping with my mom..Oh yes, Debbie and David..You should have got mom up today to see you..Please do try again..Thanks for checking...TOMORROW could be the day...or maybe the next...I am PRAYING...Love you my husband and thank you for your strength...

Under Attack

I will make this short and sweet..It is after 11 pm..Got up this morning..Went to do laundry..Came to apartment put away clothes..Went to Walmart..Got some grocerys...Thought we were going out to old orphanage to do speg. and gorditas..Come to find out they were coming here...Great people but unexpected 6 people..with us two..makes 8 to cook gorditas and speg. on two burner hot plate...Anna is an amazing mexican cook..Mari,Marina and Anna's 3 kids..Got call that mom went home..$14 an hour nurse I am told does not cook as my brother was told they would.Weekend,nursing service PR mouth person not in till Monday...Worked on getting someone to get grocerys for her..THANK YOU Celia...Hap and Terrell trying hard..Thank you my husband for all you do and Terrell my brother...anyway..Got cooking done here,..Gorditas were great...Oh yea, also had no running water at apartment all day...Took group back out to old orphanage..Kind enough to let us take showers there..and get 10 gallons of water till ours came on..Headed back into Juarez..5 gallons of water dumped during turn in van...Van got unexpected carpet cleaned...Went to Sandra's old home,Casa Eudes, for Kermoss..It is like a big fall festival...Kept having uneasy feeling...At 8:30 told Sandra time to go...Headed to apartment...Got out of van..Unlocking door...Hear water,I think..Open door..Water dripping from ceiling and down stairs...FLOOD!!!..Rush upstairs where I see water coming from..Realizing I am walking thru an inch of water downstairs..Bathroom sink on..Turn off..Rush back down..Sandra heading across flooded room..Holler...Electricity..She starts to jump in metal chair..Holler..NO..Go outside..I rush over,grab electic cords and put on table..Grab computer, see some water and flip upside down on table..WATER!!!!!! Evendently someone turned on bathroom sink while we had no water..We left...Water on...Flood..Mop also broke this morning while Sandra does cleaning while I am at laundry mat..We have 5 towels total..We need two to take showers..since water in back on..We start upstairs..She continues..I head down to start on bottom..finish bottom head upstairs to help her with carpet..We sopped and sopped and sopped..etc....Gave up a hour later..Will figure out best plan tomorrow if not dry..Yes,computer ok...Thank you LORD that they dont have mildrew here..TO DRY...I will still PRAISE THE LORD....THANK HIM for all he does for us...BUT I am going to bed....Love to all...

Knowing It Is Soon

Well no news today..and it is still ok..We know that things are winding down..I really think that something will happen on Monday since nothing this week.We were just praying for the earlier of the times...Sandra did well in her english exam..No scores until Monday..Her friend at school's birthday was today so Sandra,Janet and Janelle had a little party with the three of them at Janelles house..I followed them over to her house after school and of course meet the mom at the school..I came on back here to the house and finished some work I had started for ywam and watched 3pm come and go..That is the time that the passport office closes...I am really ok with it...I have had to wear sunglasses because the light at the end of the tunnel is getting so bright..hehehe.I headed back over at 4:00 and picked Sandra up and we just came on back to the apartment..I think we both are looking forward to sleeping in the the morning..Mari and Marina and the lady,Anna,that they live with are coming for a visit tomorrow.I think I misunderstood some spanish yesterday..I knew I heard the words lasagna but I thought they were talking about how much they liked it the last time I fixed it..Evidently they were asking if I would fix it tomorrow..So that is on my to do list..But Anna is going to fix Gorditas,,So that is a nice trade....My mom is going home tomorrow..YEAHHHHHH...I hope she will find some happiness in it...I think she is scared..But she will have a 24 hour assistant with her..She will do fine...My wonderful friend Celia went over to mom's to make sure things were ready and tomorrow someone will have to go get some grocerys for her...She is going to do good...This will give Hap a break from driving into Winter Haven everyday..I told her she beat me...but I will be there soon..My brother Terrell will pick her up about 12:30 and away they will go..GOD's timing is always best..I patiently wait for his time for us to go home too..Hap is preparing already..Just slow down alittle my husband...I know he would say,,"I am just preparing the fields"...I love you..Never have found out what is going on around town..So we will just continue on like normal.If it were really something we would hear about it(last blog about the extra stops and military around)..Oh yes,,I made a mistake last night on my blog...Our GREAT nephew Steven is 19...He let me know today on facebook that I had it wrong..So there Steven I made the correction...I am going to close this off...Love to all and a very big THANK YOU for following...and I will not just drop this when I get home...I will continue till we settle....and I have some other thoughts in mind too..:)))))
I trust in, rely on,and am confident in YOU, O LORD; You are my GOD. My times are in YOUR hands....

Help For Friends..All Kinds..

I just recieved an e-mail from the chaplain at the hospital where Carlos' first surgery was done in Colorado and he had spoke to the doctors and they are working on a plan to see what they can do to help Carlos. With treatment and medical visa..This is such great news..and Carlos,the angel he is..wanted to know about news with us and the passport..He knows that GOD will do something and whatever it is he trust GOD's plan...We had a good day..Same..school..I found cheap dog food..got 110lbs..and after I pick Sandra up we made the delivery..Those dogs were so grateful..Unfortunately one of the pups died thru the night..Which was not a surprise..I am not sure one of the others will make it..Malnutrition in very young pups is hard to come back from..I feel good about tyson and kajita..For now..but we did what we felt we should do..and it felt good..Something has happened here in Juarez today..The regular military check point was very different heading out into the dead zone.(the old orphanage is the last safe town).and on the way back in not only the regular one but a very unexpected one..of 6 loaded military trucks with several men out of two vehicles with one side of the 4 lanes closed..Also when I pick Sandra up there was a very big commotion 2 blocks from her school with many of all types of law enforcement..I will be check on line after this to see what precautions we need to take...I do use good sense here..Believe it or not..hehehe..No news on the passport today..SO..Sandra has to take the english exam tomorrow..hehe..She will do fine..Last night and again tonight she has started to chat a very little in english with our great nephew and her new cousin..Steven..He was thrilled and she wants to know her family..The new life if starting already for her..Tyler,the grandson, has seen her too..On the skype Monday when Lane called and we did the computer video thing..Hap is waiting for his girls to get home..He has been cleaning and preparing..My mom is scheduled for Saturday..Terrell,my brother is doing a great job getting everything set with the home care people..THANKS BUBBA..It is all coming along..Noe..and his mom came for supper tonight..THe mom is the one who lives on both sides of border..One child in El Paso and the other still waiting here to get his papers straight..They are praying for the next 30 days..SO much hope here..I will I could get some of the people I know back home to find this hope and hang on to it for dear life..It makes things so much easier..So much more peacefull...Trusting GOD...I love you my husband..and let our son know that I love and miss him very much too..and tell him thanks for checking on me...Till tomorrow..
I will be happy when the way is rough,because it will give my patience time to grow..So I will let it grow,and try not to squirm out of my problems. For when my patience is finally in full bloom,then I will be ready for anything,strong in character,full and complete...

Not Yet..and Its OK

Well Sandra got to school at regular time..I headed straight over to the passport office..I walked in and ask for Alejadra Garcia and the man took me over to her..As I walk up and she looked up she said No..This was good..She remembered me..I handed her to note..I couldnt find a place open to get the candy this morning..She read it and said..Si....No...Si.She could call us as soon as it comes in...and NO..Sandra does not need to be with me to pick it up...I told her Gracias..and left..It did not feel bad at all..Because I know we are so close..At least we know that it will not be sitting there waiting on us to call.It was so funny when I picked up Sandra she was telling me that they have an exam in school on Friday and how nervous she is about it..Then she asked if the passport had come in..I told her no and she had this look of disappointment..I then said..I bet you want that passport to get here before Friday so you dont have to take the test..She so laughed a laugh that said "That sure would be nice"..and she laughed about it later today when I told John and Faith about it..She so does not like the way they do test here in this school.And to add to the tension of EXAM they also have cameras in the class rooms so that the school knows that there is no spanish speaking going on in class..That is a big NO NO..anyway we have laughed a few more times through the afternoon about her wanting that passport to get here SOON...We went out to start our goodbyes today..The first, Mari and Marina,the girls that worked at the old orphanage..They are good..But the dogs,Tyson and Kaheta,were not..No dog food and Kaheta has 3 pups still..We plan on getting some dog food and taking it out there in the next day or two...Tyson has been at the orphanage as long as I have been involved..since 2000..It is the least I can do for him.The girls have food..People come first on the Who gets food list and unfortunately the couple the girls live with only have enough for them and their kids and Mari and Marina..The man works some but not full time right now..They are praying that things get better...The real life in Mexico..The average people..It is just the way it is....anyway..We came on home and Faith and John stopped by on their way from the school they work at here in Juarez two days a week..John teaches PE and Faith does administation work..It is part of their outreach..It is a christian school that feeds and teaches the kids and adults in the ROUGHER parts of the city..Then we have just hung out here..My mom is preparing to go home on Saturday. Hap and Terrell,my brother had a meeting with a company called Helping Hands today..It sounds like they will be able to do what is needed..I will be able to step in when I get there with the cooking and cleaning and personal care stuff..I know that things will be fine..GOD knows our needs and he will help us...It is hard to believe that we are really getting close to going home...SOON...I need to mention my wonderful wonderful great nephew Steven..Every night he comes on facebook to chat with me and has since shortly after I arrived here..It has been wonderful to get to know him..He and Sandra actually typed a few words in english to each other tonight...I think both of them were excited that it worked.Steven had to ask is this really Sandra..and he also informed them that they were cousins, primos in spanish.(I had to look that up quickly).I help Sandra some..She knows quite abit herself..Anyway..GOD is GOOD..Steven was born when his mom was only ,if I remember correct,a little over 5 months along..Steven was pronounced dead when he first arrived but with in just a few minutes a heart beat was found.He spent the first year,actually alittle more, in the hospital with different problems...They then thought that he would never talk or walk...Well he is today 17??(sorry I dont remember exactly) years old..and types like a pro..He is in High School..He volunteers at the library..He is great..and a miracle of GOD's...I am proud of you Steven..and he gives GOD the glory for it...Who knows what tomorrow holds.....We are ready for whatever lies ahead..Up's or down's. Learning every step of the path of life..The GREAT ADVENTURE..As long as HE is there with us!!!!!!

Starting Earlier

I decided to start my blog earlier today because I forgot a very important detail of yesterday...I had the priviledge of seeing and talking to my grandson,Tyler, yesterday..His aunt caught me on facebook and asked me if I had a webcam..I knew one time when I first arrived here and got this notebook I pushed a button and there I was on the screen..Well she told me to go to skype and download the program..I did and we exchanged emails and next thing I knew that was a ring..I pushed the answer with video button and there was Lane and Ty...!!!It was so nice to see him and hear him at the same time..He kissed the screen and so did I..I hugged the screen and so did he..It made a wonderful afternoon...THANK YOU LANE...As for today..Same old same old...school..Paid some bills on line while she was in school..Did some work for ywam..picked up Sandra and went to get gas..I told the guy TOTAL..FIll IT UP!!! and he took the words FILL IT UP to a new LEVEL..We were driving home and the guys at the red light are like "You are leaking water or gas" I am starting to think I have been here to long when I heard those words in english..Or maybe I just understood..??? Who knows..anyway I stopped and looked and sure enough drip drip drip..I brought Sandra on to the house and spent 45 mins driving around to burn off enough of my FILL UP for it to quit dripping..I wont say that again..My limit from now on will be $30..Just to be sure..I am starting supper now..I found out that Sandra likes red chili sauce with chicken so I have started the chili sauce..The first batch I cooked was great..The second..You have to watch which red chilis you get ..so this time I got the first red chilis and some smaller ones to give it a good bit...I will have to let you know how it is before I post this later...Tomorrow will be the day I take my bribe..I mean note and number with a gift to the passport office..I thought a nice box of chocolate will help her remember me and our name..So it is starting...What day will it be????No more thoughts..We plan on starting the goodbyes tomorrow..She has quite a few she wants to say bye to and they are spread out..So tomorrow we will start with Mari and Marina out at the old orphanage.Sandra has starting going thru her clothes to see what she is taking and giving away..It is such a joy to see her excited to go...My mom's potential release day is Saturday..We shall see..I am back..It is now 7pm here..I have my letter for the passport office ready for tomorrow..Tomorrow is the day that I am going in with something sweet as a gift..and to ask..Is the passport back.The something sweet is so that I am remembered...I dont have any idea how I am going to react if it is..We are planning, if possible, to go out and say our goodbyes to Mari and Marina tomorrow after lunch..Nothing else special today..I did just finish a really good red chili sauce..with rice..It is nice and has a good bite....So that is my day..Just staying focused..Praying..Hopeful...Watchful...Thankful...Soing the light getting brighter and brighter...with thought of Florida and home...
I trust in and confidently rely on the loving-kindness and the mercy of GOD..I thank you and confide in you forever..You have delivered me and kept me safe..I will wait on, hope in and expect in YOUR name...

I Cant Believe What Just Happened!!!!

I just had this blog almost finished and was typing along and every bit of it disappeared...Everything,,,How funny....About 20 mins. worth of typing..Ok lest see if I can do this again..Now your gonna miss all that wonderful writing I just did..You know how it is..You cant do it twice in a row as good...Ok..It was a good day...Sandra off to school..Stopped at the grocery store..Meet up with the president of the Mexico board from IFM to pick up some blankets for a blanket drive..THey will be handed out to the poor here in Juarez before the cold weather sets in..Then I came by the house and dropped off the grocerys.John(IFM) and I had planned on him crossing the border at Caseta and me heading out from here and meeting half way out in the Dead Zone( no law area) for him to get the blankets...It is about 20 miles from where we live..I headed out the same time as John. The blankets were in a big black plastic bag..Which looked like a large bag of something not good around here..I had to cross thru one military check point. I was laughing to myself that if I got stopped and checked they would think right off the bat that they had something when they saw this bag..I could just see them taking out blanket after blanket and shaking them really good...Well once I crossed this check point without getting stopped I tried to call John to see where he was..But didnt get an answer..I tried again in a few minutes and no answer again..I thought then that he must have gotten stopped coming into Mexico..after a few minutes he called me and said that they were stopping every car that came into Mexico today and x-raying...Which held him up..By the time he got across I was almost to Caseta so he just stoppped off the road and waited on me..I pulled up,quickly got out,grabbed this large black, threw it into his van..Hopped by into my van and took off..If anyone was watching they would have for sure thought it was a drug drop...How funny..John decided after I called him and was laughing about how much it looked like a deal that he was going to dump the blankets out and get rid of the big black bag look...Anyway I havent heard anything but I am sure he is ok...I had to head right to the school to get Sandra..I was a few minutes late because of the longer drive out to Caseta..Once I got her we came home and have been here all afternoon..She let me know on the way home that she is ready to go to Florida..I am too...I think she has had enough of what we have been doing...We are ready to get back to life..She is excited for the new life...Alot different than a few months ago...They think my Mom will be ready to go home on Saturday..I tried to get somethings lined up but her insurance company told me that she will have to talk to them herself..So my brother is suppose to get with her this afternoon and then call me tomorrow and let me know what we need to do..I made a phone call contact for Carlos who gave me the e-mail for the Pastor who set up all of Carlos' surgery last time..I sent out an e-mail to him and havent heard anything back yet...Please pray..I am hopeing that I will be able to do something for him before time to leave...If not I think I will still be able to help from Florida..THis has been a day...Oh yea..and Qwen with YWAM dropped off some more work I can do..But it was not a good day to do detail work...I started and messed up right off the back so that can wait till tomorrow...Then I am going to the passport office on Wed.......We shall try and focus and get through one more day...and I know that with GOD's peace we can....
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on HIM, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song will I praise HIM...

Thoughts Building..Mind Wanting to Race

I will not be impatient for the LORD to act!! I will keep traveling STEADILY along his pathway and in Due season HE will honor me with every blessing....
It is noon here..We just got in from "church".. My time to meditate on HIM..and pray. Not sure what this afternoon holds..Just focusing on keeping my mind busy. With good thoughts. Not to much thought(with work)about this week..I need to make some more calls for Carlos and calls for Mom and some home health care..Even if we dont get news on the passport I hope to get great news for Mom and her coming home this week..Thank you my husband for the words..In due time..Just needed to start this now so I could see some positive words in front of me to go back to as the days moves along..Well it is after 6pm now..Had a good day..Not much of anything...Started some homemade speg. sauce..Didnt have an ground beef so I used chirizo..which is a spicy sausage..It really turned out good..I used it with a box of tomato puree and some italian seasonings and simmered it a few hours...Oh yes...Just give me some stuff and I will make something..John was happy..He passed thru on his way to visit his boys..2 and a half years of visiting and waiting on the loss process..and some are becoming impatient after not quite a year...Adoption from Juarez is not for the weak..or impatient...anyway, Sandra had a friend over this afternoon and we watched a couple of movies..They just left and now I think we will eat and see what dark holds...Oh yea..I forgot to mention the guy who has been sleeping out in our driveway for about 3 hours now...He is alive and no blood..I think just to much beer and the driveway is about as far as he made it..At the end of our driveway there is a like carwash stall and shaded..But in just the last 30 minutes he has started to move his legs and feet so he is coming to...I am not the only one watching...All the neighbors are...Just sad to think you would drink that much and not be able to make it home...Glad he feels safe enough to pass out there...As long as he doesnt come on up the driveway he will be safe....I have my letter written for the passport office..It asks if the passport has come in..If not could I please leave my mexico cell number, and I thank you very much....Now to have it edit...I have a big hope for this week or next...and YES I know you have been hearing 2 weeks for 4 months now...BUT....Could be this time...might not be...Whatever it is something good will come from it...and alot of times the human eyes are blind to what is really going on anyway...So...I am ready for whatever the week holds...THANK YOU LORD!!!!!!!

Saturday Again

Can you tell I am losing the title skill...Slept late this morning...8:30...Pretty good for me...But I didnt go to bed till about midnight...Slept well..Headed out to laundry mat early..I knew when I pulled onto the hard main road and over the first bump that I heard a weird pop..The laundry mat is about 3 miles from the house and I pulled in and parked,got out and went around the back of the van and as I walked past the exhaust pipes I heard...sisisisisiisisisisisisisisi..I bent over thinking.."What in the world would make the exhaust pipe go sisisisisisisisis," when suddenly it connected ,the pop and look over at the tire...Sure enough there was ANOTHER beautiful screw decorating the back tire,same side as last week. This one wasnt near a nice as the first..Tire still had air..So I made a mad dash back around the van, hopped in and TOOK OFF....The tire repair shop was about a mile and half back and I was determined to get there before this tire went flat with the VW jack,,,Made it with air to spare...HAHA..Got it fixed for about $4..and headed back to the laundry mat..Got that done and came on back to the apartment..Sandra does the house cleaning while I do laundry and she does a very good job..Faith came over about 2 and we sat and chatted awhile..Sandra has been just chillin most of the afternoon..Faith and I wanted to go get something to eat and Sandra said she just wanted to stay here..She said she had been on the go all week with school and all and just wanted to have a day of NO GO...Faith and I headed on to the chinese resturant and then I dropped Faith off at the border and she walked over to visit with some people from New Mexico that came in for a weekend visit..I will go back and get her in a couple of hours..The wait to drive over can be 3 hours on a Saturday evening...So it is easier to drop a person off and have someone pick them up on the other side...That is how we have been having Hap do it when he comes...Next week is approaching..WHAT WILL IT HOLD????
As I wait on the LORD, with good courage, He shall strengthen my heart.....

Missing Family

Today has been another good day..School for Sandra..I worked on making contact with more of Carlos connections from teams that come in..No humans but I did leave some messages..Also got word today that my mom might be able to go home next week..So as soon as I heard this I have started to try and find recommendations for home health care..I called our pastor and he gave me the phone number to a nurse at our church. I called and she said they are more RN's that do 2 to 3 times a week visits to check the patients but she did give me the name and number to Senior Home Care..It is the one that her company recommended...I also plan on calling Kathy..A lady who mom goes to church with who is also a Nurse and see what her thoughts are..She is away at her son's wedding out of state right now but maybe on Sunday I will be able to reach them..If any of you there in Polk county know of any suggestions please call my cell or post a note on here and I will call you over the weekend when my cell is free..289-7366....We just hung out around the apartment this afternoon...Pam, my daughter in law and my wonderful grandson Ty man called this afternoon..I cant wait to get home and just hug that boy good...He just talked up a storm for awhile..Tranformer talk, about him throwing up this morning..He just "Throwed up"..But he said he was feeling better and when I come home we are going to play transformers...He is really into them now..He can write his name..First and last...Hap said he gave Ty a book the other night and there was a place to write his name and he started and made a mistake and got very upset...I wonder if he has some of Sandra's perfection issues...HAHAHA..anyway right after I talked to him the two kids,Kristen 5 yrs.old, and her brother 4 yr.old Ian came over for a couple of hours..Helped to keep that missing the grandson emotion down some.It was so funny..I had cooked brocolli,potatoes,and beef..Sandra came and fixed her plate while Kristen was writing at the table and when Sandra opened the pot to get the brocolli all of a sudden Kristen grabbed her nose with her fingers started to gag and ran for the door..She must not like brocolli.So for the next few mins.she would hold her nose and come in for a couple of minutes and go back out..come back in..go back out.I finally asked her if she wanted some brocolli and she let me know she DOES NOT like brocolli..HOW FUNNY...We went out right about dark and counted the stars as they appeared..They just went home and I thought I would go ahead and get this started...Sandra usually has computer time around 8:30 for an hour..She has a few friends,a couple from english school too, that she chats with at night..and she also messages back and forth with Adriana, another teenage girl who was adopted by a couple in South Dakota a couple of years ago...So all and all it has been a good day..Faith is planning on coming over tomorrow to hang out with us..Probably go see a movie or take Sandra and a friend of hers to see one and Faith and I will just sit somewhere and visit...I talked to Hap today and our plan for next week is instead of calling the passport office I am going to write a letter and take it in personally. I am going to write our mexico cell number on it and ask them to call us when it comes in..If I call on Wed. and it is not in they will say call back the next week.I dont want to waste any days with it sitting there and us not calling. Plus I do not want to upset them calling and bugging them everyday and take the chance of them holding it because I bugged them...I was told today by a lady that when one of the boys at the home where she works passport came in they called the home..It was a mexico number and I am pretty sure that the phone number they asked me for on the papers was our US number..I am going to try and hold out till Wed which will be 3 weeks 2 days..Right about the time I have been told that 3 others got theirs back..3 1/2 weeks..Then if it comes in on Thurs. or Fri. I will be FRESH on their minds...Please Please Please keep this in prayer that if it is GOD's will we will be ready to see the Embassy that following Monday..Maybe even Fri of next week and then we are just 3 or 4 days from home...YES!!! If it is GOD's will..James 3:13-17...A scripture someone asked Hap to read and when I went to it I already had it yellow highlighted in mine...When the time is right we will be home....
I want to say a special hello to my FAVORITE great nephew Stephen..We chat almost everyday on facebook..He keeps me up to date with all of Haps family in north Florida and it has been very nice getting to know him since we live so far apart..He is really special and I very much enjoy our chats...HI Stephen.....

Thank You YWAM

A big thank you to ywam for giving me work to keep me busy..They thank me..but I feel very thankful to have to work to keep busy..for doing work for a GREAT cause,the orphanage, and for good fellowship with other believers..We did the norm. Got up,got ready for school. Drove to school and I came back and regrouped on a few things around here..I headed back out a little early to stop and fill the water jug,and go by Walmart to grab a few needed items..Pick Sandra up and came back to the apartment..I keep catching myself almost saying home..I guess in a way it is home..or has been for 4 months and a few days now..Qwen came by about 1:30 and we started on stuffing the rest of the envelopes and finished them off by 4:30..I then started supper..Which wasnt much..Tostados..Noe,Qwens sone, comes on Thursdays to eat with us..She stays in El Paso two nights a week with her daughter who goes to school over there..I dont know if you remember but Qwen is the one trapped between here and Texas..She works for ywam and has for MANY years but she adopted the two kids and the girl got over and is done but she had some political trouble with the son's visa and is fighting it in court now..They are hopeful that by Dec. he will be able to go across and they can be a real live together family..So remember that in your prayers too..Noe is a great boy and has hope all will work out..Like I said..I have very good hopeful positive people around me and it has made this so much easier..Hopeful christian people..We colored Sandra's hair again today..She really notices the difference but I cant tell much..It is alittle lighter but not much..As long as she is happy with it all is well..No news on us today..Just waiting for and seek out what ever comes for each day..staying positive and trusting..I did get a message from another adopting family..They are not to happy..Their kids are in the loss process which means family is still trying to see if they can have the kids,even tho the kids have been in the system since 5 years old and they are both young teenagers now..The americans were told that it would be a few more months of court stuff and then it should be ready to start their adoption.Then about 6 months to start and finish..As we have learned..Even tho we were very blessed to have a great caseworker on this side with DIF that helped to push all our stuff thru as quickly as she could..I know some dont think much of mexico and the system but they do care..Just red tape.Us Americans know about that huh???.I know one guy who has been waiting and hopeing for almost 3 years...You have to be strong in your faith and lean completely on GOD to make it through an adoption from Juarez..Thank GOD there are some that can trust GOD to see it thru..Or there would be many kids more without homes...So that is the day..I can feel the end..and the light gets brighter every day.."I am sticking with GOD..He's all I have..He proves to be good to me and to all who passionately WAIT and diligently seek HIM. It's a good thing to QUIETLY hope for help from GOD"......From a book I refer to MANY times thru the day...GOD's blessings to all....

Hump Day

Hump Day???? In the states I would relate..Here I am not sure but since I am really starting to have to be creative with titles for the blog each day..It seemed OK..Took Sandra to school today and about half way back to the house I noticed the check engine light was on and the oil pressure would go down when I would stop at red lights...SO I just ran all the red lights..NO..not really just seemed like something to say..No I headed right on to the shop and showed them and when I stopped for them to look at it there was a very small amount of water dripping from right at the front of the drivers door...We turned it off and then started it again and they let it run idling for 15 minutes or so and everything was ok..I was going to go to ywam prayer meeting but by the time I got back it was a little after 10 and it started at 9:30. Plus I wanted to leave by 11:00 to go get Sandra..That way if something were to happen I could get a taxi to get me to her school in time..and then worry about what to do..But PRAISE GOD all went well...The machanic had said to call if something did happen and I gave him an idea of the route I would be traveling since I would not be able to tell him over the phone in spanish..Mime doesnt work to good thru the phone...It is one of those have to see it to understand it things...I gave him my route in spanglish with hand signs..He is so patient with me...Alot of people are..and I am thankful...After Sandra and I came in I started stuffing envelopes for ywam and finish just now..6:45..in enough time to head out to basketball practice...Faith and her intern stopped by for a few minutes and Kate,a ywamer, came and helped to fold the flyers for the envelopes..Then the HEAD lady for the ywam organization came by to pick up what we had done about 4 to get the mail outs on to the post office...That is our day..I like it from time to time to have a busy day..Keeps my mind off counting days...Thank you MOM Foster for the phone call..It always makes me feel great to hear from the family...and to know that you read this and pray for me..Please tell everyone over there hello from me and I love yall..I will post this when we come in just incase there is something spectacular that happens on the way to ball practice...We are back and all went well...Not just ready for a good nights sleep...Hope all is well with everyone and we shall write more tomorrow...
I will commit everything to the LORD; I will trust,lean on, rely on, and be comfident in HIM and HE will bring it to pass...I will be still and wait patiently for HIM...

Starting the Next Wait

Well we are starting the wait for another week..I called today and the passport wasnt back and they said..Try again next week. So we suck it up..focus..and continue to live in Mexico..I really didnt think it would be here but I still felt alittle let down..I know that we are so close..and I know I will be ok..Heard a song..and it is so true...There's a peace I've come to know...Tho my heart and flesh may fail....There's an anchor for my soul...I can say...IT IS WELL...
Sandra had a good day at school..She is learning bigger words..and asking more questions as to how words apply..She still doesnt speak it..But I have a funny feeling that when we arrive in Florida she will just take off..I told someone that I can understand her not speaking it here..It is not the language..But when she speaks it to me she does very well..It is all soaking in..She is a perfectionist..In alot of things...I stuffed some more envelopes for ywam today..Which was nice..It took up most of my time this afternoon..Tomorrow morning ywam will have a prayer meeting at 9:30 I plan on going to.. It is nice to hear english and listen to christian music in english..I think that Qwen will have some more things to stuff in the envelopes and that will help to fill tomorrow..Sandra has ??? either soccer or basketball practice tomorrow evening..and again the following evening....Please continue to pray for us..That I will continue to have this peace..I wish I had called Carlos already so I could give you some info on him...Faith is suppose to stop over tomorrow afternoon too..The weather is still nice..High 50's at night..80ish in the day time...My mom is doing good..She said her leg is getting stronger..and she is winning alot of the games there in the center..She has become quite the social butterfly..Have the funny feeling she will be alittle bored when she gets home...I will just have to find stuff to keep her busy..Hap is doing well..Having a bit of back ache but he will go to the chiro in the morning and that always helps...Hope you all have a great day...Take care..
The Lord is good to those who wait hoefully and expectantly for him, to those who seek Him. He does not willingly and from His heart afflict or grieve the children of men...

Tomorrow

Well tomorrow will be the day I was told to call. I will be very surprised for the passport to be back..But we did go ahead today and get the residencia photo for the visa..Just in case..If it is back tomorrow it will be the fastest anyone we know of or have heard of. But the lady did say 3 to 4 weeks when we arrived and as we left with a smile..call in two weeks..Today is the end of two weeks..So I figure around noon tomorrow I will call..I also spoke to a man today that had to get vaccination records as an adult for his visa and that he found a nurse who just fixed him up a paper because he knew he had them just didnt have the records..and with Sandra it is obvious that she has had some..She has the scar on the upper arm that many of you have..I dont for some reason but it has never been an issue for me..anyway..I have just been trying to stay busy today..Did some monthly bills for Florida..Got grocerys..Sandra had school..She made an 84 on her last exam which is great and she has moved on the the 3rd book since she started..I can she her confidence level growing..I asked her yesterday if she was getting nervous knowing the time was getting closer to go to Florida and she said no..Quite surprises when I think back to her first reactions...I believe she is ready..PRAISE GOD..Things are just falling into place so nicely...I checked on what was up in town with the military increase in our area and there were a few killings in the next colonia out from us..Same as before..Drug Cartel related..So all is well with us..Still havent gotten any more info on her friend and figured it doesnt matter if they arent allowed to come out here..we for sure arent going that way..Still sad to know that this city runs on fear..I plan on talking to Carlos tonight..I never heard anything back from the messages I left for the doctors..I am praying that they called him directly..
I really hate to write what I am about to write but the weather here has been wonderful..High 50's at night..about 80 with a breeze in the daytime..I have heard that Florida is terrible right now...HOT HOT HOT..I feel for you..But just go in that comfortable a/c house of yours and enjoy....I do feel for those of you who have to work in it like my husband..Well time to close out..Thanks again to everyone for sticking with us thru all of this..What an adventure..I have a friend who has been calling me short timer for a while now..(name for guys in army in naum who were going home soon) and I think I am finally starting to feel that way..
Let us take heed, and guard our lives diligently, lest we forget the things which our eyes have seen and lest they depart from our minds and hearts all the days of our lives......Things that GOD has taught us..and shown us...We must tell them to others and our children and childrens children.........

Things of the Day

The day is starting to wind down..It is 6:30pm..Supper is ready and we shall see if Sandra likes some REAL southern cooking tonight..It is very hard to find fresh GOOD veggies here..Normally just broccoli,carrots,some cauliflower,I think those are green beans,..of course plenty of tomatos, iceburg lettuce,avocados,any kind of pepper, wilted celery,garlic,cilantro,leeks,many fruits,,especially melons..anyway..I found cabbage and got a head and I havent seen regular american ham so I got spam and carrots and cooked it all together...It taste GREAT to me..I am just pretending that the spam is HAM...She came down earlier and her nose was looking funny as if to smell something she wasnt sure about..I will wait to post this till right before bed so I can tell you how she did..I do have a back up for her..CHICKEN and potatoes that are leftovers...anyway..I got up at 5am and headed over to get Carlos..My heart aches for him..He is trying hard to keep going..We made it to where he is doing his internship at a nursing home..He said that it is so hard to go there because the people who run it are actually mean to the people and they do not like them being nice to them..Carlos couldnt be mean or unkind to anyone there..But it is his last day there..I am sure when they werent looking he showed the love of GOD to them..Thats our Carlos..Even sick.I was unable to speak directly with anyone in Denver today but I have left messages about seeing if one of the doctors and the hospital that did the surgery before could write letters to immmigration here to try and help Carlos get the medical visa..Praying that we hear something soon..and I am sending out emails to his contacts from the years he was a missionary here to see if anything else surfaces...Sandra and I went to, so hard for me to call it church, anyway,,just another good day for me to be reminded of just what JESUS did for us all..afterwards we headed back to the house..She has a friend who has been coming over on Sunday afternoons for a few weeks now but we recieved a call that the family of this friend had a threat given to their family this past week and the Dad did not want them to come away from the family alone to get here...I havent been able to get details yet but until I understand it more she will not be around them either..Not sure what happened last night but on our way home there was a road block a couple of miles from the house in an area that has never had one in my time here..They just stopped each car and looked in with flashlights and then this morning when Faith headed out to cross the border the next little colonia from ours was full of military and policia and yellow crime tape..I need to check to see what is going on..It is unusual for it to be this close..Better to be informed so we know what to look for..But we have excellent protection..The best of all...GOD..then the military comes through on a regular bases..I still feel safe..
Well she liked supper...She is a good eater..I am thankful..My mom was doing good today..Hap sounded great and our son and his family came through for a visit this afternoon..Tyler man can write his name now..I look forward to see him..I will probably just squeeze him to death..NOT REALLY but I sure do want to hug him really bad..I have been told that he asks about me..I had thoughts of him not remembering me but was told that he just asked about me last week..That was sure good for my heart..I am doing to close..I need to get to bed early tonight..Blessings to all and 2 days till THE CALL...
May the GOD of our hope fill us with all joy and peace as we wait and pray for the good things to come...

Saturday.....

Today is Saturday and I thought I should start this early. It is only 1:30 here, 3:30 central Florida time. We have a night out planned with another adopting family that is here from Austin,TX. They are adopting two teenagers and the 13 year old girls birthday is in 10 days they wanted to celebrate with all of us today..Carlos and Faith are going to join us..So we will have 8 of us..The family left their other 2 children at home this time. But all is well..I did laundry this morning and Sandra cleaned while I was there..So clean clothes and clean house makes for a good day..Carlos asked if I could drive him to his school clinic in the morning. He needs to be there at 7am..and I am more than happy to help out..He missed a couple of days due to not feeling well last week so this is a make up day..We hope to hear more news from him on what is going on tonight with what plans on next to try and get him the gama knife procedure.
Ok it is now 10pm. We just got back from our night out with the other adopting family, Krendi and Jason,Isamar and Rafa...Carlos' sister called me on our way to meet krendi and said that Carlos was just being strong for our benifit and she did not believe that he should be going out to eat with us..He has been sleeping most of the week and was asleep then..I fully agreed with her...So Faith, Sandra and I went to the Mall to see about the visa photo and the store was closed..So I will work on that tomorrow..Then we headed on over to Krendi's hotel and meet up with them...Jason,Krendi's husband, was going to take a look at Faiths laptop..She has been having trouble with it and he is a computer whiz..Visited for alittle while and then walked over to Barrigas,our favorite place to eat real mexican..We left there about 8 and drove over for them to visit Carlos. He does not seem well..I will be calling the docs in Denver tomorrow to see if there is some way that they can write letters to the immigration place here and see if that will help get the medical visa..So please keep this in prayer...He did say that someone here did some research and found info for him on this procedure..It is in Guadulajara..It would cost $20,000. Life or death..Letter from the state Doctors...$20,000 here...Please pray...Faith is spending the night since we got in so late..It can take 2 or 3 hours to cross the border back to the states on Saturday night..I will head over to get Carlos at 6 in the morning and she will head back across then.....That is a quick run down of the day..I really need to get to bed myself so I can rise early to go get Carlos..Hope all of you have had a good day and that tomorrow will be full of good things for you...GOOD NIGHT....and a special goodnight to my wonderful husband...Even tho you will not read this till tomorrow...Know I love you very much and it will not be long now till we are home and starting to live a somewhat normal life again...Wait, has it ever really been NORMAL??????...

Still Feeling Blessed

It has been a good day all in all..We both slept better last night..Got up at regular time..Had a better breakfast than normal..I have found that unless I setup and serve a balanced breakfast that Sandra will be a normal teenager and go for the junk. So this morning we had fresh banana milk and whole grain cereal bars. The banana milk is just a banana in the blender with milk.Their milk here taste almost like cream and I have not seen anything but whole).Really tastes good. Although Sandra still has to have a small spoon of sugar in hers..I took Sandra to school and got all the way back to our dirt road..Just as I pulled onto the rode there were 3 cars blocking the road..I guess one was broken down..I stopped and noticed white dust,I was hopeing dust, gushing out from under the van..I just kept thinking that maybe it was windy and the exhaust was pushing up the very dry road dust..Well I started to move again and when I slowed down for the bumps I noticed it again..Well my real mind started saying ok..It is not dust like I was hopeing for..so I pulled on into the drive way and as I slowed for the next few bumps it was obvious that it was smoke..I parked and pulled the hood latch and by then KNEW that it was smoke..I was very happy when I opened the hood, after touching it to make sure it wasnt really hot,and could smell that antifreeze smell and see some green liquid in areas around the motor.(Happy that it was not like fire smoke).I could not see where it was coming from but it was not on the ground under the front so I was praying that it would just be a small spray from a hose..About that time my neighbor came out and he said he thought it would be best just to hop back in and get it to the shop where I have had it worked on and let them check it..So off I went..I did run one redlight..No one was coming from either direction and the white smoke would have let anyone know why I did it...I got to the shop and showed them ( no one speaks english) that the hood was not hot and popped the hood to show them the green liquid and by then there was a small puddle under the front of the van..They gave me a ride back to the apartment and I called the neighbor who in turned called the shop to ask what they thought and how long..They thought the same as I and said 3 or so hours..Well Sandra gets out of school at noon and it was 10am by now..Thank you GOD for good neighbors..Ale, who is the woman back quite a few post whos pic I posted with her husband and two kids,said that she would take me to get Sandra but we would have to pass an hour in town so she could pick up her kids from school too..We went and walked around a small mall and got her kids. She then dropped us off to pick up the van and we came home..Only $40 and they cleaned the van again inside and out...I tell you I am blessed here and by the people around me..
I want to THANK my family back in Winter Haven,Aunt Sarah and Debra(Hap told me you were there and mom says you come almost every week),Debbie and David and the members of Church of Christ in Inman Park for helping my soul to rest knewing that you are there for my mom...You will never understand what a big help you have been to me and my mental state while here..and the help you have been to my wonderful husband and my brother.THANK YOU for helping us while mom has been in rehab from her falls.Your visits,time and patience have been a true blessing to us.
It is 5:30 now..We plan on just chillin' this evening..There are two couples that are adopting coming in tonight so I expect the weekend to be busy..and we still have to get those pics for the embassy just incase they say everything is ready to go on Tuesday..But like I have said before..It will truly be a BIG surprise if it is there..I really expect it to be the next week..Whatever it is..I am blessed...
To you , O LORD, I lift up my soul. O my GOD, in you I trust; you will not let me be put to shame. In deed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame. Make your ways known to us. Lead us in your truth and teach us..For you are GOD alone..and we will wait all the day long.

4 More Days

4 more days till THE CALL..I am excited just that the Lady said I could call in 2 weeks..Even tho I would be VERY surprised if it is there and would probably scream something that would sound crazy to the normal world..But I do not fear looking alittle crazy...Today has been another good day..Sandra off to school..Came home to some other adoption news from a family struggle to know whether to keep going or stop..There are never any words to say in this situation..I am glad I am not in their shoes..and sad that they are..The boy ran from them last year and has been begging to come back..But there is so much paperwork they have to do because the laws have changed since they begin..and other issues that only they themselves can answer..They are in my prayers...Qwen called and need some help with some of her work so she came over and we worked until I went after Sandra and Qwen stayed and we finished when we returned..Then when she left she had some more envelopes to be stamped and sending labels and return labels put on..I finished that..Mark, with IFM,and the man of the wonderful couple that has let us use their van all this time stopped in for a visit..Nice just to sit and visit with such good people..with a heart of ministry here in Mexico..Once he left I have started supper..Noe,Qwens son, comes on Thursdays to eat supper with us..After that we have soccer practice tonight..A FULL wonderful day..There are 2 different adoptive families coming in this weekend so I expect it to be a mentally draining weekend with questions and concerns to be talked about..But if I can help them with what we have been through I will...Because I understand as only those of us who have lived this can understand..We should have some sort of support group for families adopting from Juarez...Sandra has an exam tomorrow..She has been studying on the computer for it..This Quick Learning school is very good and informative..They talked to me today about one on one teaching but it was pretty pricey..plus she will have a good system when we get to Florida...I tried to call the Embassy today about Sandra's shots..to no avail. So I plan on trying first thing in the morning about 7:30 when Mrs.Perez gets to work and see if we can be doing that ahead of time...Then we still have the visa photos to do before Monday too...I can feel the end..and it feels GREAT..Even tho I was talking to Qwen today and realize the pain I am going to feel when it is time to leave for a couple of things that I will be leaving behind here...I guess that is just a taste of what Sandra is going to feel...I think it is about time for me to start to focus on ways to help her with this change that is a coming...Please remember us in your prayers....
Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning..(and remembering that a day to GOD can be a very long time)Placing a HUMAN timeline on GOD's time
I am overcome with joy because of GOD's unfailing love, for he has seen my troubles, and he cares about the anguish of my soul...
Please add a family attempting to adopt to your prayers..They can not seem to realize that this is not a human timeline that you can give to kids that have been through what our kids have been through..That we have to give them HOPE..Not words that do not build up..But that cause more harm..Not negative human words but a GOD filled hope that it will happen and that we as adults and their new parents can handle..I love these people dearly..

Life in Juarez Today

GOD guards me, keeps me in perfect and constant peace because my mind(both its inclination and its character)is stayed on HIM, because I commit myself to HIM, lean on HIM, and hope confidently in HIM..
It has been a good day..Tho as we started to leave for school this morning I noticed the van felt funny after moving only about 15 feet..I got out to find we had a flat tire..There was a nice big screw decorating a spot in the tire..Looked very nice but the tire didnt like it to much...I backed up to a level spot and got out the, I would say jack ,but for a 15 passenger van what I was looking at was not going to work..But since it was in the van and the only thing I had I started..First just on the ground then with a block..First tried on the side with the frame, then in the front with part of the front suspension..Then I walked over and knocked on our neighbors door thinking that maybe it was just that I was a woman..Felt better when I realized..IT WAS THE JACK..He was kind enough to run around the corner to the ywam base and bring back an air compressor and he aired it up as I tightened back up the lug nuts and away I went to the fix your tire store..Which was just up on the hard road a mile or so..They had a wonderful floor jack and power gun to remove the nuts..and it was fixed in 15 mins..after about an hour here...and only 40 pesos..which is less than $4...While I was doing that Sandra looked up the school on line and she can review each days class and practice online...Pretty cool..We also called the school and told them our problem...She also missed Monday because of the power steering..All is good...She has basketball practice tonight..Soccer practice tomorrow night..Then another family that is adopting is coming in on Friday..So this week is passing quickly...5 more days and I can call the passport office...YES!! I almost finished filling out her visa and citizenship papers today..We still have to get the photos for that done..When we did all the other pics for the passport and school courts they were unable to do the residencia photo for some reason I didnt quite understand but we plan on gettting that done before Monday..JUST IN CASE..I recieved a phone call from my wonderful mother-in-law yesterday that really touch my heart..She told me how much my blogging helps her..I have had others tell me that too..and it helps me to know that what I am doing here is helping others ..Not just me..That the same scripture that gets me thru a day helps someone else too..I have also given our agency's contact info to a lady who lives here who knows ALOT about the process on this side to see if they might be interested in hiring someone to help them here in Juarez..Plus it would help to supplement this persons income..Things are not the best here with the economy either..If I were going to live here for a REALLY long time I would approach someone with the knowledge I have gain thru this...It takes ALOT of work here(plus knowing how to work the system) and I cannot imagine some family with NO connection here being able to do it..If it were not for the fact of the people I have known thru the years I do not know if I could have done this. There are so many little details that no one would know had they not gone thru it..Either knowing the tricks and details or tribling your time to do it..So much knowledge.Both with adoption process and life..I need to find away to use it somehow..I have a few ideas rolling around in this head..I do plan on doing something with these thoughts....
I take heed, and guard my life diligently, lest I forget the things which my eyes have seen and lest they depart from my (mind)and heart all the days of my life. I teach them to my children and my children's children..
We just came in from Sandra's basketball practice..not soccer. That is tomorrow night..Please remember a girl name Nancy in your prayers..She lives at the home where Sandra was..I noticed her the first time we went there..Never knew her story until last week..She is 22..Does not look over 16..Lived with her mother here until they found the mother dead one day. No more family except an uncle in New Mexico but Nancy is unable to get a visa to go live with him for some reason.So she shall spend the rest of her life hovering around Casa Eudes I pray..DO NOT want to think any other thoughts.. Nancy has a mental handicap..It is obvious..anyway very sweet..and quiet..but when we arrived tonight as usually Nancy came and hovered around quietly..I noticed something just didnt seem right..I asked her if she was ok and she said no and started to weep quietly..We can not communicate any further but please pray for her....All I could do was to gently rub her back...It is everywhere here and in the world...