Thursday Thought - Thrifty

Julian always has his fists clenched. One of our supporters was over the other day and he commented on it saying that babies who do that grow up to be really good with finances. Wouldn't that be cool? I think it is important to teach kids the value of money as well as how to earn and save along with the consequences of wastefulness. So check back in on this blog in about 25 years and we can see just how Julian turns out.

I joined...

Look me up or add me by clicking here.

You and Me Baby...

... ain't nothing but mammals we goin' do it like they do on the discovery channel...

Portraits

We did portraits just before Adrian and Jade went back to Texas and we picked them up today. Enjoy.

New JuJu Pics...

... yes we now have a nick name for Julian, it is Juju. The first Ju is from his name and the second one is from him being born in June. Here are the latest photos of him.

Eeyore makes me laugh.

Will it fit...?

I box you... I will...

Ha, I was just kidding...

Thursday Thought - Facebook

So there are social networking websites out there that have captured masses of peoples. Any new one that comes up that someone joins I get many an invitation. Every since my first Hi5 request about 4-5 years ago I have resisted the pressure of social entanglement by not joining in on this type of networking craze.

Bruni signed up for Facebook today and it has been quite something to see her get so into checking up and adding friends. She says it's just a phase in the beginning as you first make contact with people you haven't been in contact with for years. So I will be keeping an eye on this to see how it goes and then in a few days I will decide if I want to open one to or not.

I just am not sure if the 750+ email addresses I have in my contact list will consider it spam to get an invite from me, unless of course they are already on Facebook.

Laughs 4 Fisher: These made me think of you!

You might be a technician if you:

- you have ever tried to repair a $15.00 radio.
- you think of the gadgets in your office as "friends."
- you think your computer looks better without the cover.
- you have ever purchased an electronic appliance "as is."
- you have ever saved the power cord from a broken appliance.
- you think jokes about being unable to program a VCR are stupid.
- the salespeople at Circuit City can't answer any of your questions.
- the microphone at a meeting doesn't work and you rush up to fix it.
- you have a neatly sorted collection of old bolts and nuts in your garage.
- you own a set of itty-bitty screwdrivers and you actually know where they are.
- you just don't have the heart to throw away the 100-in-1 electronics kit you got for your ninth birthday.
- you have never sat through an entire movie without having at least one device on your body beep or buzz.

Laughs 4 Gala: from classified ads.

Auto Repair Service. Free pick-up and delivery. Try us once, you'll never go anywhere again.

Our experienced Mom will care for your child. Fenced yard, meals, and smacks included.

Dog for sale: Eats anything and is fond of children.

Man wanted to work in dynamite factory. Must be willing to travel.

Stock up and save. Limit: one.

Semi-Annual after Christmas Sale

3 year old teacher needed for pre-school. Experience preferred.

Mixing bowl set designed to please a cook with round bottom for efficient beating.

Girl wanted to assist magician in cutting off head illusion. Blue Cross and salary.

Dinner Special -- Turkey $2.35; Chicken or Beef $2.25; Children $2.00

For sale: antique desk suitable for lady with thick legs and large drawers.

Now is your chance to have your ears pierced and get an extra pair to take home, too.

We do not tear your clothing with machinery. We do it carefully by hand.

Adrian and Jade Return To Texas

Haven and Sam came to pick up Adrian and Jade today to return to Texas. Adrian has been with me here since March and Jade since June we all look forward to these months we get to spend together and are so thankful for the time we share. Here are random photos from our summer of things I didn't do specific posts for. Enjoy!

Jade and Cielo roasting marshmallows during a family day BBQ the kids had with Bruni for the family day that I was gone.

L-R: Cielo, Alex, Bruni, Jade and Adrian at the BBQ.

Lynette and the kids grilling the hot-dogs and meat for the BBQ.

The kids and I washing the truck. The kids did this for an extra video during the week.

Alex, Adrian, Jade and I on Fathers Day.

Alex (last summer)

Adrian (last summer)

Adrian with his hair painted purple and blue. This was an activity we did one parent night.

Alex, blue and green hair.

Jade with purple, blue and green hair.

Alex with craft project.

Adrian and Alex playing a game.

Jade painting ceramics.

Adrian sporting his self made hunters cap.

Jade with her angel and cork knight.

3Marias

Tres Marias is a small village up in the mountains on the road between Mexico City and Cuernavaca with a strip of about 120 little rustic restaurants which sees a lot of touristic traffic on the weekends. As a home we have been going up there on the weekends for the past year for witnessing and fundraising. We have grown quite close to some people in the village and I can't walk anywhere in town without people greeting me and finding out whats happening with all our projects and little things in our lives.

I try to take the kids up there with me as often as I can as they get a chance to witness as well as get treated to a nice meal as we have several folks who always invite us to eat. The food is amazing authentic Mexican food all made by hand. This has become a favorite thing for the kids and Jade esp. likes it as she makes her own quesadillas in one of the restaurants.

Since the kids are going home tomorrow they all went out with me today to say good bye to our friends and for a last breakfast. Here are some photos.

Jade making her tortillas for her cheese quesadilla.

Adrian making his: ham, potatoes and cheese.

Alex making his: mushroom and cheese.

The quesadillas being toasted on the stove.

The kids content with the final products. This was just thier snack.

The owners of one of the resturaunts with the kids. This sweet couple feeds us two times every week with as many people as we bring, one time they feed 14 of us. God bless them.

This is the meal I had that day: Steak fillet with beans and nopales (cactus), red and green (from the spices) suassage, with lettuce and tomato. With a side order of tortillas and this is a meal leaving nothing to be desired.

Jades meal of orange juice, cheese qeusadilla and Birria soup. The sould is made in a tomatoe base with barrbacoa (lamb) meat. This soup is a fovorite with all the kids.

Adrian very content with his food. He had the same thing Jade did.

Alex with chorrizo (saussage) tacos topped with tomatoe onion and nopales (cactus).

Water Park Fun

Yesterday we went to a local water park "El Rollo" with my previous home from Veracruz. The whole home came and visited Cuernavaca for 3 days. It was nice to hang out with them and do some fun things together. Unfortunately we have no photos of the team that visited and we only have a few from the water park itself. But the kids had a blast and was one of our big events from this summer.

Adrian, Jade and Alex.
I think Jade is practicing for being a swimsuit model.

Kids play area.

Wave Pool.

The Wave Rider.

Some of the slides.

Thursday Thought - Standing alone...

I was reading on Anj's blog yesterday and came across this post in which she says,
"Sometimes you have to stand alone in order to understand how deeply you have been loved."

I agree with her and would add to it that, sometimes you have to stand alone in order to understand or find out who you really are.

No one likes to be alone and thank the Lord with Him in our lives we never are truly alone, we have Him to turn to and he is always carrying us through even if we feel alone.

That being said I have found that in moments when I have felt alone are the moments I really see who I am, what I have become. This is done by how you make decisions in all areas of your life, from what you do to survive to what you do to have fun and relax.

Each decision you make defines who you are.

Once while in an rocky relationship, I was trying to make lots of changes to try to save the relationship, my partner finally told me something like, "Gabe you have been trying to make so many changes that you have completely forgotten who you are. It's like you don't even have an identity anymore." She was right.

Don't fear being alone... it's the greatest time in the world to find out who you really are and what your made of. You will start to see yourself in a different light. And with the Lord's help and yielding to Him you will become who you are supposed to be.

Parks and Boats

We have been exploring the local parks with the kids. They have had fun doing this and provides us with things to do with them in the afternoons as well as learn a little about the area and local culture.

A mural painted on one of the walls of the Library at the local park.

I am not quite what Jade and Alex are doing, but this is them none the less in front of the statue.

Alex, Jade and Adrian on a paddle boat.

I actually went on the boat for about 10 minutes with them it was fun but I won't post here any of the photos of the very off balance nearly sinking boat when I was.

Julian Photos