Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Almost one.


My mind is full of details about Jubilee's impending party on Saturday.  Appetizers and people to contact and people to remind about things they already committed to do and how to transport food and how to prepare it all ahead of time without it getting soggy.  And my days are filled with stuffing gift bags and making cupcakes and running errands and cooking and trying to spend time with my parents in the midst of busy schedules.  I desperately want to enjoy Jubilee's first birthday party, but I find myself overwhelmed with the work that it's taking to pull it off well.  I want to just kick back with my parents, play with my kids and not worry about anything.  So, I decided to take this quiet moment while the house is asleep and remember God's faithfulness in Jubilee's life- from the time of conception through her first year.  I won't have another chance to do it before she turns one, so today I will remember and be encouraged.  Oh, my, where to start?  How often I think of all that the Lord has done in her little life and know that He was so very gracious to us.  With her pregnancy came a lot of fear, but He provided amazing friends all around us to encourage me and help with Natty and other practicalities once I was on bed rest.  The two months I spent sitting on my rump gave me really special time to connect with Natty before her sister came along and taught me to depend more on the people around me.  It also showed me what a hard-working, sacrificing, loving and gracious husband I have.  In our journey back to the US, the Lord worked out several sticky situations that worked against us ever making it to Gainesville, where I felt I and the baby would be safer.  Upon arriving, I had an electric scooter loaned to me and a fantastic doctor who accepted me as his patient, even though he supposedly wasn't taking any new patients.  And, of course, parents who let us mooch off of them for 5 months and took good care of all of us. Plus, God threw in a wonderful new small group from my church that provided us with new and needed friendships and support for the months ahead.  Many fun days followed and good doctor reports that truly made us thankful after the pain we had been through with Zion.  And even though Jubilee made a surprise entry into the world a few weeks early, she was perfect and healthy and delivered by one of my new church friends!  I still remember the incredible joy I felt upon hearing her first cries- such a mix of relief and gladness and fulfilled hopes and a little bit of grief that I never heard that from my Zion.  The days ahead were hard and Jubilee struggled at a very early age with a nasty respiratory virus.  But, the illness that sends most babies that young to the hospital was passed through without major complication...although with quite a bit of concern on my part.  However, God continued to show Himself kind and powerful and really sustained us in those first few months of rocky newborn days and various health challenges as well as moving from one place to another until we returned home.  Here, Jubilee arrived without problem in the altitude- one of my greatest concerns and prayer requests and has thrived ever since.  And now she is almost one year old.  She is a joyful, smart, outgoing gift from our good Father and we celebrate her and thank Him for this time to remember all He has done in our lives.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Carnaval


It's that time of year again: carnaval.  When everything shuts down for 4 days and people decorate their homes and cars with streamers and balloons and confetti and light firecrackers and throw water balloons and wish for the Pachamama to bless them and their stuff.  We went for a drive today- something we had been waiting to get a truck to do.  We got a truck!  We took it for a drive.  We decided we'd try to find a camp ground we had heard about to see if it would be suitable for our church to have its annual camp there.  We had to take a bit of a scenic route, as the direct one was shut down due to damage done by the rains.  It seems as though a few bridges have been blown out and walls knocked over.  So, we left right after breakfast with the girls strapped in for an adventure.  We didn't know exactly where to go but headed up in the right direction and stopped on the way for a kind man to draw a map for us in the dirt.  
Man drawing route in dirt.
The roads began to get narrower and bumpier and the landscape a bit more like the country.  All around us we heard the familiar "pop!" of fire crackers and saw plenty of small children bearing large water guns.  A few flashed big grins as we drove by and they hosed down our truck with water.  A small, but steady stream wove back and forth from one side of the road to the other, crossing right through the thoroughfare of cars, trucks and donkeys.  At last, we saw a small sign announcing we had found the camp we were in search of.  There was a narrow street running down to the entrance with a small ditch cut through the middle.  Scotty decided to he would back down the street, since there was not even enough space to do a 3-point turn to get our nose in the right direction.  I cringed inside, and maybe a little out, too, but really do trust Scotty's driving ability, as he has proven himself on numerous occasions.  Shortly in, the car lurches and bumps and I'm pretty sure our tire has gone into the ditch.
Oops!
 Yes, it's confirmed.  We pile out and me and the girls head down on foot to find the camp while Scotty waits for some friendly men from the community to help him out with planks.
Pretty place to get stuck in a ditch.
Thankfully, it doesn't take long before he's free and we find someone to let us into the camp grounds.
Jubilee was quite the attraction at the camp.
Taking pictures of our baby-doll baby.
The surroundings were beautiful- I'll start with something positive.  However, I will freely admit that I'm not a "roughin' it" kind of person.  I can do it for a few days, but when you have small (crawling) children, it's different.  I tried to remind myself that there are few options in La Paz and we have to have something big enough for a good sized group as well as economical enough to not exclude anyone in the church.  I'll just say that if the elders decide we'll camp there, I will survive and write to blog about it.  But, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.  Anyway, back into the car and bumping down the road pass the group of old, toothless men drinking and enjoying their holiday.  We're all tired now and Natty is making up nonsensical songs and I'm racking my brain to figure out what to make, quickly, for lunch when we get home.  Scotty is still getting over a nasty cold, so everyone but me is quietly in bed and I'm loving the still house and the blue skies we haven't seen for this long at once in weeks.  It sure has been nice to have some days off and one of these free moments I need to get my mind wrapped around finishing up Jubilee's birthday party planning and thinking through a few aspects of my parents' visit next week.  But, for now, I'll enjoy a few moments of calm.

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

First day.




So, I imagine you all will be wondering how the first day of school went.  It was great!  We all woke up early (too early) and excited and didn't spend as much time as we usually do lounging in bed and getting a strong cup of coffee into our systems before moving on.  I'm a little sad to be leaving behind that relaxing tradition...I'm not much for rushing around first thing in the morning.  However, we had plenty of time to get ready and eat without pushing Natty too hard and then I ended up driving her to school while Scotty stayed with Jubilee.  When we got there, I saw no cars and no people!  I suppose I should have double-checked the starting time, I thought.  When I rang the doorbell, a work kid who was painting the wall opened the door...bad sign!  But, a teacher shortly came down and I asked if Natty was supposed to come at 9, trying to imagine what we would do for half an hour before any stores open if she was supposed to arrive later.  She assured me it was fine and we went upstairs to her little classroom where a handful of kids were sitting at a table.  I left her to get acquainted and chatted a bit with the director.  She asked me to stay because they were going to have a prayer time when all the kids showed up to ask God's blessing on the school year, the kids and our families.  It was sweet to see them all standing together with the hands out, repeating the prayer of the director.  Then they sang some songs and recited some verses.  For the most part, Natty was doing her best to imitate the Spanish and looking around with curiosity, but not fear.  When they lined up to go back into their classroom, I told her good-bye and assured her we would be back when school was done.  Scotty picked her up and I was brimming with excitement and standing at the top of the stairs- dying to know what she thought of her first day.  She said she had fun, couldn't remember exactly what they did and seemed to generally enjoy herself.  Even though it's only been 3 days, every day she comes home smiling and dancing and in a great and usually silly mood.  School seems to do her good and I am so happy/relieved!  I am incredibly thankful that our friend introduced us to the school and even though it's a little too quiet in the house without her, the morning goes by quickly and I am more excited to spend focused time with her in the afternoon.  With party planning and my parents coming in about 2 weeks, I don't feel like I'll have a good idea of what my mornings might look like when things settle again, but I am already appreciating that time.  We made it...

Sunday, February 03, 2013

The change.

No, I'm not going through menopause...but, my child is starting school tomorrow.  How did this happen?  How can 4 1/2 years pass by so quickly?  I imagine I am not new to these feelings of seeing your little ones grow up.  I just sent Scotty and Natty off to a superbowl party while I sit at home with a sleeping baby and a nasty cold.  It feels very final.  Natty will come home from the party, go to sleep, and wake up in the morning to get ready for school.  That's it.  No more, what do you want to play this morning?  Will you come to the market with me?  Do you want to help me in the kitchen?  Now it will be, see you after school!  Be kind to the other kids.  Do you remember how to tell the teacher in Spanish if you need to go to the bathroom?  What is it that makes us not want changes, new phases?  Natty's little life has been a greater joy to us than we could have imagined and challenged me as a woman and mother and daughter of God in so many ways.  But, instead of appreciating this time, I just wonder if I played with her enough, if I really listened, if I stopped enough to show her that what she was saying was important to me.  My plea of the Lord is that I will be thankful for every moment I have and look forward to the promises that come in every new phase.  Of course it's natural to mourn that they will never be so very little and dependent on you in the same way- but there must be so much fun to come!  I think I need this little prod to remind me to take advantage of every moment with my children and not be so easily distracted by other things, because life is short.  What a gift to be responsible for steering our little ones down the right path in life.  So humbling to be on the same journey with them and to practice forgiveness as we both stumble.  I'm proud of my sweet Natalie.  She is maturing into a wonderful, creative, thoughtful, empathetic little girl and I can only thank my God that He has given me the grace and privilege of being her mother.