February 4, 2007 update

February 4, 2007

A lot has happened since the last time I posted. I find myself in a new year with new goals and new accomplishments. Isn’t it great to see our progress as we glimpse back?!
Preston is walking now. I can’t believe he’s almost a year old. He sure gets spoiled by all the loving Sisters at church. When we enter the building he is swept out of my arms, and gently returned when it’s time to go home. It’s a nice break for me.
I’m amazed how fast the time is passing. It seems like time is accelerating daily. D and J are growing so fast. Just the other day D said, “Mom, come spend some time with your oldest son, in just 9 years I’ll be leaving for my mission.” It was so cute! I took his advice. J realizes how smart he is and how awesome of a memory he has. He came home from school the other day and said, “Mom my homework is to study spelling and ortografia (Spanish spelling), and I’m not going to study either and I’ll still get a perfect score on the test.” That he does every time, so I’m not complaining.
Speaking of school…We’ve been concerned as to how to handle school when we leave Mexico. School here is about 2 years ahead of public school in the States. After seeing how much the kids have progressed and how much they’re learning, we can’t bear to halt their progress by putting them into public school. We’ve looked into private schools, and charter schools, and we don’t feel they are the answer either. After much thought, research, studying, and prayer, we’ve decided that we will be home schooling after this school year. I feel the great responsibility of teaching our children correct principles and making sure they’re properly prepared to venture out into the world. We’re all excited about this new adventure.
My husband experienced his first, and hopefully last, crash into Lake Chapala. Fortunately, his mental preparation for such an event saved his life as he was able to remain calm and unbuckle his harness while he was in the process of sinking to the bottom of the lake. He was able to recover his motor, and he jokes that it was a good thing because it needed a good washing anyway. Damage to the digital camera was irreparable, the cell phone display no longer functions, and his MP3 player is still somewhere in the depths of Lake Chapala. Although he won’t admit it, I imagine he suffered at least a little ego damage as well, but I’m sure the onlookers got some “historical photos” out of the whole incident. I think it’s a good thing he was able to walk away in one piece.
We’ve made many great friends during our stay in Mexico. One of my really good friends is getting married in May in Chihuahua. I hope I can arrange to attend her wedding in the Juarez Temple.
The other day after comida and homework, we decided to go into Chapala. After haircuts and a shopping trip to the largest Supermarket in the lakeside area, the kids wanted to go to one of the outdoor markets, so we went. By this time it was P’s bedtime and I was feeling anxious to get home so I could bathe him and put him in bed. My husband mentioned that it had been a while since we stopped in at our favorite taco stand which usually was ready to serve tacos at 8 p.m. Now being the organized- stick to the schedule- type woman that I am, I was really wanting to just get home ASAP, and the stress was building! My husband had to stop at a Papeleria (paper store) and the kids enjoyed going with him while I waited in the car with the baby. Preston fell asleep. Quiet moments in the car are some of the most inspirational moments of my life!!! The thought came to me… What the heck! Let’s go for tacos! Who cares if the baby isn’t in his bed at his exact regular bed time! So he’ll miss a bath today, so what! Maybe we’ll get home a little late, so what! We’re having fun as a family and that’s what matters! Ahhhh…I thought! So this is what it feels like to surrender. What a WONDERFUL feeling, to just go with the flow. So we went for tacos! Happily! The kids happily ran to the market across the street and got drinks, and we sat in the car (it was a bit chilly outside) eating delicious Mexican tacos as a family. It was a delightful evening. How thankful I am for quiet moments of contemplation, and thoughts that remind me to “stop and smell the roses” a little longer.

While flying off into the sunset, my husband took this picture of his buddy flying off into the sunset.
Lake Chapala

El Nopal Mine

While in Guanajuato, we toured the El Nopal Mine. Exploratory work began on this mine before 1868.
D took this picture. He was pretty enthused about the gold vein.
After our guided tour, which of course was all in Spanish, the kids gave us an English rundown of how the mine works.

Guanajuato Tunnels

The tunnels of Guanajuato are amazing. The roads winding under the city are plentiful and unfortunately pictures don't do it justice. This is a picture as we exit a short tunnel.
Historic Guanajuato, entering a tunnel.

Guanajuato city

Guajajuato city


Entering Guanajuato city

Guadalajara Temple

I finally took some pictures of the Guadalajara, Mexico LDS Temple. They're doing some construction in the parking lot.
I love October in Mexico. Couldn't ask for a better climate.

Leftover Pizza

Today something happened which caused me to, yet again, reflect on some of the differences between life here in Mexico, and life in the United States. It also caused me to take another look at many of my own limiting fixed beliefs.

We spent the day in Guadalajara. We decided to have lunch at Pizza hut. We ate our fill, and decided to take the few leftover pieces of pizza home to eat at some later time. We also had 1/2 of a large bottle of soda leftover, so we took it with us too.

The streets of Guadalajara are often filled with street vendors anxious to sell their goods. This was the case today as usual. Items for sale range from phone cards, to beautiful roses, to maps, and food of all sorts. The vendors wait at the stop lights and when the light turns red they walk between the cars offering their items.

I was sitting in the back seat attending to the baby. When we came to a stoplight, the vendors began to make their rounds. My husband rolled down the window and offered the pizza to a vendor. The vendor gladly accepted it with much thanks. Then seeing the delight in this man's eyes, my husband told my son to pass him the soda. The next vendor was a young boy. As the boy offered his items for sale, my husband offered him a bottle of soda. The boy accepted with thanks.

As we drove away my husband mentioned the instant hesitation he felt when the idea first entered his mind to give the pizza and soda away. The hesitiation stemmed from his own fixed beliefs that these people wouldn't want the food. My own beliefs were very similar to his. Somehow we've developed beliefs that the people would just throw the food away. Perhaps that would have been the case if we were in the States, I don't know. That wasn't the case at all! As we drove off, I looked back and smiled as I watched the man open the pizza box and eat the pizza.

I'm so thankful for these plentiful learning opportunities. Today I learned to cease judging and to continue to rid myself of limiting fixed beliefs.

Fieldtrip to Technologico Chapala

A group picture taken on the fieldtrip for 5th and 6th grades.
D enjoyed touching the snakes on display.
The bus ride over. The boys had a great time in the back of the bus.
A Huge Iguanna.

October Pictures

P gets his baths in the sink, either the kitchen or the bathroom. This one was taken in the bathroom.
A view of Ajijic from the roof top (mirador). The tree to the left is a rubber tree.
P crawling on the rooftop mirador.
I took this picture from the roof. It is common to see people riding down the cobblestone roads on horseback. I love to sit outside and listen to the sounds of the village.