Its Been a good Day:)

This morning, we made our way through school pretty easily.  Less interruptions than yesterday definitely helped.  I got a chicken going for dinner, made lunch and cleaned up and then we got to watch these cuties while their mom and dad went out for a much deserved kid-free lunch to celebrate their anniversary:)  Erika and Tori are both such great babysitters.  And their mom rewarded us with the yummiest Mocha Brownies...yeah, we like chocolate and coffee!

Tomorrow is the end of the first quarter (9 weeks).  It is a relief.  We are right on task.  The kids are doing great this year in school.  I love watching them learn.  I love watching them “get it” when they have struggled.  I love watching the joy of learning in action.  I gave them each a pack of gum for doing a great job and Erika was thrilled and said, ”This time I won’t eat it all at once…I will make it last.”  We’ll see.

I have this amazing sister and brother in law….They are completely supportive in all ways of our family here in Belize:)  They are some of our biggest cheerleaders.

About a month ago, we began to talk about what Tori wanted to do for her 14th bday.  The ONE thing she really wanted to do was to tie dye with her friends and have a sleepover.  The problem was, we couldn’t find the stuff to do tie dye anywhere.  Of course, I have never done it before, but was not able to find the things that I would google.    So, I sent an email to my sister in law, the crafty one:)  And she rescued me.

Today, we received a HUGE box full of goodies for everyone.  Snacks, sunblock facesticks (because we lost ours when we visited the states), gifts for both girls’ upcoming birthdays and a TIE DYE kit.  And of course, she went over and beyond and got cute little bags and fabric markers for the girls to decorate too.

Lets just say its been a great day at our house:)

We feel so blessed and so grateful.  Many things are not included in pics on here...some because they are gifts!!!  But we are so thankful and now really looking forward to a super fun birthday party for Tori!!

Living in a house with a Revolving Door

By nature, I am a pretty private person.  If we are going to do something as a family, I would prefer it to be just us.  My family would prefer there be other people.  On a Friday night, I am very content for Lee to take the kids somewhere and for me to be home alone...alone:)  That is not sad to me...I just enjoy sometimes having some time alone.

On Wednesday nights, Lee teaches the LLT to a group of people.  I typically take that oppurtunity to catch up on some things alone in my room.  Because my life is a revolving door.

Let me share with you yesterday's happenings:

Let me preface it, that our son came home from the city around 12:30 the night before, so that meant we automatically started the day dragging.

I set my alarm for 6:15 to get up and do laundry...didn't happen.

Around 7:00, I awoke to Lee running outside to let the painter in the gate.  And the painter began working on the outside of the house...repairing a part of the wall, etc.  

I quickly got up and got ready for the day, started some laundry.

I was busy doing various chores and began trying to rouse my children a little before 8.

By 8:30, the lady who helps clean once a week (I cannot imagine not having her help!!!  Since I still end up cleaning every other day...) showed up and started working on Erika's room...which meant I could not yet start school with Erika.  Still trying to get my older two going, working on laundry, chores, etc.

9:00, a missionary who helps Lee once a week, showed up.  So, we now have three extra people at our house, while I try to work with my kids on homeschool.

The poor lady is trying to work around all of us, sweeping, mopping, etc.  And then we get a truck out front  delivering us a free case of coke for the one that Lee got that was full of gunk a week ago.  So, we are trying to quickly gather empty bottles to fill another case to give to him.

Then, on cue, the tortilla truck comes down the street blaring its horn.

After lunch, I need to go and visit a church family that has had a very sick child, but on the way to recovery...I take the girls with me.  It is a very hot day by now.  We make a couple other stops and I decide to surprise the boys and get snowcones.  I get home...the painter is still here...and there are two other guys (for which I did not buy snowcones:(  But boy, they were refreshing.

I get to work on making dessert because a family is bringing homemade pizza for dinner for us tonight to try. We are having a halloween outreach and will be selling pizza and he can do it for much cheaper...a blessing to us.

By now, it is around 4.  I sit and relax for a moment.

6:00 comes and it is time for the LLT meeting.  Normally, I would have had to rush and cook and clean up before this, but tonight, we are eating after.  So, I go shower...it has been a miserably hot day.

7:15, our guests arrive with pizza...but the LLT is just wrapping up...so about ten people gather their things, their babies and we transition to our next activity: dinner...and it is good.

Around 8, Jesse shows up to get the van to take to worship practice.  And about 30 minutes later, he is back...no practice tonight.  Then Earlyn shows up looking for Jesse...all while we are still visiting with the first family.

We have a great visit, but honestly, I am wiped...and when they left around ten, Tori and I had a sink of dishes to clean up.

This is just one day...but our home truly is so busy.  All the time.  And while all this coming and going happens, I am still trying to cook, clean, teach, do laundry.

The Lord is constantly stretching us and moving us out of our comfort zones.  But we are thankful as well.  I am thankful when I get a call first thing this morning from a person that the Lord is doing amazing things in her life...and she shares of the Lord using her.  I am thankful because we have the horrible problem of trying to finding somewhere to move our Sunday morning service to...because we have outgrown the room we are in. I am thankful because tonight I will have a houseful of kids, who will get my floors dirty again, after I just cleaned them again this morning.  I am thankful that my life has meaning.  I am thankful that my children know what it means to serve.  I am thankful He trusts us with these ones.  I am thankful that even as kids stray, they always know they can come back...and they do.

Lee is currently at the hospital.  One of our little boys had his appendix out this morning...he is just ten.  And another family, her teen son was bit by a snake and is in incredible pain.  Please pray for both of these boys. Another of our little boys, 4, was in the hospital with Salmonella poisoning over the weekend.  The bigger we get, the more needs in our congregation.

Also, please pray for us to find a location to meet.  Every door seems to be closing...and we really need to move soon.  Thanks:)

My Birthday

I was so blessed to get away for my birthday this year.  There were so many times in the days leading up to it that I thought we should just cancel, but I am thankful my husband didn't listen.  When the crime rapidly increased in the past few weeks, I felt very anxious about leaving the kids alone.  We don't have grandparents or aunts and uncles here:(  One of the girls from our church stayed with the kids, but it was more a companionship thing.  But friends reassured me that they would be JUST FINE:)

Friday and Saturday were full of chores for me, knowing the house needed to be halfway clean, clothes washed, sheets changed, some food in the fridge before I left.  In fact, when a friend stopped by Saturday afternoon, I was so tired...that her visit was actually good for me to just sit and talk:)

Sundays are always busy, but I woke up Sunday morning excited about our getaway to come.  It was cool Saturday night and I think that made my mood happy too.  After church, it had warmed up, but we quickly got through our tear down, two trips back and forth to the church, unload the car, wait for the other van, eat a quick lunch...and come home and finish packing....

I think we got in the car before 3 to head to Cayo, and I instantly felt relaxed.  We enjoyed a nice, quiet car ride where we were able to just talk and catch up without interruption.  Lee had a friend who is a tour guide book us at a hotel that we actually stayed at years ago on a mission trip here.  But they have remodelled and it was so beautiful.   I felt like I was in an American hotel, with all the outside beauty of staying in Belize.  The grounds were very lush and full of birds singing.  We went into the room and RELAXED.  We enjoyed the simple luxury of TV, Air Conditioning, and no cooking.  It was amazing!!!!

We enjoyed a beautiful dinner outside.  The waitresses came and sang me Happy Birthday and brought us an Oreo cheesecake for dessert.  It was all just so perfect.  We ate overlooking the beautiful patio and pool. The weather was so nice.

 Of course, we checked on the kids a few times, but they were having a blast.  It was just so relaxing to get away from it all.  Homeschooling means little time for just Lee and I.  What a gift to just spend time catching up:)

As we were getting ready Monday morning, we saw these beautiful Toucans right outside our window.   My photo doesn't do them justice.  

A quick walk down by the pool before we headed for some errands in Spanish Lookout on our way home.

This is the very steep hill that we walked up and down dozens of times when we stayed at this hotel years ago.  I think Tori was around 6 and Josh was 9.  I was thankful we had a car this time:)  But what a beautiful view of the city.

So, it was a quick, but nice trip.  We came home after a nice lunch at a diner in Spanish Lookout, that the whole time I was thinking...we need to bring our kids here:)  Always a mom.  I was greeted with lots of love and sweet cards when I got home.

One more birthday...what a blessing.

A Day in our Life

Its Friday...an easier day for me.  Erika only does school Mon- Thur, so Fridays, I may read with her, do a craft, but there is no formal schooling.  Josh and Tori still are working though:(

We were dragging this morning because it has been raining all week...and the rain is just so nice to sleep in.  Thursday nights are a big ministry night for us, and after cleaning up after everyone leaves and Lee driving everyone home, Friday mornings we are tired.  Actually I got a text at 6:15 that woke me up, but I went back to sleep for a little while.  I was the first one up...and I like it that way.  The house was quiet.  I opened the front door and it was beautiful and rainy lightly still...

I enjoyed my breakfast of a zucchini muffin and iced coffee...in the quiet house.  I made about 3 dozen of these muffins last week and froze them.  It is great.  We just pop one out at a time into the microwave.  And they still taste so fresh:)  And my coffee is actually leftover from our Monday night meeting.  I just sweeten it and stick in the fridge and all I do is add milk each time I want some.  Yumm.  Special Starbucks coffee I got for free from a friend in the states while we were there:)

Then I went in to wake up my market buddy.  She loves to go to market, but was cozy in her bed this morning.  Finally I was able to get her up and she helped make her own breakfast.  I was so excited to find these oatmeal packets at our pet food store, of all places.  They make feed and cereal.  I know, kind of scary, but they are really yummy and an easy breakfast.  Erika and I are the only breakfast eaters of the family:)

See our sight word tree...this is our Fall Wall:)

So, we got a late start heading to market and errands at 9.  It was crazy and people were parked so CRAZY everywhere...that is why I need Lee to take me...I would have just come back home...after crying over the chaos of all the cars going every which way.

I always want to take more pictures at market...all the hustle and bustle, the coolers of fish for sale, the garage sale like booths full of clothes from the states, the booth with the Menonites selling furniture.  But I also dont want to be offensive.  I am not a tourist, I live here...so it changes things.  I don't want to take pictures of people working hard just trying to feed their families...for fear of making them uncomfortable.  There is a sweet girl, Tori's age, that works at one of the booths.  I have gotten to know her and she just goes to school later on market days.  But she is so kind and always gives me a better deal...even this morning telling me to get the potatoes from a certain bag because they are fresher.  I love going to market.  Sure, it is muddy and sweaty and in some ways, a pain.  But I love the milling around of people.  I love picking out fresher produce than I would get at the store.  And I love how much  my five year old loves it:)

Next, we stopped at the commodities store for flour and sugar, the chicken store, for chicken and eggs and then the feed store to get Stormi's slop...ugh....that stuff stinks.  Here are Lee and Erika coming out with a drink while the guy loads the feed in our trunk.  It is good that was our last errand because it smells up the car!!!

The irony...wearing a Dr. Pepper shirt while drinking a Coke.

Pulling up to the house and we see our amazing guard dog watching over things and resting after a full night of running back and forth and barking.  She takes her job very seriously and we appreciate that.

And just for fun, here is what I got:

10 grapefruit $1 US

5 apples $2.50 US

3 red onions $1.50 US

9 bananas .50 US

3 lb potatoes $1.50 US

18 limes $1.50 US

So, I actually spent a little less today...$8.50 US.  And I go to Market twice a week.  Yes, we go through that much produce.  Five people...most meals and snacks at home...

30 eggs  $3.25 US

3 5# bags white sugar

1 5# bag brown sugar

1 5# bag baking flour   totalled $7 US

Came home and boiled a pot of eggs...good, easy protein that is ready food...Washed the pan, and am now cooking a chicken.  To pick up a rotisserie style already made chicken, you could get it from a restaurant for about $10 US...so I make my own chicken, and cut it up for soups, casseroles, or sometimes we just eat it.  I have found the best way to do the chicken is:

Wash the chicken with water and lime.

Take out all the guts and chicken feet (yes, chicken feet...most people eat...I discard)

put 2-3 garlic cloves and a quarter of an onion inside the chicken

Put chicken back in pot, pour olive oil, salt (i used seasoned salt) and pepper on top of chicken.

Fill pan with water and boil for a couple of hours.  The chicken will fall off the bone and so yummy and moist.  Your house smells so good and you can use the chicken for whatever.  Typically, I cook two whole chickens a week.

One of the biggest things that I have had to adapt to living in Belize is that I always have to plan ahead.  The girls and I are going to roll and bake meatballs today and freeze them.  So we have some on hand when we need them.  I can't go to Sams and pick up a bag in the freezer section like I used to.  I have to think ahead on meals constantly.  There are just not as many shortcuts here...except eating out...but that is expensive and not usually too fast either.  Having three hungry, growing kids who are home all the time, I find that food is a constant issue.  They will say, "there is nothing to eat here."  What they mean is that there is nothing, already prepared, that I can just stick in the microwave or eat immediately.  Most food here takes some prep time.  And I try to have some things like snacks always made or on hand.  But they go quickly.  So, today is kind of my restocking up day (except the regular grocery store...we did that Tuesday).  And I will spend the day, just cooking, etc, trying to catch up, so there are things for the kids to eat.

Also, laundry.  I do use the dryer, but not for everything.  During the dry season, things dry very quickly.  It is very hot, but things dry within an hour or two.  The dry season is three months long.  The rest of the year, it rains.  Sometimes more than others.   For instance, this week it has rained every day.  It is challenging to get clothes to dry.  Sometimes I put them out, only to have to run and retrieve them and they are drenched.  So, laundry is a constant thing you deal with here.  And if I have too much, there is not room to hang it.  So, most days, I will do at least one load...just to keep things moving.  I will hang what I can, that I know will dry in this damp environment, but I have to dry the rest.  Electricity is very expensive and even in the states, the dryer is probably one of the biggest electricity users.  But, there are just some things that never dry without it.  I honestly do not know what people do without a dryer here!!!

More pics.  The kids enjoying the grapefruit we got at market this morning.  Josh took two tests this morning..Speech and Spanish.  Both older kids still working hard.  Erika keeping busy making a beautiful picture.

So, now, I am going to shut this down for a while, make lunch and get busy on some other things.  Still lots to do today.  Children's church prep, need to run some more errands, dinner...then Destiny House tonight.  It is really for the teens, but we end up hanging out as a family too.  Its nice just to get out of the house on Friday nights and hang with some friends.

Comments PLEASE

Ok, I actually have had some feedback from people this week.

BUT, I love to hear from you.  Love to hear that people are really reading my blog (except my family....I know you guys do.)

I love to hear especially from new readers.  Love to hear from who, wherever, all over, is reading.

So, please, please, please...leave me a comment.  Even something short.

Yes, I know it takes time...but it would make me so happy.

THANK YOU:)

Seasons

As a girl who grew up in Western New York state, I have always enjoyed the seasons changing.  I am a Fall baby and that is truly my favorite time of year.  When I was little, I got a big, thick winter coat each year for my birthday.  In Texas, I may have needed a sweatshirt for my birthday.  Here in Belize, I MAY wear blue jeans on my birthday.  But considering it is a cool 80 degrees, I may wear shorts still:)

I really miss the cooler weather.  Even Texas got much cooler for fall and winter...although you guys act like it doesn't.  It has been very rainy for the past few days.  Great sleeping weather...great anything weather.  It is cooler and nice.  I am not sweating.  That is nice. (when I say cool, it is 25 C/77F at the coldest). The lady cutting Josh's hair and I were talking about how nice it is today and she was like, "it feels like Christmas:)"  with a big smile.  In my head, I thought, "not to me;("

But that is okay.  Because there is another kind of seasons.  The kind we go through in our life.  I am about to enter my last year in my 30's.  No, I am not ashamed of my age.  I feel I have made a great life in these first 38 years.  Or should I say I feel the Lord has made a great life for me.  I have a wonderful husband...that I have stayed married to...and three wonderful children.  I have served faithfully alongside my husband in four different churches.  But I do see myself entering a different season of my life.  I know I am not THAT old...but I do see my age creeping in.  I can't push myself like I used to.  I get tired-er now...I wear out.  Sometimes I just let my house go a little more than I used to.  Kind of like the early days of motherhood, I am in a stage of...my house is full of people and impossible to keep clean...but I am thankful for the people in my house.  One day, my house will be clean...and empty.  In a year from now, I may not feel the same way, but I am very comfortable with my age.  I do not fear getting older...because I feel I still have a lot of things to look forward to.  I don't look forward to my kids growing up and moving away, yet, I also do.  I look forward to grandkids and trips away where I don't feel I have to make so many arrangements before I go.  I look forward to having Lee all to myself one day:)

So, seasons.  Fall here is not filled with pumpkins and pumpkin pie.  I rarely burn candles like I did in the states...the scented ones are just way too pricey here.  There aren't quite the changing of leaves or cool nights.  But, there are other joys.  Other new experiences.

I made rice krispie treats for the first time in Belize last night.  We could only find colored (not jet puff) marshmallows and some off brand of Crisp Rice.   But hey, they were delicious...even though they were the color of green mold.  We sat around, after the LLT meeting Lee taught, enjoying eating them right out of the pan.  It was a fun family memory for me.  And it happened in fall:)  Erika has a HUGE tree on her wall filled with leaves of different colors with sight words on them.  There is my fall.  Erika is learning like crazy.  She amazes me with her sponge-like qualities.  We finish school and she wants more work.  Her friend had a bday this week...and we are a little late, but she wrote a card...all by herself to her friend.  I just wanted to cry.  All the letters were correct, not any were backward, and all words were spelled correctly.  She may have had a little help with the spelling...but I love watching her REALLY LEARN and be so excited to learn more.  Here is another fall memory for me.

So, sometimes we have to learn to create new memories for the season of life we are in.  Sometimes, we just have to find those "moments".   Like yesterday, the girls and I were running errands and we stopped and got a chollis (cinammon/coffee/icecream).  Erika got a mini ice cream sundae.  It was an unplanned thing.  We had dropped off a book to be copied for children's church.  We were just there by Moonclusters....and I thought...that would be fun.  And you know what?  It was.  Another joy of homeschooling.  We finished early and got to enjoy our afternoon.

I am looking forward to setting up the Christmas tree we got half off last year after Christmas.  Christmas will be different again this year.  No extended family.  But we create our memories.  I can find joy in this season of less materialism.  I can find joy in this season of just enjoying my children.

The other night Tori, Erika and I were playing games.  We have had meetings at our house all week and so the girls and I often go hang out in my room.  I was saying to her how much more we play games here.  And it is because our life is so different here.  And we have to find ways to entertain ourselves here at home more...there are just not very many things to do...especially at night.  But it does create more family time in our case.  And I think that is kind of neat.  Again, a season in my life that may have never happened had we not come to the mission field.

So, what season do you find yourself in???

Crime, Fear...what God's Word says

Monday morning, we were awakened with a phone call that a lady who has been attending our church was broken into, robbed, and her husband brutally murdered during the night.  She was in the local hospital because she had to jump out her second story window to escape the man.  I became very distracted.  First of all, heartbroken for this woman.  Second of all, my stomach was tight with fear.  After all, her home is WAY more secure than any home I know of.  How could this horrible crime happen...here, so close to my life here...  Wednesday morning, we were once again awakened with more bad news.  A friend's best friend, a beautiful young UB student had been brutally murdered that morning in Cayo, about an hour from  here.  Turns out, that it was probably the same man who committed both crimes.  Recently, like Thursday, released on bail for even more crime!!!  Why was this man out?  Why now are two families grieving needless death.  Lately, I almost cannot even bear to check the news.  It seems filled with murders...and they are getting closer.

So, with a heavy heart, I did my regular Bible study...a women's Bible study that a friends' church has sent me.  It is excellent and always seems to pertain and apply to exactly what I need.  It is a year long study written by Lisa Santagate.  So the days topic?  Confess your Faith.  With conviction, I read some of the following words..."During crisis, it is imperative to confess what the Word of God says about our situation.  Faith produces the positive.  Fear and doubt produce the negative."  I would love to say I was instantly better.  I was also sending some facebook messages asking a friend to intercede for me...and am definitely feeling her prayers.

The reality?  Crime is rapidly increasing here in Belmopan.  It is no longer just the city that is dangerous.  The other reality?  God does not always call us to the safest places.  God is using our family.  Lee is currently ministering at a conference in the city...and everyone knows about LifeNet.  Why?  Because the Lord is using our family to bring something fresh and relevant to the Belizean people.  And Belize desperately needs that touch that only Jesus can give.  And we are seeing lives change.

So, we keep our locks locked and read Psalm 91.  Yes, we must live wisely.  We must use caution and wisdom.  And then, we must trust God.  Trust Him that He has his hands on our family.  That we are "dwelling in the secret place of the Most High."

PSALM 91
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler[a]
And from the perilous pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
8 Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10 No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12 In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.