God's precious Colombians!

Linda had to come all of the way to Milwaukee to learn to make agua de panela, patacones, arroz con leche and empanadas.  Ha!  And, not only is she learning from me... but from her mother, via phone, in Colombia!  

nuestros queridos amigos

Thanks, Wetzels!  Who knew that Spot It would be such an international hit?!

Shoo!

Well... where have we been?  Here and there, back to here and then to there again.  You see, IT has begun.  I didn't want IT to, but... it is a good time for my children; so, we drive to the eastside for Ballet, downtown for Tap and center-city for Soccer.  You know, dodging distracted pedestrians, protecting us against passers-on-the-right, getting rear-ended... that IT.  Oy!  I wish that we could afford a personal driver!

But, the kids are thrilled!  Sophie practices her ballet moves all week long, in between lessons, and sautes through church each Sunday, looking for her beloved teacher.  Ty wobbles his stanky leg whenever the spirit moves.  And Girumy, well, the kid wears his shin guards and long socks around the house all of the time!  His first class last week was a bit rough and he was even assigned a personal trainer for the last half.  He'll catch up.  Regardless, he LOVES it.

Other than that, we are trudging to the end of ManSoul Academy's Term 2.  Knowing that there is just one more term of official classes actually encourages me.  And then we'll be on to Summer's Nature School... dirt, dirt, worms, compost and more dirt!  Wahoo!

Now for some photos:

Building and then flying planes is how the kids spend most of their free time.

That is, when they aren't dressing up.

Ah, my children!

Four generations, beginning and ending with an Ona.  Oh, and that's our newest arrival!

Actually, she is really our newest arrival.  Nuestra querida Linda... who is making Girumy think twice about his plans to marry Miss Fears.  Ha!

Tita and Tito-inspired ink, kindly provided by Ty's dear God-family in Japan.

I am so grateful for these sweet twin times.

God is good!

Four years...

... cancer-free.

Thank you, God, for your mercy.

Hallelujah! Wahoo! Woot, woot! And, another hallelujah!

Two days ago, Girumy came up to me and said, "Corrrrrrrrrrrro.  Perrrrrrrrrro.  Ferrrrrrrrrrrocarrrrrrrrrrril."  And then we both burst into the happiest laughter.  FINALLY!  Finally, my baby can rrrrrrrrrrrrroll his r.  Shoo.  I had been so upset that he seemingly wasn't able; but, praise the Lord, he can!

And then, this week, Ty began to read in Spanish!  Wahoo!  Everytime he sounds a word out, we two burst into happy, grateful, relieved laughter.  Thank you, God!

Happy laughter all around

Praise the Lord!

Bits and bobs

So, last Sunday I was in the lobby after Service, chatting with some friends, when I realized that the two older African-American women behind me were touching and talking about Sophie's braided head.  I turned around and said, "What was that?"  One of the ladies then asked me who braids her hair "for me."  "I do!"  And the lady incredulously replied, "Hush your mouth!"  "I am her mother and it's my job to take care of her.  Plus... ... (Should I say it?)... ... pale people know how to braid too, you know."  And then the compliments and encouragement were showered upon me.  Ha!

For the second time in my life, I was recently told that I have the "soul of an Ethiopian."  I loved hearing that!

School... goes.  I am going to push through Term 2, trying to teach the twins to read and then I'm going to give it up for a term.  That is usually very helpful.  Right now, the twins are working on spelling two-syllable words and reading all of the one-syllable words out of Harold y el lApiz color morado, while I read the rest.  -a deep sigh-

I guess that I should have had her spell pila, not pilo.

 And then, and then!  Enter Super-Dad!  Rob took the kids over to the Catholic school's parking lot wherein there is piled an enormous amount of snow and he dug a tunnel.  The kids LOVE it!  Rob even won the approval of our neighborhood Guru-of-the-outdoors.  And so far, the school children either haven't found it, have such good manners that they haven't destroyed it or aren't allowed to climb on Snow Mountain.  My guess is the latter.

The garden

As I look out the window beside me, I see our neighbors' blindingly white roof.  To the front is the snow-covered cemetery in the distance.  Thankfully there are cozily decorated walls to my left and behind me to keep me from feeling as though I were trapped in a snow globe.  Ah!  The horror!

Also thankfully, the seed magazines continue to arrive, showing me all of the onions that I can begin growing in just one month.  Wahoo!

So, as I prefer not to set myself up for public failure, I haven't shared last year's garden goal: to grow a decent onion.  Now, I will share that I realized my goal.  I grew several nicely sized, tasty onions.  How?  Well, apart from God's mercy, I think it was starting the seeds in January and then the soaker hose.  Irrigation makes all of the difference.

As for the upcoming year, I will vaguely share (in case anyone has any advice) my goals: 1) I would like to grow a decent melon.  2)  I would like to grow enough food to last a bit into the fall.  I have very specific ideas for Goal 2, but I shall keep them under wraps until I see how close I come.

God, thank you for the gifts of the earth, water and life!

My boys