Day To Day Adventures In Mexico

 Dear Kids, 

Here are a few things I don't want to forget about the day to day living in Mexico:

-We must remember when the water wasn't working AT ALL and it was coming out in just drips from the laundry sink faucet. We put water jugs there and kept letting them fill up so we could use them for the dishes and the toilets, and to take showers!

-Setting up the podcasts each night for recording. That is quite a process! Putting up blankets all around the room. Laying a blanket on the floor and in the windows. Then we have to move the kitchen table into the room with the TV screen and get all the computers and mics set up. Quite a process each night that we record!

-The kids getting bored of the "time loop" they are in right now as we focus on the podcasts. They are getting REALLY into stop motion videos!

-We have to boil the water on the stove in order to have hot water in the shower. 

-We have to wait to flush the toilet until AFTER washing our hands because when we flush it takes all the water away from the sink. 

-We can only use the internet certain times of the day. 

-Moving Elijah and Joshua from our bed to their bed on the night that we record, and Elijah being SO HEAVY for Brent to lift, I have to help him get up on Joshua's bed since Elijah is on the top of the bunk so that he doesn't fall backwards when he is getting Elijah back into bed!

-It takes double the time to pop a bag of popcorn in our microwave. 

-We get drinking water from the "AQUA" guys in the truck on Tuesday and Friday. And the kids ALWAYS come running from the pool to either myself or Brent (whoever is home working that day) to let us know. 

-Playing classic catches with Elijah and Joshua at the pool!

-Gabe and Elijah STILL love to play animals together with their stuffed animals. 

-Elijah and Joshua doing "Blue Mountain" at night when we snuggle and it's perfect because they have fun and all we have to do is just lay there! ha!

-when we got the water fixed and we could finally shower without buckets - that was AMAZING!

-Talia losing her tooth because of that crazy fight with Gabe and her knee hit her tooth and caused it to loosen and pop out. We have to get that fixed when we get home. 

-Talia getting a fat lip in another fight that she and Gabe had while mom and dad were on our date. She had a fat lip for several days!

-When the water just turned off on Saturday night randomly and we have had to get water from the pool area in order to flush the toilets while waiting a few days to get the water back on. Washing the dishes at night like the pioneers use to wash them. 

-Going to the pool EVERYDAY. At first the kids thought it was awesome, but they got burnt out with the pool by the end of the trip! The kids LOVE it when dad throws them up in the air in the pool. 

-Going to see Jurassic Park with dad! Just the older kids :-)

-Going to the mall every friday to go grocery shopping and get everything we need for the week. 

-The kids getting SUPER into stop motion video making, Talia and Gabe spend their time on stop motion like crazy! Talia created a youtube channel for her videos and has been learning how to edit. 

-Joshua having a lot of emotional break downs and finding his independence. 

-Leg growing pains at night for Talia and Gabe.

-We have been getting rides to church from Rhina, the primary president, she's been so awesome to pick us up!

-Going to the church for Wednesday activities. 

-Talia getting her first temple recommend IN SPANISH! Cool!

-Elijah landing on Dad's neck while at the pool and it crippled dad for a few days after. 

-Talia discovering her drawing talent while here and practicing her ukulele like crazy! Composing a song.

-Going to their favorite taco restaurant anytime we're downtown. 

-Getting into the habit of watching movies all the time and all the popcorn we eat! It's amazing how much popcorn we've gone through. 

-Having to send especially Elijah and Joshua out to run up and down the sidewalk when they are throwing fits and need to get their energy out. 

-Elijah and Talia dedicating themselves to listening to Harry Potter so they can watch the movies. 

-Keeping in contact with friends (Ella, Cody, Jace, etc) when calling them on video calls.

-Choosing movie treats every Friday at the Oxxo when we finish picking up the laundry.

-The kids LOVING choosing their own lunch at the mall food court!

Mother's Day Thoughts

 Dear Kids, 

Today is Mother's Day. It has definitely been a day that has been full of all kinds of emotions. 

I have felt immense JOY. Joy at being a mother. Talia made me breakfast this morning and all of you couldn't wait for me to open my gift. Your dad was so nice to take everyone out yesterday to find something for me. I felt JOY at the goodness of your hearts that wanted me to have something special. 

I have felt sadness. I miss my mom! This is the first Mother's Day without her. I miss hearing her voice and hearing her laugh. I miss her ability to help everyone feel welcome and wanting to keep everyone's hearts okay. She was so amazing at helping everyone feel special. I want to cultivate that within myself. I just miss my mom. 

I have felt a lot of homesickness today. I haven't wanted to be here in Mexico anymore. All of you asked us today, "Do we HAVE to stay for classes? Can't we just go home?" Honestly I wanted to say yes to that as well. Your dad was strong and told everyone that we needed to stay for all of church because it was the right place for us to be. Which he is right. But man, I have been just missing home a lot. I have wanted to be around all my family and friends during moments like this. 

I have had a lot of thoughts about mother hood. My friend, Katie Vrajich, made a post today on Facebook and I think it echos my thoughts a lot. She said this:

"One of my favorite things is to snap pictures of my friends doing normal motherly things. I love to look at those pictures and think of all of the millions of little things they do every day. It really is miraculous. It is truly a thing of beauty!

Child bearing and rearing is a gift of epic proportion. It has changed my heart completely.

But that isn't the only important part of motherhood. Long before children were ever thought of, Eve was given her name because "she is the mother of all living." What is it about a woman that engenders life? What is it that makes things grow?

My hypothesis is that it is love. I think that the LOVE of God, when it just flows right through us, has the ability to purify and refine us and infinitely create, nurture and grow the things and people around us.

It is literally our divine nature.

Wow. What a gift."

I have thought a lot about the LOVE in my heart. There have been a lot of emotions I've felt lately that have been very selfish in many ways. I have just come to see how much more I have to go to truly be a selfless person. It's also a challenge because of knowing how to have proper boundaries while practicing selflessness. I am still a work in progress and I am learning how to apply the principles of being Spiritually Centered within my own heart constantly. 

I feel like I am evolving so much the last few years. I feel like I am becoming a completely new person and I am trying to decide how I like that. I really love the old person I was, but this new person has new life experiences and more wisdom to back her up. This new person is trying to decide how to handle things in her relationship with her husband and her children as they grown into new people as well. 

There are a lot of things going in our home constantly. I just hope I am handling them the right way. 

I want to do things for Heavenly Father. 

All in all - I am SO GRATEFUL for Mother's Day. I am so grateful for my Heavenly Mother and I can't wait to get to know her better, depending on when more revelation is given about her and how I recieve more personal revelation about her. 

More than anything I agree with what Katie said. We grow things and people around us because of LOVE. It is quite a gift. I want to just let God's love flow through me. 

Please Lord, help me to feel Thy divine LOVE for everything and everyone around me. Please Lord, help me to let go of pride. Lord, show me how I can become more like Jesus in my family relationships. I love Thee Lord, Help my children know how much I love them and how grateful I am that I am their mother. 

I love you kids, 

Your Mom