Things I Want to Remember when Traveling With a Family

 Dear Kids, 

I want to write about the things I've observed and learned from WATCHING YOU while we've been here. I want to remember some of these things for future times we travel and for when people ask about how it is traveling with a family.

-I didn't give enough credit to how difficult the language barrier would be for everyone. Because I've learned a language before, I just didn't give much thought to how trying to learn a language would AFFECT YOU. I thought you would pick things up through "osmosis" and by being around it. And, no doubt you've picked up lots of things, but I didn't give enough credit to how much BETTER it would have been to have some formal language training BEFORE we came. We are just barely getting to the point where we are understanding the language more, and we've worked on it hard. But part of the problem is that NONE of us had a base except for dad. I didn't realize how VALUABLE having a BASE in the language would be BEFORE getting here. I would definitely advise anyone to get their kids a base of the language before getting "on the ground". 

-I knew we would be homesick, but I didn't have any idea how much homesickness would be a factor. I do think a big reason for this is that for 3 months we haven't done any "exploring" while we were working on the podcasts. That has caused the kids to be a little bit more "bored" and being in an apartment and with limited things to do, especially outside exploring, that has caused the kids to wish that they had other people around them to be with. We got into a groove of our everyday routine, and the kids just got bored with it and it really culminated in a lot of homesickness. I'm actually really glad that the kids have had the chance to understand what homesickness really includes, because it's an important awareness to have, I was just unprepared for what an emotional toll it would take on the kids, and then on me as a result, in order to keep their mental and emotional health in tact. 

-I think with that in mind, Brent and I have talked several times that THREE months in any place that we want to travel and really experience would be the PERFECT amount of time. It would give time to explore and see things without being frantic about "seeing the sites" for 2 weeks and then rushing through a "vacation". Three months of travel in a place is the perfect amount of time. And in the future, we won't have a project like the podcasts we'll be working on, and when we're out exploring, homesickness isn't really a factor because of adventuring. 

-I wasn't prepared for how much I would miss a car! If we are EVER going to be out of the country for a long time, I would ABSOLUTELY make sure our budget has a car factored in. Feeling "land locked" because of no transportation is a BIG DEAL, especially with a family and children. 

-I'm VERY GLAD for this experience NOT having a car. It was good for everyone to really know what it means to rely on public transportation and to rely on walking. 

-We didn't do enough research about the best way to handle banking out of the country. Just go with Schwab, every time, because of HOW much lower the costs are for transactions. We made about $150 worth of transaction mistakes with fees and stuff, which doesn't seem like a lot, but it adds up quick. And if we hadn't of caught it in time, then it would have been worse. Just use Schwab. 

-I didn't realize how much I wouldn't learn the language as fast as I wanted. I think because of the podcasts we aren't out and about as much as we normally would be and we're not involved as much in running around. I do think that's a factor, but in the end we speak English in our home and so we have to make up ways for the kids to practice, especially when they don't have friends they can talk to. I would in the future try to get them in an educational experience that would allow them to learn Spanish better, or whatever language it is that we want them to learn. We had a tutor come in (Vanesa) but it still just wasn't enough. Something else I would factor in is having a nanny come, a Spanish speaking nanny, simply for the EVERYDAY language practice. That would have been huge for learning the language, especially to FORCE me to converse. On the mission we were FORCED into situations where we HAD to communicate, but being here as a family, it isn't that way. Having a nanny would definitely force us to converse in Spanish more.

-Rachel Denning when we were first looking at traveling overseas for an extended period of time asked really good questions, "What are your goals? Why do you want to travel there?" She conversed with me about how it's SO MUCH MORE than just a vacation when you are LIVING overseas. there are so many more factors because you AREN'T going home soon, like on a vacation. Bringing your own books to read were HUGE. I wish we would have brought more books for the kids to use in their studies. Greg Denning, her husband, in a presentation one time said that actually, he said, "You can buy pretty much whatever you need when you get where you are going. But you can't buy books. My carry on luggage is always full of books."

-I would also add to that MEDICINE. Ibuprofen is SUPER expensive here. I think that's how it is in a lot of places. I would bring a big bottle of ibuprofen. Same thing with triple antibiotic ointment. It's SUPER expensive (like $15-$20 a tube). And good bandaids are hard to find. Antibiotics are EVERYWHERE, so that's easy to find. Also ESSENTIAL OILS are AMAZING for travel. The essential oils I used constantly, that I would bring SEVERAL bottles of each next time are: Frankincense (I used this all the time for inflammation, putting on kids throats, teeth issues, infection issues, etc.), Digestzen (I used this all the time! digestion issues over seas are a REAL THING that's for sure!), Helichrysum (for owies, bumps and bruises, used this A LOT), Tea Tree and Orange Oil for Skin care routine after shower (EVERY TIME I showered I would used these on my body. I know they helped me a ton), Peppermint roller for neck stuff, deep blue rub roller (for sore muscles and headaches and shoulder and back problems. We used this A LOT) Onguard (of course since this is a go-to for health), Breathe for asthma stuff and serenity for night time help. Those are definitely my TOP oils for traveling! They are compact and I would bring several bottles of each of these next time and then leave everything else. The other thing to have on hand is BENADRYL for kids and allergies that come up out of no where, as well as an inhaler for any breathing issues. 

-I LOVE my purse that I have for travel, but next time I would get the small backpack instead of the sling purse. Mainly for my shoulders and keeping my shoulders in balance, a backpack is better for that. 

-Piano practicing goals while overseas that the kids can practice at the church. I wish we had planned better for that. We could have brought songs that they already knew and they could keep up on, as well as practice books for scales and such. I would have liked for them to have a ONE SONG goal to learn while being away.

-Talia's ukulele SAVED us with music. I would bring that EVERY TIME. Music was a huge thing we have missed while being here and I'm so glad she brought that ukulele to practice and keep her music skills up. 

-I'm SO GLAD the kids learned "Peace in Christ" in Spanish to sing to the ward. I think ONE song to sing to people in THEIR language is a GREAT thing to add wherever we are. 

-I'm SO GLAD we brought the massager gun! That has been a HUGE help!

-It's been interesting to see how much the kids have needed predictability with QUALITY time with Brent and I while we've been here as well. We are always together as a family, but it's been super important to the kids to still have date nights all by themselves, as well as snuggle time at night. They have needed to know when we would pay attention to them individually FOR SURE. That as a part of the schedule is always very important. 

-I brought too many clothes. I could have cut it down by 1/2. I have used my really comfortable clothes a lot and my nicer clothes not so much. I would have brought TWO swimming suits instead of one. 

-I LOVE that we did the Mexico shirts! They have been a HUGE success with pictures and memories. 

-Making a rice heat pack with a sock is something we should have done THE FIRST WEEK that we were here. Brent finally made one the other day and it has been a huge help for neck stuff. 

-Next time I would plan better HOW to help the kids with their own blog and youtube videos while traveling. We brought a drone and everything in order to take some cool shots and video and we haven't done that at all. I would have planned better teaching them HOW to do those things BEFORE getting on the ground so that they were prepared with how to work with that technology. I think part of the issue has been that our mental energy has gone to the podcasts and we haven't had as much mental energy to help with projects like that, not as much as we originally wanted. 

-I'm REALLY glad that we've taken the time we have to teach the kids about street smarts. They are learning more and more about how important that is, and their observance of things around them is improving, as well as their ability to see someone who might be dangerous, and turn the other way and make sure to NOT put themselves in dangerous situations. 

-I'm so glad that we've had as much time with Brent as we have. It's been SO FUN to have him home full time and to take a break from work. I want to stay like that forever! It's on my wish list. 

-It has opened my eyes to traveling with Brent when we are older and the kids are out of the house. It's so cheap to travel as a couple! We could live overseas for NOTHING. 

-I LOVE how much this experience has opened up the kids eyes to other people and how they live. They have really started to recognize how blessed we really are with where we live. I'm really glad they are opening their minds and their eyes to all of our blessings. 

-I LOVE the exposure this has given all you kids with other areas of the world! The ocean! searching for seashells in the Caribbean! traveling around Cozumel in the Hulk car and having a blast! Seeing cenotes, seeing fish in the ocean, being on the ferry, going through air travel and what it's like on the plane, living in an apartment and not a house and understanding the difference, getting used to being the minority with language and skin color, using taxi's, using buses, ordering food in another language, seeing ruins, going to Tulum, going to Coba... they've had so many homeschooling experiences while we've been here! I love that!

-So glad we got Ipads for travel. Everyone has used them A LOT with school and travel. Also AUDIOBOOKS are a travel companion for children LIKE CRAZY. Talia finished Harry Potter series while we've been here, and Elijah is almost done! I wish we had more books for Gabe since he's a huge book reader, but he's been listening to "7 Habits of Successful People" while we've been here and that has been a GREAT book for him to dive into. 

We are so blessed! I love you kids, 

Your Mom

Miracles and Tender Mercies While Here In Mexico

 Dear Kids, 

I want to write down several miracles that have happened for us that has reiterated the Lord's hand in our lives while we've been here. List form is the best way to write these things down:

-Elijah has almost been hit by a car a couple of times. One day we were coming back from getting laundry and he walked out onto the road without looking or thinking about it, and the car that sped past him missed him by like ONE INCH. My mom heart dropped and just went crazy. After this happened and I was hugging him the spirit told me VERY specifically, "Andrea, your family is being watched over. You are on the Lord's errand. You are protected." Then I could see in my mind's eye how angels were right around Elijah and they were the reason why he wasn't hit by the car. In their miraculous way, they held him back and pushed the car over just enough so he was okay. This happened on another occasion as well.  Each time the spirit has reiterated the protection that we have as a family. I'm SO GRATEFUL for those miracles of protection. 

-When we were first here I had the impression SEVERAL times that we wouldn't have to worry about Covid-19 testing when we were going to be flying home in June. Well, we got to June and nothing had changed. I thought to myself, "well, I guess we are going to have to make sure and pray and ask for priesthood blessings in order to be okay." And then JUST YESTERDAY they changed the requirements! It's just in time for us to be getting ready to fly home! I remembered what the spirit had told me about my impression that we wouldn't have to worry about the testing, and I had the impression of, "Andrea, I told you." It was another witness that I hear the spirit's voice and there isn't a reason to doubt it when I hear it. I have so many evidences of when the spirit talks to me, it is building my spiritual confidence to be sure in that, sometimes I have a hard time remembering. No wonder the Book of Mormon tells us to "REMEMBER!". It's so important. 

-We were able to go to Cozumel! The kids really prayed that into our lives. 

-It is just a HUGE miracle that the Lord pointed us to be here for our first "living out of country" experience. He knew we needed a softer landing than Guatemala. Brent and I have talked several times about how much more difficult the WHOLE process would have been in Guatemala, not just with living conditions, but with recording and getting the podcast project finished. It would have been three times as difficult. The Lord knew we needed somewhere that wasn't so distant. 

-the other miracle we've experienced is becoming such good friends with Juan Lopez and his wife, Deanna. It was a miracle that we came where she was going back and forth to the states so much. And I knew we've been a blessing for Juan, especially Brent, because of the friendship they've experienced. Juan is going to be really homesick after we leave. I want to make sure to keep praying for their release from this legal issue with his green card. He is just a good guy. 

-It's been a miracle that we DIDN'T have answered prayers about getting a longer term vehicle. We needed the time without a car. We wanted to get a longer term vehicle while we were here, but the Lord knew that we needed the experience to walk as much as possible. He also knew that we needed to appreciate having a car more and He knew that we would have been more distracted from the podcasts had we gotten one. With how it's been we've had a lot of stretching experiences and we've been able to focus on this project full time. 

-the kids have had the miracle of not having any emergencies to have to go somewhere for intervention. There were a couple of times I was worried about some tooth infections because of how they bonked their teeth, especially Talia, one of her teeth broke off after bonking it super hard with her knee. I was worried about making sure it didn't get infected. I used frankincense everyday on it and we were very diligent about treating it, and no infection! No problems. That was been a MIRACLE while we've been here FOR SURE. 

-Another huge blessing is how close we are as a family. There has been a lot of fighting with the kids and "working out their differences", but it's forced us into that space. It's been a lot of enticement moments, especially for me, but they have had to learn how to depend on each other and how to love each other while we've been here because they don't have friends close. I know it's been hard on them not to be closer to their friends, but I'm REALLY grateful for everything it's taught them as well. They've needed it. 

-It's also been a HUGE blessing to not be so distracted. We've truly been on a mission while we've been here. We haven't had any distractions from the world or "busy-ness" of the world while we've been here. It's been REALLY refreshing in a lot of ways. There are many ways that I miss the classes and groups we were involved with. We've missed the theater and stuff, but there are so many benefits to not being so busy. As we've talked about going home, we're excited to be with everyone again - but we aren't excited about the "American busy-ness" that is going to enter our lives again. Gabe and Talia are at the ages where they are ready for more challenge in their academic lives - but I'm going to miss the simplicity that we've experienced here for sure. 

-Another miracle is that NANA has been okay while we've been gone. Brent was worried that we might have to fly home for her funeral if she passed away while we were gone, but she's been okay. I don't know how much longer she'll be with us, but I'm really glad she didn't pass away while we've been here. SO glad for that. 

-Another tender mercy that we've come to realize is how much the Lord helped us with GOOD landlords. They are from Canada and they are so reliable and they have an excellent network of RELIABLE people that we've had to work with. Our property manager that they have for us here is Melqui, and he's SUPER responsible. As we've talked with several other people, we've come to realize that the situation we have is VERY blessed. The Lord was looking out for us. So many other people who have had landlords from Mexico have had horrible experiences with their apartment, electricity, water, etc. while they've been here. And several locals have told us how rare it is to find the good situation we are in with people we can trust. The Lord had our back about that for sure, because we didn't even know that we could have had a harder situation, until our eyes have been opened after "being on the ground" longer. 

I love you kids. I hope you remember good things from being here, and GOOD LESSONS. Not everything has been easy for you, I know that, but the lessons are ALWAYS important, especially from the NOT easy stuff. 

I love you, 

Your Mom

Lessons Learning With The Podcasts & Experiences Recording, etc.

 Dear Kids, 

It's time for another update on the podcasts and the work we've been doing. There have been so many miracles in our lives while we've been here and so many attacks from Satan as well.

I have to put in list form what we've been experiencing with it so I don't forget anything:

-Every night that we record a lesson we set up the boys room. Brent figured out a system in order to set up the "recording studio". He got hooks, and put them in the walls (which are made of concrete by the way so that was an interesting time), then he connects a rope all the way around the room. After that is done, then he will put up blankets and towels around the room so it's enclosed and finish with putting a blanket on the floor. When that is done, then we have to clear everything off the table and carefully move it into the boy room - it's an interesting process because it's a small apartment, we have to be careful to put the legs of the table into the bathroom first, then into the boys room. then we'll put a fitted sheet on the table and set up the TV monitor so I can see the lesson visuals and get the mics set up on the table. We kill the AC when we record and then by the time the recording is done we are just sweating! Then we take everything down, take the table out and get the room clean in order to move the boys back onto their beds. 

-When we record it's always late at night, so the younger boys will fall asleep on our bed, and we'll move them back into their room usually between 1am-2am in the morning when we finish. Our schedules in our bodies have been totally off with this! We're not getting to sleep until at least 1am or 2am on recording night and then I'm so tired I have just been sleeping in until my body wakes me up!

-The first month we were here we didn't do much podcast work - we were getting life set up. It took a couple weeks to get comfortable with how the bus systems worked, getting around, getting familiar with the area, and we had visitors in the first month's time as well. Which was awesome. But then in March we really started getting busy with the podcasts. Brent finished the visuals first in the powerpoint presentation, then after that was done I was able to get going on the scripts. we tried to record without scripts at first, and it just wasn't going to work. The first time we tried recording we were both SO DISCOURAGED because it just didn't go or sound anything like we wanted it to! It took a couple times recording in order to get a flow. We practiced several times. But then as we found a flow, it was much better. 

-I've been mainly working on scripts, then once scripts are finished, Brent and I will go through them together, tweek some things, add something we missed, he'll adjust the visuals according to final draft. Then we read it together as a practice, then we'll record. In order to finish a script and then finalize the script with lessons visuals and quotes from the brethren and practice takes a few days with each lesson when it's gone well. Sometimes it will be a week for each lesson depending on what we've need to do in order to get a final draft for everything. 

-We started recording in April and now we are almost to the middle of June and we are almost done with all 14 lessons! It truly has been a miracle how much the Lord has helped us. There have been so many times when I have felt like I didn't know what needed to be said, and then as soon as a pray and sit down to put together the script, then Lord will just PLACE things in my mind. 

-In my patriarchal blessing it tells me, "Open your mouth and the Lord will fill it with everything needful." I have seen that fulfilled with this process. The Lord has filled my mouth with everything needful for the podcasts. And I have DEFINITELY known when something was "not needful". The spirit has been very direct about what is needed and what isn't. I'm SO GRATEFUL for that help, because this is the LORD'S project all the way. 

-The first time we recorded we had a tender mercy given to us of no loud noises. I'm so grateful for that because it went smoothly enough, and we NEEDED the emotional boost that resulted. It was a miracle, because every other recording session after that, we have had major opposition. The Lord was getting our muscles ready to face the opposition with it. 

-We had major opposition to the lesson about the Celestial Kingdom being the EASIEST for us to attain when we live our covenants. That night was unbelievable. The noises from the road were abhorrent. The dogs wouldn't stop barking, the neighbors were horribly loud. We recorded once and we had to stop it was so bad. So we went back and recorded again VERY late at night and finally finished really early in the morning. That was the night that we decided from then on out that we would just record REALLY late at night so we wouldn't run into so much opposition. 

-We were getting tired and burnout when we recorded lesson 10, and Heavenly Father gave us a tender mercy. He gave us rain. That night we hardly had any issues at all with noise! It went so smoothly and we needed it because of how burnout we were getting. 

-Then in the Godly Sorrow lesson, about "going to the garden" there was MAJOR opposition. We had neighbors that were partying. It was SO LOUD. We had to stop recording and wait for an hour. We prayed and prayed for help and the Lord drove them away for us. We then went back to recording and encountered several more issues, but every time, the Lord kept helping us. We finally finished and it is a beautiful lesson. 

-Another interesting thing through this process is to find how much we have learned with our parenting. EACH lesson when we were working on it, the Lord designed it so that our kids behaviors MATCHED whatever lesson we were trying to teach in order to teach us MORE about the quality we were talking about. EVERY TIME. When we were talking about the Holy Ghost, our kids needed help with the Holy Ghost. When we were talking about separating worth from performance, that is what we needed to help our kids with. When we were talking about enticements, the enticements in our home SHOT through the roof (losing AC, losing power, having water issues, etc)! It was interesting to see all those patterns and HOW the Lord was refining us within the teaching and REALLY applying what it was that we were teaching at the time. I *thought* I knew these principles really well before teaching about it, but the more that I've learned about the Thought habits of Jesus Christ through this process, the more I realize how much I don't know and how much I have left to go. BUT as I apply everything that we have been teaching, the spirit is guiding us along the way. ALL THE TIME. 

This whole experience has been refining in so many ways. Beautiful ways and very hard ways. Our kids have really been refined by this whole experience as well. There are so many things that have been adventurous for them, and other things that have been very difficult as well. I'll write about that in another post. 

I love you kids, All of this is worth it, I promise. Please let this experience teach you for your lives. I love you, 

Your Mom

Some Grief Feelings Over Mimi

 Dear Kids, 

I haven't written a lot about my grief with losing Mimi. While we've been in Mexico there have been a lot of "FIRSTS" to get through. Valentines Day, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Her and Dad's Anniversary, Her Birthday, My Birthday... Lot's of firsts. 

I have been missing her a lot lately - but I don't talk about it very much. Not because I don't want to, just because I get going with my day and I don't think about processing it very much. But I want you all to know my deep feelings - because one day you are going to be going through grief like this - after losing someone who is so important to you. And when you lose someone, each person losing them is different. Losing Shayla and the grief I felt with her and all the dynamics there were different than with mom. But I also know that even though they are different types of pain - the lessons that I've learned within the pain have been VERY similar. 

I think that's how it is with so many things in life. We all have different kinds of pain. We all go through different kinds of adversity. It looks different for everyone. But the lessons that we learn are so similar. We learn to turn to God, we learn to find peace in our Savior, we learn to dig deep roots of empathy and patience. We learn about what is most important in life - our relationships and those we love around us. We learn that the gospel of Jesus Christ really does hold THE ANSWERS. Going through such hard things has taught me over and over again the answers that the gospel really does give for the MOST important things in life. 

Sometimes I don't really have the right words to describe what I feel in the moment when something just gets my heart. But I miss my momma. I think I have been missing her for a long time. Years before she passed away I stopped finding rest with her. I feel sad thinking about that - but it's true. As she got sick and aged, I stopped going to her to get answers and receive rest. There were times when I was really frustrated with her, and so I went only to God and to Jesus. But I'm glad for that because ultimately they are the ones who can give true rest for my soul. But I miss my mom. I miss when I was able to find rest within her. I miss when I thought she had all the answers. I miss her laugh and her smile. I miss her ability to love everyone and uplift everyone around her. 

She made people feel so special. She was so good at that. She was so gifted at watching after people's hearts when they were around her. I want to be like her. I want to be half of the mom she was. I hope you can feel that same way about me. I hope you can know that I adore you and love you. I hope you know that I will always put you first in my life. I hope that you always feel my testimony of the gospel and that I KNOW Jesus is the answer. Always, He is the answer for every aching heart. 

She did her job well because she taught me to turn to God. If I can teach you all to turn to God like she taught me, then I have done my job as a mom with you. 

I love you kids. I dont' know what's going to be happening in our future. I don't know the other hard things that are going to show up and when. I don't know when Jesus is coming back. But I know in whom I have trusted - and IT IS THE LORD. 

I love you, 

Your Mom

Answered Prayers To Go To Cozumel

 Dear Kids, 

Wow! I haven't written for almost a month! It's been interesting because we've been busy, but not so busy all at the same time. We've had the same type of schedule for the last month because mom and dad have been working so hard on the podcasts - you kids have been following the same routine. The last couple of days you've been ready to be done with that!

We went to Cozumel for my 45th birthday celebration! That was super fun. We had a great beach day, got a TON of seashells, had a cute little apartment to stay in, had fun shopping and eating, and drove around the island in "Hulk: The Green Monster". That car ride around the island was so much fun! 

We experienced a miracle! There was a storm coming in and it was supposed to start before going to Cozumel. I just prayed and asked if it could be held off until we got back. And Mimi and the Lord gave me a birthday present of perfect weather! An hour after we got back from our trip the rain started coming down and it's been raining for 6 days since~! I'm so grateful that the Lord counts the hair on our heads and He knows the deep desire of our hearts. I have learned in my life that I trust Him totally. In my prayers I said, "Lord - if it rains and we have to cancel our trip, then I will still praise you, no matter what I'll praise you. But if you could please hold it off so we can go, I would just be so grateful." 

And He heard my prayer! There have been times in my life that sometimes it doesn't work that way - and I have learned to praise God no matter what. When it works out the best for Him to answer the prayers of my heart, I'm always so grateful. And I've learned that when I don't get answers, then there is always something else coming that is more important for me to do or to learn. Like - we wanted to get a long term car rental while we've been here. We looked and looked for something that would work and would be affordable - but the Lord did not make that available to us. We haven't found a long term car rental to use. It's not that He didn't care about answering that prayer, it's that HE KNEW that it was going to be better for us to NOT have a car. We've needed the reminders of what a blessing it is to have a car. We've needed to identify with what people live with when they have to use public transportation. And I told you guys the other day that maybe one reason why is protection. Maybe if we had our own car, we would have gotten in an accident. Or maybe we would have been distracted from the podcasts too much and it wouldn't have been the best thing for us and our goal. 

The Lord ALWAYS knows best. I have learned to trust HIM ALWAYS. I hope you all know how much I love you and that I LOVE GOD. 

I love you, 

Your Mom

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

Playing Animals With Joshua & Creating Memories

 Dear Kids, 

Today Gabriel was telling me about a little story that I wrote about him in my journal, many years ago. And as he was telling me this story I wrote down I realized, "I haven't written very many stories from our lives lately". Mainly thinking about the innocence of Joshua and how he is going to be growing out of that innocence very soon, and I haven't captured some of his stories lately. 

So I want to tell you a story about Joshua. 

Since he is the youngest, he is ALWAYS asking his older brothers and sister to play with him. Especially to play "Animals". Animals is a game that Gabe and Elijah have played for YEARS (Talia used to play it, but doesn't anymore). Joshua has learned the game from Gabe and Elijah, by watching them. And lately he has wanted to play his own game of Animals, as much as possible. 

For days I heard him say, "Gabe, will you play animals with me?"... or "Elijah, will you play animals with me?"... then he started coming to me and saying, "Mom will you play animals with me?". 

The answer to MOST of these requests from him were, "Not right now Joshy, I'm doing my school." Or "Not right now buddy, I'm finishing the dishes."

He started getting rejected ENOUGH that he was getting super, super sad. So I made up my mind that when he asked me again, I would tell him "yes!". 

Joshua came up to me today and said, "mom will you play animals with me?" and I said, YES!!

He was SO EXCITED. His cute little eyes looked up at me with such happiness and excitement. He was just thrilled. He went and gathered his stuff animals. He has like 7 really small stuffed animals that he brought with him here to Mexico. We sat at the table and he asked, "Okay, what should we play?". So I said, "Let's play 'Travel to Mexico'!"

He was all about that. Then he proceeded to play the game and just completely blew my mind. He remembered ALMOST EVERY DETAIL of getting ready to come here. In the game while replaying everything from his mind with his animals, he recounted what he packed, where we were, what we were doing, what he remembered, the airplane, where they stowed everything, waiting in lines, taking rides everywhere... SO MANY DETAILS. 

It was amazing to me. I had the spirit tell me, "Andrea - he's always watching."

Just like all of you. You are ALWAYS WATCHING. It is easy for me to forget that. I get involved in "getting things done" everyday, so much so that I forget that we are creating engrained memories that are going to last a life time. 

It is a happy thought and a crazy thought all at the same time. There are some things I don't want you to remember. But there are other things I want you to hold onto like crazy. The funny thing is, you will remember the most random things. 

For example - I remember when I was about Talia's age and my mom was going through a homemaking course on some cassette tapes. She was listening to how to run a home better. I remember her listening to these tapes, and then one day when I was right behind her while she was walking down the hallway I distinctly remember her saying, "Paula, go back and pick that up off the ground."

There was a toy on the ground that she then turned around and she picked it up. 

I have NO IDEA why it was THIS MEMORY that stuck with me, but it did. It has an impact on me. I remember being impacted by it. Now looking back I can put words as to the reason it impacted me. I now know that it affected me because she was doing her best. She wanted to take care of her home the best way she knew how. She was applying what she was learning. And I loved her for it. 

So kids, I know you are going to remember things that will be random like that. But I hope that you can find the silver lining in all the memories. To remember that everything we did, it was because we loved you. We are learning, your dad and I, how to be parents. I hope you know that we are doing our best. And we LOVE YOU SO MUCH. 

Thank you Joshua, for playing "Animals" with me today and reminding me of the little things. Yes we've done some pretty cool things in Mexico. But I secretly hope that one of the memories here for you is remembering your mom playing Animals with you. 

I love you kids, 

Your Mom

Don't Give Into Pride Of The World!

 Dear Kids, 

There is so much pride in the world right now. It's quite astonishing to me actually. Being away from the typical "Mormon Culture" I can see where pride is sinking into the hearts of so many members back home. 

Being critical of the doctrine of the gospel. 

Defaming the Prophet and Apostles in the public square (which is social media for us).

Demanding things constantly. 

How are we like the children of Israel? How much are we like them when we are always pushing for the prophet to get more and more revelation about what should happen? When in reality the prophet is pushing for us to GET CLOSER TO HIM OURSELVES. 

My heart aches thinking about it. Our world is so caught up in "not judging" people or situations around us, that we have forgotten a very important point:

It is NOT our place to condemn. That is God's job. But it is our place to RIGHTEOUSLY JUDGE. We are told to have discerning eyes, mind and hearts. To discern the difference between good and evil. That is righteous judgement. 

And from my viewpoint I can see VERY CLEARLY how there are too many members of the church who are getting led astray onto cloudy paths because of pride. 

I need better words to describe the very detailed situations that I see. I will ask for the Lords' help to open my mouth and articulate better. 

More than anything from this post I want you to do a personal check in. Ask yourself: Am I steeped in pride? Am I trying to put my thoughts and views above what the Lord has counseled? 

Those are a few of my thoughts tonight. 

I love you kids. So much. Please know that, just like the scriptures say with the Sons of Helaman, that YOUR MOTHER KNEW IT. I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the answer to every issue in this world. It is the answer. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is real and tangible, when you give ample time for building of that relationship. 

I love you, 

Your Mom

Practicing "Peace In Christ" & Angel Mimi visiting

 Dear Kids, 

We've been practicing all week to sing "Peace in Christ" or "Paz en Cristo" (en espanol) in sacrament meeting for Easter Sunday tomorrow. 

Yesterday I started getting a sore throat and today it's just gotten worse and I haven't felt well. In fact, the whole time we've been in Mexico I have been experiencing lots of different sicknesses. It's been interesting. I think I wrote about a blessing that Brent gave me with the kidney stuff I was experiencing and in the blessing Heavenly Father said that I am not going to be experiencing anything life threatening, but that He is "allowing me to experience things that are normal". Basically telling me that I get to experience these things while we're here for my good and to "bear it well". 

Anyway, I got a sore throat, and I think it might be strep throat. So tonight Brent gathered all of you together to practice singing for tomorrow, and you practiced parts without me, just in case I can't sing. 

I was in our bedroom resting, laying down with the door closed when you started to practice. 

Then Mimi came to visit me. She came by me and said, "Andrea, listen to your family! They are amazing!". As soon as I felt her by me I just started to cry. I said, "I know mom! They are amazing!" My heart just exploded with all kinds of feelings - feeling joy for all of you, feeling gratitude for my Savior and the gift of His atonement, feeling sadness because I missed Mimi so much and I wanted to physically hug her... so many emotions. 

Then she snuggled me and said, "Andrea, I am still your mom. Let me be your mom." I told her I missed her so much! My heart just opened up and I cried and cried. She told me that she was sorry I wasn't feeling well and she said, "Sometimes it's good as a mom to have the excuse to just lay down and listen, instead of getting up, working and talking. It's good to just listen to your family."

Then we just listened to you while you sang. She is so proud of you! She loves you so much! She told me if I can't go tomorrow that she'll be there no matter what to hear you. She LOVES to hear you sing together. I could just feel her pride in you as her grandkids. She is always watching over you, and she knows each of you individually and loves you. 

She then told me, "Andrea, Brent is such a good man." And I started crying more. I said, "I know mom right? He is wonderful." She just reassured me of his good heart and to keep loving him for everything that he is. 

This whole time we could just listen to you practice. I cried. I felt a lot. I cried more. She just stayed by me and comforted me and was just there to help me feel better and take care of me. 

Oh man! I miss my mom! I know you all miss her so much too. 

I wanted to make sure and write this experience down before it got away from me. God is good. All the time. Jesus loves you. So much. 

I love you, 

Your Mom