Salvation

I forgot to blog about this when it happened but last week Wynter asked Jesus into her heart! It was so adorable, I wish I could have filmed it. She's talking and understands things so well now that I figured it was time to pray the salvation prayer with her. I asked her if she wanted to pray a special prayer and she said "yes" very definitely. Then after explaining to her that she needed to repeat after me she folded her hands in a way too cute kind of way and scrunched up her eyes really tight to pray. She repeated every word so perfectly that I didn't want it to be over, so after she was done I asked her if she wanted to do it again and she wanted to so I go "Jesus, come into my heart..." she repeats and then I say "forgive me"...she says "fa-give me", then I say "for" and she says "five"---hahahah! I cracked up and then we finished the prayer the right way. Anyway, it was one of those moments where I felt like being a mom is the best thing in the world.
Christian drove off for Atlanta today and we miss him already but I believe that this time he'll be away shorter and we'll be together in our new home soon. It really makes a difference to think positively and being a pisces, if I do anything but that I sink real fast. :) Thank you for all your prayers for us, we feel them.

Thank You

My God, I have never thanked Thee for my thorn! I have thanked Thee a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorn. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear. Teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed to Thee by the path of pain. Show me that my tears have made my rainbow. —George Matheson (1842-1906)

Thank You, God, for my cesarean. Thank You for the last year of financial difficulty. Thank You for the humbling circumstances we found ourselves in. Thank You for the loss of friends because it's made our friendship so much deeper. Thank You for the absence of my other half because it's given us a reason to work on being more whole. Thank You for taking a past love home to be with You, I know he's happy now. Thank You for the many long days & nights that Wynter was sick, we feel so much stronger from it. Thank You for the insecurity of not being home yet. Thank You for the frustration of not knowing when we'll be done here & able to start again. Thank You for the thorns because Your roses reach our hearts with a much fuller scent now. We love You.

SURPRISE!!!

Okay, the biggest thing happened to me yesterday morning. I was scrambling around in the closet with Wynter at my side, looking for nail polish to paint her stubby toe nails and prepare her for a Thanksgiving photo shoot, so that her Papa could at least see her since he wouldn't be with us. I have to admit that the way I looked was less than fair--grungy would be a good way to describe it--hair scrunched up in a ball, day-before make up and "clean the house clothes". Anyway, there I am all serious about finding the right hue for her toes when I feel a tap on my shoulder. The first thing I think is that it's Willy because he happened to be the only other human in the apartment besides Wynter & I. But no, this stranger has a beard?? Who--what?--how--no.....YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!! No WAY!!!!! I don't deserve this but it's totally happening and there in front of me is my amazing, tall, strong, completely loving husband Christian! He had driven all night long, 16 hours in total to come see his wife & daughter. Movie script, anyone? I feel like a princess who's been rescued by the knight of her dreams but it's better than that because I've exchanged vows with my knight, and I'll have him forever. Thank you, Baby, for being the most spontaneous person I know. For cutting through normal day life and creating a fairy tale for the ones you love. Anyone who knows me knows I love surprises so this has been the BEST Thanksgiving I've ever had and hey, Christmas doesn't have to be that great anymore because I feel like I've already had my Christmas--Christian. "Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me, for the Bible tells me so."
The pictures are the ones Maureen took of us on our way out the door to go to Thanksgiving dinner at Fiesta Home.

So I just can't seem to get enough of traveling. Now I'm in San Antonio visiting Maureen & her girls to get some business done. She's a big help when it comes to narrowing things down and actually doing them, wheras I am a little bit of a romantic when it comes to executing details. Thank God we're not all the same. Anyway, I'm posting some pix of a fun night we had last week. Sisters, drinks, friends & laughter--good stuff.
This will be the first Thanksgiving Christian & I spend apart since we got together 6 years ago. We've been calling eachother, frantically trying to figure out a way to be together: cheap last minute flights/bus contacts/hitchhiking, and it doesn't look like it's gonna work out. I'm missing my husband dearly & so is Wynter Jane. I just asked her this morning "Do you know who we're gonna see for Thanksgiving??" & she quickly replied with huge, wide eyes "Papa!!!" Then I felt stupid and had to tell her no, that it was the goats I was referring to. Poor baby. But you know kids, they snap out of things so much quicker than we do. Goats are now the 1st thing on her mind, bless her heart.
We're gonna be celebrating Thanksgiving with the Fiesta Home tomorrow, looking forward to seeing old and new friends. Thank you, dear reader for your prayers for our final departure preparations.

Natalie

I'm gonna be posting pix soon, I've been taking them faithfully lately (for a change) but I haven't been able to upload them yet. I'm at Natalie's house in Houston, visiting her & her man, Mike. Her son Dylan (my godson) popped in for a minute to collect some needed items & it was crazy to see how grown up he's become. I've been a bad godmother, so negligent. I will change though, I'm working on it. I was 13 when he was born & was the first to visit when he was born, sigh. Anyway, it's good to see old friends and renew the ties that bonded us together in the first place. I'm supposedly recording all day tomorrow, we'll see! Have a wonderful weekend everyone, muah!

H-Town

I'm here in Houston (or the outskirts thereof) and I'm not sure I'll be blogging too much for a while. It's odd that when there's plenty to blog about there's not plenty of time to do so, so alas, I am forced to be at a loss for words because of a time issue. Anyway, I'm not making sense because I'm trying to do this as fast as I can so that someone else can use the computer. Should I have just skipped this? Okay, in a nutshell, I got in 3 days ago and I'm adjusting to new weather, faces & ways of life. Change is a good thing of course but didn't Grandpa say it's also like dying? Hmmm. Anyway, I miss my husband. Love you all. It'll be Thanksgiving soon...yay!!!!!!!!!!!

We had a wonderful weekend. We got back last night from visiting Feli (best friend for as long as I can remember), her guy Gabe & their dashing young one, Kevin (almost 4). We hadn't seen them for over 2 years so it was very special for us to be able to meet up before leaving for Guatemala. Feli's the reason I moved to the Dominican Republic back when I was 18. She's also the reason Christian and I are together because she played a very active game of matchmaker, ahem! Feli & I were daily outreach partners and before Christian and I had had our first kiss, Feli would tell me in between stores what mine & Christian's kids were gonna look like! Crazy but effective if I may say so myself. :) Feli arranged our first date & came along with us as I was so freaked out of being alone with "one of them". (The way I looked at guys at the time, with horror.) If there is such a thing as a completely loyal friend from whom you never hear things said about you behind your back, I would have to nominate Feli as 1st prize winner, she's great. Anyway, I could write a book about the adventures of Feli & Julie--hey, maybe I will! But for now I'll leave you with some pictures of our Blue Ridge Mountain hideaway.

My Mom

I just got through looking at these pictures of my Mom & eldest sister, Chelsea. Mom went to visit Chelsea & her girlfriend of almost 10 years last month and they obviously had a blast. To anyone who doesn't know my mom, it'd be hard to explain just how different she is. For starters, she'll never believe she's getting older and you wouldn't believe it either if you talked with her, she's crazy--in the good kind of way. She wears T-shirts that say "I bite" and "I love Irish boys". She talks and prays really loud when we go on walks together through a neighborhood (sometimes hers, sometimes not.) She has a soup addiction and sometimes can't bring herself to cook anything else. She pulls people aside that she's only known for 2 minutes and asks them if they have Jesus in their heart. If they say no, she insists that they've got to have Him. She makes special names for anyone she loves and says them in the most love-filled way, it makes you think you're this incredible person. Anyway, I just feel so special to have a mother that I can talk to about ANYTHING and have her say "Oh, I've done that twice." Unconditional love comes naturally to this woman and I've never felt more comfortable, beautiful, accepted and cherished as when I'm with her. She's sees the talent, ability and drive that I never see in myself and she's always pushed me to use it--thanks Mom, I love you.