Mom-made Slippers

     I finally bit the bullet and bought some yarn here.  It is way more expensive here but I just can't see why.  Usually I make bigger things like baby blankets but they use a lot of yarn.  So instead, I found a pattern for slippers that I wanted to try and I decided to make some for Erin.  I must say that I was inspired by my oldest daughter, Kristen, who has knit many things for her children.  I don't knit, never have been able to get that down, but I have gotten quite good at crocheting over the years.  Over the past few years, I have learned how to read patterns but I usually have my mother-in-law right next door that I can consult with when I am not sure how to read part of the pattern.  I did call her about it but it is more difficult over the phone.
     This week, I have been down with a cold all week and the last two days, I have been in bed.  It seemed like the perfect time to start the slippers.  So, after starting and restarting and restarting again, I finally was on my way to making the first slipper. There were some times when I almost gave up because what the pattern was telling me to do, sure wasn't working well.  I ripped out many rows trying to get it right.  Finally, I had finished the first slipper.  Erin was so excited she wanted to know when I would finish the second one.  The first one took me a day and a half to make with all my mistakes in it.  I started the second one yesterday afternoon and was finished with it before Erin went to bed.  It came out much nicer than the first one.  When we look at both slippers now, it is quite obvious which one is the first one I made but you won't know from the pictures.  Then Erin got motivated to make a scarf.  She started and got frustrated because it wasn't working out right.  Since I had just gone through that experience of ripping out, doing over, ripping out again and so on, I was able to encourage her to keept trying.   We chose a different stitch for her to use and now she is on her way to making her own scarf.  I am very proud of the work she is doing and how she didn't give up. 

Here is Erin's scarf she has started...

...and here are the slippers.

They look a little big on her but she is still growing and it was an adult pattern.  She said she was so warm last night that she almost had to take them off in the middle of the night.  I am glad my little girl is warm at night now.  Too bad I didn't have them made when it was really cold. 

Super Super Bowl Party

     Yesterday we went to a Super Bowl party that we were invited to.  If you remember, a few weeks back, I posted about a family that we met at Esperanza Viva.  They had come in to play with the kids and Jonathan and Ian hit it off so well.  Jonathan couldn't wait to get together with them again.  So last week we called to see about getting together and Judy invited us to this Super Bowl party.  She said that there would be many families there, some home schooling and many with their kids in Puebla Christian School and others from their church.  We were told that it would be at someones house and that there would be about 50 to 60 people there.  When we arrived, we thought that it must really be at an event place because the house was huge!  We found out that there were three houses and one of them was rented by the family holding the Super Bowl party.  The yard was bigger than a football field and they had play equipment and an inflatable jumping structure. 
     When we arrived, Jonathan found Ian and began playing right away.  Through out the night, Jonathan made friends with several other boys ages 13 to 16.  He got one of the boys' phone number before we left last night so he can call and we can set up more times to get together. 
     Erin stayed with me until one of the moms introduced her to a girl her same age.  This girl, Christi, is also homeschooled and they hit it off right away.  The one hard thing is that this family will be leaving in April to move back to the states after four years on the mission field.  Erin met other girls there and was so tired by the end of the night, she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. 
     Both of the kids were invited to go to a Christian camp through Puebla Christian School.  It is run by one of the people that was at the party.  We were able to talk to them and feel really good about it.  Even Jonathan is wanting to go which is an awesome thing.
     Jim had a good time visiting with the men at the party.  Some are missionaries, some are working at different companies down here, and some are teachers at the Puebla Christian School.  I got a chance to visit with many women and was even invited to women's retreat coming up in a couple of months and to a women's Bible study.  Towards the end of the evening I played Hand and Foot with a group of women.  I am not sure if I ever played it before but it was a lot of fun.
     It was such a wonderful day and we thank the Lord for the time to relax and meet new friends. 

Jonathan falling out of the jumping structure...

...and playing with other kids.

Erin and Christi

Erin is only 1-1/2 weeks older than Christi.

Jonathan's friend Ian.

One of the five screen playing the football game.

Another screen.

Jim enjoying some good food during the game.

Gail with Lois, Roquel and Mar.

The kids playing on the jumping structure after dark.

This was being called the V.I.P. room.  Jim got nice and comfortable there with some of the other guys.

This video is of Jonathan running and jumping onto the end of the jumping structure which bounced the others into the jumping structure.  It was such a joy to see him playing and having so much fun.

Little Evelyn Dancing

Yesterday, we had a despedida (a farewell program) for a visiting team.  Some of the girls did a dance for the team.  Little Evelyn was not part of the original dance team, but she really wanted to dance.  She is so cute.  For those that know her, you will really appreciate this.

Rock Climbing

Today the staff at Esperazna Viva was treated to an outing.  We all went to a rock climbing facility here in Puebla.  It was a special outing for all the hard work everyone did for Es Tiempo.  Erin had a blast climbing and did some rather challenging climbs.  Afterwards, we had a lunch of hot dogs, chips, and fruit.  It was all very yummy.

Here is Erin getting her harness on.

This is the first wall she climbed.

Jonathan is helping Lydiah on one of the smaller walls.

Here she goes again on a wall that's a little harder.

Moving up to a harder wall.  This one was pretty tall.

This one was a little too hard.  She made up some of it though.

This was the wall to beat all.  Erin made it up as far as she could.  The rocks just became to far apart for her to reach.

Of course there were breaks to hold the babies.

Yesterday we had rain, rain and more rain.  It must have been cold on the top of the mountains because today, they were covered with snow.  It was just beautiful. 

Encouragement

     What a wonderful weekend this was.  We had a conference at our church here called Es Tiempo de Entregarse (Time to Surrender).  It was a weekend of worship, speakers, prayer tents and encouragement.  One blessing we had was four men from our church in Oregon came to minister at the conference so we were able to see some familiar faces from our home church and receive some personal encouragement.  In the past, we have always enjoyed times with Ron, Todd, Wally and Mike.  They have prayed over each team we have brought down to Esperanza Viva in the past so it was such a neat time to have them here with us.

Not many of our pictures from inside the church came out but here is one of Todd praying for someone.

Outside in the tents during the ministry times.

Ron

Wally

Mike

     After church, the guys came to our house for a time of fellowship and good food.  I had made some homemade chili and guacamole with chips.   We also bought some of the local bread to go with it.  Later we had some traditional sweet breads and coffee.  The fellowship was wonderful and there were many gut wrenching laughs had during our visit.  What a refreashing time. 

Visiting at our house in the afternoon on Sunday. 

Ron is catching up on Facebook.

Erin is becoming friends with Ron on Facebook while sitting in the same room.

     Here is a video of the last worship time for the conference.  The youth that wanted to totally surrender to the Lord were called forward for prayer, which was almost all of the youth.  It was an intense and awesome time to see so many youth go forward.  There was also prayer for all the parents for wisdom and direction in raising and training these young people as arrows being shot forth for the Lord.  After the prayer time, there was the final worship.  It was so fun to see Ron take part in the dancing.  We had to get some video of it.  It's a little long, but this is how many worship services go with the youth here.  It is awesome to see.