The overdue update :-D, part 1

I have about a month worth of excitement to fill you all in on….. So I think this is going to be in the form of several posts. I have been majorly slacking in the Blogging department. I know. But, come on! I have had a total of 167 guests, 6 students, and 2 new neighbors, in just one month. Plus all of the little things in between. Lots of food, lots of rain, followed closely by even more sunshine, and lots of God! So here we go: :-D

The rain started on December 18th sometime in the night, around 2:00 am. It never stopped-- not even for an hour-- for three days. And if you have seen rain in Mexico, you know what I am talking about. Our driveway turned into a river. Our buildings all leaked. ALL of them. The wind blew, and the water came down in sheets. …. Speaking of sheets….. We were preparing for our team from Roseburg, who were to arrive on the 20th. Ryan was trying to mop up puddles, and repair leaks, and I was trying to get 12 beds ready. I walk into the “Wash house”, where all of the sheets are stored, and… well…. It was raining. Inside. All over the rack where the sheets are stored. Ha Ha Ha!!! Oh boy! …. so I used the ONE dryer that we have on base to dry 12 sets of sheets, and threw the beds together. I think I got done just in time to start dinner for the group.
The weather calmed down, the group arrived, and all was going well, until we saw that the weather report called for a one or two day break-- then MORE rain! We were expecting the kids from Guadalupe to come over to receive bikes for Christmas, and have a bike clinic and relay races.
Well- it rained. Again….. So the first day we had the kids over, we played with them inside the chapel. They played games, and sang songs, and had a lot of fun. See…. God works all things out-- so why worry? :)
The weather cleared up, and we had sunshine the rest of the year… in fact-- it hasn’t rained since.
On the 23rd of December, we had a friend (sister Marina) come over, with her 2 lovely daughters, to prepare Tamales and a traditional Christmas Dinner, Mexican Style, for us. We invited the kids who Lance and Maricela work with, and their parents. The food was amazing! And it was fun! And we made new friends.
What a blast!
On the 25th, I cooked a traditional American Christmas Dinner, and we had Lance and Maricela and Luis’ brother Alex over. It was delicious, and fun to see the Mexicans trying new things.
The group gave out 7 *new* bikes, and tuned up several others, including one for the mother of one of the kids. I have pictures. They weren’t the least bit excited ;-) Even Maricela joined in on the races.
On a side note- we enjoyed sharing our Christmas morning with my mom. The kids got to open gifts that were sent down with the group by various family members. Our family is always there to make sure the kids feel at home when holidays come.
We also got to skype with my Dad and Step-Mom on Christmas morning. Thank the Lord for technology.
That was the first week of our group from Roseburg.

The second Week:
We went to the Casa Hogar (a type of Mexican Foster Care Home, for abandoned children.) on the Monday of the next week. It was a very warm, beautiful day in the eastern valley! We brought hot dogs, and chips and hand squeezed lemonade (courtesy of Albert :-). Marlena and Lilly joined in on the trampoline, and Nick and Kathy and Courtney played Volley Ball. It was a blast.
We had a work party at Lance and Maricela’s house on Tuesday and Wednesday (I think? :-), and did some yard work, cleaned out the new school room, and painted it. Maricela made fish & shrimp soup for lunch..mmm mmm good!!
Thursday was my beautiful friend Rachael’s 18th birthday. I love you Ratch. You are an amazingly beautiful, sweet, innovative, creative, artistic, woman with a huge future. You are going to bless the socks off of a LOT of people in your life. You are going to be a wonderful wife and mother someday. God is going to use you mightily!
Our next team (including the students, and Ma and Pa Noobs) came that night- and my lovely Kayla was with them J, as well as the Froslands- thus bringing the ranch total up to 25.
We had dinner and cake for Rachael, and then she and some of the teens went to a youth camp overnight at the Alverez’ ranch.
Friday was New Years Eve, and we stayed at base. Everyone came over to our house, had snacks and pumpkin bread and watched the prophesy update online.
Both teams left Saturday , one early Saturday morning, and the other Saturday afternoon.
This was the end of week two, and the end of our first string of guests :-D
….to be continued……