A new season

It is refreshing to have Brenda the the team here. First thing was a team meeting and a layout of the team schedule for the next 6 months. It is jam packed!! It was good to see when we were to expect friends from home to arrive. (Spring break!!) Needless to say, Art and the guys went straight to work. These pics are for the new dorm and employee lodging. It'll be a 2 story building. Which is a much needed building to accommodate you all when you arrive!! The plan is to get this built before January, and then January the teams will be focused on P.Rafaels church building.













With having everyone here (Ryan and Juan Carlos are arriving tonight) it's great to get a system that works well for us as a team, but it means for us as a family to once again re-adjust our life to a new schedule. With every change in life there is always good and the bad. And what I'm struggling with is just having a routine for the boys that works. I am very thankful that everyone is encouraging me to do what I need to do for us to have a family life as well. As we are trying to figure this all out, please pray for wisdom for us as that sure seems to be the key to it all. :)

As our food program has nearly reached it's max right now (we had 100 kids on saturday) we are seeing big steps in the future in organization!! What we find in the Mexican culture, is that ciaos is a norm and no one is bothered much by it. But as the food program is growing and we are having more volunteers come to help, there is need of direction. Praise God that it was P.Rafael that initiated a volunteer meeting. :) It'll be happening this week, and with it we will be seeing who are the "real" volunteers and who are people that just hang out at the house. It is going to start to feel more like a food program with organization!!
The photo of Christian and Erica was taken because we were handing out "pillow case sun dresses" that were made by our "home" church here in San Carlos. I had to have Christian in the photo as well, as he reminds me of a farmer with his overalls. lol The ladies had made a whole box full, which probably had 60 dresses in it. They all were made from pillow cases or scrap fabric. Very nice for the hot weather we are still having!! I have the "pattern" and will email it to the church office if anyone is interested in making some.
Baby News:
Brian and I had gone in for a early ultra sound a couple of days ago by the request of the doctor. :) (I really don't mind see the little one early) We had arrived a few minutes early, to only wait 45 mins in the waiting room. Once it was our turn to go in, we entered a very simple room. No gown changing, just lay on the bed. Although we did get to watch the doctor work on the screen, and see all what he measured on the baby. Very cool. I had been told that I didn't need a translator, but I'd have to disagree on that statement. lol Everything was "normal" which we are happy to hear. Also the baby was 12 weeks and 1 day on the day of the ultrasound. So May 4th is my official due date. After he was done with me, than we needed to go wait in the waiting room once again to wait for the letter and pictures that we were to bring to our doctor. :) So I have been able to look at baby everyday. :)
My morning sickness is really evening and night sickness. It sucks. But today I woke up with energy and started to clean!! (My dad will be so proud) ;)

Time with mom and dad

It is time to do some catching up with you all back home. :) Mom and Dad arrived on motorcycle which was a surprise to Mason. We had told him that mama and papa would be visiting, but he kept on telling us that it couldn't happen, because they live very far away. If they came, they would have to drive in a "rojo truck". lol To see his face as they drove up to the mission center was priceless. Mason couldn't stop smiling and looking at papa. lol Cole, let's just say he was super pumped. :) We were on our last two weeks of
"vacation time" so to spend it with them was good. The weather had just cooled the night before they had arrived, so they were jipped on experiencing the weather we had been used too. (But we were too sorry about it, it was nice to walk out into cool air.) They joined us on our food program days, and in between we had to figure out what to do. Brian and dad built some more tables for the kids. Which was (and still is) very much needed. They are well used dad!! They have become the new hang out spot for the older kids. :) And like always, mom connected with some special girls. :) Itzel and Kristel. Mom you have a gift with connecting with young teens!!
Mom put together food hampers for 12 families that were in most need. (Thanks mom) We also handed them out to these families, which was a honor. We see the kids weekly, but to be
able connect with their guardians is truly an honor. To also realize that one of the families in need is actually one of the dedicated volunteers is eye opening, but also brings you closer. As well as another mother sharing with us the changes she is seeing in her daughters. God is doing big things through Maricela and Rafael, and that we get to be here and watch it happen before our eyes is ....
awesome.
We also went out and did some fun things as a family. We went to the delfininario and watched a "Dolphin movie" (Mason's description). One morning everyone except Mason and I, went to hike the tetakawi mountain lead by our friends Andy and Jenny. I suggest asking my parents personally what they thought. lol We really didn't know what it would be like, so it was a new experience for everyone. lol There is one thing I have to say is that Cole could have climbed it twice. I don't know why he didn't come back tired. :) (Seriously, he was always ahead of the pack, but they said it was like doing a stair-master all the was up.)
The day that mom and dad left was the day that Brenda, Art and Itzel arrived. So we have had to jump into a new system of things, which we are excited for. Now we will start building!
God bless!!

Small update

Hello Everyone
It has been a very exciting week for us. First off, Clarissa's Mom and Dad came down to visit us for a couple weeks. They arrived yesterday afternoon. We have had a real great time re connecting with them. Our boys were so stoked to see them driving up the road approaching the mission center. Secondly, we enrolled both of our boys into the Spanish public school this week. Cole LOVES it! He is such a social bug. It is so good for him to get out of the house and he has already made friends. We are so thankful that God has blessed him with friends. Mason is not quite as enthused but after we leave he seems to be having fun. It is always a bit hard to drop him off but when we pick him up he is pumped and says he had a good morning.
This evening was real special as Mom and Dad joined us for our Thursday night feeding program. It was really cool for them to meet Pastor Rafael and his family and especially cool to see them connect with all the children. I'm extremely touched that they can be here to see what we do. Also, this evening was especially touching for me. One of the girls asked me to teach her a sentence in English. I decided to teach her how to say "you are my friend." Karen replied very clearly in English saying "You are my Daddy" followed with a big hug. Words cannot express how how touched I was to hear her reply. Like most of the children here, she does not have a father.
We trust that you are all well back home.
Brian