Fede's birthday party

I know I haven't blogged for awhile. There is a good excuse for that. But we'll see if I can get a post up in a few spare minutes...

Last Saturday was Fede's birthday. It was a small but fun party at the yellow house on the corner where Fede lives with Joe and Denise and the other three kids they care for. I went with Jaqui, Limón, Leobardo, Belém and Belinda. Daniela and Darilis were there as well as Seth, who used to care for Fede.

This post is mainly going to be pictures...

Cake and candles

Darilis helping blow out the candles 

Leobardo helping with the mordida 

Leo showed up with his shoes on the wrong feet. Limón kindly helped him out. :)

Joe and Denise have a hummingbird feeder. I had never seen so many hummingbirds in one spot!

We played a variety of fun party games including musical chairs, I never, and the balloon stomping game. :)

Belém and Jaqui fighting for the last seat.

Buddies: Leo and Fede

Getting the balloons down for the balloon game.

Belinda helping Joel with his balloon.

Darilis

Seth and Fede competing for the finish.

Opening presents

Siblings: Belém, Fede, Darilis (Daniela's daughter), Belinda, Daniela, and Jaqui

Denise, Fede, and Joe

Fede, Joe, and Denise with the other three kiddos.

(I still have trouble remembering the girls' names. The little guy is Joel.)

Happy 17th Birthday, Fede!!

Thank you for all of those who are lifting us up in prayer. God is at work and I trust that He will continue to orchestrate all that is necessary to bring healing, freedom, and abundant life to those who are hurting and in bondage. May the name of Jesus Christ be magnified!

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 

Colossians 1:9-13

Random update

Last Friday, Lilly invited the girls from the house to spend the night at her house so a group of us older girls got together for supper and to hang-out. It was good to reconnect!

We had great stir-fry for supper.

Kali, Raquel, and Katie

 Sarah, Pau, and I

It was super windy that night so after eating outside we moved inside. 

 Geo and Sarah 

 Roomie picture

 Pau and I

The other day at recess I saw this...

 If you can't tell what it is, it was a bunch of buzzards circling overhead. 

As soon as I saw their red heads I was immediately reminded of this time when I met one a little too up-close and personal!! 

Yesterday, Ely turned 20! A group of us went out to eat at Momo's and then to Café Sed afterward.

 Before supper, Ely opening her gifts

 The other half of the table

 Bill and Joan being cute. :)

Ely and I at Café Sed.

Tomorrow, Lord willing, a few of us girls take off for a weekend of descanso (rest) and fellowship (and of course to celebrate my turning 30 one more last time!). I pray that more than anything it can be a time to be still and spend time with our Sustainer, the One who doesn't need us but chooses to use us anyway.

Thanks for continuing to pray for the battles we face. Praise God that Satan is going to lose and Jesus Christ will be glorified! 

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10 (emphasis mine)

the birthday that never ends

Sunday night at supper finished off my birthday month and then some... 

Before supper someone brought out a piece of my favorite oatmeal cake with amazing frosting and I got serenaded with "Feliz cumpleaños" one last time.

 My attempt at smiling for the camera failed as I have a problem blinking at the wrong time. So this is as good at it gets. 

 Then came the mob of kids ready and waiting to help me with my "mordida". 

They were kind enough to remove my glasses first. :)

They were all quite enthusiastic...

 but not quite satisfied with the results.

So they (a few in particular, like Julissa :) ) insisted that it must be redone, and better this time! 

Oh, what we don't do to humor our kids here. :)

 This was a little more satisfactory I think!

So I guess that ends my birthday for this year...and I can just enjoy being more "wise" and "mature" as a 30 year-old... :)

Oh, actually, I forgot. It doesn't end my birthday celebration. In a little less than two weeks a few of us girls are taking off for the weekend to celebrate once again! We were wanting to plan this earlier and it didn't work out. It seems like it's been a while since I've gotten away so I am looking forward to it!

We'll just call this the birthday that never ends!

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.  

Psalm 90:12

The big 3-0

So on Wednesday I turned the big 3-0. 

To be honest it was not so traumatic in and of itself... just means a new stage of life and hopefully a certain level of maturity and wisdom has come from the past 30 years.

Anyway, yesterday (and the last few weeks) was fun celebrating, thanks to some great friends and family! 

Over the past weeks I have received un montón (quite a pile) of birthday cards and a several boxes of goodies. Thank you to each one of you that took the time to write or email a card, write a note, send a gift, say a prayer, remember me on my birthday and "birthday month"!

On Wednesday, my birthday officially started at 7:00 a.m. when I got my first call from Pau, Kali, and the girls at their house singing me Happy Birthday. :) This was followed by another call at 7:30 with another Happy Birthday serenade and a message a bit later. Soon I caught on that they were planning on passing on 30 Happy Birthday messages throughout the day! :)

 Momo's (a famous local taco restaurant) gives a free meal on your birthday, so a few of us girls headed out to celebrate for lunch. But not before I headed home to change after school and found this in the entry:

Along with this on the cupboard above the frig...

(translated this says more or less: Dear birthday-girl: What effort to arrive at 30, but you have to keep working and we are going to put you to work. Look for 10 wrapped objects. We love you! Geo, Pau, Nicole, and Bere)

In my room I found this:

and this:

Along with a lot of balloons all over my room:

So my search began...

At first I just found a couple...

But then I found this in the cupboard...

And this, though I don't think it counted as a wrapped gift, but some Throwback Mt. Dew :)

Pretty soon I had found all of these...

I think I still am missing one gift, but I imagine it will show up somewhere around here! What creative and thoughtful friends I have!!

Here we are headed to Momo's:

Back: Geo, Sarah, Pau, In front: Nicole, and Raquel (just missing Bere who was driving and I)

After lunch we headed to Café Sed, where you also get a free drink on your birthday. :) (Got to take advantage of the freebies!)

Pau, Sarah, Geo, and Raquel

Bere, me, and Nicole

This picture looks funny I know. Oh well, I humored them. :)

All of us girls:

Some of the great friends God has blessed me with!! 

What a blessing to be serving the Lord together!

Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 
Psalm 30:4