Yesterday, I went down to the orphanage just for a day trip. We left at 6 a.m. and got home at 10:30 p.m. We were at the orphanage just over 7 hours, and it was perfect. I met a group of people from Gilbert and Scottsdale while I was there over Labor Day weekend, and they invited me to take this trip with them. I took it because I always want to see these kids, but also because I needed a picture of the new boy, Fernando. What a blessing it was. It was so much fun to just spend time with the kids. I played a lot of basketball (which some of them laughed at my lack of skills), I got scared while I watched them do backflips off of the top of the wall, and I taught them the game B.S. I changed the name of the game to "Mentiroso" (Liar). Oh my gosh, it was seriously so much fun. By the time we left, I prepared myself for it all day, I was just stoked that I was able to say, "See you in 6 days".

We're now in the car and I realized I had not given them any money for the pizzas yet that they served the kids lunch. It cost $275 for 25 large pizzas down there. Yet, every kid got 2 slices and 1/2 an apple, and there were still 10 pizzas left. They decided to not overly stuff the kids for lunch and save the others for dinner. I tried to give them money, and they refused to take it. I told them that they had to, and that I refuse not to help with the cost of the trip. They said that they were just happy that I would come down with them. Why? - Who knows! We then ate at this really good restaurant in Nogales, and I tried to at least pay for my dinner. Nope, they wouldn't even let me do that. I was blessed by just not having to drive! I didn't need anything else. Yet, they refused. Then I realized...

This is my Christmas present from God.

Seriously. There are so many times where I don't realize it until afterwards. Yet, I realized it before I left, before I realized it would be literally a free ride for me. However, God blesses me so much more.

Those kids are my joy. They are my gift so to speak. They are what God uses to bless me abundantly all the time. I am so thankful.

P.S. Keith - Jesus Guadalupe is freakin' amazing at basketball. If he wasn't on my team, we would have for sure lost. He can steal the ball from people while they are dribbling like you wouldn't believe.