In my life, it seems like there has been a season for everything. Yet, once that season is over, I just can't get into it quite the same. In '92, it was the Suns and basketball. In '01, it was baseball when the Diamondbacks won the World Series. In '01, it was also it my football season, because it was my cousin's senior year in high school and he was the star quarterback, running back... He was amazing. In around '02 or '03, the one and only cat I like died. Romeo. Jordan and Susie's old cat that they got from Rodney back in the day. Now, here it is in '07, and Bubba died. He was really old and he was a Bichon Frise, one of the best types of dogs ever. He was the twins dog, and I have known their family for over 5 years. Last night I watched them and it was so weird for him not to be sleeping by their door after they were asleep. Will I ever really like another cat or dog again? Probably not... that season died when they did.

Now, if you know me and we've discussed politics, you know that I am an Independant and I don't always fall along the same red state views of my elephant friends. Yet, one of them had this article on their blog, and I thought it was a really good read. I encourage you guys to read it and see the opinions of the troops and other people that are actually in Iraq right now. You can read about this here. It's rather long, but definitely worth the time to read.

Okay, so I couldn't handle how the videos were under my sidebar or even when they made my sidebar disappear. So, here are the links to see Stephen grinding the bench,breakdancing, jumping off of the ledge, and doing other fancy tricks. If you want to see Jesus Humberto going down the ramp, you can see that here.

3 sponsored boys: Jesus Guadalupe (Keith & Patty), Juan Manuel (Jeff & Trish, and of course Jesus Humberto (my boy)
Abraham & Keith

All sorts of kids know "Rock On" now.
Juan Manuel, Pedro, Hector, & Antonio with Andy
Briana
Perla & Maddison
Jeff & Juan Manuel
Juan Manuel & Trish
Steve

This weekend's trip was really good. I always enjoy being able to get to know the youth more as well as the adults of course. It was great to see relationships form between Keith and Jesus Guadalupe and Jeff and Trish with Juan Manuel. I swear, Jesus Guadalupe just seems like he is a Kincaid. He fits in perfectly and you can tell that he just wants to soak up any time that he is able to spend with them. It was also great to see how Juan Manuel finally opened up to Jeff and Trish. In the end, Jeff said that he thought Juan was the coolest kid there. How amazing is that! It is so great how God perfectly pairs up all of the kids with the right sponsors. They just seem to fit together perfectly. God is good.

Ten of the kids got to go on a vacation with the project coordinator for CdE. Every year, he takes one boy and girl from each age group who did the best in school on a trip. This year, they went to Kino Bay. It was so weird without those ten there... When we left to go get lunch, I felt weird. I didn't know why and I couldn't quite explain it. I thought it was from being hungry and dehydrated. Yet, it wasn't. We had to return solely to give the key and the money for the apartment to someone on staff, and they were back - all ten kids that were on vacation. I got out of the car and Juan Carlos and Margarita ran out towards me with open arms and gave me the biggest hugs ever. Juan Ramon was immediately following them. That was it. It was seeing the 3 of them and the other 7 inside that made me feel complete. Part of my family was missing and there is that void there. I wanted to see those kids. Each one of them holds a huge space in my heart, and without seeing them, that part of my heart is missing something. It's something only they can fill.

A lot of people don't get it. They don't understand how or why I would want to go down there often or how I can never get sick of talking about them. These kids are my family. At times, I will be holding their hands or something and I don't even realize that we are touching each other... It's almost like we are part of the same body. It doesn't feel awkward or weird, because they're family... It's like they are a part of me. It's something completely hard to explain, but I don't know how else to.

Part of family isn't always pretty. At times, family gets frustrated and annoyed with each other. There are times to reprimand and hold each other accountable. There are times for forgiveness and bonding. I am past the "honeymoon stage" with all of them. I see them for their real selves, raw and vulnerable. They don't listen to me as much as they used to, and they make fun of me and know all of my weird little quirks. Yet, it's real. They are real now. Despite everything, the relationships are growing and the bonds are real and the truth in them is there. It's a beautiful thing.

It's great to see other people that get it as well. Keith and Patty get it. I didn't expect for them to get it as fast as they did. They are there. Their whole hearts are with those kids and it's amazing to witness. It's beautiful to see how they grow and develop. The kids can tell too. From being a part of this family down there, I can tell who will come back on trips and who won't - but the kids can too. They tend to try to form relationships more with people they know will be consistent, and the kids saw that in them. A lot more kids drew to them than the others - not that the others don't have the heart for the kids as well, they just have a bigger heart for them - a more long term committed love. It's a great thing to see, especially when it's just beginning.

I was reading Ben's most recent blog and it reminded me of how blessed we are. For all of us crazy sinful people to still be loving God and still serving Him and striving to be more like Him and refined silver in His consuming fire, we have to be completely drenched in His love, grace, and mercy.... and that is exactly what we are.

Meredith, Margarita, & Shannon

Happy sponsorship family (missing Keith)

David & Jared

Meredith serving by painting Wendy & Abilene's nails

Susan loving on Delia

Junior and Patty

Nathan - he's getting big! He's almost 4 months now.
Pretty flower - testing my camera

I have come to realize some things about myself over the weekend and this trip to Mexico:

1. I am just as obsessed at taking those kids pictures as they are in wanting them. (Note to self for later: I need to make sure I bring down pics of Edgar for Cristian and pics of Gloria for Wendy, Melissa, & Jesus Manuel) PS. I kept 414 pics after I deleted the bad ones. I also kept over 600 from the March trip.
2. It never gets easy seeing kids wtih their families and then seeing them after they left.
3. It's hard being a soccer mom for 85 kids. I want to watch everyone of them play their position proudly and bat (baseball), and yet, I want to sit with the others and enjoy the game in the stands.
4. After stressing out about it for 2 weeks, I confronted Jesus Humberto and asked him if he deleted the pics of Junior on my camera. Sure enough, he admitted to it. I can officially hold him accountable and I even told him he was bad and mean and made him apologize to both me and Junior. Then, I didn't hang out with him in the morning because I had to punish him some way.
5. Lastly, after watching Rosa Adriana mop the entire apartment, I realized she's Martha, her twin sister, Rosa Elizabeth, is Mary, and I need to be more of both. Rosa Adriana opened her bible up to Psalm 133 this morning and was trying to show it to me. I think I'll read that before I go to bed.

PS. Pati, Susan, Shannon, and Meredith rocked it down there. They were all amazing with the kids and the kids just loved them. I'm really excited for this weekend and for the rest of the people to interact and be both a blessing and be blessed.

Easter is fun. Kids look beautiful, it's not all about the presents... It's just about the beauty of Christ and the beauty of family... Well, at least with the kids. :)

Megan (my niece's cousin) & Lily (my niece)

Megan finding eggs

Most of my cousins kids... Sydney, Macy, James, Colten, Kylie, & Lily

The latecomers, Devin & Dakota

Lily

About once a month in Prims, we do a "show and tell" time where each of the girls are able to show something they brought from home or where they are able to tell a story. They all come to the front of the room and they can either stand by the table, sit on the table, or stand on the table. It has been awesome to see how much some of their public speaking has improved over the year and how much confidence some has received (some went from literally standing by it to sitting on it, and then finally standing on it). I wanted to share with you guys what the girls share just to give you an idea of how thankful they truly are about the little things. These girls are in 1st and 2nd grade.

Kat - bunny that she got from Rebecca on her birthday
Katelyn - polar bear that she got from Sea World that her uncle gave to her
Rebecca - Twinkle, the webkin she got from the store that reminded her of the book she read...all for $14.
Allison - a little purple butterfly clip and a Barbie charm that was from a bracelet she got for Valentines day or her birthday but eventually fell off.
Emily - her orange and white kitty (she likes to have people guess what it is)
Angel - her pink bouncy ball that she got when she went with her grandma to Burger King and her and her sister each got a quarter to use in their machines
Grace - her horseshoe magnet (with a demonstration), ring with a real jewel, and her Hello Kitty pouch that her mom is jealous of her for because she wants it
Katie - Orange Blossom doll that has make up in it (lip gloss when you move the hat)
Cais - she talked about her test that she's going to have a week from today and that it's a really important test for all second graders, so she might not be here next week so she can get sleep for it
Becky - she has 2 loose teeth
Jennah - she lost a tooth and she got a note and a dollar from the tooth fairy
Addi - the other day she lost a tooth (and it's not normally one she eats with), and she was totally surprised. Her dad ended out giving her a dollar later for it on the counter

If only I could be so thankful and proud even of this type of stuff... There's so much we can learn from kids.