Down eleven

This comes as a surprise to those who know me, and much more for myself, but i'm finally happy with my body. I've only lost eleven of the thirty pounds that i've set for my goal, but for the moment 180 lbs. feels great. I expect it'll feel even better when I can jog a whole mile without stopping. For the time being i'll just keep on keepin on. Wish me luck!

Valeria...

... has a game tonight. I'm making tomorrow's lunch. We have to go to the Ferrer's house later (after Val's game). Santi's finally napping today, and i have to wake him up in ten minutes to go to Val's game.

And we've finally finished moving into the new house and got internet!! Life is crazy, but this beautiful mess is what keeps me sane.

I've just started a diet, or rather am trying to change my eating habits to lose weight, and have 35 pounds to lose in order to be back at pre-baby weight... but losing 30 pounds would be okay too. I hope y'all are cheering me on!

Adiós, Isla del Encanto

We're back from Puerto Rico and all I can say is that i'm already missing the water. Santi went to the beach for the first time and loved the sun and sand. Car had never been to either and was charmed by old San Juan... To the point where he said he might even like to live there. The day we were to fly back we weighed ourselves and i found out i weigh 191 lbs, so my next challenge is to lose thirty pounds (at least). I've been running with my sisters for a week now and what i've gotten so far is sore. But I know it'll all be worth it in the end.

Dern Kids!!!

Last week was Car's first father's day and our first time helping coordinate youth camp with a "baby on the hip". It was five crazy days and four sleepless nights full of face painting, Bible studies, late night pranks and amazing music. Well it wasn't just those things that made it special... it was a week of firsts.
Santi got into the pool for the first time, I gave a couple of workshops, kids got caught doing stuff they shouldn't, and then at the end of the week the most amazing thing happened.
There was a sort of peace amidst the chaos. Like that bull in the china shop, but imagine that same bull sitting still while everybody runs around it trying to figure out how to get him out carefully. These teenagers all of a sudden seemed to have a more defined sense of direction... now they still don't know what they want to do in life, but they want to do it with God's peace, not whatever fake peace humans pretend to create.

Wild Things

We took our VBS kids to the Sedgwick County Zoo on Saturday as a treat for their faithfulness and dedication in coming every day and inviting lots of new kids. Our group totaled 70 on the final count and let me tell you, it was like taking a zoo to the zoo! Our kids were so lively and excited they could hardly contain themselves at the entrance. This was also Santi's first trip to the zoo and despite his short months he was just as enthused by all the animals as the rest of the gang.
I really liked the decorating style for the "tiger village" and came away with some great ideas for Santi's room and an outdoor playroom or family room of sorts.

Ran into bliss

My family and I did the 2 mile River Run (sponsored by Bank of America) last Saturday. I haven't really exercised in a little over a year, since i found out i was pregnant with Santi. It was really fun and we finished it off jogging over the finish line, holding hands, kissing happily under the glaring sun. Santi slept through the whole race in his jogging stroller. He woke up afterwards for the pictures then to eat and right back to sleep.
Carlos surprised me with the entries for the race. It was kind of my inauguration for a reintegration into a semblance life as it was before Santi. We may be a small family but bliss reigns when we're together. For me this is happiness, this is Love...

I'm in class right now

and i'm wondering whether our forefathers really wanted us to come to this when they sought freedom to worship here in this free land. Dr. Grubb is telling us that we're worship leaders whether we want to be or not (Stevie gives me something like a haha smile over her shoulder)... NO I'M NOT!! (Well that's what my mind is screaming anyways)
It's hard to accept, but as a pastor's wife i've come to realize that people really do look to what i'm doing as a model, look to me as a leader. That's a scary thought for a small town girl who makes no scruples about speaking her mind as frankly as you've ever heard.

Back to our roots.

I'm a Republican to the core but this really made me open my eyes and realize that politics, and politicians alike, have made the turn from looking out for the general commonwealth to backing this cause or that, like trends to be followed or predicted. Please help win America back from those who seek selfishly to promote their personal agendas... let's take her back to what really matters: freedom, respect, honor and integrity.

"These days, the name Ronald Reagan-as well as his legacy- has become oversaturated, just white noise. Conservatives love to evoke him, using him as an example of whatever brand of politics they happen to be selling. But what they seem to have forgotten is that moderates and Democrats elected Ronald Reagan, not the Far Right. The ideas that he stood for- freedom, the individual, and self-reliance- appealed to a broad political spectrum. He believed that it was our independent spirit and our differences that made this country great."
-Meghan McCain

A house is a house, is a house, but...

... not just any house can make a home. And on a pastor's salary my husband and i can hardly afford a mansion for our growing family. In the meantime we're fine, but i wonder if we'll make it through the summer with two interns living with us and family coming to visit. Meanwhile, i've been busy with school and other everyday details. We'll see what comes up. I definately don't want to get caught moving during the cold season.
What to do, what to do?

Full House

These past three days the six male interns, from the group my husband and Axel brought from Texas, have been staying at our house. They've been in training for their individual tasks as summer missionaries, the same jobs my husband and i had when we first came to Kansas as engaged interns. It would seem that every year a new couple emerges as a crop from the missionary visits. Last December one of the girls from our college-level youth married Axel, who was in my same class at seminary. I can't help but wonder how our students this year will fare in the fields of ministry and love.
On a more comic note, i had to make supper for all fifteen of us yesterday and it took forever and a half, but i finally managed to whip up too much spaghetti, just enough meat loaf, and the perfect amount of homemade mashed potatoes.

i'm back!

I'm back from Chihuahua, Chihuaha, Mexico, and all i can say for myself is that i'm immensely pleased with the trip results. We went as far as the sierra, in the mountains, and were able to share at a youth camp with over eighty people. Although the news we hear about the other side of the border is full of death and danger what we saw was hope and faith. We were able to share with people so full of life and with so much love to give that i know, beyond a shadow of doubt, that Mexico's future is not sealed in tragedy and hateful crimes. I love my people, and i know we're hard-headed enough to elbow our way to something different, something better.

Fashionable Artistic...

The Wichita Art Museum (WAM) hosts an event every spring in order to bring locals together in appreciation of art. Every year they pick a single color for the theme. This year the theme was black and people tended toward an edgier dress than the former years... Usually they dress to match the theme color. Who knows? Maybe one year we'll get a room full of straight men dressed in pink?

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