I can't believe that December is here already. Some days I'm positive I've only been here a few weeks and other days I'm sure it's been years. I was going to save my Christmas outfit for Christmas...until I realized how close Christmas really is. So I wore my Christmas outfit today and somehow it made rapidly-approaching Christmas feel like more of a reality. Our van was full as we headed to San Pedro for the morning service, PTL. Loren talked about forgiveness and dealing with anger. The bugs swarmed. Jesi sat between Stacey and I (and it takes two adults to keep her straight). In one hand, she clenched a few pesos while the other hand was constantly pestering me. I don't think I'm ready to have children of my own...and keep them straight during church! Spontaneous discussion ensued. Since I only understood part of the conversation, I resorted to tuning it out and praying for words for Loren instead. Stacey and I fasted again today, which meant no lunch. I think the hardest part of fasting is boredom. I know that sounds strange, but when you cut out meals, you are left with a lot of extra time...especially in Mexico where you don't generally buy prepared foods. So I read my book and made a few phone calls...extreme relaxation. During the afternoon service, I had a hard time keeping four little girls straight; in fact, I wasn't very successful. I felt mean, but something had to be done. Stacey and I went along to Mochiqui although the evening was extremely chilly. As I climbed in the back of the truck, I noticed strands of Christmas lights wound around the light poles all of the way down main street. My heart warmed up to another reminder of Christmas. Stacey and I walked uptown before coming home and trying to keep our energyless-selves awake until bedtime.
Monday, December 8, 2008
I wasn't hungry all day. That was almost worse for me than being sick. Actually, that's a good sign that I was sick. Since I've come to Mexico, I don't know when the last time was that I was completely full (besides Thanksgiving). I feel like a bottomless pit. This morning, I was blessed to have Rena working at Loren and Donna's. Donna merely shrugged at my verb tense questions and told me to ask an expert...a true Mexican. So I did my best to ask Rena. She was honored and I was helped. Later, I was cutting up two pumpkins and she tried to show me the best way to do it. She left to sweep the floor and I guess I was unconsciously not following her advice, because she came back and asked if she could trade jobs with me...I happily agreed... Gringas can sweep floors without supervision. Stacey was out planting flowers and Donna was gone, so I finished the beans and rice for lunch. We had part a short break before we headed off to San Pedro, enjoying the dazzling view of the mountains. In San Pedro, Fransisca delightedly bomarded me with her questions about church. I had no idea how to express myself, let alone answer her questions, so I put a good word in for Donna and Christa (watch out, ladies!). The children were a little noisy, but they had fun and most of them recited their verses for candy. I said two of my verses too! For dinner we had the pumpkin Rena and I had cut up. She'd made it truly Mexican-style with lots of sugar and piloncillo. We peeled it, mashed it, and covered it in milk. Yum! But oh so sweet that I had to eat a bean burrito when I was done with it. Rod picked us up for Spanish verb class which became a Mexican culture when no one arrived anywhere close to on time.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Today was really different. We unsuspectingly walked to Loren and Donna's. With Lenn and Debbie in Los Mochis, we assumed that our Rosetta Stone computer wouldn't arrive. Hence Christmas shopping plans came about...until Sam arrived with our computer. We went uptown anyway and had a relatively unsuccessful shopping trip. We came back in time to make lunch. Stacey ran to one part of town and I walked down to Abarrotes Lily with coffee in hand. Don Josesito, the elderly and very gruff store owner, was fascinated by the fact that I was drinking coffee and was even more surprised when I told him that coffee was a necessary part of my diet (of course, I didn't say it that fluently...I only thought such eloquent words). Stacey and I made lunch, ate lunch, and went back to our house for siesta time. The muchacho (who gave me flowers a few weeks ago) was outside painting the landlady's fence. He called out Stacey's name as we walked past. I inwardly gloated as we unlocked our gate... He knows her name and doesn't know mine! Suddenly he asked my name, and Stacey gleefully answered his question. Subdued, I decided not to tease her. In the afternoon we walked back to Loren and Donna's to plant flowers. I enjoyed getting a little dirty, but digging in sandy Mexican soil is much different than digging in black Illinois soil! Kyle helped to keep the cat out of the holes I was digging. A random parade was starting uptown so Donna sent us out to watch it. Watching several hundred students file by without formation was not my idea of a parade. In fact, the most exciting thing that happened was that a horse spooked and fell right in front of us tossing its rider onto the street. Marlen met us as we stood on the street corner watching the parade. She took us across the street for churritos- like funnel cakes except fatter, greasier, and more delicious. We walked around town a little before heading back to Marlen's house to help her with a school project. Eventually, we ended up at Loren and Donna's with Magda and Mari too. We ate soup and retired to Janessa's bedroom for some crazy evening activities with a bunch of energetic girls.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Wednesday was empanada day. Empanadas are another one of those authentic Mexican foods. The dough is a mix between bread dough and pie dough. It's a little sweet and you fill it with pumpkin, bake it, and brush the outside with sugar water. So Loren drove us out to Mochiqui with the ingredients and we started our little adventure. After we "helped" MariCruz finishing her tortillas, we started the long empanada-making process. We pressed and rolled out 80 little balls of dough until they [vaguely] looked like tortillas. Then we put a spoonful of warm pumpkin in the middle, folded it, and pinched the sides closed. They raised on a cot out in the sunshine despite the roaming canines. The baking process in the outdoor oven was a drawn-out affair that forced us to sit back and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of true Mexican living. But we were rewarded when the golden empanadas emerged from the oven---YUM! We didn't get home until 2:30 and opted to skip lunch for a longer break. I took an empanada to our landlady and she must have been impressed because soon she came knocking at our door with some fried fish with decorative condiments. We tasted that before rushing off to visit Vanessa's house and take them some empanadas. Six-year-old SolAngel greeted us at the door wrapped in a towel and dripping wet. She invited us in and we talked for quite awhile, once again discussing my light hair and light eyes which they are completely fascinated with. They gave us fish as a parting gift. That was the second time we received fish that afternoon. We took it to Loren and Donna's promptly, not willing to skin and fry it at our own apartment. We went prayer walking and ran into Marlen, who followed us back for the evening prayer meeting.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
I simply love having days off. With our relaxed schedule, sometimes I wonder why I need more time to myself. The truth is that I probably don't, but it's so nice to have a day where I can do laundry and clean the house without interruptions that I don't want. (Hmm...maybe that wasn't stated right.) In fact, our first interruption was a man who came to check the water in the bathroom...before we cleaned it. We made ourselves scarce. Later in the morning, Stacey and I practiced posing for pregnancy shots, trying to get an idea of pictures for Lupita, Vanessa's 8-month pregnant sister. Some of them turned out pretty humorous, causing neighbors to peer curiously into our front yard at the wildly guffawing gringas. Brianne and Marlen came over in the afternoon. Marlen accompanied us to Vanessa's house for the pregnancy photo shoot. Lupita was all dressed up when we arrived and looked just as huge as ever. She was a bit hesitant at first, especially when we insisted on some strange angles. But she warmed up to us eventually and our amatuer photos turned out refreshingly well. We went home and edited them. Marlen stuck around until dinner time. And guess what we ate for dinner! FISH!
Stacey looking a tiny bit embarazada.
Me looking a tiny bit loca.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Grandpa turned 77 today. I tried calling him in the morning, but I talked with Grandma for awhile instead. I made cookies while I "studied" my verbs. The cookies turned out perfectly round and looked like we got them straight from a carton. We cleaned out Donna's craft box, inhaling much dust and finding many interesting things. Then we had tostadas for lunch. I'm glad no one had a camera when I tried to eat mine piled high with all things bright and beautiful! During siesta time I went through pictures again...very addicting indeed. I called Grandpa on his cellphone and he nicely pulled over to the side of the road to talk to me. Aww! The cookie bake at Loren and Donna's started at 3:30 (Mexican time...at least 4:00 American time). I didn't do much except help with the chocolate crinkles and entertained baby Chuyito (the 9-month-old from the orphanage). I tried to coax smiles rather than fussy cries, and wasn't all that successful. After the cookie bake, Stacey and I went back to the orphanage for dinner with the crew and then for the "single's night" in the bodega. We played some fun games... Question: How do you describe Santa Claus with one word? Lenn and Debbie's phone didn't work so Lenn drove us home.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Today I didn't not want to get out of bed. I always hear about "ungodly hours" but I never really quite understand how an hour can be ungodly. But this morning I came pretty close to understanding. We got around late, but were on time for Saturday school. The class was pretty uneventful, I think. After class, I had fun riding in the back of Loren's truck with a bunch of little kids I had never met before...except Alain (somebody please correct my spelling!). I was proud of of how easily my Spanish was coming. But I was humbled when Alain started talking to me in English. He's just way too smart...and way too cute! Stacey and I made potato soup, crescent rolls, and Kool-Aid for lunch. I talked to Michelle and Mom for a long time in the afternoon. The wind picked up like it might storm, but it didn't, of course (this is Mexico, not Illinois). Pepe was dashing around the yard, excitedly dragging the hose around and running in circles, oblivious to my withering scowl. Marlen came and played games on our computer and talked with us. We finally decided to go for a walk up to the "Bienvenidos a Choix" arch. Partway there, Marlen decided that our walk was pointless and we turned around to walk uptown (which was also pointless). She was in her "Ah'm crai-sie" mood so we were being weird and having fun...attracting some attention. LOL. We dropped Marlen off at Loren and Donna's, stopped at the tienda, and walked home. I made the Oreo pudding that Grandma sent to eat after our evening pizza. Life is good and God is even gooder.
Today I didn't not want to get out of bed. I always hear about "ungodly hours" but I never really quite understand how an hour can be ungodly. But this morning I came pretty close to understanding. We got around late, but were on time for Saturday school. The class was pretty uneventful, I think. After class, I had fun riding in the back of Loren's truck with a bunch of little kids I had never met before...except Alain (somebody please correct my spelling!). I was proud of of how easily my Spanish was coming. But I was humbled when Alain started talking to me in English. He's just way too smart...and way too cute! Stacey and I made potato soup, crescent rolls, and Kool-Aid for lunch. I talked to Michelle and Mom for a long time in the afternoon. The wind picked up like it might storm, but it didn't, of course (this is Mexico, not Illinois). Pepe was dashing around the yard, excitedly dragging the hose around and running in circles, oblivious to my withering scowl. Marlen came and played games on our computer and talked with us. We finally decided to go for a walk up to the "Bienvenidos a Choix" arch. Partway there, Marlen decided that our walk was pointless and we turned around to walk uptown (which was also pointless). She was in her "Ah'm crai-sie" mood so we were being weird and having fun...attracting some attention. LOL. We dropped Marlen off at Loren and Donna's, stopped at the tienda, and walked home. I made the Oreo pudding that Grandma sent to eat after our evening pizza. Life is good and God is even gooder.
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