Hello 43

It's been a pretty fun week around our house.  I celebrated a birthday which meant I got some special treatment from my guys.  Sometimes it's not so bad being the only female in the house, ha.

I love to bake so on Tuesday morning while Cruz was at school and David was in the village I baked a cake for us to enjoy for my birthday.  A few weeks ago a friend had posted a recipe on facebook for an Old Fashioned Butter Cake with homemade Hershey's chocolate icing.  I thought it sounded yummy so I wrote the recipe down and made plans to bake it for my birthday cake.  It turned out pretty good.

my birthday cake

The candles are from Cruz's 3rd and 4th birthdays.  I love to reuse them for all of our birthdays.  I'll use that #3 again in April for Ben.  Oh my, is my baby really about to turn three!!!

That afternoon when the boys got up from their naps David took them shopping to pick me out a gift.  David and I do not normally buy each other gifts but Cruz insisted that I have a present to open.  I think from now on it will be our tradition to take the kids shopping and let them pick something out for us.  Regardless of gifts I always get flowers for every special occasion.  I love flowers!

I heard them drive up so I knew to grab my camera.  Here they are coming in the door with my flowers.  This year I got two bouquets- one from each boy.

I think they get just as excited as I do.

my little loves!

aren't they pretty!

my flowers and my birthday banner

these two make every day fun but especially my birthday

I cooked supper on Tuesday evening and afterwards we ate cake.  I knew Wednesday (my original birthday) would be busy so we started celebrating a little early.

me with my birthday cake

the boys singing "Happy Birthday" to me before helping me blow out my candles

My birthday morning got started early as in a 5:30 a.m. alarm going off.  We had a busy morning and had to get an early start.  I made banana pancakes for our breakfast.

My birthday breakfast on our Celebration Plate and my birthday gift waiting to be opened.

 opening my presents

(I didn't notice until I loaded these photos that I am wearing very similar shirts on both days.  I did change clothes y'all, ha)

my gifts

The boys always make us homemade cards for special occasions.  Here is Cruz's card to me for my birthday.  He wrote the letters but it made me laugh that he wrote his M's upside down and they look like W's.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY WAWA, ha. The green letters he said were his jokes.  I was supposed to laugh at them.

After eating and getting dressed we headed out for a morning adventure.  We had plans to pick up Mrs. Diana Lubeck in Camotan and then travel on to the village of Tunuco Arriba.   We were starting a new Bible class in the village school that day.  We have been given permission to have class there in the school every Wednesday morning.  

Our family on my birthday morning on our way to the village of Tunuco Arriba.  It's an hour and 40 minutes from our house to get there.  That's 30 minutes on pavement and an hour and ten minutes up the mountain road.

me and my boys after we arrived in the village

We have an hour long class with the K-5 and first graders and then an hour long class with the 2nd- 6th graders.  We had 24 in the first class and 27 in the second class. 

Since the children there all speak and understand Chorti Mrs. Diana is doing the teaching in the Mayan language.  Here she is sharing the Bible story with the kids.

They did a song, story, and memory verse.  Afterwards they got a coloring sheet to color.   Mrs. Diana is putting their sheets into a folder and will make a booklet for them the receive at the end of the school year.

some of the 2nd- 6th graders

The first day went very well.   We had a fun time and look forward to getting to return each week and teach again.

When we returned to the Lubeck's house they asked us to get out for a minute.  She surprised me with a birthday cake and we took some time to eat and fellowship together.

Me and Mrs. Diana on my birthday.  She is a precious lady and I am thankful to call her my friend.  I also love that I am getting to work alongside her with this Bible study..  God has always been faithful to place others in our path while on the mission field to help us along the way.   I had Miss Fran Eachus and Mrs. Jane Parker when we worked with the Kekchi and now Mrs. Diana has been my helpmate since moving to this area.  She's a gem (they all are)! 

 my birthday cake from the Lubeck's

 Here's Mr. John showing the boys around his work shop.  They were fascinated with all of his tools.

We returned home for a little time to catch our breath before heading out again.  For our late afternoon/ evening entertainment we headed out to the bowling alley for some family fun.  We love bowling and it's a fun thing to do on special occasions.

Here's my boys singing "Happy Birthday" to me in the car on the way to the bowling alley.  It's a tradition to video them singing to me on my birthday.  These will be precious to me in the years to come.

me and my boys ready to bowl

We had fun!  And, I beat David.  We are very competitive with each other so anytime I can beat him at something it is a good day, ha.

We let the boys play a few games before leaving which included mine and Cruz's favorite- air hockey.

We enjoyed some pizza and cheese fries for our supper before returning home.  While driving back home I saw this gorgeous sunset in the distance. 

What a beautiful way to end my day!!!

The boys were in bed asleep before 8:00 and we were not far behind them.  It had been a long day for all of us but was one that I enjoyed thoroughly!  Birthdays are my favorite days of the year.