Our Week

I've mentioned before that I'm a meal planner.  I plan our meals for two weeks at a time.  I then make a grocery list for what I need and buy only what is on my list (most of the time).   It helps me stay organized, sane, and also saves time and money.   I rotate our lunch and supper meals but our breakfast meals are generally the same for each day of the week.  For example, we eat pancakes on Wednesday, biscuits on Saturday, and French toast on Sunday.  On Mondays we most always eat oatmeal.  My boys love the instant fruit flavors and it's quick.  This past Monday when Cruz got up he put on his Batman apron and asked to help me.  Both of my boys love to help me in the kitchen. 

Cruz stirring the oatmeal before I put it in the microwave.

David and Noe, our Ag partner from Honduras, have plans to make visits together each Tuesday of this month.  This past Tuesday they were in the village of Lagunetas.  Our Bible study there has been on hold lately because many of the men are away working.  That is common for this time of the year.  We hope to have it up and going again soon. 

Here's Noe and Leonardo discussing some plants in the village of Lagunetas

We've had a warm sunny week.  Here are the boys on Tuesday afternoon playing in the sprinkler with two of our neighbors.  So far all of the neighbor kids we have met have been sweet and kind to our boys.  I love for them to get to play with the other kids because it gives them a chance to hear and practice Spanish.

Our boys are a lot alike.  But, I don't realize how different they are until we get them one on one.  Having the mornings with just Ben at home is a breath of fresh air.  He can be so calm and quiet that you don't even know he's in the house.  He plays very well on his own and can entertain himself for hours.  He'll sit and watch t.v.  He'll work puzzles.  He'll play with his toys.  He just chills out in a way that Cruz never has.  Cruz can do all of those things too, but only if someone does them with him.  He is not a loner and has to have constant attention and interaction all.day.long. They're alike but boy are they different too.

He's precious though and I was reminded of it when he walked in the door on Wednesday after school holding me some beautiful roses that he and David stopped and picked up.  He knows his mama loves flowers and he loves getting them for me.

my early Valentine's roses

That boy has definitely got my heart.  It's a tired heart, but he's got it! ha

Homework, homework, homework... it's the story of my life.  But, this past Wednesday Cruz did not have any.  I found myself flipping through his agenda several times just to make sure I didn't miss something.  ha  To celebrate having an afternoon off we loaded the boys up after their naps and took them to McDonald's for ice cream and some play time.  I love doing random fun things to break up the routine of life. 

My little guys love ice cream.  They had their choice of whatever they wanted and they both picked plain vanilla. 

That evening as we were playing outside at home I couldn't help but notice the beautiful sunset in the distance.  I LOVE sunsets.  I like sunrises too but to be honest I'd much rather be sleeping at that time of the day.  Ben and I walked down to the end of the road and I snapped this photo.  Gorgeous!

On Thursday afternoon we led Bible study in the village of Muyurco.  Before we left town to go there we got a call from the man whose house we meet at saying he and his wife were at the hospital in Chiquimula and wanted to ride home with us.  Just 24 hours earlier his wife had given birth to a sweet baby boy.  We picked the three of them up outside the hospital gates and traveled on.  I can't imagine having a baby the day before and traveling home on the rough, bumpy mountain roads holding him in my arms (because they don't use car seats here).  If that wasn't bad enough she arrived home to a house full of guests ready to have a Bible study.  She laid the baby down and headed straight to her kitchen to build a fire and prepare us all something to drink (a day after giving birth!).   It's a hard life these village women have and I spent the whole afternoon reflecting on it and thanking God for the life he has given me.   It's moments like this that remind me just how good I have it.

Our Bible studies went well.  It was my first study with the children.  I taught the story of creation and focused on the fact that out of all the things God created He loved man the most.  I told them over and over how much God loves them and gave them hearts to color and take home as reminders.  I told them to remember as they get ready to celebrate Valentine's Day that there is no greater love than the love that God has for them.

Aren't these precious faces!!!

Ben coloring his paper in the village.

We decided to stop and eat pizza for supper when we got back into town.  It was getting dark already when we left the village and it's a full hour drive back into town.  We were all tired and hungry.

me and silly Cruz at the Burger Pizza Diner in Chiquimula

It's now Valentine's Eve and Cruz woke up eager for school.  It was their party day and he got to dress up in a costume.  He chose Batman but only the black cape and mask.  Then he ended up not taking the mask with him and just wore the cape.  They had a fun day planned and it included exchanging gifts and Pollo Campero kid meals.  Any kid would enjoy that!

Here's Cruz before we left for school trying to look tough.  He added some Buzz Lightyear stickers to his hands and arms for power.   That boys is a mess!

Here's a photo I took when I dropped him off.  There are 19 kids in his class but not all of them had arrived yet.   Don't they look cute!

We dropped him off and headed straight to the mall.  There is a car detail shop in the parking lot, and our car needed to visit it BAD.  While it got cleaned we walked around the mall.  Most all of the stores do not open until 10:00 so we just window shopped.  We did visit the Mega Paca (thrift store) and the grocery store to pick up some fruit because they both open at 8:00.

We let Ben play on the playland and we enjoyed a mid-morning snack at the food court.  I got my favorite- cheese fries and David got his favorite- peanut butter crepe.  We shared and it was yummy.

An early Valentine treat and a photo to remember it by, courtesy of Ben.

(Notice David is holding a toothpick.  That is what they give you to eat the fries with.)

I gave Ben a roll of stickers to entertain himself while we talked and ate.  He covered himself and had a fun time doing it.

Cruz got out of school early so we left to pick him up.  I am looking forward to the weekend and especially excited that it is a holiday weekend.  I have a few fun things planned for us to do over the next two days.   Happy early Valentine's Day everyone.  We hope it's love-ly!