It won't be long

Yesterday Joel was the only child awake when Pancho went out to clear the driveway. He sat on the chair and longingly looked outside. It seems he a lot like his big brother, Samuel, and will enjoy snowblowing and shoveling with his papa!
It won't be long, Joel, and you'll be out there clearing snow too!

Rub a dub dub

Joel's longer locks are cute dry but it appears they are even cuter wet!

We got a tree

We went on Saturday morning to get a tree. It was a great morning to go. We ran into some good friends and some dear family, which made the experience even richer.
We all had a great time and it is fun to have a sparkly tree in the living room.

This is for you, KS!

Girls Night Out

Last week Katrina and I went to Biggby Coffee with 2 of my four sister-in-laws: Amber and Fanny. Leanne was sick and Francys was in Venezuela.
The day before I saw a pin on Pinterest about secret treats to get your kids at Starbucks. I didn't look at the pin, but it was a bit intriguing.
Anyway, we got to Biggby and I wondered what Katrina would order. She saw the person ahead of us get a drink with whipped cream on top and she whispered to me, "I'd like a cup of just cream." We smiled big smiles at each other and stepped up to order. The clerk looked at Katrina and said, "We can do that, you know?"
So, Katrina ordered a cup of cream. What a treat!

Brotherly-Sisterly Love

One thing I pray is that Katrina, Samuel and Joel have great sibling relationships for years to come.
When I saw them sleeping like this, I couldn't help but snap a picture.

Duran Family October 2012

Pancho
Kristina
Katrina 6.5
Samuel 3.5
Joel 14 months
Simba 11 months

There and back in 23 hours

We just got back from a q.u.i.c.k. trip to Chicago. Quick for us is there and back with all.3.kids. in 23 hours!
I am exhausted. Physically -- yesterday I woke up at 5:15 with many things on my to-do list, we went to bed at midnight (all of us except Pancho who went to bed at 2 am!), we woke up before 7 (you know the adage, "late to bed, early to rise). Emotionally -- we were in the car for 5 hours straight on the way there and 1+4 hours on the way home with three small kids (who are not used to road tripping), need I say more?
The good news, however, is that we have our guests! My sister-in-law, Fanny and her husband, whom I had not met until 10 last night, are here with us in good ol' Weston. They will spend nearly 3 weeks with us and then we'll take them back. (Rest assured, we have a different plan for the trip back down there!)
On the way home today we stopped at Disney, err, I mean Chuck E. Cheese. (Katrina called it Disney numerous times!) Here are a few pictures from our time there. (Oh, and one reason this did not affect my emotional exhaustion is because we were the o.n.l.y. ones there!)

Joel

This is how Joel "rolls" these days... One minute, playing contentedly on the floor. The next minute, playing super contentedly on top of the kid-size picnic table.
We are challenged to always be pendiente!

Pumpkin patch

For years it has been a tradition to go to the apple orchard in the fall. This year was no exception. However, this was a poor year for apple growers and there are not many apples.
So, we went to the apple orchard but we did the pumpkin patch tour because there was no apple orchard tour!
It was super fun. The only downfall is now. We are not enjoying all the tasty treats from our big bag of apples that we always purchased!

A Cubbie and a Spark

This year we have a Cubbie and a Spark participating in the AWANA program.
How can that be possible?
Lord, help us cherish these days!

Trip to CFS

It has been a Duran family tradition to spend Memorial Day weekend at Camp Forest Springs for the last several years. We went this year as well and then the Lord provided a way for us to take my mother-in-law, sister-in-law and our niece for Labor Day weekend.
We had a wonderful time. More memories made than photos taken. But, that is just fine by us!
Some highlights include:
Pancho -- high ropes with Francys and Vero
Kristina -- paddle boating with Katrina and Samuel
Katrina -- painting a jewelry box with Mama
Samuel -- riding the tractors at the farm
Joel -- sandbox
Emelys -- spending time with the family
Francys -- the food
Veronica -- paintball with Panchito

Quick trip to MOA

Having family from out of the country in town necessitates a trip to the Mall of America.
We took very few pictures but made lots of wonderful memories!

Joel Thorne -- 12 months

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Joel is 12 months now.

I cannot believe that my baby is one year old.

It is a bittersweet feeling.

We are so thankful that God has blessed us with Joel Thorne

for an entire year.

At the same time, it is the end of an era for us.

It is the end of our time as a family with a baby.

Although we look forward with anticipation

at what God has in store for us,

we look back with tears, knowing that

this time has slipped by.

If you cannot tell, I simply cannot get enough of this little man. 

(hence ALL the pictures of him in basically the same pose!)

Lord Jesus,

You have given us such a gift in Joel Thorne.

We have learned so much through the pregnancy

with him, through the birth and now through his first year.

We look expectantly at what You will teach us

during this next year.

Thank You again, for being the Giver of good gifts.

Amen. 

"I can help you over here, Ma'am."

I am feeling old these days.

It wasn't that long ago that I would hear

"Miss, can I help you?" when I was at Target or Home Depot.

But now, I never hear "Miss."

Instead I hear "Ma'am."

"Right over here, Ma'am."

"Ma'am, is this what you are looking for."

"Glad I could help you, Ma'am."

The word "ma'am" does not sit well with me.

It rings in my ears for minutes after it has been spoken.

It makes me feel old.

Then, I had an appointment to get my eyes checked.

The doctor dilated my eyes and I could not wear

my contacts or my glasses.

I had to go to a waiting area to pick up some new

contacts because my prescription has changed

quite a bit in the past 5 years.

(yes, I have not been to the eye clinic since BEFORE

Samuel was born! Yikes. Needless to say, the

opthamologist was not too pleased with that!

I tried to explain to him that I have been a little preoccupied

with my kids. His response, "Are they graduating yet?"

Ha!)

So, I was in the waiting area which was actually the same

place you choose new frames.

I thought I could look around a bit for some new frames for

my new prescription and I could not see anything!

That really made me feel old.

I mean, I know I need glasses or contacts but I used to be able to

distinguish some things without either.

Not anymore.

And while the older kids have been taking swimming lessons

I have been sitting with Joel on the tiled pool-side floor.

My body has ached each time I get up.

I finally found a mat to sit on in a different area and

was explaining to the other (READ: younger) moms that I was moving to the

mat from now on to sit and I said,

"I'm turning 35 this month and I am really feeling my age lately.

Sitting on this tile floor really hurts my body. I need to

sit on that mat."

They chuckled, I chuckled (nervously) and went to my mat.

Later, in the locker room, one of those moms said to me,

"You are 35? You don't look older than 28."

Another one said,

"My goal is to look like you after I have 3 kids and am 35."

These things have got me thinking quite a bit about aging.

2 Corinthians 4:16

Therefore we do not lose heart, but

though our outer man is decaying, yet

our inner man is being renewed day by day.

I confess, the comments referring to me as "ma'am"

have led me to "lose heart."

 My "outer man" is decaying.  

That is obvious.

And that is natural.

Yet, I praise God that my "inner man"

is being renewed day by day

through His Word invested in my life.

So, the next time you see me, feel free to call me "ma'am."

I am working on trying to get used to that

new greeting.



Samuel -- 3 and 1/2

Katrina -- nearly 6 and 1/2

Joel Thorne -- 11 months

Our little girl is growing up

During June Katrina has successfully attempted some firsts.

She went on her first sleep-over.

She has a new dear friend name Lily and after VBS a few weeks back

Lily invited Katrina over for the night.

Needless to say, Pancho and I had a harder time than Katrina!

We are so used to her flamboyant personality within our home

on a regular basis that she was dearly missed.

The next night we had Lily stay with us.

I thought it would be extra fun to pretend the girls

were staying at Hotel Duran.

I welcomed them inside, showed them to their room

and gave them their key.

The hotel had an outdoor pool which was open during

the afternoon as well as the property's playground.

Later in the afternoon the hotel shuttle

transported the guests to a local bowling alley

where they bowled two games.

After dinner the hotel hosted a craft night

where the guests made tie-dye shirts.

The evening ended with a movie in the hotel theater with popcorn.

In the morning the guests received a continental breakfast

in bed.

It was a great time and I hope created a great memory

in their minds.

Last week Katrina ventured to Camp Forest Springs

for their First Adventure Day Camp.

It was an exciting time for her to be a camper,

even if it was just during the day.

There were four families from our area that planned to drive

daily so we were able to carpool and each of us took one

trip there and one trip home with all four kids and it

worked incredibly well.

I picked the kids up on Wednesday, the second-to-last day of day camp.

The trip home was great!

The kids sang the songs they had been learning.

They all shared a high-light and a low-light

(to be sure, the low-lights were VERY difficult to think of, most were

things like, "I didn't like archery because I did not hit the target even one time.")

They told me about the food and the activities.

3 John 4

I have NO greater joy than to hear of my children walking in the truth.

While Katrina was away I was struck with how little I pray for her

on a daily basis.

What I mean is, when she is with me I do not pray for her like I did

when she was away overnight with Lily or at day camp.

It was like I was having a Katrina-fast.

I praised the Lord for the incredible blessing that Katrina is to me.

I begged the Lord for her safety.

I pleaded with Him for her heart to be bent more and more towards Him.

It was a wonderful time of prayer for her and a

wonderful time of fellowship for me with my God

who has gifted me with Katrina for nearly 6.5 years.

Jesus, thank You for reminding me of the importance

of praying for my children. Thank You for the

opportunity to have a Katrina-fast.

Help me to pray for all three of them even when

they are with me!