Feliz Navidad

... de los Duran

Stickers

While doing school today Katrina was

earning many stickers for her hard work.

At one point we were working on onset and rime.

For those of you out there not sure what that is,

it's basically the first sound of a word and then the

rest of the word.

She is working on figuring out words when I

say the first sound and the rest and she is also

working on breaking down words that I give her.

So, as she was doing an excellent job she simply said,

"Mama, if I keep doing good you will have to put

a sticker on my face."

I busted out laughing.

It makes complete sense, doesn't it?

Tell Me Another One, Grandpa

Last night my dad came to eat dinner with us

while my mom enjoyed a night out with some friends.

After dinner Samuel got up into Grandpa's lap

and began asking for stories.

If you know my dad at all, you know he is

an incredible story teller.

In fact, he used to entertain my brothers and I

all the way to and from our family's up-north cabin

(a 2 hour ride) nearly every week.

So, he was prepared for story telling.

What he was not prepared for was the type of stories

Samuel was requesting.

You see, my dad has thousands

 (I am almost serious about the number being in the thousands)

about hunting and fishing.

But Samuel was requesting stories about

snow blowers and lawn mowers.

Well, being the superb grandpa that he is,

my dad figured out how to make many of his stories

into snow blower or lawn mower stories.

He didn't change the stories, he simply started them a little

earlier than he normally would.

For example...

"One time, Sam, I mowed the grass and then our family

went away for the day.

When we got home our neighbors came running over, all

excited. While we were gone our dog caught a snake in our

yard and killed it!"

Samuel was absolutely enthralled with Grandpa's stories.

Look at how intently he was watching my dad.

Isn't that adorable?

And like I already mentioned, he is such a great grandpa

that he said the next day,

"I'm starting to think about more snow blower and lawn

mower stories for the next time Sam asks me for one."

Thanks, Dad!

For such a time as this

For years and years I have dreamed of these days.

As a young girl all I ever wanted to be

was a wife and a mama.

I loved pretend play and I would play

hour after hour that I was a wife and a mama.

And now, all these years later,

I am just that.

Earlier this week I was thinking and praying

and with the Lord's help I realized that my dreams,

my deepest desires, have become my reality.

And I was challenged to seize these days.

For such a time as this I was created.

For such a time as this I was designed.

For such a time as this I was destined.

What a gift.

An incredible gift.

Lord Jesus,

Thank You that for such a time as this I was designed.

Help me, Jesus, to savor these moments as they slip by

all too quickly.

Help me to see as trophies, as a dear discipler shared this week,

the piles of toys on the living room floor

and dishes next to the sink because I am investing

in the three biggest miracles of my life:

Katrina, Samuel and Joel.

Remind me to sow seeds of Your truth and Your love into their

lives on a daily basis, Lord.

Amen.

Hands

If all the fathers in the world held out their hand in friendship,

your's is the one I'd hold.

We are going to be facilitating a Sunday School

beginning this Sunday.

We are going to go through the Dr. Dobson DVD series

Bringing Up Boys.

We love our boys.

Both of us do.

(And of course we love Katrina too!)

I am convinced that the Lord gave us two boys,

our two boys, Samuel and Joel,

because Pancho is the best papa for these

two miracles.

As I see Pancho interacting with

Samuel and Joel I give praise to our Lord

that He chose Pancho for me and for Katrina.

I give special praise during these days that we are

 thinking about raising boys

 that He chose him for

Samuel and Joel.

Tu eres el mejor papa para nuestros hijos, Pancho.

Tu has aprendido de tu papa y mejor aun de tu Papa celestial.

Le doy gracias a Dios que tu quieres criar a tus hijos

en los caminos del Senor.

Te amo mas que nunca.

Vivid Memories

I read a quote recently...

"The most vivid memories of Christmases past are usually not

of gifts given or received, ... but of the cherished little habits

of the home."

Friday morning we were on a mission.

A mission to get our tree.

We serached the internet for local cut-your-own

tree farms as we have not found one that we totally love as of yet.

This year we may have found that one.

We found a place called Highland Trees and set the GPS to take us there.

We arrived and were offered a ride to the "cutting area"

on the tractor's wagon, a luxury since we had

three small children in tow.

The big kids had a blast tromping through the woods,

looking for the perfect tree.

We decided on a blue spruce and Pancho and Samuel

used their saws to cut it down.

(Samuel took his saw too, of course!)

Katrina joined them under the tree right before they

worked their way through the trunk.

Pancho dragged the tree back to the road and we

waited for the wagon to pick us up.

Joel woke up in the meantime and was ready to eat.

That's the great thing about being the third born, you get to

eat a bottle out in the woods while the rest of your family searches

for a tree!

(on a side note, I simply love the way I am SO much more

relaxed with Joel than I was with Katrina and even

with Samuel!)

The wagon picked us up and we went to get the tree "baled."

Then we headed inside to sip on some hot cider.

It was a great time outside. Shortly after we arrived home we worked on

"trimming the tree."

The kids took full responsiblity to hang the ornaments

and we did everything we could to leave them where they
chose to put them.

Thankfully, they gave us a few to hang too, so there are some up a

bit higher than 3 feet!

We all had a wonderful time and it is our desire

that these memories are etched into our hearts

and minds for years and years to come.

Another Comparison

Still thinking he looks like Katrina?

Or Samuel?

Or like himself?

They definitely look like siblings;

that is my conclusion each time I put the

pictures together like this.

3 Months and Growing Daily

Joel Thorne

3 months

Going to Get Papa

We went to Chicago to pick up Papa from the airport.
We decided to celebrate God's faithfulness toward
all of us while we were apart to spend the night in a hotel.
The kids were thrilled with the idea and the ride down
was filled with "Are we there yet?" and "How much longer?"

Katrina and Samuel hit the pool quickly before we headed
over to O'Hare to get Panchito.

Panchito's flight was supposed to arrive at 10:00 PM.
We arrived at the international "gate" at 10:15 an
checked the arrival screen.
His flight supposedly had arrived at 10:10 so we
were VERY excited to see him soon.
I found it odd that he had not called my cell phone...
Soon we realized his flight had not arrived and we have
yet to discover the reason the screen showed it arriving.
He eventually walked through those doors at 12:15 AM.
It was an incredible reunion.

We went back to the hotel and went to bed quite quickly.

Early Friday morning we had breakfast and
then Panchito and the kids hit the pool one more time.

We are so thankful to have our Papa back.

It was a tough two weeks but God had a

good purpose in it.

My other dad

A little over one year ago I wrote this post.
Today I am writing to let you all know
that this dear man has gone to be with his Lord and Savior.
Although I have only known him a little over eleven
years, I definitely feel like a daughter.
From the moment I stepped foot into their home
he treated me as a daughter, a true-blood daughter.
I was his "gringa-girl."

Pancho, my Pancho, is in Venezuela right now.

He is doing what he can to help his mom and sisters

adjust to this tremendous loss.

He will be home in 9 sleeps.

It feels like he has been gone for a lot longer than 5 sleeps.

But we are trusting God to help all of us

get through this incredibly difficult time.

Pancho Sr. was an incredible man of God.

He will be dearly missed.

In fact, he is already dearly missed.

Yet, we are sure that he is enjoying

being home with his Savior.

Lord,

Thank You for KNOWING the plans You

have for us. (Jeremiah 29:11)

You had a plan for Pancho Sr.

and it was part of Your plan that his time

on earth with us ended last week.

Help us trust You and Your perfect timing.

Thank You for showing us in the little things

already that it is Your PERFECT timing.

You are SO gracious in SO many ways.

Please help Pancho, my Pancho, to know how

to best minister to his family now and

thank You for the provision for this

unexpected trip.

We love you, Lord Jesus, and look

forward to the day when we too will see You

face-to-face.

What a day of rejoicing that WILL be!

Amen.