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

/

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.