His princess

… it’s not Sandra on Blogsome, but Sandra at Wordpress.

Without further ado,
-Sonj

Hey peeps, Friday we spent the day with Willard’s family (except for Aaron, who ran way to CBS;) at Rio Lempa. We had lots of fun! I woudl have enjoyed it tons more if I hadn’t been feeling so woozy from the cold I have, and I think I also developed bronchitis from being in the water, cuz after I’d been in for a while I had a hard time breathing and it’s not got any easier either. :(  Its esp. miserable in the evening but hey I don’t know why I’m fussing about this!! I wanted to uplaod pics for a long time and have had stress doing it. Now that its actually working i go on about my many health issues. LOL. :P So we waded, splashed each other, watched Arlynn jumping off a high branch from a tree nearby & into the water, torturing gigantic ugly frogs, walking across the high & long swinging bridge (was awesome!), eating junk food and soda pop, and of course just yakking and enjoying the day to the utmost. It had been a long time since we’d hung out with them and it was ball doing so again. :) So, here are the pics I took. Vanessa also posted some, so check them out sometime. So don’t you love their expressions? Andrea and Vanessa sat out and "toasted" in the sun. Of course the first one didn’t do, so I took another. ;) Sweet girls. And the beautiful river. When I saw this coming, I immediantly asked Vanessa for the camera. So obviously I didn’t take many pictures, but like I said, check out Vane’s pics. Saturday morning Patrick was sqeezing oranges so we could freeze the juice for later use (that rhymes!) and Mom thought I must take a pic. So yeah I blurred it on picasa because… well, i don’t have The (my dream) Lens to do it for me. <grin> I know I just wanted that look from you. Our hybithscus (how in the world do you spell that?) tree is really blooming. Notice my turtle in the background. The plant within it is dying! (naughty thing!) ********** The other day Josh spent the day with Kenny. Was darling to watch them. They worked hard in setting up the ladder all by themselves and then proceeded to cut mangos. They ate so many they hardly were hungry for dinner! :D love ya, Kenny, you are the best little brother in the world. (when I tell him this he doesn’t believe me) ********* Two more very important things! I love my new scientific calculator! (excuse the awful flash!) …and I love Kendra!!

The guys I’ll be working with on Thursday are:
Wil Sandoval
Mauricio ? (The guy with an amazing beard and small specs)
Marvin Orellana
Joel Ramos

I am totally impressed. ha. But then again, who else would volenteer? *grrrroooan!*

Two facts. One exciting, one not-so-exciting.

The latter fact is that I’ve been asked to take care of the children on Thursday, the 16th. I was not planning to go to any of the (annual) Central American Minister’s Meeting b/c i gotta keep going in school, but was asked to help Andrea Mast take care of the kids. Apparently, Andrea has been asked to replace Marrietta at the clinic so she won’t be available to help. Anyway, so I consented to take care of the middle-aged kids at least one day. Judy informed me that there will be at least 2 other girls helping me and that a guy will also be there to help out with each group. (there will be 3 age groups, appr. 30 children in each group) So it doesn’t sound too bad, I hope I can come up with enough activities to keep them hopping. I also hope my back won’t bother me too much. Today I had to stand up to do some of my schoolwork cause sitting down for a lengthy period just hurts! ugh!!

So, the exciting fact? I got a 95%,98% and a 95% on my last three math lessons!!! Yeah I can hear you sighing, "Is that all to the exciting fact?" You bet. It is very exciting fact, IMHO!

Is there anyone that fails?
Is there anyone that falls?
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small?

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they’ll soon discover
That I don’t belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything’s okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who’s been there?
Are there any hands to raise?
Am I the only one who’s traded
In the altar for a stage?

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see?
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be?

Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away?
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay?

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Are we happy plastic people?
Under shiny plastic steeple?
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain?
But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone that fails?
Is there anyone that falls?
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small?

-Casting Crowns

Hey guys, the other night Joseph’s were over. They hadn’t come for supper in aaages so it was great hanging out with them again. I took some better pictures of Brendon this time which I fixed up in Picasa because I wasn’t pleased with the lighting.

We all think he is simply adorable!

 Susanna was holding him…

 Why is it that babies make the cutest expressions when you are totally unprepared to capture them, and when you finally have run for the camera, they decide they’ve had enough, and that it is time for another nap??

 
It was time to go, and Kendra taped her mouth shut and was trying to say "salu!" It was very amusing to all of us!

 Adios!

This evening at prayer services I greeted Hermana Teresa and she felt so hot I asked her if she is feeling ok. Her answer was a feeble "no."
She and I were a "prayer group" so I said a special prayer for her. I put my arm around her and asked God to please ease the pain she feels, and provide the strength she needs. No, He didn’t heal her instantly. In fact all evening she was still feeling sick, but I know God can heal her yet. If not here on earth, He’ll take away her pain by taking her Home, where she belongs.

Anyway, I decided to post this because…

I had a slight headache all afternoon, and everytime i sat down my back protested. I felt kinda drained and in no mood to go to church. But I have learned that sometimes its in those times of "not wanting to" that God teaches us lessons we won’t soon forget. And after seeing Hrma. Teresa suffer like she was (she had a shooting pain from her shoulders to her stomache, and also was feverish), and come from several miles away to attend the Thursday service, I felt kinda embarressed about how I’d been feeling and what I’d been thinking this afternoon. Sometimes I find myself drowning in self-pity when I have headaches or I can’t find any comfortable position because of my back pains. Ppl say "you are too young to feel that way!" and I agree and find myself questioning God why me?

So tonight I just came to realize how blessed I am, really. I don’t live with two sons; one rebellious and 
awfully cruel and the other not a normal man. (he has down-syndrome) 
My occasional physical pain is nothing compared to what Hrma. Teresa suffers, and I’ve been reminded to enjoy life as much as is possible while I can, not sit and pity myself….

P.S. Please pray for Teresa; she needs strength to carry on here. On Saturday of last week Herson (her down syndrome son) disappeared and didn’t come back home until Sunday noon. Supposedly a guy from a local gang took him away and this has been really trying on Hrma. Teresa… she says she thinks why she is sick. Not only does she need God’s healing touch; she needs 
his comfort, His wisdom, and strength to face each day. I know we all do, but I just feel she needs 
it especially, because she is the only Christian around there and it’s hard on her; so much ridicule and it appears ppl love testing her.

It’s fun to talk with drunk men if you are a safe distance away. The other night I had a conversation with a local drunk. (I was sewing and had the screens to the street open and he saw me as he was stumbling home). It went something like this:

Drunk Man (DM): good evening miss

me: good evening

DM: you sure can sew, eh?

me: I enjoy it anyway

DM: um, I have a shirt (pause) it needs to be fixed… (pause) you’ll do that for me, right?

me: sry, I don’t sew for other ppl

DM: ok, I’ll bring it over

me: sry sir, I don’t have time to fix your shirt, I have some dresses that need to be made.

DM: oh. *stares at me* ok. no problem miss. thanx

me: —-

DM: you’re pretty

me: thanx

DM: God made you that way right?

me: right

DM: God bless you! *stumbles away muttering pretty pretty*

This afternoon, Juancito, a local loco, came very distressed to me while I was over at Nina Elsie’s store. I had just run over to bring Juan Carlos over to entertain Patrick and i while we stamped Antorchas. He said, "Miss, come,"  and lifted up his shirt and told me to put my hand "right here."

"Feel my heart, it’s jumping."

I told him to put his shirt down; it’s not good manners.

"No" he said, "feel it here."

I told him that I can feel his heartbeat by putting my hand over his shirt, and told him all of hearts jump. 

He repeated, "IT’S JUMPING!!"

I told him that perhaps he’s been walking too much, he should lie down and give his heart a rest.

"No"

"Well, what do you think might help it?" I asked.

"Give me a pill, it’s jumping." And he put his head down on his arms and groaned.

"I don’t have any, Juan. Look, go lie over there in the shade, ok?"

And I was getting kinda annoyed so I left with the baby in my arms.