Children?

Yes, we have children. I know there is some talk out there I do not put enough on here about them, but I rarely does someone ask me how they are doing...so I suppose either most do not care...or we actually are doing a fairly good job on reporting on them along with everything else.

I come bearing pictures, which always helps tell a good story.

Yesterday was the mother's day celebration for the school. While all of us should honor our mothers, I thought the tribute went a bit over the top when it was said "there is nothing on the earth that is close to the image of God than a mother." It started late (no surprise there) and as God would have it, Valerie had no patients, so she was able to come down. I am used to being the odd man out everywhere I go, but certainly so there...other than the few guys on staff at the school, I think I was the only man in the building.

Cecilia had two different activities....dancing, scene here, and a little skit. The idea was that everyone would wear all white, if that is why it looks like almost everyone but Cecilia had a white dress. She enjoyed dancing more than her partner I think. She really liked her part in the little skit...which was funny, a lost little girl trying to find her mom. The first "mom" suggested (another student) was too skinny, too young, etc. and then came Cecilia..."too white bread."

Soren....poor Soren. I felt so bad for him. There was another girl on the other side of the stage that had to wear a mask as well, but it was obvious that he could not see through the eye holes, and that made his whole time up there....frustrating. Frustrating for him to try to do what he was supposed to do (hand motions to a song) which he did fairly well regardless, and frustrating for me to see him frustrated. He bore it well...but still. (If you can not tell...he is in the middle of the picture, with the yellow pants....which also did not fit him and they had to roll them up twice before starting the song)

I have as well a few pictures of just them being them in one way or another as well.

Soren and Cecilia had to go with me to escort the mechanic back to the property to look at the Fords (and Oscar's Toyota, and eventually the Musso....and probably after that the Defender) Soren is usually slow to go up the hill, but for some reason following his van seemed like a great time to run. This picture means more because this is not our usual mechanic, this is another gentleman that Oscar knows. Our regular mechanic is having surgery...in Venezuela, all thanks to our good buddies there promoting socialism. I will be curious to see what happened when he returns (as well as what surgery he had...I knew he is a chronic alcoholic, but as of a month ago I did not know he needed any surgery.) We have heard people here tell us of promised eye surgeries in Cuba to fix problems that other than a miracle, there is no known cure (retinitis pigmentosa springs to mind, as do macular scars)

The kids loved the Toyota Hilux La Colonia is giving away for Mother's day, especially the fact that it was inside the store! I thought it was somewhat cool myself (I prefer a stouter vehicle for use here, but it is surely a nice vehicle) but did wonder...is this the car most mothers here would want? The answer may be yes, but it did surprise me a little, you know, versus giving away a four door sedan or mini-van, also popular here. If that was not enough, the Toyota people set up shop outside to do oil changes...and probably other stuff to which I did not inquire, right outside the front door of the store. I have heard of convenience being the max in the US...but do they do it to this extent?

And finally, I am taking a moment to blog to the testimony living in my kids. They are good kids. They are not perfect, and if someone was to tell me they did something wrong, I would probably believe them (you know, not like some parents who believe whatever their kids tell them no matter what)....but more often than not they are considerate, kind, thoughtful, and obedient. I am thankful for them....for who they are becoming, and who they are helping me become. I fail them regularly as a parent...and they still love me. They may not always do the right thing...but I will always love them as well. And right there I get a little glimpse of God's love for me....not of myself, not based on what I do or how I try...it just is, beyond any explanation or logic we might try to apply....other than grace.