It's Suko's Birthday!!!

I miss you!!! - So great I got to see you and Nemo last night, I have to get out there more often! LY and am praying this is the bestest year yet for you!

Again???!!!!

I can't believe it!! - I got hit again! (Well, the pick-up truck did.) And guess what? The driver got away with it again. This time thankfully I didn't have to fork over money for it being his fault, but he got off with the "well, I couldn't see the rear of my truck through my side-view mirror...I don't have insurance anyways...I'm sorry...hey, everyone constantly gets crashed/smashed/hit at the market".

Oh well, at least it wasn't more than our rear light and yet another dent in the body of the truck (the side that already has the huge dent that came with it), and none of us got hurt, etc. - There are so many more freaky things that a huge truck like that could have done to us so I'm going to just praise the Lord we're safe and made it back home safely. Some day I'll take a pic of our dear truck and post it though - one would think we took it for a real battering before taking it to the market. But TTL, it was donated, and other than the fierce dents it runs so nicely, so that's a huge blessing. - Plus, the dents are rather endearing. Folks automatically assume I did it - I am a female driver after all - so they seem to often steer clear of me. LOL! - I love that! :D

Ok, enough from me - long day! Bye!

Songs and strawberries!

Ever woken up with a song in your thoughts? – One you find yourself singing throughout the day? I have that often! It always makes me wonder where it came from. - If perhaps my guardian angels were singing it to me in my sleep. (Sweet!) This morning I woke up with this song in my mind...I think it'll be my prayer for the day (week, month, year, etc.)

One more time in my life I want to be the one to share,
Be the one to care the way that You (Jesus) have cared for me.
One more time now I pray that there won't be another day
That someone passes my way without me giving love,
Without me giving love.

Oh, and in other news, the Lord supplied TONS of strawberries. YES!!! The MexCityMission Home shared their goodies with us, and I'm in heaven over it. - Its my happy fruit. Just to prove how happy I can get, here's a pic of the delicious cheese cake that Michael (of Joy) made for my B-day (with strawberries too). - It was wicked! (In a very, very, very good way!) - How happy do I look? Very, right? In fact, I'm so happy, it was contagious, and Joy (of Andrew) was happy too. :D

P.S. Thank you, Michael, for granting me my B-day wishes!!!!
I LOVE your cheese-cake. :)

I love my Mom!!!

It's my Mom's birthday today, and though she doesn't get on this blog too often I did want to shout out what a wonderful woman she is, and let the cyber-world that comes here know that I love her.

She's been a real sample to me of someone who has given her all to the Lord, trusting that He is in control and that in His good timing He will either bring about the Romans 8:28 or fulfill the "100 fold in return" promise. - Or both!

As all of us, she's gone through incredible breakings and heartbreaks. I think one of the toughest being when I was 9 and she had to forsake me and see me go to a totally different country and continent, unsure of when she'd see me again. I'm not a mother at this point, but I think I'm safe saying that it's probably one of the hardest things to ask a mother (or any parent for that matter). I didn't live with her again till the age of 16, and only saw her three times in that time-frame (with literally a 5 year gap of not seeing her at all), but I know that she gave me back to the Lord, trusting that even though it was such a forsake all, He would keep me and help me in the path that He had prepared for me. - And I believe she now sees the fruit of entrusting me to His care.

Whenever I'm faced with situations that seem so very bleak, or am tempted to think I could perhaps remedy and push something through in my own strength, or with my own "cunning" tactics (right - as if...) I think at how the Lord really did know best and how trusting the Lord was the answer for her - and it helps me hang on to Him, trusting He knows what He's doing when steering my life's ship.

I love my Mom - hopefully I'll get to see her again this year. Mom, I know you know I love you, but again, I LOVE YOU! I'm praying for this upcoming year to be special in every way, and that the Lord will "bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you, the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace!"

You've been, and are, a wonderful and special Mom - just the one for me. :)

Who would have known?

I honestly don't know what to think! - I know that Aries are quite often the "loud" type and there are very few that appreciate their B-day going unnoticed, but its been such a busy B-day time. - Posts everywhere, my skype has a B-day wish (or two or 3) almost every day and not just in our area, but all over the place. - I know tons of Aries in the Family, yet we seem to be one of the least of all...interesting! - Who would have thunk it? :D

I posted this story on "Hope Always" (I noticed its been pretty quiet around there lately) - but still wanted to draw it to your attention. - And to all my friends, family, and loved ones, I wish you enough! :)

Awww....

....its only been a few hours since the computer's been on and I already got so many sweet and lovely B-day wishes! - And they keep coming in! You guys are so sweet!!!! - I have the best friends and "Family" in the world!!! ILY all! Thank you! xxx

And this is funny! UK sobriety test! :D

You'd never guess...

Yesterday was an excellent market day - I think the best yet.

It was no different from any others really, except the after part - which really crowned it. Getting home, and being able to take a nice swim in our lovely pool. Sure, there was no hot water for a while, so I had to shower off in cold water, but the pool was warm :) - And then taking that nice hot shower where I'm SURE I lose the 2 inches of dirt that built on my skin from the market grime. - Oh yes, it feels so good to be clean!

Add to that enjoying half a caguama of beer, chilling and chatting with Joy (of Andrew) who's here for FED meetings...it was great!

Must be why I slept so well and didn't even feel the earthquake that hit Mexico City early this morning! Turns out I even forgot to take out my contact lenses (DUH, Cel, you know better!!), but I really just fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, and I don't know if I even budged last night. HA! Others in our Home and neighboring Homes did feel the earthquake though so I know it happened, but yes, gotta love the good sleep had after a long market day.

I've had folks in other places asking if we're okay - YES, we are! - In fact, I didn't even feel it. - TTL for His protection.

Whew - TYJ! :)

Semolina pasta
There are two factors that make white, refined grains unhealthy. One is the lack of natural, absorbable nutrients. The other is that, because the grain is so refined, your body converts it to glucose and absorbs it too quickly, which overloads your body with sugars.
While semolina pasta is made from refined durum wheat, durum wheat is much harder than common wheat, and even though refined, digests slowly. So semolina doesn't have all the nutrients that a whole grain would have, but it digests slowly enough that it doesn't hit your body with an intense load of sugars. It's not a particularly nutritious food, but neither is it detrimental or negative to your body.
54. (Jesus:) If, when you serve semolina pasta, you complement it with other sources of nutrients (like good vegetables), it's not bad to eat, and won't hurt your health. (ML3634)

YAY!!! - This was a relief to read. - I have such a trial with brown pasta. :(

AMY! - I love you!!!

If you see this, Happy Birthday! You're a beautiful person inside and out and I want to be just like you when I grow down. :D

No, seriously, I'm praying this is the bestest year yet!!!! Would have loved to celebrate the incoming of it with you. - I hope to see you sometime this year. Love you! Happy Birthday!!!!

Got this sent to me - quite a beautiful testimony of someone who had his eyes on the right goal.

by Dr. Bob Moorehead
In 1980 a young man from Rwanda was forced by his tribe to either renounce Christ or face certain death. He refused to renounce Christ, and he was killed on the spot. The night before he had written the following commitment which was found in his room:

“I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed, the die has been cast, I have stepped over the line, the decision has been made- I’m a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed vision, worldly talking, cheap giving & dwarfed goals.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I won’t give up, shut up, let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up for the cause of Jesus Christ.

I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till everyone knows, work till He stops me & when He comes for His own, He will have no trouble recognizing me because my banner will have been clear.”

Jenny's here!

Last night Jenny flew in from Europe! - FUN! We had no problem finding her (she spotted me across the hall and I saw her right away - the joys of being head and shoulders above everyone else :D) and she's spending the weekend with me. Yay!

I took her in to the Zocalo - which, now that we live in town, and it is "Holy Week", didn't take more than 40 minutes to get to. - And David was out at our place as well for some town biz so we dragged him along too. - He was fun! WLY David - thanks for joining us!!!!

Its so nice to walk around with another tall girl! I don't know about others, but when I'm walking alone I just feel awkward, but if I'm walking with another tall girl next to me (and hot to add to it) I actually feel as if we just look good!!! - Oh yes...today was a good day!

My dilemma

With all the recent counsel that’s been coming out about healthy living, exercize, balanced diet, etc. I’ve found myself just a little stumped. You see, I consider myself a pretty healthy person! I exercize daily, I eat a pretty balanced diet (yes, all three meals) and though there are some things I have an allergy to that I might need to find a way to substitute (i.e. fish & eggs) I think those who know me will say that I actually eat healthy. The thing is, I’ve been getting sick over and over and over again – I just got over a relapse of that flu that knocked me out for 4 days. – Though thankfully it only lasted 2 days this time around and I didn’t pass out. TYJ!

I’ve been thinking, you know how they have the “ideal weight” or size, or whatever? Well, I’ve noticed, and perhaps this is just me being very wrong (which happens – heh), but I’ve seen that often women will fight so hard to get to a certain size/weight, only to constantly be struggling to stay at that size. Whereas say they put on a few more pounds or kilos (which is double – I know), they might not be at their ideal size and/or weight, but it seems it’s easier for their body to just be at that size. – And it’s easier for them to not have to struggle so much to maintain that weight/size. I’m not talking about people who aren’t keeping a healthy life-style, I’m talking about people who are generally eating healthy, watching their diet, exercizing, etc. – It seems, to me at least, that their body feels more comfortable at a certain weight, and will stick to that. Most women seem to fluctuate between a certain weight anyways, so what stops us from just letting our body be the weight it wants to be, even if it is perhaps a little above the “ideal/model” weight. (Again, speaking healthy here.)

I was looking at some pics of times gone by and happened on some that were taken shortly after my appendectomy. I lost @ 15 pounds at the time, though in looking at the pics I still feel there was chunk on me that, if I was trying to reach that model/ideal weight/size then I’d have to lose it. In contrast to today (well, not today really, I lose weight when I get sick so these 2 days finds me with several pounds less than 2 days ago) I’m generally heavier than I was at that time, though a few sizes smaller – which goes to prove that you can’t go by weight, and you also can’t go by sizes sometimes, but really, who’s to judge how much weight your body needs? It just seems as if we’re getting tricked into the mentality of what the media pumps us with, when really, the Lord made our bodies so perfect, if we just treat it well and take good care of it, then it should respond likewise.

Which takes me back to my dilemma! - What am I doing wrong?!!! My only theory is that I’ve dropped below what my body feels it needs in order to be healthy, and likewise it’s getting back at me, but then other than muscle (which I will put back on once I starting working out – I’m too weak now – Ha!) I’d need to start eating unhealthy to put on fat.

Oh well, it’s definitely something I’m asking the Lord about, but does anyone have any thoughts on the matter? What have you found about your ideal weight/size? I’m interested!