Sweet tooth!

The boys and I went to the store yesterday, and being that it's close to October 31st, there is an enormous amount of candy for sale. Have you ever noticed how much the candy has changed since we were little? Here's a list of my favorites from my childhood...most of these are probably no longer sold...haha...I am getting old! :)

Marathon Bar...these were a foot long, chocolate covered carmel "ladder" that we used to almost choke on because it was so stringy and sticky!

Ice Cubes...delicious creamy chocolate cubes...the smoothest thing around...my Gramma "D" always had some on her purse!

Necco wafers....dry and weird tasting, but we bought them anyway! LOL

Whistle pops...Lollypops with an loud whistle (made by some candy man with no children, no doubt!)

Candy cigarettes...we "puffed" on these things until the paper got soggy!

Bazooka Joe gum...hard as a rock until you chewed it for a while...once it was soft, it lost all it's flavor...we could buy it for 2 cents at the snack shack...and the comic and joke of the day were great, cheap entertainment!

Pixie sticks...if accidently inhaling the powder didn't kill you, the 1.5 second sugar rush just might!

Reeses pieces...if it weren't for E.T., these candies would have never lasted!

Fireballs...another snack shack favorite...why did we buy something that spent more time staining our fingertips than in our mouths???

Sour patch kids...wegmans sold them in bulk, and we snuck them into the movies!!

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These days, our kids have an incredible variety to choose from...

Gummy whatever...bears, worms, bugs, body parts...Chocolate anything and everything...So what did my kids get on our excursion to the store?? A package of gummy Krabby Patties, Josh eats them like a squirrel with his precious acorn. Jonathan took one bite, yelled "Yuck!!", and spit it to the ground. I'll stick to my modern favorite...the Take 5 bar!

Asleep

This week is my least favorite time of the whole year. I really dislike Halloween and all that goes with it. Our family does not celebrate the "holiday" or trick-or-treat. You might be thinking it is because of my upbringing and the fact that my family didn't celebrate it either. While this is somewhat true, Luis, who had a very different upbringing than I, feels even more strongly against it. Mom and Dad taught me that there was nothing cute or fun about Halloween. As the neighborhood kids came to our doors dressed like ghosts, witches, and other hideous things, my parents would hand out candy along with a little note about Jesus. We would stay home that night, and always have an abundance of left over candy, much to our dentist's dismay. One of the moms down the road from us felt such pity for me, that she made her son that was in my class, give me a portion of his candy. (No wonder that kid didn't like me!). Those parents didn't share or even understand the conviction that my parents felt on the subject. We, as children, didn't always understand either, and merely saw it as "they got candy and we didn't". Now that I am a Christian parent, I find myself sharing those same convictions that my parents did. I have noticed how much the "church" has changed on the whole Halloween issue. More and more, the standards that used to draw distinct lines have been weakened and watered down until it has gotten to a point where it's getting difficult to tell the difference between the Christians and the non-Christians. The world has become more evil, even just in my short lifetime. The worst part is that as the world continues to move down the slippery slope, the Christians have moved to the same degree, away from their convictions. Even down here in the "Bible belt", it is evident. Our children definitely live in a different world than Luis and I did as children, and we are finding ourselves having to explain issues to them that we didn't even know about until high school and beyond. Never before has the world been so blatantly anti-Christian. This generation has very little knowledge of a moral standard, because for the first time in history, the generation before it, in general, has not passed it on to them. The alarm has been sounding...college campus shootings...school field trips to the county courthouse to watch a gay wedding...presidential candidate images hanging with a noose for all to see...and we keep hitting the snooze button, hoping for just a few more moments of sleep and warmth...Little do we know how late it has gotten, and how desperately we need to wake up!

A little cheese with that whine!

Is it just me, or is whining the most annoying, most irritating sound ever to pierce a mother's ears?!?! Our youngest has mastered the art, if you can call it that. Not only does he whine at the drop of a hat, he does so at the highest decibels know to man!! I think even the dogs in the neighborhood are deterred by the shrills of Jonathan whining! Apparently, he thinks it is a viable way to protest, as it is his modus operandi anytime something doesn't go his way. Don't get me wrong...he can be the sweetest kid in the world. He'll walk up to me and just give me a kiss and a hug...out of the blue. He'll tell us he loves us around the clock, and he very quick to share. But mark my words....if you cross his path in a way he thinks is unjust, prepare to be bombarded by noises that were never meant to be uttered by human lips!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful (ok, maybe not quite THAT bad)!

Well, it is officially FREEZING outside down here in the lowcountry! OK, it's not like a NY freezing, but hey, after 6 years in the arid Sonoran desert, where the daily highs at this time of the year are still 99, I'm COLD! We have pulled out all the San Marcos warm fuzzy blankets, and all our "winter clothes" which basically just means long sleeves...The boys are rooting for snow, but I broke it to them gently that flurries are a rare event here. I showed Josh a picture of his first snow experience...high atop Laguna Mountain in the Southern California mountains! Simply beautiful there! It's amazing to think we have been here over a year already...and even more hard to believe that Christmas is right around the corner. Where does the time go?!?

Take me out to the ball game...

Well, tonight was the first practice for "fall ball" as they call it here in Hampton. Josh, who is still finishing up his soccer season, with his last game this Saturday, is super excited to be able to play on his Uncle Robbie (Aunt Marybeth)'s baseball team, along side his cousin Matt. He was a little nervous thinking about playing...and it was all because of "The Machine"...sounds like something straight out of a horror movie! In actuality, it's the pitching machine. He has "graduated" from T-ball, and this is the next step up before "real" baseball. He almost decided not to play, since he was so afraid he wouldn't be able to hit the ball, or feared that the ball would hit him. He sat and watched all the kids on his teams get up there and take their turns at bat, then, at last, came the moment of truth...He got up there, and after some tips on his stance and swing, Uncle Robbie backed away...Josh got a hold of 3 out of 5 pitches, with the last hit going right up the middle of the field. He's definitely not the strongest or most talented kid on the team, but he was grinning from ear to ear when I went to tell him that he did a great job, because he knew he did something that he thought he couldn't. Our fears can really keep us from doing so much, if we let them...but when we break through those fears, there is such a thrill and sense of accomplishment! I sat back as a proud Mama tonight...proud of Josh, for not letting his fears get the best of him. I was also taking in all the sounds and activities of the ball field and practice...something that I absolutely loved as a child, and am really excited that my boys love as well!

How magnificent!

Recently, a friend of mine posted on her website, a photo from the Apple Festival in Lafayette, New York. In the background was a hill of maple trees with the most magnificent coloring. I found myself staring, in awe of what is now only a faint memory, as I have not been back home to New York in autumn since I first left in 1996. I was even caught up in the grass, which, against the blue sky and fall colored leaves, was a brilliant green, one like I have not seen in ages. When I lived my childhood and adolescence in New York, the changing of the season was just a signal that winter was on it's way. It meant raking leaves, putting down the storm windows, and getting out Gramma "D"s afghans. The colors were beautiful, but as a child, I took for granted that they would always be there, year after year. After living for twelve years, away from a climate with four distinct seasons, I found myself almost in disbelief of the photo. My memory had not served me well, and over time, I had lost the images of the things that were at one time, literally in my backyard. As I looked at the photo, I was thinking back to a time when I wandered away from the Lord. I had taken all the praise and worship for granted, all the instruction was there week in and week out. It wasn't until I finally came back to a right relationship with Christ, and saw things with wide opened eyes, that I truly witnessed the beauty of God in all His facets. It would be better if we always had the ability to appreciate what is around us...what we have been given...but sometimes, going away, rekindles the love of what once was so strong, but has been forgotten.

My little pundits

Well, I have been spending an exorbitant amount of time watching the news and following the campaign trails lately. I realized today that the boys have been paying attention, too. Josh is a complete McCain supporter, and distraught that he is not old enough to vote. We were looking at the electoral college map today, Josh smiled when he learned that South Carolina and Arizona were "red". However, he was shocked when he saw that New York was a "blue" state. He asked, "Why are Nani and Papa voting for Obama?", so I had to explain about how it all worked. Anyway, Josh easily recognizes McCain (and Obama for that matter) on TV, but I have to laugh because when President Bush comes on, and I ask him who that is, he always says George Washington. I guess that name has stuck, since we studied him earlier this school year. So today, after going through every state with Josh and seeing which are "blue" and which are "red" as of today, Jonathan informed us he was for "Rock Babama"...which got us laughing so hard (sounds like a Rap star or something)...then, realizing that he was the center of attention, he kept adding last names...like Rock Babama Llama Cama...he is such a ham! It's good that when the world is in an economic crisis, and the election is going terrible, that we can still kick back and laugh!

Writing on the wall...

After 2 time-outs, and a stern talking to about lying, Jonathan finally came clean about the writing on his bedroom wall. However, he insisted that the last "N" was not his doing. On a positive note, I am please that he almost has his long name memorized, and just look at that penmanship!! Not bad for a three year old!! :)

Nothing ugly about this duckling

The boys were so happy when Abuelita Carmen showed them a duckling that hatched today. He (or maybe she??) is one of eleven new arrivals on Uncle David's farm. Their faces say it all, don't you think?

Clear as a bell

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TRANSPARENT (definition taken from the Miriam-Webster's dictionary)


(1)having the property of transmitting light without appreciable scattering so that bodies lying beyond are seen clearly

(2) free from pretense or deceit

(3) easily detected or seen through

(4) readily understood

(5) characterized by visibility or accessibility of information especially concerning business practices


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Luis had someone pay him a compliment the other day. He was told that his transparency was appreciated and refreshing. In this day and age of instantly deletable digital photos, air brushed magazine covers, and even cover-ups in the church, I am so thankful for a "what you see is what you get" Luis. We have learned over the past few years, that being transparent is a powerful thing. When we allow the real "us" to be seen, it opens the door for God to get all the glory for something only He could have done! Rather than trying to keep up the false appearances that everything is a-okay, we have learned that, albeit a vulnerable place to stand, it allows the light of the Lord to shine and illuminate the miraculous way that only He can transform a situation. I am thankful for the people God has allowed us to be in relationship with, family and friends alike, who have this same conviction of being transparent and honest. You are truly great examples to those around you, who are searching for answers in an opaque world.

Garage Sale

Josh wanted to have a garage sale, and said he has some toys that he wants to sell. Jonathan, too, wanted to be a part. Since I really have gotten rid of most "extras" when we left Arizona, I really don't have any reason to have one. So I told the boys that they needed to have a pretend garage sale. They agreed, and each got a box to put things in that they thought they could part with. When they were done, they each brought their boxes to me to show me their money making items. Joshua's box contained a variety of toys, like dinosaurs, wooden snakes, and his caterpillar lantern. He had put stickers with prices on each individual toy, ranging from five cents, to five dollars. Jonathan's box consisted of three toys, all of which were broken (he is no fool!!). Josh asked for me to make a "garage Sale" sign...once I finished, I asked him where he was going to put it. He told me that they wanted to hold the sign out by the fence, where cars pass by. I was so glad I asked, because I would have had a lot of explaining to do as the people drove in for the "sale". Anyway, they resorted to having a pretend sale, on the front porch, with fake money. From the looks of it, they raked in a small fortune.

Perspective

One thing I have learned in the twelve years that Luis and I have been married, is that perspective is everything! During our first four years of trials and turmoil, we were so discontent with the cities/towns we lived in, the jobs we had, and pretty much everything else around us. We let our own problems and the circumstances all around us rob us of any joy that we could have had. Nothing made us happy, and after a while, we even started turning on each other. Instead of working hard to make in indestructible team of three (him, me, and God), we were a frayed rope, ready to break apart under the pressure. All the finger pointing didn't matter. We were both guilty of not putting our marriage in the highest priority, after our personal relationships with God. As newlyweds, we made LOTS of mistakes...lots of trial and error...lots of running round and round the same mountain over and over again. It really didn't have much to do with being from a different culture, although that can bring challenges of its own. Mostly, it had to do with not getting the right perspective on what our mission in life was, and what God wanted. Bottom line, we were selfish, and were holding on to many things that we thought we needed for survival, which really turned out to be the very things we needed to put aside to be truly content. Arizona was a clean slate...a fresh beginning. We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to start over. It is not always so easy to just leave your whole life behind and say, "OK, do-over"! It was scary, exciting, sad, and joyous...all rolled up into one. When we got to Arizona, we rented a room in a house from a couple in the church that we were attending. We had nothing but a little savings. We had no jobs. The only family were some extended relatives on Luis's side, that he really didn't know. Basically, we were alone...just where God needed us to be...away from the distractions...away from the chaos...away. How many times in the Bible did God tell people to get away...so He could talk to them. Most of the time, that is how it was, and so with us. Before, we were so consumed with everything else, that God's voice was, in essence, inaudible...but not by any fault of His. Out in Arizona, we found ourselves in the desert (literally and figuratively)...a place of wide open skies, vast fields of sand...and silence. No more distractions...no more noise...and we were desperate to hear from God. For the first time, we learned to seek God as a couple, two people with a common vision...which at first was merely just to stay together! Life was not easy (nor did we expect it to be) and a few times, we reenacted the Israelites in the desert, grumbling about leaving Egypt! We both struggled to find work, to pay for our bills that followed us to Arizona. At one point, Luis started working in the produce fields, picking broccoli, just to have some kind of money coming in. Thankfully, that only lasted three days, and he was then hired at a golf course in the foothills, just outside of Yuma. I later found a heavenly job (that I stayed at for the whole six years we were there) that was even better than what I left in South Carolina. Little by little we were getting back on our feet financially. We were learning how to make decisions based on what we felt were best for our little family of two, with only the Lord's help. Somewhere in the middle of those six years, a tight friendship formed between Luis and I. I can't say there was one specific time or place that made it happen. It was just constant walking, praying, and helping each other...spurring one another on, and keeping our eyes fixed to the only One that could ever restore something..or rather, create something, out of nothing. No, life wasn't perfect, and it still wasn't without trials. But for the first time in our lives, those trials didn't knock us flat on our backsides every time they reared their ugly heads. Six years passed like a blink...a brand new house, and wonderful church family just across the border in Mexico, and two children later, Luis began to feel a pull back to South Carolina. I have to admit, my first reaction was a flat out "NO WAY, NO HOW, NO!!!". Life had been so positive in Arizona, and South Carolina only had memories of all the hurts and bad times that we had left behind. "Why would I ever want to return to the place that almost ruined us??" I expressed very matter-of-factly to Luis. In these six years, we had learned that we needed to really turn everything over to the Lord, and allow Him to lead us. Luis simply told me, just pray, and we'll talk about it in the future. He too had learned how to wait on the Lord, and the mysterious way that the Lord can turn a heart when needed. It was a year from the time that Luis first felt that we were supposed to return to South Carolina, until we actually did it. I can honestly say that God changed my heart. My reasons for not wanting to return were purely out of fear, not out of faith. Two months before we moved back, we walked into our church in Mexico and read the banner that was placed that week on the wall, right smack dab in from of the church above the altar...translated into English, it read, "2006, The year of restoration". Luis and I just smiled at each other, not needing to say a word. By this time, we had already both come to the same decision that we needed to go back to South Carolina. I had already told my boss of our plans, (that were not yet set completely), in order to give ample time for someone to be trained in my place. At this point, Luis was already at home with the boys Monday through Friday, taking correspondence courses for a degree in small engine mechanics, and working his own landscaping company on the weekends. We were able to purchase our five and a half acres and a mobile home in S.C., using the equity in our home in Arizona. We left Arizona in June of 2006 and put our home in Arizona on the market, just as the housing bubble burst and the market came to a screeching halt. The second week we were here, Luis found a job, in his field, for the exact salary we needed to pay both mortgages and all the rest of our bills, while still allowing me to stay home with the boys...something I desired to do since Josh was born, but financially was not able. Six months later, in the middle of the housing freeze, our little 1000 square foot home sold for double what we paid for it just five years earlier, covering both the remainder of the initial mortgage as well as the home equity loan we took to buy the land in S.C. Luis found an even better job, closer to home, better benefits, with a Christian boss, and he has been there one year this month. We live just minutes from Hampton, a town that we lived in prior to our move to Arizona. When we lived in S.C. before, I hated Hampton!! Nothing here made me happy. Ah...perspective...I was miserable inside...thus miserable outside as well! Now, even though this town has MANY things that are inherently wrong...segregation of blacks and whites even to this day, (if you can believe that...come on..it's 2008 for goodness sake!!!), the small town good ol' boy system still is the law of the land, the Hampton County Grapevine thrives...I could go on and on...but all in all, we are happy here. I do believe that now, I could live just about anywhere, and have joy. Perspective is a mysterious thing. The Lord gave us a wonderful year to spend with Luis's father, (Abuelito Tomas), before his passing in June of this year. We were able to go home to New York for the 50th anniversary of my parents this past May, something that would have been very difficult to do had we lived in Arizona still. The Lord is continuing to unfold His plan to us for S.C., little by little. We are excited just to be where God wants us. Our perspective has been adjusted so that we can begin to see a little clearer into God's 20/20 vision for our lives. We don't take anything for granted anymore, and have learned to appreciate even the littlest things...Saturdays at a soccer game...picking blueberries...quiet, peaceful nights at home.