Swimming

          My brothers and sister all do Taekwondo. My mom had asked me if I wanted to do it too, but I said no. She even said that she would do it with me, but I have never really liked Taekwondo or Karate. So we started looking for something I could do and enjoy.

            We tried out soccer, but I didn’t want to do it because there were only 14-year-old boys on the team and I felt weird being the only girl. Then my mom suggested swimming. At first I didn’t really like the idea, but as I thought about it I decided to give it a try.

            In about the middle of the first class I signaled to my mom that I didn’t like it. She said that I had to finish. At the end of the class we played a game and I had a great time! It took a few practices to make friends and learn all the strokes, but since then I have enjoyed swimming a lot.

            I have been to four meets. The second one my parents didn’t go and I went on a bus with all my friends. I was a little scared to go alone, but it was fun. I think the good thing about swimming is that you can do it your whole life. Even when I am old I will still keep swimming.

            The first photo is of me swimming freestyle. The second photo is of my two friends, Itzel and Evelin, and me. There is a funny story that goes with this photo. We were getting ready for our race and my mom came up to take our picture. She said, “OK niñas, buscan aquí!” Well, buscan is the word for “to look for”, but miran is the word for “look”. My mom was really saying, “Ok girls, search over here!” My friends still laugh about it and when my mom comes to pick me up they whisper to me, “buscan aquí!”

My Friend and Example: 13-Year-Old Elise

          A few weeks ago I spent the weekend with my friend Elise. She and her family had come down to Mexico on a Saturday. They stayed the night and went to church with us on Sunday. After church we took them to see the Baby Home since it had been a while since they had seen it. Then they took me back across the border to stay with them for a few days.
          On Monday we went to the pool and got our nails done. On Tuesday we went to the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum in Balboa Park. I had a really great time doing all these special things, but my favorite part was just being with my friend Elise.
          Elise is one of the most unique friends I have. Elise is not the kind of person who sees the worst in someone and points it out. Instead, she sees the positive in everything and the best in everyone. Even though she is almost a whole year older than me, she has never made me feel unimportant or lower. Whether we are playing together or chatting long-distance on the computer, she always makes me feel special.
          Elise is probably the most kind and compassionate person I know. Though I have a tendency to only play what I want and sometimes exclude those who I don’t want to play with, Elise never does. She always makes sure that my little sister, Lily, is included in whatever we are playing. She is careful that nobody’s feelings get hurt and tries to play something that everybody wants to play.
          In our family we talk about two kinds of people: those who walk into a room and say, “here I am” and those who walk into a room and say, “there you are.” Elise is a “there you are” person. She is pretty and smart and really good at so many things, but she never brings attention to herself. She is always interested in how and what I am doing.
          I think that Elise is a great example of what all 13 year olds should be like. If any of you know Elise, then you know exactly what I am talking about. I try so hard to be like her when I come home from being at her house, but a lot of times my patience wears off in the first hour that I see my family. When I turn 13, I pray that God will give me the same patience and kindness that Elise has.

Elise and Me Swimming

Getting Our Nails Done

Balboa Park

YUGO Retreat and Dentistry

           This past Monday and Tuesday we went to a YUGO Ministries retreat. My parents had meetings all day and so my friend and I helped in childcare. The property was amazing! It had a beautiful view of the islands that are off the coast, and the sunsets were incredible. Even though all I did all day was pretty much take care of little kids, I had a good time seeing people I had only seen in pictures in the YUGO office. It was amazing to see so many people who have left their lives in the States or Canada or wherever they lived, to come down to Mexico to serve. I wonder how God worked in that many people’s hearts to get them to come down here. I’m sure they all have their own story just like we do.

            On Wednesday I went to the orthodontist. I thought I might get my braces off, but they said I am going to get them off on March 16! My grandpa is a dentist, so whenever I go to see him I brush my teeth extra. He comes down to Mexico to do kids teeth sometimes. When he comes down I am his translator. As I watch him I think, “I could never be a dentist.” This past time that he came down, he had to take some teeth out of some kids. I thought I was going to throw up from all the blood I saw! Luckily all I did was start translating for someone else and forgot all about the blood.    

            I know you all have things to do, but thank you for taking the time to check out what’s going on in my life. You are all in my prayers.

Leidy

           Now that I am not in school anymore, I don’t really have as many friends. I have one really special friend who lives at GCH because her mom works there. Her name is Leidy. Leidy is the same age as me and she is a great friend. I don’t really get to see her that often, but I do see her at church on Sundays and on weekends when she spends the night at our house. That is when we catch up on things.

            Leidy’s mom is working on getting their passports so they can cross the border. I pray that this happens someday. Every time I experience something in the States, like being at my grandparent’s cabin in the snow, I think of how I wish Leidy could be there. One day I want to share that part of my life with her. I would love to just see the look on her face.

            I think Leidy is a great example for everybody of how Christians should be. I love spending time with her. I would write more about her, but she is not the kind of person who would want people reading about her, that’s just how she is (not that she can read my English).

My Christmas

        I had a wonderful Christmas this year. The Sunday before Christmas we celebrated with my dad’s dad, Grandpa Manny, and his family. It was raining so we mostly stayed inside and played. We decorated gingerbread houses and made friendship bracelets. We also played a really fun dice game with wrapped gifts as prizes.

       Three days before Christmas we headed out to my Grandma Bonnie’s (my dad’s mom) house to celebrate with her family. We stayed two nights and saw the new Narnia movie there. I especially loved playing with my newest cousin, Jackie. She is so cute!

       On Christmas Eve we left and went to Mamaw and Papa’s (my mom’s parents) house in the desert. I woke up that night like five times thinking it was morning. The bad thing though was that I was not feeling good at all Christmas morning. My stomach and my head hurt. We started the morning off with my dad reading the story of when Jesus was born. We sang “Happy Birthday” to Jesus and ate birthday cake for breakfast. Then we opened presents. My parents gave me clothes. From my grandparents I got a pair of flip-flops and two beads for my bracelet that they got me last year.

       Two days after Christmas we headed up to my grandparent’s cabin in the mountains. There was so much snow and the icicles were huge! We had a great time, but I missed my dad. I am glad to be home now. I hope your Christmas and New Year celebrations were as fun as mine! 

My Neighbors

           Two Jehovah Witness ladies usually come on Saturday mornings to give my neighbor, Jamili, classes. The next day our family takes her to our Christian church. I feel like we are in a battle for her soul. I’m always looking for new verses to show her that Jesus is God. I think we are winning because she’s the one who actually invited my other neighbor, Rodolfo, this past Sunday.

            For her birthday this year we gave Jamili a new Bible because the only one she had was the one from her Jehovah Witness teachers. She was very excited. After that I invited her to church to use it. She had a wonderful time and she has been coming ever since.

            Rodolfo’s a really great friend most of the time, so I thought he was a Christian. Then Saturday when Jamili brought up the subject, he didn’t quite know if he was a Christian or Catholic or anything at all. So Jamili and I suggested that he come with us to church the next day. He asked his mom and she said it was ok. At 9:45 the next morning, we all hopped in the car and were on our way. I am pretty sure he had a good time.

            The other lady in the car is Tia Susy. She is my Spanish teacher and lives right around the corner. We ride together to church a lot.

            I guess I am getting the hang of being a missionary to kids just around my neighborhood. I am glad God put us in this neighborhood. We are going to church next Sunday and I hope we will be just as crowed in our car.  

I'm Back!

Hi everybody! My mom said it might be a good idea to start up my blog again as a home school writing project.

Last night I was thinking about what I might be doing if we still lived in our house in San Diego. Although I still miss my friends, I am really glad that God called my family to come down here to Mexico. I really can’t wait until the Baby Home is done and has babies in it.

I don’t know about where you guys live, but down here in Mexico the temperature is in the 50s. Our house is made of cement blocks. In the summertime it gets so hot and in the evening our house just keeps all the hot air in, like an oven. Right now it’s the opposite. It is warmer outside than it is inside; our house is like a freezer. We have to put little heaters in all the rooms at night.

Well, I am glad to be able to write about what is going on in my life. Even if no one reads it, I will come back and read it someday. Make sure to check out the Baby Home blog as well! God bless, Lucy