April 30, 2009

Because I do

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Teresa I love u because you're alive and kicking. I love you because no matter where we end up -whether cities, countries or continents apart- our hearts will always be joined together in sweet, deep friendship.
I love you because you
're a fun, missable creature that keeps changing her hair colour. I love you because you don't only dare to be different, but you love to! I love you because you're an excellent companion when trekking through life's mountains. When it comes to earthly, physical mountains though I also wish to have you near, especially since we could talk and laugh all along, not to mention trip and get up again :D
I love you because you challenge the status quo by just being the self He
's maid you to be, a disciple!
Toothy grins, deep blue eyes and big boobs rock! Loving Jesus rules! See how you
're so wonderful, hun?
I know you
'll forgive me for keeping this a draft for so long now :P

April 28, 2009

Vulnerability

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"All the best things in life come packaged in a ribbon of risk. You untie the gift, you assume the risk, and equally, the joy. Parenthood is like that. Marriage is like that. Friendship is like that. In order to experience life in the full sense, you expose yourself to a bottomless pit of vulnerability. That is the essence of true love."—Kristin Armstrong

April 24, 2009

Blind love

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"Faith never knows where it is being led, but it knows and loves the One who is leading."
Oswald Chambers

April 23, 2009

My dear Steph is 14 now!

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Steph, as in not myself.
She
's someone I can call my life-long friend, truly.
She
's gained the title of crazy and beautiful, although she was beautiful from the very beginning of course!
And I won
't ever forget her five year-old enormous love whens she'd take her English reading books to her Spanish-speaking friend to teach her what she had just learned. So sweeeeet.
I nearly had a heart attack when I realized I was about to forget her birthday! About to, thankfully.
Confession: I
'm a horrible birthday calendar.
Confession #2: I love you Stephanie!

April 21, 2009

Divided

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I know this is where I'm supposed to be;
But why are my thoughts crossing oceans,
and my heart flying to heavenly lands
that seem so far away?
I always knew I didn't belong here
not to this Earth be attached to.
But I know you need me here,
and though I can feel so divided at times
-like now-
It's a sure thing that You have my heart above all.

April 18, 2009

Los Azufres

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A place with thermal waters, soothing and relaxing. At the end of the day, I felt I understood Jesus' disciples after walking around in a normal day. My feet were dark with dirt :P
But it was worth it; I snapped some pictures, ran around, ate a really yummy sandwich, thought how the kids are so terribly adorable, and took yet some more photos. The action that day was that I nearly got thrown into one of the pools. I say nearly because lo and behold, I wrapped myself around him so tightly that he had time to reconsider, unless he wanted to come in with me, right Nathan?

Nina, Sandy and Susie

Adrian, Marie and Lene

Ayleene

Knight in shiny armor eating his sandwich.



Here should be a picture of Benny,
but this day I didn
't succeed in catching that little one for a picture.
I was about to take a perfect one with him and Kevin,
until the latter decided to move!
But in the end I know Benny loves me,
even if he runs away from me when I hold a camera.


Sandy
Beautiful friend of mine -in every way!

It's fun to be a retard...there's time for everything.
-Take notice of Jesse in the back, reading a book ;)

-what I should've taken instead of flip flops-

Adrian -my lil brother

Girlies


with auntie Natalia

I thought you'd might want to meet the man that attempted to throw me into the pool with everything on (thankfully my mp3 player wasn't included), such a bad guy!
I love you Nathan.

Blurry, but me.
Just imagine Sandy dodging a water shot...and me making weird faces to try to warn her.

April 16, 2009

A Story to Live By

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By Ann Wells, Los Angeles Times

My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's bureau and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package. He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip. It was exquisite, silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached.

"Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion. Well, I guess this is the occasion." He took the slip from me and put it on the bed with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician. His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me. "Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you're alive is a special occasion."

I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed when I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected death. I thought about them on the plane returning to California from the Midwestern town where my sister's family lived. I thought about all the things that she hadn't seen or heard or done. I thought about the things that she had done without realizing that they were special.

I'm still thinking about his words, and they've changed my life. I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting on the deck and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to savor, not endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them.

I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event, such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, the first camellia blossom. I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel like it. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties; clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks have noses that function as well as my party-going friends.

"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now.

I'm not sure what my sister would have done had she known that she wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted. I think she would have called family members and close friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food.

It's those little things left undone that would make me sad if I knew that my hours were limited. Angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I was going to get in touch with someday. Sad because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write—one of these days. Sad and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and daughter often enough how much I truly love them. I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives.

And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special. Every day, every minute, every breath truly is ... a gift from God.

Everyday is a special ocassion!

-Taken from e-spresso Issue no. 13 (I love those super cool mugs of coffee, just recently dircovered and sipped down)

April 13, 2009

Bite-size suggestion

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You have to learn how to keep revoluting, no matter what. You have to learn how to catch a new wave rather than let go and drown or shut your life down just because you feel disappointed, discouraged, dejected or whatever else the Devil can dump on your doorstep. -David Brandt

Fun & crazy

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To an adult this is only adolescent fun and teenage craziness, coupled with some silliness. But to me, fun is for the time we had and crazy for some of the clothes we wore.




You make me smile, laugh till I'm headless (because my head hangs back), talk till I'm out of breath, and cry along with you.

April 12, 2009

Trust

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I had an episode of mistake after mistake. I left the car keys inside the van, where my mom had very confidently left the house keys, and where my dad had safely placed his wallet with the extra key in it while playing basketball. I'm thankful that they took it so calmly, I was panicking a bit too much, probably because I felt there was a sign of blame in my forhead.
At this rate though, I hope I don't age too soon.
Note to self: Be light Steph, there are greater powers in control of all matters. As an afterthought, try not to be stupid.
Smile!

April 11, 2009

Thoughtlessness

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By Edgar A. Guest

A little bit of hatred can spoil a score of years
And blur the eyes that ought to smile with many needless tears.

A little bit of thoughtlessness and anger for a day
Can rob a home of all its joy and drive delight away.

A little bit of shouting in a sharp and vicious tone
Can leave a sting that will be felt when many years have flown.

And just one hasty moment of ill temper can offend
And leave an inner injury the years may never mend.

It takes no mental fiber to say harsh and bitter things;
It doesn't call for courage to employ a lash that stings.

And cruel words and bitter any fool can think to say,
But the hurt they leave behind them takes years to wipe away.

Just a little bit of hatred robs a home of all delight,
And leaves a winding trail of wrong that time may never right.

For only those are happy and keep their peace of mind,
Who guard themselves from hatred and words that are unkind!

April 10, 2009

To one insane Devil

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What if I do everything you think I shouldn't?
Do you think I care for what you think is right?
I care not what you think about my life.
I
'll do what I want with it.
When it comes down to it, all I want to do is live and die for what I believe, and do my personal best to see that you
're in pain.
Sure, bluff all you want, come running with all your heavy armor.
I
'm ready and you know it.
Let
s see what you'll say when you're tooth-less.


April 7, 2009

At the waterpark

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Today we got up early so that we could be on our way to spend a day in a green area with swimming pools, loaded with all the kids. I wished I had slept more, but in the end all was good.
The camera was my ever-present companion. And why shouldn't it, when
surrounded by such cute little people?
Hmmm, perhaps I should mention how happy I am that all these kiddos are here. My compliments to the Creator, and to the parents and teachers that pour into them heaps of love.

Denise, Nina and Adrian













Kerenina


My mom was biting Lene -affectionately though- everyone bites those like Poosh.

Noemí -one of the greatest cooks- and her daughter, Denise.


Ashley my love, was trying very hard to cross her legs like I showed her to.

Yummy!
Miss intelligent, cute rascal in action


Sharing her Sour Patches.
That
's another way of saying "Mari, Noemí and Micks stealing Lene's Sour Patches", but let´s stick to the first one.



Benny and Alex





Sisters

Janine the adorable

 
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