In Mexico City

I forgot to tell you...going to Mexico city was great fun, dancing, laughter and squishy hugs on demand!

Getting to be with my pretty ladies is the sweetest of gifts.

I had been dying to meet Winds and Maria, and not only did I get that but I found other fun and funny kindred spirits.

Locas :)

Oh look at extremely cute Nash

Maria and Sandy

Nina and Suz of my heart

Chelsey, Windy, Leah and Sunny

Those of us hanging around till the very end -smiles-

Maria, I absolutely loved invading your house, loved the hours we spent together.
Anna, I can't believe I don't have a picture with you, you're the sweetest! Thank you for taking pictures of us.
Sandy, you know that traveling with you is like taking the feeling of home wherever I go. I loved the fun we had on the trip there and back..terrorizing our fellow passengers. Lets pray to God we weren't really that loud. -grins-
Windy, I shall never forget our graceful dance. I really should practice that kind of dancing more. You're a great dancer dear. Meeting you was like a dream cause..haha I felt I already had (hugs you super tight)
Laura, you're awesome.
Robin, you are too!
And Diego you're so funny and great fun to have around -smiles-

And that's a bit of June sunshine.

Being with you is a gift I treasure

Something to not forget in the hubbub of every day:

Mom

Living with my mom is much like living with my best friend.
She understands me. She knows so much about me, she loves me anyway, she doesn't give up on me. I don't think she ever ceases to believe that I can do better...she thinks I'm doing great exactly when I feel I'm not, so there she is, believing in me.
I hardly have to ask her to listen to me, because she listens at the first signs of me wanting to talk. She listens, be it about my wild ideas, dreams, or dramatic realizations of how I enjoy showers so much.
She asks for my opinion, it has considerable weight to her.
She gets me out of trouble at times.
If I could put a teacher to it, she's the one who taught me how to laugh. So if I sometimes laugh like her don't blame me :P Oh and her laugh is sonorous..
She confides in me.
I can hug her at any moment I have her around knowing that she'll appreciate it.
We argue.
And then the truly sad part would be if I don't let her know the worlds she means to me.
I'm so glad I still have her around me, to tell her how much I love her, what an amazing person she is and how greatly she marks my life. It's gotta be every-day, clear ways or else she might not believe it...or forget it.
She prays for me.
She tells me when I'm wrong.
She sings to me her song.

Nina's birthday

We celebrated my sweet sister's birthday on last week's Thursday, she looked her adorable self!
More than ready to jump into her teens I'd say, but she's someone I would not be the same without.
I love you Nina

Look at the happy, delightful confusion!

We had fun
...please don't die of a heart attack by looking closely into this -grins-

There's nothing like the beauty of having a family, and that family expanding to include new friends and bring dear ones even closer!

There's nothing like the gift of having you!

Steph Cartoons by Adrian

These little things were created a boring Saturday at the Chilis restaurant. We work for kids, we entertain those munchkins, and there were none around. So I sent Adrian to the bar and he started sketching, he came back with this:

(Click to get a better look)

-grins- He personified different aspects of my nature (blush, blush) I thought it was so cute!
Complete with his drama...no, that's actually an all round family trait.

Notice the "Anja" book -wink-
I marry Gregory, dunno how that fits in with the story but I marry him.

"The Guardian", with Ashton Kutcher and Kevin Costner. You have to watch that movie if you haven't already! It's every bit worth your time, I tell you.
-grins-

It all started like this, his first inspiration.

Anyone who knows me knows I adore the moon. Hahah! Increadibly close to reality.
Yes, I love my little brother! Hahah, and he loves me, just as I am -smiles-
Am I not so lucky?

-Meet the artist: funny, smart, artistic, dramatic brother of mine.
Isn't he great? And what's best, he enjoys drawing so!
..I should encourage him more and give him more constructive criticism, he longs for it -like so many of us do.
It'd be so sad if we could see how much we played a part in not letting others learn to fly by failing to encourage to grow their wings.

The Joy of being a part of you

Is the joy of being part of something greater.
The joy of singing the same song.
The joy of relating to each other so easily.
The joy of growing up together, living together and building memories.
The joy of helping to change the world by changing ourselves, by giving love and sharing it one heart at a time.
The joy of knowing we have brothers and sisters in the next country or on the other side of the globe.
The joy of being a support to each other, in times of crisis or in times of abundance.
The joy of haven't even met, but being no strangers, instead, family.
The joy of having one same goal and main purpose.
The joy of knowing that you're not the only one.
The joy of knowing there is someone out there who knows how it is, maybe even has been there, and what is best, also cares.
The joy of keeping communications and having an international network of friends and associates.
The joy of making history together.
The joy of changing together but being so individualistic at the same time that you can be fulfilled.
The joy of understanding each other.
The joy of sharing smiles.
The joy of being happy and fighting for many of the same things.
The joy of meeting each other at the different bends in the road and finding love in each other's smiles and disposition.
The joy of being a wordwide family!
The joy of knowing what it is and not being sure how to explain it.
It's the joy of having love and having Jesus, and striving to share it with others. How do you describe that?
The joy of growing and expanding and getting bigger and wider.
The joy of open arms.
The joy of not being perfect, but going on anyway.

Happy 42nd Anniversary!

While in Monterrey

• * I made new friends.
• * Had incredible fun with the old ones.
• * Watched movies of all kinds.
• * Ate yummy food.
• * Slept in till 1:00 pm -guilty smile-
• * Fell asleep till 4 quite a few nights...
• * Laughed
• * Cried
• * Heard stories, retold memories.
• * Sang carols
• * Walked around the block.
• * Enjoyed my new laptop.
• * Hugged and kissed
• * Danced
• * Drank
• * Was cold
• * Loved the heater and all types of warmth.
• * Painted
• * Shared my heart with wonderful friends.
• * Ate ice cream
• * And chocolate
• * Took pictures

And here they are!










Oh true...I also smiled LOTS!