There's Always One!

Okay, so you know how there is usually one kid in every family who gets all the broken bones, stitches, or weird illnesses? I was the one in my family growing up and now I am passing that sad torch on to my son!

We just found out last week that Zaquel has Asthma. We had been wondering about it for a while now because every time he gets a cold he cannot kick it as fast as others do. He also gets respiratory virus' easier and wheezes when he is infected with them. So, he now has an inhaler which has helped immensely! His pediatrician says that Asthma is at it's worst when kids are between the ages of 3-5. He says that when he gets older we can better control it by giving him the inhaler 30 minutes before any sports or exercise activity.

So, yes he is going to be the one in our family with sickness and strange ones at that! We love him to pieces anyway and don't know how we would live without his 0 to 80 miles an hour personality!

Little Miss Independent!

Well, Briel has done it! She has mastered the art of walking! She can do it obnoxiously well now! I wasn't too worried that at a year she wasn't walking. Not too worried again at 13 months. Marcos just knew she would take after me and not walk until 15 months. NOPE! She did it at 14months! I knew it was coming on quickly when I saw her holding onto things as she walked. She really wanted to follow her sister and brother everywhere and crawling must have been getting a bit boring for her!

Alas, she did it and she has beaten my record!

I am actually really glad she has. She was beginning to wear out all her pants on the knees from crawling so much!

Now we get to watch her get into EVERYTHING! She loves going to the cereal cabinet and helping herself. I wouldn't mind, except she leaves quite the trail behind wherever she goes!

She also can go up and down stairs. This is a recent trick of hers learned about 3 or 4 weeks ago. Who would have thought she would get tired of falling down the stairs?

SIGH

Gone are the days of putting her in one spot to have her play for minutes while I got things done...

Now, on to talking!

Budding Artist

Back in November, Isabel won a coloring contest! I couldn't believe it when our Real Estate Agent, Joe Pierson, called me up and told me the wonderful news! It was fabulous because she won a $25.00 VISA gift card! Lucky Duck! She was so excited she was just beside herself!


She got it on Wed. Dec. 23rd and was DYING to spend it! Yes, it must have been burning a hole in her pocket as my dad would say.

Marcos took Christmas Eve off, at my request of course, and we, along with WAY TOO many other people, braved the small cluttered isles of Wal-Mart. I know, I know, it really was ridiculous! She couldn't decide what she wanted just like any kid would be. So we went from isle to isle looking for what seemed like FOREVER!

Then she stumbled on this.

Yes, this is an extra-large (and over priced) bouncy ball filled with water and purple glitter! Just what every 7 year old needs and some already have. So I was told by my 7 year old.

We get up to pay and we find out the total was $9.48. WHAT? That is crazy! Who would pay that much for a ball with water and glitter in it? Isabel would.

So that is what she purchased with her VISA and she is saving the balance to use it with her birthday money. Silly girl! At least she had a good time!

An Early Christmas Gift...

Back in November 2009, (writing that seems so funny to me) Marcos' sister Belinha was baptized! It was truly a miracle in the making! Our friends the Spendlove's were there to capture the event for us. Tina Spendlove was gracious enough to lean out of a second story balcony window so we could have these pics. Mind you, taking these is totally illegal or against mission rules! Since Tina and Loren are the Mission Presidents of the Maputo, Mozambique Mission, she was kind enough to use this to our advantage!

As you may or may not know, Belinha has AIDS. She received this horrible and debilitating disease from an unfaithful husband. Months prior to her baptism we got word of her illness taking a turn for the worst. We had been in contact with the Spendloves who introduced Belinha to Brother and Sister Cox who in turn took her to a clinic and provided her with much love and care. Belinha continued to meet with the missionaries and attend church and read the Book of Mormon. She slowly gained a testimony of the gospel and was so excited to be baptized. We talked with her on multiple occasions and she loved the Gospel with all her heart and knew of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. She was all set to be baptized.

I talked with Tina a few days after her baptism and she explained to me that Belinha's health was remarkable! She even went on to say it was a miracle! The last time Tina had seen her was the first meeting they had back in July or Aug of 09. Belinha, who is about 6 feet tall, was painfully thin, blisters covered her feet making it difficult to walk, and you could see how frail her bones were and how ill she was. Tina actually thought she wouldn't make it to be baptized and that she would continue her Gospel journey once she reached the other side of the veil.

Then, on the day of her baptism, November 21, 2009, Belinha was healed! She had put on weight, her eyes were bright, her blisters were healing, she seemed stronger. All because she accepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ and understood that this is his true church and she too could be a part of something true and everlasting. Truly Miraculous!

Some of Marcos' other family members are struggling a little with the Gospel. I wonder if Belinha has a different perspective because of her health condition. Maybe she was more humble and willing to learn.

Maybe her circumstance was the only way she would come to know of the Gospel.

Maybe, we should realize the Lord has a plan.

Maybe, we too can be healed of our infirmities, our misdeeds and sins, our unkind words and thoughts, or our complacency's.

Maybe we should be like Belinha, humble, determined, steadfast, and strong, who walked the distance to church each week with feet covered in painful blisters.

Maybe we too can be stronger, better, and happier with what we are blessed with.

Maybe, we can do a little more for each other.

Here is Belihna with the Bro. and Sis. Cox, Tina Spendlove (in the back), Celeste her sister-in-law, Bernardo her brother and Catarina her niece.

Here is Belinha and a few others who are being baptized as well. Another crazy thing is that it rained ALL day! The baptismal font is outside and we all were hoping the rain wouldn't dampen any spirits or make anyone ill.

Huddled under the canopy and umbrellas waiting to begin the ordinance.

Belinha and the Elder entering the font and being rained on all the while!

Here she is exiting the font a new, and clean woman! Bring on the warm clothes!

Dismissed!