Olivia's Second White Dress!

Oliva was a beautiful tiny little baby when she wore her first white dress

 the day her dad gave her a name and a blessing!

Today she is just as beautiful in her second white dress!  Livy is pretty as a picture in the white dress that Lita made her for this special occasion! (Notice the pretty little braclet that granny sent her!)

We've been waiting anxiously all of 2010 for the big day that Olivia would be batpized!

Their Stake Baptism day was scheduled for August 28th!  

Lita was so happy (and relieved) that Olivia's dress fit and that she LOVED it!

The whole family is excited and actually ready early so that we could take come family pictures!

Grandp and & Grandma Stebinger are here too!   They aren't members of our church so we were anxious for them to "feel the spirit" at Olivia's baptism!   We were praying that they would!

Olivia's dad explained to her that SHE is his very first baptism.... of a living person!   That makes this an extra special occasion!    There were 8 children to be batpized.   We had a short opening exercise and then one by one each child and their family was taken to the font for their baptism.   Olivia was the last one.  While we sat in the chapel, waiting for her turn, we sang some Primary songs...

Love One Another, I Love to See the Temple, When I am Baptized, A Child's Prayer...etc.

I watched as Livy's other grandmother silently wiped the tears that kepts sneaking out of her eyes and running down her face.   Olivia's grandpa Stebinger also listened intently and nodded his head in agreement to the words that were being sung.  I KNOW they were feeling The Spirit.

After Olivia's baptism, Hayden, Hunter, Tessa and Olivia sang "I'm Trying to be Like Jesus."   Lita accompanied them on the piano.  Then Olivia's Grandma Stebinger gave her thoughts about ways that she had noticed that Olivia tries to be "like Jesus."   She cried as she told about the good example Olivia is to her.  One time when Olivia was staying with her grandparents, they wanted to take her to the beach on Sunday.   Olivia agreed to go with them but explained that she doesn't swim on Sunday, so they decided to do something different.   Later that Sunday they stopped at a store to buy some snacks.   Olivia asked if she could just stay in the car "because we don't shop on Sunday."   Grandpa Stebinger cried as she told us how proud she is of Olivia and how much she loves her!

Livy's mom gave a short talk about the Holy Ghost.... during which she had asked Lita, Big Bear, Uncle Preston and Olivia's dad to share actual experiences in which the Holy Ghost had helped, guided, taught, proctected and inspired us!   It was inspirational to hear the TRUE stories of the different ways the Holy Ghost influences us!   For SURE the Holy Ghost was present, bearing wittness to all of us of the truthfulness of his existence, power and influence!   It was a beautiful baptism and confirmation!

I think Olivia will always remember her special baptism experience!

We will be looking forward to her third white dress when she is married in the temple!

I know that day will be just as special as this day has been!

SUPERIOR CUT AND SEW INTERNATIONAL

When we think of living in Mexico, those of us who were raised here automaticaly thinK of owning land... farming, ranching or growing chile.  It has often been said that we need to be more creative in our thinking when we consider ways to earn a living here in Mexico.  Russell and Kelly have done just that!  While Ashley was here, I took her up to see the Robinson's business... Superior Cut and Sew International!

Their business is well hidden in what looks like an old abandoned building that used to be a grocery store.   From the outside you would never suspect that a big maquila is inside.  Kelly told me that they keep it that way on purpose... so that the thugs around here that like to blackmail businesses into paying them money to "not be bothered" would not realize that there is a business there!   But once you go in through a very unassuming door...voila!  

 They have quite the production going on inside!  

This is the electric saw (don't know what else to call it...) that cuts the patterns from the material. See all the patterns hanging on the wall?

Layers and layers of material are stacked on top of each other so that many pieces can be cut at once!   Pretty efficient, I would say!   When I sew, I cut one piece out at a time!

The Robinson's have about 100 employees who work to cut out and sew the products!  I'm sure these people love working for Russell and Kelly!  There aren't two more compassionate, caring and fun loving people in Dublan!

All of their clients are in the USA.  One of their major clients is Cabella's. They make many different products for Cabella's like these camaflague hunting jackets.  

The products are shipped from "Superior Cut and Sew International" ready to be stocked in the stores. 

This is the warehouse where the boxes of products wait to shipped to the United States.   While Kelly oversees the production... getting contracts and buying the materials, Russell sees about all the importing and shipping into the USA, which I understand is a major headache!   They make a good team!

It's amazing to me that they could figure out and run this business... from finding clients, shopping for material at a good price, making the patterns, producing the product, keeping a hundred employees working and happy, to all the legal stuff for crossing the border and then shipping the products around the various places in the USA!!  I am not much of a business woman myself and struggle just to learn the FamilySearch website for my missionary work so I can not even imagine taking on a project like this one!   Russell and Kelly are amazing people!   Always so upbeat and positive!   Their business is proof of what a little enginuity, hard work and FAITH can produce! 

I hope they make LOTS OF MONEY!! 

The Right Woman for the Job!!!

On Sunday, August 15th, 2010 my baby sister, Trisha, was sustained as the Relief Society President of the Colonia Juarez Ward!  I was not one bit surprised!  The Lord knows where to find a good woman when He needs one!   This woman is PERFECT Relief Society President material!   She can do it all...  cook, clean, raise a garden, freeze, bottle or dehydrate her produce, make hand pieced quilts, sew. lead the music in Primary, teach an excellent class, decorate her house beautifully, landscape the yard and mow the HUGE lawn, listen to your problems,  feed the hungry and visit the sick all at the same time and with a smile on her face, usually while cracking a joke!  This girl is darn near perfect and I KNOW she'll be an excellent Relief Society President!   When I grow up.... if that ever happens... 

I wanna be JUST LIKE MY BABY SISTER!

BIG BEAR'S NEWEST BEARS!

Yes... this is a portait Big Bear and Lita had painted of themselves!!!!   lol!

Actually, it's a Christmas gift from my mom and dad and I LOVE IT!  Big Bear collects bears and plans to leave each of his precious grandchildren a bear to remember him by!  Wherever we go, we are always on the look-out for a new bear to add to

Big Bear's collection! 

While passing through the El Paso Airport the other day, I could not resist this Patriotic Bear who sings "God Bless the USA!"

                    Ashley's little boys loved it and enjoyed singing with the Bear!

Tyson was brave enough to sing for a video clip!

This golfing bear, was purchased when Big Bear attended the
U.S. Open Golf Tournament at Pebble Beach!

 "The dream of a Life Time Bear!"

He's extra special because lots of fond memories came with him!

When you see a unique and special bear....  Think of BIG BEAR!

Maria Bonita!

While in Utah for Derick's wedding, Granny and I got to go to lunch with the Bowman girls!   They were going out to celebrate Marci and Shelly's birthdays and we crashed their party!!    Interestingly, Marci's birthday is on July 11th, same day as Preston's and Shelly's is July 28th... same day as mine! We ate at a place called "Maria Bonita" in Orem and it was pretty authentic Mexico food!!    It was fun to see these people that once lived in Dublan!   No one from the Wesley Bowman family lives here anymore and I want them to know that they left a big whole in our lives!!  
We miss them!

MARY.... WHEN ARE YOU COMING FOR A VISIT!   (People ask me that all the time!)

What shall I tell them???