BECASUE I HAVE BEEN GIVEN MUCH.....

One of the things we like to do when we get together for our "Ambiente" is share our blessings with those who have so little!   We think it is good for the kids to see how some people live and how little they have.... and yet they are happy!   This year we decided to share a swing set with the childen of some migrant workers who come up to northern Chihuahua to pick peaches and chile.

 

These kids spend their HOT day sitting around under the shade of this big cottonwood tree.  They don't go to school and they have almost nothing to do... no TV and just a few old toys.   It was Angie's idea that a swing set would provide them with hours of entertainment and fun!

While the men and most of the women go to work in the fields a couple of women stay behind each day to do the cooking,  and care for the children.    This sweet little baby was sleeping in this hard plastic crate.

This is the kitchen where they prepare the food for around 50 men and women who come in from the fields to eat at noon.

The rooms you see in the background are the bedrooms where they sleep.

This is the laundry area where the clothes are scrubbed and rinsed by hand.

Then they are hung on the fence to dry.  Yep!  A Solar Energy dryer!!

Using a "outhouse" is something that most of us have never experienced but this unsanitary, smelly bathroom is what these people use!  No scented sprays or even toilet paper here and for sure,

no flushing!

We came to do something to make their lives a little more enjoyable!

So we got to work....   after the holes had been dug, the kids helped fill them with rocks before the cement was poured.

Everyone was anxious to help!   The little Mexican kids in this picture must have wondered WHAT they were helping us with?  I'm sure the couldn't tell yet that it was a swing.   There were no swings in sight at this point!

It took lots of rocks to fill both holes.

Once the holes were filled then on to mixing the cement!

While the men were busy mixing and pouring the cement, the women and kids played with the kids.

Rylee and Kayla brought nail polish and polished the little girl's nails.

When they finished the gave the nail polish to the two women who seemed even more thrilled than the little girls to be able to paint the nails!

They were facinated with Ashley's little WHITE Jazy!   They all wanted to hold her and touch her!

Tessa gave this little girl one of her stuffed animals!

The little girl in the background is checking out her new baby doll.

Sayda wants to share a cookie with her new friend.

Every little girl LOVES a Barbie!  Imagine how thrilled this girl was to get such a gift!

Hayden is pitching the ball for this little boy to practice batting.

We took a soccer ball and played a little kick ball with them.

Aunt Laura had brought some old clothes to pass on.  

She and Alixe were matching them up by size with the kids.

We gave them some used baby equipment......

and before we knew it there were THREE babies relaxing in style!

The best part of all was seeing the smiles on their faces after the cement had

dried and they were able to play on the swings!

Because I have been given much, it is my PRIVILEDGE to give!

I am thankful to have been able to share this experience with my kids and grandkids.

Thanks to Tony & Chris, who donated their swing set when they bought a new one for their yard.

We were able to put it to good us and create an uplifting memory for our grandkids!

Three for one!

On July 15th, we had three little grandson's

 baptized here in Dublan.

They are (from left to right) Brandon & Laura's son, Camron,

Ashley and Demy's, Denali and

 Preston & Alixe's, Hunter.

It was triple the excitement and fun for us!

A day we will always remember!

Camron and Hanna Catherine!

No reason for this post except that I LOVE this picture!

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL PARK!

SPRING.....  BASEBALL SEASON!

Cam played on the Marana Mets team this spring!

Lita got lucky and got to watch two of his games!!

He's a good player!  

I noticed that he pays attention to details, like when he was playing between 1st and 2nd, he covered 1st base when the 1st baseman had to leave to go after a ball!

Playing 1st base!

Batter up!

Cam did a great job as catcher too! Most of the kids that played catcher didn't even try to catch the ball... they had an adult behind them and just let the adult do it but Cam didn't need

an adult back-up!

Kayla and Big Bear "horsing around!"

Big Bear LOVES to TEASE!

 Yep!   Katie has a black eye!

No pictures of Hanna!  She was busy flirting with a cute little boy!

I think she had more fun at this game than all the rest of us!

Emily couldn't have cared less!  

 She would have preferred to be at home

sitting in the sink, playing with the toothpaste!!

Springbrook Talent Show!

What is more fun than watching your grandkids "perform?" 

While I was in Irvine for the chorus concert there just happened to

be a Talent Show at the grade school that Olivia and Tessa attend so that was fun for me!

Tessy was a "breath of fresh air" when she "wowed" us with

"Good Bye Old Paint!"   She played the bells and sang right on tune all at the same time!

And her costume was darling too!

After many piano solos, (lots of kids take piano lessons, don't they?)  Livy "kicked it in gear"

with a really cool dance done to the song "I've Gotta Feeling!"  
I think her favorite part of the dance was this "coffee grinder" move!

They both did a great job!  I was proud of their mom too, for encouraging them to participate and then making sure that they practiced and were well prepared !!!

You go girls!

He knows my needs!

Heavenly Father...  are you really there?

And do you hear and answer every child's prayer?

On June 5th, I had an appointment with President Jones so that he could release me from my

Family Search Mission.   After talking to me about my mission and telling me that I was released, he asked me, "So, what did you do this week?"  I thought this was a funny question and scrambled to think of something "significant" that I had done.   I commented to him that I had gone to Colonia Juarez to have my sister-in-law, Virginia, teach me how to Index.   When I said this, he got a funny grin on his face.  I told him that I thought I would try Indexing and see if I could make good use of my time that way.   Then President Jones proceeded to call me to be the "Stake Indexing Director."    Its interesting how inspiration works, sometimes, isn't it?  I was feeling an interest in and a desire to do this work even before I got called.

I had been pleading with Heavenly Father lately to help me to find something "meaningful" to do with my time.  I repeatedly told Him, "just tell me what to do and I'll do it!"  I just figured that He wasn't going to answer my prayer and I was just gonna have to figure it out on my own!  And then.... VOILA!

I am the Stake Indexing Director!  I have spent the last couple of weeks trying to learn more about Indexing and practicing too!  Because of my Family Search Mission experience I knew exactly where to find help with my new calling.  I called Salt Lake and they set up a one on one training session for me via phone and Internet!  It was so awesome!  I think this new calling is one that I  NEEDED

and one that I am really going to enjoy!

I am thankful to Heavenly Father for listening AND

answering my prayer!

Olivia participates in the Orange County Mormon Choral Organization

In April, I used my free Southwest Rapid Rewards ticket to fly to Irvine to see Olivia participate

in the Orange County Mormon Children's Chorus!

She had been practicing with the group once a week since January and the big day finally arrived.

Olivia wasn't too excited about the uniform she had to wear for the concert.   She really didn't like the white knee high socks and forbid me from having them show in her picture.  I was tickled that she let me braid her hair for the big event!

The concert was held in the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.... if was really impressive.

This is a picture of all the people who participated in the concert.

There she is... second row from the top.... far left.

Olivia participated in six numbers.   They did "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,"

"Beautiful Savior," "Jesus Is My Shepherd,"  "Popcorn Popping," ""Pie Jesu," and my favorite, "I Believe in Christ."   All the songs were completely memorized and accompanied by a full orchestra!

It was REALLY impressive!

After it was all over with, Olivia said, "That was fun!"   When I asked her if she would want to do it again, with a big grin on her face, she enthusiastically said, "Yes!"

It's such a blessing to be able to watch your grandchildren participate in their activities!  Its one of the things I really miss about not having any of my grandchildren live around me... or my not living by any of them!   I was so thrilled to be able to go see Olivia participate in this concert!  It was a first class production!!  Sure do love Olivia!

I AM SO LOVED!!!

When I went to Irvine in April for Olivia's chorus concert the little Stebinger girls had been anticipating my arrival!   They drew these huge chalk pictures all over the pavement in front of their house!

Letha, huh?   Very good logic for girls who are learning to sound out words

and figure out how to spell them!

 I had to explain to them that in Spanish says "i" says "e"....

so when they want to write my name... it is LITA!

They thought that was pretty WEIRD!



This last one is Claire's!  She was sure to point it out to me and

tell me, "me make this one, Lita. jist for you!"

I felt so loved!

Thank you, Livy, Tessa and Clarita!