Agua! :-)

Tonight: Hot Showers

Tomorrow: Clean, Scrup, Mop, and Wash

Thank you, Lord!

And just in time as Brother Chava, a Mexican Pastor for 30 years, will be arriving tomorrow afternoon with his family to visit and preach in our services Sunday.

Sunday will be 5 years from when we first started working here.

We moved our travel trialer to our very own piece of land 4 years ago...the same land on which our yellow house now sits.

How could I complain about a few days without water when the Lord's blessed us much!

Today we took little Samuel to get another x-ray. He was quite excited about the idea...or maybe it was just the fact that we were going for a ride in the van. Between his broken leg and then several days with a cold, he hasn't gotten out much. Neither has mommy :-)

Rebekah's Bible finally came in the mail this week. She was so surprised! I'd forgotton what the cover looked like that I ordered for it and was pleasantly surprised at how bright and pretty it was...just like Rebekah!

And Susannah announced today that she is going to write her own Bible. I think she made it mostly through Genesis 1:1 this morning. It's always fun to see the littler ones wanting so badly to do and be like their older siblings. While I always remind the older ones of this encouraging them to be good examples, I am reminded how much my children watch and imitate me. Sweet and precious, but humbling too!

We had to wait quite a while for the doctor to come to see Samuel. I took a couple pics of the waiting room of the hospital here just so you could see it :) Samuel's getting sleepy...he always sucks his two middle fingers when he's tired.

The doctor wants to see Samuel again in a couple more weeks. Because of his age, he thinks the bone will do fine without surgery, but he wants to take another set of x-rays and check again next month.

So Lord willing, we'll have a healed, cast free boy sometime the end of next month :)

He's sure getting around good now days. Like my big boys wear holes in the knees of their jeans, Samuel's worn through a couple layers of the knee of his cast. Maybe I'll draw a patch on it. :-)

Thank you so much for your prayers again this week. The Lord is so good!

Eureka! :-)

I asked Daniel earlier yesterday afternoon, as he was sweating, pounding on concrete in the boy's bathroom shower, if when he found the leak, if he could cry, "Eureka! I found it!" I think he mumbled something like, "Uh, sure".
Well late last night, after pounding and digging by hand for 13 hours straight, he yelled, "I found it!" He skipped the Eureka part, but we were estatic and thanked the Lord for helping us locate it.
After the excitement had settled, Daniel said, "Well, the hard part is done, and now all we have left is the hard part :)".
The leak was found outside, under the cement of our patio, about 2 feet down, where the water goes into the house. Somehow, the copper pipe had come out of the pvc (while I might sound like I know what I'm talking about, I really don't...but I think that's what Daniel said.)
So the broken pipe needs to be repaired, a copper hot water pipe in the boy's shower accidently got broken while pounding yesterday, so that needs to be fixed, and then we should be able to get water to the house. The torn up floors can be fixed in time.
The only other issue is there must be a leak in our sewage pipe somewhere too since we would see and hear the water from the leak running down the sewage.
So Daniel spent about half of today working on the pipes. He eventually had to stop to prepare his message for service tonight and do all the preparation that goes into getting ready for a service, so we'll...I mean he'll...start again tomorrow. He says I help...I give lots of hand, wrist, arm and back rubs and moral support :) Timothy and Elijah got up really early to get all their school done for the day as they had a yard job in the neighborhood they wanted to finish today. So Timothy was also able to help Daddy for a bit.
Another day with no running water, but we heated water for bucket baths, and I'm still keeping up with my laundry. I won't tell you how many times we've forgot to pull the hose out of the machine in time as it's filling and it's overflown everywere. I told Daniel that considering my ratio of good toast versus burnt ones, it was bound to happen. :)
But I tell you, my washing machine has never looked cleaner! It looks brand new after such a bath.
School work getting done, laundry and dishes getting done, baths and water to cook and drink available, I have nothing to complain about. Once we get it fixed, I'll give the entire house a good mopping and scrub down. But for now, we'll keep the toilets flushed and be happy!

Not letting the joy leak out with the water

Some days are harder than others, but the harder the day, the more grace is given! We are without water. Somehow, some where, a pipe under the concrete slap of our home is broken badly. Our entire water storage tank empited somewhere under our home. That isn't good...it could be pretty bad. Thankfully, we can hear at least some of it run into the sewage pipes. Not sure why or how ??? But we do know we have a big leak!
Actually, we emptied the 2,500 liter tank out twice as the first time I found it was empty, I just assumed that water hadn't arrived during the day to fill it as is often the case. When I heard the water start going in, I let it fill back up and then turned back on the pump so I could wash dishes. Daniel got home from teaching the men of the church and so I decided the dishes could wait while I served my hubby his supper and sat down with him to visit while he ate. By the time we finished visiting, it was late, and Daniel went over to help me with the dishes when he discovered there was no water. The tank was completely empty again. And after some investigation, we found there must be a big leak somewhere.
So we turned off the water to the house and all day today, Daniel has been pounding away at concrete with a sledge hammer and chisel trying to find where the leak is. As I type, he's trying our 3rd guess. :)
It's tough for a family our size to be without running water and the job of pounding away at cement has taken a toll on Daniel's muscles and hands.
But it is times like these that I am so thankful for the husband I have. How patiently he just plugs away at the job. Little ones curious to see what Daddy is doing, wanting to be the first to spot the leak with Daddy...I haven't heard him once tire at their questions or presence. He only has them stay away when it is for their safety.
Last night, I cried. It had been a tough week and then, while I've been without water before and survived just fine, just the first thought of the extra work it would make brought the tears. Daniel was quick to hold me, encourage me, and when I felt better, he prayed with me.
Then, in the morning, he went to the parts store to get something he needed so I could have a spigot of running water outside. He connected a hose which I can bring through the kitchen window to wash dishes or through the bathroom window to shower. And then, even my biggest concern was taken care of. He and Timothy moved my washing machine outside near the spigot near a sweep so I could fill it up with the hose and drain it into the outside and keep up with the laundry.
Daniel told me to go ahead and start school so we could keep on schedule as much as possible and he washed huge stack of dishes that were unable to be done the night before. Yes, he is for real :).
And all day long, he would comment from time to time telling me what he thought the Lord was teaching him through this. And here it is, about 9 pm...about 12 hours from when he first started pounding...no leak found yet...and when I go outside to rub his back, he just gives me a smile.
I'm so quick sometimes to worry and complain. When I woke up late this morning (as Daniel and I were up until after 1 am working on the situation), I heard the children laughing and giddy with excitment to be hauling in water for brushing teeth, cleaning chores, and drinking. It was another big, exciting adventure to add to their memories. :)
And I thought how the Lord wants me to be like a little child sometimes. They don't worry...they know they are taken care of...and they make the best of whatever comes their way even finding joy in it.
So that is what I set out to do today. And it was a wonderful day...really!
At lunch today, before we prayed for the meal, I told the children we needed to keep praying that the Lord would help Daddy to find the problem, Timothy added, "And we need to thank the Lord for the problem too." That's right, Timothy! So they really do listen to what we teach them sometimes :) The Lord is so faithful and good!

I love my children! They are so funny!

While I'm cleaning the kitchen, Susannah comes running down the hall and out the front door. I cried after her, "Susannah! Where are you going?" She yells, "I'm going outside to get some underwear!" ???????????????
When she finally comes back into the house holding a lovely blue pair, I asked her why there was underwear in the front yard. She said, "Because there always is."
Glad we got that settled.

________________________

Conversation earlier this morning:

Josiah- "Mommy, can I change my name when I get big?"
Mommy- "Why? Don't you like your name, Josiah?"
Josiah- "I like it for when I'm little, but I want a different one when I'm big."
Mommy- "And what would you like to be called then?"
Josiah- "Pastor Rich" :)

Rebekah Sandra is 11

Today our Rebekah turned 11 years old! What a joy to see the personality and gifts the Lord has given her develop and become more refined as she grows!

Rebekah loves life. She always has. So full of joy, spunk, and laughter; always wanting to be right in the middle of whatever is taking place. She truly has a servant's heart and sees needs that nobody else sees and loves to meet them.

While she, like her mommy, can struggle with her attitude at times or just plain do the wrong thing, she, like her daddy, is quick to admit wrong and so sweetly tells me what she is praying for the Lord to do in her life in her areas of weakness.
Both she and daddy have taught me much :).

She loves to cook, *almost* always joyfully helps me with the household chores, caring for a little one is NOT a chore for her...she loves play with and love on the little ones. She is outgoing, brave, and is finally learning to sit still...somewhat :)

She has never seen a stranger. She sees the good in everybody; she thinks everybody needs a friend...and she gladly wants to be that friend. She loves to surprise me by sneaking in the kitchen and starting breakfast or making me my morning coffee. She loves to write love notes to Mommy and Daddy or her siblings and hide them somewhere for them to find later.

While she is growing up, she's not growing up too fast. She still loves to play. I do too :).

And in a family of almost completely blondies, she is the one child that people can say, "Oh, she must be yours".

And how glad I am that she is!
One thing that I'm getting a glimpse of the past couple of years is seeing my children become more and more my friends.
And while my heart sometimes longs to keep them all little, I just LOVE them as they get big! Sometimes I feel so blessed I think I just might bubble over with joy!

Rebekah's been asking for several months now for a Spanish/English Bible. She's worked hard in Sunday School learning to read Spanish, and so I ordered her one last month with a pretty cover to go along with it. I was hopeful it would arrive in time for her special day, but it didn't. I told her this morning that we ordered her a gift, but it didn't come yet and I was really sorry that it would be late, she said, "That's okay, Mommy. It will still be the best day ever!"
And that's just how God made Rebekah. Every little thing brings her so much joy.
Happy Birthday, Rebekah! We love you! May you continue to grow in your love for the Lord and others.

Laughter, Letters, and Life at the Lockwoods

Sunday was hard; Monday was better; Tuesday was good; Wednesday was great! While we won't know what's going on on the "inside" of that little leg for a while still, on the outside, we have a little boy who's back to his happy, cuddly self! True, it's a bit difficult to really cuddle with him~ the first couple days when we'd move him or change positions, he would fuss. But the past couple days, he's let me carry him all around, played in my lap for over an hour while I taught Beka and Ben math, and is giving us lots of good belly laughs! :)

I thought he'd be really fussy simply from not being able to move around like he's use to, but apart from the constant entertainment his siblings provide, he can even amuse himself. This afternoon, he was resting in his crib when I heard a funny banging noise coming from our room. I went back to check and there was Samuel banging his empty bottle against his cast and just giggling..he thought it was so funny. :)

I don't have much else to write. Just wanted to thank you for praying and give an update.

The children received a couple of letters in the mail this week and what joy those notes have given them! During our school time, I have the children write one letter a day. This has become one of our favorite morning activities. My mom had me write letters frequently as a child; she taught us the importance of writing thank yous, remembering someone on their birthday, sending a get well card, or even writing a missionary. Today, it seems people have forgotten how to write letters. With email, texting and all the other high tech forms of communication that are so popular, it seems the pleasure and beauty of taking a pen and paper and putting your thoughts into words with your own handwriting is a lost art.

I am thankful we have internet as there are so many blessings and benefits that we have here as missionaries being able to get a message out quickly. But I never want that to replace taking the time to hand write letters. There is something so special and personal about getting a hand written letter.

We have so many people we love, miss, and with whom we want to communicate. Family, friends, those who pray for and support us, missionaries, those whom we are praying for and want to encourage etc...

My oldest 8 write a letter each school day and often little ones will ask me to do one as well. My 13-6 year old write one all on their own. My 5 year old tells me what he would like to say, I write it out, and then he copies it onto another piece of paper. And my 3 and 4 year old tell me what they would like to say, I write it down in pencil, and they trace over each letter in a crayon. And recently, Eliseo's also been wanting to join in the fun. I gave him a coloring page at first, but he wanted lined paper like the others :) So on the top, I wrote "Dear ...." and wrote "Love, Eliseo" on the bottom...and he took his box of crayons and "wrote away!" :)

What's exciting is that although it only takes us a mere 20-30 minutes a day, by the end of the week, I have a pile of 40-50 letters ready to be mailed! To keep postage affordable, we usually all write to the same person each day :)

Besides wanting to teach my children to write to others, it has been a true benefit to my teaching time with them. Here are some of the things they are learning through their letter writing time:

*How to write the actual letter; what to say; to ask questions; to write specifically; to think about the person to whom they are writing; to pray for them.

*Spelling Practice~ Each misspelled word is written down in a notebook and the next day, they have to write that word 10x and then recite it. They keep a list of the words they misspell in their binders so they can refer to it while writing and for review

*Grammar/Punctuation practice~ Putting into practice what they are learning in their school books

*Handwriting Practice! :) Mommy's been known to say "re-do" if it's too sloppy; we talk about doing all we do heartily as unto the Lord

*Art Practice~ After the letter is written, they enjoy decorating it or making a picture on the back. They can use pencil, colored pencils or crayons...stickers too! Markers and paints don't work well as they soak through :)

*And the icing on the cake...sometimes they get a letter back! And that encourages them more than anything to keep writing! :)

I said I didn't have much to say, but I sure said a lot, didn't I? :)

Thankfully, the last few days have been "normal" :).
Daniel and the older boys just left to go preaching in Zaragoza. Brother Juan has begun preaching out there himself too! I think I get as excited when I see the people in our church begin serving the Lord as I do when I see it in my own children!

I Corinthians 15:58

Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

May His grace strengthen and enable you daily as you serve Him wherever He has called you.

Update on Little Samuel...who doesn't feel so little in a big cast :)

Praising the Lord for His goodness. Through His Word and through the encouragment of so many who love Him and love our family and are upholding us in prayer, He truly has renewed our strength and strengthened our hearts. How good it is to trust in Him! He never fails!
Samuel had a rough first night...lots of tossing and turning. And of course, I jumped to his side at every little whimper just praying and wanting him to be as comfortable as possible.
But he had a really good day and today he's even better! He slept wonderfully ALL night last night and slept in nice and good this morning. I missed having him by my side for my quiet time, but was so happy to see him rest so peacefully and soundly.
He normally spends his days scooting all around the play room, going all over the house in his walker, watching everyone from his swing or high chair, or hanging out with mommy in a sling or in my lap. But now, when he's not in his crib sleeping, the only really comfortable place we've found for him is on the couch in a semi sitting position. But he seems to be quite happy there, and he can see not only the play room but the kitchen and dining/homeschool room where most of the activities of the day take place. The children are constantly bringing him new toys so he "won't get bored" :) and reading to him and playing peek a boo and he's just overall doing so well. Thank you, Lord!
The children signed his cast :). Noah hadn't signed yet, and I'd told him that as soon as he finished up his school, he could sign too. So when he was done, I got him a marker, but I was reading with another child, so wasn't really paying attention to what he was doing. He brought back the marker when he was done quite proud of himself. A little while later, I went over to Samuel and right over the front of his diaper in big bold letters so carefully written it said, "NOAH" :).
On the leg of the cast it said, "NO".
Noah said that the cast was "too bumpy" to write on and it didn't look nice. He was a bit disappointed when I told him that I would have to change Samuel's diaper. :)
How encouraging it was to us to get so many comments and emails sharing stories of one's own children or another child having broken his/her femur. It was just a comfort to know they are all doing so well now.
A few people have asked about how we are diapering Samuel. The cast is completely around his broken leg down to the ankle; it wraps around his hips and waist and then down the good leg to the knee with a stablizing bar between the two legs to keep the broken leg immobile (*note to self to tell about the bar in a minute :) ). From the comments/emails, I think what he has is called a spica cast. They left an opening in the appropriate area so that he can "do his business". :) It's been an experience trying to figure out how to diaper him without it leaking or getting the cast wet/dirty. I've found what is working best is putting on a larger size diaper than he normally wears, lining it with a smaller diaper for extra exorbancy, and tucking it as best I can between the cast and his skin. So far so good. :)
The other concern I have is that the back of the cast is beginning to leave a good mark on his back...like a dent. I don't want him to get a bruise there but the most comfortable position for him to sit for his leg just pushes that back part of the cast into his back. I lined it with lots of cotton this morning. Hoping that will help.
I was just proof reading my post and saw my note to self. When they were setting and wrapping Samuel's leg, the doctor told the nurse to find a broom handle. She left and came back with a piece of something (maybe pvc?) but the doctor said that wouldn't work. Later someone came in with an old, broken broom handle. The janitor/maintenance man asked how long it needed to be and cut it and that became Samuel's stablizing bar :).
The doctor talked to Daniel yesterday and said if Samuel's leg is healing well and surgery is not needed, he'll be in the cast for 6-8 weeks. I have heard that children can heal pretty quickly, so I'm thinking it will be a long haul, but I'd be very happy if it was a bit shorter. Just praying for wisdom for the doctors, healing for Samuel, and a patient, joyful spirit for Samuel and us too :)
Oh, the Lord is so faithful and so good.

Sad day :(

Today Eliseo turned 2. After church this morning, we were planning on having a special birthday lunch, giving him his gifts, and then while the children napped, I was going to make a couple of cakes to take to church to celebrate all the April birthdays in our church family.

After the morning service, Hna. Leticia and I were sweeping the back of the main room while the children and their friends were playing and visiting together up front. Samuel had just woken up from his nap and was having fun with everyone when suddenly, we heard him start to cry. Daniel went to pick him up; one of the children had been holding him, lost his balance and fell on top of him. The floor is cement, and we thought maybe he'd bumped his head, so I checked him over and tried to console him. We only live 5 blocks from the church, so I took the children home while Daniel finished up at the church.

Samuel continued to cry and seemed to be in pain if I moved him. I couldn't see anything wrong, but I felt something was really wrong. I called Daniel, let him know I was worried, so he came right home; Hna. Tola came over to watch the other children, and we drove to the hospital.

It is so hard knowing something is wrong with your child, but not knowing what. Daniel and I prayed as we drove and asked the Lord to comfort Samuel and give the doctors wisdom.

We live in a country where the medical care is not as advanced as we have in the USA. And my first thoughts were of worry and fear and lack of confidence in the doctors. Sometimes it is so hard to be here! But the Lord has called us here. And it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man! That verse came right to my mind; I thought of how the Lord is the one who gives the wisdom and skill to the doctors and how good it was to rest in Him.

They took us right in and checked Samuel over. They x-rayed his head and back/chest...nothing. We prayed. Then one of the nurses noticed that one of his legs was looking swollen. I gently touched it and he began to cry.

They x-rayed his leg and found he had a clean break of his left femur bone! Oh, how it broke our heart to see it! But yet we were so thankful and relieved that they were able to find what was wrong.

They called in a specialist, and he was able to set the bone and put Samuel in a half body cast. I think it weighs about as much as he does! Poor, sweet baby! As they wrapped his leg, I cried, prayed, and sang him his song which I've sang to him from those first days he lay in the NICU.

Little Samuel you're so dear,
How I love it when you are near,
Your name means that God does hear,
He's always with you so never fear.

After setting his leg, they x-rayed it again, and it looked straight. The doctor wants to see him again in 2 weeks; if it is healing well, he will just need to remain in the cast until it's better. If not, they will need to do surgery to put a pin in it.

We got home, Samuel took a nice long nap, and then I brought him out to the play room where he spent the rest of the evening getting loved on by family and friends.
While Daniel and the older boys went to church, Beka and Abi baked Eliseo a cake and we were still able to have a little party for him. He got a toy from Grandma and Grandpa, a little bat and ball set from Mommy and Daddy, a new sippy cup from his brothers, and a shovel and bucket for the sandbox from Rebekah. He was one happy little boy and went right away to share with his best buddy...Samuel. It was so sweet to watch them laugh and play.

Yesterday, we had a going away party for Carlos, who after serving here with us for 8 months, will be going back home to continue studying this Tuesday. There were several unsaved teens who came and after the meal, we sang hymns together and Daniel was able to share the gospel.
It seems the past couple years have brought so much suffering, pain and trials. And honestly, it has been so very hard. But this I do know. All things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose. And the greater the trial, the greater the blessing. How the Lord has changed my heart! Oh, I love Him so! I'm so thankful He saved me!
And today, as I saw Hno. Juan come to church after driving the bus route, sit down with his wife and children, and then go help teach the boys class, my heart filled with so much joy.
When we receive letters from the group that came this past month giving testimony of what the Lord has done in their lives, how He used their time here to work in their hearts, we cried with praise for what the Lord has done.
When I see our church growing in their love for the Lord and each other and want to reach out to those all around them; when I see them cry as they share how the Lord is working in their hearts; when the Lord takes all the Spanish I have and my children's class falls silent as I share what Christ has done for each one of them and they want to know more...
How unworthy we are that the Lord should use us to bring the glorious, wonderful gospel here! And when I remember these things, how the trials and sufferings pale in light of all He has done!
Please, again, I ask you to pray for us. It's been a tough week. But the Lord is so good. Pray little Samuel's bone heals straight and strong. Pray for Daniel and Carlos as they travel to the airport Tuesday. Pray the Lord will strengthen the men of our church as they take over the different areas in which Carlos was serving.
Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your encouragement to our family and to our church family here. I can't wait to some day meet you all in glory and introduce you to all your brothers and sisters in Christ here.

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18

For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 2 Cor. 1:5

Many Pictures...Little Words

Here's a post that my brother in law will like :)
We are back safely from Los Cabos. Lord willing, we'll have 8 new passports ready to be picked up in a few weeks. Not the most exciting thing to spend time/money on, but we know they are necessary for us to work here. :) We enjoyed walking around Sam's and seeing all the things that we forgot we can't live without! :) Really, it is amazing how much we forget about...things that use to be "necessities" we don't even think about anymore. Things can be tempting though but I always remind myself that if we've lived fine without it this long, we don't really need it. :)
We did get a couple of treats...a new ironing board cover for me and a flouresent light for Daniel's desk. I was thrilled to find an ironing board cover as our old one was no good and I'd just been using a towel and the clothes didn't look quite as smooth. Now if I could just be as thrilled about doing the ironing itself! :)
Okay, enough words. Just wanted to share some fun pictures from our trip.

Loading up and getting ready to head out

Oh the joy of seeing a McDonalds :)

If you live in Mexico, you have to eat everything with chiles :)

We were thrilled to find a nice hotel set away from all the really tourist areas that was reasonably priced. There was hardly anybody there and while often the environment around a hotel swimming pool isn't one where we would normally go, this pool was vacant, so the children were thrilled to enjoy a special afternoon swimming. :)

We ate dinner at Sam's club (pizza!!!) and the ladies who worked there surprised us by giving the children free icee's for dessert! Such special little blessings! We thank the Lord for protecting us along the road, allowing us to get all the necessary paperwork taken care of, and for giving us such a fun time together as a family!