A Birthday "Fix-Up"...

This Boy of mine lives life.

 He has since is was a very small child. 

He isn't fearful, which can be both good and bad ;) 

Everything he does, he does with great intensity, which I love.

 He has done a lot of living in his short life and has a few scars to show for it. 

 One of those "scars" was the problems that go along with having

 his nose broken many times. Before his mission we took him to a

 Ear, Nose and Throat doctor, fully expecting to schedule a major surgery to repair

 the damage. What we found out was that he was not fully grown and we needed 

to wait until he returned from his mission. 

He has really suffered with chronic sinus infections for years. 

 He hasn't been able to sleep well, and was sneezing and blowing his nose all the time! 

He was miserable. Thankfully we found a great Dr. and took advantage of 

The Boy and his Bride being home with us for awhile...and we scheduled the surgery. 

 It wasn't invasive like we thought it would be. 

No additional scars...and now we have a Boy who can breathe! 

He says it is amazing!  His little birthday "fix-up" has been a success!

It's Official!!...Part 2

The Boy worked and worked, laying out each and every letter that spelled the special 

messages for his Girl. He calculated...he measured....he worked...he sweated ;)

...and finally it was done. Ready for the plane ride. Uncle Dave first flew over the 

Colonia Juarez temple...a perfect beginning.

Next he flew over the lake...which was near the spot that the words were written. 

Finally he flew in the direction of the message...he lined up the plane, flew a little lower and

passed over the words that would change The Boy's life. 

The first pass by...His Girl didn't see it!

 Coached by PreShie...the next pass by was perfect.

 PreSh and Uncle Dave caught it all on video and It was perfect! 

The Farmer and I, along with Grandma Vicki were waiting there by the 

words as they flew over...it was a pretty special moment.

 

Back on Uncle Ron's runways...where they would land...waited our family... 

And The Boy of course. It was just what he wanted...to be surrounded by the 

people who helped raise him, The people he loves and who love him...the most. 

And then the big moment came....

 

The plane landed. And then this happened....

 

We then headed back to our house for a celebration dinner...

again...perfectly planned out by The Boy. 

We had Enchiladas...red and green, rice, salad, steaks...

and watermelon. A perfect ending to a pretty perfect day!!

 

It's Official!!...Part 1

June 23, 2015

Around this time last year we were on our annual vacation to Utah. 

 The Boy was there working trying to earn money for the next school year. 

 Presh was getting ready to enter the MTC, and The Rooster was just having a good time!

 The Boy would spend most days with us...at least the days that he wasn't working. 

 It was a really great time for our family. Anyway, during this time The Boy met a really

 beautiful and kind girl. He called one afternoon and asked if we didn't mind if he 

brought her over so we could meet her. Of course we thought that would be fine 

and then we waited for them to arrive. Our rented house was filled with

visiting cousins from AZ.

 

Certainly the little cousins were excited to meet The Boy's "friend." 

 I wondered if this girl he was bringing over would be completely overwhelmed 

with the energy that filled our house. I thought that might scare her away pretty quickly. 

 It really was quite a crowd! The time finally came and they arrived together. 

 The cousins were peeking out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of her before 

they reached the door step. I heard things like..."they are here!!!"..."oh wow...she's so pretty!"

 and then they rushed to the door waiting for The Boy to open it. It was a fun scene to watch. 

 The door opened and there they were...and yes...she was beautiful! 

 But even better than that...she was sweet, kind and patient with all of those sweet 

cousins who wanted to talk to her and hug her. Immediately she jumped right in and

 helped serve cake and ice cream...chatting with everyone around her. 

 And then I thought..."she is fitting right in...interesting!"

 

We spent the rest of our summer days in Utah getting to know The Boy's "Girl"

more and more. The more we got to know her, the more we like her. 

 Some were even heard to suggest that we keep her, in exchange for The Boy! 

 Our vacation was finally done and we headed back home. 

PreSh entered her mission, The Rooster began his Senior year and The Boy 

returned to USU for another semester of college and

The Boy..and his Girl continued to date and fall in love.

 

Nearly a year passed and it was becoming quite clear that The Boy was smitten.

 Finally, he came home for Spring Break. During this time he confided in The Farmer that 

he was in love. He would say things like..."I love that she is always happy!"...

"I love that she is always so kind"...and he began to think about marriage. 

 At the end of the Spring semester he left for Texas to work. One afternoon I got a text from 

The Boy...it said..."I kind of bought a wedding ring" to which I responded...

"you either did or you didn't...there is no "kind of"....to which he replied...

"I did." We were thrilled!!! So happy with his decision and who he had chosen. 

 He planned the week to come home...that's where he wanted to be when he proposed to her

...and began to come up with the perfect proposal. The plan was put in place. 

 His Girl would fly to Mesa where Grandma S. would pick her up and drive her to Mexico. 

 A great excuse to have the Grandma there too! Once there Uncle Dave would take 

her on a plane ride along with PreSh and The Rooster. They would circle the Colonia Juarez 

temple and then they would fly over a special message that was written out for her on 

Grandpa Max's old runway. They would then fly back to Uncle Ron's runway where 

they would land, and The Boy would be waiting surrounded by family.

 

So off they went....

I Love These People!!!

 

 I love these people!! And...These Darlings are on their way home for Christmas!!!

Yay!!!

 Can't wait to get them home!!

On another happy note...The Grandparents got some wonderful news yesterday,

After several months of Chemotherapy, The Grandpa is now

free of the cancer that he has been working so hard to fight off.

Prayers have been answered for our family...

We are blessed!

Some Things You Just Don't Forget....

 

For some, "horses" are simply a part of who you are.

That is The Boy/Man. He loves them, and they love him!

After not riding for two years...he is back at it, and it is like he never missed a day!

I love to watch him ride, it is a beautiful thing, mostly because it calms his very soul.

 

 

Mother and daughter!

 

 

Riding his colt, Reina, for the first time

.

Tender Reunion...

 

The city of Cholula. Also, known as the city that is home to more than 350 churches.

 That is where this picture was taken today.

Our Boys, are getting to know Mexico City through the eyes of The Farmer.

 What a treat!! I am so grateful that they are having this time together!

From the moment Those Boys left, I told The Farmer he needed to go and

spend some time with them, showing him a little piece of the experiences he has had there.

One of the most life altering experiences for The Farmer was his LDS mission.

  It was served on the streets and in the small towns of Mexico City. Like most young men, it was a time of great purification for him...a time of great growth. One of the sweetest memories for him, lies behind this door, in a town called Texcoco. He returned there for the first time since his mission, while we were on our honeymoon. He wanted me to know the Alvarez Family, and love them, like he did. It was a moment I won't ever forget. Although I had spent some time in Mexico before we married. I hadn't really seen poverty like what this sweet family lived, day in and day out. And yet, they fed The Missionary Farmer, almost every day while he served in their town. Oh how they loved The Missionary Farmer. As we drove through the streets of Texcoco, The Farmer looked and looked for their home. The streets had changed a bit, and it took a little time for him to get his bearings in a city he hadn't been to in many years. But when he saw this door...he knew it was "the door" that belonged to this beloved family. It wasn't in a "neighborhood." it was literally just a door, facing a busy street. If you were to notice the door, you would never assume that someone actually lived behind that door. We parked our car, and The Farmer went to the door and gave a hard knock. And then he waited. No one came right away, in fact we almost returned to the car to leave. After another firm knock to the door, it opened slowly. Hermana Alvarez took one look at The Farmer and began to cry. Cry only like a mother who hasn't seen a child for years, and the child has returned home. Hermana Alvarez hugged The Farmer, and he hugged her back and they both had a sweet cry together. Thrilled to have The Farmer in their home once again, she invited us to sit in their very humble living room, on two chairs that seemed that they might break at any moment. She sat across from us, and the children sat on the floor near us. As I looked around their home, a bit overwhelmed with how little they actually had, I noticed that our wedding announcement had been placed in a simple frame and hung in a prominent place where anyone who came into the house, could see it. The visit was beautiful. I was a by-stander watching a very special reunion take place. At that time I couldn't understand or speak any Spanish and I relied on The Farmer to keep me in the communication loop. He would stop now and then to explain why he loved this special family so much, and he would tell me about all of the wonderful things they would do for him while he served in Texcoco as a missionary. But it was much more than that. This was the kind of connection that doesn't happen often in a lifetime. Once we had been there awhile, Hermana Alvarez suggested that we must be hungry and that she would be so happy if we would eat with them. The Farmer then lovingly informed me that I would need to eat whatever was served, even if it might be difficult. She then gathered a few coins, handed them to one of the children and asked them to go to the nearby bread store, and purchase only two pieces of bread. One for me and one for The Farmer. It wasn't long when the child returned with the sweet breads in a brown paper bag. The Hermana (sister), then reached to the top of a cabinet that was close to the table and brought down another brown paper bag that had been carefully hidden. Inside the bag was a small piece of cheese. She placed the sweet breads and the small piece of cheese onto a plate and set it in front of us. And The Farmer said..."eat."

 

 

I wanted to cry. Not because I was afraid to eat, but because I knew that I was eating the food that would have been theirs. I knew that those little children wouldn't have cheese again anytime soon. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I guess that it why this experience is burned into my memory. We stayed most of the afternoon with that sweet family. We even joined them for dinner which was chicken soup, that included ALL of the parts of the chicken, because they couldn't afford to waste anything. In my bowl of soup, was the chicken food. A special treat for a special visitor!;) As we left their home that day, almost 25 years ago, The Farmer emptied his wallet of every bit of money he had, and left it with that dear family. He didn't have much, after all we were students. But all he had was theirs. As we have gone back to Mexico City through the years, we have always checked in on La Familia Alvarez. Sometimes we have found them, and sometimes we have not. Each time we are in Texcoco he revisits the memories of a very special time of life. he opened that area as a missionary. It had not had missionaries until he and his companion arrived. Now there is a beautiful LDS church building and two wards that meet there.

 

 

Today, along with Our Boys, The Farmer visited Texcoco. These pictures made me cry.

 I know that garden, I have stood there. It is behind the blue door.

 Today he found Hermano Alvarez. I can see the delight in his eyes.

 What a gift to be able to share this with Our Boys.

 

 

The very first meetings of the LDS church in Texcoco were held in this very spot where they are standing. It was the front room of the Alvarez Family

 

.

 

I am sure it was a very very special day for The Farmer. I can see it in his face, in these picture that The Boy sent me this afternoon. These are the kind of experiences that a Mother prays her child will have. And it really was my prayer that The Boy and The Farmer could share this together, that The Boy could know what his Dad was like as a missionary. What a blessing for them both! Knowing The Farmer, I am sure he again emptied his wallet, hoping to repay some small part of the incredible sacrifices that were made by this family, for him.

This Mother's heart is full of gratitude tonight!

On The Streets Of Mexico City...

 

A little over a month ago, our recently returned Missionary Boy and his "adopted" brother,

 left for Mexico City to attend a very special business school, The Academy For Creating Enterprise. These two young men had never been to this great city before so they weren't sure what to expect. Even though both have been raised in Mexico,

the culture of the south is VERY different than that of the North.

 

 

 

The Farmer served his LDS Mission in the heart of Mexico City, we have traveled

there many times and even lived there for a few months.

 It has become somewhat familiar to us.

 

 

Our Boys have spent days in classrooms,

 they have spent days working and maintaining the campus of this school.

 They have spent day in and day out literally selling items on the streets of Mexico City.

 They have attended Institute classes, so that not only were their business skills being strengthened, their spirituality was also strengthened. It has been a fantastic experience for Our Boys!!

 It has been a fantastic experience for us as parents to see more positive

growth from two pretty great sons!

 

 

 

This program was outlined by successful Entrepreneurs with the purpose to strength

 the LDS members financially as well as prepare them for church service,

whatever that may be. The Farmer says that it will change the LDS Church in Mexico completely.

 It teaches self-sufficiency, service and personal responsibility.

 It is an amazing program.

 

 

Our Boys say that this is the best decision they have made next to serving their missions.

They say that they are forever changed.

Along with great learning, they have had the chance to see some of the great

 historical landmarks of Mexico. I am so grateful that they are taking this

 experience and really getting the most out of it.

 I am a proud Moma!

 

 

The Farmer left this morning for Mexico City.

He is the keynote speaker for Our Boys graduation ceremony.

 He is also going to show those Boys a good time in that fun city!

Tonight, a very proud Dad is eating tacos, on the streets of Mexico City,

with two Sons who are thrilled he is there!  Tomorrow he will speak at

the graduation ceremony and then it is off to explore the City.

I am so grateful for this program for so many reasons...mostly because

it is another set in the transition of Our Boys, becoming men!

 

Picking A Little Alfalfa....

(Nacho...(Ignacio)...Carne...(Incarnation) and Chencho...(Vicente)....the cows)

For historical purposes...

A few evenings ago....I headed to the Sol to pick something "green" for the chickens to eat.

I was feeling a little sorry for them.  I knew that I could find some weeds in the orchard.

Also growing at the Sol is alfalfa...to feed the animals.  So I thought that picking some alfalfa

would be a great treat for the chickens along with a few weeds. 

 I rode the 4-wheeler, the dogs ran alongside, with the biggest dog smiles I have seen in awhile;) 

The weather was beautiful...warm....it was just a lovely evening!

Passing the pastures that are home to the horses and cows....I headed to the field of alfalfa.

I picked and picked...filling up a box I had brought along and when I looked up...I noticed

that the horses were lined up at the fence watching my every move.  I carried the box,

filled with the picked alfalfa to the horses, and one by one they took their turns eating.

It gave me a chance to pet them and "visit" with them;)

I told them that their Boy was doing great!  That he was happily serving his mission and

that he was growing into a wonderful man...that their Boy misses them and wonders how

they are all doing.  I have to admit, I shed some tears....as silly as it sounds...

I felt like they understood everything I was saying to them.

He loved those horses, and they loved him.  They provided peace and comfort for The Boy,

when he was having a bad day.  Somehow they just knew that The Boy needed them.

He would take them on long rides.....bring them home and lovingly groom them and reward

them with bit of grain.  It was almost a ritual for him.  I truly think that one of the hardest

things for him to leave behind was his dear horses.   

(Bronze)

The horses gave me a great gift that lovely evening....it was a gift of connecting to my

Missionary Boy, who,on that particular day....I was missing terribly.  They did for me

what they had so often done for him....offered comfort and love.  I am so grateful that he is

where he is....doing what he is doing....I would not want it any other way....but as a very, very

wise may said to me when The Boy had only been on his mission for about a week....

"You will mourn the BOY that is leaving...and CELEBRATE the man that will return."

PreShie commented a few days ago, while looking at some new pictures of The Missionary Boy, we had just gotten in the mail...that The Missionary Boy doesn't look the same...he looks different

somehow.  She tried to figure out what the difference was...I finally told her that the difference

that she saw, what that he didn't look like a "boy" any longer...he now looked like a "man."

And she agreed.

I do mourn the boy...but I am thrilled a the growth and maturity that has come.

(Caballero)

Interestingly, the man that we purchased The Boy's first two horses from, passed away this week.

He was an amazing man!  He was often referred to as a  "gentle giant" because

he was a tall man  The Boy really loved this man.  He had a sweet relationship with him. 

They enjoyed talking about the horses...the funny little things that were unique to those horses.

As this man got older, and it wasn't so easy for him to climb onto the horses, he trained

Bronze to stretch himself out...quite far...which lowered him to the ground, and then this

sweet man was able to climb onto of the horse with ease.  He was grateful that the horses went

to The Boy...who loved and cared for them so well.

(Muneca and Reina)

The Farmer says that these horses will go down in history as the "best" horses The Boy ever owned!

The first horses hold a special place in hearts of young boys and girls.

The Boy will most likely tell stories to his "ninos" about how amazing his first horses were...

(even though they are quite average)....to him they will always represent a special time of life.

I did discover that Reina is a bit of a crazy teenager right now...if I would turn my head away from her

she would grab a mouthful of my hair...or bite the edge of my jacket...and then she would smile!

She has a really funny personality!

It was a very wonderful evening for me...at the Sol...something I really needed!

*To add to the animal update...5 more chickens have joined our brood....they are beautiful!*

(Chencho)