New Law

Recently a new law was enacted here in Mexico. Teachers are now prohibited to fail or hold a child back a grade! This means that kids will be passed from grade to grade whether they learn a single thing or not. What is the point of even attending school? This is a good thing for us, however. Our kids are not being overlooked. Our kids are learning to read and write well.

When they graduate, they will be smarter and more prepared for the real world than their peers!

~Bethany~

Sunday Service--1 Filled with the Holy Ghost!

This past Sunday we heard a wonderful message about how we can never be separated from God's love! The people were moved and came to the altar to pray.

This young guy got the Holy Ghost!

This right here is what you call a miracle! This tall guy's name is David. He is a Jehova's Witness.

 My dad has been giving him Bible studies, and he always has so many questions and doubts. But he's getting his questions answered, and is starting to understand more, and has even asked to be baptized! Seeing him in the altar, praying with his hands lifted up was a first, and so wonderful to see!



 It amazes me to see people live their lives how they please, and come to church every Sunday to be filled once more with the Holy Ghost... God is so good and merciful.

*Nicole*

Snake-Handler

This past Sunday, we had a bit of an interesting service. In the middle of the worship service, a drunk man came in. I was on the piano and Nicole was singing so of course we get to see most everything that goes on in the congregation. This man came in and stood undecided in the middle aisle. After a few moments, he chose a seat in the back row. 

We get drunks in church pretty often so that was not a big deal. However, this guy was quite unique, in that he was holding a snake!! Nicole and I both tried to "keep calm and carry on" -- it was hard to keep singing with a straight face. 

The people sitting on the back rows started chair-hopping when they saw the snake. El Pastor soon saw the commotion and went back there. He told the man to either put the snake away or leave. Apparently for this guy, that meant slinging the snake around his neck, nice and secure. We continued on with the church service and forgot about our snake handler. 

When it was time for the preaching, El Pastor read his text then we all sat down. That's when I remembered our special visitor. I looked back and saw this:

Zonked out!

Nicole and I both tried to keep our feet up off the ground during the preaching. We could just imagine that snake slithering off the guy's neck and right down the aisle!! Eeeeek! 

He slept right up until the last few minutes of altar call. (I thought for sure we'd get to see a snake-handling demonstration!)

After church, he went outside and stood in the street, obviously waiting for El Pastor. 

This is how their conversation went:

Snake Man: I want to get closer to God. 

El Pastor: Well, come back to church sober and without the snake. 

Snake Man: Can I tomorrow?

El Pastor: Can you what tomorrow?

Snake Man: Get closer. 

I don't think he understood. :D

~Bethany~

Liebster Blog Award

The Rules:
1. List 11 facts about yourself. 
2. Answer the 11 questions given to you. 
3. Create 11 new questions for the bloggers you nominate for the award.
4. Choose 11 bloggers with 200 or less followers to nominate.
5. Go to each bloggers page and let them know about the award.
6. Thank the person who nominated you and link back to their blog.

1. Seeing the light on above the stove when the rest of the house is dark makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. 
2. Sometimes when I go to the church, unlock the door and walk in, I get a whiff of cigarette smoke or foreign perfume. This freaks me out and sends me checking behind doors and in each Sunday school classroom to make sure there is not a hobo hiding out. 
3. I like the sound the iPhone makes when pressing the on/off button at the top. To me, it sounds like a mix between heels clicking together, and that noise a woman makes with her mouth when she has an attitude. 
4. I love Thai tea with boba. 
5. I am sitting behind my desk at school. Technically, I should be teaching, but last week I injured something near my calcaneofibular ligament while jump roping so I'm trying to stay off it.
6. Ever since I was about four years old, I've wanted crutches. It would seem that #5 of this list would be reason enough, but no one is falling for it. 
7. I'm going to West Coast Conference this next month!
8. When I go to the States and eat American food, sometimes my eyes will tear up from the goodness of it. 
9. I could eat Swiss chard and fresh peas out of the pod every day for every meal for the rest of my life.
10. I get hot flashes when I'm mad.
11. I love, love, love to grocery shop. It makes me so happy. I abhor any other kind of shopping.

 1. Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry? Chocolate, of course. I AM a female!  
2. What is one of your hobbies?
3. Who's your favorite character in the Bible? Jesus 
4. When is your birthday? October 7 
5. What is one of your fears? I have this reoccurring dream that my mom has another child and I lose my place in the family. I wake up feeling so disturbed. (I have actually figured out the psychological meaning behind it though!)  
6. What is your middle name? Raquel  
7. Cake or ice cream? Ice cream 
8. When did you receive the Holy Ghost? When I was five.  
9. If you could visit any country, which would it be? Brasil  
10. Have you ever been stung by a bee, and how did you react? No, but have been stung by a mosquito!! Shocker, I know! When it stung me, I didn't feel it, but after about a minute, it started to itch so I scratched it.
11. Where did you live 10 years ago? Mexico

 Thank you, Jennifer Connell for nominating this blog! I have really enjoyed talking about myself for a whoooole post! :D
Now...I don't think I even read 11 people's blogs. And the people's blogs that I DO read have already been nominated. So I will just say that I'm looking forward to reading everyone's Liebster questions! 

*great round of applause*

~Bethany~ 

Plug Your Nose

Last story of Belize...

After church on Saturday, I saw Bro. Jose outside talking with a Mennonite man in a buggy. I love horses...and buggies...so I ran over to them to see if maybe, just maybe the angelic and wonderful Mennonite man would give us girls a ride in his cart. Bro. Jose asked the man, and he agreed...

Completely elated and overjoyed, I stepped right up into the cart and settled in next to Mr. Mennonite.

What a happy moment it was...

..Until I inhaled the most horrible, rankin' smell I've ever had the pleasure of inhaling in my life!! Mennonites don't believe in wearing deodorant. Gooooooooodness, it STUNK. 

Feeling like the wind had been taken out of my sails, I pinched my nose, and scooted a little closer to the end of the seat. This was not how I imagined things would be.

I hoped we would take off at any second, but no...we sat there...and sat there...and sat there. My eyes began to water and I leaned out every few seconds to catch a breath of fresh air. 

 Finally...finally, my fragrant companion gave his horse the signal, and off we went, the glorious, refreshing air blowing into my face. Oh, hallelujah! That was the most exciting part of the ride! 

 

 My view

 

The horse had a stinkin' attitude. 

 

I must say...I think I'd rather have to deal with a stinkin' attitude than a stinkin' riding buddy. 

After a couple jaunts around the church property, my dear Mennonite friend put an end to our adventure. 

Very VERY enthusiastically, I hopped down from the buggy and fervently thanked him for his time. 

I also bought some of the most delicious chocolate milk I've ever tasted from him.
There are a few jokes I could put here, but....I will resist. I think I've said enough.

On my packing list for next time: one hanky doused in perfume.

Bethany's 22nd! A.K.A The Longest Birthday Post Ever :)

 

Yesterday we celebrated Bethany's 22nd birthday!

First, we all met up at Italiannis for a delicious dinner and had a fun time talking and visiting.

 

Austin and the birthday girl

 

Grampa and I

 

Me and Beth :)

 

My sweet grandparents

 

 

 

After eating, we wandered around in the mall for a while, and of course we stopped at the pet store to see the macaws! This bird was being so funny with my gramma. He would slide down the bar towards her and then cock his to the side a stare at her...

 

 I think he really liked her... She was under the impression that because of the print of her shirt, that maybe he thought that she was another bird! I'm sure it was just her sweet personality :)) Our pets always love her the most!

 

Then we headed back to the house and met up with the Garcias to have cake and open presents!

We sat around just hanging out for a while, waiting for the other partiers to show up...

 

Tia Hayde helped Grampa with his cellphone...

^^A lot of laughter was involved^^

 

Tio Mario and Beth got to translating a song into Spanish...

 

One person that we were waiting for finally arrived!

Abner!

He had been in Mexico City for a week and had arrived in Puebla just in time for the party. When he walked in the door he saw his Mom and ran over to her and picked her up in the biggest hug ever! It was so cute, and had us all cracking up.

 

Next hug was for his dad!

They acted like it had been months since they had seen each other when really it had only been a week! :)))

^This hug actually turned into a wrestling match LOL^

 

Grampa with his Beth's cake!

 

Bethany making her wish ;P

 

And..... She goes to blow out her candles.... And they just sparked right back up!

I hear Sis. Gramma say "Oh no! I didn't mean to get those!" Hahaha.

But, with a little bit of help from the Grampa, the candles were extinguished.

 

What comes next after you blow out your candles?

Mordida!

Beth absolutely refused to do the mordida with me by her side!! I don't know why!!! :)))

She's so suspicious....

 

Abner tried to slyly sneak his way around the table to give Beth a memorable mordida, but she caught him! The little cheater hurried and did a cowardly mordida....

 

She picked the whole cake up and took a bite out of it before anyone could do anything about it!

 

Here's Tio Mario trying to explain to her that picking up the cake to bite it is against the rules!

All I know is, I wouldn't be arguing with Beth if she had a long knife in her hand like she did then...

 

Tio y sobrina :)

The resemblance is uncanny! Haha!

 

Cutting the cake...

 

Present time!

 

The beautiful birthday girl!

 

We all got a good laugh when she kept pulling scarfs out of the gift bags... :))

 

All Bethany could say while opening my present was to say "I'm so scared, I'm so scared!!!"

Now what in the world did I do to deserve such fear and suspicion....?

Oh yeah... Last year we got her a pig head...

Yeah, that's why she was scared to stick her hand in the bag! Hahahaha!

 

The night's entertainment was provided by none other than Abner Garcia!

 

He had us rolling with laughter!

 

We haven't laughed like this in a long time... Actually, come to think of it, the last time I laughed like this was the last time that we got together with all the family! I love family time :)

 

His specialty is imitations... and teasing his mom... :))

 

Tio Mario got in on the teasing and joking too...

 

He even had the brunt of his jokes laughing! Now that's talent ;P

 

Whew! We then gathered in the living room to continue the hilarity in a more comfortable place :)

Bethany, Sis. Mom, and me

 

Telling stories...

 

Playing our old fall back "rhythm" game. Super funny game...

 

Tio Mario, Tia Hayde, Bethany, and Abner

The Mexican side of our family ;)

 

So after lots of food, presents, and laughing until our stomachs hurt, we said goodbye and headed off in seperate directions!

 

Family time is the best time. <3 p="p">

 

And, a final happy birthday to the lovely Bethany!

I love you!!

 

 

*Nicole*