MY MONDAY POST!

Happy Monday ya'll!

I have been wrapped up in girls...

I am enjoying having Yesenia and Jessica here staying at my house. They are such humble girls. They help out in the house and never utter a word of objection when asked to do anything. They are always smiling and happy to be here. I don't or won't take advantage of them but it would be easy to do because they are so willing.
Yesenia is from Mexico and altho she has a loving family, they are very poor. Now don't get me wrong , we are not rich by any means, but we have so much more than her family.

I remember when she first came here, she was in the shower and Rudy and I kept hearing the water turn off, then on then off and on. After the shower Rudy asked her about it and she replied that back home they don't have water like we do, they only have about a bucketful (of cold) and it must not be wasted. They have a water truck that comes by about 1st a week and fills their supply, and the water they get is not drinkable. They have to purchase bottled water to cook or drink.
Yesenia wants to continue her education in Mexico, but there is no money. Rudy and I paid for her education for 8th grade through 12th and she graduated with flying colors, but you have to be accepted into their college (with a wad of money). We are praying for God to make a way.
I made sure to get her some really good smelling soap and shampoo.

She loves her shower.

Jessica is Noah's (my foster baby) mother. I have had Noah since he was 2months old. He will be 4 in November. Noah was taken from his Mama because he had methanphedimine in his blood sample. I always told Jessica that I was gonna keep Noah til' she could get her life together. For the past 3 years there have been sporatic phone calls and a few visits (I never stopped her from visiting Noah), but in this last 1/2 year or so I noticed a change. The calls got really frequent (almost bothersome) and the visits started happening almost weekly. Jessica told me that she had not had any drugs in about a year. I could tell. Her home situation was bad, she was living with friends(???) and not using drugs but it was not the best environment. There was lots of drinking and she was taking care of everybody elses kids.
Well she called on Thursday and asked if I could pick her up the following Saturday morning. I told her YES. I went and got her and she had a horrible toothache, so I did the best I could to help ease her pain. I had some pain medicine and all kinds of over the counter tooth ache medicine along with a heating pad. She was coping I thought, until Whitney went into the bathroom and saw someone had vomited in the toilet and there was leftovers there. I made my rounds around the house asking "who's sick" Jessica shyly said , "well I'm not sick but this pain is so bad." She had been smiling and trying to be happy but was in extreme pain.
The next day Sunday , we went to church and I told my friend Cindy how bad her pain was and Cindy took the ball and RAN! We have a fellow member in our church who just happens to be a dentist. His name is Scott Ellis, and he is sent by God. He told us to bring her in the next day and he would relieve her pain, and he did. The first day we went he pulled 3 teeth. Then he set up an appointment for x rays and such. Jessica was staying with us intermentantly. The next appointment he pulled 7 teeth. What 21 year old wants 10 teeth pulled? Jessica! Jessica started using drugs when she was 12 and she got her first drugs from her Mother. She was addicted to drugs and this girl, just has never had a chance! Well now she does.
Altho Dr. Ellis took all the rotton teeth out, now we have to get the money to get her some teeth. (He could pull them and absorb the cost, but he doesn't make teeth! We will still use his services and the rate will be like we pay the outside help only...I told you he was an angel.)
Any way...Jessica is beautiful, and she doesn't know it. Whitney and I have been fixing her hair and Whitney has been putting some make-up on her.

We even got some "bubba" teeth and painted them white and she put them in her mouth. She's like a little girl, and Noah is in HOG-HEAVEN. That bond is there. I never encouraged or discouraged it, it just is there.

I'm telling ya'll this because we need prayer. I know God is in this. So to all my blogging friends I'm asking that you add these sweet young girls to your list of worthy causes!

I cant end this post without mentioning my" Favorite" girl!

Whitney sang in Mt. Pleasant this past weekend and did a great job. They gave her 6 songs to sing and she invited her friend Caleb Shelton to come sing "Jackson" with her. They did a great job!
Caleb, Whitney, Noah and Melanie (Kaleb's mom)

DALLAS

Yesenia's plane was to arrive at 5:40, but we left for Dallas around noon-ish, so that we could spend a little quality time with Whitney, and where better than Sam Moon- the biggest purse store in TEXAS!


We shopped while Rudy enjoyed a coke at the little Snak-shoppe next door.

Then we went by to see Bonnie at her job there, private sitting with Mrs. Walters

George and Laura (Bush) live there in the same neighborhood and we wanted to swing by and see their new house, but there were cops everywhere and Rudy's a chicken and wouldn't approach them so we didn't get to.
We did drive down Strait Street where the houses range from 7-40 million. Here's an example. Ross Perot lives there somewhere. His name was NOT on the mailbox...imagine that!

We left there and headed for Grapevine Mills mall where we did manage to get Whitney a couple pairs of walking shorts and a decent shirt (a rare find in this world!)

Then we headed on over to the airport to pick up "Senya", whose plane was (of course) delayed... (notice the NEW purse!)

We did all kinds of things to pass the time. I guess you could say we're not very patient people.

I really got annoyed at these people, who brought their cute little yapper dog into the airport. Do people not understand that DOGS are animals, they may be apart of the family , but they are still ANIMALS. Wonder what the authorities would do if I brought my pet St. Bernard with me? ( I dont really have a St. Bernard) This was one of two that we saw walking through the airport. The other one had a green dress on. Cute, but no less a DOG!
We actually laid eyes on her at about 7:00, and she would NOT smile for the camera, in fact I am lucky to even get this blurry image. She was very upset. It seems she had a really hard time getting through customs because she is staying for 4 months. They took her into an interrogation type room and questioned her profusely. They wanted to know WHY she was staying for 4 months... Senya is a very shy, sweet, girl and she was very scared and upset!

We stopped and ate at Saltgrass,on our way home , for the last time...Rudy got baked chicken and sausage, I got Chicken fried steak and the girls got chicken fried chicken. 4 drinks (Tea and sprite) and it was almost $100.00. O yeah that was the last time. Maybe I'm a tight-wad , but to me that was expensive! This little guy was sitting in the grass by our parking space. He just sat there and let us watch him.
At the end of the day we thanked God for our (and Yesenia's) safe travel. It was a very nice, long day!

DAY 4...I'm TIRED

Today was a very Happy Day for Yesenia...She graduated!

She was pleased and so were her parents. Here she is with her parents, Chon & Madellia

Here she is with Rudy's mom , her Tia Margarita. Here's the graduate with Rudy and yours truly! ( I have got to do something with this hair!)

After graduation we took the family to a really nice restaurant called Santa Coyote. Here's the entry way. This is candle wax all over the table and wall. It was really neat looking.


You eat outside . It a real nice atmosphere, It is American food. But I think Santa Coyote was an indian because as you go through the restaurant you see the indian theme.

We saw smoke and smelt cedar so we got up to go look. The waiter informed us that they were offering food to the "indian god". If you look closer you can see the food. Oh how sad. Deception everywhere.
This is part of the atmosphere.
This is Yesenia's food...shrimp wrapped in chicken. She said it was very good.
This is a pond there in the restaurant. Is this a Koi Pond? Or are these goldfish?

When we left the restaurant we passed a family of real indians, or so Rudy said...
This guy was selling cotton candy and those who know me, know I LOVE cotton candy. Rudy bought me some and I tasted it and YUCK...It was made with sugar cane, or at least thats what it tasted like. I sent it home with Madellia to give to Deniss, who likes it like that!

And last , well just LAST (no pun intended) I am hoping that there are no bodies in these but who knows? Rudy got a real kick out of this one.

Well anyway, our phones have been messed up, but mine is NOW fixed. I'm letting Rudy carry it tho cause he can't go without a phone.

Its been a good day. I'm exausted...Between the internet going down and my typo's, it's taken me 1 1/2 hour to post this.

God bless ya'll, keep us in your prayers!

Guadalajara Jalisco , Mexico

Welcome to GDL Jalisco, Mexico! We got here yesterday and I am taking in all the sites as best I can. There is just so much to see. This really is a beautiful country, but it is
definatly poverty stricken.

I want to share some of the sights with you! The houses are all connected. It is strange (to me) . Most of the people don't have yards. So they use their flat roofs for things we use our back yards for.
This is a mountain side with typical houses
I'm not sure what this picture is...click on it, maybe there is something I cant see while I'm trying to write this.

Here's Yesenia with her family's pet chicken, seriously, this is their pet.
This is standing in front of Yesenia's house looking down the street. The street is barely fit for a car to drive on, you have to walk about 5 blocks before you can catch a bus (commune), then you get to the main street and catch a taxi. Its a real pain, but I guess if thats all you know, well hay, it might not be so bad...


Here's Yesenia's baby sisters, Fernanda is the oldest, she is 9, the baby is Deniss, she is 4 and so shy.

The people her do anything to make money. They sell food on the street, some ladies even have tables set up in their houses with the door open. They sell food right out of their kitchens.

Most houses have at least 1 dog on their roof...yes I said on their roof...Thats where they keep their animals

Here's another picture of a residential area, or colony as they call them.
Here's a homeless guy with his dog, I don't know who looked worse the dog or the man...

I probly seem like just a tourist to these people , but honestly this is breaking my heart . I have been walking down the streets in tears. I want to buy something from everybody. I want to drop a coin in every beggars cup. I know I cant, but Lord knows my heart truly hurts! The only ones that seem to be begging are the elderly or maimed people, the able bodied people are either washing windshields or selling something, anything to make a dollar . I have seen several people with cerebral palsy in wheel chairs begging and I can't help but think of my boy at home. This is definatly going to be life changing trip. No wonder they try to come to the U.S.A.

I'll write more later!

Mama's grave

I went and fixed Mama's grave for the Christmas holiday. I really am not nuts , this just happens to be the way I handle my grief. I do miss my mother so much, I know she's better off,and she's not in pain anymore, but that doesn't stop me from missing her. Her birthday is Tuesday. She would have been 79. That balloon says HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

That's for me too. She could care less about her birthday. I'm sure she's singing with the choir, taking in the sights, worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ, catching up and loving my Granny to pieces ! I am so thankful that my Mama was a child of the King! I love you Mama...I hope your enjoying your 1st birthday in Heaven. I miss you!!

Here's a picture of Whitney, Emilee and Allie by Mama's grave. Allie kept asking "Granny, When are we gonna see Mama Jack" I told her, this is where they put her when she died, and now she's in heaven with Jesus. She started crying, wanting to see Mama Jack. Missy said she just kept asking about Mama, days after we visited the grave. She may have been too young to go there.
I will be flying, somewhere between here and Guadalajara, Mexico, on Mama's birthday. I've misplaced my little external devise that has all my pictures on it. Notice I didn't say I lost it...I'm still hoping it turns up somewhere, someday! When I get back home after the 16th I will do a tribute to her for her birthday.
This is Mama in 1949, or somewhere around then. I know it was after 1948 because she has her wedding ring on and she and daddy married in 1948.

We are going to Mexico for Yesenia's graduation. We have been paying for her schooling for about 3 or 4 years, so were gonna go watch her recieve her diploma. I am so pleased with her accomplishment.

This is Yesenia and I in July of this year, when she was here visiting ( legally I might add)













Rudy called my attention to the clouds the other day. Is this not beautiful. Its just a glimpse of God's handiwork. It was a very still quiet day. So pretty!
Here's a larger image.
Ya'll pray for Rudy and I and for our house full of kids while we're gone. We have Tim & Bonnie staying here with Noah, Ricky and Jesse, and Whitney is staying with Aunt Mary and Uncle John.
I do not like to be away from home and I certainly don't want to go to a 3rd world country, but here I come. To top it all off I have "my form" of shingles. The doctor tells me its stress poppin out! Its really painful and causes me to be really antsy, or to put it in english, it causes me anxiety !
Just please remember me in your prayer.
I'll blog when I get back and if I don't get back, I'll see you at the feet of Jesus!