A Day in the Life: Brady

It's time for our yearly A Day in the Life posts! Today we decided to begin with Brady, as it was a bit of a special day for him at school.

7:00 am - wake-up and get dressed
7:10 am - eat breakfast, brush teeth, comb hair
(forgot to get a picture of any of this)

7:30 am - leave for school (Dallas or I drive them in the van, a 15 minute drive)

Now, before you can understand the following pictures, I will need to give you a bit of background.

All Mexican schools have the Escolta (the Color Guard or the Flag Guard). Six students are chosen to be in the Escolta, based on grades and behavior. They serve on this Escolta for one year and are expected to show honor and pride and respect to the Mexican flag (in other words, to the country of Mexico).

They take their jobs seriously and practice every Thursday in order to know all of the marches, steps, turns, and commands. At our kids school the grade that Brady is in has one to represent the younger kids and then there is another group made up of Grade 6 students that represents the older grades.

As the Escolta marches with the Mexican Flag, following the routine they've learned with the National Anthem playing, the rest of the school are lined up facing them in a u-shape, like a square all around them. There are specific times during the routine for the Escolta to salute the flag and specific times for the onlookers to salute.

They also wear this uniform! Everything needs to be crisp and clean and on special holidays they also wear white gloves.

7:30 am - As I said, we leave for school and arrive there at 7:45 or so

Today both Dallas and I went as I went to attend Brady's program and Dallas had a meeting at the school (he's a Board member there). This being Brady's day, of course his brothers tried to block him out.

Classic posed smile.

Right after the Flag Salute they had a Spring Parade so Brady quickly changed into his favorite lion costume (it'll be an awful day in this house when that thing is too small for him).

Brady has such good kids in his class! I love the friendship they have even at such a young age. 

10:00 am - the program is over and I head home and leave Brady at school to finish off the day....he has a snack/lunch time at 11:30, and has all of his regular classes

2:00 pm - the boys all get picked up from school and come home...

2:30 pm - lunch time! Yes, Mexican lunch is between 2-4 pm typically and yes, you do get used to this schedule! And I totally forgot again to take a picture at lunch so he posed for me afterwards ;) We did have broccoli, along with sopes (a thicker corn tortilla with several yummy toppings)

And following meals, Brady's job this particular week is to clear the table after we eat and wipe up the table. 

 3:00 pm - get changed into uniform for Taikwondo class (this happened by fluke - Carter is on a soccer team and we hoped to put Logan and Brady in at the same place in their age group but those classes were full...Taikwondo was the only sport available around the same times as Carter's..soo....)

....and then Brady did some drawing while he waited to go...

3:40 pm - leave for Taikwondo class (actually Carter's soccer is from 4-5:30, while Logan and Brady's class is from 5-6 pm, both on the same University campus. This is on Tuesdays and Thursdays) 

Since Logan and Brady just recently joined they are waiting for their white uniforms...

 It's hard to get good pictures as the parents can sit outside of the classroom and look through a small piece of glass, but below you see Brady fighting :) him and Logan both love it

 6:30 pm - arrive back at home

7:00 pm - have some supper

8:00 pm - shower....no worries he actually has his pj's on in this picture already! But he wanted to show you what he does when he gets out of the shower and he's cold.

Then he and Carter played a little in their room with some lego and played with the cat as they waited for Logan to finish his homework. Ah yes, typically Brady has about 20 minutes of homework each afternoon as well, but this week is no-homework b/c of special events. 

8:30 pm - bedtime! (aka coffee time for this mama)

Their room does not usually look like this. These are bunkbeds, and Brady's bed is a pull-out one underneath. However, recently no one has wanted to sleep on the top bunk. They much prefer to sleep all together. Sooo.....we gave in and said they could keep it like this for a while. One big King size bed for the 3 of them and they're happy as can be. It means less floor space to play but hey, they've got the rest of the house. 

They also don't sleep with "normal" blankets, they only sleep with their special blankets that they've chosen. Incidentally, they are all blankets made by either my mom or my sister-in-law Dwylla or given to them by Dallas' parents. And there is always a slew of animals joining them on the bed.

And that was Brady's day today.

The boys did rock-paper-scissors and have decided that tomorrow will be Logan's day.

Hospitality

What comes to mind when you hear the word Hospitality? My definition has changed, or more so, has developed. 

For some reason, we can put a lot of pressure on ourselves to have our house perfectly clean and our food hot and ready to serve the moment our guests arrive. This may be more of a Canadian way of seeing it, as in Mexican culture it's not as important to have the food all ready to go, as the prepping and serving of the food is something that is often done together.

I still remember the first time we had people over here in Mexico. I made a meal, had it ready and the table set when they arrived. I put the food on the table and we sat and ate. We had a nice time but it didn't feel very relaxed. Later, as I became more culturally aware, I realized why. Family-style dinners, where the food is all on the table, is not the norm here. Drinks and snacks may be on the table, but plates are served in the kitchen or serving area and brought out. There is more of a fluid feel and everyone is involved and moving around the dining/kitchen area as needed. A Carne Asada (bbq) is also common, where everyone is involved in the cooking and prep. I realized that the family-style dinner I had served probably felt quite formal to our guests, and to me as well.

So understanding the cultural context of your guests helps a lot in providing them with a hospitable and welcoming feeling. Understanding your own hospitality style is also freeing. 

When I cook something I am comfortable making and when I serve in a way that is "me", I am freed up to focus on the people in my home rather than on the home or food itself. 

If I am relaxed, I give of my real self to those that come into my home. And when I give of my real self, other people feel comfortable and are also encouraged to give of their real self. And that is what hospitality is to me. 

Hospitality has more to do with what people experience and feel in your home than what they see and taste. It has to do with feeling welcomed and loved for who they are, with experiencing the love of God in my home.

Christmas party in our house

This might mean having people in our home that aren't our "friends".  Or providing a bed to someone in town that needs it. Or providing food without expecting to be refunded. Or providing a listening ear. Or sharing freely the things I have, allowing others to borrow them as needed. Or providing a place for my kid's friends to come over. 

Making food together (at 1:00 am!) in my kitchen

I will admit I have hesitated sometimes to have people in my home in the past. I thought, my house is too small, not nice compared to so-and-so's etc etc and then I realized that people didn't care. They enjoyed coming over and I enjoyed having them over. So that was that. 

I have found my way of showing hospitality and I really enjoy it! I do like a clean house, I do like to make good food, I like to decorate, but when I make our home, our home, it's us and it's comfortable and the focus is on the people. 

Cell Phone dump - Around here in April

April has been a good month so far, with Kleefeld youth and then my parents here to visit for a week. Other than that though, I haven't updated a lot, so here's a little more from around here.

Dallas recently trimmed all my plants down, which I griped about, but lo and behold, he was correct and everything came back in better than before ;) So many roses right now in my backyard!

Our intern that has been here for 8 months is leaving in just a week, so we had a farewell for her on Sunday with several from our cell groups. 

Allison has been a joy to have here and we so much enjoy hanging out with her and seeing her learn and also having her teach us through her life.

Allison at Fer's birthday party at our house

We will miss her in Gdl!

Homework, homework homework.....

that is a never-ending daily occurrence that lasts minimum 1 hour per day.

Besides school and homework, all 3 boys are still going to swimming lessons twice a week and taking piano lessons with Dallas twice a week. All 3 enjoy those two activities at this point. 

Dallas is also still studying towards his Masters in Counseling and so far it has been a positive thing. He has found the time between ministry and family time, and he is really enjoying his classes a lot! I also enjoy learning with him as he talks about it and hope to read several of his books...

He has just finished his first class, which was January-April, and is now starting on his class for the Spring/Summer months which is a Marriage & Family Counseling class. The plan at this point is to take one course at a time, which equals out to 3/year. We'll see how it goes and if he can add more at a time down the road.

Something new this month has also been that Dallas and I are helping a couple with their marriage, a friend of Dallas' from biking. We are doing it together which has been good so far. It is quite humbling to have people older than us ask to be mentored by us and we are thankful for what God is doing.

We have had get togethers as a church group, Bible study groups, etc. and we love 'em!! As well as get togethers with families from our kid's school and we are encouraged with relationships and contacts that are growing.

I was pulled over the first time by a transit cop :) Which just had to do with a sticker missing on our vehicle that we did not know had to be there...but that is now taken care of. It was when Dallas was out of town though so that made it a little interesting.

Dallas went away on a young men's camping trip to speak one session.

And of course, Dallas came home from biking one evening with some new rug burns. But that's nothing new when he goes careening around corners!

Everyone from other countries leave....am I leaving?

 It's that time of year when the boys come home telling us which kids will be moving back to their home countries after the school year. The boys go to a school where most of the kids are Mexican and where most of their friends are Mexican.

But, it's Internationally recognized and certified and therefore there are also several kids that come from missionary or foreign business families. So far this seems to be the case especially in Carter's grade and while his best friends are from here, he naturally also becomes close with those from other countries.

Carter lost his tooth at his school campout

These families usually only stay a max of 2 years. This means that Carter has had to say good-bye to a number of good friends over the years (something I've talked about before)...from at least 4 different countries.

So anyway, yesterday he came home and told me another of his friends was moving back to his country this summer and won't be coming back. And I guess they had been talking about this as a class and realizing that Carter has been at this school for almost 5 years already, which was a record for foreigners :)  Carter says "does this mean I'm leaving one day too?".

How do you answer that?? The boys know full well they are not "from" here, but they also feel that this is home and they already have discussions about which one of them will live in this house when they are married (ha! no guarantee we will be in this house even if we stay in Gdl) and which will be Dallas and I's bedroom when we come to visit them. It's quite funny, but the reality is that they can't see themselves living anywhere else. The reality is also that we really don't know how long we will be in Gdl. but that is ok.

I love that my kids are content and as they grow up, I want to instill in them the idea that God can give us contentment and peace no matter where we live - here or Canada or anywhere else. That He can give us friendships anywhere, and that we also need to take steps towards friendship, while still cherishing and keeping in touch with those good friends who leave or who we leave behind.

We do notice that if we are content and portray that to the boys, they also are, especially as we talk about living here and visiting Canada, which has helped them love those times in Canada as well and be super excited about going there.

So, that was our conversation from yesterday and I'm sure we will talk about this again!

Keep these missionary kids and others you know that are overseas for a time in your prayers!

Love that Carter's teacher sends us pictures from school - also on the camp out hence the pj's for some

Carter's #1 best friend...he says he has 6 but this is the go-to one of the year

HOUSE {30 Days of Writing}

The house we currently live in is not tiny but certainly is not big.

I would say it is just perfectly adequate for what we need - one bedroom for us, one for the boys to share, and one to use as a guest room. A kitchen, a dining room, a living room, an office. 3 bathrooms. A little patio in the back.

Several times over the last 4 years that we've lived here though we have thought of looking for another house, and the reason is that we would love a living room that was a little bigger! When we have our whole cell group here for Bible study, when we have other people over, or when teams come, it can get pretty tight.

That's why this saying jumped out at me though!

I personally love a cozy house where people are with each other.
Where as a family we are together and in each other's space, rather than spread apart each doing our own thing.
Where when people are over, I can be cooking and serving with everyone milling around, in and out of the kitchen.

This doesn't have to do with the size of the house, but rather with the environment of the house. Am I welcoming to guests? Do I treat them as family? Do people feel comfortable here, at home? Is this a place to open up, kick back, and get to know one another? Do people feel and see love in our home? All of these things can be accomplished in any home - big or small.

I don't feel I need a huge space, a perfectly planned menu, or everything in it's place (although yes I do like things cleaned up for the most part....). But I do need a space created for people to hang out, coffee or something to offer, and a welcoming and relaxed attitude.

There is always room for one more!!! The more the merrier.

That said, we do keep our eyes and ears open for offers of a house with a little more room, but we are rather choosy as to the area of the city and whether it meets our purposes for our family and for our church plant. In the meantime, I love our house and the grand coziness we and others can find here!

{To see all of the posts in this series, click on the label "30DaysofWriting" under the title}

RICH/POOR {30 Days of Writing}

This balance of living and working with the poor and the rich all around you is just that...a balance.

A small view of Gdl - 7 million people is hard to capture. The wavy building is the Pan Am swimming pool, close to where we live.

We are currently working with the middle/upper class of Guadalajara, starting a church in this class and reaching out in their areas of life. This means that we live in middle/upper class area, we socialize with them, and our lifestyle is somewhat like theirs in order to reach them in the places they are at.

However, we very much want the middle/upper class to see their responsibility to the poor. The responsibility to care for them and treat them as equals (this can go the other way too, as I know it is hard to not also judge the rich and therefore not treat them as equals, but the poor are much more easily taken advantage of). What this means for our church and cell groups is to be seen by how the people respond.

I would say I don't think it's enough to do outreach projects into poor neighbourhoods and then cross it off your list. It's much harder to actually integrate the classes and learn to work together, as believers, and come together as a unified Body. I think this is Biblical and a healthy way of learning to care for one another's needs. This is not to say that doing outreach into poor neighbourhoods is not needed...it is...I just see it as both/and.

The street our house is on in a middle class area.

Our cell groups are currently made up of mostly middle/upper, but we do have a mixture right now. We have professional people - professors, business men, accountants, etc. We have more middle class - office workers. And we have a lady that would be more so poor class - cleaning apartments and houses, and making food for others as a means of income.

But there is mutual love and support for all members. You see the poor caring for the rich by praying and by offering food. You see the rich caring for the poor by providing financial help and rides. The goal with the church plant is to have this be a self-sustaining church - and this involves in the area of finances, which is easier to do when from the start the church is not dependent on the missionary or Canadian mission for funds.

Something that hit this home for me a little - that it is actually possible to integrate the classes to some extent and see them treat each other as equals - happened about a year ago.

The lady that is not as well off financially in our group was going to have our cell group over for breakfast and the Bible study. I knew her home was small and obviously not at the same "level" as some of the others in our group, and I wondered what one specific couple would think of this. However, when they arrived and walked in, they smiled and seemed to relax. And the husband said "wow, I feel at home. This reminds me of growing up and being at my mom's house". Humble beginnings are what made him feel at home in her humble home even though he himself has been upper class his whole adult life.

Anyways, our life is not completely upper class living....we have had to learn to live within our means even while ministering to this class. It's not always easy. It's interesting to be lower or equal financially than many of the people you are ministering to, as that is not the normal picture of missionary life.

So how do you live with them when you don't have their means?? Love...love and friendship goes a long ways. Those are the things that draw people to you.

Yes, we do need to be able to socialize with them where they are at, which does mean we need to spend more money! At the same time, we work to live a life of being financially responsible, caring for the poor, showing them how this is lived out, and being willing to throw a lavish party or supper here and there! It is definitely something stretching and something I could talk about for a while....so I better leave it at this.

End of story: no matter rich or poor.....they need God.

{Click on the label 30DaysofWriting - below the title - to see all posts in this series}

Canada '15: The Zacs

my Grandpa H. gives the kids tractor rides

I could post so many pictures of our time with family but that might get old really quickly (although not to me!) but anyways, here's a quick recap of our time with The Zacs! aka, my family.

Two of my brothers and their families live in Alberta, so they were out for one week, which is never long enough but thank-you guys for coming out!!

My other brother and my parents are in Manitoba so we got to spend more time with them.

My grandparents are also both in MB, and uncles/aunts/cousins are around, and 2 uncles from BC also came out for a week.

We are so thankful for family and the support we get from them!

And the laughs....we are good at late nights, talking, and laughter. It's special to me to have good relationships with all 3 of my brothers and their families.

My mom, me and my Grandma H.

One weekend, we went on a 2 day canoe trip with my parents, and one brother - Trav & Rosey! We have done this in the past with Trav and Rosey, and this time wanted to take our kids on an outback camping trip. And we convinced my parents to come along also! The kids all loved it and we did too.

It was a 4 hour canoe trip the first day to get to our camp spot, where we stayed for 2 nights, and then a 3 hour canoe trip back on the last day (wind with us etc.). I think that is something we will try to do anytime we are out there in the summer!

Our kids were able to do some things they had never done on this furlough...

...such as learn to fish. Carter especially enjoyed that.

They also loved hanging out with their cousins, something they don't get to do in Mexico. There are 13 grandkids in my family and they get along sooo well!! The one week where we ALL stayed in may parents house (23 people), they did super.

Carter is the oldest at age 8 and yes of course things get a little chaotic with that many kids, but not in a fighting and arguing kind of way, for the most part.

 A shot from regular life....the girl grandkids loved to give massages :)

The great-grandkids with my Grandpa Zac

 

How many can we fit in??

 My uncles came out from BC to celebrate my Grandpa & Grandma H's 60th wedding anniversary and my Grandma's 80th birthday.

Uncle Tim

Uncle Jason

Our family is also big on table games, drinking coffee, drinking tereré, eating Paraguayan food, staying up late, throwing the kids all in the basement on mattress' to sleep, reading books, playing soccer, discussing things, doing life together....

And to end, some pictures from a photo shoot we did one morning.

My mom and sister-in-laws! 

Dad and the 3 boys, and Dallas. Can you guess which is my twin??

The whole family!!!

and the grandkids with their grandparents