Blowing Kisses

     Another long week is coming to a close, and I've learned a number of little lessons.  Last Saturday morning we took one of our little boys, Diego, into the hospital.  He had been running a high fever and hadn't been feeling well most of the week prior, and we found out he didn't actually have dengue like we expected, so we thought it best to take him in and find out just exactly what was causing this. After doing an x-ray the doctor informed us that the bronchitis he had seemed to be getting over had actually turned into pneumonia! Yikes, poor kid! So we started him on what would become a five-day IV treatment and week long stay in the hospital. Since one of the other workers here was sick I ended up staying with him in the hospital for most of his stay, which was interesting to say the least.  First off, I don't wanna say that this kid hates me, but I'm pretty sure of all the workers at the home I'm probably his least favorite. So I felt a little bad for him that I was the one he had to put up with. It didn't hurt my feelings that he didn't particularily want me there at times, but I did feel a little bad on his behalf. Anywho, here was my first lesson- how much easier is it to love those who already love us! I was just shocked again at how I heard God talking to me, this time saying, "Hey, I did this for you, you do it for him. I didn't love you because you were lovable, I loved you despite that fact that you were quite unlovable." I could just see myself in little Diego's place! Praise God He doesn't wait till we're lovable!! Oh my goodness, so many times He's taken care of me when I wanted to turn my back on Him, and so many times I've spit in His face despite the loving Father He is!
     Well fortunately for me as the week progressed Diego became more lovable once he got a little better, with a big improvement in his attitude. And though he was still more than a little tempermental at times, I was able to get him laughing and smiling again, which brought me so much joy I had tears in my eyes.

His second to last night, playing around when he should have been getting to sleep!!

      I have to say though, that the most difficult part of staying at the hospital wasn't that Diego was upset the majority of the time. It wasn't that they didn't give me any food, that I never got any sleep, or that most of the nurses thought I was just plain dumb (though this did drive me pretty crazy!).  The part that was the hardest about being there was not being at the home!! Oh how I missed my little Lucas! Since I stayed most nights in the hospital, even one or two when I wasn't technically scheduled, the only time I was really back at the home was to catch a few hours of sleep. So I would come and go and see my other two kids in passing, enough to say "hola" and "chau" and give a quick hug and kiss, but that was about it.  I couldn't believe how hard that was!! When people leave Lucas often starts crying, which just made it harder for me to go. "I wanna stay with you, but I gotta go to the hospital!!" I'd tell him, but that didn't really help him much, and the last few times I kinda felt a little like crying myself! Anyway, today I finally got to stay home, for the first full day since last Thursday a little over a week ago, and I couldn't have been more happy about it. It was so great to spend the day with my little boy! He helped me hang up laundry, we had a little dance party and he let me spin him around a bit, and it was just fun to sit with him.

     These last few weeks I've been trying to get him to learn to give kisses, and he kinda gets the idea, but instead of putting his lips to your cheek he puts his cheek to your cheek. It's pretty cute, and funny. Anyways, a couple times I blew him kisses, and that he picked up on really quick! Well, after a long week away, today I was thinking just about how much I take for granted and how I get caught up in the busy things that make up much of my life, and how most of those things really don't matter. I don't want to waste all my days worrying about tomorrow- I'd much rather live for today and soak up the moments that are filled with joy. I don't want to look back on life and see all the dishes washed, clothes folded, meetings attended, assignments turned in- I'd much rather look back and remember this little boy blowing kisses.

Random thoughts you probably didn't care to know, but I felt like sharing :)

As I lay in the hamock last night taking a little rest before bed these were a few (few?) things I was thinking about (Sorry I'm so random, sometimes I can't help it...)-
I'm always surprised to finally find out how tired I am. I don't seem to realize it till I fall asleep and nap half the day!
Really? Obama is kicking off his re-election campaign already?
Ha, Bears fan laughing at my Packers jersey... Last time I checked mine's got the Super Bowl trophy pic on it, your's doesn't ;)
Some things just make you smile and laugh. Like the guy that whistled at me today, or the guy that added me on skype with a message saying "holaaaaa guapa", or "hey beautiful" lol. Do you usually get a response to that?
The weather is finally appears to be cooling down... Yay!
Something I really look forward to about marriage (assuming I get married someday) is having someone to cook for :)
I really feel like giving someone a foot rub right now, is that weird?
You know those days where you look at yourself in the mirror and think "hmm, I look good today"? I had one of those today, and it made me happy.
The letters to the Thessalonians are really good! I'm glad I randomly decided to read them.
I'm really glad that I am down here with Heather and Kayleen again. It's so fun to have a place to go hang out on my days off, and it's also fun to reminisce old times with them.
I had a realization today (and I'm not sure why I never thought of this before, but,) the worst part about hell isn't the fact that it's a lake of fire or that there's weeping and gnashing of teeth and all that, but that those people will never ever have a chance to see Jesus as Saviour. They will see Him and experience God's wrath, but they will experience eternity away from Christ, instead of just being in His presence. That's more sad than all the other stuff combined! Never getting a chance to taste His sweet forgiveness and grace and love and mercy.
I can't help but marvel at the fact that God has chosen to reveal Hisself to me. Clearly by no merit of my own, but somehow God saw fit to save me from myself, despite myself, and it is so humbling! I'm so thankful to just know Christ and His love for me. Isn't that what it's really all about?