Thank you for your prayers. I made some progress.BUT It has seemed I've hit a road block. Hopefully it's a small one. I did get a NIT number. Which is cool. I got most of the paperwork in hand. I went to pay Q30 for something that I'm not even sure what it is, but I was told I couldn't pay it because of an outstanding Q400 ticket that is on file for my car. So, after spending half the day there, it was over... at least for yesterday anyway. At least Gino was with me to help split the waiting in line time. We split up to be more effective. So, I went to the place I've paid the 2 tickets I've had before, and they can't tell me anything and they send me to another place. Apparently someone has 4 Q100 tickets from July 2005. I bought the car in September 2005. So, I'm trying to do all I can to track down the former owner to ask about it. I am hoping they may be a descent enough person to pay for it, but if not... I'm stuck with it. So, then I'm sure I'll go back to finances next week to try and take the final steps. Keep it in your prayers.

The sweetest thing

Gino called me tonight to let me talk to my godson, Gerson.

Gino:"Diga hola madrina"

Gerson:"Hola malina!"

Gino:"Diga, como estas"

Gerson: "Como esta malina?"

Madrina is godmother, but with his baby talk it comes out "malina", which is so adorable.

I made him a card with a motorcycle on it and sent a small stuffed animal to him, along with the real gift, some money. He liked the card with the motorcycle the best. Go figure

circulation card

I've begun the process of getting my circulation card put in my name... sounds easy, doesn't it?? Think again. This is the card that is given by the SAT (tax) people. Last time I was stopped at a road block, the cops almost gave me a ticket because this card was still in the former owner's name. Also, it will be necessary for selling my car. So, my first step was today. I had to get a NIT number. (a tax id number) In the center of the city (Zone 1) at the finances building... waiting in record breaking lines... making a full cover to cover copy of my passport... then realizing, after more than 1/2 an hour that I was in the wrong line... needless to say I didn't get very far. I at least got the paperwork and hopefully a friend will be calling tonight with the number of a lady who can help me get the rest of it done. It may cost a little more, but after today, I see it will definitely worth it!! She could help with some of the running around. I couldn't get back to the finances building if my life depended on it... well, maybe then, but seriously it's not the best part of town to "guess" in. So, I can't go by myself and Gino is always busy.So, its not a big deal, but if you think about it, you could pray that it goes smoothly. Nothing is ever easy to do here

a day at Rehoboth

I went to Parramos today, even though the booklets weren't ready for me to take with me. It's the time of year when the boys write to their sponsors. They make them sweet little cards telling them about something exciting they did recently or how they're doing in school. It's fun to sit down with them as they make the cards. They usually draw something on the front and color it. Some are pretty creative. The younger ones crack me up with their crazy designs. For example, Dennis drew an ice cream cone and desided to color the ice cream two shades of blue and when I asked about it, he told me that it had two different flavors... DUH! So cute! They didn't have time to finish them today, but I did at least get to bring one of each boys' cards home with me to translate them. I also have to update the sponsors' addresses to make the labels before I go back next week. The books should be done by Wednesday, so I'll get them before I go. I also had a good talk with Chici today. We just talked about everything, but it was nice. Anyway, I took a few shots of the boys working, so I thought I'd share.

Mynor was the only one who would look at the camera... he's a sweety!

William worked so hard and still didn't finish!! He might be a perfectionist!!

here's Dennis. He was the first to finish, but since he can't write- he had less to do.

Edgar... is he showing me his card, or hiding his face?!?

feliz dia de la madre

Well, today is Mother's day here in Guatemala... the kids are all out of school... and like any other holiday, I was woken up this morning... way before the sun came up to firecrackers being set off outside of people's houses. Now, I'm not talking about one or two times.. it went on and on!! So that set off a chain reaction and all the dogs (all the 1,000's of dogs) in the neighborhood started barking. About the time they would stop, someone else would set off more firecrackers. When I saw firecrackers, I'm talking about the little red ones that sound like a machine gun going off... POPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP!!! It's the worst way to be woken up!! So, I really don't feel like I slept well today, but that's life.

So, anyway, I want to wish all of you mothers out there a very happy Mother's Day, even though for you, it's a few days early!!

I also have to say that it really makes me sad when people take their mothers for granted. God gave you this special gift for only a certain time and you never know when she will be taken away. Love her!

I had the best moma anyone could ask for, and I thank God for her and all that she brought to my life and to everyone who meet her.

Monday, Monday

Today was such a busy day!! The booklets I made for New Life and Peace Ministries were ready last week, but when I took them to Victor and Chici's we saw that they hadn't made the address change that I sent him with the first half of the money. So, this morning I took them back to be corrected. Luckily for them, Victor said it was ok just to make stickers to cover the wrong address. So they should be ready by Wednesday or Thursday. Other than that, they turned out really, really good... if I do say so myself!! Then I made the trip to the other side of the city to pick up my new radio that my insurance company is buying for me. I got the cheapest one I could find, but I actually liked it better than any of the other ones! Funny how things like that work out, huh?!? Anyway, it was nice to sing along to something again. Then after paying a few bills, taking and picking up laundry and dry cleaning, and a few other errands... I was pooped (and hungry)!! But it's nice to have these things done and out of the way!!

Gerson's birthday

Today is Gerson’s 9th birthday! He was very excited about it all week, but didn’t know until yesterday that today was the day that I was bringing him and the other boys swimming at my house! Gerson, Selvin, Bryan, and Jose have asked me every time I see them when it was going to be their turn to come swimming… so can you guess what they asked me today? “When do we get to come again?!?” haha!!

A new direction

So, a few months ago I was waiting to pick my family up at the airport. To pass the time I looked around online and ended up checking my bank account. To my surprise I see what I think has to be a mistake. I immedietely call me sister to tell her to call the bank first thing in the morning because there was an extremely large, odd amount in my account. She said she'd take care of it.
I finally get to pick up Daddy and Jami and mention the mishap on the way home. Daddy just smiled. "Its not a mistake." He's lucky I didn't drive off the road. The next thing said is what kept me awake several nights later.
"Amanda, what have you been praying for?"
I had no clue.

A week later, after Daddy had left, I laid awake at night thinking about Flor. I can't tell you how long I laid there, when it finally hit me like a ton of bricks.

Flor was my daughter and that money was to be used to adopt her.

Needless to say I didn't sleep much that night.

I didn't tell for several weeks, until one day I decided to talk to Shyrel. I was nervous that she wouldn't be for it. I pulled her aside into one of the bed rooms, where Flor just so happened to be getting ready for bed. :) When I told her my thoughts, she said she got chills! She immedietely knew it was meant to be! I hugged Flor extra tight that night and went home to call my family. I have to admit it was completely scary to say it outloud to anyone. Mostly because I had no idea of how to even start the process. But lucky for me, God had been preparing the way for a long time.

hit and run

I really can't believe it... I had Ami and Sarah over to watch a movie. We heard a noise about an hour into the movie, and I ignored my "gut feeling" to go check it out. When Ami went outside she had a huge dent in the front driver's side of her car and her door won't open all the way. We went to the guard gate and asked the neighbors.. but nothing. We walked around the whole neighborhood with a flashlight to check for cars with dents and her car's color paint, since whoever it was left their white paint on her car. But no luck there either. It's really a shame. How could someone live knowing they had just hit someone's car without saying a word?? I wouldn't be able to do it. I felt so bad... sigh

Kayla and Barbara

I heard great news from Shadow of His Wings... some of you may not remember Barbara. She was the little girl who we had to do dialysis with 4 times a day for the past 4 years. She was 13 at the time. She'll be 15 in September and has lived in New Jersey with her adopted family now for well over a year, maybe almost 2 years... I can't remember. She has really improved while living with her new family and getting the medical treatment she could have never received here. She started dialysis at nights while she slept and was put on a kidney transplant list almost as soon as she got there. Well... I got an email from Carroll the day before yesterday and BARBARA GOT HER TRANSPLANT!!! She is doing great they say and is producing urine. So, thank God for that!! Please keep her in your prayers as she continues to heal! Also, my friend Cyndi wrote me to tell me that a young girl, Kayla, who lived there while I worked there, but also left toward the end of my time to return to live with her father, is BACK! I'm not sure any details as to why, but I'm thankful just knowing that she is ok. It's always hard when they go home. It's bittersweet really. That's when you just have to hand them over to God. (where they should be in the first place) But Cyndi says that she is so grown up in these few short years! I can't wait to get over there to see her and the rest of the girls!