A Walking Banana and the Pajama Lady

Do you remember the song that goes:

"Bananas in pajamas, are coming down the stairs,

 Bananas in pajamas, are coming down in pairs..." 

etc., etc. I don't remember the rest, but it really goes along with what I saw the other day.

**NOTE: Before you go elsewhere, and ignore my "goofy" post, I promise it does get better and much more "spiritual" at the end. Please read on...{wink}

You see, we went to do {lovely} paperwork. Always a blast, esp. when you have your 2 small kiddos in tow. Gratefully, they did extremely well, in spite of the long wait, lack of nap time, etc. We get to the immigrations place and, lo and behold, we have to {big surprise} wait! {Notice this post is oozing with sarcasm already, be careful not to get any goo on you! ;) }

But, no problem, this mama came prepared for the long haul. Big stroller in which to "store" the Baby Man if necessary and when all else fails, diaper bag chocked full of diapers, bottles, sippie cups, granola bars, cereal, and more. Oh, and Clara came with her book bag fully equipped with an arsenal of dolls and ponies to keep her occupied for quite some time. I even had the foresight to grab a book or two on the way out the door. Brownie points for me!

However, the best entertainment of all was easily spotted all around me. What better place to see interesting people that at an immigrations office, packed out with people from around the world! And, let me tell ya, there were some sights to behold. The most vivid were indeed a "Walking Banana" and the "Pajama Lady". No those aren't their real names I suppose, but I have dubbed them such, as today they were very fitting titles.

You see, as my eyes roamed around the {gigantic} room, they could not help but light upon this particular {black} lady. First, you don't see many black people down here (not being prejudiced; it's the Truth!) and also, her outfit was screaming at the world for attention. It was some sort of jogging ensemble, hoodie with those velvety looking pants, and all, head to toe, in bright yellow. No print to break it up and tone it down a bit, nope, just solid {kind of obnoxious} banana yellow. We won't even talk about how it was rather plastered on her, too. It really struck me as a comical; no fear and no shame. Hey, to each his own, as long as I don't have to wear it!

And then, about the same time in fact, came along the pajama lady. I had no choice but to notice her; she casually sauntered up to the platform right in front of me and proceeded to have a whole big conversation with someone. Her pajamas...er...outfit was something to behold. It was more like a baseball jersey style nightgown actually. You know the ones that look like they have rounded shirt tails and hit a bit above the knee?!! Yep, right out in public. If she hadn't had shoes and accessories to boot I seriously would have questioned if she had looked in the mirror on the way out the door. Maybe she had a really, really big blond moment, and was suddenly going to encounter a moment of realization and say to herself,  

"WHOA!! How the world did I get out the door like this? 

What was I thinking and where are my clothes?"

Not the same print, but basically this style! Scary, isn't it?!!

Again, quite comical, and yet just really sad, too. I never cease to be amazed by people and their clothing {or lack thereof}. Where has the standard for modesty and propriety gone? In the states it is bad, but it is even worse in other countries where they never had much of one to begin with. Yikes!

 

Ok, so on a more serious, "spiritual" note. My attention was also called to the row behind us. It was filled, and I do mean filled, with at least 10-15 young guys between the ages of 18-21. They were all nicely dressed in dress pants, white dress shirts, ties, and those {nifty} pocket protectors, too. Can you guess who they might be? *Hint*: Remember we are at the immigrations office. Yep, Mormon missionaries.

And, of course, the first thought that struck me was, "And where are the Baptists?" What about us? Who is going to get the job done if we don't? The Mormons are certainly out there "doing their part". Too bad that their part is sharing a false hope. What about us Baptists, that have THE TRUTH? What are we doing with it? Are we hiding our candle?

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick;

and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, 

and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

--Matthew 5:14-16 

Pretty convicting, huh?! I know it sure got me. The Holy Spirit has a funny way of nailing me in the strangest places and when I least expect it. Guess I better keep studying His Word and this good ole' Spanish stuff so that I can be a better and more faithful light for Him in this sin-darkened world. Who knows? Someday I may even get to witness to the Walking Banana and the Pajama Lady. What a story that would make!! {SMILE}

Birthday "Wrap Up"

No, we did not drop off the planet. We survived the week at camp and had a good time, too. But, whether I like to admit it or not (and I don't), my Baby Man turned 1 last week. As we were out at camp, he was able to share his birthday with lots of friends. There were many, many birthday greetings sent his way, and of course, yummy cake and gifts. Oh, and lots of little "helpers" to demonstrate his new toys, too. It was a simply gorgeous day and we enjoyed our time of relaxation and play outside. Most of all, it's just so good to be together as a family. Here's a glimpse into how Ethan spent his birthday~Enjoy!

He says, "Get this thing off of me!"

 There he is...the Birthday Boy!!

Daddy with the Big Man

Time for PRESENTS!!

Yah, he likes it! :)

Standing like a big boy and showing off his new soccer outfit!

Getting in some practice with his hammer

It's tasty, too!

Of course, Clara had to show him how it's done!

I know it's a bit fuzzy, but I love how Daddy's attempting to nap and Ethan is climbing up on him.

Me and the Birthday Boy, oh, and the CAKE!

♥ Family Pic! ♥

DIVE IN!

YUM!

These 2 were "hammin' it up" singing "Happy Birthday" on the platform in front of everyone!

The Happy Guy!

My sweet boy~
I ♥ U with all my Mother's ♥
and wish for you another year
full of hugs and kisses,
health and growth,
and blessings from above.
May we cherish everyday,
every moment of exploration and discovery
together!
~Your mama

Taking the week "OFF"

As a mom, is that really even possible???
We are headed back to camp for the week for a pastor's/worker's retreat. So, that does mean NO cooking; I am very ok with that. Very little cleaning and no laundry, either. Also, a plus. But, there are still the kids to chase around, feed, clothe, keep from eating dirt and breaking limbs, washing of bottles, and we won't even think about the mounds and mounds of laundry that will be mine when we get home. Nope, not going to go there.

Not sure if it is really a week "OFF", but it will be a nice change of pace. A chance to slow down and get out of the city, away from the people, and especially the noisy construction site behind our house {GRRR!!!} I have so many things to share with you all. At least a half dozen posts are sitting in "draft" form, just waiting for me to put the mumbo-jumbo into order. But, alas, they are still "works in progress" {just like me ;) } and will still be there when I get back. And, by then I will have even more stories to share with you. Best of all Birthday Pics. of my favorite little guy!

Happy Birthday to my sweet Ethan! ♥ U!

See you all in a week! :)

Little Fishers of Men

Bright little faces, looking up at me. Waiting to see what Bible story I have to share with them on this super sunny, sticky Sunday morning. We have met once again in our little {and I do mean little!} class room to see what God has for us today. My love for the kids and desire to teach them God's Word fights and struggles against my ole' carnal flesh that screams in my ear, "Get me out of here!" it says, "I can't breathe, it's unbearably hot and muggy and are these kids even listening to a word I am saying?!" Exasperation--can easily set in, if I let it. But, back to those beautiful, smiling faces. They seem unphased by the stifling heat that causes the sweat to run down my back and across their hairlines and off their sweet little cheeks. They are there, waiting expectantly, eager to learn. Such potential in empty little minds waiting to be filled with God's truths!!

Recently, we started talking about the life of Christ. I love the look on these itty bittys faces as the stories in the Bible come alive to them. At Christmas time, we talked about Jesus' birth, then how he went to church {just like them} as a boy and knew all about the Bible, and a few weeks ago we talked about his fishermen friends and how they became Fishers of MEN!

So, naturally, they wanted to be little fishermen, too. Aren't they just too cute?!! They enjoyed this game so much; little foam fishies in a bowl of water and a lil' fishin' pole to "yank" them out with. Even Ethan got in on the action; mommy put him in his stroller and he promptly reached up and grabbed the bowl of water and dumped it all over himself! And it was COLD, too! If you could have seen him jump and sputter in that moment! lol ;) So funny!

However, the best part of this lesson is to think that these children, so small and innocent, probably will never be fishermen, but hopefully will all grow up to be Fishers of Men! Think of it! They have started so young to absorb like little sponges the wonderful things waiting for them in the Bible. Lord willing, one day they will see their need for a Saviour, continue to grow in grace and in the church, and go on to share that Good News with others who have never heard. What Light can be brought to this sin-darkened world in the hands of these sweet "babies"! They are such a blessing and a gift, just oozing with potential, from the Lord!

May I be found faithful in teaching, training, preparing, and praying for these Little Fishers of Men!
♥, ♥, ♥ them!! :)

"Time to Brush your..."

Guess #1: Teeth? Nope, not teeth. although that is a very good thing to do, and since I am thinking of it, I probably should do that, too.

Guess #2: Hair? Not hair either. Clara cringes at the thought and runs away, hoping Mommy will forget, do her hair in a "Messy-Up" or at the very least allow her to watch "Super Genius" {aka. Bugs Bunny} while Mama dukes it out with those snarly tangles.

Guess #3: Puppy? What puppy? Wishful thinking, huh? And def. NOT a kitty either, mama doesn't do cats {allergies, gotta love 'em} as much as Clara (and daddy) may want to add a cute little ball of fur to the fam.

Give up yet?

The answer is...

COUCH

That was your next guess, right?

After all, it makes perfectly logical sense. Ok, ok, before you call the nice man with the little white jacket to come and take me away, let me 'splain.

Down here on the other half of the planet, we have a lack of a lil' somethin'. Something typically found in every average or even not so avg. American household. It is commonly called a vacuum cleaner.  Dust, dirt, grime, etc. builds up on your carpet/floor, and VOILA! you whip out your handy-dandy dirt sucking device and before you can say "Presto-Chango!" it all magically disappears! Amazing, right?! But, like I was sayin', those are a rare, if not impossible, luxury to come across down here. I am sure that is due to the other lacking thing--CARPET! Therefore, Argentines do not see a need or have any clue about the marvels of the modern vacuum cleaner. That's right folks, you will find no Bissell, Dirt Devil, Hoover, etc. here. Everything, is concrete, tile, or wood, and gets swept, mopped, and waxed.

Not exactly my idea of a good time or of comfy lounging on the floor, or my first choice for my kids to wipe out on.


{11 month old + crawling/sliding around = whacking head on very, very hard floor--poor baby! although if I attach a rag or sponge to his backside, maybe he could do a little multi-tasking crawling/cleaning for me...hmmm.... ;) }

Anyway, back to the matter at hand. I obviously do not own a vacuum cleaner. I do have a Dust Buster type "gizmo" from the States that does a semi-decent job and does come in handy on occasion. Unfortunately, my nice, brown couch (and no, it is not a shaggy-dog type couch) is a lint, hair, crumb, you-name-it, magnet. With 2 kiddos and 2 adults that sometimes act like kiddos in the house, there is never an end to my war against the "nitty grittys" that like to get on/in my couch and drive me nuts {I know, I don't have far to go to get there!}. And my little vac. just aint gettin' the job done.

So to make my pointless story just a tad longer...I decided to try brushing my couch. I have this little hand broom/brush thingy with dust pan, the bristles are fairly soft, so I gave it a shot. You know what, it actually did a pretty good job. Took way less time, got rid of any {noticeable} ickies and did NOT scare my 11 month old like the vac. does. His poor little terrified face; it was truly pathetic. So, idk, maybe the idea of "brushing" your couch creeps you out, maybe its actually really nasty, all I know is that so far it's working for me and I didn't have to buy anything new either! {I know hubby will like that last part! :) }

Maybe you are reading this and thinking "Strange little missionary mama...she's got some odd ways of doing things...etc., etc." And that's okay, 'cuz you're right! Finding what works for me and my family--that's what matters! :))

It's the little things that make my life easier and brighten my day.








P.S. Nope, no pics. today. 'Cuz, honestly, who wants to see a pic of my hand broom and couch? ;)

Birthday in T - coming waaaaaaaaaaaaaay to Fast

It's unbelievable! My baby boy is about to be the "BIRTHDAY BOY!!!" What in the world happened here?!?! I think I turned my back for a sec, or blinked a couple times, and "POOF!" He's huge, in to everything, and getting ready to turn 1 year old ?!?! Impossible!! And yet, the calendar tells me it is all true.

Standing in his bed

Crawling around at Sunday School

Showing off his cute "Toofers"

The other day, I went to the mail box and to my surprise inside was an envelope addressed to Ethan Gansemer, and WHAM! it hit me, what I hold in my hand is my boy's first birthday card. Sure enough, that's exactly what it was, too. Nice to receive the card, but yet I kinda wanted to just curl up and cry. How could this be? Then, I went to the store and found myself in the party aisle searching for a big number 1 candle. And today, while we were out and about trying to get things done, we had to stop at the store and wound up in the toy section picking out "manly" toys for our Baby Man. But all the time, my brain is working really hard to take this all in. I know that the calendar has rolled over to February of 2011. I know that my child's clothing size, 12-18 mths. is a telltale sign, not to mention his crawling all over the place, grabbing everything he can get his hands on, screeching, giggling, and ever-growing vocabulary of new sounds are all good clues. Along with the adorable clapping, waving, and "So Big"s, too. Nevertheless, my mommy heart does not want to recognize as fact what all these things are telling me. That is, that  

my baby isn't a baby anymore!!! {Sniff, sniff}

11 months--January 16, 2011

♥ Pure Handsomeness ♥

So, no more blinking. Going to try and keep my eyes open wide and enjoy every, single, precious moment I can with my Big Man. 1 1/2 weeks til "Toddlerhood". Be afraid, be very afraid. {ha, ha, wink ;) }

Really "Roughing It"

Lately I have kind of been in a writing slump. Ever feel like that? I have things to write about, yet none of them have appealed to me. Just kinda "BLAH" in the writing dept. Grant it, I could tell you about the 2 LoooonG weeks of camp. I could mention how we truly "camped out" in a tent for 7 of the 10 days. And on the 7th day, God sent rain. We had dealt with rain on day 1, but survived, cleaned up the muddy puddles, and carried on. However on the 7th day, God did NOT send a nice little shower, He did NOT send a nice soothing, soaking rain, o no, He sent a DELUGE!!! High winds, torrential downpours, lightning flashing, and thunder crashing, yep, the whole works!! And do you think that I had the common sense to get me and my pajama-clad children out of there before all the festivities began. Nope, of course not! There we were, me with a kiddo on each side, snuggled up on our makeshift bed of 4 foam camp mattresses, with the wind whipping and booming and banging all around us. At one point, there was a big flash simultaneously accompanied by a really loud, in-my-ear, Ka-BOOM clap of thunder, and I seriously expected 1 of the 2 trees that we were under to burst into flames at any moment. Thankfully, this did not happen and we did not turn into extra crispy critters either. Obviously at this time, I am totally kicking myself for not having gotten out of their before all this craziness began, What was I thinking, anyways?!

After about 1/2 hr. which felt like MUCH longer than that, Matt and a friend came to our rescue. We grabbed up everything and threw it in the back of our car and made a run for it to the nearest building with babies in tow. Unfortunately, because there was so much rain and so much driving wind, the water had begun to come in all 4 corners of the tent, soaking the mattresses and Bub's crib. Needless to say, after the much needed evacuation we decided not to give it a second try, but rather relocated for the last 3 days.

So now we have our very own camp/tent/ "roughing it" story. And we got to reminisce with the "old-timers" at camp about their camping out/tent stories as well. What do you know, we aren't the only ones that have these things happen to us. I feel much better now, and drier too. {Wink, grin :) }

Now, to show you that camp was by no means a bad experience, here's a few of our pics. I didn't take very many and mostly just of our punkins {that's what young moms are supposed to do, isn't it?!} Enjoy!

Clara and her brand new tennis shoes--She really likes them!

She ♥s the swings at camp--she would live in one if she could!

Of course, Ethan had to try them out, too!

"Alright daddy, I trust you"

Look of Pure Happiness!

Clara always wants to go "Higher, HIGHER!!"

2 Cutie Punkins in a Swing :)

FLYING BABY!!

My Handsome Men

Such a CUTIE!! ♥

Most importantly, the Lord used camp to bring around 30 young people to know Him as Saviour over the course of the 3 weeks. That makes all the hard work, madness, and mess, worth it all! As for me and the kids, we survived and with smiles still on our faces, what more could we ask for?! :)