OH MY!!! One Year Already

Katie Aunna one year ago in Russia (February 2008) during our first visit with her.
Karissa (left) and Katie Aunna (right) in April 2009. What a difference family life makes!!!

I am amazed that one year has flown by since our sweet little girl, Katie Aunna, has come home from Russia. What a blessing she is for all of our family. Her outgoing and yet sweet personality has made her place in our family concrete. Although, she has been with us only one year, it seems as though she has always been here. Katie is doing wonderfully with her adjustment to family life. It is now very funny that she told us, while we were in Russia, that she would not learn to speak English and her new family would just have to speak Russian;-). Presently, she is not only speaking English, but has learned to read and write English in her school work. Though, we are still working on riding a bike, she can swim like a fish;-). Her brothers and sisters enjoy playing with her and she has completely meshed into the family unit. Katie Aunna's overall appearance of good health is amazing!!! I just can't say enough about how happy we are to have her in our life. God is good to us!!!

Mother's Day

Yesterday was so nice!!! We all got dressed and went to church. The service was lovely and it so touched my heart. I looked down the pew at my children who were paying attention ever so sweetly. Kisty and her family sat in the pew behind us. At one point in the service Fr. Carlos called the mothers to the front of the church and prayed over us. As I stood beside Kisty, it was difficult not to cry. Here was my grown child, my first born, who had made me a mother thirty-two years ago. This child had also made me a grandmother of two beautiful little girls.

My eyes wandered up to the alter and to the image of Our Lady. I admired her and wondered how she could have been so strong and obedient to God to allow her child to be a Sacrificial Lamb to save the people of a sinful world!!! I know she knew the magnitude of that punishment to be dealt to her Son. I am so thankful she was a courageous woman and mother. Because, I often find myself in need of God's forgiveness for my daily sins. I try to be the best Christian mother I can and do what is best for my children. But, I sometimes fall short in my walk with Christ who died for me.

As a loving mother, when my children are hurt it hurts me. I prefer to think that none will pass away before me, but I know it happens. After all, Duane and I lost our baby twins due to prematurity in 1990. I thought of that pain as I stood before the alter Sunday. How unnatural that loss felt. Parents feel that they will not pass away before their child or children. Holy Mary felt that same unnatural feeling of losing her child before her own end to time. My heart ached. I felt a true gratitude that she did not grab her child and run off with him. Or piteously beg for Him to go away with her and avoid this end to His life. But, she did not do that and she was brave when she followed Him all the way to the cross.

Finally, as the Mother's Day Blessing ended and they began to pass out a gift to all of us standing at that alter, I thought of my own dear mother who had passed away in March 2005. I don't like to recall that my mother is gone from my sight although she lives in my heart all the days of my life. A booklet was placed into my hand and we all returned to our seats. I turned around with the other women and there sat all my beautiful little children with huge smiles on their faces.

They beamed of pride that "I" am their mother. Each one reaching out a little hand to greet me from my brief absence from them. Welcoming me back into our pew and it felt so comforting. My heart just soared with gladness to be their mother. We all settled back into our worship and I had a fresh new heart cleaned by a brief visit with God, Jesus, and His Mother, Mary. The day was wonderful right up to bedtime. Please, keep the children of the world who have no mother in your prayers. God's many blessings to you!!!

Blue Hole

Yeah...I know...it's a weird name for a historical site!!! It is located in the tiny city of Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Which is about a two hour drive from our home and half way to Albuquerque. I had Weldon with me, as I hate all the driving alone, when we go to the BIG city....Albuquerque. We were taking Katie Aunna to the opthamologist.

The doctor said she has to have a much stronger prescription and it is one that requires a plastic frame to hold the thick lens. There are also prisms in them and a special type lens that keeps her eye from wandering outward. Unfortunately, her adorable sparkle glasses are metal frames and can not be used for the new prescription. The good news is that she does not need patching or surgery for her strabismus. It is correcting with the faithful use of glasses.

Back to the adventure.....Weldon and I had Katie,Christian, and Karissa with us. They had never seen Blue Hole and so I thought this would be fun for them. Here are some details about Blue Hole. As you can see it is very deep and gives it a beautiful blue hue. The white and red floating balls are attached to diving cages used by diving students.

It is actually very amazing. When it was discovered, this was a true blessing for the pioneers who traveled through and dwelt in, our prairie. Water is scarce in a natural and clean form in New Mexico. So, to have such an asset here was a great treasure. It is also one of the major contributors to the Pecos River, which is found for miles and miles throughout New Mexico. As you can see from the sign....the outflow is 3,000 gallons per minute. At one point, in my childhood, it was believed to be bottomless (long long ago...haha). Now it's depth is determined to be 81 feet.

On the bottom spews a natural fresh water spring. There are many caves filled with water that divers explore, many yet untouched, regularly during scientific dives. Some go miles underground and are the water supply for much of the area for many miles and to unknown destinations. On numerous occassions, divers have become trapped, or gone too far, and even been lost in the underwater caves. The openings are located all along the walls of the 60 foot diameter of Blue Hole.

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Naturally, the kids wanted to swim in it. But, there was a diving crew getting ready to enter the water and it is still too cool for the kids to swim in. I am guessing it was in the 50's this time of the year!!! They did get on the steps and feel the water. This quickly changed their minds about wanting to get into it.