Aaaaah. Family.

Ok, I know. I know! I have kept you in suspense but honestly I have just been getting reacquainted with breathing easy again. Although we've been busy the past week, it is a busy of a different kind. More like busy having fun. Busy holding sweet babies. Busy watching as some of my family soak in my son's smile for the first time. Busy gazing in wonder as I listlessly stroll by shops (wheeee!). Busy changing more diapers. Busy eating raspberries of which I have been dreaming of for two years. Bluberries are next. I need some bluberries. Then blackberries. Those are next after the blueberries. Yum. Busy hugging those I have ached to hug, along with their troubles for one hard trying year. Busy hurting for my loved ones who are hurting around me, but praying for their swift recovery and joy. Busy enjoying the love God has surrounded me with. Here is some proof...

First flight

Sweet Tessibella (Luka's future wife)



Mesmerized by what he found



Luka Meets Moma

Luka meets Tio Mark

Luka meets Papo

He loves his Tio Mark

Moma got him a tunnel

Moma feeds the hungry lion

Papa Murphys anyone? Mmmmmm....

Big boy helping Papi start a fire

Like Monkey like Mamma

Out for a stroll

Luka meets Grandma (great)

Luka meets Grandpa (great)

Just so ya know

Busy. Busy busy busy.

We are getting ready to go to the States (Sunday) but we leave home on Saturday and Jason is off on an island with a team installing a water system for the poor people that live there and I just got a haircut that I hate so don't laugh when you see me and Don Quijote the Dog is sick and needs lots of attention and I'm taking care of Luka by myself while I prepare the millions of things we need to bring for him plus presents for a lot of people plus we are going to a hot place first and then a lot of cold places so how do you pack "light" for that when they charge you nowadays for every SINGLE piece of luggage? I continue to try to make enough jewelry for a jewelry party I'm doing and I like to make things nice and well and stylish which takes time which I don't have.

Busy. Busy busy busy.

Improv crib I made on the site.

Laundry Day...overdue

Look what I found in my laundry basket the other day. Aww. Too bad a few seconds later he tried to crawl out of the thing...Luka, you need to learn to walk first buddy. Then tackle climbing out of things.

As life has been go go go here lately, I felt up to my eyeballs (I hate that word..doesn't it sound gross? Eyeballs. Eww.) in laundry. I was finding it rather hard to capture a point in time where I could tackle folding it all while Luka was taking naps or otherwise occupied, until I realized there was no need for such a time. Why not just plop him in the middle of it all and introduce him to the wonderful world of warm, clean fresh smelling laundry? No matter how hot of a climate I live in, I always enjoy a good armful of warm laundry, fresh out of the dryer. So cozy!
For reasons unbeknown to us, Luka's favorite laundry item to play with is underwear...maybe he wants to be potty trained (wouldn't that be nice)?...?????

Where's da beybey?

Just chillin like a mini villain

Ahem, up to our eyeballs in laundry

Mornings con Papi

Take a look at the heart melting sights my eyes take in as they crack open for the first time in the morning...I am intrigued by how many little traits Luka has adopted from his Big Hero (who happens to be my Hero too...along with you of course Dad...you were my first hero and Jason is my latest hero...but you are both equally my heroes....whatever, I can't explain it well so you're just both my heroes, okey? Ok.). Anywaaay. Got off subject there for a little bit. Jason has an intense aversion to morning light. So much so that his birthday present from me this year was a super comfy n.a.p. Brookstone eye mask. Which he wears. Every. Single. Morning. Yeah. I hit that gift idea on the spot. Several mornings ago Luka was stirring uncomfortably in between us on the bed and beginning to get fussy. I cracked an eye open and saw that the morniing light was streaming down onto his face and wondered if this was the offender. I have an eye pillow that my mom gave me and so decided to try placing it over his eyes to see what would happen. Lo and behold: he immediately settled down and went back to sleep. Hah! Eye coverings, I love thee.

One tiny life taken, one tiny life given...

This is a week of contradictions. One family mourns the loss of their sweet baby girl, as another family rejoices over the newly given life of their sweet baby girl. Here is what I mean...
The sweet princess you see above was Madeline. She battled ill health most of her short life with various issues and we, along with the interns, spent a lot of time and prayer over her and her family. We believed God coud heal her. And He did. Only in a much different way than we expected. You see, if God healed her on earth or took her to heaven either way she would be healed because He promises that in His heavenly kingdom there will be no more sickness and no more pain. Madeline's life on earth ended, but I have unflinching faith that she is taking her first pain-free steps into her heavenly Papa's arms. Please pray for the healing of the hearts of her parents, Cheerly and Allan. And her little brother Jeiner.


This week, today actually, another sweet princess was given life! Welcome to the world, Tessa Isabella Collart! I love you so much already and am jumping up and down with excitement about seeing you next week! Luka is smitten already and is bouncing up and down with excitement over seeing you next week. You have my permission to marry him....when he's 32. Oh alright. Maybe 30 then. Maybe. She is precious, of course and I am ecstatically happy for the Collart-Garcia family. God bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you and give you wisdom as you raise your new gift from heaven. Please pray for Daniel and Tessa as they adjust to their new role in life...especially as they will be sleepless zombies for the next several weeks. Also pray for Baby Tessa (Tessibella, as I call her) that she would properly grow up into a worthy wife for Luka. When she's 30. Maybe.

Welcome Tessita future Smith!