A Great Ride!

It´s flashback time! It´s still Friday for a couple of minutes anyway... sooo here´s my Friday Photo flashback from my college days. This was the end of our school year 1996. My husband-to- be had just graduated and we were "caravanning" to California to spend some time with his family. After all, we were going to be married.

Please notice, skinny bodies, loaded truck, relaxed attitudes, no kids, (oh yeah we were the kids), crutches, and oh yeah, my hubby just pointed out the walking cast on top of the truck. What a bunch we were!

"Carivanning" with us are our friends Krista and Javi, who would eventually get married as well, and Chris, a friend who agreed to this crazy journey to be our chaperone.

We made it cross country from Pensicola, Fl to LA, Califonia in 3 days. That was a great ride!

Alicia at More than Words started "Friday Photo Flashback" because she had so many pictures from her PRE-digital camera days. She thought it would be fun to scan them and share them with everyone. We are having so much fun doing this, and would love for you to join her, too! So dig out the photo albums and put your scanner to good use! Go on over and link up.

It´s a Birthday!

It´s my dear hubby´s birthday!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband and great father of our boys.

What´s up with the Crew? .................................... It´s the Life!

Well, it is!

This is the life!

Happy boys!

I am not going to say things are perfect by any means but things seem to be running smoother. I got their summer job lists up again after missing a few weeks due to camp and visitors. They love their charts. It seems to give them so much more motivation. We give movitvation, too, for reading and Spanish study.

Those final grades are still sitting in a pile to be recorded, though. I sit down to do them and the pile gets larger! Is there a possibility they are related to the mana of the Old Testament? I just can´t believe how behind I got at the end of the year.

Note to self: Keep up with recording tests every week.

I was trying to take a new profile picture and Isaiah got in it with me. He has gotten so "Cariñoso" (sweet) lately.

shhhh... I don´t want to ruin his image as he tells me he is not this way.

The boys will be posting some cool pictures on their blog. If you haven´t seen them yet, head on over to The Contreras Crew.

Also, if you haven´t read about our camp experiences, head on over to the KJV blog. I have the privilege to guest post there once a month about the ministry in Spain.

Web Genius? NOT!

I just finished updating our family´s web site. I am not a web genius. It took me all afternoon. Why do these things have to be so time consuming?

WWW.Gospel2Gijon.com

Where you can browse and read about our family and the ministry in Gijón, Spain.

Also, our bi-monthly update is ready and posted as well. Click on it to read.

I HEART...

I heart...

When my sons come home from camp!

I heart...

finding this rock in my son´s bag while unpacking from camp. It was all dirty and just in there with all the dirty stuff. I had to ask him why in the world there was a rock in the his bag.

He said, "Mommy, I found it for you while I was playing soccer."

Then I looked closely and my eyes started to well up and my heart just about burst. Moments like that make all the parenting worth while!

I am posting over at the KJV blog today more about camps and service to our King.

And this blog post is linking up with Moms the Word and her meme, Making Your Home Sing Monday.

PROOF!

My desk top got sick now. I believe our viruses affected it, too! This is an old picture that was on one of my web albums. Its little and you´ll have to excuse the quality but here it is! PROOF!

Proof that my boys do look like me. Well, at least my middle son, Andrew, does. Yes, That´s me in the middle picture. Look at that carpet on my head. And I thought my boys got all that hair from my husband!

Alicia @ More than Words started "Friday Photo Flashback" because she had so many pictures from her PRE-digital camera days. She thought it would be fun to scan them and share them with everyone. We are having so much fun doing this, and would love for you to join her, too! So dig out the photo albums and put your scanner to good use! Go on over and link up.

Happy Friday!!

He and Me UnBirthday!

We had a date!

He took me to this beautifully reformed university building with gorgeous gardens, terraces, and restaurant. We listened to beautiful music and saw a light show. Then climbed the clock tower 17 floors. (by elevator of course.) Here you could see the whole city! The ocean is where you can´t see any more lights. Even though it was dark out and we had to take the pictures with our cell phone, you can see how romantic it was. He really surprised me with this date!


Who says you have to spend a lot of money to have a romantic date? We bought Gyro pitas down at the beach for 3.70€ each and then walked the pier. It was a great end to a very special night celebrating us. Not a birthday, and not an anniversary just us.

Enjoy Marriage!

Check Out this Gift!

Lorrie, my third place winner of the caption contest, got her package. She cracked me up how she tried to hide the package from her boys so she could open it. Her boys were so excited to get a package from Spain. Head over and check it out.

Spread the Love!

Thank you Rocío and Lorrie for these wonderfully sweet awards!

I will now spread the love on to;

Fringe Girl @ The Domestic Fringe

Jennifer @ God is so Good

Joye @ The Joyful Journey

Mimi @ Frump Findings

Julia @ Amazing Love

Heidi @ Moms, Ministry and More

Kristy @ Canadian Chronicles

Alicia @ More than Words

Ladies, you just have to copy the badges to your blog and spread the love on to 8 others you love. It´s not hard to copy and paste but it does take time. I really wanted to take the time to do this because all of you ladies have been so faithful to encourage and share Christ´s love with me. There are so many others but some don´t get into all the linking, so if you are one of those, don´t worry it´s not a law.

Have a lovely day!

And don´t forget to spread the Love of Jesus to those you meet.

We got ´em!

We got them and they got us. These little things, smaller than the eye can see, intruded our home last week. A series of viruses exchanged living quarters and hosts at least a dozen times leaving us ,their hosts, tired, achy and not so sing songy.

So today, I have been hard put to think about things that have made our home happy and singing for Make Your Home Sing Monday.

We are feeling better and that is a praise. Our oldest son never got the stomach bug and he was able to go to camp. At least so far we haven´t gotten a call saying he is in the nurses. He should have a great week.

I, for one, want to thank the Lord for a forgiving husband. Forgiveness is something that a home can not sing without. There are times when the home is just not as sing songy as it should be. I am using these microbs as an excuse, mind you, but it doesn´t have to be that way for long. We can kiss and make up. This is the best part of a marriage and home that is Christ centered.

So, after all is said and done. Instead of hanging our heads and beating them, we can sing a song of praise. We are so undeserving but there is ONE Who loves us even when we fail. The song that I am singing is :

I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus, Since I found in Him a
friend so strong and true. I would tell you how He changed my life completely; He did something no other friend could do.

Chorus: No one ever cared for me like Jesus; There's no other friend so kind as He. No one else could take the sin and darkness from me; O how much He cared for me.

All my life was full of sin when Jesus found me;All my heart was full of misery and woe, Jesus placed His strong arms about me And He led me in the way I ought to go.

Chorus: No one ever cared for me like Jesus; There's no other friend so kind as He. No one else could take the sin and darkness from me; O how much He cared for me.

Ev'ry day He comes to me with new assurance;More and more I understand His word of love. But I'll never know just why He came to save me, Till someday I see His blessed face above.

Chorus: No one ever cared for me like Jesus;There's no
other friend so kind as He.No one else could take the sin and darkness from me; O how much He cared for me.

What´s making your home sing? We all fail at times but what is most important is that we get back up, ask for forgiveness and keep on keeping on. The Bible says

"For a just man (woman) falleth seven times, and riseth up again." Proverbs 24:16

Don´t let ´em get you! Keep getting up!

Missin´ These Moments

My Friday Photo Flashback

My second son at 9 months.

After having little young guests this past week, I really miss these moments when mine were this small. The cuddly times are the best!

Have a great weekend!

Let´s enjoy them while we have them.

Alicia @ More than Words started "Friday Photo Flashback" because she had so many pictures from her PRE-digital camera days. She thought it would be fun to scan them and share them with everyone. We are having so much fun doing this, and would love for you to join her, too! So dig out the photo albums and put your scanner to good use! Go on over and link up.

Keeping a Tight Ship

The hypothetical "Home Ship" can get a little messed up, and a out of kilter sometimes. When we realize this has happened, we have to work extra hard to keep a "Tight Ship". Once some lessons are learned, that´s when we all can sing praises to the Lord. Keeping a "tight ship" can Make Your Home Sing, as well.

What am I talking about? Well, I had thought that sending my baby to camp would help him cut the umbilical cord a little. I guess, I thought, he would come back without those difficult problems we have been working on for the past month... oh ok, for the past eight years.

However, he came back a bit of a wreck. Our "Home Ship" has needed some tiddying. Some "ship shaping". I felt low and discouraged, seeing some areas where I have failed in his upbringing. But I am also convinced that we are not going to give up!

Today,was one of those "Mop the deck, clean out the galley, and paint the hull" kind of days. I must admit, I got tired, I failed in my anger at moments, but God´s Word prevailed and gave strength.

We were consistant. We were firm. And with God´s strength, we made it to the end of the day with a happy "Tight Ship". (and one happier 8 year old)

They sang their camp theme song today in church. They aren´t smiling but they were concentrating very hard. They love this song. They have been singing it all the time since they have been back from Camp.



The song is from John 15:5 "I am the vine, ye are the branches; He that abideth in me, and I in him , the same bringeth forth much fruit: fo with out me ye can do nothing."

In Your Honor

No, it´s not another caption give way, but it is

Friday Photo Flashback.

Alicia @ More than Words started "Friday Photo Flashback" because she had so many pictures from her PRE-digital camera days. She thought it would be fun to scan them and share them with everyone. We are having so much fun doing this, and would love for you to join her, too! So dig out the photo albums and put your scanner to good use! Go on over and link up.

Here in honor of my week alone with my oldest son, Isaiah, I post for posterity, his craziest picture as of date. He has always been such a fun loving boy. Yelling out just at the craziest moments. (yes, scaring me half to death sometimes.)

This picture was taken our first year in Spain, 2000. He traveled so well. Just took everything in stride. Loved every new experience and never wanted to miss anything. May these charater traits be used for God´s glory.

"Go get´em, Isaiah!"

For Spain´s Harvest,

***Check out the winners of the Caption Give Away Contest here.***

Announcing ... Caption Give Away Winners!

And the the winning caption is...

"Where did he come from?"

Submitted by Nina @ Portugal Bound

Please remember my hubby picked the finalists without knowing the authors,

and you all did the voting.

She got 27 votes.

I am so happy for you, Nina!

Congratulations!

Hope you enjoy these.

You won these fabulous prizes from our mission field, Gijón, Spain.

mini oil painting on wood.

And the famous Madreñas!

The second place winner is...

Joye @ theJoyful Journey

her caption was;

"Ummm... How do you turn this thing OFF"

Joye received 10 votes.

Joye, you won this little trinket from the mountains of Asturias, Spain!

Maybe one day you will come and visit this gorgeous land.

The Third place winner is

Lorrie @ My Spot on the Shore

her caption was

"If I just move my hand a little closer...
I can plug him up and fix all this."

Lorrie, you have won this olive oil pitcher from the Peaks of Europe.

(please remember these are only about 5 in. tall. but they are authentic.)

Congratulations, Ladies!

This was so fun!

I thought all the captions were so cute and, want to thank all of you for joining in.

To finish off a great day, I post for you pictures taken from my phone this lovely afternoon.

Did you know a colt born from a white horse will not be born white but will shed his coat several times before becoming white? I just learned this today.

What´s up with the Crew? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Camping Buds and Mommy Dates

Tuesday I had to say goodbye to this dynamic duo.

It´s is their first kids camp without Mommy.

They traveled with their daddy 6 hours to Guadalajara, (Madrid) to the Baptist Camp there.

So, this big guy and I have been having lots of fun!

We have been having "Mommy Dates"

Yesterday, we got a few new movies on sale, had our favorite supper of chicken nuggets and fries. Then it was time for the movies and popcorn, and his favorite icecream, Banana! We are having a great time. It´s been a really needed bonding time, even though he misses his brothers a lot.

Today, we went visiting. He was so good, I told him he could pick where he wanted to go. He wanted to play Billiards at the mall. We played air hockey and foosball too. We had so much fun. I think my favorite was air hockey, though! I won.

**** There´s one more day to vote for your favorite caption. (on my side bar) ****

Help out your favorite one to win an awesome prize from Spain.