David Update

David still needs our prayers.  From what I can gather on the Cuirim Outreach facebook page, it looked like they were expecting to lose him on Monday.  They prayed and were ready to say their goodbyes, but he woke up on Tuesday, somewhat revived.  He was eating a little bit and playing.  He says when he goes back to Nogales, he wants cakes, clowns, a parade and pinatas!  I think anyone who knows him would give all they could for him to get home and have all the treats he wants!!

(Carlos and David - from Cuirim Outreach on FB)

The truth is, if David can stabilize he still has a long road ahead of him.  The doctors are quite surprised that he keeps rallying and that he's still with us.  Thank you so much for praying.  He remains in the hospital 4 hours South of Nogales where he'll start chemo today.  The most immediate prayer concern right now is that they are able to find enough platelet donors.  They sent a group down from Nogales the other day, and there's a group leaving from Nogales on Saturday night at 5 pm.

One of my best friends and I were talking about it this week.  She has been to Mexico and knows David and his family and what truly special people they are.  She told me that she broke down in tears on her way to work the other day when she was thinking about David.  How unfair it is that his dad has done so much for their community and already overcome so many trials in his life and then this happens.  How helpless it feels to be so far away.  How much the world will be missing if this sweet boy goes home to Jesus now. We both agreed we'd drain our blood dry to give this boy what he needs.  A part of me wants to hop on the next plane so I can travel with them to give platelets.  Can you donate platelets and send them to another country?  I would do it.

Our talk made me reflect on Someone else who bled to save another.  Jesus literally drained himself dry for us.  He hung on a cross in agony and then they pierced His side, causing all of His blood to pour out and hit the ground.  He did it willingly.  He poured it ALL out.  Because of the sickness of sin that's killing us.  I am so humbled.  Blood saves lives.  Usually we can just give a little and not even notice it's gone to save another person.  It's not comfortable (I pass out when I give blood), but it's not a big deal.  To save us though it took everything.  Do you know how much love it takes to give EVERYTHING??  Jesus loves you and me this much.  It's amazing.

Thanks for your prayers.  I will try to keep you updated.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Prayer Request

This adorable little guy is David.  I met him in Nogales 2 summers ago when I went to Cuirim House for the first time and was lucky enough to see him again this summer.  My friend Becca took this picture of her boyfriend Rob (who, by the way, is currently touring with his band Ashes Remains - check them out on i-Tunes!) and his biggest fan!  Throughout the week we were at Cuirim house, if you were looking for David, you just had to find Rob.  It was pretty adorable.
David's dad, Carlos is one of the most inspirational men of faith I have ever met.  He manages the Cuirim House and is such a faithful man of God that he recently moved his family 4 hours south to a remote village in Mexico to start a new Cuirim House type ministry there.  He has been through more difficult times that I could ever imagine, but exudes such strength that his entire life just points to God.  Carlos is a friend to everyone he meets and not only can motivate you to give 110% in service to others and the Lord, but can also make you laugh harder than you knew you were able.
It's obvious that David looks up to his dad and is growing to become a man like him.  They are just people that you want to be around.
Sadly, I heard from Carlos last week that David is very very sick.  They think he might have leukemia and he's deteriorating very quickly.  In fact, he almost died on Friday night and the doctors are telling the family to prepare for the worst.  He was able to have a blood treatment that seemed to help him a little, but it is not a long term answer.  As you can imagine, the health care system where they are leaves a lot lacking.  The family has to round up their own blood donors for David.  The community in Nogales is coming together to give blood and ship it down to Herimosia (4 hours south of Nogales, where the family is.)  I'm fuzzy on the details, but if you would like to keep up with how you can be praying for David and his family, like "Cuirim Outreach" on Facebook.  They are posting updates on his condition pretty frequently.
I feel like God has such amazing plans for little David's life.  Please pray with me that he would be completely healed from whatever disease is making him so sick, that he would get the level of medical care that he needs and that the Doctors and Nurses would have wisdom and diligence, that they would find enough blood donors for him (he needs blood from 14 people), and that Carlos, Celia and their family would feel God's comfort, peace and strength.
Thanks in advance for your prayers!

They're not gonna put me on TV

Yesterday I had my chance.  It was after a birthday lunch for a co-worker and I was on a mission to pick up her cake.  Then I saw it.  The camera man and the newscaster.  I was walking right towards them!!  I wondered what they were doing out there in the nasty weather.  I looked around to see if there was something newsworthy going on around us.  Absolutely nothing.  As I got closer, I could tell that I recognized the newscaster in his Channel 11 jacket!  It was Rob Roblin...the guy who they stick out in the middle of hurricanes and snow storms...up close and personal.  What was I missing?  Something had to be going on!! As my co-worker and I walked past him a nervous energy started to build.  Would he interview me about whatever was going on?  Would this be my big chance?
Rob Roblin did not disappoint.  We were close to passing him on the sidewalk when he stopped us and asked if we'd mind answering a question.  I thought my co-worker was going to keep walking, but I firmlyl planted my feet and said "sure!"  Then the fear set in.  What if it was a hard question about politics?  What if it was about something I'm not familiar with!  I started praying I wouldn't look stupid.  I listened to the question intently..."Maryland is going to start using a new area code - 667.  How do you feel about that?"  Huh?  Am I supposed to care?  And is Rob Roblin sort of chuckling??  Hmm... I don't know.  It was my moment to shine.  Would I come up with something witty and charming?  Would I spout out wisdom and knowledge?  I suddenly found myself blurting out phrases that revealed that despite the intelligent persona I may sometimes pull off, my head is full of nothing but air!!  I can't remember my exact words, but it went something to the tune of "Oh, I think it's ok.  All my numbers are in my cell phone anyway, so...you know...you don't have to like umm memorize anything new or anything."  And I think I kept going.  I was on a roll.  But wait, was inclement weather reporter man actually chuckling for sure now?  Yep, although it was more of an uncomfortable laugh.  I shut up.  He asks my co-worker what he thinks.  Very flippantly he answers "I don't really care.  I think it's great I guess."  I was giggling.  Rob was still uncomfortably silently laughing and it was over just like that.  He thanked us and we walked away.  Immediately we began discussing our TV debut.  When would it air?  Would they actually use us?  At this point I had realized I sounded vapid and silly and I knew I didn't even look cute!!  Was it even a serious segment?  Are people supposed to care about this issue?
Do you want to know what happened?
http://www.wbaltv.com/video/29465035/detail.html
Here's the video!  It was actually on TV.  Surprisingly, they didn't use my clip.  Haha, ok, I guess it's not really a surprise.  But Dustin's clip did air.  And you can hear my laughter in the background.  Watch around the 1:25 minute mark.  I think Dustin is the last interview.
I guess this is an example of the no news is good news saying.  And in the scheme of things, I'm pretty glad my amazing display of intellect was not broadcast for all to see.
Bullet = dodged!
So what do you think about the new area code in MD?
The real question I'm asking myself today though is, did this plate ruin all my hard work I've been putting in?
We shall find out tonight!

Family

There's no getting away from them - and for the record, I would never want to!  Perhaps I'm biased, but I happen to have the best family in the world.  This past weekend I flew down to Georgia for my mom's family reunion.  Every 2 years the brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, great aunts, great uncles, 2nd cousins...you get the point... unite in Georgia to celebrate family.  And what family celebration would be complete without fried chicken, peas and butterbeans, pulled pork, chicken & dumplin's, baked beans, banana pudding, sweet tea and of course, boiled peanuts!

(In case you're wondering, yes, it was a diet killer!  I don't think I gained any though, but I officially weigh in tomorrow!)
My family KNOWS how to celebrate with food and thankfully I'm learning more self control and portion control (sometimes you only need a bite!)  My family also knows how to document the celebrations.  There were flashes going off all over the place.  The end of the day always turns into family portrait time.  Here are a couple of my favorites.

 These are my cousins.  We are missing 3 who couldn't make it.

 My cute little family...

My mom and her brothers and sisters.

If it's not evident in these pictures, my family KNOWS love!  You know how God loves us unconditionally? I feel like unconditional love can be such a hard thing to fathom, but I think I caught some glimpses of what it looks like as I observed my family loving each other.  Thankfulness, joy, warmth, happiness...these emotions don't even begin to express how I feel.  And I can't even begin to explain how much I miss Georgia.

I've also been trying to figure out a time to visit my dad's sister and my cousin.  My uncle is currently overseas and my other cousin just went to college.  They only live about an hour away, but finding a weekend to visit seems impossible!  Life should never be too busy for family!

Work has remained busy like never before, but I still love it!  I'm turning into a regular Ms. Fix-it at home.  Last night I replaced the handle, fill valve and flapper on my toilet.  I flooded the bathroom, used every tool I could find and hit my head more times than I can count in the process, but I did it!!  My new roommate's dad has to dig up my front yard to fix a leak in the basement.  He's also installing a shower in the basement.  (I am so blessed to have such amazing people in my life!)   My house is sort of a wreck, with all of the projects going on, but it's nice to be getting things done that I've put off for so long!

So yeah, today I'm thankful for a lot of things.  What are you thankful for?

Oh and by the way, in case you're thinking, wow, those pictures are a lot better than the ones Val usually takes - that's because I didn't take them.  These are all courtesy of my sister!  Here's an example of what happened when I tried to take a picture...