A Series of Fortunate Events

I do hope you enjoy a stroll through the pictures here.  This is a small sampling of the children I've had a chance to "mother" over the years.  I have a CD full pictures from the ministry, but can't put my hands on it at the moment.  Of course you will notice that the first 3 pics are of my girls now, and in the other 12 is a younger pic of Andrea before we left Mexico.

It has been an eventful Mother's Day here in the Perez household.  I got to sleep in until 7 am.  The kids were champing at the bit to surprise me with their presents for me.  Before we started, Andrea and Kayla sang a song for me.  Then we prayed, ending with the 100th Psalm and another song.  There were cards from each of the girls with a small box of chocolates from each and a musical jewelry box from them as a trio.  It was so nice.  Then a beautiful card from Rob.  The next gift was a new sewing machine.  I have never had a sewing machine that didn't belong to someone else first, so this was a big deal for me.  Now I just have to learn how to use it.  There was also a cool floor scrubber on which Rob had written, "Don't worry, honey, I'll help you use it!"  Sweet man.  He'll be the one to use it as a Mother's Day reminder. 

I woke up coughing and sputtering and with a very achy back, but there was no way I was going to miss church.  I wasn't disappointed.  One of our musicians got up and sang a song dedicated to his grandmother, now gone on ahead, who helped to see that her children and granchildren and more came to Christ. I cried like a little baby, missing my mom and so glad the Lord had waited for me through scandalous years.  The sermon was great as well.

After church, we headed out to the next town away so Kayla could put flowers on her mother's niche.  We started down the freeway, only to feel a bumping that we couldn't define.  A man in a small car sped up to our right hand side and motioned that we had a problem.  Waving our thanks to him we pulled off to the right only to find a good-sized bolt and washer embedded in the tire.  We got off the freeway and headed for Sears.  There we bought two tires and an alignment for the car. 

While the work was being done, we went to a local deli/restaurant for lunch.  The food was wonderful and we all left full, if not thrilled at the events so far.  We looked across the street to see the car finished way ahead of schedule, so we went back to pay and get back on the road.

The cemetary was so crowded!  Cars were moving at a snail's pace around the circuitous route used to get to the different sections.  Angie's ashes were in a crypt, way on top.  We had to use a pole to lower the little vase down to our level, spilling water on the way.  Kayla lovingly put her flowers in the vase and it was time to get them back to the top again, spilling more water and half of the flowers this time.  Kayla went looking for more water and came back with her step-dad who rescued us and put the vase back as if he'd been doing it all his life.  It was hard for Kayla to leave the spot, but we finally got in the car to come home.

Driving down the freeway, we heard a terrible noise from the car (oh, ugh!) and headed back to Sears to find out what it might be.  It never happened before they changed the tires.  They test-drove it while we waited, put it up on the rack, drove it again and came back to tell us we probably need to have the transmission checked by the dealer (I don't think so!) or a good transmission shop, because they don't do that.

As I said it's been an evenful day.  We got home around 5 pm and I came straight to my bed to get well-deserved Mother's Day rest.  I will bask in the memory of all my children:  Robert, Heather, John, Andrea, Kayla, Lupe and the myriad children from Mexico who claimed my heart and soul while I was there.

I pray that my daughter and daughters-in-law have been blessed by their children this day.  Each child we love is such a rich privilege.  I am indeed fortunate to have been blessed time and time again by that love.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms out there.  Be blessed in the Lord today.