Easter Traditions

For the past six weeks I would say I have done pretty good about not getting homesick and enjoying the experiences here in Mexico. Though this past weekend I struggled with the fact that back home everyone was celebrating Easter with family get togethers, egg hunts, Easter baskets, a chocolate bunny, and of course a wonderful church service about our risen Savior. I have missed my Mawmaw's home cooking and all the cousins hunting for eggs. We also missed the Moncivais side with the traditional crawfish boil and money egg hunt. I have sincerely missed our little traditions and miss seeing my family enjoy those things. Here in Mexico they celebrate Easter differently than we do in the States. There are no Easter eggs, Easter bunny, new Easter outfits and worst of all... no chocolate bunnies.
Easter is only about Christ and they truly emphasize the death and resurrection of Christ. Which I can totally appreciate. On Good Friday they have reenactments of the Crucifixion of Christ. There is a man that portrays Jesus and other people dressed as the Roman soldiers. The man walks down the streets with the cross on his back while the soldiers beat him with whips and mock him. After they make it to their final destination they then hang him on the cross. Although I do miss the American traditions; I do like the fact that Easter is all about Christ and there is nothing that takes away from that focus.
I still plan on teaching my American Easter customs to the kids but not emphasizing it as the spot light for Easter. We didn't do the Easter bunny or basket this year; but we did enjoy dying eggs using kool-aid (because we didn't have any food coloring) and they had fun hiding and finding them.

"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
And [that] he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

On our way to church

Family gathering every Sunday afternoon. They are celebrating the win of their team.

Go Tigres!

Sofia is the only girl in the group of cousins. So of course she is the Boss.

Abuelito has been raising bunnies and this one is Isaac's.

Kool-aid Dye

They actually turned out pretty good.

Sofia found an egg.

Isaac wanted to sleep with his eggs.

Still Honeymooning?

I have a good friend that has traveled a lot and has lived in different countries. She is familiar with how things go as far being homesick and culture shock. While chatting the other day with her she asked me if we were still "honeymooning." I asked her what did she mean by that term, and she said that is what you call the stage that we are in here in Mexico. Even though we have been here several times and this is where Beto grew up it is still new for us as a family. As I walk down the crowded streets and look around I still get that tingling good feeling. Surrounding me are mountains, houses side by side, people, kids playing in the street, honking cabs, and taco stands. Every time I walk out the door I feel as if I have stepped out into a movie that has been filmed in another country. It is what I have always dreamed of besides the millions of roaches, cold water, no air conditioning, and other things that I have gotten spoiled to in the States. I know this honeymoon stage won't last forever, but I am enjoying it as long as I can.

 Make a donation to this poor child.

She said she will work for food.

Amigos

I believe my kids are starting to blend in.

Pray for Brayan

Brayan Monsivais was a very active two year with big brown eyes and a charming personality. A couple of months ago his parents noticed that he had trouble moving his left arm and hand. They took him to the doctor hoping that is was something minor but instead was delivered troubling news. After a couple of test he was first diagnosed as having a tumor on his brain, but later tests revealed that it was actually an aneurism. The doctors told them that he would need surgery and that there could be a chance that he would not make it through the surgery. They also explained to them that without surgery that he would certainly die, but that it could be a month or ten years. At that time the parents chose not to have surgery, because they were scared of the risks.

Within a couple of weeks after the decision to post pone surgery his health deteriorated and the aneurism started leaking fluids on his brain. The doctors had to insert a drainage tube in his brain. Since then he has quit eating and vomits frequently. He is now too weak to play, walk, and sleeps most of the day. The doctors have made it clear that he desperately needs surgery and the parents have now agreed to do the procedure. The problem now is that the medical machine they need is no where to be found. They will be doing some more test on him tomorrow and will make a final decision on the next step. They have been told that he may have to be taken to Mexico City for the surgery; which is about 614 miles from Monterrey.
Sometimes I forget that we are in Mexico and that they do things different and everything is not so easy. Going to visit with Brayan today was a hassle just getting in the hospital. Once we arrived to the pediatric ward it was truly heart breaking. They do not have private rooms and all the pediatric patients are in the same large room. Brayan's mom was there sitting beside his crib and she has no privacy. There is one chair for her to sit in and she has a little corner to put a couple of belongings. Next to his bed was another baby, about a month old, that was born blind and deaf. She had a small seizure while we were there and you could see and feel the pain that her family was experiencing.
Brayan slept most of the time during our visit, but we did have a good talk with his mom. She teared up several times while telling us how scared she is and how it hurts her to watch him go through this. She told us that they had to shave his head when they inserted the tube for drainage and that upset him more than anything.
Please pray for this sweet little boy. I can't even imagine what his family is going through. Pray that they will find the equipment soon for the surgery and that the surgery will go smoothly. Also pray for a quick recovery and that everything will be for God's own glory.

The Market

One of my favorite things to do here in Mexico is go to the market. Any day of the way there is a market close by and you can find just about anything you could imagine. The only thing that is somewhat disappointing is the fact they really don't sell authentic Mexican things. I would love it if you could buy Mexican clothing, pottery, or handmade jewelry, but that is not what Mexicans like to buy. What they like to sell is things that come from the States. Most of the vendors go across the Texas border and buy American items, such as: clothing, toys, baby items, costume jewelry, shoes, and many other things. Contrary to popular American thinking most of those items are more expensive here in Mexico. That is why vendors sell American goods.
You can find authentic Mexican food at the market. The smells that flow through the air remind me of all the wonderful smells of the food at the fair back home. There is anything from tacos to churros to fancy fruit concoctions. I personally looked forward to eating a couple of churros.
I can remember the first time I came here with Beto. We had been married about six months and came during the hottest time of the year. We stayed at his grandmother's house and I woke up to a wonderful surprise on a Saturday morning. The market was right outside the window in front of his grandmother's house! This being my first time to Monterrey and everything was so new and exciting it felt like Christmas morning. I woke Beto up and said "Look Beto! The market is here!" He unenthusiastically said "Yes Kandace, it is here every Saturday." Although the market is an everyday occurrence here I still look forward to looking at what every vendor has to sell.
Maybe one day when I grow up I can be a vendor at the market. Hmmmmm... what could I sell?

Mexican Wives' Tales

Every country has their different beliefs and tales that have been passed down from generation to generation. I find some of the Mexican tales to be a bit strange and possibly silly, but then I started thinking about some of our own Wives' Tales and realized they too are funny.
Did you know that someone can give your child "ojo" just by walking down the street? "Ojo malo" or "the evil eye" means that someone has looked at you with a covetous or envious eye and it can cause your child to be sick, unhappy, or fussy. There is a simple cure for this. All you need is a uncooked egg and rub the egg all over the child that has "ojo." After rubbing the child with the egg you then fill a glass with water, and break the egg letting the yolk fall into the glass. If you see little white veins coming from the yolk then your child definitely had "ojo" and is now cured. I have been coming here for six years now and I am very familiar with this belief. At any time one of my children get fussy I expect to hear that they have "ojo" and then starts the juevo rub down. I have to say it works like a charm on Sofia. As soon as they start rubbing her with the egg she is totally distracted from whatever she was fussing about and then is focused on the fact that there is an egg being rubbed on her.
If you are pregnant and there is a full moon out you have  to wear a safety pin near your belly button on your shirt. If you do not do this your baby most likely will be born with some kind of deformity.
Never, ever go outside wet in the cold after taking a shower. If you do, your mouth will get crooked and you will become locked jaw. I have always had a feeling that being wet outside in the cold wasn't a good idea and now I know why.
There are so many other tales that I could share, but these are just a few of the ones that I hear often. I am not a superstitious person but I do find the Old Wives' Tales very interesting. Most of the time I just smile and nod my head when being told what I should or shouldn't do here in Mexico. I mean, what does it hurt to have an egg rubbed on you?
I would love to hear some of the Wives' Tales that you grew up with passed down from your relatives.

Week One is a Success

It is hard to believe that we have already been here for a week. We usually stay around ten days when we come to visit so it still feels as though we are on vacation. Beto has been working very hard to make his mom's house feel like home for us. He painted our room, installed a closet, and bought a new bunk bed. The room we stay in is small but we have it set up in a very functional way. Beto and I sleep on the bottom bunk which is larger than the top and Isaac sleeps on top. Sofia sleeps in her "pack n' play" bed and all our clothes fit nicely in the closet that Beto installed. Since we only sleep in there the close quarters have not bothered me.
Other than getting all of our stuff settled we haven't really don't much more than eat. The food here is amazing. Although they do have grocery stores here most people only buy what they need each day from a neighborhood store or the market. So everything is so fresh. I am trying to learn how to cook by observing and hopefully soon I will be comfortable enough to try hands on. I was hoping that by the time I came back to the USA that I would be slim and fit since we walk everywhere we need to go. I am afraid that will not be the case because these wonderful homemade tortillas can not be good for me.
The weather is quickly getting hotter, but so far it is not too bad. During the day it gets around 85 degrees and at night it cools off and feels quiet pleasant. They do not have central heat and air here but there are a couple of window units in the house. Thankfully our room has one, but we have not needed it. There is also no hot water. I am not one for cold showers so I boil water on the stove and take a "bucket shower." That is what I do for the kids too and Sofia loves it. She fits in the bucket and plays. Isaac enjoys it too. He says, "I have never had a bath like this before."
My Spanish hasn't improved all that much this past week but hopefully soon. Isaac is really wanting to learn, and he is constantly asking "how do you say this in Spanish?" I think he will catch on very quickly.
We are all trying to get the the relaxed routine. Sometimes we catch ourselves rushing for no reason just because we always rushed in the States. Here, I never know the time and forget what day it is. Mexicans are only on time for work and everything else is just whenever they decide to go.
I think I could get use to this…

Bath Time

Isaac and Jordan coloring


Isaac watching Beto's mom make tortillas

Isaac rolling out a tortila

We're Here...

After a very stormy night and morning we left Laurel, Mississippi around eight o'clock on Wednesday morning. I didn't shed one tear while hugging my very upset mother. I think that I am still in denial that I will be in Mexico for a whole year. It feels like we are going on a short vacation. It will hit me in about two weeks and I will be more than just shedding a few tears. My next blog title may be called "I Want my Mommy!"
We stopped in San Antonio Wednesday night and went to Sea World on Thursday. Everyone loved Sea World. I got to pet a dolphin for first time and ride on a huge roller coaster. I used to be in love with riding roller coasters but since I have gotten married and had kids the thought of riding one would make me very nervous. I faced my fears and enjoyed it once I got over the shock. It was a very memorable day for us all.
Friday morning we took our time getting around since we were only a couple of hours form the border. I always get nervous the closer that we get to border because you never know if it will be an easy or difficult process getting permission to cross. This time I double checked to make sure we had all the information that we needed to make the process as easy as possible. You need your passport, car title, a credit card, and license. If you plan on taking a vehicle across the border you have to get permission to do so. In order to do that you will need the title and it has to be in your name. You can not bring a car that does not have your name on the title and they are not lenient. Since we have crossed many times I knew the process and what to bring but it doesn't make it any less nerve wrecking. Thankfully, we crossed with no problems and it was actually one of the smoothest times for us. I know it was because we had so many people praying for us and I am so thankful for their prayers.
It takes a little more than three hours to get to Monterrey from the border. The roads and the views are very nice and it is an enjoyable ride. I am glad that I wasn't the one driving because the closer we got to the city the crazier the traffic. It will probably be a whole year before I get to drive because I have no desire to conquer Monterrey traffic. Once we arrived we were welcomed by several members of Beto's family. Sofia immediately took up to the family and charmed everyone with her sweet smile. It wasn't long that she got into her bossy routine and acted like she was one hundred percent Mexican. It took Isaac a few minutes to adjust but he is now playing and talking to everyone. He doesn't care that they don't understand a word that he says. I love watching him and his cousin that is the same age play together with one speaking English and the other Spanish. They play like as if the understand each other. I can't wait for the day that I hear them both playing and speaking Spanish.
Life is so different here and I know it will take time to adjust. I tried to soak in everything last night while walking around the neighborhood. It may take me a few months for Mexico to feel like home, but I am determined to make the best of it and learn from this experience.

Everything stuffed in our van

Hamburgers- $1.50 Burritos- $1.00 Gorditas- $2.00

Beto's Tia selling hamburgers and burritos in front of their house.

The neighborhood where we are living. This is the front of Beto's Abuelito casa.

The view on the way to Monterrey after crossing the border