Yesterday was Joshua's birthday (oh! I love that man!). We spent the morning in Tafalla - - a town nearby where some friends are church planting. Joshua had been invited to preach. This (above) was my attempt at bagels to take to share with the church in Tafalla. they turned out not-too-bagelish, but were good smeared with cream cheese regardless.

in the afternoon we invited some friends Jaime and Miriam over for some birthday fondue. Fondue is particularly fun with people who have never experienced the fondue revolution before; they were skeptical at first but were won over in no time at all!
Happy birthday Joshua! I am thrilled and pleased to live life with you; your passion for God and life enriches me, our family, our church and our world!

it's official - - Malachai is now required to speak English in the home (unless, of course, there are Spanish guests here too!) . The law came down hard after one too many of the following:

"Mama, I drank-ado (an English verb conjugated with a perfect-tense Spanish ending) all my milk!"

Malachai: "hey! you have a paintbrush in your back bolsillo!
me: "yeah, I do! but how do you you say bolsillo in english?"
Malachai: "uh, I don't know . . ."
me: "yes you do, it's 'pocket', remember?"
Malachai: "oh yeah . . ."

"look! Josu has eyebrows little!" (adjective after the noun - - Spanish fashion)

joy in my today

Joshua has been practicing guitar lately. today I washed dishes to worship songs in Spanish.

a picture Malachai drew of me and "the redheaded baby inside". I look a bit forlorn - - I have been feeling sad and tired lately, but I hope this isn't an accurate depiction of what Malachai has been seeing!

walk, Josu, walk!

My creation, originally uploaded by naomi in spain.

Rachel had her birthday this week! We took advantage of the fact that she had to go to Madrid to renew her passport and made a family event of it all . . . and we spent Thursday through Saturday “celebrating” with her in the capital of Spain. We had a lovely, lovely time together - - Joshua and Malachai wondering how they possibly got such enormous statues on top of such high buildings, and Rachel and I checking out what all the Spanish senoritas were wearing this season in Madrid! We drank a lot of café con leches and people watched, walked all sorts of ostentatious, busy streets as well as tiny curious ones, rented a row boat in Madrid’s Retiro park (maybe a bit like Central park in NY), and just took our time being a family (plus aunt!) together.

I left my camera bag (as well as much of life’s joy - - it was a rough bible study) at Pia’s house on Wednesday before we left. Rachel came through with her little digital camera, although she could only take 10 pictures with it; here is a bit of what we got!

we consider ourselves some of the world's most blessed people to have such a wonderful sister and aunt live with us and share life's joys and struggles with us. Happy birthday; we love you!