Then, last Monday and Tuesday, Victor and I accompanied a group of women from our church to Acapulco to choose a site for our women´s retreat this fall.
It is wonderful to be back home and getting into the routine again. But before we move on too quickly, here are some moments from the Zaragoza family vacation!
As shared in previous blog entries, our family and the Refuge Ranch staff had done our best to get up Mount Popo in order for our kids to experience snow for the first time in their lives several days before we left on vacation. State police turned us back before we got to the top of the mountain due to the huge amount of traffic of other ¨snow seekers¨. However, Ashleigh had this great idea that we could try and go up the mountain on the morning we left for vacation. That way we would be playing in the snow in the morning and on the beach in the afternoon. It was a really great idea, but after making the 45 or so minute trek up the mountain, this was all the snow that was left! Oops! At least the kids got to touch a bit of snow!
The very next morning after touching snow for the first time in their lives, the kids were able to enjoy breakfast on the balcony overlooking the Pacific Ocean and enjoying mid-80 degree temperatures!
Not one to allow life to get boring, Ruth provided our family with some excitement our first night in the hotel. We had not even been at the hotel for a full two hours when Ruth got out of the pool, slipped on the wet tile and hit her chin on the edge of the stairs leading up to our room. Victor brought her into the room bleeding quite profusely from her cut and we made the determination that stitches would be necessary. Victor and Angie were assigned to the emergency room run (first step - find a trustworthy and clean clinic!) while I stayed back to get everybody else to bed. Several hours and three stitches later they arrived back at the hotel, having properly initiated our family vacation. 
Our first morning the Lord gave us a wonderful gift - a beautiful rainbow over the ocean as we ate our breakfast on the balcony of our hotel room. It was a precious reminder of God´s presence with us and an affirmation that even after the adventure of Ruth´s fall and ensuing stitches the night before, that God had wonderful plans and promises for our time together as a family. Thank you, dear Lord, for your gentle mercies!
I wasn´t able to carry Martita as a little girl, but the buoyancy of water provided us with that bit of fun and bonding!
Ruth, Ana and Daniel enjoying time in the sand.
Fidel and Josiah enjoying a game of Battleship in the hotel lobby.
Martha enjoying the sand, sun and water!
Diana and Joce playing in the pool.
Victor and Daniel hanging out in the hammock.
Fidel on his way to catch some waves - one of our favorite activities.
Caleb enjoying his time in the pool.
Angie lounging in the hammock.
Ruth, Lolis and Victor playing on the beach. This was Lolis´ first family vacation with us and her first time on the beach.
This was Ana´s favorite place to play. It is the little foot wash area to rinse off the sand from your feet before you get in the pool or enter the hotel, but it turned into her own private pool - just the right size!
Fidel building a sand castle. This is serious business!
Lolis and Diana playing in the pool.
Julie walking on the beach with Daniel and Ana(Life just simply does not get any better than this!)
We are so thankful for the Lord´s provision that allowed us to take this family vacation. Homeschooling allows us to take vacations when hotel and food prices are more economical in tourist areas and living in central Mexico means that the Pacific Ocean is about 4 hours west and the Gulf of Mexico is about 5 hours east of us, which gives us great access to beachfront vacations. These vacation times are truly priceless opportunities to strengthen our family bond, broaden the kids´horizons and reiterate the fact that they are part of a family, not an institution.
As I watched the kids play soccer on the beach, build sandcastles, jump in the waves and play in the pool, I couldn´t help but think what a far cry those moments were from where their lives were headed before they were intercepted by God´s purposes for them. Our kids have exchanged the streets of Mexico City for the beaches of Zihuatanejo; murder scenes for ocean sunsets; abusive beatings have been replaced by a mother´s caress; self-defense and self-preservation are being traded in for carefree romping as a child should. God is so good and so amazing! Thank you for all you do to make these miracles happen!
1 comment:
Great post Julie! :) I loved all of the pics. It was a perfect summary of your vacation! God deffinately knows what He is doing when He "sets the lonely in families"! Love you!
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