Bubbles

After an incredible week with a work team comprised mainly of members of Mayfair Plymouth Church in Toledo, OH, but also from McCord Rd. Christian Church, Toledo, OH and Community Bible Church, Strawberry Point, IA, our family enjoyed a visit from some of my (Julie's) relatives.

Left to Right: Julie, Grandma Claassen, Uncle Tom and Aunt Joan, Aunt Sher and Cousin Kara

Victor and I decided to take the family on a road trip for a few days to the state of Michoacan to be able to spend some concentrated time together as a family, after a busy week with the work team, and to give the extended relatives a better chance to get to know our kids. We spent two nights at a water park and enjoyed fun and special times together.

Jocelin, Aunt Joan, Daniel, Aunt Sher, Ana and Caleb swimming in one of several pools fed by natural hot springs. Aahh!

Besides fun in the sun, and beneath the clouds (it's rainy season, after all), the trip itself provided some neat chances for bonding and loving each other. Aunt Joan got to sit in the backseat of the van between Lolis and Jocelin. Verbal communication may be limited due to the Spanish/English language barrier, but physical communication is not. Both of the girls slept A LOT on the trip to Michoacan and used Aunt Joan as a pillow! While that may not seem like much, it was neat to see the girls snuggled up to Aunt Joan like that, considering that they are both so needy of that kind of loving touch. They got their fill of snuggling that afternoon, and maybe even made up for lost snuggle time!

Lost snuggle time? That's right! Lolis did not have a mother from birth until just this past December when she became a part of our family. Whenever I hug or kiss our kids, I try to hug a little longer and give an extra kiss to make up for the hugs and kisses that they missed out on during the first part of their lives. Extra snuggle time? Any child that loses their mother at age 7, like Jocelin did, could sure use some extra snuggle time!

Snuggle time? Whatever! On the other hand, if you want to show Fidel how much you love him, don't snuggle with him! PLAY SOCCER and Fidel will feel loved for a long time!

For me, one of the best times on this mini-getaway was spent with my older girls and my cousin Kara. The room we rented for the five oldest girls and Kara was a suite, complete with a jacuzzi. Well, my girls had never been in a jacuzzi before! So, we filled it with hot water and four of us got in. Then, the other remaining three got in and we added bubbles!

After this picture was taken, things got pretty crazy! The jacuzzi was definitely not built for 7 and anytime one of us wanted to readjust our leg position, it required a total readjustment of legs, feet, knees and elbows! We'll be laughing about this one for a loooong time!

While the girls and I were slipping and sliding and laughing our heads off, Victor won his nomination to the Hall of Fame of Husbands and Fathers! He played Play Doh (including making fake nails, earrings and bracelets) and read books to the three littlest Zaragoza's: Ruth, Ana and Daniel, so that I could spend quality time with the older girls in the hot tub! Go Victor!


So, besides enjoying some real bubbles in the hot tub and watching Ana and Caleb blow bubbles in the swimming pools, there were bubbles of joy in my heart at being able to spend time with my family after having spent a great week watching my brothers and sisters in Christ serve Him here at Refuge Ranch!