I decided to change up my blog tonight! I wanted to see what new layouts there were and then got to thinking, I might as well change the title too! I started thinking how I've been here 3 years now and my life has changed but this blog isn't all about those changes anymore. It's been 3 years since we moved here, got married, and had a baby. I wanted to change it to something more current.
I never really liked the length of the other title either! So I changed the address to themadridsinhonduras. Something simple and easy to remember that describes who the blog is about. It took me awhile to come up with a new title, though. I decided, what I want to convey, is that God has given me a life that I never would have planned for myself, one that I never could have even imagined, but one that brings me so much joy! It is amazing how his plans can be so perfect for you - when you don't plan them yourself! I think God knows our hearts better than we ourselves know them.
Thus, "Greatful for God's Beautiful Gifts." I am greatful for the gift of life, of love, of motherhood, of learning, of culture....God has given me so much to be thankful for and has blessed me abundantly. This blog is all about my life, my family, my friends, and my experiences - all of which are beautiful gifts from God!
Friday, July 6, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Summer Fun!
Cute little girl after a soccer game all dressed up and dancing!
Friday, June 15, 2012
The New Routine
Leyla is doing so great in daycare! She has really adjusted and made friends. She is even happy to go in the mornings and doesn't fuss at all when I tell her bye (sometimes she used to). I am very proud of her! The girl that watches all the little ones is very sweet and I can tell she does a good job. Leyla is always happy to see her and she gives her hugs and kisses bye-bye! She loves her new friends too - one time she fell asleep in the same bed with the other little girl, Aime. She tells me when the play together, too, and that she had fun. I am so happy that she enjoys it and I am so glad that we decided to put her there - I think that was the best decision we could have made!
We have our routine in the morning, too. We get up and eat breakfast together, brush our teeth, get dressed, pack her backpack, and catch a taxi. In the afternoons she "helps" me wash the dishes or the clothes or whatever, sweeps, mops, and then we play with her puzzles or read books.
She has gotten really good at doing puzzles! She loves to do them all by herself. One of her other new favorite things is singing (well it's not new, but she's gotten better at it). She sings "Ee-i-ee-i-ooo" all the time and in tune- she even tries to pronounce "had a farm" and "moo moo there." She sings "Baby Bumblebee" and can say "it stung me!" and "ugh, yucky!" She also sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and in her mumbled singing I can here "high" and "sky" at the ends of her phrases.
She has definitely gotten to be very defiant and well push the limits! But, we are learning to be firm and ignore crying episodes and she will comply. Most of the time I have to tell her over and over "You can't have any candy until you eat your broccoli" and eventually she will get it. It's amazing really how much she understands - you just have to be firm and not give in, and she will know that you are serious. She understands all the rules but tests you!
My big helper! After I finished mopping she wanted to mop the entire house again and did so for a good thirty minutes!
We have our routine in the morning, too. We get up and eat breakfast together, brush our teeth, get dressed, pack her backpack, and catch a taxi. In the afternoons she "helps" me wash the dishes or the clothes or whatever, sweeps, mops, and then we play with her puzzles or read books.
She has gotten really good at doing puzzles! She loves to do them all by herself. One of her other new favorite things is singing (well it's not new, but she's gotten better at it). She sings "Ee-i-ee-i-ooo" all the time and in tune- she even tries to pronounce "had a farm" and "moo moo there." She sings "Baby Bumblebee" and can say "it stung me!" and "ugh, yucky!" She also sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and in her mumbled singing I can here "high" and "sky" at the ends of her phrases.
She has definitely gotten to be very defiant and well push the limits! But, we are learning to be firm and ignore crying episodes and she will comply. Most of the time I have to tell her over and over "You can't have any candy until you eat your broccoli" and eventually she will get it. It's amazing really how much she understands - you just have to be firm and not give in, and she will know that you are serious. She understands all the rules but tests you!
My big helper! After I finished mopping she wanted to mop the entire house again and did so for a good thirty minutes!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Patience!
Today was Leyla's first day of daycare!
We haven't exactly been pleased with Maria as a housekeeper or babysitter and lately her conduct had been getting worse. We decided this weekend to send her home so we had to find another option for Leyla. Thankfully a lady I work with gave me the name of the daycare she uses! I don't know if there is another in Catacamas. There are only 4 children, including Leyla, and all are around her age, plus the cost was about the same as we were paying Maria. I was excited because I think at almost 3 Leyla can benefit from a daycare. I don't know how well Maria was watching her, but there, she gets social interaction and they even teach a little bit - like a preschool.
She was excited, too, because I told her she was going to school :) We got her little backpack all packed and she was ready to go! She was so excited to see us when we picked her up, too! The only problem was that she didn't take her nap. I figured she wouldn't, because of too much stimulation, but I thought I would just put her to bed early.
My precious little girl was not so precious. It took all I had to keep from scolding her every second! I feel like it was a great test of my patience and I think I did pretty well. I don't know if it was because I knew she was exhausted, but I did not spank or yell once! But, my goodness - every little thing I said or that she tried to do she had to stop and cry about. She was hungry; wait, I'm making dinner. WAHHHHH. Ok here's your chicken. WAHHHHH. Help Mommy wash dishes - she can't reach the soap - WAHHHHH. Where's my baby doll? WAHHHH. Can't get the diaper on the baby. WAHHHHH. I mean it was every little thing; she would not stop screaming and crying. It was exhausting. Without Maria, I had to come home and clean the house up first and then make dinner, so I was running around "with my head cut off" and trying to respond to her every whine and whimper!
Finally we took a bath and I put her to bed at 7:00 PM and I have never seen her fall asleep so fast :) It is nice to have her asleep so early but I don't know if I can do this every day! Hopefully she will adjust and by the end of the week have adjusted to taking naps there. All in all though I think it will be a great thing for her, and I am already feeling the relief of not having a teenager to "raise" in my house!
We haven't exactly been pleased with Maria as a housekeeper or babysitter and lately her conduct had been getting worse. We decided this weekend to send her home so we had to find another option for Leyla. Thankfully a lady I work with gave me the name of the daycare she uses! I don't know if there is another in Catacamas. There are only 4 children, including Leyla, and all are around her age, plus the cost was about the same as we were paying Maria. I was excited because I think at almost 3 Leyla can benefit from a daycare. I don't know how well Maria was watching her, but there, she gets social interaction and they even teach a little bit - like a preschool.
She was excited, too, because I told her she was going to school :) We got her little backpack all packed and she was ready to go! She was so excited to see us when we picked her up, too! The only problem was that she didn't take her nap. I figured she wouldn't, because of too much stimulation, but I thought I would just put her to bed early.
My precious little girl was not so precious. It took all I had to keep from scolding her every second! I feel like it was a great test of my patience and I think I did pretty well. I don't know if it was because I knew she was exhausted, but I did not spank or yell once! But, my goodness - every little thing I said or that she tried to do she had to stop and cry about. She was hungry; wait, I'm making dinner. WAHHHHH. Ok here's your chicken. WAHHHHH. Help Mommy wash dishes - she can't reach the soap - WAHHHHH. Where's my baby doll? WAHHHH. Can't get the diaper on the baby. WAHHHHH. I mean it was every little thing; she would not stop screaming and crying. It was exhausting. Without Maria, I had to come home and clean the house up first and then make dinner, so I was running around "with my head cut off" and trying to respond to her every whine and whimper!
Finally we took a bath and I put her to bed at 7:00 PM and I have never seen her fall asleep so fast :) It is nice to have her asleep so early but I don't know if I can do this every day! Hopefully she will adjust and by the end of the week have adjusted to taking naps there. All in all though I think it will be a great thing for her, and I am already feeling the relief of not having a teenager to "raise" in my house!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
May Showers
It has been raining and raining and raining here. The weather is so nice and cool but the torrential rains are causing just a little mud and a little flooding. I prefer it over the heat any day though!
I haven't posted in awhile, since I got back from Oklahoma, so here are a few updated pictures!
I haven't posted in awhile, since I got back from Oklahoma, so here are a few updated pictures!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Love to hear Leyla singing!
Back in US Territory After 1.5 Years
We are finally back in the US. I can't really believe that it has been this long since I have been able to make a visit! It feels good to be back, and I am definitely enjoying having me some Cracker Barrel, Schlotzsky's, McAlister's...etc. It does feel like a vacation though. I miss my husband and I miss having a daily routine and some structure - or at least, I miss it for Leyla! Ha! She has been doing really well and is enjoying herself, too, but carseats and grocery karts and shopping trips can get a little too long and it has been difficult keeping her on a good nap schedule and OUT of trouble!
I bought Leyla a set of My Little Ponies and she loves to play with them at bathtime. It has been nice to be able to give her a bath instead of a shower at the pila! She loves to sit and just play!
Modeling her new big-girl Owl Towel!
She loves to go look at the lake by Rachel's apartment. We cross the bridge, feed the ducks, look at the turtles, chase frogs...it's fun.
I taught her how to blow the dandelions! We don't have those in Honduras so that was a new experience for her!
Tia Fide took us to the zoo in Oklahoma City. Leyla had a lot of fun and got out all her energy and fell asleep before we got to see the kiddy park!
Big brown bears - they looked so cute and cuddly.
Watching the otters play.
She approached the gorilla statue very carefully - she has a love-hate relationship with monkeys and sometimes is afraid of them and sometimes loves them. She walked up to it very slowly and then crawled on its back when she realized it wasn't real!
