2:25 am

...on the couch right now with a sick little boy. Joey's got fever and is vomiting. He's finally settled down some and is just about asleep, but now I'm wide awake! Quite a few cars have driven down the street--what are people doing at this hour?!? I wonder if any of my insomniac blogger friends are awake. :o)

Living James 1:27

James 1:27
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

Freddy and I have begun the process to become foster parents. There is such a need here in the Houston area. They are having to put babies in shelters. That breaks my heart. Please pray for us as we go through the process to become certified. Next week we have our intensive training sessions. I will keep y'all posted!

We cannot wait to meet and hold and love our first little baby.

Dear Little One,
I have never seen you. You may not even be born yet. But I am praying for you and I already love you.

The Girls

From left to right...my daughter, Holly, in her dad's 'computer' glasses (we don't dare call 'em reading glasses), Maureen, Freddy's Aunt Marci, Freddy's mom with the beautiful silver hair, me with the not-so-beautiful lionesque look (give me a break--it's Houston and it's humid), my sister-in-law, Tina, and in the front is my daughter Mel holding our insecure, emotionally challenged rat terrier, Daisy.

Freddy's mom flew in from Philly last week to surprise Benjamin for his 16th bday. She went back home on Monday and I miss her terribly. Yes, I actually like my mother-in-law. I know there's a lot of people that can't say that (ahem).

Anyway, Spring Break is over, Mimi is gone, and we're back to reality...I'm ready for Summer Vacation.

-------

Isaiah 35:3-4

3Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; 4say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you."

...Come quickly, Lord Jesus...

16 Candles

My oldest is 16 today.
I have a 16 year old.
I am the mother of a 16 year old.

No matter how many times I say it, it still sounds so strange to me. How can it be? How can it be when it seems like just yesterday that you had your nights and days mixed up for your first YEAR of life?!? Wasn't it just a short while ago that I would make your chocolate milk in a tupperware sippy cup (b/c they didn't have spillproof cups yet) and you would sit by me on the couch drinking your milk and playing with my hair?

Let me tell y'all about Benjamin. Benjamin loves God, music, his mama, football, girls (Jesus, help me), food, basketball, video games, his buddies, his family, did I say food?!?, animals, and Diet Pepsi. He may even admit to you that he is a mama's boy. But isn't that how it should be?!? I love that you still like to be with us, hang out with us. So many kids your age hate their parents. I love that you look just like Dad. I love how laid back you are, even though it drives me INSANE at times. I love YOU!

You are our firstborn. Dad and I have made, and will continue to make all our mistakes with you. Yet you have handled it quite well. We are very proud of you.

Benjamin, my prayer for you is that you will grow into a God-fearing young man. God has always had his hand on your life, my boy. And I pray that you will continue to let Him mold you and shape you into something even more amazing than you already are.

My boy. 16 today.

Mmm-Mmm-Mmm

General Tsos+Crab Puffs=LOVE

Why is it that all last week it was 85 degrees and sunny, but it's cloudy and cool now that the kids are home for Spring Break?!?

I Could Get Used To This

Yesterday was a good day. For Christmas, Freddy saved his pennies and bought me a Day at the Spa package. I redeemed it yesterday--a 1 hour facial, manicure, pedicure, lunch, and a 1 hour full body massage.

It. was. AWESOME.

It was so nice to be taken care of and pampered. I felt like a queen. The massage therapist kept telling me to 'relax' and I finally had to tell her, "I don't know how!!" But she worked her mojo and I left there feeling loose as a goose.

Freddy and I went on a date last night. Did our usual--Saltgrass for 1/2 price appetizers and drinks. I love sitting at the bar. So many different kinds of people. Different stories, different lives. It's interesting. Feel sorry for some, annoyed by others. Some, I just shake my head and laugh. Afterwards, we went to Town Square and listened to a cover band. They weren't bad, but weren't that good either. I could tell Freddy wanted to yank the guitar away from the guy and play it the RIGHT way. The way it's SUPPOSED to be played. I love your perfectionism, Freddy. It balances my non-perfectionism (I can't think of an antonym right now--too much nutrasweet). Anyway, we came home and went to bed early. ;o)

Yesterday was a good day.

The whole fam slept in this morning, worked in the yard, went swimming, cooked hamburgers and hot dogs, and I took Joey to practice. I'm sunburned. Crispy-crisp. When will I learn that my red-headed skin doesn't like all that sunshine?!? We're about to sit down and watch a movie, then hit the sack. I'm pooped.

Today was good, too.

Self Worth

Matthew 10:28-31

28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

they're baaack!!

--it's hard for me to actually publish this post b/c that means my post about my precious sister will be kicked into the archives. It won't be in the list at the right anymore. I hate that. It made me feel better to see her name there. Suckage--

Well, the familia is back safe and sound. Thank you, Jesus. Their trip was not without incident, though. Many car troubles with some people they were caravanning (is that a word?) with. But the awesome thing was that everytime something happened to this person's car they were near a Walmart or near a place with water (radiator trouble). And anyone who has traveled the long stretch of HW59 between Houston and the border knows there's a whole lotta nothin'!!!

I think Benjamin and Holly were really touched by this trip. They saw poverty. But more importantly, they saw that even though these people have nothing they have joy. They love God. They worship whole-heartedly. They are a giving people. They give out of their poverty--what a foreign concept to most of us!

B & H both want to go back. Benjamin even talks about moving there someday. Is it possible I might have a foreign missionary in the making? God help me. Wouldn't it be just like God to give a self-proclaimed worrier a missionary son--God has proven His sense of humor to me time and time again!

...and thank you, God, for bringing them home safe...

and they're off...

Psalm 91:11 (New Living Translation)

"For He orders His angels to protect you wherever you go."

Freddy and the older 2 kids left for a mini mission trip to Mexico this evening. My faith and trust in my God is out the window yet again. God, help me trust in You, again. I pray that you will protect my precious family as they are out doing Your work. Touch Benjamin and Holly in a real way. I pray they will get out of their Abercrombie, iPod comfort zones and have a real encounter with You. Bring them home safely to me on Sunday. Send Your angels to protect and watch over them.

The GOD of...

The God of Abraham.

The God of Isaac.

The God of Jacob.

The God of Cara??

When people see me, see my life, hear my words, see my actions & reactions, do they see the Almighty God? Or do they see a stressed out worrier who has very little faith, even though God has proved Himself faithful to me time and time again? God, I empty myself and come to You. Fill me with Your glory, Your POWER. I pray that people will see how gracious and merciful You are. Be the God of Cara!!!

you gotta be kidding

So Melanie, my 9 year old, has been struggling with her allergies. The congestion and drainage caused her ear to start hurting, so I took her to see the doctor today. Sure enough, ear infection. So he prescribes an antibiotic for her. I forgot to remind him that we are SELF-PAY and do not have insurance--but it's written at the top of her chart in BOLD-FACE LETTERS--like we're flagged or something. Anyway, we go to Walgreens to get her medicine. The pharmacist says, "OK, Mrs. Hinojosa, that'll be $69.99." Excuse me?!? "Don't you have a generic?", I say, in my best freak-out voice. "That IS the generic, Mrs. Hinojosa ." So I call the doctor to see if he can prescribe something else and the phone keeps ringing for 10 minutes with no answer. So I'm thinking, "What should I do?". Do I wait and try the doctor again later and run the risk of the pharmacist calling CPS b/c I'm not getting my daughter's meds? He made me feel like a bad mom b/c I actually had the nerve to question him, the doctor, and the prescription. "Don't you want your daughter to start feeling better soon, Mrs. Hinojosa?", he said. "Oh no you didn't, Mr. Pharmacist!!!" Anyway, I caved and got her her medicine.

All this to say...WESTERN MEDICINE REALLY SUCKS SOMETIMES!!!