Monthly Archives: December 2010

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There is a Fountain

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The first communion I partook in after Imanuel was born, our close friend, Sikhu, sang for special music.  The song she chose to sing was the famous hymn, “There is a Fountain”.  I had heard this song many times, but for the first time this song came alive to me.  She sang these powerful lyrics:

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

The first time I ever saw my child’s blood was soon after I gave birth to Imanuel.  It was from the infamous heel poke that they do to draw blood for newborn tests.  I will never forget that experience.  The initial poke made him cry a little, but it was when the nurse(s) would squeeeeze his tiny foot to collect the full vial of blood that just made him scream.  I remember just staring at one nurse in disbelief because it seemed like she was totally oblivious to our child’s pain.  Initially we were in shock because she even had the nerve to get frustrated with him because he kept squirming around.  By the end, our feelings evolved into anger.  But Israel and I held our peace and as soon as the nurse put the band aid on, we grabbed Imanuel to hold and comfort him. 

As Sikhu sang this first verse, an overwhelming image flooded my mind.  Contrary to the few droplets of blood from a heel poke, I saw a literal fountain flowing with blood, but I saw that it was pouring from Imanuel’s, my son’s, veins.  It made my heart break, and as much as I wanted to erase that image, I knew that this was a reality for One infinitely greater and purer and holier.  His Father held His peace, and had the strength to even turn His back on His dying Son.  Not only was this done because His love for our fallen world is so amazing.  He also did this because His love for His Son was so great that He knew this was what Jesus ultimately wanted – to commune once again with His beloved creation.  It was then I understood, that while the Father chose to hide His face from His dying Son, His heart was breaking too.  Here at the cross, we see two different, but powerfully equal demonstrations of God’s great love for us and for Each Other. 

As we begin this new year, I am reminded of our desperate need to love God and each other more.  What a great sacrifice that was given so freely from God!  What incomprehensible love towards no good sinners like me!   Who wouldn’t want to serve Him? 

Lose all their guilty stains,
Lose all their guilty stains,
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains!

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Titus Israel turns 1!

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We celebrated our baby’s first birthday at home with our family.  We went to a church Christmas party in the afternoon, which was nice, and then after getting home at around 6pm, our little family party began. 

Earlier in the day, the boys helped us wrap some presents for Ty.  The boys were very excited to watch Ty open presents for the first time in his life!  We ate cupcakes first and really had a good laugh watching Ty devour his first sugary treat.  Then, we took pictures and Ty opened his presents.  After a while, Ty was so tired so we put him down for bed.  Israel had started this family tradition where everyone sleeps in the same room together when it’s someone’s birthday.  Our room was too cold for them, so we let the two older boys sleep in the living room together.  Israel and I joined them when we were ready for bed.  We all stayed nice and toasty from our wood stove.  We weren’t able to do anything super-special, but we had a memorable time together.


Ty wondering why he was never allowed to taste anything so good before!


Opening presents.


No more newborns in this house!  Just 3 little boys.  🙂

Since Ty was born, the Christmas season has become even more meaningful.  I’m thankful that Jesus gave me a perpetual reminder, through Ty’s birth, of the sacrifice Heaven made for us.  Over 2,000 years ago, another Baby was born to us and this birth is even more significant to me than my own sons’.  It is my prayer that I not only remember Ty’s birthday, but that Christ is continually reborn in my heart. 

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Meeting Mushers

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On Wednesday, December 1st, we went to one of the free programs at our public library called, “Mushing in the U.P: A Family Experience”.  This mushing team from the UP shared with us about their lifestyle, training, and racing.  It was so inspiring to hear dedicated athletes who not only care so much about their amazing dogs, but have so much respect and appreciation for nature.  The team, which is co-ed, won 4th place in the Copperdog 150 which is an annual UP race.  They are currently training to race in the Iditarod which is a 1,150 mile dog sled race in Alaska. 

Some cool facts we learned:
– Mushers consider their dogs athletes.  From rest to training to diet, they only give them the best.  They start training as pups where they learn the mushing lingo.  But for this team, the dogs are family too.
– Many dogs wear booties during the races to prevent the pads on their feet from cracking.  Some snow can be very dry and suck all of the moisture from their pads.
– Sled dogs really love to run.  Mushers have a variety of ways to brake and sometimes need to resort to all of them.
– Each team on race day is required to have certain tools in their sled at all times.  This includes snow shoes, a stove, food, matches, and a sleeping bag among other things. 
– Most sled teams have many dogs that train.  But for races, they have their 1st string, 2nd string, etc. teams according to ability and leadership.  Their team has an older blind dog that is one of their strongest leaders!
– Apparently, very few things beat a moon-lit sled-dog run through a quiet trail in the woods.

They brought 2 of their 50 Alaskan huskies and at the end of their presentation took some of the kids on a dog sled ride on a trail by the library.  The dogs were so gentle and friendly!  Hard to imagine that they are such fierce competitors. 

We look forward to being spectators at next year’s Copperdog 150 which tours the Keweenaw Peninsula!  That race will be on March 4, 5, and 6, 2011. 


The leader of the Bauer team with 3 kids piled in front of the sled.  The 2 dogs pulled all of them with ease!


The 2 boys standing in front of the sled.

Here is a video clip of the memorable opportunity we had to meet and watch these mushers and sled dogs in action!

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Wii had a Game Night

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On Saturday evening, December 4, 2010, we hosted our first Wii Tournament of Champions.  Our student from Michigan Tech came over in the evening for amazing food and some major calorie-burning fun.

Srinu prepared for us an Indian feast and taught us how to prepare some yummy dishes.  From rices to curry and even a home-made curd, we were well-fed and happy.  Then we were ready to put on our game faces.

We began by creating a Mii for all of our participants:  Alanna, Gabriel, Daniel JF, Srinu, and Robert.  Israel and I already had ours made.  After this, we hit up a beautiful Resort with unlimited free amenities!  We round-robined in 3 activities:  canoeing, archery, and wakeboarding.  We were all pretty head-to-head with the most memorable moments coming from Daniel JF’s epic flop on the final archery round to lose to his greatest rival, yours truly.  Alanna’s canoeing skills also shined as she took down Gabe with ease.  And who could forget the first game in the tournament where Robert demolished Israel on the wakeboard.  It was hard to believe that Robert never played before.

We duked it out.  It got really intense after a couple hours and 2 of our competitors made an early exit, however, they didn’t leave empty-handed.  They were awarded consolation prizes as we saw them out.  Then without any further pause, the Wii sticks continued to flail and fly in all sorts of directions as sweat drops splashed on the on-lookers. 

Then, the bona fide tournament ensued.  The 3 round Sword Fighting competition.  This was for all the marbles.  And by “all the marbles”, I mean the coveted prizes which were brought to us by a generous donor in conjunction with Walmart’s always low prices.  It was for the big-time.  We played round-robin again to determine rank.  I was undefeated against everyone so that got me a Bye and saved me a place in the championship bracket.  The other guys fought through the semi-finals and one guy finally came out up top.  Robert Gordon.  In the intense finals, not only did we burn about 500 calories, it was so close that spectators who were intensely cheering, burned about 300 calories too.  And finally in the third round, I plummeted to my defeat into the cold water. 

Robert was deemed the Wii Champion for the night.  He received a cute snowman mug with a hot cocoa kit.  Daniel JF was awarded runner-up for his nearly pristine performance in archery.  His prize was the classic Snowman Pez Dispenser with 3 multi-flavored packs of Pez.  Gabe came in third place for his record-breaking wakeboarding run, (which Judy definitely did NOT beat).  He was awarded Cool Mint Blistex to keep his lips nice and supple throughout the cold winter months.

The award ceremony was simple, yet elegant.  Beautifully wrapped prizes were presented to the winners…and in fact, we were all winners.  There are no losers when you play in the Ramos house.  Everyone got a prize…just not as good as the top prizes.  As we bid them farewell, they walked out in the dark night, the snowflakes silently and gently covering the ground.  Before we knew it, they were gone.  But they will be back, no doubt.  Talk about an on-going olympic tournament throughout next semester is in the works.  Wii will see them again and Wii will be ready.   

I don’t know of any better combination than Indian food and the Wii.  It just worked so well.

Srinu and his masterpiece.

In the basement…it was game time.

Our unofficial scorekeeper

Gabe & Lanna : the archery results

Ironman & Robert in round-robin play.  Canoeing.

DEACON showing his mad skillz in archery.  Good form!

jude & DEACON in sword fight.  DEACON got a beat-down.  I’m just sayin’.

Robert:  the Wii Champion!

Ironman is awarded a consolation prize.

The top 3 winners & their prizes along with the Game Night sponsor.

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Time to Hit the Books

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“If there is any post of duty above another which requires a cultivation of the mind, where the intellectual and physical powers require healthy tone and vigor, it is the training of children.”  CG 67

I went to school at the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) where I studied to be an elementary school teacher.  I taught for 3 years at Ann Arbor Adventist Elementary School before having our first son, Imanuel.  After he came into our lives, we made the decision that I would stay at home and not teach anymore.  I believe God honored our decision because right after that, Israel received his first call into pastoral ministry here in the UP.  I had been making more money than him (-he being on a meager stipend) and our health insurance was under me.  We weren’t sure how we would manage financially nor how we would get health insurance.  But God took care of our needs in a most unexpected way.  Israel became a pastor and we became yoopers.

I was excited to be starting a new chapter in our lives.  It was a slower-paced life.  I didn’t have to wake up as early to get to school.  I didn’t have to write up lesson plans for nearly every subject for up to 5 different grades every day.  No correcting papers and no lesson prep.  Staying at home has lots of responsibilities as I mentioned before.  It is busy…perhaps even busier than an elementary school teacher.  But I can get away doing many things without much preparation.  As a mother, accomplishment comes to me in many forms.  If the kitchen is clean, the laundry folded and put away, if the boys have eaten and are playing together nicely, when I’ve responded to every GYC email/call…these things seem little, but they soon become the world of a stay-at-home mom.  It is easy to go from day to day just maintaining the happenings at home.  But it’s a vicious, never-ending cycle.  No substantial progress or visible achievements.

There is one enormous danger to living this lifestyle.  Our brain goes dormant and we forget how to think.  It seems we can no longer read through an entire book.  In fact, we might have a stack of books by our bedside because we started each of them, but didn’t have the discipline to finish any of them.  We may resort to Facebook to get the latest news.  I am totally guilty as charged.  Particularly in this day and age where most of us women have been blessed with higher education, we really have no excuse.  I’m more convinced than ever that Satan wants our brains to die.  I believe he particularly targets us women because this will not only disable us from society and in our marriages, but it will unquestionably disadvantage our children.  This will kill the Church.  There is a necessary need to guard our brains and sharpen our minds.

When I was a teacher, there was no way I could “wing it” in the classroom…at least with a clear conscience.  Teaching involved studying the lessons, doing extra research, searching for the best hand-outs, creating new hand-outs, incorporating different styles of learning, and figuring out the best form of assessment for each.  On top of that were all of the in-services, professional development, and staff meetings.  And I wasn’t satisfied until all of my students were successful at learning and growing.  In other words, I was constantly growing and developing as a teacher gaining new ideas and learning new things in order to benefit my students and because my job required it.  What does God require of me now? 

Four years of college prepared me to be a teacher.  God spent my entire life preparing me to be a mother, but there is still plenty of professional development credits that I need to take care of.  I want to take my job seriously.  Whether it be thoughtfully studying and researching for worships/activities or reading books to enhance my knowledge of the world, I want to be mentally strong so I can effectively train and teach my kids.  If I was willing to spend hours prepping for my students as a teacher, it would only be expected that I step it up to the next level as a mother.  I need to remember that I’m not just working part-time or full-time.  I’m working for an eternal life-time.  And I want job security that lasts forever.  Who wouldn’t?