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We’ve Been Infected

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So~ I should be at church right now.  Instead, I’m at home sitting here at my desk trying to wrap my brain around what has happened to my boys.  To say that they are sick is an understatement.  It all started with Micah (-which seems to be the trend around here-) when he came down with a fever.  In addition, his symptoms included niagara nose and watery eyes.  The very next day, Titus fell victim.  He had fever, loss of appetite, stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing, loss of voice, and darth vader breathing.  We could hear the poor thing all night.  He definitely has had it the worst.  And just when I thought I had kept it contained, Manu came into our room in the middle of the night and he was burning hot with fever.  Apart from a miracle, going anywhere today was not an option.

I have obviously been trying to nurse them back to health for a few days now, but this morning I kicked things into high gear.  After Israel left for Marquette church, I took turns giving each of them a hot-half bath, warm lemon-honey water, their vitamin, and a nice slather of the cure-all for any sickness or disease, vicks.  I made sure their fevers were under control, their room was warm, and I tucked them into bed again.  Now, the house is quiet. 

It sounds easy since I crammed all of that information into two swift sentences, but it definitely was a battle.  The process which in my mind would produce the best odds of them getting better was in fact a torturous ordeal for them.  They didn’t want to take an uncomfortably hot bath.  They didn’t want to get doused with cold water.  They didn’t want to blow their nose.  They didn’t want to get into bed.  They didn’t want to drink all of the tea.  And of course, they didn’t want to go right back to sleep.  Trust me, the list could continue…

But I totally had an ace up my sleeve. 

Although the boys weren’t thrilled to comply, they ultimately did because they trusted that if they just endured the things I was putting them through, they would get what they really wanted.  At least this is what I kept reminding them over and over again.  And what they’ve wanted, and have been wanting for the past 3 weeks, was to be alive and kicking on Sunday, March 27, 2011 from 11am-3pm for Kaelan’s birthday pool-party.  This, folks, is why the house is actually quiet.  Some would call this a miracle in its own right.     

It made me think of those things that I’ve been really wanting in life and where I am right now.  It sometimes seems that trials and set-backs seem to threaten those very things.  But I’m reminded over and over again to see the bigger picture and to remember that overcoming these things will actually strengthen me to get me there. 

And I’m hoping and praying that this will help get them there too.  Tomorrow is gonna be their first pool party and it would be an absolute shame if they had to miss it.  Prayers welcome.

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The Zamboni Show

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It was going to be an exciting day.  Karen invited us to go watch the Copper Country Skating Academy ice show at MacInnes and we gladly said yes.  Well, not Israel.  He’s too manly to enjoy the art of figure skating.  He agreed to stay home with Ty.  Our friend Tammy and the two older kids wanted to come as well so it was official.  We were going to see our first figure skating show!  None of us, save Karen, had ever seen figure skating in real-life so we were in for a treat.  My boys had never even seen an ice arena so I knew they would be thrilled.  There was a little confusion because the boys thought they were going to ice skate.  Once that was cleared up, they seemed enthusiastic about the idea of watching other kids skate.  Yes, it was going to be an exciting day.

I decide to squeeze in a run before the show so I go to the SDC early and hit the “dreadmill” as Lynda DuPreez likes to call it.  🙂  I have about 5 more minutes to run when I get a phone call from the IR.  The car won’t start.  Israel seems to always have this sort of luck…particularly when he is with the boys.  He is supposed to meet up with Karen and Tammy at the church at 1:30pm and then drive together over to the ice rink and drop them off.  For 30 minutes he’s unable to get the car started.  Finally at 1:25 it somehow starts and they are on their way.  Because of the delay, I decide to purchase all of the tickets so we could just go in and find a seat. 

At the ticket counter, I realize that kids ages 5 and under are free.  What a STEAL!  I think to myself.  Both of my boys can watch for free!  They all arrive and we head over to find seats.  We sit down towards the front and then we anxiously wait for the program to begin. 

After about the third act, Micah begins to get antsy.  There are a total of 31 acts.  From this moment, I knew we were doomed.  For the duration of the program, I ended up doing the following:

– taking the boys to the bathroom twice during the show
– picking up Micah’s gloves that kept falling down (-or more like was being dropped)
– literally saving Micah from toppling down over the seats in front of us
– running up and down the hallway with the kids during intermission         
– bumming candy off of my pregnant friend, Tammy, to give to them
– asking them to sit down over and over
– sitting Micah on my lap
– and shushing him nearly a hundred times

All the while, Micah kept asking loudly, “Why are they skating so long?  Can we go home?  I want to go home.  I want to go to Daddy!  I’m hungry.  I have to go to the bathroom.”  Not in that particular order, but you get the idea.  I was foolish enough to threaten him by saying, “Micah, if you continue to act this way, we won’t ever come to shows like this again.”  To which Micah honestly replied, “Okay.  Can we go home now?”  It was at this point when two things dawned on me.  Now I know why kids ages 5 and under are free.  If they charged them, parents would be upset demanding that they get their money back!  The second revelation was that maybe my boys aren’t and won’t be as into watching figure skating as I am.

And so, it would have been an anti-exciting day save one thing.  There was one thing that caused my boys to sit still for about 7 minutes and for their eyes to really light up.  The Zamboni.  I guess it’s something I should have known but never guessed.  So, here’s to our first and last figure skating outing.  It was nice for the first couple of acts.  I’m beginning to feel my first twinge of loneliness being the only Ramos girl.   

 
Tammy, Micah, Abi, Israel, Manu, and Karen waiting for the show to begin!

The star of the show…and he didn’t even know it!

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The Dedicating of a Yooper Winter Baby

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For a pastor’s kid, being dedicated can be a little tricky.  Typically pastors prefer not to dedicate their own children so it requires finding someone else to come and do it.  Being a U.P. pastor’s kid makes being dedicated extra tricky.  The closest pastor around is hours away and it’s difficult to ask them to come on a Sabbath when they already have 3 churches in their district. 

Now, who would want to travel to the Great White North to dedicate a winter baby??  Ty was really pushing his luck.  So, you can imagine our gratefulness and relief that today, on Titus’s 15 month birthday, he was finally dedicated to the Lord at our church.  And of all people, we were blessed to have his African grandfather perform the dedication.  He has now dedicated our 2 Kwames – Imanuel and Titus.  Grandpa Pipim braved the cold, which is completely contrary to his genetic tendency, and spent the Sabbath with us.  We were all thrilled and blessed by his presence and by the message he shared with us.

 

The Lord spoke to me today saying,
Take this child away, nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.  Exodus 2:9 
I accepted the responsibility and the honor in prayer.

Last picture with Grandpa Pipim before he had to take off. 

Thank you so much for coming, Dr. Pipim.  You continue to be a source of courage and inspiration to our family and we’ve truly treasured our time we had together.  Our boys miss you already! 
We hope to see you again soon.
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Happy 5th Birthday, Manu!

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Dear Manu,

Happy 5th Birthday!  You are growing up so fast!  We’re so thankful that you are a special part of our family.  You have made us so proud already and your sweet disposition has been such a blessing to us.  You are the best big brother anyone could have asked for.  Micah and Ty love you so much and look up to you.  Continue to be patient, understanding, and kind as you play with and teach them.  Keep Jesus first in your life and remember that to be like Him is our ultimate goal.  We love you so much and our prayer will always be that you remain faithful to God throughout eternity.

Love,
Mama

Thank you, Harabuhgee for the yummy, HUGE cake!
Best friends

Sweetie, we hope all of your dreams come true!
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My Guam Adventure

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I got back from my 2 week excursion to Guam just a few days ago, and as my jet-lag is slowly subsiding, I’m realizing how this amazing trip has impacted my life.  It was socially rejuvenating, physically refreshing, and spiritually liberating.  Now that I’m back, I feel as though I can conquer the world.  My love and appreciation for my family has grown and I really believe I have come back a better wife and mother.  I feel so blessed to have such a self-sacrificing, caring husband who “forced” me to take a break and vacation with my sister and mom while he took care of our 3 young boys.

Before I left, it wasn’t easy.  There were moments when I would be so overcome with panic and guilt.  For the weeks leading up to the trip, we emphasized to the boys that I would be spending “girl time” and they would be spending “boy time”.  They were excited about that.  But of course there were times when Manu and Micah thought it’d be a better idea for all of us to just stay together.  I had compiled a list of things I felt I needed to do before I left with hopes that the boys would have just as much fun as I would.  I typed up and printed off a food menu and an activities’ sheet for the boys that I stuck on the fridge.  I enrolled the kids in an indoor play area where Israel could take them during the day and I listed all of the kid-friendly events from the public library.  The weeks leading up to my trip, I bought little things for the boys which I individually wrapped.  I bought a toy mailbox and I asked Israel to put a little gift and one of the cards that I pre-wrote in it each morning on the days they were at home without me.  The cards, written by faith, usually stated that I was having a blast in Guam and hoping they were too.  For Ty, I made videos of myself and asked Israel to show them to him every morning and evening.  I packed a Valentine party bag that was to be opened and used to celebrate on Valentine’s Day complete with Valentine cards for everyone, treats, and more gifts.  I scheduled animated e-cards to be sent out to them every so often during my absence.  Israel’s birthday gifts from me were ordered online and scheduled to arrive by the time they drove back home from Detroit.  And before I left, I had Israel take a picture of me with each of the boys and had him post them as a private album on Facebook where I could dialogue with each of them via the comments.  The house was stocked with their favorite foods and rearranged to be Ty-friendly.  It was in perfect order before I left. 

This sounds extreme.  But perhaps it helps to know that I did this more for myself.  I knew the boys would be fine with Israel.  Yet somehow this whole process helped me feel more at ease.  It helped prepare me to go and enjoy myself.  When I left, the boys were ready to see me off (with the help of some parting gifts), Israel was ready to see me off, and I was ready to go.  I had literally completed everything on my things-to-do list and there was nothing else that could be done in my mind to ensure the boys wouldn’t miss me so much, save cancel the trip itself.  I left feeling free and with a sense of peace.

And that was the longest and quietest plane ride I had been on in a looooooong time.  Wow.

When my sister and I get together, magic happens.  We are all about being active and making the most efficient use of our time.  No wasting away days being lazy.  In the 2 short weeks we had together, we checked off nearly everything we planned to do.  I must say, that out of all of the places that I’ve visited (including Spain, Cancun, and Grand Cayman), Guam has some breath-taking scenary.  It goes head to head with French Polynesia (where we went on our honeymoon), but I think some spots on Guam are even more beautiful.  Not the best sand or the best ocean life, but the overall visual beauty itself is really indescribable.  Because of the coral, the water is a thousand different shades of blue.  There are gentle waves crashing nearly a mile in from the shore which you could walk to (if you’re wearing reef shoes, that is).  It is a clean island and the people are so incredibly friendly and kind.  I had never heard of Chamorros, but I’m so glad I was able to meet some of them.  Guam would have been a totally different place if I wasn’t immersed into the local culture and spent time with those who live there.

So, here’s the crazy list of everything we saw & did:

Famous Places/Landmarks:
– Ritidian Beach
– Mt. LamLam (the tallest mountain in the world – yes, from its submerged base it beats Everest)
– Ipao Beach
– Hiked 1,000 Steps
– Talafofo Falls/Yokoi’s Cave
– Two Lovers’ Point
– Governor’s House & Huge Latte Stone
– War in the Pacific Memorial (Nimitz Hill)
– Adventist World Radio – Guam
– Guam Mission Office (were Louis Torres now works)
– SDA Clinic

Water Activities:
– Snorkeling
– Banana Boating
– Swimming
– Sun-bathing
– Parasailing
– Scuba Diving & Padi Certification Course

Restaurants/Cafes:
– Top ‘O’ the Mar
– Infusion Cafe
– Simply Foods
– VIP Chinese
– Mariana’s Trench Thai
– Taco Bell (our go-to meal after dives 🙂

Tourist Attractions:
– A day at ABC : Alupang Beach Club which is THE BEST on island and Adventist owned!
– Fish Eye Observatory
– 2 Boat Trips (saw wild spinner dolphins & flying fish!)
– Downtown Tumon
– Rented scooters for 24 hours and rode around island
– Skydive Guam!
– Hilton Fireshow
– Sunset Cruise on board the Margarita

Churches Visited:
– Guam Korean Church (whose building was the first Adventist church on island)
– Northern Guam Church (where we played special music)

Other Fun Memories:
– Playing night tennis at the Agana courts
– Planning and having a blast at the Ghetto Valentine’s/Surprise Birthday Party
– Joy-riding on scooters in the middle of the night
– Bumming Internet off of Outrigger Hotel and Port of Mocha
– Playing with my sister’s adorable kittens Remi & Rex
– Watching people ride the Sling Shot
– GAA’s Free Health Screening & Science Fair (where my sister was asked to consult & judge)
– Shopping trips to K-mart
– Padi E-Learning all-nighter
– Spotting carabao around the island
– Hair Salon & Pedicures
– Coming with 100+lbs of luggage and leaving with ~30lbs
– Meeting and hanging out with all of my sister’s cool friends

When I came home, I was ecstatic that my boys were so happy and excited to see me. Ty was a little shy at first, but eventually, his little grin turned into a great big smile, he said “mama”, and stretched his arms out to me. It was a precious reunion. When I asked Israel how things went at home, he said, “I don’t know if we were productive, I don’t know if I did a good job, but we had lots of fun.” And that was enough for me.

It was an incredible trip that I will never forget it! I’m so thankful for this opportunity to find myself again. It was even better that when it was time to leave Guam, I was able to come home to my sweet boys and my hero.

 

 
 
 

 

 

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Three’s a Crowd in the Tub!

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For a few months now, the boys have been taking tubs together.  No matter how much the two older ones bicker about who’s hogging up too much space in our tiny bathtub, they insist on taking a bath altogether.  Ty has really been enjoying the company too.  He loves splashing his brothers, scrubbing their shampoo-covered hair, and touching their soapy skin.  They have lots of fun together, but the only thing is that I wish we had a sliding bathtub door!
 


Sporting Harabuhgee’s fav hairstyle

Being silly

They love their tubby time!

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Freedom is Coming!

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In my fleeting life of 29 years, I’ve been:

– my cats’ owner for 7 years and 3 months
– married to the IR for 6 years and 6 months
– Bentley’s favorite owner for 5 years and 10 months
– pregnant for 2 years and 3 months
– a mama for 4 years and 10 months and…
– nursing for 2 years and 9 months

Today marks the day that Titus has officially been weaned. And there was a deliberate reason why I decided to wean Ty at this time.

I’ve always considered Israel to be a wonderful husband and father. I’ve always felt so blessed to have him by my side. But this time, I do believe he has gone over the top in showing me yet another dimension of his unearthly thoughtfulness and care.  For over a year now, he has been trying to get me to go somewhere, anywhere, on a vacation by myself while he watched the kids.  He wanted me to just “take a break”. I’ve always turned him down because, frankly, I didn’t care to take a vacation without the rest of my family. For me, a vacation would be meaningless without spending it with those I love the most.  He started bringing it up while I was pregnant with Ty.  Seemingly bad move.  For me, being on a vacation while pregnant would basically negate the fact that it’s a vacation. Grand Cayman was a case in point. But the thought was somewhat loosely planted in my mind.  Soon after birth, it was never an option for me since I was nursing Ty. Well, my persistent husband has managed to find THE perfect way to give me a break and I couldn’t be more grateful…AND ECSTATIC! He has booked tickets for me and my mom to go visit my sister in Guam next month!  

Coming from a family of strong, independent women, this gesture really means a lot to us. At first I was hesitant.  Then, I agreed on terms that I’d bring Ty, especially since we wouldn’t have to pay for his airfare anyway. But Israel wouldn’t budge and after his long list of reasons why we should just go in complete freedom, I was convinced. This will be the first time that I will relinquish all 6 of the responsibilities that I’ve listed above AND this will be the first time just the 3 of us girls get to spend together in a tropical paradise.  I cannot describe the excitement.

The set up couldn’t have been better.  My sister is currently working as a missionary doctor in Guam so we have a spacious condo to stay at, plus she was able to get time off for the entire time we’re there.  My dad is so amazing to send my mom to Guam for 2 weeks and then to Korea for 3 weeks to visit her older sister. I will be spending a little over 2 weeks in Guam with my older sister before coming back home.  It is going to be such a meaningful trip on so many different levels.

Israel is such a great dad and I actually think he’s super-excited about spending time alone with boys, but I know he is doing this 100% for me.  I could never ever repay Israel for this unexpected gift. I haven’t even gone yet, and sometimes when I think about, I get overwhelmed. It means so much more than a vacation.  I will miss my boys & Israel, but I couldn’t pass up this perfect opportunity.  This has truly shown me what a great man Israel Ramos is.

So, next month, on February 11th, my mother and I will be taking a 20+ hour plane ride together to the beautiful island of Guam. 3 Namm girls, 2 adorable kitties, warm weather, tennis courts, a car, plus lots of free time to do anything we want = THE BEST VACATION WAITING TO HAPPEN!

My freedom is indeed coming.  Until then, I’ll be packing up my summer clothes, researching fun things to do in Guam…oh, and you know I’ll be finishing up my comprehensive home/child manual booklet for Israel.  Leaving won’t be that easy. 

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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!

In Virum Perfectum