That's Just How We Roll!

Me painting at CHI

CHI children at Peter Piper's Pizza

I really cannot believe it has been two weeks since my last post! Although we are still staying in Pharr (yes, that means our belongings have not arrived!) we have spent most of the last 10 days in Mexico. One day we spent driving around Reynosa looking for carpentry shops. Our kitchen in Reynosa has no upper cabinets! What's up with that!!! Long story short, Betsy was our guide and interpretor as we drove randomly around the city looking for signs indicating cabinetry/carpentry. This also happened to be the first time Brad drove in Mexico and I must say he did an awesome job! The whole day was an adventure, to say the least. In Mexico the big super stores have not completely taken over like they have in the U.S.. There are still tons of little Mom and Pop stores and businesses. Watching the boys' reactions as we dragged them from shop to shop was priceless. It was one more cultural experience under our belts. And Senor Juan Carlos will be installing our cabinets in about a week. :)

Another day we were able to go on a "field trip" with the children from the home. In Mexico, April 30 is the Day of the Child. Because of the swine flu scare their celebration had to be postponed and on May 15 we all went to Peter Piper Pizza in Reynosa. It is a place much like Chuck E Cheese (minus the annoying mouse!) The boys had a great time as did all the children.

Last week was a week of painting! On Monday and Tuesday, Brandon and I painted the living room in our house. We decided to take advantage of the time waiting for our trailer! Then for the rest of the week we all joined Brad at the home for some painting, drywall work, painting, and did I mention painting! Brad has started calling us Boyles Construction Company. We've been having a lot of fun and the boys are doing a great job of helping out. We figure by the time we are through here they will have more on-the-job training than most adults.

We usually leave Pharr about 8am and by the time we cross the border and drive through traffic it is 9-9:30 when we arrive at the home. We work until about 2:00 most days. However, traffic at the border going back into the U.S. is always bad and we sometimes have to wait an hour to get across. The shortest wait we have had so far is 28 minutes. Not to worry though, in true Mexican form there are people all over the bridge trying to sell you something. Picture four lanes of traffic with circus vendors weaving in and out selling anything from a windshield cleaning to a statue of the Virgin Mary to melon with chili pepper sprinkled on. Miller begs to use some of his pesos here! I know we'll eventually relent.

Another fun thing that happened last week was eating out in Reynosa. We've eaten a dozen times in various restaurants in the city, but we've always had Betsy or Randall or both to do the ordering or at least to tell us what is on the menu. This particular day, however, was just the Boyles!! Randall had told us about a good gordita shop and we had not been yet so we headed over to Dona Tota. I got a little panicky when we stepped up to the counter and I didn't recognize any of the items listed on the menu. Couple that with the fact that we can't even say "What is ...?". It was a strange feeling, to say the least. We were just about to order two combos we saw listed on the wall. We were banking on the odds that since the combo consisted of several different items surely there would be at least one we would like. But, just in the nick of time, a picture! I glanced right and saw another combo with pictures showing the different items included. Jackpot! Just point and say "Dos" ! We were so proud of ourselves and we LOVED the food! Bonus!

We are having so much fun and we are so thankful for these little experiences God gives us to learn a whole new culture. I'm studying my Spanish voraciously now because I want so badly to communicate better with the children and the house parents. Please pray for all of us that we will be able to pick up the language quickly. Our trailer has made it through the initial inspection by the customs broker and now we are waiting for Mexican customs to give it the green light. This Friday will be 5 weeks since we left NC! We just laugh at how God had a whole different plan for these 5 weeks than we did. Thankfully His grace has been more than sufficient and He has blessed us with the patience we need. We definitely know that He has reasons for this delay and we trust Him.

Thanks so much for your comments and your emails. We love to hear from everyone and we miss you all. Please continue to lift us up in prayer and we will all of you.

Looking to Him,

The Boyles