Moments of Car Trouble.

I am staying with Karen and Ruby for the next couple of weeks. 

Every year for the quite a few years I house sit/dog sit/ hang out with Karen, while my aunt and uncle are out of town. We always have a good time :) It's fun to spend time with her. 

So, today, Kyler showed up without his car. It was parked down the road, not working. Of course this happened when the mechanic of the family is out of town :) I am used to cars that don't start, so we decided to take my car down, and try to jump start it. 

Hooking up the cables 

Karen taking after her dad!

Please start, please start!!!!!!

Very sad that jump starting did not work. Guess we will have to tow it, and wait for Ray to get home to fix it! Sorry Kyler! Now, let's hope my car does not catch whatever it is. One car down is enough.

Moments in Spanish

I was on Skype today, and my dad's cousin, Martha, who lives in Colombia got on. I will be living with her for 3 months starting in mid April when I go down there. I am usually scared to chat with her on Skype because I am afraid of using my Spanish with her, and not understanding what she is saying. Well, when I saw her on Skype, I decided to tough it up and talk with her. After all, we are going to be living together for 3 months! I am SO glad that I did. It was a wonderful conversation. I understood almost everything she said. She told me that she was speaking slow for me :)

I am going to Colombia for many reasons. To get to know my dad's family, to improve my Spanish, to volunteer with children and to discover the Latina part of me that I know is there. It is going to be unlike any experience I have ever had. One reason I have been blogging more is to get into the habit of it, so when I am down there I can share my adventures.

I thought I had better add a picture :) My last few posts have been just words! This is a picture of one of my families homes in the country in Colombia. I can't wait to be there in person!

These are the apartments where  my cousin lives, and also my great aunt and uncle. I will post much much more when I am actually there!

Moments in the Community

 As some of you might know, I don't currently have a job. My job ended in December because it would not work with my Winter school schedule. So, even though I don't have a job, I am managing to keep myself very busy! I have a full load of classes at school. I am taking: Conversation Spanish; Spanish; Health and Fitness for Life; and Chicano/Latino Studies. For the most part the classes are great :)


When I am not in school I have 3 different volunteer gigs that I do each week. On Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday I volunteer at Barnes Elementary in the morning. It is a 2nd grade class with 25 wonderful children. The class is taught in Spanish, so that is fun way for me to practice my Spanish! My job there is to just do what the teacher tells me :) I have a few core kids that I help the most. I love the kids, they are so loving and welcoming to me. 


My other volunteer job is through PCC. I touter English to a lady from Mexico 1 day a week. I started working with her in June. We meet 2 days a week until January because I only have time for 1 day now. It has been so much fun getting to know her and her family. I go to their home Thursday evenings and usually end up staying for 3 or more hours, depending on how chatty we are :)   It has been great seeing her English improve over the months. 


My third volunteer job is at a church just down the street from me. The program is called Sunset ESL. Every Saturday there are classes to teach English to adults, and an the same time classes for their children. I am in the Kindergarten-2nd grade class. I started doing this in the beginning of September as an assistant. The teacher from last term is no longer with us, so I have taken a more active role in the classroom. I am in charge of the lesson planning for the 3 hours that the kids are there. It is a lot of fun. There are a few kids in the class who are also in my class at Barnes. 


So, as you can see, I manage to keep myself pretty busy without a 'real' job at this point. I love working with the community, and getting to know the kids. It's fun when I am out and about and run into one of them. They get a big smile on their face :)


My goal in school is to get a 2 year degree focusing on being in an ESL classroom. So all the volunteering I am doing focus on what I want to do when I am done with school.
I will be needing to get a paying job at some point, but in the mean time I am enjoying what I am doing. I won't be getting a job until I come back from my 3 month trip to Colombia. That would be a whole other post :)

Moments of Writing

I have decided to start writing more poetry again. I know most people don't know that I like to write, but I do. :) I don't usually share much of it because it's personal, but I came across one of my poems again that I feel I can share.

                     Butterfly                                               

 By Melina Sanchez June, 2006

With a colorful countenance for all to see

She is unaware of her own beauty

Quietly gliding thru the air

Flying lightly, without a care

Softly landing from flower to flower

So delicate, not knowing her own power

She helps bring life to the earth

By her gentile work, the soil gives birth

The trees bear fruit, the flowers blossom

She helps us see, our Creator is Awesome

He can do to us what we see in her

Change and transform us from what we were

He wraps us tightly in His grace

The solitude and quiet we embrace

An unseen work is being done

Something so different then how we begun

Made beautiful by the touch of His hand

A work is done, our hearts expand

When the Lord touches our soul

Giving Him full control

We too can be as the butterfly

Flying freely thru the sky

Moments with Cousins

I always love getting together with the cousins! We decided to have a last minute game night the other night. We shared some good laughs over a silly game :) Thanks Nate and Deana for opening your home to us! 

Kyler winning the game....or not..... ;)

Andi and Nick having fun!

Ellie likes to be a part of the games we play

Isaiah of course wanted to play too!

Birthday Moments

I'm Thirty!!

Wow, it's so hard to believe that I am 30! Turning 30 has been a wonderful experience. So many people have made me feel good about it, and I see it as an open door to whatever God has in store for me! I think I feel better now then I have in years past. I am taking care of every aspect of my health:physical, emotional, spiritual, and social. It's a daily work, but has been so worth it!

The other day I was looking at my life, and I see all the privileged I have had, and continue to have. I have a wonderful, loving family; friends who really care about me; the privilege of being able to travel, I have seen a lot of the USA, and plan on taking my travels out of country; a childhood and now adulthood filled with family gatherings, and camping trips, and just time together outside of organized get to gethers; the privilege of going to meetings and knowing God as a Father, and the list really goes on. I may not have much money, but that does not tell the worth of a my life!

So, a HUGE thanks to everyone in my life. You all have helped make me who I am, and continue to be a huge encouragement to me in my new decade! 

A portion dedicated to a life long friend Lynnette. I have loved living with you, and am sorry that it's coming to an end. Who knows what great things are in store next!! :)

Moments of Goodbye

My Papa, Marvin Ames, completed his journey in this life on October 7th, 2010. It was very special for my immediate family and me to be with him as his heart took it's last beat. 

I have so many wonderful memories of my Papa. He taught me how to play cribbage, and it became our game to play when ever I saw him. There were many summers that I spent at their house where we would visit the Peterson Rock Gardens, go feed the ducks, ride in go-carts, day trips to the lake, and many many more things. I will miss him, but am glad that I have all these years of memories.

After he died we were trying to find a little poem to add to the memorial program. As we where searching I felt an ache in my heart, and knew that I had to write it for myself. So I will share what I wrote. 

A Husband, Dad, and Papa

 forever in our heart

Gone on to Eternity

 has lived his life and done his part

As we think of what he meant to us

 through all of the years

Our lips are made to smile

 while our eyes are filled with tears

His memory lives on through

 the ones left behind

And we are thankful for each other

 where comfort we can find.

Good bye dear one

 we will never forget your love

You life and influence lives on

 as you rest in peace above.