Yes, each of the six above has been experienced here in Santa Ana. A whirl-wind (remolino, also known as a dust-devil) whipped through our little neighbourhood, slamming doors and throwing a solid layer of dust over everything. (My poor wife!) Then a lightning storm started a forest-fire nearby, which burnt about 4 million hectares of land – 10% of the forest, as we found out. And the forest is about the size of the city of Guadalajara. The smoke from the burning forest then combined with ash from a sputtering volcano Popocatepetl (close to Mexico City) to provide a dense cloud of ash and smoke over the city for several days. And to top it all off, we also had an earthquake! The magnitude was 6.5, and the epicenter was only a couple of hours away in a neighbouring state. Quite something! Picture frames rocked back and forth, the telephone wires shook, and the dishes were rattling. Nothing serious happened, however, for which we’re very thankful. Only in Mexico do all these things happen in less than a month’s time!
But those things have had little effect on our lives compared to the most recent change. I certainly can’t use the words “Natural Disaster” to describe this change, but perhaps “Act of God” would work. Lest I steal the thunder from my wife, I’ll let you read what she has written below. J
“The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” - Psalm 126:3
Our baby girl arrived on Sunday, April 22, at . We were quite sure that her birthday would actually be the day before. But she had decided that Sunday would be a better day to be born. She surprised us with her size. 9 lbs, 10 oz!! No wonder she took 24 hours to make an appearance!
What a gift! We marvel at God’s goodness to us. A healthy little girl, to care for, and love, and teach the ways of our faithful Heavenly Father. She has filled our lives with so much joy already!
We were very well taken care of at the hospital. There were three doctors (1 OB, 1 resident doctor, and a pediatrician) there just for us, waiting for Naomi’s arrival, as well as our amazing doula, Ceci. And yes, Naomi came into the world swimming. We did a water birth. (For anyone considering this, I would definitely recommend it!).
She is named after a very special person, her Grandma vP. Speaking of Grandma vP, we should mention that we have had some very special visitors come. They kept us pretty busy, so that is our excuse for not putting up this post sooner! Mom & Dad van Popta came to visit for two weeks, and we had a wonderful time together.
Naomi has had a busy first three weeks of her life. Especially with Papa & Grandma here. She would like to share some of the hi-lights.
having the Bouts drive all the way from Tepic (3 hours away) to visit the day after my birth
going to the airport to pick up Papa & Grandma. I wasn’t sure why everyone was crying, but they did seem happy to see me.
going downtown Guadalajara for an afternoon. The others seemed to really like it, but I thought it was a little boring. I slept the whole time.
meeting Mommy & Daddy’s classmates and teachers at the language school
going to the outdoor market in town and meeting some of the venders
walking up the big hill behind my house. (Well, Daddy carried me in the super comfy carrier from my vP uncles & aunts. I think I fell asleep).
travelling to the coast and going to the beach for the first time! I didn’t get to go boogie-boarding, but it was fun watching Papa, Daddy, & Mommy try to ride the waves.
The baby shower in Tepic – I got spoiled!
And the biggest hi-light was this past Sunday. Naomi was baptized into the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We made vows to raise our daughter to know her Lord and Saviour to the best of our ability. Pastor Richard baptized Naomi, and my Dad preached with Richard translating. The passage he chose to preach on was our wedding text. And it was even Mother’s Day. A very special day!
My parents left yesterday. It was hard to see them go. As we see the love our parents have for our daughter, we realize in a new and deeper way what it means to live far from our families. Yet, in this, we acknowledge God’s place for us here. His way is best!
And now life will settle into our new normal. I hope to start school again, maybe as soon as next week. Naomi will come along with me (although she doesn’t really need the classes, being a mexicana and all). I have recovered very well, and it sure helps that Naomi has had her days and nights sorted out from Day 4 on. She wakes up to feed, and then goes right back to sleep. So thankful for this! Matt has finished the program at the language school and is keeping very busy writing sermons, meeting with people to converse in Spanish, applying for our Visa, and sorting out Naomi’s paperwork. He also hopes to find a volunteer job to help immerse himself in the language.
