A divided heart but content spirit

Well we just finished a whirlwind visit from my dear sister Amy and my nephew Rylan. They came in on Friday morning and left this morning early. The sis and I tend to roll like that...we keep the visits short. Quality over quantity...plus she has 9 days of school left and I have like 14 parties to plan and fun students to hang out with.

Anyway about our time together...

Rylan is just under 2 and enjoyed very much the activities that we did. My sister is just a little bit prego so we didn't run them too ragged...

Along with their beautiful faces, Amy brought us some "happies". This means little treasures from the United States of America. One of those items was a devotional book called "Jesus Calling" in English and Spanish for us both to enjoy. So I was reading it a little bit when she was here. I am on January 3 even though we are almost to June. 

Part of the devotional says, "Keep your eyes open and your mind wide open to all that I am doing in your life". "I" meaning Jesus. I typically am pretty aware that Jesus desires to change and free me from my life but it's sometimes easy to fall into a complaining spirit.

The hubs and I dropped off the Kring's at the airport this morning. After much debacle with Aeromexico we parted ways sobbing as usual. It hurts so bad to say goodbye to them...I mean the ugly cries just come out of us. As I was walking to find a cab, I started to complain to Jesus about how my heart feels so divided sometimes (and maybe to Gabo too...). How come some of my favorite people live in different countries? And how come I have to like them so much?

And I thought back to days when my sister and I weren't so close...really when I drove her batty in high school and I thanked God for a restored relationship and a sister to love and laugh with me from a distance and someone who is willing to get her 6 month pregnant self with her 2 year old on a plane to come and visit me (and our husbands that go along with our plans too!). 

God is doing many a things in my life. He is longing to give me a thankful and content spirit. A happy heart. He wants me to reminded of great relationships and he wants me to know myself better. 

On life and blogs...and a couple of rings.

Lately, I have come across some funny blogs. I mean I am laughing out loud here at my desk in Mexico. And I personally think that I am funny and have funny experiences in my life. I want to make more of an effort to be more proactive in letting you in on my life well our life here in Mexico. 

Let me be real with you and let you into my life a little bit.

First off, on April 20, 2010, Gabo gave me an engagement ring. Our engagement story is not the traditional story of a boy down on one knee and a girl completely surprised. Gabo and I well we sometimes do things different. And personally, the whole process between about December 28, 2009 and just about June 3, 2010 was testing of faith and the assurance of marriage for us = not the most enjoyable time of Emily's life. Gabo and I talked with my parents before we came back from Christmas and began shortly after that planning a wedding. On April 20, we went to our favorite park after a week of hard conversations, he gave me a ring. It is beautiful and I loved it and I still do. When he put it on my finger, I was completely happy and content. See picture below. :)

He mentioned to me at that time that because of our financial situation at the time, it was a smaller than he wanted. And he said to me that his intention was to upgrade later. Now ladies all of us like beautiful things but I have never been a fan of the "upgrade mentality" and I certainly wasn't going to hope for something when I am happy. 

So we got married on June 19 and we had a great time at the wedding. 

And we have had a great first year of marriage. I have learned a lot and well Gabo has almost lost his ring twice... but we've still got them. 

I think jewelry is a funny thing. Girls wait for this ring for their whole lives. And they think that somehow it signifies that if they have a bigger diamond that they have a worth higher or that their soon-to-be-husband will maybe want this whole marriage thing to work. But I have never done a statistical study seeing how much a man has paid for the engagement ring in contrast to how long a marriage lasts. I just wanted something on that left finger, a ring pop, even to just tell the world that Emily is officially off the market. 


So on Tuesday, the hubs called me and asked to take me to dinner at one of our favorite Italian restaurants. We are a missionary and a musician so I questioned how this man was going to invite me there. But I trust him and accepted the date. To make a long story short, the love of my life has been sneaking around and saving his pesos and bought the upgrade. I had NO idea. 

I am surprised. I am grateful for a man that wants his woman to feel like a princess. My mom jokes that it must me a nice life to have a new ring every anniversary. I assured her that this beauty is the last one. 


Rings are rings. Love is love. And I am grateful for the way that God is faithful and good to me.