Thanksgiving

We have made Thanksgiving a tradition here at CASA with the kids. Starting our first year here Jen and I got things together to have a small meal with the kids. We were by far cooks but we manged and got a meal together. Now Marc involves many in our CASA thanksgiving celebration. Terri does a great  job at cooking. She is the expert!!! 

The kids love every minute of it! They love getting to choose what goes on their plates and most of all filling their plates with lots of sweets!

We have so much to be thankful for. I am thankful for the blessing to be here at CASA and ministering and loving on these kids! May God continue to bless this CASA.

 Daniela and Antonio making no bakes

 Jackson mixing the pudding

Cindy getting the bananas cuteup and layering the cookies in the pan

 Elvia, Jackson, Sisi cutting up celery and onions for the cornbread and shredding cheese for the Macaroni.

 Potato peeling crew

The kids look forward to Thanksgiving every year. They love getting to help and being part of this special day. So many happy helpers and I know that there is a lots of memories being made too.

happy 1st birthday

 Olman dug right into his cake and Josue was not too sure what to do. I think they both enjoyed their cake although Olman was ready for more when his was all gone.

Happy 1st birthday Josue and Olman

The birthday boys, Josue and Olman

exams

The kids are finishing up the school year. They are in their last weeks of school right now. They were in exams all last week and this week they are finishing up a few exams. It won't be long until their summer break. There last day of school is suppose to be November 30th and then their end of the year school party December 3rd. Sixth grade graduation for Antonio is December 8th.
I guess I better start planning and getting things ready for the kids summer break. Always a task to keep this many kids busy.

Hooray for Josue

Josue is developing and coming right along but in his own timing. We worry about him as he does not do everything that a 12 month old should. He is struggling to sit up still on his own and he is not even ready to stand up yet. We are pushing the staff to give him more floor time and not so much time in the stroller or bed.
Although he finally crawled for the first time the other day. The staff is trying to give him more time on the floor to play as that is very important for him. He is a few weeks short of being a 12 months old. He is getting physical therapy classes at Teleton and the staff have to work with him daily with different movements.

tortillas

 The kids all know that soon that they will all have to make tortillas. Some are excited while others could care less if they learn to make them and others are dreading it because it might add more work to their already chores they have to do. Everyday we will have a schedule dividing up the chores for tortillas. Someone will have to go cut firewood, cook the corn kernels, take the corn to be ground, and then make the tortillas.
We got some corn that the school send home this week with the kids. So we cooked the corn and put lime in it until it was soft. Then the next morning the corn all had to be rinsed off to get the lime off before taken to be ground. Rosy then took the corn to be ground (Dilma one of our staff members takes corn every day to be ground so she was nice enough to let rosy tag along and show her where and how to ground the corn) and hurried back to get to work on making tortillas. Rosy was impatient and did not want to take the time to learn how to make the tortillas. She was good at pressing them with the block and getting them flat and then putting them on the stove to cook. All with time and practice I am sure she will become a pro.
Doris even tired to help. Elvia was very patient and when it was all said and done they had made over 100 tortillas for a couple of days here at Casa.

 Pressing the tortillas

Elvia showing Doris and Rosy how to make tortillas.

Happy 14th Birthday Antonio

Antonio turned 14 this week.

 He and Bryan both just turned 14 in the last couple of months. They are our two oldest boys here at CASA. Praying as they continue to go through their teen years that they are men who seek God and that their hearts are molded to be gentle, kind, and loving.Proud of the young man Antonio is becoming. 

Charlie Brown Christmas

The CASA #2 was suppose to have the Christmas tree this year. I told them we would rotate it between the Casa's every year. Well I decided with Mirian having all of those little ones that a Christmas tree might be enough to make her go crazy. Keeping them out of it would be a hard job.
Well Mirian decided that after we had already put up the Christmas tree in the big house and still wanted one. She had Denis cut her a limb from a pine tree and she stuck in a bucket and decorated it. It is pretty pitiful and not too sure how the tree will hold up til Christmas. Although she is very proud of her Christmas tree.

Reina, Fernando, and Katy ~ 6 years

Fernando 2006

Katy 2006

Reina 2006

Reina, Fernando, and Katy 2012

What progress these kids have made since being with us. To think where they would maybe be if they were not with us. Their mother is very very very poor and not in her right mind. She has a mind like a little child too. 

Reina has learned to write her name, add, subtract, and write. Who would have thought!?!?! With her disabilities I would think she would not be able to do any of this but she has over come those obstacles. She will be turning 13 this coming March. She has turned into quite the young lady.

Fernando is for sure our clown of the house. He is always looking for ways to make others laugh. Whether it is appropriate or not. We have to tune him down every once in a while.

Katy is still our fearless ball of energy. She goes and goes an goes and knows no fear. 

Cindy & Maryuri ~ 6 years

Happy 6 years to my girl Cindy Lou and Maryuri. 

They both had LOTS of anger issues when they first came here. They have came a long way. Still working through all of their issues with them and praying for healing on their little hearts that have been hurt, abused, and broken. God can and will continue to heal their hearts. I praise God for the progress that has been made in their lives. May He continue to make HIS way into their hearts. 

Cindy October 2006

Cindy and Maryuri 2012

Maryuri 2006

Christmas!

It's Christmas time here at Casa. The kids have been counting down the days til November 1st. Well it's here. November 1st came during the week and the kids had homework so I told them that they needed to wait til the weekend. So sure enough the boys climbed up and got all the decorations down today, and many of the kids were busy getting decorations up.
Now for the Christmas music......:)