small and simple and focused

This is the first time ever that our little retreat center across the border has had internet enough to blog!  We are back at El Morro, having safely made it through market day at the border Monday, and are here until Thursday!

El Morro has been such a quiet place the last few years, just 3 1/2 hours from home (including an hour chaos at the border).  There's never anyone else here, you can walk to the beach, the 6 little bungalows are within shouting distance to the restaurant and pool, and the people who run it, despite our fun language adventures, are lovely.

It's plain and simple and good, and you just can breath for a few days, and someone else will cook for you.  

Unfortunately, the same day we arrived Matt and Nora came down with fevers, then Matt and Lily spent our first night throwing up, pretty much all night.  Clearly, we came with an illness we didn't know we were coming with.  Today Lily was a lot better and just stayed away from food, but Matt spend most of the day in bed (or wishing very much so that he was in bed.) 

I was fighting some bitter disappoint last night, but the reality is, he was going to be sick right now wherever we were, and so I'm thankful that we're away, that he CAN rest, that I can play with the girls away from home, and that He knows and cares and can.  (Yes, we know Matt seems to be getting sick a lot lately...he has an appointment with an infectious disease doctor next week...thank you for all those prayers!)

So we hiked down to the beach this morning with the Heckman's while Matt rested and read...they are way more adventure vacation people like the girls and I am, so it's all working out :)

I love love this precious time with the girls...NOT doing school, not rushing off to school, not while cooking and folding laundry together.  They are precious and spending this extra away time with them always helps us get to know them even better.

The beach is different every year, and this year it was all polished varieties of rocks, making beautiful sounds as the waves pulled them all down.  

I always feel so small here...a pebble surrounded by His beauty and might...always such a good step-away perspective.

Lily is ever the adventurer, even after being sick all night...

While I had really been looking forward to some good Matt time, I AM so thankful for this good time NOT working with Emily, Phil and Haylie, and for this precious time with these three girls, who keep me SO tired and SO grateful.

If you're looking for something to read with your kids this week, these six readings from Jesus' last week have been SO good, informative and relatable, leading to some great conversations and good prayer time...even on my own.

Thankful for a few quick days after a VERY busy season and leading into a VERY busy season to be small and simple and focused.