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Prayer

Months have gone by... no papers.
Not yet.
I'm trying not to give up hope.
Please continue to pray for us.

I am currently sick and have a headache. So please forgive me for not writing more.

Not Knowing

Something struck me today, thinking about my husband's paperwork.
Even though been it's difficult waiting, I have this peace. A peace that fills my thinking so I won't worry.
At the beginning of this long process, I prayed to be strengthened but through peace. I didn't want to be freaking out all the time about the timing and the fact that my life is pretty much in the air until the papers land. Thankfully my prayers were answered and I have been more in peace these past few weeks than I could have ever hoped for.
What's funny, is that people around me are the complete opposite.
While visiting my hometown, it was something I heard at least once from everyone. The same from everyone too. They went on about the government and their system. About how 'they couldn't believe that it was so difficult for the people who wanted things done legally but so easy for the illegals to live there.' Even though most of it was true, I just wanted to turn around and leave when most people opened their mouths. More complaints were shot out verbally than I alone have had mentally. In my mind it seemed so childish for the others to complain about something so personal to me; I just made me think a lot.
Yes, it is hard not knowing when. There are so many things that can't be planned, so many "unknowns." If any of you know me personally, you would understand how difficult this would have been for me. I prefer everything in my life planned out, with detail and color. I don't like surprises and I usually need to know what's happening next. For now, everything is cloudy and I'm not sure what to do. But I have learned that He does know and that He sees what's coming up next. I've learned that He just wants me to trust Him to make everything alright.
Thankfully God has given me the patience and His amazing peace so that I can go through each day thanking Him. That's all.

Thank.

Him.

Thankfully Time Flies

Last month my grandmother had surgery. It went well but was followed by sickness. There was a second surgery that was suppposed to happen at the beginning of October but, because of the sickness afterwards, my grandmother cancelled. Before we knew it was canceled, my family booked flights to go see her. With her sick and in the hospital, she would need additional care and so would my grandpa. Even after we heard the news of the cancelation, we just figured that the surprise (we had no intention of telling them) would help her with the healing process.
Well the beginning of October came and off we went to visit.
Thankfully the few people who knew that we would be coming didn't spill the beans this time and we were able to surprise a handful of people! A good friend of the family and her entire family were shocked to see me. My grandparents were the most shocked out of anyone. Well, they were the only ones to cry...
It's great knowing that there are still a few people who value us and enjoy seeing our faces when we visit.

Unfortunately, my husband isn't able to cross into the U.S. yet. We are set in crossing the "right" and legal way, so we must hold our horses! But let me tell you, it was more difficult than I imagined to leave him home alone.
When I made plans to come, I didn't think to much about it. I prayed and I knew that it might be the last time that I would see some of my family for a long while, so I just trusted and booked the flight. Having to be apart from my husband didn't cross my mind as "going to be difficult" because I knew he'd be waiting for me and that the trip was just over a week. But it has! It's been rough sleeping without him and even having to share a bed with my sister again! Eating with a bunch of familiar faces, just not his. Things like that, make me miss him that much more! I know that people say it's because we're newlyweds and that I'll think differently in the future. But I hope I never do. I love waking up to his face. I love that we pray together at night before we doze off. I love to try to impress him with my cooking. It's something I never want to be without! Him.

Keep Praying

Sunday night an email arrived from a friend. She told me that a letter came for me.
I sat for a minute and tried to think of what could have been sent to her house. A letter? The only people that have that address are my aunt and I did use that address to fill out paperwork. But I couldn't imagine that my aunt would send a letter... I mean she has my PO Box. Did she use UPS to send a letter?
Thankfully it wasn't what I thought. It was a letter about my husband's paperwork. It wasn't a real important letter, but it has shown us that God is with us and is just having us be patient.
So, to those of you who are praying, thank you! Keep praying!

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the Cow

Years ago my mother-in-law acquired a cow. This cow became pregnant. And so, my mother-in-law said that after the calf was born and had grown enough, she would sell it for her son who got married first.

Now that papers are being filled out and sent in, money has been greatly needed. My husband and I gave up leaving alone and moved in with my parents in order to save money. Even though we weren't renting any more, we were still trying struggling with the idea of paying hundreds of dollars for paperwork. Until...

One day my husband and I were making dinner, when the phone rang. It was my father-in-law. He sounded terrible, only asking where we were and telling us to come to their house. Our thoughts immediately sided with the worse possible scenarios. Was his mom alright? Did something happen with his brother?
So as soon as we hung up the phone, we raced to my in-laws' house. When we got there, it was definitely a surprise!

The cow had sold and they were giving us the money to help with paperwork! Not only would it help, but it would pay for all of the forms put together!

This only goes to show yet another example of how God knows the end result, not us. And if we follow His path, he will give the solutions.

Paperwork Prayer

After filling out many forms and paying a slightly giant amount of money, the paperwork is being sent.
Tomorrow is the day. All the forms, evidence, and of course cash, will be sent off! We have been working and researching for months now, trying to find the easiest and cheapest way to get my husband over the border legally.
Thankfully since he is my husband, he won't be including in the lottery system and will for sure be getting is residency. This can be a difficult process and sometimes lengthy one. Hopefully not though.
To those who are reading, please keep us in your prayers that all goes easy and speedy! We are hoping and praying that we'll be moved out and ready to move in to the new house by December.
Blessings to all!
Thank you for your prayers.

Date Night

When my husband and I had our premarital counseling, we were taught the importance of date night. No matter what we had been going through, we had to set time aside for date night.
It's easy at the beginning, or at least it was for us. It still is, only now we're started to get a lot more busy.
So we pick at least one night a week that we're going to do something fun, just the two of us.
One night we had been painting all day so we ordered a pizza and had a picnic in the living and we rented a movie. Another night we just went for a walk around the neighborhood.

Spending time together just talking, trying to focus on nothing else, can be amazing.
I am so happy that neither of us has forgotten date night.

So tonight is the night! DATE NIGHT!
We're driving out to where there are no lights, bringing along some blankets and watching the meteor shower!
Tonight shall be grand!

Define Family

Lately, my husband and I have been going through some extremely difficult family situations. Right now, especially. And so a few nights ago we were talking about family. About what really defines family and how we, as a couple know who to consider family.

Curiously, I looked up the "real" meaning of the word.
Dictionary.com defines family in many ways. Some of the definitions were obvious and exactly how someone pictures the word "family." It's like in children's storybooks about the mommy and daddy with their kids. They also include any blood relative such as any of the parent's siblings or Nana and Papa. But that's not what I meant. I didn't mean "relatives," I meant "family."
The more unusal definitions were those describing the Mafia "family" or the classification of plants and animals. But still, not quite what I was looking for. So, after reading on, I finally came across part of a definition and decided to add to it.

In my opinion, family should be a group of people who love, care for and support each other. It's a group of people who aren't necessarily blood relatives but are people who share the same attitudes, interests, and/or goals.

So, who is part of your family?

In the midst of all that my husband and I have gone through, separately and together as a couple, there have always been those few faces that always made us feel better. They are the people who are with you through the good and the bad. They are the ones you can rely on. And they know the real you.

So, we want to thank you. All of our family who has been there for us. Who has cheered us up when we were feeling blue and to all of you who have kept faith with us. Christ will surely bless all of your lives for all that you have done for us. We could never thank you enough!


To any one else reading this, please pray. Pray for our family and our relatives.

How We Met...

Last spring I ended a terrible relationship and swore off any type of relationship until I had finished at least one year of school. Like anyone else that comes out of a nasty situation, I craved the need for extreme change. I started making plans and even acting on some. But I mistakenly spent less time in prayer about these decisions and in turn God has His way with things.
Within the next two months I had a great visit with a friend from Minnesota. We had long talks, and one especially, that stands out in my mind. We were sitting in my room at my parent's house talking about the plans I wanted to make. I told her all about how and why I wanted the next relationship to be all in God's hands. I also expressed how I wouldn't even think of getting married until after I was 21.

That same week my friend was here, we "hosted" a kid's camp. A group from Minnesota came down and worked with about 8 different churches in order to put on this week long camp. One of the many churches that helped, was a church located near my house that I had never seen. Nor had I met any of the members before.

That week my job was Snacks! I and a few other "girls", but they were all people I knew. I never really had the chance to get to know the people from the new church. But I did get to watch some of them. One in particular was a guy from there. He was a leader of the smallest children. Every time I saw him, he was dancing aroudn with the kids, and he always had their attention. I love kids and I've always had a heart for teaching Sunday school so this caught my attention. Little by little I heard about things this guy and his brothers were doing at the camp. They had servant's hearts and would do anything to help. They were a blessing. All three of them, along with the people from their church.

I remember telling my mom at the end of the week that I wished God would give me a husband like one of the brothers. That I wanted someone with a heart like theirs, that wanted to serve God. My mom responded in a way I never expected saying, "Yeah, how about the older brother! He's cute!" I remember laughing and telling her that I preferred the younger of the two that worked with us. This was all joking, mind you.
Soon after I found out that my dad told my mom that he hoped that God would bless his daughters with men like the brothers. (What?) Was I really hearing all this? I had never heard my parents talk this way and it shocked me.

The week after the camp, my parents and I traveled to southern Mexico for a missionary conference. Not long after arriving at the resort, I received a text message from what appeared to be a friend's cell phone. Wrong! It was one of the brothers. Nothing weird, just saying hi. To me though, it was again - shocking.
As the week went on, the texting continued. Even while sleeping, I kept the phone at my side.
It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
And from there, other feelings began.

Even though little time passed, I knew something was different. This guy prayed for me. We only spent time with family. We shared the same spiritual beliefs. This was all very new.

After a short while, he asked my parents if we could start dating. So as of August 2nd, 2009, we were "novios." After a month had passed, he left to work in another state. We were 11 hours apart. For the 3 months that followed, we communicated by phone, email and thankfully skype with video! It was terribly difficult, but we kept God in the middle of everything. I don't believe 12 hours passes where I hadn't prayed for him at least once or twice. He meant so much to me.

A few days before Christmas, he came home for two weeks. He was different. But I wasn't sure how. Something just didn't seem right.
The day before Christmas we went for a walk in the park and he told me he needed to talk to me. He sat at one of the tables and starting to sing and then said,

"Sarah, I don't want you to be my girlfriend anymore."

(What?) A million thoughts started to fly through my mind. (Why had I waited for a guy who would do this.) (I knew I should have waited.) (I told you God!) (WHY?)

"....Sarah.... I want you to be my wife."

(What?) (Are you serious?)

From the beginning, I had been praying about the seriousness of our relationship. So, I just stepped back and let God handle it.

'Yes!!!!'


We soon picked a date and started planning.
On April 14th, we were legally married!
And well the rest is still in the works.


Many of you had asked how we met and I either never responded or I gave you a short answer.
As you can see, God had a plan. A pretty good one... And all I had to do was ask Him what steps to take.
We can't expect to live a life without problems, without struggles. But God knows how to help us, and He will solve all our problems.

I can only thank Him now. He took my "plans" and changed them ALL! He gave me everything I ever dreamed of in the form of one person. He gave me a husband that thankfully puts God first and me second. I can't ask for more than that.

Here I am again. Sitting in bed thinking of something to tell you.

There are many cultural differences outside our newly formed family. Many of the people around us think and act the way they do because that's the way the culture and society has formed them to be. So naturally the people around us had many conceptions or outlooks on or about the outsider. Many even created scenarios about why we would even think of getting married to one another. To many it seemed ridiculous that either one of us would choose to marry someone from a different culture.

The subject of racism has always made me gag. I grew up around it. Sadly enough. But after moving to Guatemala, I excitedly thought that I had finally escaped this narrow-mindedness. And I had, temporarily. Then came the move to Mexico. Sadly I was welcomed into a country where many people think the complete opposite of the people I knew from the U.S.
In the beginning, no one said anything. Not a word. Not until marriage in the air.

Why does racism exist? It serves no purpose. It benefits neither party. It's pointless.
If you don't understand something, why mock it or make jokes about it?

Well here we go again. My hubby, God and I, proving you all wrong again. We're making it. With HIM in the middle of our everything.

Our decisions.
Our sadness.
Our joy.
Our prayer.

Us.

We are nothing without Him and refuse to try.

So just because statistics say we'll fail. Just because the world fails without Him. Doesn't mean we will.

God Shows Up The World

Here we go - blog number two.
I've been bouncing ideas around in my head about what I should write. Should I write about us before marriage, after marriage, or maybe us from the beginning?
But I think that there's something that stands out to both of us, something that we will always remember and they are the people's reactions when we "announced" that we were getting married. I remember being so excited but not sure about how some people would react.
We were happily shocked when people were unexpectedly happy for us! But we were greatly hurt by the unexpected criticism and the questioning of "why?"

After the engagement, I took a trip North with my parents so they could visit family and friends. On this trip I, personally, was "counciled" by so many people who thought that they had the right to give their opinion. If it's possible to be beaten with words, I was definately stoned.
Supposedly these opinions and questions were out of love and were thrown at me like rocks, only for my well being. Maybe these people thought they could guide me just like when parents punish or scold their children - they do it out of love. But in my case, it was and still is hard to believe that all of the comments came from love.

Knowing how most family members and even some friends might react, I was prepared to answer their many, hurtful questions. But then people I didn't even know, people who were only acquaintances to me, thought they had the right to guide me through life without even knowing me. Some were almost quizzing me on why I thought I was old enough, wise enough or mature enough to be getting married!

Well after months of being ambushed, after months of praying hard and just trusting God, we got married. It wasn't too long ago that we were pronounced husband and wife, but I know for a fact that every negative, supposedly "guiding" word was wrong. I know I made the right decision. I know that I'm doing what God wants me to be doing and he has already blessed me more than I could have ever hoped for. My husband is the most amazing man, even better than the one I had dreamt about as a little girl.
So, that only goes to show that God is in control, [thankfully!] and not the world.

Our Name

What is our name all about? Well, it's not a long interesting story about how we came to be chocolate milk makers... (if there is such a thing?)
When my husband and I started dating, we got hand fulls of racial comments (some pertaining to our different skin tones). I have white skin and my husband has very dark brown skin.
We were called the "Oreo couple," "Duvalin," and various other nicknames. Even though most of this came at us in a negative way, my favorite has been "chocolate milk makers!" This meaning that our children would be a mixture of our two skin tones. It was, in my opinion, the least hurtful or judgemental of them all.
So maybe we will take something scrumptious like chocolate and something healthy like milk and make ourselves a little "chocolate milk!"

This is where we'd like to share with our friends and family about what it's really like to a live a multi-cultural life and be apart of a multi-racial family.