gloriously ruined

In 2006, like many college students, I spent spring break in Mexico.

However, my spring break was a little different.
I spent the week as an intern for Amor Ministries, building houses and hanging out at orphanages. And not showering for seven days straight, which is evident:And I fell in love. I had been to Mexico several times before to work with Amor, and God had given me vision after vision of what it would be like to live in a place of poverty and run a school/orphanage. When we got to the orphanage, I saw all of dreams played out before my eyes. I am still unsure of what this means. I do know that the trip gloriously ruined me.

I have had a heart for orphans and adopting my whole life. There is something so incredible about people who choose to love children that they did not give birth to, ones that they have no obligation to. I have a friend named Heather who became a foster parent in her early twenties. She is a single mom, and is now in the process of adopting her son "Nemo. "
And it fills my soul with joy and makes my heart beat a million times a minute anytime I hear an adoption story.

I think about adoption all the time, and I long for the day when my home can look like this woman's:

They have three biological children, five adopted children (under the age of 5), and a "son" from Ethiopia who was too old to be adopted, whom they are currently trying to bring to live with them as an exchange student. They are not rich, but they are faithful, and it shows.

My prayer is that someday we will be able to open our home and hearts to orphans. Omar and I are not on the same page with this, but I am confident that God will change his heart. Because in the bible, we are commanded to love people, all people, especially orphans.

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress. James 1:27

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families. Psalms 68:5-6

Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. Isaiah 1:17

Because, when it comes down to it, aren't we all orphans anyway? I am a prodigal daughter, who was wayward and lonely, fatherless and hopeless, who knows little of the world except that I have been adopted by the God of the universe.

His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave Him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:5

Irish twins and other strange and mysterious things

I watched the Matrix movies with Omar the other day. I am clearly from another planet, and I had never seen them all the way through before. Gasp! I enjoyed the symbolism and hated the ending.

There is a line in the movie that stuck out to me, and it was not one of the most catchy lines. It is the line where Trinity says, "Neo, no one has ever done anything like this."

In a world with 6 billion something humans in it, thousands of years into human civilization, it is hard to be unique or original. Its hard to say things or do things that haven't been done before. It often makes me feel very small. However, there are several things about my life and my family that are very unique, the last one, in particular, that may be unmatched in all of humanity:

My sister. My mom was told by many doctors that she would never be able to have children. At age 47, defying many odds, my mom gave birth to my only sibling 11.5 years after she had me:

Europe and Australia. Apparently its weird for an 18 year old girl to wander around Europe by herself for two months with very little money? Like, upon hearing this, people freak out and tell me im really cool or really stupid (usually stupid). Apparently, its equally as weird to then go to Australia for a month with a random guy you met in a train station in Amsterdam.

Last, but not least, my husband. Actually, my husband and our family. Omar is an Irish Twin, which is a slang word (i could not find the medical term, but im sure there is one) for two siblings who are born 9-12 months apart, making them the same age for a period of time, which, for them, falls between January 8th and February 15th. They also happen to have the same name.

exhibit a:

Omar Garcia- currently age 24 and Omar Garcia- currently age 24

Here is the kicker, after my Omar and I had been engaged for a few months, his brother, Omar, brought home the love of his life, his current girlfriend of two years, Alli. 24 year old brothers named Omar, and their significant others named Alli(e).

Weird.

favorites

this weekend we went to Bakersfield, California. it was absolutely exhilarating, as you can imagine.

but really, it was fun. it made for some good conversation and the boys bonded over calling each other gay and talking about farting. Omar's band, Summit Grove, keeps getting better and better, and they respond so well to the overpowering, unconditional, absolute devotion of 13 year old girls who approach them, 32 at once, asking them to please sign their poster, shirt, shoe, cell phone, face, soul. but seriously, its really fun to watch them interact. and then watch the same girls ask me for my autograph, because "you're omar's wife, and I hope im just like you when I get older." and my heart turns to mush. i dont blame them...not for wanting to be like me, but for recognizing that being Omar's wife is an honor and i am damn lucky. and because being his wife gets you conversations like these:

(sunday, january eleventh, 2:30-something a.m. after a ridiculous "discussion" because we were both tired and delirious and i cant fall asleep until all is right in the world so i forced him to stay up and argue with me)

(him) and it really bothers me when you say that everything is your favorite.

(me) everything is my favorite.

but thats really annoying. how can everything be your favorite?

well, sushi is my favorite food to eat on a daily basis. but escargot is my favorite food that i never get to eat. and you like steak and lobster and those are two different things and they are both your favorite.

but youre my favorite person. just you. thats it. my only favorite.

(heart= mush puddle) good night babas.

good night babas.


deep down i think im kind of insecure about our love. we both are. we have both been let down by so many people that we havent learned to trust eachother fully yet, which is something i know that takes time. which is why, sometimes, i push him until he declares in his own words that even though im a total pain in the ass most of the time, he thinks im the greatest thing in the world. because even though we see eachothers hearts, all the good and all the bad, we are learning to see eachother as the gifts that we are- and its a journey. but the bottom line is, there is absolutely no other person that i would rather learn how to be married with.

and, just for omars sanity, my favorites, carefully thought out and stable and true:

Number- don't have one. i hate numbers.
Color- pink. always has been, always will be. but i never wear it and would not want to decorate my house in it. i just like it when it comes to slurpee straws and remnants of my childhood.
Holiday- Christmas. it used to be fourth of july, but only because i really like fireworks. ive realized that fireworks exist outside of fourth of july and i feel free.
Month- december. coats, lights, hugs, and they sell peppermint everything.
Song- this is the complicated one, because everything really is my favorite song. this is the one that drives omar insane, and probably triggered The Great Favorite Debate. how can anyone have a favorite song??? but for arguments sake, all you need is love- by the beatles.
Food- sushi.
Game- super mario kart - battle version.
Drink- chai tea frappucino at starbucks.
Candy- peanutbutter m&ms
Ice Cream- frozen yogurt-at uswirl.
Season- summer
Band- The Beatles. hands down.
Movie- Garden State. this one is just like the songs though. close seconds are beauty and the beast and i am sam. but you can only have one favorite.
Animal- anything that isnt a pet. i think i like elephants.
Item of Clothing- boots. all of them.
Word- altruism
Place- San Sebastian, Spain
Person- Omar.