Dolphins galore...

Well, maybe not galore--but more than I normally see in a day's time *grin*

Coming up first today are the dolphins I saw on my last trip to Belize. That was almost a year ago! I really, really would like to go back...especially if I got to see these beauties again (and all the other lovelies I got to swim with--except for that one fish that pooped right in front of me--I don't care to see him again...)

And now for the other dolphin in my life. This one I made for my niece E. 

(The hedgehog from my last post went to niece R)

I just love these designs I've come up with! I know--I'm not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition, and if someone else had done that, my inner grammar nazi would be raging right now! Also, it may be a little iffy to toot my own horn by saying how much I love my own designs. Ha! Oh well! I can't help it. I do love them.

You can purchase the dolphin pattern at my Etsy shop: DesiBlue. I've also added a listing for my sunset-on-water embroidery--the completed item, not the pattern! So pop on over and check everything out.

On other news, I don't make New Year's Resolutions. But I do make some goals sometimes (not every year). This year one of my goals is to learn a new passage of scripture every month. I got this idea from Mandisa's blog (thanks!)

So January (and I know I'm late on posting about this) was 1 Corinthians 13 (NIV). So here goes--from memory!

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, 

I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge,

and I have a faith that can move mountains, 

but do not have love, I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

But where there are prophecies, they will cease; 

where there are tongues, they will be stilled;

where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 

For we see in part and we prophesy in part,

but when completeness comes, what is in part will disappear.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, 

I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; 

then we shall see face to face.

Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain:

faith, hope, and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

February: Ephesians 6: 10-20. Here's what I have committed to memory thus far...

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his might power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes you may be able to stand your ground, and when you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, and the breastplate of righteousness in place,

Not sure which verse I've ended with there. Not even completely positive I haven't left something out. I'm still learning it...so I'll have to go back and check in a bit, but I'm gonna go ahead and put it out there!

What were your goals for the new year?? I'd love to hear some of them! Leave me some comments!!

Thanks for stopping by! (also, I didn't proof read this before I posted it because I'm super tired and just ready to go to bed! So forgive any typos, unintentional grammar mistakes, etc)

You Better Belize It!

Hahaha!!  I just had to put that as the title of this post because it's such a cheesy little phrase--but of course it's everywhere in Belize. Which is where I went on vacation. Or holiday for you Brits reading this ;)

As I said before, my parents live in Belize, just outside of the capitol, and I go down every year for a week plus a couple days. I did not get to go last year, so I have been DYING to get back!!

Having said that, this post will mostly be some pictures. I don't have the snorkeling pics yet, but when I do get them back, I'll be sure to post them.

Enjoy!

These are the boys at the school my parents run in Belize. Those are my parents in the middle--Lyle and Rose.

This is my dad again and Pastor Frankie. Frankie is now the director of the school, and this is the symbolic handing over of the keys. Frankie actually was in the first graduating class of the school back in the 80s. If you haven't visited Global's website from my other post, please take a look here-->GOBVT.

Just some of the loveliness of Belize. The first pic--I have no idea what kind of flower that is, but it grows beside the sidewalk on the way to the dining hall of the school. The hibiscus grows outside my mom's office (and everywhere else--by their house, beside the sidewalks, etc). And the last pic up there is my parents' front yard taken from the porch.

My mom, Rose--standing on the front porch of their house.

A wild papaya tree in the yard. They are also pretty much all over the place.

Some type of tiny orchids growing on the side of a tree by one of the houses on campus. Pretty huh?

Speaking of orchids, below are the black orchids (which I believe are the national flower of Belize) growing on a piece of an old stump at the bottom of the steps up to my parents' porch.

And next are just ONE of the many bunches of bananas that grow around my parents' house. This one is at the back corner just outside of the window of the room in which I stayed...

 

This lovely is the newest addition to the guard dog fleet. Full-bred Rottweiler named Toby. He's 4 months old. I do NOT want to see him full grown!!--he's gonna be HUGE!! Right now though, he mostly can just lick you to death *grin* 

The schoolhouse at GOBVT. Three classrooms, a library (center) that doubles as another classroom, and a computer lab. 

Teak trees that are planted on campus.

Now some pics from San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. The first is the view from our hotel room. *GRIN* Lovely, yes? The second pic is of a local Catholic congregation observing Palm Sunday. You can't see in the picture, but they are carrying palm fronds, headed to the Catholic church just up the road from the hotel.

Dolphins! Spotted as we made our way out to the reef to snorkel. Two here, and 3 or 4 more on the other side of the boat that wouldn't come up for us.

I had a wonderful time and hope that I get to go back at some point. My parents will be moving back to the states in July, so it might be a while...

Hope you enjoyed the pictures! I'd love to hear from you, so please leave your comments below!

And have a very happy Easter, remembering the true reason we have this HOLYday.

Live a life filled with love, 

following the example of CHRIST. 

He loved us and offered himself 

as a SACRIFICE for us, 

a pleasing aroma to God.

 Ephesians 5:2

Vacation!

Well, I went on vacation last week. First time in two years!!  I visited my parents in Belize--they live just outside the capitol of Belmopan. 

Also visited Ambergris Caye again and snorkeled with plenty of fish, rays, and sharks!!

I will be posting pictures soon, hopefully sometime tonight...then it's back to quilt work and trying to find some fabric for those stools I posted about last week!

Thanks for stopping by--come back tonight or tomorrow to see some pics! (snorkeling pics will be a while--took those with some disposable waterproof cameras that I'll have to send off to be developed).

I'm Stuck!! *pout*

Arrrrggggghhhhh!!!!  *pulling hair out*  I'm stuck!!  I've been out of commission for a few days because of inflammation in my back and the associated pain and total stiffness that comes along with said inflammation.

But tonight I finally picked up my quilt top again and started working on the koi's fins. I had what I thought was a wonderful idea. It hasn't turned out so wonderful outside of my brain. So now I have to rip out this embroidery, leaving what seems like GIANT holes in my fabric!! (maybe they won't be GIANT and maybe they'll fall out with some steam).

But for now, I'm completely discouraged :(

So it's back to the drawing board. I have some other ideas (well--one other idea)--maybe that will work better than this one did. I don't have a picture to show you, but let's just say that it looks like my fish has worms. Haha!!  Oh, well...

Ok. I'm finished complaining :)

I hope that your day has gone SO MUCH better than mine!

I'd love for you to check out my parents' website. They are directors of a boys' boarding and vocational school in Belmopan Belize.

The school is Global Outreach Belize Vo-Tech and I hope you'll stop by and look at what all the boys do there. They live at the school for three years, attend "regular" classes (i.e. math, Belizean studies, reading, etc) and learn a trade so that they can be productive members of Belize society. They also learn about God and how to be Christian men.

I'm lucky that I get to go visit my parents once a year (except for 2011). I can't wait to go back this year!! 

Thanks for stopping by!