This and That!

Pat’s surgery—long overdue—was successful. A discectomy and micro-laminectomy relieved nerves that had been causing immense pain for years. Navigating surgery without language fluency or Wi-Fi for our translator app was stressful, but God carried us through. Pat felt immediate relief. Now comes healing, PT, and eventually training to hike La Malinche Volcano—Mexico’s sixth-highest peak. 

We are incredibly grateful that God guided every step and the surgeon’s hands. The hospital staff were very kind, and we even found a moment to take in the sunset!

Pat is a good patient, and I'm working on my patience, lol!  Here's me posing in my nurse uniform, lol!  

As for me, my ear remains plugged from a hornet sting months ago. I tried a body energy/massage therapist who also does ear candle waxing. It was… interesting. It was gross to see the debris that was removed from my ear, but at least it is super clean! The jury’s still out on whether it worked or if I will go again.

Here is GYTTE Team!  We are a great looking group!

The GYTTE Christmas party:  It wasn’t just for our 11 employees; but included their spouses and families, meaning 35 of us caravanned to Africam Safari for a day of exploring.  Add in the infamous saran wrap ball and antler ring toss game—and it was a perfect blend of the Christmas season, culture, and sharing time together  (We celebrated for 6 hours, something that we are not used to in the US!)  The food was prepared by our co-workers, and they are amazing cooks.  I told them we should launch a YouTube Channel featuring their recipes!  Seriously better than any 5-star restaurant!  Plus extra was made so every family could take home an additional meal.  GYTTE gifted everyone logo flannel shirts, perfect for winter temperatures that dip into the 50s.

At the park, we even found graffiti on aloe vera—it was oddly artistic. 

My favorite friend at Africam!

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here!  I learned about some really cool traditions and trivia – and want to share them with you.

1. There are pinatas EVERYWHERE during the holidays.  The traditional seven-point piñata represent the seven deadly sins. The piñata itself symbolizes evil or temptation, often brightly colored to attract people. Blindfolding the person who breaks it represents faith, and using a stick symbolizes virtue or strength guided by faith. When the piñata is broken, the candies and fruits that fall out represent the blessings and rewards received for overcoming sin and staying faithful.

2. Las Posadas are a series of celebrations held from December 16 to December 24 that reenact Mary and Joseph’s search for lodging in Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus. Families and communities gather to walk, sing, pray, and visit homes, ending each night with food, fellowship, and often the breaking of a piñata.  I am excited to participate in this tradition.

3. The poinsettia has deep Mexican roots. Long before Christmas, the Aztecs revered it as a sacred plant, using it to honor warriors, make dyes and medicines. After the Spanish arrived, the plant—known as Cuetlaxóchitl—became part of Christmas altars and celebrations, eventually spreading worldwide as a symbol of the holiday season.

4. In Mexico, eating tamales at midnight on Christmas Eve (Nochebuena) is a cherished tradition tied to family, faith, and celebration. Families gather late into the night to mark the birth of Jesus, often after attending Midnight Mass. Sharing tamales at midnight represents unity, gratitude, and celebration at the moment Christmas begins.  Tamales vary by: dough (corn, sweet, savory), fillings (meats, chiles, beans, cheese, fruits, sweets), wrappers (corn husks, banana leaves), and cooking methods (steamed, baked, or boiled).  Who knew there are more than 500 types of tamales?  This fun fact blew my mind:  tamales also carry a symbolic religious meaning. The corn dough (masa) represents life, since corn is sacred in Mesoamerican cultures, and the filling symbolizes the spirit within. When wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaf, the tamale is often said to resemble baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Good luck on your next Christmas trivia game!

We squeezed in a date night and early Christmas celebration at a Beatles tribute concert, because we weren't sure what Pat's recovery from surgery would look like. Singing along and listening to the Mexican performers speak Spanish between songs was pure joy. 

David made a leash for one of the Ranch's iguanas and Clara took it for a walk.  Cute, but not cute enough for me to want to cuddle with it!

Our casita del rancho is now beginning to feel like a true home. We dedicated time to fixing up the Ranch House—not only for ourselves, but with the hope that it will also serve as a place of rest and renewal for our staff and local clergy. There is something deeply meaningful about preparing a space not just to live in, but to offer as hospitality.

 

It all began with my very self-made ritual to rid the house of snakes. My personal snake solution for sanity included a silly dance with Pat outside the house, broom in hand, to alert any snakes hiding in the rafters that we were coming for them! That evolved into drawing a literal line of defense around the exterior with ammonia, followed by several “natural” snake repellants I ordered on Amazon—clove balls, cinnamon oil, you name it, I bought it. I finished strong by using a leaf blower inside the house to clear out dust, critter skins, and whatever else had made the rafters home over the last 4 decades. It was gross. It was messy. But in the end, I claimed the house as mine. Then came the sweeping and cleaning of all the debris. To close out my snake-solution ceremony, I stuffed steel wool into every crack and crevice I could find and sprayed about five gallons of insect repellant inside and out. Will it stop all critters? Who knows. But psychologically—and spiritually—it felt like an act of taking stewardship and standing my ground. Hopefully now the creepy crawlies understand they are visitors, not residents.

This chapter closed with the delivery of our couches and dining room table. Fun fact: the ranch house door is very small, so everything had to be loaded through a side window. That night, we finally sat in the living room—exhausted, filthy, but peaceful. For the first time, I felt at rest in our house.

I forgot to take picture of the finished project.  Stay tuned for the BIG REVEAL!

I guess we are officially official here in Mexico.  We finally received the delivery of the other half of our “stuff.” And honestly? The things we once thought were so important no longer held much relevance. The few items that did matter arrived broken or water-damaged. It was a humbling reminder and a clear lesson: no thing is more important than the people who surround you. Stuff just gets in the way of what truly matters.

The comedor is making progress!

When visiting with some of our ranch hands who were laying the foundation for the new comedor (outdoor dining area), which will be completed by our next volunteer mission team, we gathered in the shade of the chapel to seek some shade. This was one of those moments where two worlds beautifully intersected: a rustic environment, yet somehow an extension cord long enough to plug in a hotplate David carried in his backpack. Hector warmed up tacos his wife made, and generously shared them with us. It became fun bonding moment—especially when the guys took the opportunity to rib Pat about his lackluster goat-herding skills!

Backstory: the day before, Pat had been asked to help herd the goats while they were feeding. He agreed, was handed the staff, and disappeared with the goats into the mountainous jungle outside our house. About an hour later, I received a call from a co-worker asking if I’d seen Pat, because the goats had somehow arrived at the top of the hill near the water tower—but Pat was nowhere to be found. Turns out goats run up mountains very fast, and Pat couldn’t keep up through the dense brush. For now, Pat has been released from his duties as fill-in goat herder. Next time, I’ll give it a try!

I spent time foraging the ranch property, identifying plants that could be propagated in our home. That quiet time outside, with my hands in the dirt and goats casually mowing our lawn, felt incredibly God-filled in the simplest way. Creation has a way of grounding the soul. We are so lucky to live where we do. 

We miss having our own dog, but we’ve grown fond of the ranch mutts—los tres amigos. Since we spend more time at the ranch now, they often accompany us and sleep outside. These are true ranch dogs—stinky, tough, and dining on iguanas and anything furry. Definitely not bed-sharing material. Still, there’s comfort in knowing they sleep on the front porch near the creek marking the property line. Rango is the macho Beagle-mix and pack leader. Molly is a sweet, smiley Belgian Malinois mix with a brindle coat. And Capuline—the black mutt—has completely stolen my heart. I bring them treats and toys, though they’re never quite sure what to do with them. I think I get more joy out of it than they do.

 

Then, not by choice, I had a chance to act like a rural veterinarian’s assistant. (I’m tipping my hat to our nieces who are trained veterinary assistants—it’s not for the faint of heart!) One night, four dogs from a neighboring ranch decided they didn’t want our dogs near our house. Under a full moon, a violent fight broke out, and Capuline was badly attacked. By the time I got outside, he was bleeding heavily—ears, neck, back thighs, and groin all injured. We were nowhere near a vet, and I was afraid he wouldn’t make it. Pat and I cleaned him as best we could, even having to muzzle him for our safety, as he was in high anxiety mode. Salatir, our Livestock Guru, treated him with antibiotics, silver iodine, and first aid. It’s heartbreaking to watch an animal suffer—especially one so gentle. I sat with him throughout the day as he continued to bleed. He needed stitches, but the vet wouldn’t arrive until the next afternoon. So all we had left were prayers and hope. By morning, the bleeding had slowed. Long story short—he turned a corner and has nearly recovered. I couldn't believe it!  He now walks with a slight  limp and a notch in his ear that somehow makes him even more endearing. Someone suggested fireworks to scare off future dog gangs… still not sure where one buys those in Mexico, but I might have to do some exploring.

The following day brought another reminder of life’s fragility—a stillborn goat birth. It’s common, especially for first-time mama goats, but still difficult for us humans who want to save everyone.

Another reason why we need to continue growing the herd.

Back in Puebla, we recently encountered a mouse in the office. All things considered, I’d choose a mouse over a snake. One of our co-workers likes mice as much as I like snakes, so she was a bit freaked out! Pat placed a few traps on the first floor, and we waited. I had to laugh when we received this note (translated via Google) from our co-worker: “Good morning, I’m letting you know that the mouse has fallen silent.”

 Merry Christmas from our hearts to yours!