My brain is running circles around me today. (Not that the two cups of coffee had anything to do with that!) I have thought of quite a few things to write about, but mostly my thoughts keep returning to two things:

1. My parents are coming to visit!! We've been trying, literally, for months to figure out how to get our homeschool curriculum here from the States. Well, Mom and Dad decided they'd just bring it down and stay a couple weeks. A great air fare from Miami to Santa Cruz and free tickets to Miami helped a lot with that decision. God bless air miles! So we are super excited. Now we just have to figure out how they will pack everything since they graciously gave us their larger suitcases when we moved down last summer. Anyone have an old duffle lying around they can borrow? We'll throw in some Bolivian gift and send it back to you!!

2. We have prayer meeting tonight. Every other Monday a group of missionaries "of like mind" meet and pray together. Tonight it is at a home across town from us. I've been there before, but Adam was with us and gave directions. I'm a bit nervous going solo this time, especially since I do not know the landmarks (or their Spanish names!) very well. So, I'm off to find the place on my map, translate my directions into Spanish and look for cab fare (oh, and the kids would appreciate being fed somewhere in there, I'm sure!) Chau!

more pics

And some more fall photos from November in Kansas City.

Fall is approaching here in the southern hemisphere. It's hard to tell. It's almost as if trees are neither deciduous or evergreen here. There are no leaves changing colors or falling to the ground. The weather has changed only slightly, though we are not acclimated enough yet to really appreciate the change. In remembrance of fall, I'm posting some photos of the kids from last November taken while we were in Kansas City.

Ever have one of those days?

It's not horrible, terrible or very bad. It just is.

The baby refuses to sleep (cutting the last canine, I believe).

The boy refuses to use the toilet.

The girl refuses to be nice to the boy.

Both toilets are broken (the seat on one and the innards of the other).

I have no idea what to make for dinner.

Just another day. I think I'll have some ice cream and start over.

Saturday we visited our landlords (also our friends!) who live two blocks away from us. They had five one-month old cocker spaniel puppies. Elias has been talking about "his" black puppy since then. He is really stuck on having a black dog. Poor guy. Our pup is white and brown.

Playing in the sandbox with their daughter. Elias came to me afterwards just filthy! I asked him what he was doing. "I made sand angels, Mommy!" Oh, right.

Ana with one of the cute little black pups.

Having a bit of tea. Well, more like grapefruit juice and chicken salad sandwiches.

Oh, yes and Elias with the jaguar skin. He was VERY impressed with this! (We were too. Edgar bought it from a friend, but it was a Bolivian jaguar before it's demise.)

The Exterminator has come

The fumigator was here yesterday. It was a very long day. Adam basically had to take the day off, though he studied quite a bit in the neighbor's yard. But, he had to let the guy in, let him out, wait two hours to open up the entire house to air out, then wait another two hours until he could let us and the dog back into the yard. By that time, the kids and I had been out of the house for over four hours--Ana had completely skipped her morning nap by then. And then we had two hours of cleaning: sweeping all the floors, and washing every unprotected surface.

It was quite a chore as I was already sore from exercising at 5:30 that morning. (Why, oh why did I pick that day to start exercising??!!) Thankfully, Ines was here to help otherwise it would have taken me three or four hours. While we were cleaning, Adam took the puppy to the vet for his shots and to get rid of his ticks, fleas and niguas (little sand fleas that burrow in his feet, lay eggs and form a painful, white pustule). We didn't want him to bring all those insects right back into our de-bugged yard.

While I knew the fumigation was necessary. I hate chemicals, but when there are harmful insects around it's a requisite evil. The funniest moment was when the fumigator arrived. He had just finished our neighbor's house, so he was already "in gear."

Elias did NOT want him here! We were waiting by the gate for our taxi, when he arrived. Something about a guy in full gas mask, backpack full of chemicals and gesturing with his bazooka as he spoke muffled Spanish just didn't sit right with the poor kid! The dogs didn't really like him either!

The biggest blessing has been a day without ants in the kitchen! I'd gotten so used to them I didn't think I really needed them exterminated. But now I realize how stressful it was to not be able to prep a meal without ants crawling on the cutting board. ...to not be able to leave a dirty dish near the sink without being covered in the little guys when you washed the dishes after the meal. It is truly a blessing!

Oh, good, it's a Stihl.

Ow!

I have two words for you: OW-wwwww.

Okay, the words are really: Krav Maga.

It's good stuff.

But, boy, am I feeling it right now.

Again, let me just say "Owwwwwwww."

Thanks, I just needed to whine.