Feliz Cumpleanos to you!

Hi! I had to write today even though I just wrote yesterday...Today is Eli's 14th birthday. Eli is Pastor Marvin's daughter. So, this afternoon on the way to Los Guido from Tejarcillos, our girls wanted to sing to Eli. So, we sang her happy birthday in English first then sang it in Spanish (my kids know the words in Spanish without missing a beat- I however cannot seem to remember them from time to time singing it!)
Anyway, the point is it was so funny when we got to singing it in Spanish. Audrey starts belting it out a few seconds after she hears Isabelle and Ethan singing and she gets the first part of every line: "Feliz Cumpleanos..." but then ends the line with "to you!" Then she switched to "Happy Cumpleanos! Feliz!" It was so funny and sweet and such a true example of what happens to your brain when you try to learn another language!

We are still trying to get in the groove on Sundays. We so deisre to be able to see everyone in both churches but our family just cannot take the long day. We have been going to Tejarcillos in the morning and then straight to Los Guido for lunch. Then we catch a taxi home. I have started to stay in the nursery in Tejarcillos, partly because Audrey isn't comfortable without me and party because I love the connections I have with the kids in there. What an adjustment it is though from the comfortable nurseries we have in the states. Let's just say that God is definetly giving me the opportunity to be humbled and not worry about my comfort or even that of my children. We are so geared in the states to make ourselves comfortable and especially our kids. But it is amzing the things kids can do without and how amazingly healthy they remain amidst such poor living conditions. Praise be to God that our kids do not seem to care or even notice the difference in the way we used to live and the way we live now. They don't seem to care that the places we go where all of our friends are have dirt floors that they have to sit on the floor, that we are always dirty it seems...I watch Ethan in amazement as he goes straight for Elvis each week and they play together as if language isn't an issue. Why do we adults make it so hard? I watch these little kids who have no food share what they have to eat with our kids- just because they want our children to know that they are loved! I watch all these little kids shout out "Audrey!" (something like: or- dray) "Isabelle! (ESS-A-Bel)" and "Ethan!(E-TAN)" I love it! I love seeing my kids in the mix of all these beautiful dark skinned children making mine feel comfortable and part of their lives.



This picture was taken the day the church took God's word to the streets of Los Guido. Every one walked from Marvin's house to La Finca reading scripture and the kids from each Sunday School class held the banner. Look closely and you can see Ethan, Isabelle and Audrey mixed in with the other kids holding the banner. Isn't that beaustiul?

God, how do you do it? How have you given us such humble and loving children? How did you know that you would bring us here and our kids would be so loved and offer such love back...I could never have imagined it to be this way. I cannot imagine what you have planned for my children and what lessons you will teach them through this time in their lives.I love you Lord Jesus!