What have we been up to?

Our time in the States is flying by quite fast...
I thought I'd update about our time here. This might be a long post...

We are staying with fiends who have a beautiful home on a man-made, stocked lake. One of the most fun things we have done is to fish on the lake. Mimi brought out fishing poles and worms one day and taught the kids to fish. Isabelle LOVES fishing! She caught on real quick and caught a fish very quickly! Over the course of that first day, she caught 6-7 little ones, that we threw back in. Ethan caught two or three himself and Matt caught a few also. But Iz really impressed me. By the end of the day she was baiting her own hook and releasing the fish from the hook on her own! She has sent several days out at the dock fishing and can't wait to go back! Audrey didn't have much patience with the whole fishing thing...but maybe one day. We hope to get a chance to fish with my brother and my dad and are eagerly waiting for them to come out one day. I have really great memories of fishing/camping trips with my family.

We've also spent time with family and friends. We shared meals with our both families as well as a slew of friends, long-time and some fairly new. Either way, the tapestry that God has weaved of our lives still amazes me and I am so very thankful for those He has made part of our lives.

The kids have enjoyed having their friends the Kelly kids as neighbors and have been together most days hanging out, riding bikes, and just playing. They were able to participate in VBS at one our supporting churches and soon to be home church (more to come on that later!) They really enjoyed it and had a blast! Iz was nervous about going the first night because she didn't know any of the kids. She made her way into the row and sat down next to little Hispanic girl. By the end of the night, Iz called me over telling me all about her new little friend. She said, "Mom, she speaks Spanish and English and we were talking in Spanish!"

Also, we have reconnected with our old neighbors, the Alquezad. We saw them the first time at the first night of VBS and it was a wonderful reunion! I saw Marta and could hardly contain myself as I made my way to her. Ariel, her youngest, looked up at me with her big brown eyes and smiled timidly. I asked her , in Spanish, if she remembered me but she just looked at me. Then I asked her in English, which is what she is used to hearing me speak, and she looked up at me with this big smile and said, "Yes, you are Brooke!" and then gave me a big hug! What a precious moment!

We saw Jennifer and Enrique later in the evening. Ethan and Enrique were in the same group, which was nice. They've grown up so much and speak English almost all t he time now. Jennifer actually did not want to speak Spanish with me because she said she forgot how. But I made her! :) (I needed to keep it up here as much as I can!) So she did. Marta commented on how much our Spanish has improved since we were back the last time. We spent an evening with them this week and ate supper together, which was really fun! We will see them at church this week also :)

Today is Courtney and Daniel's wedding. We had the rehearsal dinner last night and it was really fun. Isabelle had a little stage fright, but I think we've made it past it! Her and Audrey looked so cute! I practiced with their hair last night and I think I found a style that will work. Today, we've got the full beauty shop planned, including nails! I bought a great little nail kit for a $1.00 at the Dollar tree (I REALLY miss that store!) and so today I am going to give them pedicures and manicures! :) I also found shimmery lotion (for $1.00!!!) that I'll let them put on their arms! :) Courtney gave them each pretty tiara's that they LOVE! So, it should be a great day!

My mom and I have had some wonderful opportunities to shop and just be together, just the two of us, which I have really appreciated, thanks to my great husband! It has really been great seeing her!

Matt's mom and I are going to spend an afternoon at the spa next week ,which will be fun also! I just have to decide what to get done! Oh the choices!

We've got some fun things planned for our time left...I'll update more later!