Magnificent Monday

The view from the rooftop tonight.  

 Wow! Normal.  We haven't done normal for a long time.  Aren't Mondays great!  A fresh start.  A new chance to get things started right and we started things off at 6:30 this morning.  We did it all; Sam headed to the church for men's prayer meeting, Bible Institute prep (classes start tomorrow) and even help on some of the construction; while we did our morning routine, personal time with God, breakfast, dishes, laundry and lessons.  No one is even one day behind on their school, have to give most of the credit to the kids and Sam for that one.  We have moved, camped on peoples couches, taken and trip to the U.S., attended 7 weeks of language school and I was gone the whole month of January.  Still they plugged away at everything.  Can't help but be a little bit proud.  


And since we had such a successful day, even after guitar lessons, much of the afternoon and evening were left free.  Hannah and I made yummy stuff in the kitchen.  She made banana "pastel" and I made a candida diet friendly chocolate fudge.  You can find the recipe here.  I substituted homemade almond butter, xylitol, and real vanilla beans.  Reminded me of an upscale Almond Joy, maybe I will put an almond and some shredded coconut in the middle next time.  I also made play dough for Lena and Haden.  Then Hannah and I sat down for "tea time" and enjoyed our treats, while the younger ones played with their new play dough.  Sam reluctantly joined the boys for their guitar lesson and enjoyed it some much he looked like a kid in a candy shop.  Almost giddy. 

Later as a very encouraging sign that we are indeed beginning to settle in, Lena walked down to the store and bought the ingredients to make tortillas and happy entertained herself for quite some time and even cleaned up her mess when she was done. 

 She made some really yummy tortillas.  She wants a tortilla press for her birthday!  Hannah said if she goes to the U.S. for college she is going to take a tortillas press so she doesn't have to eat the yucky, dried out tortillas at the store.  

The boys with some urging joined the soccer game with the neighbor boys.  All they had to do was stick their head out the gate and they were invited.  Grateful.  

Haden watching his older brothers play.

"Futbal"

Slowly we are getting to know our neighbors and our little community.  I am looking forward to the next couple of years of stability as we serve here and begin making connections up in the rural mountain areas.  

Another from the roof.

If your Monday wasn't quite Magnificent, then I would like to wish you a Terrific Tuesday!