So Long Ordinary

Tomorrow, we are going to the beach!!!!!!!!! I'm really not all that excited. (insert tone dripping with sarcasm right here.) We are all very much looking forward to a few days away from the daily grind, playing at the beach. Our friends and fellow MAF'ers are going with us to show us around their favorite beach and hotel. Oh, and we get to fly ourselves there in one of our MAF airplanes. Not spoiled at all. It actually has been a while since we went away for a few days - unless you count going away forever from Ecuador when we came here 3 months ago . Where has the time gone? We leave tomorrow and will come back sometime Monday. Brooklyn is driving us crazy with her enthusiasm over the trip. Maybe I shouldn't have told her so early in the week. Good grief. Maddie, on the other hand, has no clue we're about to take her to her idea of heaven - sand and water to play in all hours of the day. I've done the beach thing with a toddler before...it can be pretty

So. Brooklyn. She's four - actually, she's almost five. I can hardly believe that. She talks pretty much constantly. She loves her little sister (and sometimes Maddie isn't in the mood for that love). She's smart (well, of course, I think so) and she's quick-witted and sometimes she's downright hilarious. This kid has a sense of humor and she knows how to use it. But the really funny stuff happens when she doesn't think she's being funny. Like the other day when she was in big trouble with her Daddy. She was sent upstairs to her room where she proceeded to wail and cry at her terrible misfortune. We could hear every word she was saying - even with the door closed, even though we were downstairs and her room is upstairs. There were cries of, "Can I come out now?" and hollers of, "It's not fair!" But the real kicker was, "Mommy! Daddy's breaking my heart!" Yes, she keeps us chuckling. Most of the time we ha

That means Zoo. The letter "x" in Mexico is its own monster. I can't figure it out. Sometimes it sounds like an "h," sometimes a "z," sometimes a "sh"..... I don't know. But that wasn't my point. We went to a Zoo! (or is it "hoo" or "shoo"?) We'd seen the sign and heard about Yaguar Xoo (Jaguar Zoo) and had been trying to get out there for some time. Finally, it worked out. We went on Saturday and it was a really good time. The zoo is much nicer than anything we saw in Costa Rica or Ecuador. That ain't saying much...but still. It had giraffes and zebras and lions and tigers and bears...oh my! (Sorry, couldn't resist.) I did have a weird moment when we were standing there watching the camels, zebras, and giraffes eat their hay. I thought to myself, "Ummm....I'm in Mexico peering through a fence made of cactus at African animals eating alfalfa." It somehow struck me as odd. Broo

The sun is warm, the breeze is cool. The birds are chirping in melodious cacophony. Two little girls are playing cheerfully together, carrying around baby dolls wrapped snugly in well-used blankies. It is a good day. Life is good. My morning sickness is finally losing its fire. It is nice to feel human again. Somewhat human, anyway. I'm not going to say it is over, but I might be brave enough to say that the worst is over. I wasn't so sure over the weekend, when a headache just wouldn't go away. Did you know you can't buy regular Tylenol here? You can't. They have Tylenol but it isn't acetamenophen. It is something else. Something they tell pregnant mothers not to take. I wasn't about to risk it. I've done labor twice without drugs. I should be able to handle a little headache, right? It lasted two days. What is up with that?! Good grief. Oh, and in other news, our brand new fire-breathing, over-priced computer died. And not a peep from E

Why such a startled/scared/excited/proud look on Brooklyn's face? Could this be why? Hooray for Brooklyn! She is now riding in style without training wheels. It's still a little rough getting started, turning, or stopping -that sounds funny (kind of like a bad joke) but it's the truth! She's got the idea - you should see her on a nice straight path, and she's quickly improving at the other stuff. Daddy was a proud man last night :-) And only one tiny scrape on the knee....we did lose count, however, of the crashes. Good thing she's tough. (And yes, we are searching all of Oaxaca for a bike helmet. Yikes!) You go, girl!

It is chilly this morning. I mean really...wow! The sun hasn't shown its face for a day or two, which we hear is very, very unusual here in Oaxaca. It has been rainy and cool - a real treat for us after those HOT days we had a few weeks ago! This is perfect weather for a good book and some hot chocolate. Brooklyn and Maddie hardly know what to do with the slight chill in the air. Wait till they experience December in Colorado! (and January, February, March...) We're still trying to nail down a furlough date. Sometime in the fall is about all we know. We'll be in the States for around 6 months, re-connecting with friends, family, churches and supporters. We also have plans to show the girls a little bit of their American heritage! Of course, we'll also try to use our time home to simply rest . Oh, and don't forget the other major event that will happen in December sometime....the new baby will be born in the same hospital where Brooklyn was born way back b

Beware when it's Daddy's turn to shampoo your hair. Brooklyn at about two years old. (Costa Rica) Madison a few days ago. 20 months old. (Mexico)

Our family had a great experience last night! We were invited by Gerardo, an employee of MAF here in Mexico, to his home for comida. Comida here is basically dinner, usually at 4 p.m. or so, and it can be anything from a full meal to soup and tortillas. It was just so cool to see and experience what a typical Oaxacan family really lives like - we don't see much of that here in the city, but when you get out into the surrounding areas, you realize that you really aren't in Kansas anymore! Gerardo lives with his wife, two daughters, his in-laws and dozens of cousins, aunts, grandmas, and uncles. They live in town but their plot is its own little farm with chickens, turkeys, ducks, goats, parrots, and two bulls to pull their cart. They live simply but so richly, with all the family members sharing in each other's lives and pitching in with the chores. Rather than one house, they have several small buildings or covered areas that house different rooms -a kitchen/dining

I had an appointment yesterday with my doctor. This was my first appointment with this doctor. She came recommended from another missionary and I was very impressed. They also do ultrasounds every month, so I got the surprise of seeing this little person on screen much earlier than I'm used to! I always enjoy hearing the heartbeat or seeing an ultrasound to remind me that there really is a little life growing in there! Makes me feel a little better about my morning sickness when I remember it is for a good cause :-) Here he/she is! (Too soon to tell if we've got a boy or girl in the hopper) Everything looks perfectly normal, according to the doctor. I know, it doesn't look like much - when it is moving you can tell things a little better. That little gray lump in the middle is Cannon Baby Number Three! Should measure a touch more than about 1.5 inches now. I have no idea which way the baby is facing, although it looks to me like we're looking at it's back wit