Time for a little update....

Wow! I didn't realize it had been a week since my last post. Man, oh man, have things been busy around these parts. Here's what has been going on lately....

• Remember how I mentioned that some creature was biting me at night, leaving gigantic welts and causing much distress on my part? Bedbugs. Bedbugs?! Finally, when I couldn't take it anymore (and Sean was starting to get bites too), I had enough of it all and asked others around here what it might be. Someone suggested that we put our mattress out in the hot sun for a few hours to kill the bedbugs. That did the trick! I've seen several Indonesians with pillows and mattresses out in the sun - now I know why.
• We had a good week with Sean off from school. It wasn't exactly a restful week - things got hectic and crazy here last week - but it was nice having Sean around more.
  
• Many of our MAF friends who also are here in Salatiga studying Indonesian have battled illnesses of varying degrees. Somehow, our family has escaped it. Please pray for our continued health.
• One of the MAF families here in Salatiga needs your prayers. The mom has really had a rough time with pancreatic issues. She had to make an emergency trip to Jakarta for treatment, leaving behind her four children with several different families. We helped care for the oldest daughter (who was a joy, by the way). She's back in Salatiga but I'd like to ask that you would continue to pray for her and the whole family. The issue isn't quite resolved and they need wisdom in deciding what to do next.
• We experienced our first Idul Fitri (Eid) here in Indonesia. It was quite a time and we really had lots of fun visiting the homes of our helpers and friends. Sean did a great job blogging about it and you can read it here.
  
• I began language school today! It went very well. There are so many strange sounds that my mouth does not want to make, but I do really feel like a lot of things "clicked" for me today - even in my first class.
  
• Brooklyn was still on a little break from school and Maddie stayed home from play group so all three girls were home with our helpers while Sean and I were in class this morning.
  
• I get the idea that it was rather wild around here while Mom and Dad were gone. My first clue? A text message while I was at school from one of the helpers asking where the key for the little girls' room was! We hurried home to find that Paige had been locked in the bedroom for 30 minutes and nobody could find the key. Sean worked a while to pick the lock (with Paige talking to us from the other side) and it finally popped open to reveal a sweaty, stinky Paige jumping on the bed. Apparently, the older sisters thought it would be fun to lock the baby in a room, but didn't quite think through how anybody would release Paige from her "cell" once the fun was over. Brooklyn had taken the set of bedroom door keys and put them in her purse...but forgot about that little detail until a good hour after the whole ordeal was over. Argh! Kids!
• I am quite sure that our helpers where worn out when they left the Cannon house today. I'm sure they'll be glad to have just Paige to look after tomorrow! That's enough work as it is!