Lots to Catch Up on!

It's been really busy since Christmas, and we have somewhat settled in to our life here in Trujillo, Peru!     I was about to write we are settled in a routine, but that's not quite true.  Every week has been different, and we have had lots of changes to what would be "routine".  So, for now I'll just say we are more "settled".

It's summer here, and we are enjoying the sun (but not always the hot nights with no air conditioning) and all the neighborhood kids are out of school.  What a blessing it has been that our kids have met friends now!!  We are so thankful!  The big deal here is "carnaval" for the summer months and the kids throw water balloons almost every day!  They spend hours filling them up and then in the afternoons all the kids in the neighborhood get together and chase each other having water balloon fights.  And this is how my kids have met friends.  Who would have known?  Also, what a blessing it is that our children are able to take tennis lessons.  We have a place only a couple of blocks from our house where they can play, much cheaper than the US - they play 5 days a week, and they get exercise, practice Spanish, and meet other kids.  Sam even gets to play!!  They have this special if you have four children the fourth gets to take lessons free (not many people have four kids here!) and so we may have a little tennis pro in our family!  God is good!

 

We have had lots of visitors, Marcus has been busy in the medical clinic, and we have "maintained" a little school work with the summertime here.  Two of our children have had birthdays - Sarah Caroline is now 10 and Ben is 8 ( I think I may cry!!!).  We also have been going to the orphanage every Friday, and I'll be sure to write a post with lots of pictures about that!  I spend lots of time cooking too, and I hope to start sharing some recipes here on my blog!  It's busy here, and some days are really good and some days are tough.  Some days we soak up the sun,  love the precious people we meet, enjoy the fresh mangoes, but some days some of us cry, get overwhelmed, tired, and want to come home.   Regardless of how we "feel" and what our emotions tell us, God is good and continues to give us peace and rest that this is His plan for us.  We have never doubted that this is where we should be.  To me, this is a gift - God doesn't have to give us this peace about His plan - there could be days full of doubt, but I am so thankful that He has been gracious to plant in our hearts security and contentment that this is His plan for our family.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.  Psalm 118:1