Unexpected Blessings April 19, 2008

I was just reminded recently how much the Lord cares for me, and little things like my poor spanish.  He just put a couple in our house, now I was very leery to say the least about someone living here.  But through some struggling the Lord changed my attitude and It has been one of the best things that has happened.  She is helping my spanish like I couldn’t believe, Not that it’s much better, just being corrected constantly.  And speaking spanish 24/7 isn’t so bad. God knows what’s best usually what we would least expect

Stop Cutting Me! March 22, 2008

No I’m not recalling the days in 5th grade.  That is something I am just dying to scream out every time I am in a store or at the market.  I’m talking about grown men and women.  They just walk up and cut you in line.  I’ve started to say excuse me, and they always say things like “oh, I’m sorry”  and I’m thinking “yeah right”.  I usually let them go, but my pride wants them to know i am not stupid and they are acting like a child.  

Well, at the bread store I was about to order and someone ran in.  and asked for what he wanted.  I didn’t say anything, and another young man came in and tried to do the same.  I wasn’t gonna take this.  So I just said excuse me and he looked at me with this sheepish grin and said just one little thing.  I was like how rude, and just didn’t let him go.  I ordered and walked out.  I was proud of myself for all of two seconds, then I realized, what did i gain from that, 30 seconds, and a mean reputation.  Is that what I really wanted?  Sometimes, we can blame this stuff on culture shock, but I know it was really my pride that made me say something.  I don’t really know what the solution would be, but I know I felt bad when I left.   

Culture Shocking Day! February 14, 2008

If you read Tyler’s blog, you probably know how our day started.  Not your typical morning.  Even for someone use to being woken up at all hours of the night.  Today i wanted to schedule Norah’s 4 month checkup, you know with all those wonderful viruses we like to stick into our children, I didn’t want to spend valentine’s day at the doctor’s office, so I “scheduled” it for today.

  This was my first time getting her vaccinations in Peru, so i wasn’t sure how to go about it.  I went and asked Andria Gardner, the all knowing veteran missionary wife.  She told me “all” I have to do is go to the doctor’s office to get the prescription, then take that and go buy the vaccinations, but you can’t get all of the vaccinations in one place, the pharmacy doesn’t sell all of them, you have to go and get two of them at the hospital.  Then go back to the doctor’s office which is closed from 12:30 to 4:00 for “siesta” (nap time) But you can’t get an appointment, you just have to show up before 4:00 hoping you are one of the first people there, because it is basically first come first serve.  

I am use to that, but this time i still had to run down to the pharmacy that wasn’t open till 4:00.  So after waiting a while with a couple of people there, i decided to just run down and buy the last vaccination, not smart.  

When i got back there were several new families waiting.  And the nurse/receptionist was there taking names of who was there first, Now i had several other people to wait behind.  I finally got into the office and the doctor (who constantly complements my spanish, i think he just wants our business)  told us Norah was great.  She is healthy and was so pleasant, i was thinking, “do we have to stick these needles in her, look at her she is so happy”. But we did, she screamed as i held her down, not a fun moment as a mom.

We left and got home from our three hour ordeal in almost one piece.  I am happy to report that Norah weighs 13 lbs. and is 23 in.  We have two more months and then we get to do it again.