Completely Random Thoughts

This marks the day that I learned to ALWAYS put on my seat belt! Yes, that is a Macchiato motocycle police officer. I always wore them in the States but here I was not so consistent, I guess because we never seem to go over 25 miles an hour! My sweet husband paid the fine to the officer and off we went......yikes.....that was intimidating!

I have so many things to blog about and yet I seem to be falling further and further behind. Seems like life is busy happening and I can't keep up! So since I am not really in the mindset to delve into any one topic I am listing a few random topics that I wanted to let you know about!

• I never told you all why I ended up not going private with the blog. I found that it would severely limit the number of people who could read it, and in the end when weighing the pros and cons I decided to leave it open for now. I have however, saved all of your email addresses in case I ever need to close it.
• I have noticed since I have moved to this location that I am having trouble speaking my thoughts clearly. I have never stuttered before but am now finding that there are times when I cannot get the words out or the words come out differently than what I think I said. Weird I know, could be culture shock/stress or just a senior moment, I guess time will tell. Here is an example: We were watching a movie and Campbell says, "What did he say?", and in my head I replied with the correct phrase, "You need to learn to play the tambourine." but what came out was, "You need to learn to use a submarine!" What?! Where did that come from? Well....if you know my family, you can imagine the laughter that bellowed throughout our home at that!! On second thought, my mom might call this payback! :) I know this is a silly mistake but this is just one example of many on top of sometimes not being able to start a conversation without stuttering.....yes, in English!
• I now have a "closed friend". It's true. I have a text message to prove it! One night an elderly man showed up at my door. He was dressed nice and had a file full of papers and asked if I could help him with these since they needed to be filled out in English. I agreed to help and asked him to come in and we corrected the crazy English. This man can speak English and knew that the answers on the questionnaire that someone else wrote were not correct but he didn't know how to correct it. Anyway, we have had several meetings relating to paperwork for his company and he sent me a text saying that he can see Barry and I becoming his "closed friends". That made me smile!
• I have begun a study of the Manual with "J" and several other national women who are like-minded. They are beautiful women inside and out and I am looking forward to getting to know them better and improving my language in this area.
• We leave in three days to the capital city for two weeks of training. The kids excited to be staying during the weekdays with some friends of ours who we were in training with at the farm, "P" and "J", and then with us on the weekends. Everyone is also excited because they will get to see other friends who live there and also get treats like Chili's and Krispy Kreme!
• As of today we have completed half of our term! Wow!
• We have now completed James 1-2:18 in our memorization! I and all four kids are doing great and can quote them smoothly and yet it seems to have created a bit of sp*r*tual warfare. I think someone doesn't like them learning the basics of living out their faith! For the first time in their lives they started fighting with each other daily, it was crazy! We confronted them about how what we are doing is not liked and that we need to lift up that we stand firm and do what is right. The last several days have been better. The CEO is faithful! Please continue to talk to the CEO on our behalf!

Well, I am going to close this with a few snapshots from a recent trip to the grocery store...too bad I can't post the smell with it!! :)

Live eels! This is what they use for a relay game during there festivities, kids carry them from one bucket to another......fun for the family! Barry likes picking them up....they have plastic bags you can put on your hands and pick out your own...uh...thanks!

"Skates".....some type of sting ray type animal.....yum...it's what's for dinner! :/

Last week this was full of whole chickens, when I approached it this time I was shocked to find it full of this.....these are squid.....not chickens!! Yikes!!

Last but not least, remember to keep talking to the CEO as the death tolls continue to rise from the tsunami and the volcano, there are many survivors displaced and suffering!!