Day 5 Together: Muy Bien!

This morning, we woke up and after breakfast had to rush off to the piscina (pool). Rush off? Yes, our driver/host's sister was overly ready to go . . . It was like a 3-ring circus with Mami & Papi trying to gather water bottles, snacks, swim suits, cameras, diaper bag, etc, etc! The kids were content playing, but were super excited to go swimming so they kept yelling for Mami & Papi to hurry up. While gathering up all the goodies, Mami calmly muttered to herself about having to be responsible and how that takes time and that we can't just fly out the door in an instant :) Then all of a sudden: silence. Well, driver/host's sister had rounded up the kids and put them in the car and they were pulled out of the garage in the driveway waiting for us . . . talk about pressure! The kids were cooking in the backseat! Anyway, we made it out of here and only forgot TOWELS! The pool was pretty nice. This kiddie pool was smaller but deeper than the one we used the other day. Papi and Andres played in the nearby playground while Mami and girls splashed around in the pool. It was fun.

Also, I am covered in bug bites of various shapes and sizes and all of them itch REALLY bad. I am in trouble with Karl for itching but frankly when I scratch them until they bleed, the pain is more tolerable than the itching. Yes, we bought Calydryl and I've lathered it on myself (legs, ankles, feet, toes) and it doesn't help much if at all. Can someone send us a giant bug bomb? Last night, I went to the bathroom and had an encounter with Charlie the giant unmentionable (CR); he was HUGE and smoking a pipe with a velour robe on! I hollered for Karl and he thought he was a giant "cricket" at first but then he squeezed into a tiny spot and was sensitive to light so we figured out what he was. I went to get Reyna/host for spray, help, anything and all she did was shrug her shoulders, said she was sorry and that this is the tropics so that's normal here. Anyway, please pray for my bug issues! J

The afternoon was spent at Armstrong HQ, Colombia - eating, napping, playing, putting puzzles together, and simply enjoying the day. We are having a great time and only needed a couple lessons in sharing today (we'll see how the lessons worked tomorrow).

Tonight before we laid the girls down to sleep we read an English/Spanish children’s Bible, a friend gave us, to them - they really seemed to like it and therefore didn't want to go to bed...hmmmm. Mami said that we would read it again tomorrow which produced the desired result - little girls in bed with all of there prized possessions (dolls, bears, tiny tabbed blankets). Mami gave them these cuddle blankets today and all 3 children really liked the blankets.

One last thing - Andres ate extremely well today!!! He ate everything in sight at supper and kept asking for more. Mami gave him the "Big Eater Award" and took many photos of him. He also played much more with the girls again today.

Each day the children open up a little more and we are enjoying it so much. Yes, there are bumps and sibling disagreements and pouting and disagreement with the decisions of Mami and Papi - but all is well and we are seeing God's abundant grace overflow!

More tomorrow from Armstrong HQ - Colombia ;) K