Three Minor (or Major) Victories

Not too much to report from here except that three victories took place recently.

On Friday, Selah went to the dentist to have a cleaning (which, interestingly, they don't clean five year old teeth--they just look them over to make sure there are no troubles) and the dentist reported that Selah had two wiggly teeth.  We knew about the one but not the other.  When the dentist asked if Selah wanted to have them pulled, she said no and then quickly changed her mind.  "Si!"  Well, the dentist requested the needle from her assistant, (meanwhile, my mind is racing wondering if this is a good idea--I never pulled the boys teeth; we just let them come out naturally...), then gave Selah what appeared to me to be two long shots of painkiller (too late, Mom), and then went to work with her pliers.  The really wiggly one came out with little effort; the second one took more yanking.  I couldn't watch.  Selah, on the other hand, never made a peep and received her gauze with grace. What a kid!  We went out for ice cream to celebrate.  Then she informed me that once she put the teeth under the pillow, Daddy and I were to deposit some cash.  She knows what's going on.

The next morning as the sun was coming up at about 6:05 a.m. I heard noises in the kitchen/living room area.  It sounded like someone with shoes on was hurrying throughout the house as if they were in a rush to bolt out the door.  When I realized that Doug was still in bed next to me, I knew something was up and decided to investigate.  As I rushed into the next room (quickly realizing that I had no plan--what was I going to do if I did encounter a thief????), the person ran out the door.  I got Doug up and we, in our pajamas no less, were peering out every window and door to see if we could catch a glimpse of the one who was no doubt running off with who knows what.  Well, when we looked carefully off to the area outside of our house on the north-western corner, we spotted our 60+ German neighbor, Dr. Wolff, with wheelbarrow in hand dumping small rocks onto the dirt road that winds through our compound, and with him Darius, our now 12 year old, shovel in hand ready for the day.  Could it be?  Had Darius, who loves sleep, gotten himself up on a Saturday morning at 6 to go outside to do manual labor in the heat? WOW.  Darius spent the next hour and a half shoveling small rocks out of a huge pile, pouring them onto the road, and spreading them out with a rake.  We were so proud!

Finally, as you all know one of the most challenging things for us (besides the bugs, the rain, the language, the mold, the lack of a car, and a few other things), is the lack of variety in food options.  All restaurants serve the same thing (rice, beans, grilled beef/chicken) and our biggest grocery store is about the size of your corner gas station.  So, we (all the missionaries here) struggle with what to cook on a daily basis.  I have lamented nearly daily about this predicament.  (Meanwhile I'm reading through the Bible in 90 days and have just finished the first five books--Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy--) On Saturday afternoon as I was mentally reviewing some of the things I've learned thus far in this read of the Good Book, I realized that I am no different than the Israelites who grumbled and complained in the desert about the lack of meal options and constantly wished to go back to Egypt where their variety had been much greater.  Man, did I see some serious similarities there. That was such an ahha moment for me.  The wonderful thing is that on that very same day when I shared my realization with Doug, he said that the Lord had just shown him the exact same thing that morning!  God is so amazing and His timing is always perfect and He's always patient!  Crazy. 

Always surprises.

Blessings, kim

Ambato

Though it's only two hours away, being in Ambato is like being in a whole other part of Ecuador.  The city is really large and very spread out.  It's situated in a valley with volcanoes all around--much like Quito.  When looking out the windows of Susan and Larry's house, one can see no less than four volcanoes in three different directions on a clear day; sadly, we didn't get a clear one while we were visiting over the weekend.  But we did get to play in their yard--on the trampoline and in the tree house.  This is one of Susan's flower beds...heart shaped, no less.

While Shell is hot and humid as it sits on the verge of the jungle, Ambato is cold and dry nestled in the top of the Andes Mountains.  It sprawls in every direction and attracts many people from all over the country because it boasts the best outdoor market there is to be found.  We didn't hit the outdoor market but we did go to the flower market and bought $2 worth of roses which meant 24 of the most beautiful, long-stem pink roses I've ever owned.

While we were in Ambato we were able to get Jacobey's chipped tooth fixed at the dentist which cost us a whopping $60!  And we didn't even have to use our health insurance.  It was wonderful. Then we walked downtown where we saw an art museum, city parks, numerous clothing stores, a cathedral, and lots and lots of people on the streets.  I loved just milling about and seeing the sights.  It was then that I discovered that I really am a city girl at heart.  I felt so at home and very much energized by the action all around.  I'm getting used to living in a town of only 6,000, but getting a dose of the city was so good for me. 

Over the weekend we went on a walk in a huge city park (the boys all played soccer for about an hour and a half straight with some other guys that showed up to play), shopped at MegaMaxi where I bought four bags of tortilla chips, Brie cheese, a big block of cheddar, and two packs of sour cream among other things, and then we ate out at a Tex-Mex restaurant!  Can you believe?  It was glorious having salsa, tacos, enchiladas, and nachos.  We gobbled our food up.

One very interesting highlight of the time there came when Doug and I went for a walk near our friends' home.  We took a path that the kids and Susan and I had taken the day before.  It was past a cherry tree--the first one I've ever seen and so we plucked cherries off and tried them--, several pear trees, and along a meandering canal.  Doug and I stopped at one point to look at the mora bushes when we were greeted by the Ecuadorian man who owned them.  He called us onto his property and began to give us an impromptu lesson on growing and pruning berry plants.  Before long we discovered that he'd lived in Spain for 15 years, had returned to Ecuador only 16 months ago, and began growing mora (black raspberries) and alfalfa plants as well to feed the hundreds of guinea pigs he raises for sale to street-vendors who grill them over an open fire.  Then, this very sweet looking man took us to see all the pens where the guinea pigs live and get fattened up day after day.  Doug and I couldn't get over how soft, healthy, and pet-like they seemed to us--poor things have no idea what's coming.....  Neither of us could picture having one of these little bar-be-qued guys for lunch. 

In the end, we returned home from Ambato having had a nice little get-away and time to remember big-city life.  Can't say that I'd ever been away from a big city for so long in my life--it had been over three months.  Got my fix and am much better for it.

Thanks for reading,

Blessings, kim

Awesome Ecuadorian Things

Well, we've now reached our half-way mark.  In some ways it seems like a blink while in others it certainly has crept along.  We are grateful daily for the opportunity to be here and to put feet to our faith.  It's been demanding and rewarding all at the same time. 

Thanks for hanging in there with us and living through some pretty ugly blogs filled with whining and complaining.  Hopefully those to come will be more upbeat--but also honest and real. 

Today I want to share those things that we're beginning to take for granted here in Ecuador.  (I don't think I was in the right frame of mind to mention them before.)  Enjoy the read; I think you'll find it interesting.

1.  Buying one pill at a time--I can go to the pharmacy and ask for just one pill (nausea medicine, antibiotic, you name it) and they'll sell me one pill--sometimes they only cost five cents each!
2.  Leaving your windows open 365 days a year--no A/C means that we enjoy a breeze all the time.
3.  Bus transportation everywhere in the country for only $1/hour of travel--for example, a bus to Quito five hours away only costs $5.
4.  Meeting and greeting people constantly--since few own cars, most people walk everywhere which means you encounter lots of people on the streets and can get to know them easier.
5.  Andes Mountains--they are gorgeous and green.
6.  The jungle--the US has lots of climates and terrain, but it does not have a jungle.
7.  Casual meals out--a waiter never ever brings you the check until you ask him/her for it.  They expect you to stay as long as you want.
8.  Fresh unique fruits and veggies daily--the variety is crazy and so very yummy.  We are getting spoiled on things like mora, guayabana, yucca, mangoes, uvillas, and the like. 
9.  Cheap car maintenance--I've been told that a mechanic only charges about $40/day to work on a car.  What a deal that is!
10.Volcanoes--enough said.
11. Life's slow pace--Ecuadorians are rarely in a hurry. They take the time to greet one another and to stop to smell the roses.
12. Little fruit and vegetable stands--purchasing just what you need is very easy; there's no need to load all the kids in the car to go buy just a couple of things.  I can even send a child to the fruit stand to pick up what I need.
13. Cheap roses--I bought 24 long-stem roses in Ambato for, get this, $2!  Crazy.
14. Long lunches--lunch can be anywhere from an hour and fifteen minutes to two hours.  Ecuadorians are serious about their noon meal and the siesta that usually accompanies it.
15. Dogs everywhere--I've never seen so many dogs in my life as I've seen here.  They are everywhere.  And none of them are on leashes.  Dogs are simply found on every street (sometimes taking a nap in the middle of the road) and are the main method of home security.
16. Music accompanying garbage collection--It may seem funny, but the garbage truck always blasts out the loudest music when it comes around to pick up the trash. It's how we remember it's trash day.
17. Cheap gasoline--It's only $1.48 a gallon.  So cheap it makes us wish we had a car here.
18. No fast food--This means that we eat healthier whether we like it or not.

So, you see, there are some neat things about living way down south.  It's nearly 11:30 pm here so I'll end there but may add more later. Thanks for reading.
Blessings, kim

New Shoes Part II

So after 14 days of straight rain and ever so slightly cold weather (a friend and I joked that we actually needed to put on socks when we went to bed at night!  Sorry for those of you currently experiencing record-breaking temps this winter), we finally saw the sunshine yesterday and felt as if the heat had come back.   Praise the Lord.  It was so lovely outside that we all wanted to just hang out out there. 

Well, today when Selah and I made our way to Casa de Fe, we looked down from the bridge that crosses over the river on the way there.  When we did, I saw a great many clothes that had been freshly washed and were drying on the rocks below.  They were meticulously spread out--one shirt or one pair of pants per large rock.  Since it was sunny, this is actually a familiar sight on such nice days.  What was even more familiar was a blue and white striped shirt that I had recently given up.  I stared and thought, "Could it be?"  Well, after scanning the rest of the clothes, I recognized one of Selah's blue and pink shirts, a pair of her floral pants, a pair of my old shoes, and a few other items.  Immediately I looked over to the other side of the bridge to see if I could find the owner of all these things and who should I see but my  new friend Liliana!  She was sweeping the cement of the tiniest house smiling at me as I walked toward her and gave her a hug.  This house that she's in is honestly the smallest thing I've ever seen--about the size of the cabana we stayed in at the beach--and it's the place I walk right next to three or four days a week!  How funny is that? 

So, other than seeing a familiar face, it was a great knowing that the clothes were working out for her and some were already needing a washing. 

Not much else to report but am so pumped because today three of the kids and I are going with my pickling friend Susan to Ambato to stay in her house--it's a two hour drive from Shell through the mountains.  Yes, I'm headed out to the pharmacy right after this to buy the Ecuadorian version of Dramamine.  We're taking Jacobey to the dentist to get his chipped tooth fixed, me to the orthodontist to replace a broken retainer mounted behind my front bottom teeth, and all of us to MEGAMAXI where I will be able to shop my heart out for groceries--I can hear the angels singing already.  And, if that weren't already enough excitement, we're going to eat out at a Mexican restaurant!  Be still my heart!!

Hope to post on Sunday with news of newly purchased cheeses and other culinary delights like Special K Cereal and Sour Cream.  Pitiful, but true....

Thanks for reading!
Blessings, kim

New Shoes!

We just experienced the neatest thing.  Two nights ago we were invited to dinner by a short-term mission team that's here in Shell for about 10 days.  They borrowed the Nate Saint House for the evening and cooked chicken, beef, rice and mixed veggies.  Then they set the tables, adorned the table cloths with place cards, and put a new pair of socks and shoes under each of their guests' chairs.  When we, the missionaries, arrived at 6:00 we discovered a sight to greatly encourage us.  The team all had bright smiles and so did we.  We found our places at the table and our neat, clean shoes carefully placed underneath. I started to cry.

Under Selah's chair were the cutest little pink and teal shoes that she so desperately needed.  Her tennis shoes, which we'd already taken to the shoe repair man once, had blown out toes which were not going to be fixable.  Under my chair there was a new pair of running shoes which will replace the pair  I have used to run multiple-mile outings.  Jacobey, who had bought a new pair of high-tops in November which were now 'beyond fixing' according to the shoe repair man, got the coolest pair of black Filas.  Seth found a perfectly suited for him pair of Pumas under his chair; a big smile crept across his face since he'd broken his other shoes just that afternoon in PE.  Doug, who goes through shoes almost as quickly as the boys, got a new pair of blue and white Filas which will replace the hand-me-down, too-big-for-him shoes that he'd been wearing.  And Darius, our boy whose foot is now bigger than mine, got a really great pair of blue and green shoes that actually match some of his clothes and look nearly as big as Doug's clod hoppers.  Darius wears shoes out faster than anyone else I know due to his pigeon-toed walking.  He's worn through four pairs of shoes since we got here!

After looking around the room and admiring all the shoes that we were being given, we then sat down to a meal that the team placed before us and ate to our heart's content; they stood to eat and refilled our plates and glasses as needed.  Next they cleared the plates, brought out bins of soapy water and towels, and began to wash our feet.  I couldn't take it.  I boo-hood at the sheer kindness of it all.

The woman who washed my feet, Katty, told me that unlike the others, she lives here in Ecuador.  Her 'parents' are linked with the team that comes from the US, but she herself just comes over to Shell from Riobamba three hours away.  She then relayed her story:  She was a girl that grew up on the streets because her parents had died when she was 12.  Because she had multiple relatives that could take her in, she was not eligible for orphanage-living.  Yet, because she was such a rebel and caught up in a number of wrong choices, none of her relatives wanted to bear the burden of raising her.  So Katty grew up going from place to place and city to city until at 15 she found herself in Quito at a church in need of help.  When she sat down at the service one morning she found herself sitting next to a missionary couple that immediately responded to her need and took her in as their own.  Because Katty was so old at that point she was not adoptable according to the Ecuadorian system but they cared for her anyway.  She went to school, was well fed and clothed, and ended up graduating and becoming a changed young women when she finally reached adulthood.  Thus, Katty said, she is indebted to missionaries and their service to her and her country.  More tears.

It that weren't enough, the ladies were then given each a prayer shawl which some kind woman in Pennsylvania had crocheted just for her.  I got a beautiful magenta colored one which Selah wishes I'd just hand right over to her.

WOW.  Well, the story doesn't end there.  Yesterday, after being up at school and seeing all the kids in their new shoes playing different sports at lunch time and smiling inwardly at the blessing we'd all received, Selah and I rode our bikes home.  When we arrived, there was a woman and child that came following us at some distance behind.  She waved me over to her and timidly asked me if I knew of anyone in our compound that was giving away clothes.  It had come to her understanding via a 'gringa' that someone here was getting rid of clothing.  Well, after chatting with her for a couple of minutes I realized that the clothes I had collected from Selah's closet and had set aside to give away would be perfect for this woman's little girl.  I therefore invited her to come sit down on our patio while I grabbed the clothes and put them in a bag.  Selah, meanwhile, had rushed into her room to see what toys she could give the child.  She grabbed a doll, some doll clothes, a pair of sunglasses, a toy car, and a few other odds and ends and likewise put them into a bag.  Before the woman, Liliana, left, Selah and I loaded her down with four bags of girl clothes, boy clothes, my clothes, toys, and shoes that we had just the night before replaced.  The timing of this woman's arrival was unmistakable.  As we had been blessed, we therefore must bless.

I prayed with Liliana.  And, Selah seeing that the woman could barely carry all the things and keep track of her little girl while on the road home, placed a dollar coin in her hand so that she could get a taxi to take her home.  I was never so proud of my baby girl as I was at that moment.  Ecuador had taught Selah generosity and how to hold onto things loosely.  It has taught me the same.

I pray that you'll find fun ways to bless others at the store, in your neighborhoods, at work, at school.  It is far better than holding onto things we won't even miss!
Thanks for reading,
Blessings, kim

Things we take for granted in the US

1.  Cold milk in a gallon jug  (ours is in a box purchased at room temperature)
2.  Being able to flush toilet paper down a toilet  (we have to throw our used toilet paper in the trash can)
3.  Laying on the floor to play a game or watch a movie  (we have tile floors that must be swept constantly because of the spider and termite residue and the grass and dirt we bring in on our feet)
4.  Television (none here)
5.  A/C (none here)
6.  Buying all groceries in one location  (we travel from butcher, to fruit stand, to pharmacy, to tiny grocery store, to bakery, etc)
7.  Bacon  ($4 for eight slices!)
8.  Clean water coming out of the tap  (we have to get ours from the spigot outside the hospital)
9.  Clean streets (litter is prevalent; I saw a dead mouse on the street last night)
10. Dependable phone and internet service (ours can go out at any minute; several times a day we have to 'reconnect')
11. Big Houses (our 1000 square foot cement brick house here is a mansion in comparison to what some people live in)
12. Diverse restaurant options  (we have pizza, Chinese, and Ecuadorian; what I wouldn't do for Mexican, Japanese, Thai, American, Lebanese, etc.)
13. Medicine purchased at the pharmacy that comes with instructions (when we buy medicine they sometimes only give the tablets that I need instead of the entire box; yet the box itself does not come with directions for use or side-effect information; I have to consult the internet website in Spanish to see if I can decipher the medical information or ask a medical friend of mine here to see what they can tell me about the medicine)
14. Mail delivery  (people have to pay for a post office box; then you have to go to the post office to pick the mail up; currently there are five families that we know of--including us--that are awaiting packages from the US that were mailed in November and still have not arrived.  Apparently there is a hold up in Quito in Customs and we're all suffering from it.)
15. Pizza sauce (pizza here does not come covered in red sauce--it's dry)
16. Sour cream (we have to take cream and add lime juice to it so that it will sour overnight sitting on the counter)
17. Tortilla chips (we can find them but they're in locations far from where we live)
18. Quality shoes (shoes here wear out in a month--Jacobey can attest to that)
19. Garages (no one has one)
20. Ground turkey (none here)
21. Highways (travel from one Ecuadorian city to another is always via a single, winding road that only has one lane going in either direction)
22. Freeways (inner city travel is all traffic and lights; there are no freeways at all to help you get across town easily)
23. Eating fruit as soon as you purchase it (we have to soak our fruit and veggies in bleach solution for five minutes prior to eating it)
24. Water at restaurants (we cannot drink the tap water; we have to buy a bottle of water if that's our drink of choice)
25. Cars (so few people own them here--including us--so it makes getting from place to place a lot harder)
26. Fast food (no drive thru options here)
27. Chocolate (lots of chocolate here comes unsweetened which, if you've ever tried it, is awful!!)
28. Noise ordinances (anyone can own a rooster, a boom box, a car with a car alarm, or a barking dog with unlimited ability to make noise all night and all day)
29. Comfortable chairs (every chair here is very erect and fairly hard and uncomfortable)
30. Great coffee (yes, I live in South America and am having a hard time finding great coffee; most Ecuadorians drink instant!; and yummy creamer that makes your coffee taste like French Vanilla or English Toffee or Amaretto is not available here)  I could list ump-teen things that we don't get here.  These are just the ones off the top of my head.

So, I don't write this entry to complain; I write it to let you know how blessed you are to live in a place where luxuries are not only in the form of big houses and new cars, but they can come in the smallest of packages such as informative medicine bottles or the ability to pop a grape in your mouth right after you buy it. Praise God for His provision and smile at the simplest of blessings; many do not have what you enjoy daily.

I secretly smile at the thought of returning to the US in June and seeing everything through new eyes and with a grateful heart: clean streets, manicured walkways, a car to drive, A/C!--and we'll shop for groceries with an excitement that may lead to our embarrassment there in the store--hugging packages and cheering when we see tortilla chips and our favorite salsa again.  All six of us look forward to that day--I just hope I don't gain a ton of weight!
Thanks for reading!
Blessings, kim

New Beginnings

Tomorrow we head back to school and I think that everyone is mentally and physically ready.  We've slept in, played cards, gone bike riding, organized our little house, played games, had friends over, bought groceries, called family to get caught up (spent nearly two and a half hours alone with Mom and Dad on the phone), and have prepped lessons for this week.  We've therefore attended to things that were important and to things that were frivolous. 

Yet, I'm coming to discover that some of the things that we deem frivolous actually are more important in the big scheme of things.  Like playing cards with Darius.  While we were at the beach, we played a lot of cards--mind you, I no longer am a formidable foe for him so it's a bit of a sacrifice to play knowing that I'm going to get my tail kicked. And while there he jumped the waves, dug holes, ate tons, chased crabs, and rescued turtles, yet this simple little thing him happy like no other activity.  It was so interesting because during our time there he even seemed different:  content, joyful, not stuck in a book all the time.  I guess I discovered that spending one-on-one time with just Darius is what he craves more than anything else.

When I think about it, I realize that all Jacobey wants is to bike s ride with his dad or cook with his mom (we're about to bake some cookies together) and he doesn't want any of his siblings nosing in.  Seth wants to play cards, look at Lego, take a walk, or go get fresh bread at the bakery with us in tow.  He'll tolerate someone else coming but his heart really is most pleased when it's just he and I or he and Doug.  And Selah wants to wash dishes or fold clothes together (praise God for girls) or have either one of us follow her around the compound on our bike.  They each want to know that they matter to us and that they are a priority in our lives.

 Well, if you think about it, isn't that what we all crave from the one we love?  We all want the undivided attention of the person we're seeking to enjoy.  When we're with our mom or spouse or friend or child or employer or whomever, we simply want to know that they're interested in us and what we're about.  The tough thing is that tasks often get in the way and so do others who are competing for our attention.  We have limited time and energy and a limit to how thin we can spread ourselves among those we love. 

Here's a thought.  When Doug and I first met and began dating, Doug said that he wanted us to choose some hobbies or interests that we could share as our relationship developed.  Being the money-minded person that he is, he chose for us to join an investment club.  Sounds riveting huh?  Well, because I was interested in Doug, I became interested in investing. It's not what I would have chosen but it enabled us to develop a common vocabulary, goal, outlook, etc.  It drew me to him and him to me.  Same notion here.  In bonding with my child(ren) or others, I need a common vocabulary, goal, outlook, etc.  I need to set aside that time weekly--if not daily--to do something that makes that happen.  Maybe it'll be in the form of teaching them how to cook, how to garden, how to paint, or in reading together, playing games together or running each morning together.

Simply put, my new beginning this year is to make sure my five family members know that I'm crazy about each of them, individually and as a group.  God gave them to me and expects me to treasure them each.  May you find the desire and way to do the same with yours. 

Thanks for reading,
Blessings,
kim

Whew!

Where to begin?
Well, when I last wrote it was New Year's Eve early in the day and we were enjoying the last few hours on the coast.  Under an overcast sky we jumped waves, took pictures, saw more sea turtles and baby crabs, collected smooth rocks, and enjoyed the beauty the Lord had laid before us.  It was a wonderful day and a perfect cap to a restful week.  This is a picture of the family and their help that took care of us for the week.  Isidro is the gentleman in the back with his arms around his daughter Jennifer. Wife Janet is showing thumbs up and Jasmin is in the middle.  Fabio is the handsome boy on the left who threw the football with our guys on the beach.

(Remember in old TV shows when someone is playing a music record on an old fashioned turntable and then the needle runs across it and the music comes to a scratching halt?  That idea seems to apply here.)

Sunset came and went and then the electricity in town went out.  Let me tell you, it gets really dark on a beach in South America when there's no moon and stars out.  Thankfully our host had a generator so in a few minutes we were up and running and able to see our meal.  Also, we were blessed with a few minutes of peace and quiet since the speakers were unable to blast out the dance music.  Everything returned then to normal but when the electricity went down the third time I asked Doug his thoughts on the whole thing. What would cause such a blackout?  He thought that the town had maxed out their electrical supply with all the demands of music and lights.  Made total sense to me.

Finally they'd ironed things out because by 11 pm there was a steady stream of music coming from the middle of town (two houses away) along with a DJ who talked over every song with mouth fully pressed to his mic.  The only word I could make out from his litany was 'baile' (dance!).  In spite of the music and excitement of the evening, Seth and Selah were worn thin and had their heads on the table during dinner.  Darius and Jacobey were not far behind.  So, we carted all kids up to bed, had them put on jammies and brush their teeth, and plopped them into bed.  Within moments, all were out.

Doug and I, however, decided to see what all the ruckus was about and took the one minute walk into town.  There under hanging streamers and before a mound of speakers sat all 400 inhabitants of Las Tunas watching as couples took to the dance floor.  I didn't notice much alcohol or loud boisterous behavior--just the syncronized bobbing of black-haired heads on the dance floor and a man with exceeding power running the music and mic.  It greatly resembled what you'd find at a wedding reception without all the food and toasting of the couple.

After a short ten minutes Doug and I decided to give sleep a go.  It was nearly 11:45 and we were fairly wiped out from the early start to our day and several days of fairly poor sleep (Six of us in one room; Doug with Darius who hogs the bed and talks in his sleep; Me with Selah in a twin bed top bunk who kicks and likes to hug).  We put on our jammies, brushed our teeth, popped in our ear plugs, and kissed goodnight.  Incredibly we could still hear the music clear as a bell but laid down hopeful that come midnight things would get slightly louder and then would eventually taper down to a slight buzz.

Wrong.  At 2 something the music and DJ were still going strong and just as loud as before.  At 3:25 when Selah needed to go to the bathroom and get a drink we were serenaded by songs I'd not yet heard.  Around 5 we barely heard the rooster.  At 6:15 someone cranked the speaker up a hair more because you know there were still people on the dancefloor willing to give it all they've got.  At 6:20 am Doug and I looked at each other red-eyed and wiped out considering the fourteen hour drive we had ahead of us.  Heaven help us.  

Once again we didn't have to wake the kids up; the music took care of that for us.  Everyone milled about the room, got clothes on, brushed teeth, took the Ecuadorian version of Dramamine, and packed the last items in our bags.  Ready or not, Shell, here we come.

We caught a ride from a friend of Isidro's into the town of Puerto Lopez where he dropped us off a the place where our friends stayed the week.  Then our van driver arrived at 8:30 to pick us up and cart us cross country back to the jungle.  We climbed in, barf bags ready, and headed eastward.  I began in the front row with the driver and Cobey and he seemed to be doing well.  Quickly I learned though that my original prayers for our journey said in bed this morning could really use a little extra umph. I thought it wise to pray again covering our driver and his wisdom, our boy in the front and his stomach, our oncoming traffic, and our van which was busting at the seams with people and bags (and bugs!--I discovered a couple of hours into our ride that we had baby cockroaches crawling on the floor!  My hyadis from the bugs was apparently over. Have I mentioned how much I hate bugs?  I pulled my legs up and refused to put them on the floor again. At one point one little guy was crawling up the pillow in my lap and I nearly came unglued, silently of course, because I could just imagine what all they were enjoying down there.  A few minutes later Selah decided to sit on the floor and I yanked her up quicker than you can say, 'bug bite'.  Later in our journey at one of our stops we saw a roach crawl onto the driver's seat with antennea three times as long as it's body.  Even the 250 lb. driver was grossed out.

Yet, there were some highlights to our road trip.  Since everyone in Ecuador danced till dawn and beyond, the roads were nearly free from all traffic.  We passed town after town with not a soul about and very few cars on the road.  Our trek into the large city of Guayaquil which was supposed to take three and a half to four hours only took two hours and forty-five minutes. When we got to Guayaquil we found the only McDonald's in the city (one of only a handful in the country) located at the bus terminal and had Big Macs, Chicken Nuggets, Double Cheeseburgers, and fries.  The burgers were cold but we didn't care.  It was a taste we'd longed for.  In the states we never went to McDonald's--here we're looking for something familiar.  

Well, the next part of our journey took us up and into the Andes.  We drove for over four hours on the mountaintops where only clouds are visible--we were in the cloud forest where at times the driver could only see about 50 feet in front of him which required 20 m/h driving.  Winding through the mountains on a single-lane road for a long time eventually led us to the other side and an amazing view of the tallest volcano in Ecuador, Chimborazo.  It was beautiful and snow capped and we caught a glimpse of it at sunset.  

Then we headed toward Tungurahua, which is our closest volcano, and a 'short cut' that the driver suggested.  Great!  We're all about cutting an hour off of our journey. So for the next hour, at dark, we wound our way around the mountains on an at times single-lane dirt road which was in the middle of absolutely nowhere.  It was the craziest thing.  I several times had to pray and ask God to keep us from having car trouble (I would surely go mad if I had to spend any more time in the van than I'd already expected).  Oh my.  Yet, in the end, we came out on the Banos road and had indeed shaved off an hour from our journey.  

We finally drove through Banos, our closest big city and then people were out in droves.  The city was alive and the cars were packed.  We drove onward and I began counting down the minutes.  Selah and Darius were stirred up and I could tell our driver was ready to be there.  (Did I mention that he'd only gotten an hour and a half of sleep the night before?  When I found that out, I began pumping him full of liquid, hard candies, and questions I could ask to keep him awake and alert.)  We dropped the others off at their respective houses, and finally made it to our house just before 9 pm.  Only 13 hours this time; and no one vomited!  Praise God!

We unloaded our stuff--we DID NOT bring the things into the house.  I was not about to cart anymore bugs into my house than were already there awaiting me.  I started a load of clothes, unpacked enough to find my glasses and contacts case, and then reported to the rest of the family that I was headed to bed.  They seemed quite content to play with their new toys (Seth went straight to his Lego, Selah to her Poly Pockets, Darius to a book, and Jacobey to his Star Wars paper airplanes) and Doug loved catching up on the phone with Roni and Andy at home in Katy and his mom in Minnesota.

Today, a day later, we're all feeling much better and have almost recovered from the ride home.  We've decided though that one trip to the beach is enough for us and that we're happy we got it out of our systems.  A week of buglessness is not enough to coax us into that journey again.  

Thanks for reading this very long blog.  

Blessings,  kim

Bye!