Changing of the guard?

As I stated before the two weeks surrounding Chrismas were quite busy for us.  Ben Martin came and spent 8 days with us.  The satuday we drove him to the airport, we picked up Lucianna Alderfer.

What a crazy thing. By the time I got to Lucianna, I was crying!  The poor woman she should have been crying.. her luggage with all of her clothing was lost in Huston.  She had to spend 1 1/2 of her 5 days here wearing our clothes in 85 degree weather with high humidity.  Unlike us she isn't quite "used to" the temperature.

When we woke up Sunday morning, I felt fine. She assured me that it still felt sticky.  Oh dear. I guess we are somewhat more used to the climate than I imagined.


Lucianna coming was like a breath of fresh air.  She is our Child Advocate.  To sum up what this means, she is the one stateside who "keeps track" of our children's well being.  As parents we do it, but it is good and healthy to have another set of eyes and ears.  It was great for her to see firsthand a little of what our lives are like on a daily basis.

She also could see from a different perspective things we've gotten used to as well as things that may need to change in our house.  We are thankful for her insight!  I will include a few pictures of her time with us.  

She brought us a second Christmas!  What fun to have her bring some thing from church that didn't come with Ben.  She also blessed us tremendously, she had asked us to put our wants on a Amazon list and she picked from that.

She really went with the flow of things which amazed and comforted me.  I realize that living where we live and doing what we do isn't convenient.  She tried new foods and took cold showers.  She walked places with us. She put her toilet paper in the trash can.  She got to see some Mayan Ruins.  She experienced our sheer delight at going to Belize City and shopping at a "big air-conditioned" grocery store!

With all of her valiance, she was unwilling to try my Kombucha.  Oh well I can't win them all.  Nathanael and I both feel the kombucha has kept us healthy which is the important part right?

Here are some pictures:

poor kid missed the bed when he fell asleep.  He loves the sheets Aunt Lucianna gave him!! 

Selah talked Nathanael and Lucianna into a short game of Monopoly that lasted for hours..

Last cuddle session! 

Selah is delighted! Black Twizzlers.  

The climb down the ruins was more scary than the climb up

a walk through mosquito infested jungle to a "lake" that was too flooded to see. Lucianna took it all in stride, and was still smiling! 

After our climb and walk, they found a way to cool off