Albuteral and other things:

This blog will be a long list of unconnected life events happening in the Tippy household that you will doubtful find of interest unless you are my mother:

Today: As of right now, Lucy is resting easy in her room after 2 administrations of her new steroid medication, but Jude is starting with “the cough.” This morning I made a trip to the hospital because Lucy had a rough day yesterday including vomiting and low-grade fever – a few - hours, dollars, taxi rides (and a lot of good Spanish practice) later we have the same diagnosis and almost same prescriptions that we got for Jude at this age. We just breed weak-lunged kids – no matter where we live they can't handle a 2 degree temperature change without bronchitis or steroids. Other than procuring medications and holding a sick girl today was filled with a lot of fun. We learned that the kids at Jude's school eat pencil led, and that although he hasn't, he did 'lick the pencil just to see what it tasted like – and it was salty'. Jarod also attended a prayer meeting at a church nearby and Jude and I went to our second “Kid's Club” with some missionary friends. He likes it... until he gets an overload of Spanish and coloring... which around here is just too intense for him – these kids know the rules of coloring: left to right – inside the lines – only realistic colors – highlighting preferred. PERIOD. Speaking of which, tomorrow, we have been told, is his “big test.” Jarod and I can't stop laughing, because, first of all, 'over what would one test a 3 year old?' and second of all, 'What language will it be in?' He'll either come away from this thing looking like a genius or an idiot... I don't care just as long as he doesn't eat the pencil.

But I am getting ahead of myself, that is tomorrow, I am suppose to be talking about last week. It was another great week, with too many highlights to list. Jarod did go to a pastoral ordination on Saturday that apparently was a very interesting 4 hours... of Spanish and theology, mind you, so his brain is still recovering. I had a much lighter Saturday, washing the hair of little girls down at the river... and doing a little tag-team 'mommying' with my friend Lindsey and her daughter Ellie... you know – 'be productive but keep the kiddos a safe distance from river currents and lice.' It was a good system, and a great privilege to hang out with some very special girls who rarely get special treatment.



Oh yeah, and sometime over the weekend Lucy's first tooth poked through and she started getting really sick... but she looks good in the photos (at least better than her mom - please notice that I am carrying TWO large babies in that photo. )

During the week we got plenty of Spanish practice with some national families that we are getting to know pretty well... not to mention we love our new Spanish teacher... who is extremely hard on us but who tells almost as many funny stories as Jude. Jude still struggles at school, and honestly the difference in 'expected child behavior' has been one of the hardest cultural adjustment for all of us. Oh, but I found the most amazing special education school and if all else fails I will just volunteer there and take Jude with me... 'cause we all know they are the best kids to socialize with anyway – hum... but I wonder what that will do for our Spanish?!

Well, and since this has pretty much been a weather report I might as well give you a weather report – it has been super cool here lately – 'cold' to our acclimatized bodies. If it gets above 80 this weekend we may go out to the island to visit Chrissy... because as she says, “we are so close but so very far away.”
Anyway, sometime this week I hope to post a video of the kids in the hight of their current glory – Jude expounding upon his day at school – and Lucy literally stocking him in her walker. Until then, just know that all is well... and feeling ever so normal, and the future ever so full of possibilities.