State of the unit

So, we sit in a posh seaside villa soaking in the internet through three computers and an I-pod (obviously we needed a break from the vogue 'ideal' no?). It's been over a month since I have had access to a reliable internet connection for an reasonable amount of time and it seems that this trend may continue. I hope to be calling several of you this weekend, so to eliminate any small talk on my end and get to the important stuff (like me hearing about your family) I'll just say - “read the blog.”
The family unit is well. I'd say an A.

Jarod
His homemade chocolate is becoming a community favorite – and a continual point of discussion among us all. He will be starting in soon on coffee roasting ideas, which should also be highly entertaining. He has been building stuff, fixing stuff, hauling stuff, planting stuff, and reminding me it is a good idea to sit down every once and awhile and enjoy the quite of our home. Reminding me to go for walks and take pictures... just because it is enjoyable. Because where we live is amazing. Besides finding great joy in the natural world around him and the many things to learn on a daily basis, he is building a few friendships and enjoying his Bible Study with our friend David. He is dreaming about 'what to do next' and tonight we learned he needs to look for a job based on a (ROWE – you can look it up). Or I guess maybe he wants to move to Wisconsin to make cheese – or Canada to tap maple trees – to Oregon to audit classes – or Kansas to fix wind generators... but only if he can ride his motorcycle. So yeah – he's the same. And here is his favorite mushroom shot - these come up over night and vanish by mid day. We are pretty sure it is poisonous.




Jude
We all agree he is doing well. Weird but well. He is a strange little guy with questions about, “why are family is white,” and repeating words like 'horchata' again and again – just for the fun of it. He still asks almost daily about when we will go back to Kansas or when he will see grandpa or play at Izaac's house, but even more frequently he asks when his friends are coming over or when we are going to the river to swim. He is learning to read and loves working on school with me and going to school to teach English. He is joy and he is trial – he is the reason that I have been spending my few free seconds reading a parenting book.



Lucy
She is walking on her own now, a bit. Talking on her own now, a bit – in both languages. She is dirty. She loves shoes and food. She has weak lungs and a bad attitude – and she is the town of Urraco's mascot. The children love her – the moms love her. We love her... but this parenting book is coming in really handy... and I am telling you that whoever she becomes... she was born that way.




I am continually amused at my daily miscommunications – with my bumpy road as teacher, neighbor and friend. I am enjoying myself deeply... frustrated often, missing the comfort of easy old friendships and learning lessons by the second. I am super pumped that by the next blog I may have put books into the hands of every child in our village and set up library story hours to flood their little brains with my horrible Spanish and the wonder of a little library!