Ramblings...

Days and time are precious, and I can’t help but feel anxious to get on with life. Some days seem like a “holding pattern,” and I feel like I’m not accomplishing much, or am not doing all that I can. The heat of this place takes a lot of physical energy away, the culture of this place allows for little to be accomplished in a day. I struggle with trying to keep the children occupied, fed, educated, one-on-one time together, and to get enough physical activity in as well. We’re only here for another month, and all of these challenges will become easier as we begin to settle into life in Florida. Still, I want the children to have a good experience while they’re here and not remember this time as when “Mommy was over-the-top stressed-out!”

I struggle with keeping the house clean (talking filthy in just one hour) on a daily basis as the kids get into everything, the cats shed, and the dirt and dust from outside cover the tile floors, all the while having to go through our boxes of stuff (some items with mold from being stored- and due to asthma, I must depend on the help of others to go through most of those) and clean and get rid of things and put aside what we will be taking with us. It seems we’ve made little headway and we have little time left.

Then there’s wanting to spend time with family, friends, ministry staff and visit old places that we used to go to. This has been difficult due to the lack of regular transportation. I think it’s just been one of those days where looking at the big picture overwhelms me. And this is even after having some time to myself today. Edilberto took the kids with him to town (on the bus – which the kids just love), and then to his mom’s to fix her electric showerhead.

This really has nothing to do with anything I've written. I just wanted to say that chicken (frango) tastes so good in Brazil! We had some for lunch again today (one of the only things I can get the kids to eat.)